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1reading_fox
hallowed Hunt : My Review
Really enjoyable. An interestingly different take on the standard dark ages low fantasy world. This is nominally the third of a series, which I didn't realise when I bought it. It seems eminently readable as a standalone, and I'm looking forward to enjoying the earlier books to find out exactly what happened previously.
Lord Ingrey is the disinherited eldest son of a duke. Not for any of the usual reasons, but because his father succeeded in an ancient (forbidden) rite of investing an animal soul within him. The Temple's usual punishment for such action is hanging, but given the extenuating circumstances Ingrey is allowed to live, although much rumour and gossip surrounds him. He makes his living as a trusted confident and man-at-arms for the High King's sealmaster, Hetwar. As such he is sent to a remote township where the king's youngest son has been murdered. The lady in question is to be brought to the capital for trial. Given that she is a lady of minor rank, Ingrey is curiously polite, but it's quickly apparent that something uncanny has happened - and that the prince was involved. The return journey quickly gets stranger still and Ingrey and the Lady Ilja are thrown into the murky politics of the capital and the Gods where, even here, not everything is as it seems.
This works very well as a standalone, the references to the animal magic system are still clearly explained, as is the history and politics of the surrounding kingdoms, even if the precise details leading up to the Prince's death don't emerge. The characters are vibrant and sympathetic, occasionally humorous and interact well together. The plot is well constructed with several red herrings until the main action is revealed. The ending is perhaps a little bit weak. The only other slightly significant downside is that some of the names are too similar, Fala and Fafa for instance. I read quickly and look at a name as a character tag, it was easy if confusing to get these mixed up!
Well worth reading, an enjoyable fantasy, vastly different from her more famous SF series.
Comments, thoughts and discussion welcome.
Really enjoyable. An interestingly different take on the standard dark ages low fantasy world. This is nominally the third of a series, which I didn't realise when I bought it. It seems eminently readable as a standalone, and I'm looking forward to enjoying the earlier books to find out exactly what happened previously.
Lord Ingrey is the disinherited eldest son of a duke. Not for any of the usual reasons, but because his father succeeded in an ancient (forbidden) rite of investing an animal soul within him. The Temple's usual punishment for such action is hanging, but given the extenuating circumstances Ingrey is allowed to live, although much rumour and gossip surrounds him. He makes his living as a trusted confident and man-at-arms for the High King's sealmaster, Hetwar. As such he is sent to a remote township where the king's youngest son has been murdered. The lady in question is to be brought to the capital for trial. Given that she is a lady of minor rank, Ingrey is curiously polite, but it's quickly apparent that something uncanny has happened - and that the prince was involved. The return journey quickly gets stranger still and Ingrey and the Lady Ilja are thrown into the murky politics of the capital and the Gods where, even here, not everything is as it seems.
This works very well as a standalone, the references to the animal magic system are still clearly explained, as is the history and politics of the surrounding kingdoms, even if the precise details leading up to the Prince's death don't emerge. The characters are vibrant and sympathetic, occasionally humorous and interact well together. The plot is well constructed with several red herrings until the main action is revealed. The ending is perhaps a little bit weak. The only other slightly significant downside is that some of the names are too similar, Fala and Fafa for instance. I read quickly and look at a name as a character tag, it was easy if confusing to get these mixed up!
Well worth reading, an enjoyable fantasy, vastly different from her more famous SF series.
Comments, thoughts and discussion welcome.
