Release date: May 8, 2007 | Series: Kiesha'ra (Book 1)
DANICA SHARDAE IS an avian shapeshifter, and the golden hawk’s form in which she takes to the sky is as natural to her as the human one that graces her on land. The only thing more familiar to her is war: It has raged between her people and the serpiente for so long, no one can remember how the fighting began. As heir to the avian throne, she’ll do anything in her power to stop this war—even accept Zane Cobriana, the terrifying leader of her kind’s greatest enemy, as her pair bond and make the two royal families one.
Trust. It is all Zane asks of Danica—and all they ask of their people—but it may be more than she can give.
A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
A VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror List selection
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Grade 7-10-In this engaging fantasy, Danica Shardae is an avian shapeshifter. She is a princess of her people who, like the birds they become, is reserved and disciplined, yet full of passion. Her people have been at war with the serpiente, a people who shapeshift into serpent forms, for so many years that no one remembers how it all started. The hatred and bloodshed have taken a heavy toll on both sides, and Danica and Zane Cobriana, a prince among the serpiente, are determined to stop it, at any cost. He is the last of his line as is Danica and so he proposes that the avian and serpiente royalty meet at a neutral place and seek mediation to end the war. The mediator proposal-that Danica and Zane marry-is so crazy and repugnant a plan that both parties leave immediately. The young people, however, consider it in spite of the apparent lunacy, for it would mean an end to the fighting. But can they pull it off? And can they keep the dissenters among them from destroying this shred of a chance for peace? This book takes the Romeo and Juliet angle to new heights and is dealt with in a completely original way. It's a love story and a plea for peace, and an intriguing look at a world that is teeming with tension and danger and beauty. Atwater-Rhodes has created a stunning adventure that draws readers in and leaves them begging for more. Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“Teens will relate to these characters and the universal themes of peer pressure, family problems, and the search for identity.”—Starred, VOYA
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes wrote her first novel, In the Forests of the Night, when she was 13 years old. Other books in the Den of Shadows series are Demon in My View, Shattered Mirror, Midnight Predator, all ALA Quick Picks for Young Adults. She has also published the five-volume series The Kiesha'ra: Hawksong, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror List Selection; Snakecharm; Falcondance; Wolfcry; and Wyvernhail. Visit her online at www.ameliaatwaterrhodes.com.
In light of the current marketing blitz of young adult authors (ala "Eragon" and "Secret of the Stones") it's useful to remember that the existence of authors barely out of childhood is not a new occurrence. Perhaps the best example of this is the highly readable and talented Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. Born in 1984 (you do the math) her first book was published when she was a mere slip of a lass of thirteen years. With "Hawksong" she's reached the wise old age of nineteen, though you'd never know it from reading the book. Atwater-Rhodes is prone to over-formal sentences, familiar if limited plots, and sometimes stock characters but "Hawksong" withstands these criticisms and remains interesting and (in its way) original reading.
It's like Romeo and Juliet. Only in this case, Romeo hates Juliet, Juliet fears Romeo, and the two are only getting together for political reasons. Danica is the last surviving heir to her people's throne. As an Avian, she and her people have the ability to transform into various winged fowl, sometimes completely and sometimes only by half. They have been at war longer than they know with the Serpiente people. Led by Zane Cobriana, these are the Avians' snake enemies. In a desperate effort to create a new peace in the land, Zane and Danica decide to wed, thereby creating a political marriage between their warring tribes. The trouble is, of course, that these two can't stand one another. Also, it's clear that a centuries-long war isn't about to end just because two optimistic kids decide to dedicate their lives to it. To make the peace survive this new pair must address dissent, learn to appreciate one another, and sniff out the assassins that keep attempting to kill them.
It's nice to read a kind of anti-love story once in a while.... Atwater-Rhodes also has the wit to write a realistic enough war without making Zane/Danica's solution instant and tidy. War's a messy business, and some of the most convincing moments in the book come when Danica must face potential mutiny in her hepped-up-ready-to-fight recruits and soldiers. The love story that slowly emerges between the two heroes is slow but, sadly, a little predictable. I found myself, oddly enough, comparing it constantly to the story of Beauty and the Beast (another tale where the girl fears the man and then comes to love him). It was disappointing to say to one's self "I wonder when the moment will come when one has to nurse the other back to health" and then actually see it occur. None of this to degrade Atwater-Rhodes's work, however. Though the book, as I've said earlier, is somewhat repetitive and familiar, it's still an interesting read. The author has filled it full with little touches and interesting ideas. The Serpiente, for example, are (despite what you may think) very touch oriented and warm to one another in their society. Emotional creatures, if you will. The Avian, on the other hand, do not touch and are particularly aloof and formal. It was Atwater-Rhodes's intelligence that told her to make her heroine (and narrator) come from the cool collected side and not the warm emotional one. By extension, the book is far more interesting.
It must be particularly frustrating to all the terrible fantasy authors out there that someone like Amelia Atwater-Rhodes has accomplished, prior to the ancient age of 21, what they themselves have been unable to attain. Which is to say, she writes good fantasy. Not particularly original or deep fantasy, but fantasy with enough reality and interesting ideas that it's worth your while to read. "Hawksong" is a fun dive into an entirely different world. It won't knock your socks off but it'll give you pause and win your respect. I went into the book hoping it wouldn't make me cringe due to the writing. Not only didn't I cringe, but it won my respect. An interesting creation.Read more ›
After reading her last effort, the dissapointing Midnight Predator, I had almost lost my faith in Amelia's creditbility as a teen author. But when I found out her next book, Hawksong, was about to be released, I decided to give her one more chance. After picking the book up, I was able to take my time with this book.
Taking a much needed break from the world of witches and vampires, Rhodes treats us to a world ruled by two breeds of shape-shifters (One is avian; the other is serpienten). A war that has been going on for ages leaves the heir to the avain throne, Danica Shardae, to achieve the goal of creating peace between the two lands. With the help (an a forced marriage) to Zane Corbriana, heir to the serpienten throne, they must try to put their differences aside and start the long road to peace.
Hawksong, in case you didn't know, is Book I in a series of four planned by Rhodes. The writing has diffently matured and has become more descriptive since Amelia's first novel, which was the biggest welcomed change. I haven't seen people complain (yet) if Hawksong is a rip-off of an L. J. Smith novel (Midnight Predator) or a knock-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Shattered Mirror), but to me this seems to be more orginal than the other four books. I would happen to agree with most reviewers that this is her best offering so far, but we'll just have to wait until the next three are published in order to justify this. Also, she has improved on characticterzation. No more 2D, cookie-cutters here.
But with most of Rhodes' books, she still has flaws. The most common is her tendency to "over-dramitize". While she has lightened up on this through out most of the book, she still has hints of it in some passages. Amelia also has a problem with description.
... She will often give her readers too little or too much, which will throw you off.
If anyone wants to get into Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, suggest this book!
My only complaint could be that I wish it was longer. This is a story that I want to see continue. Even after finishing the novel, I sat and daydreamed on what could possibly happen next. Atwater-Rhodes switched from her vampires and demons to a race of shape-changing people at war. The avians can change from human form to hawks, crows, sparrows, etc. The serpentine people can change to,well, serpents--they mostly ellude to cobras. These two groups of people have been at war for so long, that not even their scholars know why. Although, the upcoming queen of the avians and the upcoming king of the serpentines have their own ideas of stopping the bloodshed.
This is a can't miss young adult novel by Atwater-Rhodes!
I got this book for Christmas, and was truly amazed at how good it was. It's an easy, and very fast read, but a very lovable story, so much that when I styaed up late finishing it the first night, I stayed up late again the next night rereading it.
It's a love story that's brilliantly done, and I fell in love with the characters almost instantly. The plot is original as well as magical, and is a great choice for teenagers everywhere.
The only reason this book received four stars is that I wish it was a little longer. The shortness of the book was annoying, but for no reason should that shortness afect your decision to buy this book, for its definetly worth buying, since you may want to read it frequently.
Be sure to check out the sequel after you read this book! Impossible to be disappointed!
