Customer Reviews

Heroes of the Valley

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Jonathan Stroud simply is not a fan of innocent protagonists as pure as the newly driven snow. He has little patience for innocents as main characters. No time for guys like Harry Potter or Frodo, who find themselves thrust into dangerous situations that were not of their own making. Give Stroud a nicely corrupt kid or a wildly headstrong hero any day of the week. Having burst upon the juvenile writing scene with his breathtaking Bartimaeus trilogy, Stroud now scales himself back a little with a slightly more conservative fantasy going by the name "Heroes of the Valley". Masquerading as yet another boy-shepherd-learns-how-the-world-really-works tale, Stroud's newest book may seem to tread a well worn path but in fact it has all the zip, panache, and intelligence you would expect of the man who made footnotes a literary technique (outside of "Pale Fire" and "Jonathan Strange", of course . . .). It has a slow start, but stick with "Heroes of the Valley" and you will discover a smart bit of storytelling that knows how to suck in its readership.

Halli has grown up hearing the stories. How the heroes of the Houses in the valley drove back the horrible monstrous Trows and that's why no one can ever leave the valley again. Halli yearns for those old days, when violence and fighting could solve problems, particularly since in this current world Halli stands out. He is rough and short and ugly and prone to getting into trouble. Pranks come to him easily, but when a particularly keen one leads to the death of someone he loves, Halli vows to avenge the murder. Yet the boy has no idea what lies in store for him, or just how important it will be to remember those old stories and find out the truth (and lies) behind them.

Trying to compare "Heroes" to other children's books isn't difficult, but I did find that it broke certain rules. Like Taran from the Prydain Chronicles), Halli yearns for battle and glory. As such, the first half of this book takes on a distinctly Don Quixote flavor, with Halli in both the role as the deluded would-be knight and his much put upon squire. Halli meets odd characters, goes against all rhyme, reason, and sense and then only finds himself facing the truth about the world around him when given exactly the thing he has been searching for. This is a quest novel where the quest keeps changing. If it reminded me of anything it was of the smart fantasy writing of Nancy Farmer in her "The Sea of Trolls". But it's hard to find anyone to compare to the hero in this book.

Generally as heroes go, usually they can at least fight a little bit. But Halli, aside from being one of the uglier bandy-legged protagonists out there, is both short and incapable of fighting someone. To his credit, he's pretty good at escaping from death (though in truth a lot of that is probably due to the fact that swords pass a fair foot above his head half the time). But how many books have you read where the hero's short legs prevented him from making a clean escape time and time again? It's kind of novel, really.

And now let's talk about female characters a bit, shall we? For all that Stroud likes his boys flawed and wretched, he does a darn good girl. This may not sound too remarkable. Many a fantasy writer for kids knows how to write strong women characters. But I would go so far as to say that male fantasy writers for kids almost always make those same girls humorless. Not always (a tip of the hat to Neil Gaiman here) but more often than I would like. Not Stroud, though. No sir, when you first meet Aud she is falling out of trees, laughing, and mocking Halli in a truly humorous fashion when his ridiculousness comes to be too much. Aud is the daughter of one of the lords from another House. She has all the spunk and verve you would expect, but that's not extraordinary. I was far more interested in how funny she could be. It's a trait that serves her well in the tale.

There is an interesting lack of religion or spirituality to this book's world, which is probably a necessity for many a children's author ("Fly by Night" aside). It also makes one of the book's central themes stand out without raising too much controversy. I doubt very much that you will hear that a parent has attempted to ban "Heroes of the Valley" because the story argues vehemently against a blind allegiance to past beliefs and ideas. The slow reveal of the truth behind the stories Halli has loved for so long grows more delicious as the tale carries on. There is much to be said here about cultural traditions and a society that fails to question its own rules from time to time. Consider Halli the Harry Beaton of his own private Brigadoon.

The writing itself proves to be similar to the Bartimaeus books, even if the story is so vastly different. Stroud excels at ending a chapter on a tense note. There's a wonderful moment when Halli leaves a sick man's bedside, convinced that the fellow (who wants to kill him) is helpless. Then, in the dimming light, all Halli hears is the sound of a mattress that has just had a weight removed from it. Coo. Aside from basic competencies in producing a strong plot, metaphor, storyline, and smattering of character development, Stroud is also keen in including small amusing asides. At one point Aud and Halli are discussing various Heroes from he past and she makes a reference to how one of them came home with some outlaws' heads in a little string bag. Halli says, "A little string bag? . . . Sounds a bit girly. Who did that? Arne?" Aud replies, "No, no, I think it was Gest, or one of the other rubbish ones." I don't know why but I love that little throwaway scene. These two characters are in the midst of a serious conversation and Stroud has the wherewithal to include a dash of humor. It's a pretty British move, and more than welcome considering the circumstances.

I run a homeschooler bookgroup, and my kids recently complained to me about fantasy novels that are parts of a series. For once they wanted to read something that could stand on its own. Now insofar as I can tell, "Heroes of the Valley" isn't slapping large signs that say "VOLUME ONE" all over its covers. And when you read the book it certainly remains self-contained, without any difficulty. But that ending . . . oh, don't worry. No spoiler alerts here. I won't say a thing except that it certainly wouldn't be impossible if Stroud felt inclined to go about making a sequel or two in his spare time. There certainly is more story to tell, and I for one would be first in line to buy if he felt inclined to carry on.

I was a little perturbed to find that one of the book's major villains takes his leave of this earth off-screen, so to speak. Seemed a bit unsporting of Stroud. And there is also the little matter of the book's beginning being so slow. My advice is to encourage child readers to strive ever on. In fact, by the end of the story you will find yourself hard pressed to pry the title from well-clenched hands. I came within an inch of missing my subway stop the other day because I had had the misfortune to be reading Chapter 26 at the wrong time. All that aside, this is a fine frisky novel. A book that comes to a full boil about 3/4ths of the way in and is worth the wait. If you have ever wanted a fantasy for kids that shows a character learning and growing, this is one of the best examples I've found to date. Worth the reading. Extremely enjoyable.

There was a lot to like about this book - a unique and flawed hero who makes a huge and totally believable transformation during his quest, a bad guy you really want to see get his due, creative world building and wonderful humor. Once I reached the second half I couldn't put this book down. And then came the ending. I have to agree with the other reviewer, it was disappointing. I would still recommend this book to fans of fantasy, because I really enjoyed reading it. Stroud is a very talented storyteller, and very creative.

After a rocky, too-long opening, this becomes a truly charming and creative coming of age story. Regrettably a very,very silly conclusion that undermines the rest of the story fatally mars the story. True, it's unpredictable--which is difficult to achieve--but it's also stupid. I was so, so disapppointed: Buried Fire is a terrific novel and at the least the first of the Bartemius trilogy is a must read, so I have high hopes for Stroud's continued contributions to YA. He's a versatile and creative talent.... But the end was so very disappointing. Still worth reading if you're a huge Stroud fan or a fan of this subgroup of YA novels (young peasants growing up in the shadows of heroic myths).

Terrific meta-legend, sort-of fantasy, coming-of-age, young adult novel. It's all about what makes a hero - how a legend is born, how it dies, and how a new legend can arise out of its ashes. There's plenty of action and a good dose of humor, but there's also a depth to it that makes it more than it might seem at first. The tone is what you might expect in a classic legend and, perhaps partly because of that, it starts a little slowly, but once you immerse yourself in the author's world, it picks up nicely, and I found I had to read the last third of the book in one huge gulp. It should be accessible to younger YAs, but adults will appreciate the multiple levels of the author's storytelling. This book hooked me with the adventure, but has kept me thinking long after I finished.

Oh, and the ending that a few others have complained about was perfect. It brought the book full-circle and was essential to the author's purpose in telling the story.

While this story is quite different from the Bartimaeus Trilogy, it's every bit as enjoyable of a read. Stroud isn't just a good story teller, he's a great writer and I'm going to do my best to read whatever he publishes.

Signed,
Not his Mom.
Really!

This book was a tad slow going to start with. I thought it might be the first book by this author that I would not like, but by page 60 I was thoroughly enjoying it again and it went from strength to strength.

The hero of the story is Halli, a 15 year old boy in - presumably- a kind of alternate universe middle ages nordic fjord (Sweden perhaps). Halli has very short legs and is not comely, but he is born with wit and a mischievous streak that makes him an entertaining character, even if he makes an unlikely hero of legend. But through a series of circumstances he is thrust to the fore when a rival house in the valley reneges on an ancient treaty of non violence.

Written with all the author's trade mark wit, and a good deal of passion, this book is a very good and enjoyable read. If it were not for the slow start I would give it 5 stars, and I would like to give it at least 4 and a half!

The exploits of his forefather, the great Svein, were Halli's favourite bedtime stories. Having grown up listening to how Svein and other heroes of the valley defeated the evil Trows, Halli aspires to be like them. Unfortunately, nowadays heroism is something only found in stories. But when his joke on the House of Hakonsson goes a bit too far than expected, it starts up a dangerous chain of events which costs a loved one's life and which could further spell doom for his entire clan. Now Halli has to go on a quest of his own, seeking revenge for the murder of the one he loved. On the way he learns the truth and lies about his clan which could change his life forever. He along with Aud, a girl whose spirit for adventure matches his own, set out on an adventure of a lifetime, breaking the preconceived ideas of the Valley.

After reading the Bartimaeus trilogy, which I absolutely loved, I was pretty excited about reading this book. The people of the Valley are told not to venture beyond the Trow wall because the stories tell them that the Trows lie in wait for their flesh beyond the walls. But the main protagonist had always been fascinated by the walls and always use to wonder what lay beyond the fixed boundary of the Valley. When, as a child, I heard the stories of great travellers who dared to venture out of the prescribed boundaries of the water bodies to the world beyond to find out that if the world is truly flat I use to wonder why they did such a thing? Why take such a dangerous task when everyone was perfectly satisfied with the way things were? But after reading this book I realised that they did not undertake their journey to satisfy others but to quench their own thirst to discover more. Even if the world had actually turned out to be flat they wouldn't have cared as they would have had enough evidence to prove it now.

Something special about the characters of Jonathan Stroud is that while most authors try to make the readers like their characters by highlighting their goodness and other positive points, Jonathan Stroud gets the readers to like his characters by highlighting all their faults - which makes them more human. It is the same with the protagonist of the book. Halli is termed as the trouble maker of his clan and in fact he is the one who is the cause of all trouble which takes place in the book. Halli is never thought to have a great potential - lacking the good looks of his family and constantly getting into trouble which is quite contrary to the nature of his people. But after the events of the book the reader realises that Halli is more talented than any of his family. Though this book is not as good the Bartimaeus trilogy, lacking the memorable characters or sarcastic humour, it holds well on its own. Heroes of the Valley is an exciting adventurous novel that will mesmerise all the lovers of the fantasy genre.

Favourite Quote:
"They ran, ran, and then the second cairn was passed on Halli's side and they were through the ridge crest and down a little way, out onto the forbidden moors, still running."

Overall:
Enjoyable, fun and action packed

Recommended?
Yes. To everyone who loved The Bartimaeus trilogy and also to those who like a light yet action-packed fantasy book.

Since I greatly enjoyed reading Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy, I was excited to see that Heroes of the Valley was his latest book.

Well, maybe not latest latest, as it seems he's coming out with a fourth Bartimaeus novel (The Ring of Solomon), but that has yet to be released (release date: November 2, 2010). So in the meantime, let me tell you about Halli Sveinsson.

Story overview:
A world once ruled by heroes is now the peaceful home of fifteen-year-old Halli Sveinsson. The heroes now long dead, their stories still resonate amongst the Twelve Houses, which have control over the valley. Of course, each house places their founder as the top hero in the tales, but one thing remains consistent: they all worked together to rid the valley of the evil Trows.

A short, stumpy boy, Halli finds himself getting into trouble more often than not. His mischief isn't appreciated by his older brother nor his mother and father, but there is one person who motivates Halli to aim towards the level of the founders. His uncle. One evening when his uncle ends up having too much to drink, he offends one of the other Houses and ultimately is killed in the process.

On a quest to avenge his uncle's honor, Halli seeks to bring justice to the murders. In his journey he finds that his childhood tales were not all they were made out to be, and in the process he ends up causing trouble to his House, which leads him to search for a way to restore the order.

My thoughts:

Where I don't rate this as high as Bartimaeus, I did enjoy the tale. A little slower starting than I like, but overall well worth the read. As always the characters are sarcastic and witty, and I like Stroud's ability to have them interact in a believable manner. I saw a little bit of Kitty in Halli's female companion.

Things to consider:

It's a little crude in places, but overall, nothing I'd consider inappropriate. I'd age rate this preteen +. Good for both girls and boys.

Opportunities for discussion:

The word boundaries comes to mind. To keep the Trows out of the valley, the heroes of old put up boundaries to prevent them from getting in. However, the boundaries also kept all the people from getting out. No one but Halli and his friend seem to question this. And when they did, they found that the heroes were not all they were cracked up to be. Children need boundaries to protect them. However, teaching them to mindlessly following boundaries is not a good idea. Ask your children if they know the difference between good boundaries and bad ones. If they say a good one is bad, be sure to explain, in full detail, why they are in place.

James D. Maxon

Author of, The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again

Manga and speculative fiction reviewer:
[...]

The moment I first laid eyes on Heroes of the Valley, I wanted to read it. The first thing I noticed was the big, splashy blurb from Rick Riordan on the cover. That, combined with the summary on the back, made me think I was in for Vikings and Norse Mythology...Percy Jackson Style. Next, I realized that the author was Jonathan Stroud author of The Bartimaeus Trilogy. I've heard nothing but good things about the trilogy and bought bargain-priced hardcovers around Christmas last year, but have never gotten around to reading them (though as of now, I've finished the first one and started the second). I was going to order a hard copy to match my other books by him, but changed my mind when I saw that there was an autographed plate inside. All of this, combined with the fact that all four copies were sold the day they came in (I should know; I shelved them myself) convinced me to buy this book and read it right away.

That being said, the book wasn't what I was expecting at all. I don't mean that in a bad way, either. I just had my own idea of what the book would be about. I actually like the fact that Stroud placed his characters in their own time period and not present-day better than my initial assumption. I love the fact that the beginning of each chapter starts with a tale about the hero Svein. This addition allowed the text to feel more like a traditional folktale from the days of old.

The novel takes place during the time of the Vikings (I kept envisioning the sets/costumes/hair styles from the movie How to Train Your Dragon when reading this novel). As the novel opens, we learn the tale about twelve brave men who heroically died fighting to save their homeland from the evil Trows. The men become heroes and their bodies are buried in the valley to keep the Trows away. The descendents of each hero come from twelve different houses. Our protagonist, Halli Sveinsson, is related to the mighty Svein himself. Halli is a mischievous boy and constantly in trouble for playing pranks on people. One day, he goes too far and sets off a chain of events that will cause him to set off on a journey to the other houses as the truth about everything he thought he knew completely turns inside out.

The book starts off slow, but maintains a lush form of storytelling that allows the reader to overlook this. Once it picked up, the book was hard to put down, especially once invested in Halli's plight. Even so, the final climax introduced a new plotline that seemed out of sync with the rest of the work and changed the entire tone of the novel. I never saw it coming and wish the climax had been handled differently. The novel ends on a note where it can stand alone but can also be revisited if Stroud chooses to do so in the future. If he does, it would be interesting to see him deal with the aftermath of the first novel's climax so that it doesn't seem so out there.

If I had to choose, I'd say that I like Stroud's Bartimaeus work better, but I've only read the first of the trilogy to date and can't speak for the remaining two novels. At the same time, it's not fair to compare the two because the tone of each novel is so vastly different. I do love the concepts introduced in Heroes of the Valley and admire the style that set's the novel's tone, but the climax and slow start prevented me from enjoying the novel as much as I originally thought I would.

Wow, Johnathan Shroud doesn't disappoint. I loved the old style Norse, Viking, not sure. It had a wonderful tale of coming to ones own, a wonderful adventure and of course a great bad guy. As some of the others stated, they mystery and suspense is there too! And the ending......Wow. Totally took me by surprise. When you are sitting and reading and can't help but exclaim something out loud, you know it is good!

I have read all of his books and am never disappointed.