Customer Reviews

Hero's Song: The First Song of Eirren

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most fantasy runs along the same lines, usually lines set by such people as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, or Lloyd Alexander. And as good as parts of "Hero's Song" were, somehow it just didn't seem to click into the niche that would make it a classic.

Collun, the hero, is a gentle gardener in a rural village, living with his mother and his very distant father. His sister, however, is a more feisty and adventurous type, but then she vanishes at a party in another city. Collun's mother is devastated and horribly worried -- and even more so when Collun decides to go find her.

Collun ends up bringing along his bard friend Talisen to a nearby inn, where they encounter a warrior woman disguised as a boy, Brie, and a sinister morg that tries to capture Collun and kill Talisen. And as the three of them set out, they also pick up a mysterious wizard named Crann, and an ethereal Ellyl named Silien. They encounter more companions and dangers, as they approach the hideous Firewurme...

This book has definite promise  the usage of Irish myth, language and names are all expert, and some of the descriptions are breathtaking. Unfortunately, when you pare it down to the essentials, it is a pretty ordinary fantasy story with stock characters: we have the naive country hero, the tough warrior girl, the wisecracking sidekick, the wise old wizard, the ethereal elf... all of which we've seen elsewhere, and usually written better. And despite the extensive background for Eirren (Ireland, I presume) it feels very shallow. And the way that Collun and Talisen acquire companions is unimpressive  they run into people, and the people decide to come with them.

Dialogue is a big problem  with the exception of Talisen, at times, the characters all sound alike; their speech patterns are almost identical. The fat, cheerful innkeeper has the same speech pattern as the beautiful, mysterious Silien. And their personalities are very much the same: Collun doesn't really seem to have much emotion or drive, and his quest doesn't feel like there's much behind it. Brie is a typical woman-warrior, with a predictable past, and ends up being irritating rather than interesting. Silien and Crann don't really register either. Talisen is the one bright spot in the characterizations  he's charming, cute, annoying, and possesses the personal quirks that the others lack. And though Gwynned can't be described as a "bright spot," he is more three-dimensional and striking to the reader.

The writing is admittedly very beautiful and well-done. Without being too descriptive, Pattou gives us pictures of the places, things and people that Collun and his friends encounter. So is the "maze riddle," and the menace of the morgs and the strange evil queen.

As a previous reviewer noted, there are some teeth-gritting similarities to Lord of the Rings in places. But this story has no objectionable content, though some kids may be bored by the slower pace. It's a pretty generic story, without the richness of Tolkien's world, the quirky depth of Lloyd Alexander, or the charm of C.S. Lewis. But it's a pretty nice read as well.

I actually read the second book, Fire Arrow, first. I love both books. I am very critical about books and i loved this! It shows a strong female role and has a lot of action. It also has magic, animals, and a great plot. I reread the book about a million times and i found something new each time. Every single character plays their part and i like them all, even the bad ones because they're doing what they're supposed to. It's also full of surprises and there are a lot of twists in the story line. I recomend this book to people around 12 and up. It's a must read.

Hey, i'm just sayin that i'm a heavy fantasy reader, and i read this thing and is seriously kicked .... the plot was great, it was very well written, and i even got in trouble more than once in skool for readin it wen i shouldn't have been, kuz i couldn't put it down. I admit it was a bit slow at the beginning, but once you get to the Travelers Rest, it shot off like one of Brie's arrows. There were alot of twists and turns that you didn't expect, and some things that just shocked you all together. It wasn't your typical fantasy, either. Edith made up new races and creatures, and instead of a regular bad..., the guy is a freaking gardener! okay i'm just saying that this book kicked ..., and read it, you won't regret it!

This book has a tone that is light and airy, as most fantasy books do. The author of this book is obviously a happy person who likes a happy ending. The tone of this book keeps the reader happy and not rally scared or sad at the events that take place. I like the way the author kept a character in the book that keeps the tone positive even in the most dire of situatations. ... So you see how the tone of the book can be a very positive one, and the author does very well in keeping that positive tone.
I thought this book was very well written in terms of tone. The author is one I respect and admire, and I also love this book. A fantasy reader will find its use of action and plot very intriguing, with the tone as it is. The book is one of my all time favorites and I'm sure the people who have read it will agree that, if made famous, this book will become an instant classic. ...

Once upon a time...This is the ususl format for some fantasy books, but not for this one! With and unusual story line and a nice change of scenery into a more celtic background, this book is refreshing to read. No more decoding unneccessary and stupid plays on words, the description is detailed but not over-bearing. Over all a different book, with a very different kind of hero!

P.S, has anyone else noticed that Talisen is the name of a legendary bard in mythology/legends?

I enjoyed this book so much! It is a wondurful fiction book for all ages! There is always action in this book and Mrs. Pattou paints pictures in your mind wonderfully. I espicially liked the part where Collun, the main character, and Talisen, his best friend, stop at The travlers rest (an inn) and meet Brie. This book is like a drug, when you finish it, you want to read the next and next . . . .

Collun is a gardener who doesn't like the idea of adventures. But when his sister Nessa suddenly goes missing, he has no choice but to find her. His best friend Talisen comes along, and on the way they meet Brie, a girl disguised as a boy. They also come across Silien, an elf-like character. They travel together, running into various creatures, like Morgs and Firewurmes and such.

What I didn't like about Hero's Song was its obvious relation to The Lord of the Rings. I admit it, almost all fantasy novels are similar to Tolkien. But I found so many traits in this book that were almost identical to The Lord of the Rings that I was disgusted. For instance, the Inn where they meet Brie and encounter the Morgs is almost exactly like the experience Frodo has at the Inn at Bree. They find Aragorn in a dark corner, just how Collun sees Brie. Also, Crann the wizard is a Gandalf clone. He dies exactly the way Gandalf does: falling off a cliff with a big ugly monster. Can we say rip-off? Yes. There are many other rip-offs, including the stone that was lost in a river (like the One Ring), a beautiful race of people whose population is slowly dwindling (like the Elves of Lothlorien), and the Morgs who are basically Ring Wraithes.

I liked this book in itself, but having read The Lord of the Rings when I was very young, I found Hero's Song unbearably like Tolkien. I would recommend this book to any fantasy lover, but don't expect an original plot or characters.

It was the best book ive ever read. I even recogmended it and the second book in its series to my whole class. I've read both of them. Hero's Song was pure action, while Fire Arrow had a tiny bit of romance, but not enough to make it mushy. I recogmend both books.

Wow. That was what I said when I finished this book. What an amazing author. Edith Pattou has to be one of the best authors I have ever heard. The proof is in the book. What are you waiting for?

When I got Hero's Song, I just picked it right off the shelf. I just got interested in the title. Now that I've read the whole book I can't wait to finish reading the third book. Ms. Pattou should hurry up!! So all I'm saying is you've got to check this out.