Customer Reviews

Hunter's Death

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

 

 

but... Could you tell the 'but' was coming? I am very glad that I decided to pick up _Hunter's Oath_. Michelle West was an author whose books I have picked up and put down a number of times before I finally bought it. I loved HO. I simply adored it, and I am not displeased with this book. It was good ending to the duology and it was a good story... The characters stayed true to what they had been in the first book and all that.

The gripes are that, for me, it didn't end up being what I had been excepting. Which isn't a fault of the story at all. There was a slew of new characters, and new p.o.v.'s introduced in the second book, and while I liked them (especially Jay,) and I loved seeing more of Kallandras, I was disappointed by the lack of information on Evayne (I really wanted to learn more of her) and how little time we seemed to spend with Stephen.

Surprising, I liked the ending. Surprising because I never expect to like endings. Not any fault of any writer; I just personally do not like them. It's all me.

This said, I do want to read her other series that's set in the same world. I am very glad I decided to read her. It was a good book...I find no fault in her writing, or the story... The story and I just didn't connect as well in the end as we had in the beginning. It happens. :o)

I found West's Hunter's Death, and its prequel Hunter's Oath, to be two of the best books around. They had solid settings, and in depth characters--without needing 10+ books to accomplish it in. The only reason I gave it four stars is because I thought that Stephen's Hunter, Gilliam, was a fascinating character and deserved more pages for his POV. Evayne, too, was a hit--simply because she tends to lose her mysterious airs in the Sunsword books, which is disappointing. All West's books are worth reading, but HO and HD are definitely more enthralling and well-written than any of her later 6 books.

Continues, and builds upon the promise of her first book in this duology, 'Hunter's oath, definitely a solid read. If good characterization, real depth of writing and 'pick you up and take you along' writing are what you look for in a fantasy novel- then look no further.An easy read, but not a mass market feather-weight, she gives a solid experience for the money. Names like Tad Williams, C.J.Cherryh, K.K. Rusch and P. Volsky would be on the same shelf if books were filed by a quality plus quantity conscious (but alphabetically challenged) librarian.

I don't know why everyone else gave this more stars. Perhaps I wasn't in a mood to read this particular genre. West is a beautiful writer, her characters have depth, but good grief, I ended up wishing it would end. I loved Hunter's Death. I couldn't get through Hunter's Oath. I desperately tried, too. I'm going to try again someday since I own the books.

I picked up the first book, Hunter's Oath, in some free book bin by chance but found it a great read that grabbed me right away. This the second book was no exception. However, the ending really got me slightly angered and saddened. I feel an appropriate ending was not given. There were still to many mysteries at the close of the book. I have, of course been hoping the author will expand on this book and finish it properly. The fact that it triggers this emotion in me is testament enough that I was moved by the story.

Wonderful fantasy story. I read the first book and then started the second last week. I was reading last Thursday night and had planned to finish the book that night... but??? pages 513 through 548 were missing !! I have returned the book but I am afraid to order a new one. Hope no one else has this problem.

Often when I begin sequels I always have that faint thought nudging at the back of my mind: Will it be as good as the first? Or will it fail to live up to what came before it? What surprised me here is that I didn't even bother to think that. I just assumed that it would live up to expectations - which shows the quality of West's writing as a whole - and indeed, it was just as good, if not better.

The first book, HUNTER'S OATH, had revolved around things I don't usually find "appetizing" in novels - dogs, hunting, medieval-style fealty don't particularly interest me - although I had allowed it to pull me in all the same. But this time, it's got that same delicious sense of intrigue and suspense, all set in a much more fascinating place - the courts of Averalaan. Court intrigue is what I live for, and this book had more than enough to pull me in and keep me there.

Hunter Lord Gilliam and Huntbrother Stephen are the lone Breodani bumbling their ways through the capital Averlaan, a city unlike anything they've ever known. There are mages there, Artisans, nobles, Queens - and demons. For Averlaan, and the whole Empire, are no longer safe; demons are infiltrating the city, intent on doing - what? No one knows - but Gilliam and Stephen may prove by the end to be the keys needed to save everyone.

There is so much going on in this novel that I'm not even sure if you could call Stephen of Elseth the main character. There's Jewel, the poor girl who steals off the streets but can sense the future; Kallandras, an assassin-turned-bard; Evayne, the time-traveler - and many more. Each and every character with even the smallest part in the plot gets a full canvas upon which to sketch their lives and thoughts and motives. It's all done carefully, building up to the main battle, but each part leading you there is also fascinating. A lot can be read into the character's actions: while West describes everyone in exhaustive detail, she leaves it open in such a way that guessing at character relationships is really quite enjoyable.

The result of all this build-up, perspective-switching, and analyzing of motives and ambitions is an epic tale with characters you really care about. By the time the climactic events happen, all those characters are firmly and solidly real - so real that the book became, to me at least, really powerful. West is an amazingly skilled writer, and I applaud her careful attention to the fostering of each subplot, character quirk, and historical reference. She manages to pull everything together thoroughly. HUNTER'S DEATH does not disappoint. I loved it!

Hunter's Death has been nothing short of one of the best stories I've ever read. A constant page turner, yet a dramatic tear-jerker. The cast is one of the best ever, and everytime I think of this book a tear comes to my eye (or a big smile stretches from ear to ear). If I were to count how many nights of 5 1/2 hours to 6 hours worth of sleep I got just b/c I couldn't put this book down, well, you'd be amazed I could have functioned throughout the entire week I spent mostly reading this book. But if you love a phenomenal storyline, an excellent plot, an unforgetable (in a good way) cast of characters, and to be touched emotionally like no other story has ever or could ever do to you, then this book is a must read. I recommend it to everyone that likes to read, PERIOD.

This novel attempts to wrap up the major plots in this part of the fantasy world, leaving open several strands the author may choose to revisit later. I thought it was better than the first book, with the shift in location from the small, forested country of Breodanir to the large metropolis of Averalaan in Essaylien. This book introduces one of my favorite fantasy characters of all time: Jewel, a 15 year old leader of a band of street urchins. Jewel has a rare and untrained power to "see" certain events before they occur, and to "know" a lie from truth. The mysterious Evayne, Kallandras, and of course, Stephan and Gilliam advance the story to its conclusion, with the addition of a whole new cast of characters. It is both a great conclusion to the first book and a preparation by the author for the Sun Sword series. I could hardly wait for The Broken Crown to come out!

It is not often that I have to put down a book and return to it a few days later because the events were too upsetting. How could she have done that to Stephen? (What more can I say without giving away the story?) While at times a bit slow, I thouroughly enjoyed this book. But what happens to Kallandras now?