Customer Reviews

Hunter's Oath (Daw Book Collectors)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I loved this book, and in fact so far I have not been disappointed by anything that Michelle West has written. This series is supposed to stand alone (it does) from the Sun Sword series, but I read the Sun Sword series first, and now that I have read these two books, I wish I had read them first. They develop the world in a way that gives you insights into the second series that feel missing, once you know they were there. If you are planning on reading The sun Sword series, I suggest that you start here, first. Even though you supposedly don't need to.
These books are written in a 3rd person SHIFTING point of view. That means that if you tend to prefer books that stick in the POV of only a single character, you may not like these. I LOVED the technique though. Because of the shifting POV, it takes a little time to really learn the characters, but give it a chance. Once you do, you have an intimate knowledge of Several of the Key players and each one has a depth and motivation that makes you want to learn more about them all. You also get brief glimpses into the worlds of some of the minor players and villians and that adds dimensions to the story that would have otherwise been lacking.
The world is completely original, as well as, well developed and complex. This book really does set up the world and the larger plot on an epic scale, and though the story develops a great deal in this book, it really blooms in the next novel and in the Sun Sword series. The complexity of the plot and the complexity of characters may mean that the book might be less accessable to readers who prefer to have the story dumped into their laps. These are NOT card-board characters and you really need to watch them develop to understand them. If you enjoy a journey with interesting twists and turns along the way, you will definitely enjoy this book.

What I really love about Michelle West's writing is that she gets into each character's head so well. While a lot is still clothed in mystery, the switches in perspective shift this story from just another fantasy novel into something deeper and more epic. That very epic sense is what makes HUNTER'S OATH so dense. There were times that I had to pause, take a breath, and learn to savor the story itself.

Gilliam is a Hunter Lord; Stephen is his Huntbrother. Together, they must participate in the Sacred Hunt each year in order to keep Breodanir safe and bountiful, at the risk of their own lives. But it soon becomes much more than that as Stephen falls prey to the unfathomable world of magic, demon-kin, and Gods.

I suspect what many can either find fault with or relish in HUNTER'S OATH is its ability to surround you with so much that you're not sure if you're enthralled with the world... or just confused. But if you simply let go, agree to not understand every little detail - then you can let it take you on a ride that is most definitely worth reading. I found myself incredibly attached to the world, its characters, its conflicts, which was really a surprise because I never thought I'd be thrilled to be reading about hunting and dogs. But really, it's so much more than that.

I'd say, read this if you're looking to get into something interesting but also by no means an easy, sit-back-and-enjoy type of book. You'll find yourself immersed in a world wrought with intense intrigue, conflict, and sacrifice, and a mishmash of fascinating characters (time-travelers, assasins, kings, thieves) that kept me keenly interested.

This book is the beginning of one of the most interesting fantasy series being written today. The first book revolves around two young men who are "blood brothers" in a country where the rules of The Hunt govern the land. It is a story primarily about a "coming of age," and themes of responsibily, love, and death figure prominently. There are introductions of other intriguing characters, such as Evayne, who can walk through time and place, and Kallandras, a bard with some unique talents and surprising skills. These characters peak the interest, and become more "knowable" over time, as West takes great care to get inside the minds of many characters, even the villains. Definitely, the beginning of a must-read series!

In the Hunter's Oath and Death books, Ms. West constructs a very rich, multi-faceted universe. It is an ambitious project and she pulls it off extremely well.

It does get a bit of a slow start, but that is to be expected when creating an entire world from scratch. It isn't your typical "adolescent male finds something magical, finds a princess, defeats an evil wizard, and lives happily ever after", nor are there any elves or dwarves capering or glowering about the landscape.

Unlike many fantasy novels which are so predictable you only have to skim, there is more art to her work. She creates a complex scenario without baffling us, she pits good against evil without pontificating, and most important of all, she doesn't condescend to us by making *everybody* live happily ever after.

These books made me a confirmed Michelle West fan, and once you finish and love these, you'll want to start on the Sun Sword series which takes this world even farther (a sequel series, not a series of sequels).

In the Hunter's Oath and Death books, Ms. West constructs a very rich, multi-faceted universe. It is an ambitious project and she pulls it off extremely well.

It does get a bit of a slow start, but that is to be expected when creating an entire world from scratch. It isn't your typical "adolescent male finds something magical, finds a princess, defeats an evil wizard, and lives happily ever after", nor are there any elves or dwarves capering or glowering about the landscape.

Unlike many fantasy novels which are so predictable you only have to skim, there is more art to her work. She creates a complex scenario without baffling us, she pits good against evil without pontificating, and most important of all, she doesn't condescend to us by making *everybody* live happily ever after.

These books made me a confirmed Michelle West fan, and once you finish and love these, you'll want to start on the Sun Sword series which takes this world even farther (a sequel series, not a series of sequels).

I cannot say enough how much I loved this book. Words cannot describe what an awesome experience the series "Sacred Hunt" has been for me. When I first heard of "Hunter's Oath", it was from a friend when we were discussing books and RPGs. She suggested it to me, with the words, "You'll love this." Man, how right on the button she was. Yet so far away, b/c I didn't just love it... it has become one of the best books I've ever read in my life (and I've easilly read hundreds). The book stars a young common boy Stephen. When he was a child, he was hunted by a man named Soredon, Lord Elseth, and his huntbrother Norn. Stephen's destiny was chosen long before his birth to where he would become the huntbrother, the tie that binds the Hunter Lords with humanity, to Gilliam of Elseth. They were only eight years old when they took their oath to become huntbrothers, Stephen and Gilliam were. Yet it was an oath they took, that they obey until their deaths, to obey the rules of the Hunter God of Breodanir. The Hunter God of Breodanier fills the woods with game and keeps hunting active throughout the year, but one day of every year in the King's City, all Hunter Lords and huntbrothers must gather for the Sacred Hunt- a day in which the Hunter God of Breodanir hunts a Hunter Lord or a huntbrother. It is by the sacrifice of one that Breodanir survives to face another year. Gilliam and Stephen were bound into this fate when they took their oath, and it would be for the rest of their lives that they abide by it unless they wish to lose all titles of nobility and a scar that can never be removed from the Elseth name. Yet other strange happenings keep occuring. A lost and forbidden art, demon summoning, seems to be ressurected. Somehow, it points at Gilliam and Stephen, and leads them on a path that their destinies have brought them to. If this rating were sections rated out of 10, I give its plot a 10, its story a 10, its characters a 10 (for even the enemies you find yourself deeply hating and getting creeped out by the thought of them), its description and depth a 10, and its character development a 10. I DARE you to read this book and not fall in love with Stephen or at least one of the characters.

Michelle West has a very distinct writing style, shown more in her other novels, that can be rather confusing until the near-end. She usually commands at least three separate plots with their own characters, and leaves it open to the reader to keep up with both. In this book, the author does her best to keep the plot lines to the minimum, and, in my eyes, succeeded. The characters develop well, and are completely relatable...the events, though they sound strange at first, soon become what you come to expect, and help to surprise you a bit when true drama comes. I highly suggest it.

This book was good. Not nearly as good as her 'Cast in...' series, but not as much of a downer as her 'House' series or her other series. I read books to get away from reality, not to drown in the bad news we can get every day on the news. I hate it when the good die.

This book was at the beginning a little uninterresting, but as you get later in the book, the charactors gain depth and more dimension. This book isn't for a normal reader. you should have imagination if you are to read a book like this.

A rare find but a good one. I think this is a very good fantasy novel which introduces you to some very interesting characters. Eagerly awaiting the next book.