Hunter's Death

Rating:
Summary: I'm Glad I Read It....
Review: 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)

Rating:
Summary: If fantasy is your genre of choice, then READ THIS BOOK!
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most beautiful stories ever
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: ouch
Review: I picked this book up because I had the first; and I'm a fan of Jody Lee's cover art. I kept seeing this author in the back of books, and I needed something new, so I tried it. I finished both books in three days. Which is pretty incredible for me, where a dormouse has a longer attention span. However, I must warn that unless you're ready to be grabbed by the ears and slammed against concrete for a few hundred pages, don't pick this up. It was such an emotional roller coaster I'm surprised that I'm willing to read more of West's work. But as I read I saw less of those annoying grammar problems (though the sentence fragments during dialogue were truly driving me deep into kelp forests), and found myself enjoying the story more. What is most irritating, though, is a failure to close on Gilliam of Elseth. I really felt that there was at least one more thing to be said. This is a roller coaster that I want to ride again, but not right away because my equilibrium is still sloshing about my ankles. I had to pick another book up just to get this one separated from my metabolism.

Rating:
Summary: A great pair of books that should have been longer.
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: A great pair of books that should have been longer.
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Must-read!
Review: 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?

Rating:
Summary: Wrapping up the duology, but with more to come...
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: Wrapping up the duology, but with more to come...
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Mediocre
Review: Well, West managed to keep me hooked to the end, but the book didn't leave me with much of an impact. Missing was the humor of a Weis/Hickman book, the moral teachings of a Lloyd Alexander work or the drama of a Tad Williams book. The constant shift in viewpoint wore on me and took away from the drama rather than helping to build it. The setting is somewhat interesting, but the characters are mainly bland. Some, like Jewel, are interesting, but many are one-dimensional and utterly predictable. Ms. West puts in a few surprises and plot twists, which help out, but can't salvage the book from being totally average. I wouldn't recommend you buy this, but nor would I recommend you not to buy it. Maybe the best example of your average fantasy paperback.