"This is really an engaging story." The Hunter's Rede by @ftmckinstry #fantasy #review
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The Hunter's Rede
The Chronicles Of Ealiron
Written by F.T. McKinstry
Genre(s): Epic Fantasy
Lorth of Ostarin is a hunter of men. Lawless, solitary and obscure, he is trained in magic and its inherent order. This uneasy combination of pitilessness and structure has made him the highest paid assassin in the land. It is also about to throw his life into chaos.
The trouble begins when Lorth returns home from a long absence to find his old haunts compromised by a cruel, upstart warlord who has invaded the realm and pushed it to the brink of war. Lorth's cavalier attempt to elude a political sandpit quickly deteriorates into a series of skirmishes that he negotiates with a sword and a reckless penchant for using magic against the rules.
He flees with a price on his head; but no angry warlords, wizards, foreign aristocrats or spooky apparitions can rattle him from the dark stability of his profession--until he is captured and condemned to execution by a formidable wizard who serves the old powers.
In his quest to prove his innocence and loyalty to the realm, Lorth discovers a profound sense of identity in his internal confluence of war and wizardry. But his quest turns bloody when love for a priestess and a will to avenge his homeland drives him to infiltrate an enemy occupation bent on domination and a blatant disregard for the forces of magic.
This brings him to his greatest test, where he must surrender to the darkness of his nature to become a hunter unlike anything he has ever known.
The trouble begins when Lorth returns home from a long absence to find his old haunts compromised by a cruel, upstart warlord who has invaded the realm and pushed it to the brink of war. Lorth's cavalier attempt to elude a political sandpit quickly deteriorates into a series of skirmishes that he negotiates with a sword and a reckless penchant for using magic against the rules.
He flees with a price on his head; but no angry warlords, wizards, foreign aristocrats or spooky apparitions can rattle him from the dark stability of his profession--until he is captured and condemned to execution by a formidable wizard who serves the old powers.
In his quest to prove his innocence and loyalty to the realm, Lorth discovers a profound sense of identity in his internal confluence of war and wizardry. But his quest turns bloody when love for a priestess and a will to avenge his homeland drives him to infiltrate an enemy occupation bent on domination and a blatant disregard for the forces of magic.
This brings him to his greatest test, where he must surrender to the darkness of his nature to become a hunter unlike anything he has ever known.
Maggie Thom's Review
This is really an engaging story. The words truly come alive under the skillful hand of Ms. McKinstry. It is a very vivid read with some incredible imagery - "his heart limping with futile sentiment".
This is a complex story where you live and breathe Lorth's journey: the hunter's rede; the wizardry; the magic; the use of the mind - to see the future, enter others' thoughts, to communicate; his assassin lifestyle; his journey to really discover not only who he is but where he belongs. Lorth is someone you can tell has lived a solitary life, he doesn't really take into account others in the things he does.
He is often in trouble and being chased by someone. He's a likeable character even though at times he was a bit pigheaded and self-centered. He was definitely someone I could easily envision and actually felt like I knew him and understood him and his actions. All of the characters were really well done and believable.
There are a lot of characters, a lot going on but it is a story that you need to keep reading. All is pulled together and you will understand who all the characters are and the roll they play. A compelling read.
This is a complex story where you live and breathe Lorth's journey: the hunter's rede; the wizardry; the magic; the use of the mind - to see the future, enter others' thoughts, to communicate; his assassin lifestyle; his journey to really discover not only who he is but where he belongs. Lorth is someone you can tell has lived a solitary life, he doesn't really take into account others in the things he does.
He is often in trouble and being chased by someone. He's a likeable character even though at times he was a bit pigheaded and self-centered. He was definitely someone I could easily envision and actually felt like I knew him and understood him and his actions. All of the characters were really well done and believable.
There are a lot of characters, a lot going on but it is a story that you need to keep reading. All is pulled together and you will understand who all the characters are and the roll they play. A compelling read.
Disclaimer: Book provided by the author free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
