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Witch Boy Trilogy #2
Blood War
The coven took my mother, because of me. They killed my dog, because of me. You'd think there could be nothing worse than this -- but you'd be wrong. My family and me being torn to shreds by a horde of witches could be worse. War could be worse. And all-out war is coming. My father says my powers are limitless. I have yet to see it ... and no time to learn. We are closing in on one another, the coven and my father and me. It can only end in death, theirs or ours. It's all in my hands now.
- GenresYoung AdultFantasy
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2000
About the author
Russell Moon
5 books3 followersRussell Moon's deep interest in Celtish magic and mythology compelled him to write Witch Boy, his first fantasy novel.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 15, 2017
First off, why does Goodreads say this is #2 in the Witch Boy trilogy when the fact that it's the last is right there in the description? Wacky.
Secondly, oh maaaaan am I disappointed in this ending. I don't want to put too many spoilers up, but-- well, you know that scene halfway through the Matrix Reloaded where Neo is fighting a boat load of Agent Smiths? Basically replace Hugo Weaving with unspecified witches and you've got the climactic battle of this book.
Remember how Marcus and his Dad's major point of contention was whether or not Marcus was going to step us as King and lead the remaining witches loyal to the King? Yeah, that's not resolved at all. There's no indication at all that Marcus is going to take over for his dad, nor that the loyalist witches even need a king. According to the taxi driver Marcus meets, half the witching world doesn't give a dang anyways, so it's entirely possible the Coven and King have been arguing over nothing for the past seventeen years.
Remember how Eleanor was an interesting character with her own motivations, and how there was a lot of tension built up in the first two about not letting her and the King in the same room together because something explosive would happen? How she would "try to destroy him" and how there's a lot of subtext about the King still loving her, despite her hatred of him? Yeah, that's never brought up again. The two never meet each other, never talk to each other, and the King is not part of the final rescue attempt. We don't even get to see Eleanor's reaction to the whole "kidnapped by witches" thing-- the story ends abruptly with her and Marcus walking away from the two survivors of the aforementioned Witches Reloaded fight scene.
I don't know, this book didn't have the unsettling atmosphere of the first two, it didn't have the interesting character dynamics of the second, or the mystery of the fourth. It's basically a chase story, but even that seems contrived. At one point, in the middle of looking for Eleanor, Marcus is in a hotel room watching TV and even HE is irritated at himself for sitting around doing nothing.
Also, Marcus naivety and falling for illusions and tricks is reeeeeally grating in this story considering that the entire series so far has been about him trying to overcome the fact that he doesn't know who to trust and how he has to become more situationally aware and not fall for illusions.
In my Witch Boy review, I mentioned that I read the first book as a kid, and only got to finish the series recently when I happened to remember it existed. If I knew the ending was going to be this unfulfilling-- well I would have still read it because I am the kind of neurotic sad sack who needs to know how stories end, but I wouldn't have had such high standards going in.
Secondly, oh maaaaan am I disappointed in this ending. I don't want to put too many spoilers up, but-- well, you know that scene halfway through the Matrix Reloaded where Neo is fighting a boat load of Agent Smiths? Basically replace Hugo Weaving with unspecified witches and you've got the climactic battle of this book.
Remember how Marcus and his Dad's major point of contention was whether or not Marcus was going to step us as King and lead the remaining witches loyal to the King? Yeah, that's not resolved at all. There's no indication at all that Marcus is going to take over for his dad, nor that the loyalist witches even need a king. According to the taxi driver Marcus meets, half the witching world doesn't give a dang anyways, so it's entirely possible the Coven and King have been arguing over nothing for the past seventeen years.
Remember how Eleanor was an interesting character with her own motivations, and how there was a lot of tension built up in the first two about not letting her and the King in the same room together because something explosive would happen? How she would "try to destroy him" and how there's a lot of subtext about the King still loving her, despite her hatred of him? Yeah, that's never brought up again. The two never meet each other, never talk to each other, and the King is not part of the final rescue attempt. We don't even get to see Eleanor's reaction to the whole "kidnapped by witches" thing-- the story ends abruptly with her and Marcus walking away from the two survivors of the aforementioned Witches Reloaded fight scene.
I don't know, this book didn't have the unsettling atmosphere of the first two, it didn't have the interesting character dynamics of the second, or the mystery of the fourth. It's basically a chase story, but even that seems contrived. At one point, in the middle of looking for Eleanor, Marcus is in a hotel room watching TV and even HE is irritated at himself for sitting around doing nothing.
Also, Marcus naivety and falling for illusions and tricks is reeeeeally grating in this story considering that the entire series so far has been about him trying to overcome the fact that he doesn't know who to trust and how he has to become more situationally aware and not fall for illusions.
In my Witch Boy review, I mentioned that I read the first book as a kid, and only got to finish the series recently when I happened to remember it existed. If I knew the ending was going to be this unfulfilling-- well I would have still read it because I am the kind of neurotic sad sack who needs to know how stories end, but I wouldn't have had such high standards going in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2020
I bought this as an ebook from Fictionwise, and annoyingly found it was number two in a series (and misdescribed too). However, having read it, I feel no great compulsion to go back and read book one.
It would be hard to find this story's niche. The language - whilst not terrible - is strong enough in places to make this a young adult rather than a children's book, but the story was simplistic - almost turgid. Basically the protagonist is an 18 year old lad who has discovered he is secretly a witch prince. His mother has been kidnapped and he has a lot to learn about his father.
Maybe it was that I had not started this series at the beginning, but it really did not captivate me in the slightest. The Celtic connection was tenuous, and the overall concept was unconvincing.
It would be hard to find this story's niche. The language - whilst not terrible - is strong enough in places to make this a young adult rather than a children's book, but the story was simplistic - almost turgid. Basically the protagonist is an 18 year old lad who has discovered he is secretly a witch prince. His mother has been kidnapped and he has a lot to learn about his father.
Maybe it was that I had not started this series at the beginning, but it really did not captivate me in the slightest. The Celtic connection was tenuous, and the overall concept was unconvincing.
February 24, 2016
I didn't feel the same level of suspense or surreal atmosphere that I did with the first two. I expected more from the ending than that.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews