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Gods and Warriors #1
Hylas en de roep van de dolfijn
Met een pijl in zijn arm probeert Hylas aan zijn achtervolgers te ontsnappen. Hij is zijn zusje kwijt en hij gaat met gevaar voor eigen leven naar haar op zoek. Het is 3500 jaar geleden in een land aan de Middellandse Zee. Vulkanen spuwen, de aarde beeft en de zon brandt. Op zijn zoektocht ontmoet hij vijanden en maakt hij vrienden.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published December 18, 2012
137 people are currently reading
3877 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Paver
59 books2,344 followersMichelle Paver was born in central Africa, but came to England as a child. After gaining a degree in biochemistry from Oxford University, she became a partner in a city law firm, but eventually gave that up to write full-time.
The hugely successful Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series arose from Michelle's lifelong passion for animals, anthropology and the distant past—as well as an encounter with a large bear in a remote valley in southern California. To research the books, Michelle has traveled to Finland, Greenland, Sweden, Norway, Arctic Canada and the Carpathian Mountains. She has slept on reindeer skins, swum with wild orca (killer whales), and got nose-to-nose with polar bears—and, of course, wolves.
The hugely successful Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series arose from Michelle's lifelong passion for animals, anthropology and the distant past—as well as an encounter with a large bear in a remote valley in southern California. To research the books, Michelle has traveled to Finland, Greenland, Sweden, Norway, Arctic Canada and the Carpathian Mountains. She has slept on reindeer skins, swum with wild orca (killer whales), and got nose-to-nose with polar bears—and, of course, wolves.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
June 8, 2012
This will be my weirdest review because I'm not the one who will review it. Madonna WILL.
Many minutes after Madonna revealed that she never cooked a whole meal by herself and her sex book is not banned in the house and
this
and
and
Cynthia McFadden finally asked Madonna.
There's one big question that is blowing the whole internet. Do you know what is it?
OW
No I have no idea.
Did you read Michelle Paver's Gods & Warriors before the release date?
Yes. I confess, I did. I'm a book nerd. After I praised Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist publishers were shocked that I read, sing, dance and age at the same time so they send me proof copies when they can, and one of them was Gods & Warriors.
Is that (Book) Good?
Well. When I heard five months ago that I will be getting proof copy I was more than happy. and when I found it a week ago on my table I was like this:
and since I was also busy touring in Israel and Emirates I finally got the time to use my bookworm madonna personality and decided to finish this book in less than three days. and I did.
Again, Was it good?
It felt REDUCTIVE
Note to self: "What did she just say?!?!?!? I need to be a bookworm like Madonna and work on my vocabulary".
Getting out of Cynthia McFadden's brain
It felt REDUCTIVE, because It wasnt something NEW, not like the world Miss Paver created in her previous series Chronicles of Ancient Darkness and I was kind of disappointed. The story is about a boy named Hylas who lives way way back in time (which is 100 years before I was born or I think I was a year old :S) and he's an outsider and doesnt live in the village, he lives in the mountains instead and then bad people came and killed those outsiders for no reason (it will be revealed throughout the book why). So he escaped but he lost his sister, she didn't die she's just missing. That's the brief idea. I found it reductive because it wasn't that new and it also had this LOST era. Hylas was kind of stuck in an island and there was a temple there and an eleven years old girl. The only new thing about it was the dolphin which I loved very much and made me think I should give my son a dolphin in his 13th birthday and I also decided to gift my son my sex book in his 18th birthday so I still got to figure out what gifts I will give him between 13-18 (wow 4 gifts to think of, we'll see). Anyways that's all I can tell.
Can you please tell us a little more?
Ok. BUT WITH One condition.
Anything.
Madonna: Buy a copy of MDNA before you leave. Gaga hit the 8 millions with her second album and I just hit the 250 thousands and there's still a fat woman who's cleaning my industry that I built for so many years. So just buy one.
Good. Now I'm Happy. MDNA MDNA MDMA MDNA MDMA (I sing that whenever a single album gets sold so yeah I sang it now for 250 thousands plus one time. Poor Aguilera got the chance to sing Bionic 20 times only, got that habit from her ;P)
Well, Where were we? Oh if I can rate the book I would honestly give it 3 stars, since it's children's. The story wasn't that captivating but the writing was so great. 3 stars for the story adding one star to Michelle's great writing that would give it 4 stars.
You said you wanted something more? well here it is
"The Truth Bites"
Excuse me what does that have to do with the book?
[image error]
Note to self: That woman is really losing it. Glad I didn't work that hard back in my days. I better leave it from here.
It was nice interviewing you Madonna I will sure listen to MDNA since I bought it and I have to check Michelle Paver's Gods & Warriors.
Many minutes after Madonna revealed that she never cooked a whole meal by herself and her sex book is not banned in the house and
this
and
and
Cynthia McFadden finally asked Madonna.
There's one big question that is blowing the whole internet. Do you know what is it?
OW
No I have no idea.
Did you read Michelle Paver's Gods & Warriors before the release date?
Yes. I confess, I did. I'm a book nerd. After I praised Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist publishers were shocked that I read, sing, dance and age at the same time so they send me proof copies when they can, and one of them was Gods & Warriors.
Is that (Book) Good?
Well. When I heard five months ago that I will be getting proof copy I was more than happy. and when I found it a week ago on my table I was like this:
and since I was also busy touring in Israel and Emirates I finally got the time to use my bookworm madonna personality and decided to finish this book in less than three days. and I did.
Again, Was it good?
It felt REDUCTIVE
Note to self: "What did she just say?!?!?!? I need to be a bookworm like Madonna and work on my vocabulary".
Getting out of Cynthia McFadden's brain
It felt REDUCTIVE, because It wasnt something NEW, not like the world Miss Paver created in her previous series Chronicles of Ancient Darkness and I was kind of disappointed. The story is about a boy named Hylas who lives way way back in time (which is 100 years before I was born or I think I was a year old :S) and he's an outsider and doesnt live in the village, he lives in the mountains instead and then bad people came and killed those outsiders for no reason (it will be revealed throughout the book why). So he escaped but he lost his sister, she didn't die she's just missing. That's the brief idea. I found it reductive because it wasn't that new and it also had this LOST era. Hylas was kind of stuck in an island and there was a temple there and an eleven years old girl. The only new thing about it was the dolphin which I loved very much and made me think I should give my son a dolphin in his 13th birthday and I also decided to gift my son my sex book in his 18th birthday so I still got to figure out what gifts I will give him between 13-18 (wow 4 gifts to think of, we'll see). Anyways that's all I can tell.
Can you please tell us a little more?
Ok. BUT WITH One condition.
Anything.
Madonna: Buy a copy of MDNA before you leave. Gaga hit the 8 millions with her second album and I just hit the 250 thousands and there's still a fat woman who's cleaning my industry that I built for so many years. So just buy one.
Good. Now I'm Happy. MDNA MDNA MDMA MDNA MDMA (I sing that whenever a single album gets sold so yeah I sang it now for 250 thousands plus one time. Poor Aguilera got the chance to sing Bionic 20 times only, got that habit from her ;P)
Well, Where were we? Oh if I can rate the book I would honestly give it 3 stars, since it's children's. The story wasn't that captivating but the writing was so great. 3 stars for the story adding one star to Michelle's great writing that would give it 4 stars.
You said you wanted something more? well here it is
"The Truth Bites"
Excuse me what does that have to do with the book?
[image error]
Note to self: That woman is really losing it. Glad I didn't work that hard back in my days. I better leave it from here.
It was nice interviewing you Madonna I will sure listen to MDNA since I bought it and I have to check Michelle Paver's Gods & Warriors.
September 1, 2013
If you like a fast paced book full of action and suspense, give Gods and Warriors a try. Although I expected it to remind me of the Percy Jackson series, it read more like an Indiana Jones adventure. Hylas, a 12 year old goatherd and Outsider, has been attacked for some unknown reason by the Crows, a tribe of intimidating warriors. Now he's on the run and desperately searching for his sister Issi, who he thinks has been taken by the Crows. While hiding in a tomb, Hylas meets a mysterious stranger on his deathbed who gives him a bronze dagger and a prophecy about his fate. It is now up to Hylas to meet this fate in order to escape his own death and find his sister. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book as well as the setting, which took place before the Gods were even named. If you like this book as much as I did, you will also have something to look forward to, as the author left several story lines unfinished!
August 24, 2022
This book made me fall in love with dolphins.
October 20, 2012
First Impression:
When I heard Michelle was starting a new series, I was intrigued, having read Wolf Brother and enjoying it. Also, she writes in a unique setting that my higher readers really find interesting and I was excited to see that she kept to olden times.
While Reading:
It was hard to put this book down. When we meet Hylas he is already on the run from the Crows, separated from his sister and trying to stay alive. He's an outsider, not from the land he resides on and the tribe barely tolerates him and his sister. Hylas finds no help by going back to the village and sets out on his own, hoping to find his sister and hope that she was not killed. On his journey, he meets a dying stranger who makes him take a bronze dagger. Little does Hylas know the importance this dagger holds.
Pirra is the other main character that this book follows, the only daughter of a High Priestess and about to be married off to a Chief's son. She wants nothing more than her own freedom, something she has never had, being under the lock and key of her mother. When the chance arises, she escapes and ends up in the company of Hylas. Together, they have the help of a dolphin along the way, they must escape the Crows and possibly another older threat on the island they have been stranded on.
This book was so exciting and full of old mythology and legends. I absolutely loved every minute of it and could not put it down for long without needing to find out what happens next. I'm excited to see where this series goes next and will be anticipating the next novel.
Final Verdict:
A book for those who enjoy adventure, mythology, and being pulled into a story. A book that is definitely for boys and girls alike.
When I heard Michelle was starting a new series, I was intrigued, having read Wolf Brother and enjoying it. Also, she writes in a unique setting that my higher readers really find interesting and I was excited to see that she kept to olden times.
While Reading:
It was hard to put this book down. When we meet Hylas he is already on the run from the Crows, separated from his sister and trying to stay alive. He's an outsider, not from the land he resides on and the tribe barely tolerates him and his sister. Hylas finds no help by going back to the village and sets out on his own, hoping to find his sister and hope that she was not killed. On his journey, he meets a dying stranger who makes him take a bronze dagger. Little does Hylas know the importance this dagger holds.
Pirra is the other main character that this book follows, the only daughter of a High Priestess and about to be married off to a Chief's son. She wants nothing more than her own freedom, something she has never had, being under the lock and key of her mother. When the chance arises, she escapes and ends up in the company of Hylas. Together, they have the help of a dolphin along the way, they must escape the Crows and possibly another older threat on the island they have been stranded on.
This book was so exciting and full of old mythology and legends. I absolutely loved every minute of it and could not put it down for long without needing to find out what happens next. I'm excited to see where this series goes next and will be anticipating the next novel.
Final Verdict:
A book for those who enjoy adventure, mythology, and being pulled into a story. A book that is definitely for boys and girls alike.
February 10, 2020
To be honest, I expected more from this story...
My main problem was with the writing and pacing.
At times it felt like we jumped from one situation to another, with nothing in between that I often felt confused and as if I'm reading a first draft of the story.
Now, I can't tell for certain whether I got used to the writing or it actually became better and more fluid but, once Hylas got to the Sea I started to enjoy this.
Though the Dolphins might take all the blame for that, one Dolphin in particular.
I think I am going to give this series a chance and read the second book...
My main problem was with the writing and pacing.
At times it felt like we jumped from one situation to another, with nothing in between that I often felt confused and as if I'm reading a first draft of the story.
Now, I can't tell for certain whether I got used to the writing or it actually became better and more fluid but, once Hylas got to the Sea I started to enjoy this.
Though the Dolphins might take all the blame for that, one Dolphin in particular.
I think I am going to give this series a chance and read the second book...
June 23, 2022
Erster Eindruck:
Vorab habe ich Blue Scales nochmal gelesen, damit ich wieder alles in besserer Erinnerung habe. Dabei ist mir auch wieder die die tolle Gestaltung innen wie außen ins Auge gestochen. Die Detailliebe sticht einem regelrecht ins Auge und auch beim Schreibstil fiel mir das schnell auf. Die Spannung ist sehr groß, was mich wohl erwarten wird.
Protagonisten:
Ich kann Christies Neugierde voll verstehen, auch wenn sie ein bisschen unvorsichtig handelt. Sie hat das Talent dazu in Probleme zu geraten. Manchmal hatte ich das Gefühl das aufgrund ihres Alters sie schnell zum Spielball von Machtgehabe gemacht wird.
Auch in ihrer Familie sind alles starke Persönlichkeiten, die nur das Beste für sie wollen, doch genau wie die Wahrheit, können auch diese Entscheidungen schmerzen. Ich durfte sie besser kennenlernen und bin gespannt wie sie sich noch als Familie und Einzelpersonen entwickeln.
Meine Meinung:
Es war vieles los und viele Informationen stürzen auf Christie und alle anderen ein und man möchte weiter hinter die Fassade blicken und in die Welt eintauchen die mich so fasziniert. Ich möchte noch mehr über die verschiedenen Städte und das Leben dort erfahren. Es gibt so viel zu entdecken und ich freue mich ein letztes Mal in die Reihe einzutauchen. Der Schreibstil macht es einem sehr einfach immer weiter und weiter zu lesen. So verfliegen Kapitel um Kapitel. Die Drachen von Talanis begeistern mich. Ein toller zweiter Band voller Magie, übernatürlichem und Hierarchien, an die jeder sich halten muss.
Vorab habe ich Blue Scales nochmal gelesen, damit ich wieder alles in besserer Erinnerung habe. Dabei ist mir auch wieder die die tolle Gestaltung innen wie außen ins Auge gestochen. Die Detailliebe sticht einem regelrecht ins Auge und auch beim Schreibstil fiel mir das schnell auf. Die Spannung ist sehr groß, was mich wohl erwarten wird.
Protagonisten:
Ich kann Christies Neugierde voll verstehen, auch wenn sie ein bisschen unvorsichtig handelt. Sie hat das Talent dazu in Probleme zu geraten. Manchmal hatte ich das Gefühl das aufgrund ihres Alters sie schnell zum Spielball von Machtgehabe gemacht wird.
Auch in ihrer Familie sind alles starke Persönlichkeiten, die nur das Beste für sie wollen, doch genau wie die Wahrheit, können auch diese Entscheidungen schmerzen. Ich durfte sie besser kennenlernen und bin gespannt wie sie sich noch als Familie und Einzelpersonen entwickeln.
Meine Meinung:
Es war vieles los und viele Informationen stürzen auf Christie und alle anderen ein und man möchte weiter hinter die Fassade blicken und in die Welt eintauchen die mich so fasziniert. Ich möchte noch mehr über die verschiedenen Städte und das Leben dort erfahren. Es gibt so viel zu entdecken und ich freue mich ein letztes Mal in die Reihe einzutauchen. Der Schreibstil macht es einem sehr einfach immer weiter und weiter zu lesen. So verfliegen Kapitel um Kapitel. Die Drachen von Talanis begeistern mich. Ein toller zweiter Band voller Magie, übernatürlichem und Hierarchien, an die jeder sich halten muss.
February 17, 2024
Negribu,negribu, negribu atgriezties reālajā pasaulē. Labi, ka man tuvumā ir mežs,kur var lasīt pēdas, redzēt lapsas un kādreiz vēl sastapt stirnas.
August 21, 2012
Ana’s Take:
Gods and Warriors is set in the Bronze Age of Ancient Greece, when Mycenae and Crete were kind of ruling that part of the world. Young Hylas is our protagonist, an orphaned goatherd and an Outsider (i.e. not part of a village) whose sister disappears when they are both attacked by strange warriors bent on killing all Outsiders. On the run for his life and desperate to find his little sister and an explanation for the Outsider killings, Hylas befriends a dolphin and Pirra, the runaway daughter of a High Priestess.
The story opens at the thick of action as Hylas is running for his life from the warriors trying to kill him. This basically sets Gods and Warriors’s mood for this plot-driven story which has plenty of action, escapades, near-deaths and a cliff-hanger per chapter.
I wanted to read it for its setting – Bronze Age, pre-Greek Gods – and was mostly pleased with the exploration of the different ways of life around the Greek Islands at that time including ways that people worshiped and lived.
Unfortunately, although the setting might be new and fresh, the same cannot be said about the meat and bones of the story. It is all very, very familiar: the Orphan boy who is Special (so special he is also the only blond person around) because a prophecy says so; and the feisty young girl who is trying to escape a marriage she doesn’t want (why must the female character’s arc always be about marriage?). It also doesn’t help that there is a lot of head-hopping, including Hylas’ best friend Telemon – possibly the best character of them all as he is caught between his best friend and his father – and…the dolphin, Spirit. I am not a huge fan of sentient animals and the chapters from the dolphin’s perspective were the absolute worst for me – but your mileage may vary, of course.
Gods and Warriors read very samey to me. Although I breezed through the book and in spite of its action-packed storyline… it was boring and unremarkable read in the end. I think I will stick to Paver’s adult books from now on.
Thea’s Take:
I think I simply have to reiterate this part of Ana’s review above to summat my experience with Gods and Warriors:
[...]the Orphan boy who is Special (so special he is also the only blond person around) because a prophecy says so; and the feisty young girl who is trying to escape a marriage she doesn’t want (why must the female character’s arc always be about marriage?)
Umm, yes. I have to admit that from a historical perspective, there is nothing particularly appealing to me about the Bronze Age – but the synopsis for this novel, with its early Gods and beliefs, sounded fantastic. Plus, I loved Michelle Paver’s adult horror novel so very much, I was eager to get my hands on any of her new work (even if a middle grade novel set in Bronze Age Greece is a far cry from a haunting at the turn of the 20th century in the arctic circle). Unfortunately, beyond having a unique and memorable setting, Gods and Warriors is a bland, cliched read.
On the character side, we are introduced to four protagonists: Hylas (the “Outsider”), Pirra (the High Priestess’s daughter), Telemon (son of the Chieftain), and Spirit (the dolphin). We spend time in each of these characters’ heads, viewing the story from these different perspectives, though most of the action involves Hylas, Pirra and Spirit the Dolphin (FYI, I’m referring to Spirit as “Spirit the Dolphin” henceforth). Hylas OF COURSE is the Super Special Outsider and is in fact so special that he has blonde hair in a sea of brunettes (hello, Ayla-syndrome). Pirra OF COURSE is our beautiful spoiled poor little rich girl that is spunky enough to run away from a forced marriage (which is her entire motivation for the book – there’s nothing wrong with that other than how overwrought this trope is in historical YA/MG). These two are our true main protagonists of the story, and spend much of the novel bickering with each other (of course), even as they band together to survive.
I have to agree with Ana that talking/congnizant animal books are not really my bag – Spirit the Dolphin is no exception. That said, I should mention that I do appreciate Michelle Paver’s humor and twisted perspective of the humans and human world from a dolphin point of view. I also have to agree that of all the characters, Telemon is the most interesting and has the most complex motivations of the group – torn between wanting to be a good friend and a good son, his perspective is a nice contrast (if sadly under-used) to Hylas, Pirra and Spirit the Dolphin’s points of view in Gods and Warriors.
In terms of overall plotting and storytelling, there isn’t too much to say. The writing is competent, though painfully simple and direct. The central conflict for the story and the driving motivations for each of the characters – Hylas to find his sister Issi, Pirra to escape a forced marriage, Spirit the Dolphin to find his Dolphin pack and help the special boy with whom he has a Connection, Telemon to be a good friend/good son – are all believable, if two-dimensional.
Ultimately, the biggest problem with Gods and Warriors is the novel’s bland writing and lukewarm characters. While there isn’t anything that makes this a bad book, there’s nothing really here to recommend it, either.
Gods and Warriors is set in the Bronze Age of Ancient Greece, when Mycenae and Crete were kind of ruling that part of the world. Young Hylas is our protagonist, an orphaned goatherd and an Outsider (i.e. not part of a village) whose sister disappears when they are both attacked by strange warriors bent on killing all Outsiders. On the run for his life and desperate to find his little sister and an explanation for the Outsider killings, Hylas befriends a dolphin and Pirra, the runaway daughter of a High Priestess.
The story opens at the thick of action as Hylas is running for his life from the warriors trying to kill him. This basically sets Gods and Warriors’s mood for this plot-driven story which has plenty of action, escapades, near-deaths and a cliff-hanger per chapter.
I wanted to read it for its setting – Bronze Age, pre-Greek Gods – and was mostly pleased with the exploration of the different ways of life around the Greek Islands at that time including ways that people worshiped and lived.
Unfortunately, although the setting might be new and fresh, the same cannot be said about the meat and bones of the story. It is all very, very familiar: the Orphan boy who is Special (so special he is also the only blond person around) because a prophecy says so; and the feisty young girl who is trying to escape a marriage she doesn’t want (why must the female character’s arc always be about marriage?). It also doesn’t help that there is a lot of head-hopping, including Hylas’ best friend Telemon – possibly the best character of them all as he is caught between his best friend and his father – and…the dolphin, Spirit. I am not a huge fan of sentient animals and the chapters from the dolphin’s perspective were the absolute worst for me – but your mileage may vary, of course.
Gods and Warriors read very samey to me. Although I breezed through the book and in spite of its action-packed storyline… it was boring and unremarkable read in the end. I think I will stick to Paver’s adult books from now on.
Thea’s Take:
I think I simply have to reiterate this part of Ana’s review above to summat my experience with Gods and Warriors:
[...]the Orphan boy who is Special (so special he is also the only blond person around) because a prophecy says so; and the feisty young girl who is trying to escape a marriage she doesn’t want (why must the female character’s arc always be about marriage?)
Umm, yes. I have to admit that from a historical perspective, there is nothing particularly appealing to me about the Bronze Age – but the synopsis for this novel, with its early Gods and beliefs, sounded fantastic. Plus, I loved Michelle Paver’s adult horror novel so very much, I was eager to get my hands on any of her new work (even if a middle grade novel set in Bronze Age Greece is a far cry from a haunting at the turn of the 20th century in the arctic circle). Unfortunately, beyond having a unique and memorable setting, Gods and Warriors is a bland, cliched read.
On the character side, we are introduced to four protagonists: Hylas (the “Outsider”), Pirra (the High Priestess’s daughter), Telemon (son of the Chieftain), and Spirit (the dolphin). We spend time in each of these characters’ heads, viewing the story from these different perspectives, though most of the action involves Hylas, Pirra and Spirit the Dolphin (FYI, I’m referring to Spirit as “Spirit the Dolphin” henceforth). Hylas OF COURSE is the Super Special Outsider and is in fact so special that he has blonde hair in a sea of brunettes (hello, Ayla-syndrome). Pirra OF COURSE is our beautiful spoiled poor little rich girl that is spunky enough to run away from a forced marriage (which is her entire motivation for the book – there’s nothing wrong with that other than how overwrought this trope is in historical YA/MG). These two are our true main protagonists of the story, and spend much of the novel bickering with each other (of course), even as they band together to survive.
I have to agree with Ana that talking/congnizant animal books are not really my bag – Spirit the Dolphin is no exception. That said, I should mention that I do appreciate Michelle Paver’s humor and twisted perspective of the humans and human world from a dolphin point of view. I also have to agree that of all the characters, Telemon is the most interesting and has the most complex motivations of the group – torn between wanting to be a good friend and a good son, his perspective is a nice contrast (if sadly under-used) to Hylas, Pirra and Spirit the Dolphin’s points of view in Gods and Warriors.
In terms of overall plotting and storytelling, there isn’t too much to say. The writing is competent, though painfully simple and direct. The central conflict for the story and the driving motivations for each of the characters – Hylas to find his sister Issi, Pirra to escape a forced marriage, Spirit the Dolphin to find his Dolphin pack and help the special boy with whom he has a Connection, Telemon to be a good friend/good son – are all believable, if two-dimensional.
Ultimately, the biggest problem with Gods and Warriors is the novel’s bland writing and lukewarm characters. While there isn’t anything that makes this a bad book, there’s nothing really here to recommend it, either.
June 19, 2012
Actually, I am wavering between four and five stars on this one. Until I finished the book, I was thinking: what a lot I could learn from Michelle Paver! She has the gift of writing such a gripping story that you (I, at least) put down every other book in order to finish hers. She can also be trusted to do her research, write believable characters, and use good, clean prose. All this makes her books a pleasure to read.
This new series is set in Bronze-age Greece (before it was Greece) and Crete. I was extremely taken with the character of Pirra, a Cretan 12-year-old who has been promised in marriage to an Achaean lord she has never seen. Pirra is determined to escape. More than anything, she wants freedom to make her own life. Interestingly, until she meets the second protagonist, her best friend is an Egyptian slave who is like an older brother to her.
That protagonist, whom Pirra encounters as he tries to steal a boat, is the young goatherd Hylas. The book begins with Hylas wounded and running for his life from black-clad, ash-coated warriors. His goal is to survive the tumult he is caught up in and find his little sister. But, at every turn, he encounters more mysteries and more danger. He also makes a friend; a young dolphin he names Spirit, who saves his life when he is lost at sea. The relationship between Hylas and Spirit is reminiscent of the friendship between Torak and Wolf in the "Chronicles of Ancient Darkness". Paver writes animals and their viewpoints awfully well, and Spirit becomes the third pov character.
The fourth is Hylas's best friend, Telemon, who is caught in a terrible quandary. He has a relationship with the Crows, the warriors who have tried to kill Hylas, and who have driven Hylas's little sister further into the mountains. As a chieftain's son, Telemon is bound to obey his father. But he wants to help Hylas and little Issi. Can he find a way to fulfill all his obligations? I don't want to say more about Telemon's quandary, but I do hope we see more of him in further books. I could empathize with him, and, by the end of this book, he had come to a somewhat dubious decision, one that I hope he will rethink.
As for Hylas, he's a tough, illiterate kid - very capable and very ignorant at once. I liked the way he and Pirra, when stranded on a dangerous, sacred island, struck sparks off each other and also filled gaps in each others' knowledge. One of the things they discover is exactly why the Crows are hunting and killing outsiders like Hylas. There is, of course, a prophecy, and the Crows are determined to see it never comes true. The prophecy concerns a dagger which Hylas is given by a dying man. Hylas comes to think the weapon is evil and that it has a mind of its own. I think he might be right.
The reason I'm wavering between 4 and 5 stars is that, fine as it is, this story does not quite stand alone. I was frustrated that we never found out what happened to little Issi, and, at the end of the book, all four of the viewpoint characters have been separated. That was frustrating, too!
One of the blurbs about this series is that Hylas would be helped in his quest by three animals, a dolphin, a falcon, and a lion cub. We have met the dolphin, and he seems strongly linked to Hylas. I have a suspicion that the falcon will be linked to Pirra, and the lion cub to Telemon, the chief's son. We'll see!
This new series is set in Bronze-age Greece (before it was Greece) and Crete. I was extremely taken with the character of Pirra, a Cretan 12-year-old who has been promised in marriage to an Achaean lord she has never seen. Pirra is determined to escape. More than anything, she wants freedom to make her own life. Interestingly, until she meets the second protagonist, her best friend is an Egyptian slave who is like an older brother to her.
That protagonist, whom Pirra encounters as he tries to steal a boat, is the young goatherd Hylas. The book begins with Hylas wounded and running for his life from black-clad, ash-coated warriors. His goal is to survive the tumult he is caught up in and find his little sister. But, at every turn, he encounters more mysteries and more danger. He also makes a friend; a young dolphin he names Spirit, who saves his life when he is lost at sea. The relationship between Hylas and Spirit is reminiscent of the friendship between Torak and Wolf in the "Chronicles of Ancient Darkness". Paver writes animals and their viewpoints awfully well, and Spirit becomes the third pov character.
The fourth is Hylas's best friend, Telemon, who is caught in a terrible quandary. He has a relationship with the Crows, the warriors who have tried to kill Hylas, and who have driven Hylas's little sister further into the mountains. As a chieftain's son, Telemon is bound to obey his father. But he wants to help Hylas and little Issi. Can he find a way to fulfill all his obligations? I don't want to say more about Telemon's quandary, but I do hope we see more of him in further books. I could empathize with him, and, by the end of this book, he had come to a somewhat dubious decision, one that I hope he will rethink.
As for Hylas, he's a tough, illiterate kid - very capable and very ignorant at once. I liked the way he and Pirra, when stranded on a dangerous, sacred island, struck sparks off each other and also filled gaps in each others' knowledge. One of the things they discover is exactly why the Crows are hunting and killing outsiders like Hylas. There is, of course, a prophecy, and the Crows are determined to see it never comes true. The prophecy concerns a dagger which Hylas is given by a dying man. Hylas comes to think the weapon is evil and that it has a mind of its own. I think he might be right.
The reason I'm wavering between 4 and 5 stars is that, fine as it is, this story does not quite stand alone. I was frustrated that we never found out what happened to little Issi, and, at the end of the book, all four of the viewpoint characters have been separated. That was frustrating, too!
One of the blurbs about this series is that Hylas would be helped in his quest by three animals, a dolphin, a falcon, and a lion cub. We have met the dolphin, and he seems strongly linked to Hylas. I have a suspicion that the falcon will be linked to Pirra, and the lion cub to Telemon, the chief's son. We'll see!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2022
Måste erkänna att 20-åriga jag tyckte mycket bättre om den här än vad 12-åriga(?) jag gjorde lol. Tror det är för att jag var så besatt av Vargbröder då, och tyckte den här serien kändes helt fel. Men nu kan jag nog uppskatta den mer. Läste aldrig klart serien även fast jag hade alla böckerna, så tänker jag ska göra det nu!
April 20, 2023
Nie powiem, żeby była porywająca, ale ma swój urok i od połowy, jak da się jej szansę, dość przyjemnie się czyta
Głowni bohaterowie to dwunasto-/trzynastolatki, jako książka przeznaczona dla dzieci nie jest zła
Głowni bohaterowie to dwunasto-/trzynastolatki, jako książka przeznaczona dla dzieci nie jest zła
Read
August 11, 2012We have a giveaway going on for an advanced copy of this book going on our blog right now, check it out!
http://appraisingpages.com/2012/08/10...
http://appraisingpages.com/2012/08/10...
May 29, 2025
I personally really enjoyed this book. It is a YA adventure type book, so there is nothing really groundbreaking, but Paver's ability to write is so addictive. Especially her ability to write relatable characters you can't help but to feel compassion towards. She has also created an animal POV that is nothing short of the most adorable thing I have ever read. The relationship she represents between a young boy, Hylas, and a wild dolphin, Spirit, who has saved his life, was so unexpected but is done so well that it actually works for me.
Also, Paver has clearly done her proper research. I hate when an author writes about ancient history but completely makes it all up as they go along. Thankfully, that is not what we get here. Paver has done her proper research both on the history behind the locations as well as a thorough research into the times in which the characters are living. Lastly, she's done proper research on actual relationships between humans and animals and the connections they can make. As a huge animal lover, my favorite character is easily Spirit the dolphin! This is such a heartwarming adventure tale that has such incredible potential and is absolutely worth the read!
Also, Paver has clearly done her proper research. I hate when an author writes about ancient history but completely makes it all up as they go along. Thankfully, that is not what we get here. Paver has done her proper research both on the history behind the locations as well as a thorough research into the times in which the characters are living. Lastly, she's done proper research on actual relationships between humans and animals and the connections they can make. As a huge animal lover, my favorite character is easily Spirit the dolphin! This is such a heartwarming adventure tale that has such incredible potential and is absolutely worth the read!
January 18, 2018
I loved this book it was a great start to a really action-packed series that I will read more of in February. I liked the characters especially Hylas, Spirit, and Pirra they were interesting Hylas is so real in his efforts to survive and find his sister I liked the dolphin and Pirra she was well written. I liked the story it was well written and started with a bang with Hylas hiding from danger and it only got better from there. So overall I really enjoyed this book I will continue the series I liked it a lot.
Read
February 11, 2018DNF - I couldn't connect with the characters or the story. Everything felt kind of rushed, and I felt like I was expected to understand everything and sympathize with the characters starting from page one... I dunno. Sorry...!
May 9, 2024
Som en lite sämre ”Vargbröder”, men helt okej. Märks på språket att den är skriven för barn, och det gör Paver bra, så den dagen jag tar tag i att skriva en egen bok för barn/unga kan denna absolut fungera bra som inspiration!
January 29, 2019
3,5 stars
Fattade äntligen vart detta utspelar sig tack vare författarens efterord lol. Bronsåldern Grekland. Ska fortsätta serien nåndag.
Fattade äntligen vart detta utspelar sig tack vare författarens efterord lol. Bronsåldern Grekland. Ska fortsätta serien nåndag.
October 27, 2022
Vargbröder är bättre
July 13, 2012
Review:
The back cover of the book mentioned that this story was for readers who enjoyed the Percy Jackson series. This fact alone made me start reading as soon as I got my hands on it. Fortunately, there were numerous reasons to like this book aside from the small snippet regarding Percy.
I have never read a book where the storyline dates so far back in history and I was thoroughly entertained. Of course, most credit goes to the likeable characters, constant action and imaginative writing instead of the setting. But it was an added bonus and made the book stand out and a lot more original.
I also liked the mysteriousness of “higher” powers. The Goddess, the Earthshaker, the Angry Ones, ghosts, etc, were constantly spoken about but their actual presence was quite subtle. Occasionally, whenever they did make a more prominent “appearance” it was quite powerful and exciting. You never know what to expect, what they want or what role they play. They created a very vivid but dormant background to all the happenings in the foreground of the story. Not always directly influencing the course of things but still managing to play a part in everything that occurred.
One small personal complaint was that for most of the book there wasn’t any clear and grand goal for the story as usually such books include and I was expecting from early on for some reason. Yes, Hylas was looking for his sister and there was the issue on why they were hunted in the first place, but it didn’t come across as a world changeingly significant purpose. This isn’t of course always essential but I guess I’ve become to expect it from such a genre. This, however, didn’t take away from characters who you really wanted to root for, abundant adventure and fast pacing.
Characters:
Hylas was an appealing hero, he was a quintessential nice guy who stayed noble and didn’t really showcase any prominent negative traits. He was brave, kind, helpful, resourceful and determined. I admired how he showed care and respect towards all living creatures, mourning his dog, befriending Spirit and being there for others who needed aid or came his way. Everything is connected and important and even if you kill to eat something you still pay your respect.
Pirra was at first glance a spoiled princess but, fortunately, she didn’t come across as a bratty, useless or self-centered girl. Instead she was spunky, self-sufficient and considerate. Hylas of course helped her come to grips with the real word and they learned a lot from each other but still, I have no doubt that had their paths not crossed Pirra would have managed on her own. Userref, Pirra’s servant from Egypt, was quite intriguing so I hope to see him more in the future books.
Telamon was a character I felt really pity for, because of several unfortunate circumstances his intentions were misunderstood, even though he only wished to help and do the right thing. I hope he stays on the good side in future books; I don’t really like conflicts between great friends.
Words can’t express how much I loved the dolphins in this book! I want my own Spirit, he was so adorable. He was the cutest, friendliest, extremely huggable, most charming animal sidekick I think I’ve ever come across. I had so many “awwww” moments because of him. The relationship between Spirit and Hylas and, generally, in-between the dolphins was so heartwarmingly sweet and devoted. I also found it very endearing how several animals and other non-human creatures were given quite significant roles displaying their importance during those times.
Overall:
It was a fun adventure book for children and young adults. If you like a good historical fantasy with heaps of action, sympathetic characters, an exotic setting and an incredibly loveable dolphin named Spirit then I definitely recommend this book!
The back cover of the book mentioned that this story was for readers who enjoyed the Percy Jackson series. This fact alone made me start reading as soon as I got my hands on it. Fortunately, there were numerous reasons to like this book aside from the small snippet regarding Percy.
I have never read a book where the storyline dates so far back in history and I was thoroughly entertained. Of course, most credit goes to the likeable characters, constant action and imaginative writing instead of the setting. But it was an added bonus and made the book stand out and a lot more original.
I also liked the mysteriousness of “higher” powers. The Goddess, the Earthshaker, the Angry Ones, ghosts, etc, were constantly spoken about but their actual presence was quite subtle. Occasionally, whenever they did make a more prominent “appearance” it was quite powerful and exciting. You never know what to expect, what they want or what role they play. They created a very vivid but dormant background to all the happenings in the foreground of the story. Not always directly influencing the course of things but still managing to play a part in everything that occurred.
One small personal complaint was that for most of the book there wasn’t any clear and grand goal for the story as usually such books include and I was expecting from early on for some reason. Yes, Hylas was looking for his sister and there was the issue on why they were hunted in the first place, but it didn’t come across as a world changeingly significant purpose. This isn’t of course always essential but I guess I’ve become to expect it from such a genre. This, however, didn’t take away from characters who you really wanted to root for, abundant adventure and fast pacing.
Characters:
Hylas was an appealing hero, he was a quintessential nice guy who stayed noble and didn’t really showcase any prominent negative traits. He was brave, kind, helpful, resourceful and determined. I admired how he showed care and respect towards all living creatures, mourning his dog, befriending Spirit and being there for others who needed aid or came his way. Everything is connected and important and even if you kill to eat something you still pay your respect.
Pirra was at first glance a spoiled princess but, fortunately, she didn’t come across as a bratty, useless or self-centered girl. Instead she was spunky, self-sufficient and considerate. Hylas of course helped her come to grips with the real word and they learned a lot from each other but still, I have no doubt that had their paths not crossed Pirra would have managed on her own. Userref, Pirra’s servant from Egypt, was quite intriguing so I hope to see him more in the future books.
Telamon was a character I felt really pity for, because of several unfortunate circumstances his intentions were misunderstood, even though he only wished to help and do the right thing. I hope he stays on the good side in future books; I don’t really like conflicts between great friends.
Words can’t express how much I loved the dolphins in this book! I want my own Spirit, he was so adorable. He was the cutest, friendliest, extremely huggable, most charming animal sidekick I think I’ve ever come across. I had so many “awwww” moments because of him. The relationship between Spirit and Hylas and, generally, in-between the dolphins was so heartwarmingly sweet and devoted. I also found it very endearing how several animals and other non-human creatures were given quite significant roles displaying their importance during those times.
Overall:
It was a fun adventure book for children and young adults. If you like a good historical fantasy with heaps of action, sympathetic characters, an exotic setting and an incredibly loveable dolphin named Spirit then I definitely recommend this book!
September 13, 2013
Gods and Warriors appealed to me because not only was it about history (one of my favourite genres), but it was about ancient Greece, and written by one of my favourite authors, Michelle Paver.
My favourite character was Hylas by far. To begin with, his story seemed a bit typical of a historic novel, where a simple slave (or goatherd) becomes a hero, although this turned out not to be the case. Hylas did become a sort-of hero by the end of the book, but he was without the snobby arrogantness that usually comes with the hero package, which was a pleasant surprise.
At first, I hated sub-main character Pirra. She was rude, useless and moody. Following her unceremonious dumping on a sacred island (where Hylas was also washed up), she demanded that Hylas share his kills with her. He refused, and she marched off in a sulk. But, slowly she turned herself around, and began learning survival skills but watching Hylas, and helping him clean the carcasses of their next meal. I began to change my opinion of her, and eventually even came to admire her determination to evade her betrothal, and help Hylas in his quest to hide the bronze dagger.
The setting for Gods and Warriors is realistically described, and while I read this book, I had a very vivid image of the surrounding areas, just like I did when reading the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness; another of Paver's series for teens. I noticed similarities between the two series, such as the extremely well done third person perspective, and the strong characters who play very important roles in twisting plots that keep you turning page after page, no matter how many times you get yelled at to turn the light off and go to sleep. Michelle Paver's novels keep you awake at night, wanting to continue reading, and find out what adventure lurks the next page over.
Third person perspective is not necessarily something I enjoy reading, but Paver uses it to her advantage and I really enjoyed reading this book because of it. During Gods and Warriors, we hear from several characters. Mainly Hylas and Pirra, but also Telamon; Pirra's betrothed, Hylas' friend, and a Crow warrior, and occasionally we hear from Spirit the dolphin, which is quite interesting in itself because it is not usual to hear from an animal in a human dominated novel.
My favourite quote for this novel would have to be:
“If we follow the animals, they might lead us to a spring.”
“What animals? They’re all dead!”
“No, some managed to get away. Look at the tracks.”
“What’s a track?” she snapped. Thirst was making her irritable.
“Oh, surely you know about tracks? They’re footprints, they tell you things.” Impatiently, he pointed out what he said was a hare’s trail, then a row of sinuous lines made by a snake; he said the gaps in between were where it had gathered its coils.
“So it’s like writing,” she said. “Well if you’d told me that to start with, I’d have understood.”
“What’s writing?”
“Oh surely you know about writing?” she mimicked. “It’s marks that mean things.” With a stick of charcoal, she scratched lines on a pebble. “There. That’s for you, it says goat.”
“What d’ you mean it ‘says’? It can’t talk, it’s a pebble.”
I chose this quote because it is then that Hylas and Pirra get a feeling for how different each other's areas of knowledge are, and while in Hylas' eyes, Pirra is uneducated, but Pirra feels the same for Hylas. Their friendship at this stage in on the up, which makes their survival efforts easier, but no less dramatic and exciting.
Something new I learnt from this book was how bronze is made. Tin and copper are melted before being melded together about cooled in a mold. Bronze it stronger and bendier than other metals, so was preferred by warriors if they could afford it.
My favourite character was Hylas by far. To begin with, his story seemed a bit typical of a historic novel, where a simple slave (or goatherd) becomes a hero, although this turned out not to be the case. Hylas did become a sort-of hero by the end of the book, but he was without the snobby arrogantness that usually comes with the hero package, which was a pleasant surprise.
At first, I hated sub-main character Pirra. She was rude, useless and moody. Following her unceremonious dumping on a sacred island (where Hylas was also washed up), she demanded that Hylas share his kills with her. He refused, and she marched off in a sulk. But, slowly she turned herself around, and began learning survival skills but watching Hylas, and helping him clean the carcasses of their next meal. I began to change my opinion of her, and eventually even came to admire her determination to evade her betrothal, and help Hylas in his quest to hide the bronze dagger.
The setting for Gods and Warriors is realistically described, and while I read this book, I had a very vivid image of the surrounding areas, just like I did when reading the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness; another of Paver's series for teens. I noticed similarities between the two series, such as the extremely well done third person perspective, and the strong characters who play very important roles in twisting plots that keep you turning page after page, no matter how many times you get yelled at to turn the light off and go to sleep. Michelle Paver's novels keep you awake at night, wanting to continue reading, and find out what adventure lurks the next page over.
Third person perspective is not necessarily something I enjoy reading, but Paver uses it to her advantage and I really enjoyed reading this book because of it. During Gods and Warriors, we hear from several characters. Mainly Hylas and Pirra, but also Telamon; Pirra's betrothed, Hylas' friend, and a Crow warrior, and occasionally we hear from Spirit the dolphin, which is quite interesting in itself because it is not usual to hear from an animal in a human dominated novel.
My favourite quote for this novel would have to be:
“If we follow the animals, they might lead us to a spring.”
“What animals? They’re all dead!”
“No, some managed to get away. Look at the tracks.”
“What’s a track?” she snapped. Thirst was making her irritable.
“Oh, surely you know about tracks? They’re footprints, they tell you things.” Impatiently, he pointed out what he said was a hare’s trail, then a row of sinuous lines made by a snake; he said the gaps in between were where it had gathered its coils.
“So it’s like writing,” she said. “Well if you’d told me that to start with, I’d have understood.”
“What’s writing?”
“Oh surely you know about writing?” she mimicked. “It’s marks that mean things.” With a stick of charcoal, she scratched lines on a pebble. “There. That’s for you, it says goat.”
“What d’ you mean it ‘says’? It can’t talk, it’s a pebble.”
I chose this quote because it is then that Hylas and Pirra get a feeling for how different each other's areas of knowledge are, and while in Hylas' eyes, Pirra is uneducated, but Pirra feels the same for Hylas. Their friendship at this stage in on the up, which makes their survival efforts easier, but no less dramatic and exciting.
Something new I learnt from this book was how bronze is made. Tin and copper are melted before being melded together about cooled in a mold. Bronze it stronger and bendier than other metals, so was preferred by warriors if they could afford it.
October 7, 2016
I think it was really good
June 17, 2021
I've been intrigued by ancient societies and cultures for as long as I can remember breathing. Egypt holds most of my interest, but honestly I'll read anything set in BC time period as long as its interesting. GODS AND WARRIORS, the first in its series, is set during Bronze Age Greece--a first for me--and is fast paced, engrossing and utterly entertaining. I read this over the course of about two hours--that's right TWO HOURS--because I couldn't bear to put it down.
I was a little unsure at first, there was a lot of descriptive words that seemed out of place ("He was ragingly thirsty...") or unneeded being tossed around. It felt like every other word ended with "-ly" for a while. The protagonist is also much younger then I'm used to reading lately (he's 12, in fact everyone over the age of 14 is more or less not to be trusted), so I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy his viewpoint.
My fears were laid to rest about 60 pages in, when Paver began describing another character's journey across the sea. Paver seemed to hit her stride around this point and from there the story took off.
In a lot of ways this reminded me of one of my favorite books as a kid--Mara Daughter of the Nile (by Eloise Jarvis McGraw). That was also about an orphaned child, an outsider struggling to survive and having to rely on cleverness to do so. Hylas though, he's driven. He's a determined boy who lives and thrives mostly through instinct. His cleverness is mostly intuition (with a healthy smattering of paranoia) and his own ability to adapt to circumstances.
Pirra, by contrast, tries to work things out. Though she's been sheltered, she has a better idea of how things work with the 'Black Crows' then Hylas does. She knows what it is they want and how far they will go to reach that end goal. She's also more cautious, reverent of the Goddess and island they find themselves on. She understands the magic that Hylas has come in contact with.
The uneasy truce between them as they struggle to survive and maybe find a way off the island felt natural. They come from two different worlds, two different societies even, but they have a common enemy (the Black Crows) and a common goal (to stop them). Neither trusts the other, at least not on a conscious level, but they work very well together.
Hylas' friend, Telamon is lost between two worlds himself. Older then Hylas, but just as sheltered as Pirra in a way, he just can't seem to do the right thing for the right reasons. His father is disappointed in him, his uncle is disgusted by him, Hylas learns something about him that makes him scared and distrustful--nothing he does ends the way he wants it to. I felt bad for him honestly.
The ending speaks at a larger destiny awaiting all three (and Spirit, the dolphin) and the Goddess doesn't seem done with them yet. I'm interested to see where Paver takes our band of wary heroes--and what fresh adventures awaits them there.
I was a little unsure at first, there was a lot of descriptive words that seemed out of place ("He was ragingly thirsty...") or unneeded being tossed around. It felt like every other word ended with "-ly" for a while. The protagonist is also much younger then I'm used to reading lately (he's 12, in fact everyone over the age of 14 is more or less not to be trusted), so I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy his viewpoint.
My fears were laid to rest about 60 pages in, when Paver began describing another character's journey across the sea. Paver seemed to hit her stride around this point and from there the story took off.
In a lot of ways this reminded me of one of my favorite books as a kid--Mara Daughter of the Nile (by Eloise Jarvis McGraw). That was also about an orphaned child, an outsider struggling to survive and having to rely on cleverness to do so. Hylas though, he's driven. He's a determined boy who lives and thrives mostly through instinct. His cleverness is mostly intuition (with a healthy smattering of paranoia) and his own ability to adapt to circumstances.
Pirra, by contrast, tries to work things out. Though she's been sheltered, she has a better idea of how things work with the 'Black Crows' then Hylas does. She knows what it is they want and how far they will go to reach that end goal. She's also more cautious, reverent of the Goddess and island they find themselves on. She understands the magic that Hylas has come in contact with.
The uneasy truce between them as they struggle to survive and maybe find a way off the island felt natural. They come from two different worlds, two different societies even, but they have a common enemy (the Black Crows) and a common goal (to stop them). Neither trusts the other, at least not on a conscious level, but they work very well together.
Hylas' friend, Telamon is lost between two worlds himself. Older then Hylas, but just as sheltered as Pirra in a way, he just can't seem to do the right thing for the right reasons. His father is disappointed in him, his uncle is disgusted by him, Hylas learns something about him that makes him scared and distrustful--nothing he does ends the way he wants it to. I felt bad for him honestly.
The ending speaks at a larger destiny awaiting all three (and Spirit, the dolphin) and the Goddess doesn't seem done with them yet. I'm interested to see where Paver takes our band of wary heroes--and what fresh adventures awaits them there.
August 1, 2012
Posted to Almost Grown-up:
The back cover of Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver boasts that it’s “perfect for fans of Percy Jackson.” I qualify under that category MOST ARDENTLY, so I was really really excited to begin reading. I don’t think it’s really perfect for Percy Jackson fans… but it might just be perfect for me.
One thing Gods and Warriors does have in common with Percy Jackson is the way that young kids have these really awful things happen to them and wind up in this impossibly huge situation.
But, like Rick Riordan, Michelle Paver still manages to make them sound their age. These are kids who would be in middle school in our era and they sound like it… to an extent. I mean they don’t sound anachronistic, but they sound like kids. There’s more than one point-of-view in Gods and Warriors, but they’re all necessary and advance the plot.
If there’s one thing that I admire, it’s the ability to bring a world to life. And Michelle Paver EXCELS at that in Gods and Warriors. It’s in little things from the way that Hylas refers to certain plants to the way that people from different places refer to things differently. Revolutionary, I know.
But the history of Gods and Warriors is brought to life so perfectly that the research that Michelle Paver conducted is evident. I love historical fiction, but I’ve never been particularly interested in the Mediterranean Bronze Age. I am now.
The language is simple, but really effective. The whole book is so tuned in with nature and spirituality that it’s absolutely beautiful sometimes.
Overall rating: 4.5/5. If all MG books made me like them so much, I’d read a whole lot more of them. Happily, Michelle Paver has many other books for me to dive into in the future.
The back cover of Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver boasts that it’s “perfect for fans of Percy Jackson.” I qualify under that category MOST ARDENTLY, so I was really really excited to begin reading. I don’t think it’s really perfect for Percy Jackson fans… but it might just be perfect for me.
One thing Gods and Warriors does have in common with Percy Jackson is the way that young kids have these really awful things happen to them and wind up in this impossibly huge situation.
But, like Rick Riordan, Michelle Paver still manages to make them sound their age. These are kids who would be in middle school in our era and they sound like it… to an extent. I mean they don’t sound anachronistic, but they sound like kids. There’s more than one point-of-view in Gods and Warriors, but they’re all necessary and advance the plot.
If there’s one thing that I admire, it’s the ability to bring a world to life. And Michelle Paver EXCELS at that in Gods and Warriors. It’s in little things from the way that Hylas refers to certain plants to the way that people from different places refer to things differently. Revolutionary, I know.
But the history of Gods and Warriors is brought to life so perfectly that the research that Michelle Paver conducted is evident. I love historical fiction, but I’ve never been particularly interested in the Mediterranean Bronze Age. I am now.
The language is simple, but really effective. The whole book is so tuned in with nature and spirituality that it’s absolutely beautiful sometimes.
Overall rating: 4.5/5. If all MG books made me like them so much, I’d read a whole lot more of them. Happily, Michelle Paver has many other books for me to dive into in the future.
April 17, 2015
Bronze Age Mediterranean setting.
I found the characters a little stereotypical and a little bland to be honest. Although the story moves along at a quick pace it just didn't engage me. I realise, however, that I appear to be in the minority with that opinion.
Hylas is an Outsider - an outcast shepherd boy - and one day he and his sister are attacked by warriors known as The Crows, from Mycenae.
Escaping, but separated from his sister, he encounters a dying youth in a hut. He helps him as best he can and in return the youth gives him his bronze dagger and foretells Hylas will see the sea and by aided in his search for his sister by dolphins.
His friend, Telamon, the son of the local chieftain, aids Hylas's escape.
Pirra, a spirited young girl from Keftiu, is told she must marry the son of another tribe. She rebels and eventually runs away.
Hylas reaches the sea and steals a small boat. Lost at sea he loses his boat in a storm, is stalked by a shark and saved by dolphins.
Pirra and Hylas end up on the same island. Initially, of course, they are antagonistic towards each other, but when they have to work together to save Hylas's dolphin, Spirit, which has been washed up helpless on the shore they learn to suffer each other.
Hylas is captured by a stranger who reveals the secret of the dagger Hylas has been given.
There is a showdown on a wrecked ship between Hylas and the leader of the Crows.
Spirit helps save him.
I found the characters a little stereotypical and a little bland to be honest. Although the story moves along at a quick pace it just didn't engage me. I realise, however, that I appear to be in the minority with that opinion.
Hylas is an Outsider - an outcast shepherd boy - and one day he and his sister are attacked by warriors known as The Crows, from Mycenae.
Escaping, but separated from his sister, he encounters a dying youth in a hut. He helps him as best he can and in return the youth gives him his bronze dagger and foretells Hylas will see the sea and by aided in his search for his sister by dolphins.
His friend, Telamon, the son of the local chieftain, aids Hylas's escape.
Pirra, a spirited young girl from Keftiu, is told she must marry the son of another tribe. She rebels and eventually runs away.
Hylas reaches the sea and steals a small boat. Lost at sea he loses his boat in a storm, is stalked by a shark and saved by dolphins.
Pirra and Hylas end up on the same island. Initially, of course, they are antagonistic towards each other, but when they have to work together to save Hylas's dolphin, Spirit, which has been washed up helpless on the shore they learn to suffer each other.
Hylas is captured by a stranger who reveals the secret of the dagger Hylas has been given.
There is a showdown on a wrecked ship between Hylas and the leader of the Crows.
Spirit helps save him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2012
A thrilling beginning sets the tone for this wonderfully researched and written new historical fantasy set in the Mediterranean Bronze Age, as goatherd Hylas is on the run for his life, an arrow in his arm, and utter terror and bewilderment in his heart. Why are the terrifying ashy-colored Crows bent on killing him, after killing his dog and shooting him? Where is his little sister? As an Outsider, he can't get help from the village, and so steals provisions and seeks shelter in a tomb, only to find it is already occupied by a dying man who gives him a bronze knife and tells him to go to the Sea. More confused than ever, Hylas flees. Danger and intrigue pursue him, and he must survive by his considerable wits; he is an endearing and admirable protagonist whom readers will cheer for. Paver must have unlimited funds at her disposal, because she travels to the ends of the earth to gather material and the experiences that enable her to write so convincingly and to offer such immediacy to the reader. Borderline junior high, but acceptable for 6th graders.
June 21, 2013
I really like Michelle Paver's writing and found this book to be highly readable, but unfortunately it just didn't hang together for me. The characters weren't quite engaging or interesting enough to carry the book and while the plot is quick-paced in some places, it's slow in others. I thought, from the way the story is set up at the beginning, that it would be a faster-paced, more sweeping adventure (that the two kids would travel on to find one specific character and see new places and do battle with an offending tribe) but the bulk of the story winds up being about two kids alone on an island, which simply wasn't that interesting. (Unlike Nation - best ever book about two kids on an island!). At the end there are new complications that arise to lend the story a bit more gravitas and intrigue, AND set up what could become an interesting series, but...? I found it a rather disappointing start (especially compared to Wolf Brother, the first book in Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series).
August 26, 2012
My ARC of GODS AND WARRIORS just arrived in the mail via the First Reads program. Can't wait to begin tonight! Thanks, Penguin Teen and Dial Books for Young Readers, for sending it to me.
UPDATE: Here's my review:
Michelle Paver’s latest book goes to the top of my recommended list. Right. Now. As a junior high teacher and middle grade author, I found Gods and Warriors to be spot on for this age group. This book has perfectly actualized characters, (both main and supporting) and a pounding plot all interwoven with touches of Greece’s Bronze Age.
The action is non-stop and will keep boys (and girls) reading. But it is the quieter moments in the tale where the beauty of the story really shines. The ending had me in cathartic tears.
I’m going to recommend it to our school librarian to use to for our school’s weekly book club. What higher praise could I give it?
Five Stars. Highly recommend.
UPDATE: Here's my review:
Michelle Paver’s latest book goes to the top of my recommended list. Right. Now. As a junior high teacher and middle grade author, I found Gods and Warriors to be spot on for this age group. This book has perfectly actualized characters, (both main and supporting) and a pounding plot all interwoven with touches of Greece’s Bronze Age.
The action is non-stop and will keep boys (and girls) reading. But it is the quieter moments in the tale where the beauty of the story really shines. The ending had me in cathartic tears.
I’m going to recommend it to our school librarian to use to for our school’s weekly book club. What higher praise could I give it?
Five Stars. Highly recommend.
October 10, 2012
4.5 stars
You can also find my review at http://tenuinanoa.blogspot.com/2012/1...
Thank you Penguin for the free book! I was so happy that I received this book. The story did not disappoint. Hylas is a tough, wild sort and a survivor. He is chosen to fulfill a prophecy which yet remains a mystery. Paver's world building skills are superb as it was with the Wolf Brother series. I love the mix of mystic and mother nature. I like the undertones of magic that are subtle yet unmistakeable.
Pirra, I am not sure what to make of her but I like that she is a tough female character. I can't wait to see where the story will take both Hylas and Pirra.
When does it come out?
You can also find my review at http://tenuinanoa.blogspot.com/2012/1...
Thank you Penguin for the free book! I was so happy that I received this book. The story did not disappoint. Hylas is a tough, wild sort and a survivor. He is chosen to fulfill a prophecy which yet remains a mystery. Paver's world building skills are superb as it was with the Wolf Brother series. I love the mix of mystic and mother nature. I like the undertones of magic that are subtle yet unmistakeable.
Pirra, I am not sure what to make of her but I like that she is a tough female character. I can't wait to see where the story will take both Hylas and Pirra.
When does it come out?
December 8, 2012
This is just fantastic, I wish Michelle Paver had been around when I was little. She has a very natural writing style so you barely even notice you're reading, you're just there, with the characters. There are some genuinely scary bits, possibly because like Pirra I'm not keen on enclosed spaces (had to turn off The Descent long before the monsters showed up), and the peril seems real because the characters are so well drawn, they are clever and resourceful, without being unbelievable, but don't do stupid things just to move the plot along like in so many stories.
My only gripe is that it was far too short, though I suppose for a 7 year old it would be a good length, me, I want MORE, can't wait for the next one.
My only gripe is that it was far too short, though I suppose for a 7 year old it would be a good length, me, I want MORE, can't wait for the next one.
January 25, 2013
I loved Michelle Paver's Wolf Brother and I wanted Gods and Warriors to be equally as fun and addicting. It wasn't. Although the story arc is interesting, Hylas is being pursued by blood-thirsty warriors, the actual writing didn't do it for me.
I think the trouble was that the structure was too similar to to Paver's other works in the Wolf Brother series - two kids and a wild animal beat the bad guys. This time, the characters just weren't as gripping (a dolphin?) and the structure felt redundant.
Finally, I felt like there was an overuse of Bronze Age religion in the text. Yes, religious beliefs and actions affected the very core of life during this time, but the constant references in Gods and Warriors got very very tiring.
I think the trouble was that the structure was too similar to to Paver's other works in the Wolf Brother series - two kids and a wild animal beat the bad guys. This time, the characters just weren't as gripping (a dolphin?) and the structure felt redundant.
Finally, I felt like there was an overuse of Bronze Age religion in the text. Yes, religious beliefs and actions affected the very core of life during this time, but the constant references in Gods and Warriors got very very tiring.
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