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Korre #2
Hawkspar
Stolen away from their families, they are slaves, women with no names and no futures. Every moment of their days controlled by the avatars of the stone Eyes--Obsidian, Emerald, Raxinan, Ruby, Windcrystal, Sapphire, Sunspar, Tigereye...
And the most powerful of them all, Hawkspar, the eyes of time. Kings and despots come to her to know their futures, and she wades in the river of time, pulls apart its sticky threads, to arrange the world to her satisfaction. But she too was once a slave, plucked from her home, chosen by the Eyes to live in service to them, as much a slave now as she ever was. And with her sight into past and future, she can see the secrets of the Eyes--and the evil of the Eyes. Before the death of Hawkspar, another must be chosen by the Eyes--but the avatar has her own plans, and chooses a slave for her courage and rebelliousness, rather than her dedication to the goals of the Eyes. This slave is put to trial, but time after time, she is protected by forces unseen. Once she has swallowed the bitter liquid and has her eyes pulled from her head and replaced with the Eyes of Hawkspar stone, she can slip into the streams of time... and use time to her own ends -- to free the slaves once and for all, and destroy the Eyes, even if it means destroying herself in the process.
And the most powerful of them all, Hawkspar, the eyes of time. Kings and despots come to her to know their futures, and she wades in the river of time, pulls apart its sticky threads, to arrange the world to her satisfaction. But she too was once a slave, plucked from her home, chosen by the Eyes to live in service to them, as much a slave now as she ever was. And with her sight into past and future, she can see the secrets of the Eyes--and the evil of the Eyes. Before the death of Hawkspar, another must be chosen by the Eyes--but the avatar has her own plans, and chooses a slave for her courage and rebelliousness, rather than her dedication to the goals of the Eyes. This slave is put to trial, but time after time, she is protected by forces unseen. Once she has swallowed the bitter liquid and has her eyes pulled from her head and replaced with the Eyes of Hawkspar stone, she can slip into the streams of time... and use time to her own ends -- to free the slaves once and for all, and destroy the Eyes, even if it means destroying herself in the process.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2008
8 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Holly Lisle
108 books449 followersHolly Lisle has been writing fiction professionally since 1991, when she sold FIRE IN THE MIST, the novel that won her the Compton Crook Award for best first novel. She has to date published more than thirty novels and several comprehensive writing courses. She has just published WARPAINT, the second stand-alone novel in her Cadence Drake series.
Holly had an ideal childhood for a writer…which is to say, it was filled with foreign countries and exotic terrains, alien cultures, new languages, the occasional earthquake, flood, or civil war, and one story about a bear, which follows:
“So. Back when I was ten years old, my father and I had finished hunting ducks for our dinner and were walking across the tundra in Alaska toward the spot on the river where we’d tied our boat. We had a couple miles to go by boat to get back to the Moravian Children’s Home, where we lived.
“My father was carrying the big bag of decoys and the shotgun; I was carrying the small bag of ducks.
“It was getting dark, we could hear the thud, thud, thud of the generator across the tundra, and suddenly he stopped, pointed down to a pie-pan sized indentation in the tundra that was rapidly filling with water, and said, in a calm and steady voice, “That’s a bear footprint. From the size of it, it’s a grizzly. The fact that the track is filling with water right now means the bear’s still around.”
“Which got my attention, but not as much as what he said next.
” ‘I don’t have the gun with me that will kill a bear,’ he told me. ‘I just have the one that will make him angry. So if we see the bear, I’m going to shoot him so he’ll attack me. I want you to run to the river, follow it to the boat, get the boat back home, and tell everyone what happened.’
“The rest of our walk was very quiet. He was, I’m sure, listening for the bear. I was doing my damnedest to make sure that I remembered where the boat was, how to get to it, how to start the pull-cord engine, and how to drive it back home, because I did not want to let him down.
“We were not eaten by a bear that night…but neither is that walk back from our hunt for supper a part of my life I’ll ever forget.
“I keep that story in mind as I write. If what I’m putting on paper isn’t at least as memorable as having a grizzly stalking my father and me across the tundra while I was carrying a bag of delicious-smelling ducks, it doesn’t make my cut.”
You can find Holly on her personal site:
Hollylisle.com
You can find Cadence Drake, Holly's currently in-progress series, on her site:
CadenceDrake.com
You can find Holly's books, courses, writing workshops, and so on here:
The HowToThinkSideways.com Shop, as well as on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in a number of bookstores in the US and around the world.
Holly had an ideal childhood for a writer…which is to say, it was filled with foreign countries and exotic terrains, alien cultures, new languages, the occasional earthquake, flood, or civil war, and one story about a bear, which follows:
“So. Back when I was ten years old, my father and I had finished hunting ducks for our dinner and were walking across the tundra in Alaska toward the spot on the river where we’d tied our boat. We had a couple miles to go by boat to get back to the Moravian Children’s Home, where we lived.
“My father was carrying the big bag of decoys and the shotgun; I was carrying the small bag of ducks.
“It was getting dark, we could hear the thud, thud, thud of the generator across the tundra, and suddenly he stopped, pointed down to a pie-pan sized indentation in the tundra that was rapidly filling with water, and said, in a calm and steady voice, “That’s a bear footprint. From the size of it, it’s a grizzly. The fact that the track is filling with water right now means the bear’s still around.”
“Which got my attention, but not as much as what he said next.
” ‘I don’t have the gun with me that will kill a bear,’ he told me. ‘I just have the one that will make him angry. So if we see the bear, I’m going to shoot him so he’ll attack me. I want you to run to the river, follow it to the boat, get the boat back home, and tell everyone what happened.’
“The rest of our walk was very quiet. He was, I’m sure, listening for the bear. I was doing my damnedest to make sure that I remembered where the boat was, how to get to it, how to start the pull-cord engine, and how to drive it back home, because I did not want to let him down.
“We were not eaten by a bear that night…but neither is that walk back from our hunt for supper a part of my life I’ll ever forget.
“I keep that story in mind as I write. If what I’m putting on paper isn’t at least as memorable as having a grizzly stalking my father and me across the tundra while I was carrying a bag of delicious-smelling ducks, it doesn’t make my cut.”
You can find Holly on her personal site:
Hollylisle.com
You can find Cadence Drake, Holly's currently in-progress series, on her site:
CadenceDrake.com
You can find Holly's books, courses, writing workshops, and so on here:
The HowToThinkSideways.com Shop, as well as on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in a number of bookstores in the US and around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 9, 2009
Young Tonk girls are stolen away from their slaughtered families and forced into slavery. A few are molded into recipients of the stone Eyes which confer amazing mystic powers upon them but the sacrifice is overwhelming. One such girl ascends against all odds to become the holder of the Hawkspar stones which allow her to watch the flow of events in time and she becomes a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Feegash plot to destroy the entire Tonk civilization. Her pleas for rescue are heard by Aaran av Savissha, one of the best trackers for the seafaring Tonks and he integrates her into his quest to find and rescue his sister who was stolen away years before. An utterly enthralling story filled with fantastical elements and labyrinthine plots that eventually lead back to Talyn herself. Very enjoyable.
August 4, 2016
I was completely knocked out by the first novel Lisle set in the universe of Korre, Talyn, so I was very excited to get a hold of this. While I didn’t like it quite as much as Talyn—it had an even more sweepingly epic plot and an even more dire romance, casting it slightly overboard and loosing some of the gritty fun of the first—it preserved the lovely world building (set, this time, fifteen years later and in a different place with different characters. There was something of a Deus Ex Machina—or possibly Deus Ex Historia—at the end, but having set up the both the romance and the impossibility of a happy ending, I suppose she had to do something. Mostly, however, this ignited in me a desire to re-read Talyn, Right Away,.
April 30, 2019
DNF at end of unengaging sample.
September 16, 2021
loved it!!!!
November 12, 2022
Was an amazing book, I have reread it many time I’ve the last few years. Didn’t realize until a month ago that it is actually the second book to a set! So now I need to read the first book.
Read
April 3, 2023Did not finished im afraid. It’s not the book for me. I really wanted to love it.
April 23, 2018
Loved it!
A breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre.
A standalone book set in a complex world. I particularly love the fact that the author isn't trying to sell me a series of books. The open ends are open. But the story has a satisfying finality to it.
A breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre.
A standalone book set in a complex world. I particularly love the fact that the author isn't trying to sell me a series of books. The open ends are open. But the story has a satisfying finality to it.
May 21, 2010
I think I maintain a love-hate relationship with Holly... First off, from the moment I crack open one of her books, I am fully, 100% immersed in a new world, a detailed culture, something that feels solid and real. She provides the reader with a thousand tiny details, a dozen words for objects that are everyday in this new culture, but foreign to us. She has a gift for this, and there's no denying that. Further, she builds for us an amazing set of strong, real characters - characters who change with the passing of time, with the weight of the road they travel. Their actions are usually believable, their reactions even moreso. You don't always sympathize with them (at least I don't), but you can believe them and hold them in your hand. These two things - an immersive world and strong characters - go a LONG way to making a fantastic book. An intriguing premise and a plot that holds you (and a plot that in and of itself has a strong thread from start to finish, events that grow out of each other in a logical way), something Holly is mostly able to maintain over the course of her books, are also a big help.
I am not, however, sure how I feel about Holly's actual writing. Now - this, I freely admit, is a stylistic thing. I'm not saying she's a bad writer - she is, in fact, a very talented writer in my mind. But her style and my style differ vastly. Her writing, at least in my mind, always feels stark, bare, and utilitarian. She says what she means, and not much more. There is something about the way she writes that, when I read it, makes me feel slightly disjointed, as though I were reading a telegram, as though someone were saying "stop" at the end of each sentence. Perhaps this is a combination of things - that stark style, combined with the sheer amount of information packed into every sentence, every thought. Sometimes the action just moves too quickly for me to relish, and sometimes the emotion seems at a bit of a distance, because of the way in which Holly chooses her words (this may also be due to the fact that the characters themselves are so stoic... they hold their emotions at bay). Still, that world, that plot, those characters... they lead me through the story, unerring guides, and I find I can't put the book down, or set the world from my mind when I've finished reading. For me, a lover of the poetic flow of words, the rewards for reading Holly's stories are not in any kind of poetry - Holly's words are too hard, too fixed for that. The reward lies in the story itself, in the balance of action and consequence.
As I read through Hawkspar, I think I understand how Holly writes. This is the first book of hers that I've read since taking a class with Holly (which, if you're an aspiring author, I'd highly recommend - but that's neither here nor there), and I think that class gave me some insight into her writing process as well as my own. In some ways this makes the book better, in some ways worse.
My greatest complaint in the early parts of the book was, I think, that if I heard about rats one more time, I was going to scream (it is a form of punishment to lock a girl into a cage with starving rats - I admit, this is not a pleasant prospect). It certainly doesn't help that every time I read about them, I heard Holly say "if you show the gun, you have to use the gun..." From the moment she first mentioned on page 16 (in my edition, the second page of text), I was waiting for the gun of rats to go off - and since the rats were mentioned every couple pages, it was driving me crazy. But Holly got past that, thank goodness, and I started to enjoy the book a lot more.
I am not, however, sure how I feel about Holly's actual writing. Now - this, I freely admit, is a stylistic thing. I'm not saying she's a bad writer - she is, in fact, a very talented writer in my mind. But her style and my style differ vastly. Her writing, at least in my mind, always feels stark, bare, and utilitarian. She says what she means, and not much more. There is something about the way she writes that, when I read it, makes me feel slightly disjointed, as though I were reading a telegram, as though someone were saying "stop" at the end of each sentence. Perhaps this is a combination of things - that stark style, combined with the sheer amount of information packed into every sentence, every thought. Sometimes the action just moves too quickly for me to relish, and sometimes the emotion seems at a bit of a distance, because of the way in which Holly chooses her words (this may also be due to the fact that the characters themselves are so stoic... they hold their emotions at bay). Still, that world, that plot, those characters... they lead me through the story, unerring guides, and I find I can't put the book down, or set the world from my mind when I've finished reading. For me, a lover of the poetic flow of words, the rewards for reading Holly's stories are not in any kind of poetry - Holly's words are too hard, too fixed for that. The reward lies in the story itself, in the balance of action and consequence.
As I read through Hawkspar, I think I understand how Holly writes. This is the first book of hers that I've read since taking a class with Holly (which, if you're an aspiring author, I'd highly recommend - but that's neither here nor there), and I think that class gave me some insight into her writing process as well as my own. In some ways this makes the book better, in some ways worse.
My greatest complaint in the early parts of the book was, I think, that if I heard about rats one more time, I was going to scream (it is a form of punishment to lock a girl into a cage with starving rats - I admit, this is not a pleasant prospect). It certainly doesn't help that every time I read about them, I heard Holly say "if you show the gun, you have to use the gun..." From the moment she first mentioned on page 16 (in my edition, the second page of text), I was waiting for the gun of rats to go off - and since the rats were mentioned every couple pages, it was driving me crazy. But Holly got past that, thank goodness, and I started to enjoy the book a lot more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2011
(Original post: http://drying-ink.blogspot.com/2009/1... )
An entirely unexpected choice, Hawkspar turned out one I regretted - to an extent. But positive reviews of its prequel, Talyn, compelled me to give it a try. Set initially in a convent - albeit a unique one -, Hawkspar focuses around a young acolyte, whose name, like most there, has been forgotten. However, the Ossalene Order's sanctity dwindles in comparison to its power: for most acolytes within will have their eyes replaced with those of stone, imparting to them extraordinary powers - for a price. And ruling the Order are the Oracle Eyes - final creations, seven pairs of eyes with the ability to sense the currents of time: and first among these equals, Hawkspar, the Oracle Eyes of War. But all is not - quite - as it seems. For some within the order, the past is not as distant as the order's doctrine would mandate - for the acolytes formerly belonging to the Tonk, a fiercely loyal, clannish people, have banded together in a concerted attempt to wield power within the order. Our nameless protagonist is one such, and, initiated into the conspiracy as the choice of the Tonk Oracle - Hawkspar -, her magical call for aid is heard by a slave liberator. It's only unfortunate that this interesting premise - oracular intrigue - takes up so little of the novel, and the "nameless, faceless evil" so much. Apparently, she has seen a large threat to the Tonk, and one that only the Eyes' manipulation of time can prevent. Okay, fair enough. Cliche, but a useful device. But the actual threat bears no connection whatsoever to the remainder of the book, and the resolution of it - and the book - is slightly, well, laughable. It's a deux-ex-machina to the extreme, insipid, and meanders slightly.
There are several contradictions paining the novel as well - our protagonist has fallen in love with the slave liberator from afar. Fair enough - they're cloistered, and she's about to be rescued. But he is under the impression that she is a young girl, and for him to suddenly turn around - in internal monologue - and confess to have loved him from the first call is simply a mistake, and repeated as it is, you're forced to wonder about the editing - mistakes profligate. However, although the deux-ex-machina finale is to be avoided, Lisle must be lauded for one aspect: her heroine suffers for her actions. The new Hawkspar Eyes certainly isn't an "author's darling"
Conclusion: 5.25/10
An entirely unexpected choice, Hawkspar turned out one I regretted - to an extent. But positive reviews of its prequel, Talyn, compelled me to give it a try. Set initially in a convent - albeit a unique one -, Hawkspar focuses around a young acolyte, whose name, like most there, has been forgotten. However, the Ossalene Order's sanctity dwindles in comparison to its power: for most acolytes within will have their eyes replaced with those of stone, imparting to them extraordinary powers - for a price. And ruling the Order are the Oracle Eyes - final creations, seven pairs of eyes with the ability to sense the currents of time: and first among these equals, Hawkspar, the Oracle Eyes of War. But all is not - quite - as it seems. For some within the order, the past is not as distant as the order's doctrine would mandate - for the acolytes formerly belonging to the Tonk, a fiercely loyal, clannish people, have banded together in a concerted attempt to wield power within the order. Our nameless protagonist is one such, and, initiated into the conspiracy as the choice of the Tonk Oracle - Hawkspar -, her magical call for aid is heard by a slave liberator. It's only unfortunate that this interesting premise - oracular intrigue - takes up so little of the novel, and the "nameless, faceless evil" so much. Apparently, she has seen a large threat to the Tonk, and one that only the Eyes' manipulation of time can prevent. Okay, fair enough. Cliche, but a useful device. But the actual threat bears no connection whatsoever to the remainder of the book, and the resolution of it - and the book - is slightly, well, laughable. It's a deux-ex-machina to the extreme, insipid, and meanders slightly.
There are several contradictions paining the novel as well - our protagonist has fallen in love with the slave liberator from afar. Fair enough - they're cloistered, and she's about to be rescued. But he is under the impression that she is a young girl, and for him to suddenly turn around - in internal monologue - and confess to have loved him from the first call is simply a mistake, and repeated as it is, you're forced to wonder about the editing - mistakes profligate. However, although the deux-ex-machina finale is to be avoided, Lisle must be lauded for one aspect: her heroine suffers for her actions. The new Hawkspar Eyes certainly isn't an "author's darling"
Conclusion: 5.25/10
July 18, 2014
Holly Lisle is one of my favorite authors and I enjoyed Talyn so when I saw this at Barnes and Noble I was thrilled.
From my experience with Talyn, I knew this book would be gritty. There are times I wanted to put the book down to clear my eyes and brain of the imagery (rats!); at the same time, I wanted to keep going to find out what happened next.
The romance makes sense, despite the Love-at-first-sight (something I don't believe in). And it's touching.
The protagonists make sense. Their conflict makes sense. Their mutual and respective sense of responsibility keep them going in really rough times. I don't think a sense of responsibility gets enough credit as impetus to action.
I was disappointed, though, by the lack of continuity with Talyn. It's set 15 years after Talyn. I wanted to know what happened to her. I know she had a family and lived happily ever after but what were the particulars? Talyn makes a brief appearance which was not long enough to satisfy me. I'd have liked to learn more about her life since Talyn.
The Korre books are not an easy read but they are a satisfying read. The universe hangs tight. Evil loses; good wins but not without some awful struggles.
Oddly enough, the struggles, wars, and battles are truncated. Chapters end "and they battled and won" without much descriptors of the battle itself. However, tortures are detailed and sickening.
I look forward to learning more about Korre. I hope there is more.
From my experience with Talyn, I knew this book would be gritty. There are times I wanted to put the book down to clear my eyes and brain of the imagery (rats!); at the same time, I wanted to keep going to find out what happened next.
The romance makes sense, despite the Love-at-first-sight (something I don't believe in). And it's touching.
The protagonists make sense. Their conflict makes sense. Their mutual and respective sense of responsibility keep them going in really rough times. I don't think a sense of responsibility gets enough credit as impetus to action.
I was disappointed, though, by the lack of continuity with Talyn. It's set 15 years after Talyn. I wanted to know what happened to her. I know she had a family and lived happily ever after but what were the particulars? Talyn makes a brief appearance which was not long enough to satisfy me. I'd have liked to learn more about her life since Talyn.
The Korre books are not an easy read but they are a satisfying read. The universe hangs tight. Evil loses; good wins but not without some awful struggles.
Oddly enough, the struggles, wars, and battles are truncated. Chapters end "and they battled and won" without much descriptors of the battle itself. However, tortures are detailed and sickening.
I look forward to learning more about Korre. I hope there is more.
April 8, 2011
It started off well but this was not as good as Talyn. The Ossalenes were fascinated but closer towards the end, I just got fed up with the book. Lisle revisits the enemy that are the Feegash and I personally think that's what hurts this book. On top of that, rather than seeing more of Tonk culture, we're out on sea. I'm not sure why but after a certain point, the book just started to fall off for me. I think the last part I truly enjoyed was when Aaran and Hawkspar were dancing. I felt like Redbird missed being a good character in this book because her existence was based on this complete and blind devotion to Hawkspar which we didn't learn the reason for until the end. And there were certain sections where you could hear the author's voice standing apart from the characters-- I'm not really a fan of that style. I want the characters to present the author's views in different and diverse ways. The tidbits were well written-- there was one about how a chain of slavery pulls on the enslaver and another about a person who loves everyone in theory loves no one in truth-- but out of place and awkward. Lisle did have issues with the book-- maybe it would've been a little better if those pieces hadn't been cut out. But I was a little disappointed when the point hit when I knew that this book wasn't going to have-- in my opinion and to my judgement-- a good ending. It's a good book for a writer to observe Holly Lisle's styles and techniques-- she has a great and informational website where she teaches writers how to write. But this book just wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2014
In a world where names are against the law…
But seriously; Hawkspar is a novel focused on a young acolyte who has long since forgotten their name—a trait apparently commonly held in the convent to which he is a part. While this might seem a burden, it actually does come with some perks. Power, for one. This Ossalene Order, as it is known, replaces most of its acolytes’ eyes with stone, in turn imparting them tremendous abilities.
Ruling the Order are the Oracle Eyes—pairs of eyes with the ability to sense the currents of time themselves (which I have to say is a rather neat trick). This is where the titularname comes in—Hawkspar is the first among this “council,” functioning as the Eyes of War. Unfortunately, there are of course divisions within the order, mostly revolving around the fact that some people are not so much putting identity behind them.
Oracle-based intrigue? Alright, that gets some creativity points!
But wait—the intrigue isn’t the focus of the novel? Oh, well, at least—*Enter the nameless, faceless evil*--Oh, hell. Cue some deus ex machina, a sudden influx of the cliché, a plotline that begins to wander rather than hone and focus, and a resolution that falls flat on its face, and what begins with a bit of unique promise stumbles, trips, and quickly takes a face plant.
Sloppy editing only exacerbates the problems, and that we cannot even end with a sense of satisfaction leaves this one in desperate need of some air; it’s suffocating. It’s just not one I can recommend, no matter how many quality reviews its prequel received.
But seriously; Hawkspar is a novel focused on a young acolyte who has long since forgotten their name—a trait apparently commonly held in the convent to which he is a part. While this might seem a burden, it actually does come with some perks. Power, for one. This Ossalene Order, as it is known, replaces most of its acolytes’ eyes with stone, in turn imparting them tremendous abilities.
Ruling the Order are the Oracle Eyes—pairs of eyes with the ability to sense the currents of time themselves (which I have to say is a rather neat trick). This is where the titularname comes in—Hawkspar is the first among this “council,” functioning as the Eyes of War. Unfortunately, there are of course divisions within the order, mostly revolving around the fact that some people are not so much putting identity behind them.
Oracle-based intrigue? Alright, that gets some creativity points!
But wait—the intrigue isn’t the focus of the novel? Oh, well, at least—*Enter the nameless, faceless evil*--Oh, hell. Cue some deus ex machina, a sudden influx of the cliché, a plotline that begins to wander rather than hone and focus, and a resolution that falls flat on its face, and what begins with a bit of unique promise stumbles, trips, and quickly takes a face plant.
Sloppy editing only exacerbates the problems, and that we cannot even end with a sense of satisfaction leaves this one in desperate need of some air; it’s suffocating. It’s just not one I can recommend, no matter how many quality reviews its prequel received.
Read
November 10, 2019Despite being a part of a dyad, this book stands alone. I hadn't read Talyn in a long time by the time I got around to Hawkspar, and I didn't have any confusion past the first few pages.
It was pretty good! Hawkspar has a lot of elements that I love in a book-- political intrigue, altered mind-states, (minor) queer character(s), terrifying living goddesses...
Hawkspar is very plot-driven, more so than Talyn. I would have liked to see more cultural details, although this is a minor gripe considering the brisk pace of the story. SPOILERS: I also would have liked to see Hawkspar learn to do something besides the one trick that she uses to get out of every perilous situation, which was becoming almost a deus ex machina until the end. The angsty romance also seemed like a rehash of Talyn. (How much more interesting would this story have been with the lesbian side-character Redbird as the main character?)
Where I found this book and its prequel most valuable is that they made me rethink my conception of good vs evil. A part of me, the same part that went through an angry atheist phase in high school, sees morality as relative. There is no true good or evil, only a morality we evolved as primates in order to benefit the survival of the group. Reading Talyn and Hakswpar, watching Feegash men using that same concept of morality to rationalize violence against others, I had to reexamine my own beliefs.
It was pretty good! Hawkspar has a lot of elements that I love in a book-- political intrigue, altered mind-states, (minor) queer character(s), terrifying living goddesses...
Hawkspar is very plot-driven, more so than Talyn. I would have liked to see more cultural details, although this is a minor gripe considering the brisk pace of the story. SPOILERS: I also would have liked to see Hawkspar learn to do something besides the one trick that she uses to get out of every perilous situation, which was becoming almost a deus ex machina until the end. The angsty romance also seemed like a rehash of Talyn. (How much more interesting would this story have been with the lesbian side-character Redbird as the main character?)
Where I found this book and its prequel most valuable is that they made me rethink my conception of good vs evil. A part of me, the same part that went through an angry atheist phase in high school, sees morality as relative. There is no true good or evil, only a morality we evolved as primates in order to benefit the survival of the group. Reading Talyn and Hakswpar, watching Feegash men using that same concept of morality to rationalize violence against others, I had to reexamine my own beliefs.
March 16, 2011
I liked this book, although I think it might be primarily because it gave more insight into Lisle's style. I don't think it is as strong a story as Lisle's first book of Korre, Talyn. Lisle did a good job building a believable political plot, with enough twists to keep the outcome uncertain. I liked learning more about the Tonk culture and meeting new cultures in Korre. The characters were not as well-developed as those in Talyn but maybe that's just what happens when one of your main characters knows from the onset that she is doomed. Also, there are several sinister characters who never quite lived up to their promise. The end of the book unfortunately drags on past the climax, and gives it a propped-up feel and minimizes the finale. Talyn makes an unnecessary and distracting cameo appearance in the final pages. I get the impression that Lisle likes her characters and is trying to make up to them for all the hell they have to go through. Despite all the intriguing subthemes, Lisle is essentially writing a romance. That's not a bad thing, per se. However, when Lisle writes a story and has the courage to omit out the "and they all lived happily ever after" ending, it will be a DEVASTATING book. She needs to be as ruthless with her editing as her characters are against their enemies. I know she has it in her and I cannot wait to read it, even knowing it will haunt me.
September 1, 2016
**edited 01/30/14
Oh, how I adored the cover of this book. I thought it was so very cool that I may have had overly high expectations in reading this.
The story takes place in Korre, a world torn by war and prejudice. Part of the story is told in first person by a young female acolyte(I don't think we ever get her name) who is essentially trapped in a convent of "sisters" who embed precious stones of various types into their eyes. Once these new "eyes" are placed, they are granted powers conversant with the precious stones and believe themselves to become the mouthpieces of various goddesses. Given power to envision the future, she forsees a terrible fate which will come upon her people. Determined to save them, our heroine begins to devise a plan that will lead her to freedom before it is too late. The other major character, whose story is in third person, is Aaron, who is on a desperate quest to save his sister. He is a member of the oft-enslaved Noble Savage race, the Tonk (somehow, it came out in my head as "honk," which didn't help.) Overall, there was a lot of promise there; I just felt the story didn't follow through.
...
Due to my disapproval of GR's new and highly subjective review deletion policy, I am no longer posting full reviews here.
The rest of this review can be found on Booklikes.
Oh, how I adored the cover of this book. I thought it was so very cool that I may have had overly high expectations in reading this.
The story takes place in Korre, a world torn by war and prejudice. Part of the story is told in first person by a young female acolyte(I don't think we ever get her name) who is essentially trapped in a convent of "sisters" who embed precious stones of various types into their eyes. Once these new "eyes" are placed, they are granted powers conversant with the precious stones and believe themselves to become the mouthpieces of various goddesses. Given power to envision the future, she forsees a terrible fate which will come upon her people. Determined to save them, our heroine begins to devise a plan that will lead her to freedom before it is too late. The other major character, whose story is in third person, is Aaron, who is on a desperate quest to save his sister. He is a member of the oft-enslaved Noble Savage race, the Tonk (somehow, it came out in my head as "honk," which didn't help.) Overall, there was a lot of promise there; I just felt the story didn't follow through.
...
Due to my disapproval of GR's new and highly subjective review deletion policy, I am no longer posting full reviews here.
The rest of this review can be found on Booklikes.
August 30, 2008
This isn't really a sequel to "Talen" (a book I loved), but is set in the same world some time later, and Talen makes a brief appearance.
A young Tonk girl, plucked from her home and family at an early age, is a slave in the Order of Osselenes, run by the Oracles - women with stone eyes and varying powers. Hawkspar, the Eyes of War, takes the young slave up as her successor, and tells her of a threat to the Tonk which she can prevent - but only with great sacrifice. The slave takes up the Hawkspar Eyes, and prepares to fight for her people's freedom.
That was a crappy summary which makes the book sound ridiculous, but it's a difficult plot to explain. The Oracles are completely terrifying, and the toll that Hawkspar's path takes on her is dreadful. Holly Lisle writes so well of terrible sacrifices that she makes you utterly believe her character's choices to make them. I was a little disappointed with the somewhat happy ending, but the overall story would probably have been too unbearably dark without that. I do find the enemy culture that takes great pleasure in all manner of sadistic practices a little unrealistic, but apart from that this was an excellent fantasy novel - I do hope Lisle will be writing another novel in Korre.
A young Tonk girl, plucked from her home and family at an early age, is a slave in the Order of Osselenes, run by the Oracles - women with stone eyes and varying powers. Hawkspar, the Eyes of War, takes the young slave up as her successor, and tells her of a threat to the Tonk which she can prevent - but only with great sacrifice. The slave takes up the Hawkspar Eyes, and prepares to fight for her people's freedom.
That was a crappy summary which makes the book sound ridiculous, but it's a difficult plot to explain. The Oracles are completely terrifying, and the toll that Hawkspar's path takes on her is dreadful. Holly Lisle writes so well of terrible sacrifices that she makes you utterly believe her character's choices to make them. I was a little disappointed with the somewhat happy ending, but the overall story would probably have been too unbearably dark without that. I do find the enemy culture that takes great pleasure in all manner of sadistic practices a little unrealistic, but apart from that this was an excellent fantasy novel - I do hope Lisle will be writing another novel in Korre.
February 26, 2011
I picked this book up by chance at the library. With a stack full of other books in my arms I doubted I would get around to reading it anytime soon. Shortly after that I decided to give it a whirl and ten minuets later I couldn't put it down. The first few chapters were a little rough in that some of the titles and things take time to become adjusted to however, the heroine of the story is so fascinating it makes it worth the effort(minimal effort really). The world of Hawspar is rich and well planned, the characters are all well formed and interesting. Holly Lisle really makes you interested in finding out more about all the characters, makes you care about them and their fate. I would recommend this book to people who like to spice up their reading with a little bit of fantasy and adventure as well as to hard-core fantasy and sci-fi fans. It's a really good read and defiantly worth your time.
What I loved most about the book is the cultures of the people in the world and how interesting they were! The Tonk religion in general was fascinating and the hand marking was a neat addition to their culture. Holly Lisle did not skimp on the details, she worked really hard in developing the world in which our hero and heroine live.
What I loved most about the book is the cultures of the people in the world and how interesting they were! The Tonk religion in general was fascinating and the hand marking was a neat addition to their culture. Holly Lisle did not skimp on the details, she worked really hard in developing the world in which our hero and heroine live.
February 22, 2012
3.5. I loved the worldbuilding in Hawkspar. The concept of replacing eyes with stones in order to get special abilities is both skin-crawling creepy and weirdly alluring. For the most part I also liked the character of Hawkspar herself, and the decisions she had to make over the course of the book. I also liked Aaran (though I wish more time had been spent on their sea journeys - with more adventuring - both to and from rescuing Hawkspar and company). The writing is sound, the pace decent, but I *hated* the ending.
April 23, 2011
I must say that I very rarely give any book 5 stars, and Talyn was one of those few that I believe earned it. So I was somewhat disappointed with Hawkspar for failing to live up to my expectations. Still, taken on its own merits this was a very good book. Talyn just blew me away with it's unique and original take on the evils of a "peace" enforced by diplomats whose only aims are to keep the wheels of commerce greased and the money flowing. In Hawkspar, the evil Feegash diplomats are back in a new plot against the brave and honorable Tonk nation, but I found the plot conventions somewhat hackneyed. I read a lot of fantasy, and I pretty much always knew where the story was heading before I read the next chapter. This was a well written book, but nothing terribly unique or original here. Still, Hawkspar is definitely worth a read. I'll continue to follow future works by this author with great anticipation!
September 22, 2008
this book started out awesome. great premise, great character descriptions, interesting world.
i really liked the pace of the book for the first 6-10 chapters...then everything went to hell.
the pacing went completely off, but worse, characters made deductions without explanation, important side characters were left completely undeveloped....it felt like the author "liked" parts of the story and took time with them and rushed through the parts that interested her less, even though they were important moments in the plot.
i felt that the main character became frivolous when she should have been awe-inspiring. more drawn out character development could have lessed the poor choices the author made.
also i didn't buy the end and i didn't like the romance. i didn't feel it was justified.
this is a good story. but i'll never read it again. i'm taking the book back.
i really liked the pace of the book for the first 6-10 chapters...then everything went to hell.
the pacing went completely off, but worse, characters made deductions without explanation, important side characters were left completely undeveloped....it felt like the author "liked" parts of the story and took time with them and rushed through the parts that interested her less, even though they were important moments in the plot.
i felt that the main character became frivolous when she should have been awe-inspiring. more drawn out character development could have lessed the poor choices the author made.
also i didn't buy the end and i didn't like the romance. i didn't feel it was justified.
this is a good story. but i'll never read it again. i'm taking the book back.
December 7, 2008
Every once in a while, I need to take a break from debuts and read something by a seasoned writer. I have not read a Holly Lisle book since the 90s, when I read The Secret Texts trilogy. After finishing Grimspace, I looked for something different. And since Tor has been filling up my to-read pile with lots of nice hardcovers, I thought I'd choose something from that stack. Lisle was the most familiar to me.
Holly Lisle has published thirty or so novels. She is famous for being very supportive of aspiring writers, and her website is a treasure trove of information. You can tell just by looking at her site that wow, she's been writing for quite a while.
Read the rest of my review at Fantasy Debut.
Holly Lisle has published thirty or so novels. She is famous for being very supportive of aspiring writers, and her website is a treasure trove of information. You can tell just by looking at her site that wow, she's been writing for quite a while.
Read the rest of my review at Fantasy Debut.
September 4, 2014
Haven't read anything else by this author or in this series. Liked the main characters. Not sure if I like the whole vibe that the Tonk are
the perfect people in this world...but they had no trouble being better than any other race, religion or type otherwise portrayed in this
imaginary universe. SPOILER: I wanted to learn more about their super horses and had hoped that the lost tribes would turn up with them in the
end, but I guess that might be in some of the other books about this world. I originally thought the Eyes would all play a bigger role and
that the powers of the other stones/types would be explored more...but also dashed hopes there. Overall a fast read and enjoyable enough.
the perfect people in this world...but they had no trouble being better than any other race, religion or type otherwise portrayed in this
imaginary universe. SPOILER: I wanted to learn more about their super horses and had hoped that the lost tribes would turn up with them in the
end, but I guess that might be in some of the other books about this world. I originally thought the Eyes would all play a bigger role and
that the powers of the other stones/types would be explored more...but also dashed hopes there. Overall a fast read and enjoyable enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2016
So, I read this book a long time ago, and since then have been trying to remember what the hell it was called, cause I remembered such awesome shit about it.
It's chock full of fantasy goodness, from warrior monk ladies who RIP OUT their eyeballs for magic powers, to a wandering ship mage searching for his sister who has been sold into slavery, to knowing your fate and embracing it anyways, to vast world eating conspiracies.
I loved it, basically. There were somethings that could be better -- the climax of the novel felt a little rushed, as did the 3 magicians thing, but I feel like the point of the book is less about the enemies that Hawkspar faces than it is about her inner self anyways.
So yeah. Recommended.
It's chock full of fantasy goodness, from warrior monk ladies who RIP OUT their eyeballs for magic powers, to a wandering ship mage searching for his sister who has been sold into slavery, to knowing your fate and embracing it anyways, to vast world eating conspiracies.
I loved it, basically. There were somethings that could be better -- the climax of the novel felt a little rushed, as did the 3 magicians thing, but I feel like the point of the book is less about the enemies that Hawkspar faces than it is about her inner self anyways.
So yeah. Recommended.
July 22, 2012
Hawkspar is for me a difficult book to classify. It is excellent and it is disturbing. It explores a different world with an unusual type of magic.
It also explores emotional realms of pain & change that can be eye opening.
I do not recommend this book for young adults..
It is well written, the characters are well fleshed & the storyline is smooth. It is all of the things I expect from Holly Lisle. What it is not however is humorous. There is none of the laughter of the Devil & Dan Cooley.
Read it early in the day, when there is time to put distance between you & the images painted for you before you need to go to bed.
It also explores emotional realms of pain & change that can be eye opening.
I do not recommend this book for young adults..
It is well written, the characters are well fleshed & the storyline is smooth. It is all of the things I expect from Holly Lisle. What it is not however is humorous. There is none of the laughter of the Devil & Dan Cooley.
Read it early in the day, when there is time to put distance between you & the images painted for you before you need to go to bed.
August 8, 2010
Yeah, I accidentally read this book first. But since the previous book wasn't at my library, I can exonerate myself.
I liked the idea of the Oracles and the way the entire Order of the Ossalenes was set up. The complex worldbuilding was no surprise to me, given that I perused Holly Lisle's writing site long before reading any books of hers (this is the second that I've read). In all, my only complaints were the presence of some scenes I found unsavory, and the way the Tonk were always right. But the main character, Hawkspar, was supremely empathetic.
I liked the idea of the Oracles and the way the entire Order of the Ossalenes was set up. The complex worldbuilding was no surprise to me, given that I perused Holly Lisle's writing site long before reading any books of hers (this is the second that I've read). In all, my only complaints were the presence of some scenes I found unsavory, and the way the Tonk were always right. But the main character, Hawkspar, was supremely empathetic.
January 11, 2012
Hawkspar was a lovely tale, but the ending seemed rushed and startlingly predictable. The characters had depth and realistic personalities - I could actually see myself meeting someone like them. The elements of the story were creative yet perfectly believable. This book could've been and probably should have been drawn out to at least two volumes. I felt the author could've done so much more with Hawkspar. It seemed to lack the overall satisfaction that Holle Lisle's first book Talyn gave. Hawkspar was good, but I think it could've been better.
Read
June 26, 2009not unfortunate so far. i didn't have anything to read and had this sucker laying around, and i liked the cover art some. it's pretty ruling so far. i keep getting holly lisle confused with holly phillips. fucking hollies. all confusing and shit. i think i originally thought it was holly phillips who is more of a literary type, but now i am aware of my mistake. anyway, i recommend the first 96 pages.
July 18, 2009
A brilliantly written book with well thought out characters. This book was indeed a page-turner and the main character, Hawkspar, has both depth and breadth. I just love the way Lisle words her sentences and the overall *feel* her writing has. This makes the simple reading of her book all that much enjoyable. That, coupled with a good, sound storyline and great characters, makes for a perfect read.
I eagerly await her next book in the Korre series!
I eagerly await her next book in the Korre series!
June 17, 2010
A decent page turner that doesn't waste much time on exposition or throw excessive amounts of new language at you, it simply lays out the facts and gets right down to business. Our heroine is a slave about to be given an important mission that not only changes her life, but eventually changes the world. A nice big mix of spiritual, friendship, love, loss, adventure, futuresight, politics, war, goddesses, and magic. Interesting stuff and not too simplistic either.
February 1, 2011
A fitting sequel to Talyn, another of my all-time favorite novels. The first-edition/first-printing that I read was riddled with editing gaffes, which occasionally distracted from the prose. However, overall, one of the most meaningful stories I've ever read, driven by deep characters. I wanted to be a part of their culture, live in their universe. And with one of the most powerful endings I've ever read. Had me in tears. Definitely a must-read.
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