What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sacred Hunt #2
Hunter's Death
Now, at the risk of breaking their Oath, Hunter Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen must journey to the ancient city once ruled by the Lord of Hell himself--a being who again seeks to impose his reign over the mortal lands. This novel continues the brilliant fantasy saga begun in Hunter's Oath.
670 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1996
21 people are currently reading
582 people want to read
About the author
Michelle West
73 books467 followersSee also:
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle Sagara
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle Sagara
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 10, 2016
Not bad, but I started this story in her other series in this world (House wars and Sun sword) and I find her writing in those books to be preferable. Sure, it can be a bit stiff at times, but it also had more depth.
February 25, 2019
2.5/5 stars. I tried to get into the book but I really just skimmed and DNF'd about 35% of the way in. The writing isn't bad but I just don't care all that much about the characters or world. Too much bigotry as well. :/ I will still attempt to read the following series, because I do want to. I just hope that it's not as dragging as this one.
March 18, 2024
I enjoyed this much more than Hunter's Oath, and overall, this story added some important background information to the Essalieyan saga. It also added a lot more depth to the confrontation with the demons in House Name. The pace picked up significantly in this book, but it still felt a little overwrought. This was written years before the House Name series so if you read those books first, you will find that entire sections from "City of Night" and "House Name" are incorporated here, which you can skim through if you don't need the reminder. In addition to the huntbrothers and Jewel Markess, we get some additional and very intriguing POVs from Evayne the seer, Kallandras the bard and mage Meralonne APhaniel. We also get a sprinkling of perspective from Zareth Khan, a mage from Breodanir and Devon ATerafin, a part of the royal spies as well as The Terafin's advisor.
A few odds, ends and observations:
1. Evayne, Kallandras and Meralonne are way too interesting to be side characters. I need to see at least this much of them, if not more, in The Sun Sword or I'm going to be devastated.
2. Given that The Sun Sword series is six books (tongue twister lol) and The House Wars series is eight, it seems like the Hunter Duology got short shrift. I know why it's a separate thing but given the importance of the plotline it seems like it should have been incorporated into TSS.
3. It's so interesting that the huntbrothers are the ones who seemingly court their hunter lord's eventual wife...sounds like a throuple to me.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
A few odds, ends and observations:
1. Evayne, Kallandras and Meralonne are way too interesting to be side characters. I need to see at least this much of them, if not more, in The Sun Sword or I'm going to be devastated.
2. Given that The Sun Sword series is six books (tongue twister lol) and The House Wars series is eight, it seems like the Hunter Duology got short shrift. I know why it's a separate thing but given the importance of the plotline it seems like it should have been incorporated into TSS.
3. It's so interesting that the huntbrothers are the ones who seemingly court their hunter lord's eventual wife...sounds like a throuple to me.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
July 5, 2015
Hunter's Death had some likable characters, but there were too many that the author tried to get me to bond with. It almost feels like there were 3 or 4 stories here, that she tried to wrap into one. I think I would have preferred this to be broken into some smaller stories.
Another issue I had was the way that the story hid details that were intended to be revealed later for that "aha" moment. It had the unfortunate side effect of confusing me for an awful lot of the story.
So, I liked Jewel, The Terafin, the mage, Stephen, the seer and the wild girl. Their stories were all over the place, but the characters helped me get through it.
If you're a Michelle Sagara/West fan, go for it and pick this one up. Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd recommend it.
Another issue I had was the way that the story hid details that were intended to be revealed later for that "aha" moment. It had the unfortunate side effect of confusing me for an awful lot of the story.
So, I liked Jewel, The Terafin, the mage, Stephen, the seer and the wild girl. Their stories were all over the place, but the characters helped me get through it.
If you're a Michelle Sagara/West fan, go for it and pick this one up. Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd recommend it.
December 5, 2017
Why the heck spend half the book developing a very engaging teen-girl action-hero, but then, during the climactic battle of the book (which took the other half of the book, omg) NOT send her into the battle? "No, honey, you just hide up in the palace and wait with the rest of the useless people while we boys and wizards take care of this." Good grief. Even the Dog Girl got to fight in the battle.
The thing is, some parts of this were truly lovely and heartrending - the bards singing to the prisoners to comfort their deaths, for example, and the grand epic scale to the battle (even if it did go on and on forever). I just wish we could have more of Jewell being awesomesauce.
The thing is, some parts of this were truly lovely and heartrending - the bards singing to the prisoners to comfort their deaths, for example, and the grand epic scale to the battle (even if it did go on and on forever). I just wish we could have more of Jewell being awesomesauce.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2021
8/10*
West just writes beautiful stories.
West just writes beautiful stories.
May 3, 2025
When I began reading Michelle West's The Sun Sword, some fans claimed that it was a better starting point than Hunter's Oath. They opined that as West's first work, the Sacred Hunt duology wasn't as well written as everything which came after. And yet, though some readers consider it the author's weakest Essalieyan novel, I enjoyed Hunter's Oath a lot more than I thought I would. There was a much tighter focus to the writing, which the rest of the saga lacks.
I was looking forward to Hunter's Death, even if Gilliam and Stephen were leaving Breodanir behind. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that a good chunk of this book turned out to be Jewel's origin story. So, not only do you get that tale in this second installment, but you also revisit it in the first three House War volumes, only to be reminded of it in every single novel that comes after. To say that it's over-the-top in execution would be a gross understatement. Regardless of Jewel's importance in the greater scheme of things, and she is extremely important, I still can't fathom why so much focus and repetition were deemed necessary.
Thankfully, it wasn't a deal-breaker for me. In the end, Hunter's Death chronicles the events that made that infamous month of Henden in Averalaan the turning point in mankind's history as the Lord of the Hells attempts to touch the world once more. That period is alluded to several times in both the Sun Sword and the House War series, so it was nice to find out what happened underneath the capital.
Here's the blurb:
Averalaan—the most ancient of cities, had long been the home of magics both dark and bright. For the site where this most civilized city of mortals now stood had once been a dread place indeed, a citadel of evil ruled by the Lord of the Hells. Only through the greatest of sacrifices had he been contained and cast back into his own dimension. And though the passing centuries had all but obliterated the memories of that terrible time, trouble was once again stirring in the hidden byways of Averalaan.
The first warning that the Dark Lord’s minions were at work came from a pack of street rats led by a young woman gifted with the ability to see the truth even when it was hidden behind carefully spell-crafted illusions. And as she carried her warning to The Terafin, head of one of the most powerful families in the land, others, too, were rallying to Averalaan’s aid.
Blessed or cursed by their Hunter God and gifted with his most unique creation, the Hunter Lord Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen were about to do the unthinkable. Guided by the seer Evayne, they would journey beyond the borders of their kingdom, something no Hunter Lord had ever done. For only in Averalaan could they find their true destiny, even if it meant facing the Dark Lord himself…
Now that I've read both volumes of the Sacred Hunt duology, I can confirm that it's not a good entry point for potential readers. In many ways, it's even worse than Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon. But with The Malazan Book of the Fallen, you don't really have a choice. With Michelle West, I agree that it's better to either start with the Sun Sword or the House War series. Since the Breodanir storyline has nothing to do with these two series, other than the secrets behind Evayne's rings and Kallandras' past, which will be unveiled at some point in any case, the rest of the Essalieyan saga provides much depth and better context that you won't find in the Sacred Hunt. Indeed, I believe that I've enjoyed the duology as much as I did because I know the stakes and I understand how the major plotlines will converge in the future. This knowledge gave me a deeper appreciation for what Michelle West is trying to establish early on. I was impressed by the fact that certain storylines that would only come together more than two decades later were already mapped out and put into play.
In my review of Hunter's Oath, I said that as the first book in a saga that is now comprised of seventeen novels and several short stories, there was an absence of the scope and vision that made so many storylines in the following series such compelling reads. Michelle West's worldbuilding is what made the Essalieyan saga so amazing in the past, and you could see her placing pieces on the board that will have dire repercussions down the line. With the plot now moving to Averalaan, the author ups her game quite a bit in that regard. I also have a feeling that, even though most of the major storylines were mapped out at that point, West didn't know exactly how the overall story arc would progress from book to book. As a result, some closely guarded secrets such as who and what the Sleepers are, are disclosed openly within the pages of Hunter's Death while their identity and background aren't mentioned at all until you get quite far into the House War novels. I found that very interesting.
As I've said before, characterization is what ultimately sunk the House War series. Alas, the poor characterization and the weird choice of perspectives often undermined what should have been key and emotionally charged moments. As was the case with its predecessor, I have a feeling that her editor didn't give her as much leeway as she would in the future, which explains the tight focus and the smaller number of POV characters. Moving the plot to Averalaan meant that we'd lose the perspectives of Lady Elseth and Cynthia. Which is too bad, as they added layers to the tale. My favorite aspect of the characterization is the fact that Evayne's POV definitely humanizes her as a protagonist. Reading her perspective gives her a dimension that the seemingly cold-hearted seer never gets in the rest of the Essalieyan saga. I know that there are already way too many POVs in these books, but I believe that the story would benefit from Evayne's perspective from time to time. Hunter's Death does the same, but to a lesser degree, with Kallandras and Meralonne APhaniel. It made me appreciate them both even more, especially given the foreshadowing regarding the bard and the magic-user.
Though Hunter's Oath was by no means a fast-paced affair, West keept the story moving at a good clip. This second volume doesn't move as fluidly as the first installment, but I wouldn't say that it suffers from some pacing issues. Understandably, I had a problem with the sections focusing on Jewel and her den, but we all know by now that I'm biased in that regard. So your mileage will vary.
With the Sacred Hunt under my belt, I'm excited to give Hunter's Redoubt a shot. The End of Days is nigh and I'm curious to see what Michelle West has in store for us!
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
I was looking forward to Hunter's Death, even if Gilliam and Stephen were leaving Breodanir behind. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that a good chunk of this book turned out to be Jewel's origin story. So, not only do you get that tale in this second installment, but you also revisit it in the first three House War volumes, only to be reminded of it in every single novel that comes after. To say that it's over-the-top in execution would be a gross understatement. Regardless of Jewel's importance in the greater scheme of things, and she is extremely important, I still can't fathom why so much focus and repetition were deemed necessary.
Thankfully, it wasn't a deal-breaker for me. In the end, Hunter's Death chronicles the events that made that infamous month of Henden in Averalaan the turning point in mankind's history as the Lord of the Hells attempts to touch the world once more. That period is alluded to several times in both the Sun Sword and the House War series, so it was nice to find out what happened underneath the capital.
Here's the blurb:
Averalaan—the most ancient of cities, had long been the home of magics both dark and bright. For the site where this most civilized city of mortals now stood had once been a dread place indeed, a citadel of evil ruled by the Lord of the Hells. Only through the greatest of sacrifices had he been contained and cast back into his own dimension. And though the passing centuries had all but obliterated the memories of that terrible time, trouble was once again stirring in the hidden byways of Averalaan.
The first warning that the Dark Lord’s minions were at work came from a pack of street rats led by a young woman gifted with the ability to see the truth even when it was hidden behind carefully spell-crafted illusions. And as she carried her warning to The Terafin, head of one of the most powerful families in the land, others, too, were rallying to Averalaan’s aid.
Blessed or cursed by their Hunter God and gifted with his most unique creation, the Hunter Lord Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen were about to do the unthinkable. Guided by the seer Evayne, they would journey beyond the borders of their kingdom, something no Hunter Lord had ever done. For only in Averalaan could they find their true destiny, even if it meant facing the Dark Lord himself…
Now that I've read both volumes of the Sacred Hunt duology, I can confirm that it's not a good entry point for potential readers. In many ways, it's even worse than Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon. But with The Malazan Book of the Fallen, you don't really have a choice. With Michelle West, I agree that it's better to either start with the Sun Sword or the House War series. Since the Breodanir storyline has nothing to do with these two series, other than the secrets behind Evayne's rings and Kallandras' past, which will be unveiled at some point in any case, the rest of the Essalieyan saga provides much depth and better context that you won't find in the Sacred Hunt. Indeed, I believe that I've enjoyed the duology as much as I did because I know the stakes and I understand how the major plotlines will converge in the future. This knowledge gave me a deeper appreciation for what Michelle West is trying to establish early on. I was impressed by the fact that certain storylines that would only come together more than two decades later were already mapped out and put into play.
In my review of Hunter's Oath, I said that as the first book in a saga that is now comprised of seventeen novels and several short stories, there was an absence of the scope and vision that made so many storylines in the following series such compelling reads. Michelle West's worldbuilding is what made the Essalieyan saga so amazing in the past, and you could see her placing pieces on the board that will have dire repercussions down the line. With the plot now moving to Averalaan, the author ups her game quite a bit in that regard. I also have a feeling that, even though most of the major storylines were mapped out at that point, West didn't know exactly how the overall story arc would progress from book to book. As a result, some closely guarded secrets such as who and what the Sleepers are, are disclosed openly within the pages of Hunter's Death while their identity and background aren't mentioned at all until you get quite far into the House War novels. I found that very interesting.
As I've said before, characterization is what ultimately sunk the House War series. Alas, the poor characterization and the weird choice of perspectives often undermined what should have been key and emotionally charged moments. As was the case with its predecessor, I have a feeling that her editor didn't give her as much leeway as she would in the future, which explains the tight focus and the smaller number of POV characters. Moving the plot to Averalaan meant that we'd lose the perspectives of Lady Elseth and Cynthia. Which is too bad, as they added layers to the tale. My favorite aspect of the characterization is the fact that Evayne's POV definitely humanizes her as a protagonist. Reading her perspective gives her a dimension that the seemingly cold-hearted seer never gets in the rest of the Essalieyan saga. I know that there are already way too many POVs in these books, but I believe that the story would benefit from Evayne's perspective from time to time. Hunter's Death does the same, but to a lesser degree, with Kallandras and Meralonne APhaniel. It made me appreciate them both even more, especially given the foreshadowing regarding the bard and the magic-user.
Though Hunter's Oath was by no means a fast-paced affair, West keept the story moving at a good clip. This second volume doesn't move as fluidly as the first installment, but I wouldn't say that it suffers from some pacing issues. Understandably, I had a problem with the sections focusing on Jewel and her den, but we all know by now that I'm biased in that regard. So your mileage will vary.
With the Sacred Hunt under my belt, I'm excited to give Hunter's Redoubt a shot. The End of Days is nigh and I'm curious to see what Michelle West has in store for us!
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
March 4, 2024
Ugh.
Save yourself. Don't read this book.
Start your Michelle West journey with The Broken Crown series. Just pretend this prequel duology doesn't exist. You don't actually need it to make sense of the story and the world and everything to do with the Breodani and Stephen is awful, and doesn't make sense, and is just icky.
The last scene, oh my word, it made me shudder, and not in a good way.
Honestly, if she had just cut out the entire Breodani story line and just had Kallandras, Evayne, Jay, and Meralonne fighting, it would have made complete sense. This is especially true because the Breodani and Stephen are never mentioned again in the next three books. They might be later because of the last scene of the duology, if that's not foreshadowing, I don't know what is. But this duology just doesn't connect to the rest of the story all that much. And, I can't say this enough, it doesn't make sense!
The whole Breodani culture doesn't make sense! This is galling to me, because I think the Annagarian culture and the Essalieyan Empire are well designed, internally consistent, and realistic enough to make me believe in them while being utterly divorced from reality. Breodani? I don't believe it. I don't believe it could exist. The internal contradictions would blow up way too fast. It's like it's based on a fever dream and she tried to fill it out when she should have let it dissipate back into the fevers.
I was shocked by the differences in writing. In the Broken Crown series the characters basically communicate through implication, innuendo, and reading the air. In this duology, everyone says everything, all the things that don't need to be said are blurted out in the most obvious of ways, and it's all jerky and unconsidered. I don't know how it's possible to have better character development when they say less things, but she manages it in the later series. I don't understand how the Kallandras of this book is the same as the Kallandras of the later books. Here he is lippy, constantly angry, and full of himself, there he is kind, helpful, polite, and dare I say it, humble? How did he get that way? You can't just say 'time passed'. Time passing isn't what causes people to change. It's experience. We can all point to experiences that have caused particular changes in us. So what is it that caused Kallandras to change?
Then there's Meralonne. In the later books he seems like an uber mage who is full of himself, but also works fairly well with others. In this book, she is making it fairly obvious that he is some sort of kin. Why is she making it obvious in this book and then not maintaining the obviousness in the second series? And the kin thing doesn't make sense either. Why is it that only the dark god has servants galore who all have supernatural powers? Oh. I take it back. The Lady in her avatar as Winter also has supernatural servants galore. Okay. Why is it just those two? Why don't the other gods have hangers' on on whom they bestow supernatural powers?
Then there's Espere. The Teos godchild said that her mortal parent wasn't human. So what was it? A dog? What kind of god goes around mating with dogs? Then taking on the soul and body of the last person they killed so that they can go have sex with that person's loved one to have a child? Why doesn't he just work through Espere? Because she's a girl? Because she's only intelligent now that he's 'ascended'? Why should the destruction of his physical form equate to his ascendance? Every time a kin's physical form is destroyed it gets sent back to the hells and it's implied that there is a great loss of power. Why is it that this god gets stronger, unlike everyone else?
The whole Breodani hunt brother thing seems frankly incestous. Cynthia is going to marry a Hunter Lord, but all it talks about is his huntbrother realizing how much she loved Stephen and being unhappy about it. Why should he care? He's not the one marrying her. Because huntbrothers care about social necessities instead of their Lords? Why is that in the first place? How can a society stand when the highest ranked members of that society don't give a fig for social norms, can't read or speak to save themselves, couldn't care less about history or law or intellectual pursuits, and die at the rate of one a year? Especially considering that this people doesn't seem to produce all that many sons in the first place? Elsa's family only had the one brother, he died in the hunt, Sorendon was an only boy, Gilliam is an only boy. How is the land supposed to pass down? Through the maternal line? Then how did Elsa marry into the land? It doesn't make sense! Are there extra hunter lords, seventh sons hanging around somewhere? Why are they never mentioned?
It's supposedly a rough culture, one based on hunting because the people couldn't understand how to farm. Why is it that their fashion is so high? Why are the ladies constantly talking about art, and brocades, and fashion changes?
It's a culture that's monotheistic. Why are they totally fine with the Essalieyan's, a polytheistic people, and work with them with no issues while still being snide about how pampered they are? This was one of the good parts of Annagar, they are polytheistic, but of different gods, and they really don't like everyone else not worshipping their gods. They want to start a war because there are god children which are demon born over there. That's a normal response. Here is a people group who believes something opposite of us, they must be untrustworthy! That's how humans react! Not, here is a people group who believes something opposite of us, lets not even acknowledge that, worry about it, or react to it at all. That is possible for some people to do, but usually not hordes of people.
I thought the story was better when the past was wrapped in mystery. I'm sorry I read this. If I had started my journey with Michelle West with this duology I would never have continued on.
Save yourself. Don't read this book.
Start your Michelle West journey with The Broken Crown series. Just pretend this prequel duology doesn't exist. You don't actually need it to make sense of the story and the world and everything to do with the Breodani and Stephen is awful, and doesn't make sense, and is just icky.
The last scene, oh my word, it made me shudder, and not in a good way.
Honestly, if she had just cut out the entire Breodani story line and just had Kallandras, Evayne, Jay, and Meralonne fighting, it would have made complete sense. This is especially true because the Breodani and Stephen are never mentioned again in the next three books. They might be later because of the last scene of the duology, if that's not foreshadowing, I don't know what is. But this duology just doesn't connect to the rest of the story all that much. And, I can't say this enough, it doesn't make sense!
The whole Breodani culture doesn't make sense! This is galling to me, because I think the Annagarian culture and the Essalieyan Empire are well designed, internally consistent, and realistic enough to make me believe in them while being utterly divorced from reality. Breodani? I don't believe it. I don't believe it could exist. The internal contradictions would blow up way too fast. It's like it's based on a fever dream and she tried to fill it out when she should have let it dissipate back into the fevers.
I was shocked by the differences in writing. In the Broken Crown series the characters basically communicate through implication, innuendo, and reading the air. In this duology, everyone says everything, all the things that don't need to be said are blurted out in the most obvious of ways, and it's all jerky and unconsidered. I don't know how it's possible to have better character development when they say less things, but she manages it in the later series. I don't understand how the Kallandras of this book is the same as the Kallandras of the later books. Here he is lippy, constantly angry, and full of himself, there he is kind, helpful, polite, and dare I say it, humble? How did he get that way? You can't just say 'time passed'. Time passing isn't what causes people to change. It's experience. We can all point to experiences that have caused particular changes in us. So what is it that caused Kallandras to change?
Then there's Meralonne. In the later books he seems like an uber mage who is full of himself, but also works fairly well with others. In this book, she is making it fairly obvious that he is some sort of kin. Why is she making it obvious in this book and then not maintaining the obviousness in the second series? And the kin thing doesn't make sense either. Why is it that only the dark god has servants galore who all have supernatural powers? Oh. I take it back. The Lady in her avatar as Winter also has supernatural servants galore. Okay. Why is it just those two? Why don't the other gods have hangers' on on whom they bestow supernatural powers?
Then there's Espere. The Teos godchild said that her mortal parent wasn't human. So what was it? A dog? What kind of god goes around mating with dogs? Then taking on the soul and body of the last person they killed so that they can go have sex with that person's loved one to have a child? Why doesn't he just work through Espere? Because she's a girl? Because she's only intelligent now that he's 'ascended'? Why should the destruction of his physical form equate to his ascendance? Every time a kin's physical form is destroyed it gets sent back to the hells and it's implied that there is a great loss of power. Why is it that this god gets stronger, unlike everyone else?
The whole Breodani hunt brother thing seems frankly incestous. Cynthia is going to marry a Hunter Lord, but all it talks about is his huntbrother realizing how much she loved Stephen and being unhappy about it. Why should he care? He's not the one marrying her. Because huntbrothers care about social necessities instead of their Lords? Why is that in the first place? How can a society stand when the highest ranked members of that society don't give a fig for social norms, can't read or speak to save themselves, couldn't care less about history or law or intellectual pursuits, and die at the rate of one a year? Especially considering that this people doesn't seem to produce all that many sons in the first place? Elsa's family only had the one brother, he died in the hunt, Sorendon was an only boy, Gilliam is an only boy. How is the land supposed to pass down? Through the maternal line? Then how did Elsa marry into the land? It doesn't make sense! Are there extra hunter lords, seventh sons hanging around somewhere? Why are they never mentioned?
It's supposedly a rough culture, one based on hunting because the people couldn't understand how to farm. Why is it that their fashion is so high? Why are the ladies constantly talking about art, and brocades, and fashion changes?
It's a culture that's monotheistic. Why are they totally fine with the Essalieyan's, a polytheistic people, and work with them with no issues while still being snide about how pampered they are? This was one of the good parts of Annagar, they are polytheistic, but of different gods, and they really don't like everyone else not worshipping their gods. They want to start a war because there are god children which are demon born over there. That's a normal response. Here is a people group who believes something opposite of us, they must be untrustworthy! That's how humans react! Not, here is a people group who believes something opposite of us, lets not even acknowledge that, worry about it, or react to it at all. That is possible for some people to do, but usually not hordes of people.
I thought the story was better when the past was wrapped in mystery. I'm sorry I read this. If I had started my journey with Michelle West with this duology I would never have continued on.
November 7, 2013
Finally reading the second book of the Sacred Hunt (I've only had it sitting on my shelf for eight years…) marks my long-overdue return to the books of Michelle West (a.k.a. Michelle Sagara). Her writing is as dense and elegant as ever (and oh-so-hard to read if you're not in exactly the right mood for it), the characters complex, and the intersecting mythologies cleverly conceived and layered. Just as importantly, it's giving me some of the background to the Sun Sword books that had me scratching my head when I first read them, and reminding me of what I liked about them so much. And interestingly, some of the things that annoyed me ten years ago please me now (particularly in terms of characterisation). I feel a re-read of her books looming at some point!
August 22, 2014
Gilliam and Stephen pack their bags and head to Averalaan, an ancient and distant city where the seeress Evayne has promised they will meet their fate. Meanwhile, the internal politics of Averalaan are becoming increasingly bloody and a young pack of thieves stumble across mysterious catacombs beneath the city. Wacky hijinks ensue!
Hunter's Death is a much better book than its predecessor, Hunter's Oath. The generic fantasy bilge is still present, and Stephen is still an unconvincing representative of his culture, but the Averalaan sections, which dominate the book, are exciting and dramatic and help carry the reader past the novel's weaker patches. I would have happily read a novel just about Jewel and her team of teenaged thieves.
Hunter's Death is a much better book than its predecessor, Hunter's Oath. The generic fantasy bilge is still present, and Stephen is still an unconvincing representative of his culture, but the Averalaan sections, which dominate the book, are exciting and dramatic and help carry the reader past the novel's weaker patches. I would have happily read a novel just about Jewel and her team of teenaged thieves.
April 20, 2020
Don’t be fooled by the über corny cover art, this is high fantasy with a complicated plot, a well-developed magic system and mythology, and several engaging characters to follow.
As a writer, West gives nothing away for free. There are no clumsy info dumps, her characters do not sit down at an inn and explain their world to each other over a mug of ale. You’re going to have to pay attention, if you fall behind you’ll be left behind. As I mentioned in my review of the first book of this duology, in this she reminds me of Steven Erikson of the Malazan.
It is with great expectations I’ve added West’s next book, The Broken Crown, to my TBR list. I just hope she has finished with the rather cartoonish gesture of raising of brows by then.
As a writer, West gives nothing away for free. There are no clumsy info dumps, her characters do not sit down at an inn and explain their world to each other over a mug of ale. You’re going to have to pay attention, if you fall behind you’ll be left behind. As I mentioned in my review of the first book of this duology, in this she reminds me of Steven Erikson of the Malazan.
It is with great expectations I’ve added West’s next book, The Broken Crown, to my TBR list. I just hope she has finished with the rather cartoonish gesture of raising of brows by then.
dnf
January 17, 2019Stopped at page 237 in August 2015. It isn't a terrible book but there a bunch of other books I want to read and I'm not enjoying this one. I hate leaving books unfinished but I'm trying to read more books I like, so 200 out of 670 pages in 2-3 months means I don't want to read this book anymore.
January 10, 2020
I enjoyed the first book in this duology but this book really expanded the world, the characters, the mythology. I think Michelle West might become a new favourite author, and I can't wait to get started on the Sun Sword series!
Read
February 18, 2024I can see where a lot of the characters were tweaked in the later series, but it didn't bother me. I wish there was a bit more Evayne like in the first book since the next two series aren't as sympathetic to her. Considering this is only a duology, it does feel like the Hunt and all that were too far removed (which is probably while the last series goes back there). Stephen's role ended so abruptly.
It didn't quite make sense that Hunter Lords survived while the Huntbrothers wasted away after Hunter's Death. Elsa's POV added more depth to the story, but it wasn't enough. I will say, I'm very happy to have started reading Michelle West in 2023, the same year she comes back to Breodair, instead of having to wait decades.
I stand by my first rambling "review" that this duology makes more sense reading it after the later books, but even after 15 (?) books, a couple things still confuse me.
It didn't quite make sense that Hunter Lords survived while the Huntbrothers wasted away after Hunter's Death. Elsa's POV added more depth to the story, but it wasn't enough. I will say, I'm very happy to have started reading Michelle West in 2023, the same year she comes back to Breodair, instead of having to wait decades.
I stand by my first rambling "review" that this duology makes more sense reading it after the later books, but even after 15 (?) books, a couple things still confuse me.
January 10, 2021
3 stars, I like it but my feelings are complicated
So I don't think this is a 3-star book in terms of quality, in many ways it is an exceptional and epic book with amazing characters and a wonderfully tragic tone that works marvelously. So what's the issue? Well, I've read this before. Specifically I've read exactly half of this story in House Name. See this book takes place concurrently with House Name and half of the POV sections in this book belong to Jewel Markess, the main character of the House War series. She also gets half of this book and her sections here are basically the same as her sections of House Name with the occasional tweak which makes for kind of a frustrating reading experience. If you read House Name fairly recently, as I did, you get the nagging feeling that most of this book is rereading but just enough is different that you feel weird about skipping those sections and the sections aren't discrete chapters so you can't easily tell what could be skipped over at a glance and even if you do suss it all out, skipping around really ruins the flow of the novel as important information is still being delivered in the sections you've already read. It's a very frustrating reading experience and I wish West had figured out how to separate these viewpoints a little more when she revisited Jewel in the House War series so they didn't feel so redundant. It's a good book but one I'm not sure how to recommend.
So I don't think this is a 3-star book in terms of quality, in many ways it is an exceptional and epic book with amazing characters and a wonderfully tragic tone that works marvelously. So what's the issue? Well, I've read this before. Specifically I've read exactly half of this story in House Name. See this book takes place concurrently with House Name and half of the POV sections in this book belong to Jewel Markess, the main character of the House War series. She also gets half of this book and her sections here are basically the same as her sections of House Name with the occasional tweak which makes for kind of a frustrating reading experience. If you read House Name fairly recently, as I did, you get the nagging feeling that most of this book is rereading but just enough is different that you feel weird about skipping those sections and the sections aren't discrete chapters so you can't easily tell what could be skipped over at a glance and even if you do suss it all out, skipping around really ruins the flow of the novel as important information is still being delivered in the sections you've already read. It's a very frustrating reading experience and I wish West had figured out how to separate these viewpoints a little more when she revisited Jewel in the House War series so they didn't feel so redundant. It's a good book but one I'm not sure how to recommend.
April 9, 2024
Overall, good book. Gilliam and Stephen's relationship is kind of frustrating in how much they fight, but nonetheless compelling. The depth of how much they care about each other is so strong and clear. The hunter/huntbrother relationship generally is something I really liked seeing across these books. They grief shown in the first book when Soredon died was so powerful. I think that generally the way West writes emotions is really good. Her action needs work. I struggled to really bring those to life in my head.
There's also quite a lot of named characters, once you get into the big Essalieyan houses. At points my eyes started to glaze over because like four names I didn't recognize would be conversing and I wouldn't be sure if any of them would be important. Although the ones that are important I ended up liking.
Torvan helping Jewel to meet the Terafin and then becoming kind of her champion in the house.
Devon this shadowy butler assassin kind of deal.
Meralonne and Evayne are kind of interesting because that's another relationship that seems kind of deep but also kind of troubled.
Jewel is probably my favorite now. One foot in her old thief world and one foot in the new Terafin world. Very much look forward to seeing how she continues in the later books.
I like that there is magic and big fights although I hope the magic becomes al ittle more defined. It lacks some personality right now.
There's also quite a lot of named characters, once you get into the big Essalieyan houses. At points my eyes started to glaze over because like four names I didn't recognize would be conversing and I wouldn't be sure if any of them would be important. Although the ones that are important I ended up liking.
Torvan helping Jewel to meet the Terafin and then becoming kind of her champion in the house.
Devon this shadowy butler assassin kind of deal.
Meralonne and Evayne are kind of interesting because that's another relationship that seems kind of deep but also kind of troubled.
Jewel is probably my favorite now. One foot in her old thief world and one foot in the new Terafin world. Very much look forward to seeing how she continues in the later books.
I like that there is magic and big fights although I hope the magic becomes al ittle more defined. It lacks some personality right now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2020
OMFG, I'd forgotten just how good Michelle West's writing could be.
And I'd also forgotten just how many of the people I first met in the Sun Sword set turn up in this series first. Evayne, Kallandras and Meralonne we met in Hunter's Oath. But this one has Jewel and her den, Avandar (granted, only right at the end), the Terafin, Devan, Torvan, Miri (I can't believe I forgot who Miri-the-servant-girl was), Dantallon, Duvari and so many others.
Plus I'd forgotten how many of the themes from the the Sun Sword series are seeded here - the Dominion of Annagar, the Voyani, the King's Challenge... and the list goes on.
The poetic writing from Hunter's Oath is still there, but it's tempered in some places - especially when Ms West is writing from Jewel's viewpoint (which is only appropriate when you're writing from the POV of a street urchin) - so that when it does crop up, the imagery is incredibly vivid and rich. There were a few writing niggles for me, but I can pretty much excuse them given how early in her career she wrote this.
And my only real issue is that I now have a bunch of other books I need to read before I get on with the next one.
And I'd also forgotten just how many of the people I first met in the Sun Sword set turn up in this series first. Evayne, Kallandras and Meralonne we met in Hunter's Oath. But this one has Jewel and her den, Avandar (granted, only right at the end), the Terafin, Devan, Torvan, Miri (I can't believe I forgot who Miri-the-servant-girl was), Dantallon, Duvari and so many others.
Plus I'd forgotten how many of the themes from the the Sun Sword series are seeded here - the Dominion of Annagar, the Voyani, the King's Challenge... and the list goes on.
The poetic writing from Hunter's Oath is still there, but it's tempered in some places - especially when Ms West is writing from Jewel's viewpoint (which is only appropriate when you're writing from the POV of a street urchin) - so that when it does crop up, the imagery is incredibly vivid and rich. There were a few writing niggles for me, but I can pretty much excuse them given how early in her career she wrote this.
And my only real issue is that I now have a bunch of other books I need to read before I get on with the next one.
September 1, 2020
I thought that Jay's sections would be quicker to read through simply because I've already read House Name. Wrong. They're harder because so much was clearly changed about Jay's backstory when West was writing the House Wars series. I find that because of this and because of the characters themselves I'm enjoying Stephan's parts the best.
Also, although most of the changes (in House Name) involving Jewel make sense because of the new in depth and changed backstory some smaller, seemingly random parts were changed as well. These parts stick out because there are whole sections that were clearly just copied and pasted into House Name. (I'm not mad or upset about the copying from the older book. They're not large sections and the books were published almost two decades apart.)
All in all maybe you shouldn't read House Name and the Sacred Hunt duology within a month of each other because the changes can be a bit jarring.
Also, although most of the changes (in House Name) involving Jewel make sense because of the new in depth and changed backstory some smaller, seemingly random parts were changed as well. These parts stick out because there are whole sections that were clearly just copied and pasted into House Name. (I'm not mad or upset about the copying from the older book. They're not large sections and the books were published almost two decades apart.)
All in all maybe you shouldn't read House Name and the Sacred Hunt duology within a month of each other because the changes can be a bit jarring.
October 18, 2022
I don't know how I feel about this book -- I'm so glad I read it, and I'm so glad I've finished it. It danced back and forth between frustratingly complex and stunningly beautiful, both cosmic (the Gods have returned) and intimate (the loss of a loved one). To try to condense the story down into a few lines would do it a disservice: this book, even more than its predecessor, was a LOT. The last 150 pages or so were one long battle against the forces of darkness. I mean, technically, the whole book was-- but never mind.
The characters are what really stood out to me: Jewel, The Terafin, Stephen, and especially Evayne, a seer who is unstuck in time. They kept me reading, and they've inspired me to keep going with the series.
The characters are what really stood out to me: Jewel, The Terafin, Stephen, and especially Evayne, a seer who is unstuck in time. They kept me reading, and they've inspired me to keep going with the series.
September 19, 2024
Sequel to “Hunter’s Oath.” A bit of a shakeup, taking us back in time to events before the end of “House Name.” We get Jewel’s POV in the first chapter, which is familiar but unexpected here.
Wow. What a ride. I loved it, but it could have been shorter. Also, the impact was stolen by having read “House Name” first (I knew that would be the case, since they spoil each other). That said, it was still an engaging read, even knowing the broad strokes of what would happen. It was interesting to get so much background and extra detail. I’m not sure why West decided to write “House Name,” but it somehow worked to come [back] to this one.
Wow. What a ride. I loved it, but it could have been shorter. Also, the impact was stolen by having read “House Name” first (I knew that would be the case, since they spoil each other). That said, it was still an engaging read, even knowing the broad strokes of what would happen. It was interesting to get so much background and extra detail. I’m not sure why West decided to write “House Name,” but it somehow worked to come [back] to this one.
February 13, 2023
confusing and hard to follow
Michelle West (aka Michelle Sagara) is gifted at evoking imagery and emotion.
I believe I have read all of her books, some of them more than once. What bothers me most about her writing is her shifting point of view. She jumps from one paragraph to the next without indicating that the viewpoint has changed. It’s necessary to read well into the paragraph to figure out whose eyes she’s looking through now.
Michelle West (aka Michelle Sagara) is gifted at evoking imagery and emotion.
I believe I have read all of her books, some of them more than once. What bothers me most about her writing is her shifting point of view. She jumps from one paragraph to the next without indicating that the viewpoint has changed. It’s necessary to read well into the paragraph to figure out whose eyes she’s looking through now.
November 22, 2024
Oof, this was brutal. I purchased this, and I made it through the first one and I even liked other books in this "world", so I really wanted to finish it. But it took months to work my way through this and every page was painful. Super-confusing, couldn't keep any of the characters straight. The worldbuilding - there seemed to be all kinds of things, gods, etc. that were not well-explained. I want the time I spent on this back because it was just so awful .
April 25, 2024
What a shift from book 1, but in a good way. This sequel really expands the world and focused on different characters and I really enjoyed it. While this brings The Sacred Hunt duology to a close, there are other books in this world and I'm excited to read more.
September 20, 2018
Solid finish to a duology.
September 29, 2023
4.5 stars, RTC
June 15, 2011
Often when I begin sequels I always have that faint thought nudging at the back of my mind: Will it be as good as the first? Or will it fail to live up to what came before it? What surprised me here is that I didn't even bother to think that. I just assumed that it would live up to expectations - which shows the quality of West's writing as a whole - and indeed, it was just as good, if not better.[return][return]The first book, HUNTER'S OATH, had revolved around things I don't usually find "appetizing" in novels - dogs, hunting, medieval-style fealty don't particularly interest me - although I had allowed it to pull me in all the same. But this time, it's got that same delicious sense of intrigue and suspense, all set in a much more fascinating place - the courts of Averalaan. Court intrigue is what I live for, and this book had more than enough to pull me in and keep me there.[return][return]Hunter Lord Gilliam and Huntbrother Stephen are the lone Breodani bumbling their ways through the capital Averlaan, a city unlike anything they've ever known. There are mages there, Artisans, nobles, Queens - and demons. For Averlaan, and the whole Empire, are no longer safe; demons are infiltrating the city, intent on doing - what? No one knows - but Gilliam and Stephen may prove by the end to be the keys needed to save everyone.[return][return]There is so much going on in this novel that I'm not even sure if you could call Stephen of Elseth the main character. There's Jewel, the poor girl who steals off the streets but can sense the future; Kallandras, an assassin-turned-bard; Evayne, the time-traveler - and many more. Each and every character with even the smallest part in the plot gets a full canvas upon which to sketch their lives and thoughts and motives. It's all done carefully, building up to the main battle, but each part leading you there is also fascinating. A lot can be read into the character's actions: while West describes everyone in exhaustive detail, she leaves it open in such a way that guessing at character relationships is really quite enjoyable.[return][return]The result of all this build-up, perspective-switching, and analyzing of motives and ambitions is an epic tale with characters you really care about. By the time the climactic events happen, all those characters are firmly and solidly real - so real that the book became, to me at least, really powerful. West is an amazingly skilled writer, and I applaud her careful attention to the fostering of each subplot, character quirk, and historical reference. She manages to pull everything together thoroughly. HUNTER'S DEATH does not disappoint. I loved it!
September 27, 2013
This duology (Hunter's Oath & Hunter's Death) is one story in two books, not really two separate novels.
After reading the Greg Keyes "Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone" books, I was
in the mood for some more epic fantasy; however West's books compare
very badly to those.
The story starts out with a somewhat promising premise: The Hunter
Lords of Breodanir are an elite class, pledged to their hunter god.
However, each Lord is oathbound to a Huntbrother, picked from the
peasantry, who lives as partner and brother for life - which is often
not that long, as hunter Lords and Huntbrothers are regularly killed
in their ritual hunts.
The story follows Stephen, Huntbrother, and his Lord, Gilliam. Stephen
turns out to be an intelligent young man, hungry for learning, while
Gilliam is crude, crass, and tends to behave much like his beloved
hunting dogs. The hunt is his only interest.
If the story had just stuck with these two characters and their
personal conflicts within their own society, I think I would have
liked the story.
However, soon a Wise and Beautiful Sorceress, Evayne, shows up. She is
one of the most one-dimensional characters I've ever encountered. No
clue is given to her background, personal feelings, etc. She warns of
Evil Demons, trapped underground, who want to break out and Take Over.
(Very cliche.) For some reason, which I can't quite remember, as it
felt very contrived, in the second book, Stephen & Gilliam have to
travel to the foreign city of Averalaan and help Evayne stop the
demons.
That's an extremely short summary of what is in reality an extremely
long and often tedious story. I nearly gave up on it at times, but
then it would pick up and catch my interest for a bit - so I did
finish, but overall I would say it never gets better than mediocre.
After reading the Greg Keyes "Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone" books, I was
in the mood for some more epic fantasy; however West's books compare
very badly to those.
The story starts out with a somewhat promising premise: The Hunter
Lords of Breodanir are an elite class, pledged to their hunter god.
However, each Lord is oathbound to a Huntbrother, picked from the
peasantry, who lives as partner and brother for life - which is often
not that long, as hunter Lords and Huntbrothers are regularly killed
in their ritual hunts.
The story follows Stephen, Huntbrother, and his Lord, Gilliam. Stephen
turns out to be an intelligent young man, hungry for learning, while
Gilliam is crude, crass, and tends to behave much like his beloved
hunting dogs. The hunt is his only interest.
If the story had just stuck with these two characters and their
personal conflicts within their own society, I think I would have
liked the story.
However, soon a Wise and Beautiful Sorceress, Evayne, shows up. She is
one of the most one-dimensional characters I've ever encountered. No
clue is given to her background, personal feelings, etc. She warns of
Evil Demons, trapped underground, who want to break out and Take Over.
(Very cliche.) For some reason, which I can't quite remember, as it
felt very contrived, in the second book, Stephen & Gilliam have to
travel to the foreign city of Averalaan and help Evayne stop the
demons.
That's an extremely short summary of what is in reality an extremely
long and often tedious story. I nearly gave up on it at times, but
then it would pick up and catch my interest for a bit - so I did
finish, but overall I would say it never gets better than mediocre.
January 19, 2012
I really like the Breodani story. I would actually give it a five stars. It's the first ed. of the Jewel story I am unsure about. The tone is very uneven. But again, i understand what happened so much better than I did in House Name, eg with Kallandras, Meralonne,Espere. As inthe previous book, portions where characters suddenly disappear- now I know why- their stories were developed here instead of in House Name. So much was left out! At least now, I feel like I really understand what happened in the battle of Vexusa now, so my frustration is is satisfied.
I hate the den characters here, she refined them to just the right degree and in the right DIRECTION so that they truly speak with unique and authentic voices in the House series. There is so much brattiness here. And Jewel seems less aleader than a child with discipline issues. Her heroics don't shine here, and the Terafin is also somehow indistinct. The intro of Avandar is particularly ridiculously done; but all problems with that intro and the descrip are reworked in HN. Good job there.
Intersting that my complaints about Jewel's lack of even a crush are totally fulfilled in this version. Perhaps MW felt it made her too weak in HN? Or it was too facile for her to have faint feelings for Devon? After Stephen, he's the most romantic character in the duology.
I am happy she did not do a "braided narrative" in the House Name series. i HATE BN, and that's primarily from reading this series!
I picked up the Broken Crown and I just don't think I can do this. I bought all the rest of the series, but it just isn't doing it for me. Too m any hard names and several thousand pages to read to get back to the story which drew me first. Again, love this duology, but the Sun Sword series, I think I will have to pass.
I hate the den characters here, she refined them to just the right degree and in the right DIRECTION so that they truly speak with unique and authentic voices in the House series. There is so much brattiness here. And Jewel seems less aleader than a child with discipline issues. Her heroics don't shine here, and the Terafin is also somehow indistinct. The intro of Avandar is particularly ridiculously done; but all problems with that intro and the descrip are reworked in HN. Good job there.
Intersting that my complaints about Jewel's lack of even a crush are totally fulfilled in this version. Perhaps MW felt it made her too weak in HN? Or it was too facile for her to have faint feelings for Devon? After Stephen, he's the most romantic character in the duology.
I am happy she did not do a "braided narrative" in the House Name series. i HATE BN, and that's primarily from reading this series!
I picked up the Broken Crown and I just don't think I can do this. I bought all the rest of the series, but it just isn't doing it for me. Too m any hard names and several thousand pages to read to get back to the story which drew me first. Again, love this duology, but the Sun Sword series, I think I will have to pass.
May 18, 2009
Hunter's Death is the sequel to Hunter's Oath, and concludes the story. In Hunter's Death, the two main characters from the first book, Hunter Lord Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen, travel to the city of Averalaan, where they must accomplish their task and still be able to return home in time for the Sacred Hunt. But what they are supposed to accomplish there is something they are unsure of, and they know that it is likely that they will not make it back in time for the Hunt, which is something that no Hunter Lord would ever dream of doing. But they have been convinced by the seer Evayne, who they met in the first book, that this is something they must do, for the fate not only of their kingdom, but of the world.
This book is more difficult to describe than the first one. Many new characters are added, and they become just as critical to the story as Stephen and Gilliam. The story basically expands to encompass the larger world surrounding the kingdom of the Breodani, and even involves the gods to a greater degree than the first book did. I really liked the new characters that were added, and learning their stories made this book very interesting to read. Adding a Hunter Lord into the city of Averalaan, and the Kings' Court, was also very entertaining. This series, although only two books, really felt like epic fantasy to me, and it had a satisfying conclusion. I will have to add Michelle West to my list of authors to read in the future.
This book is more difficult to describe than the first one. Many new characters are added, and they become just as critical to the story as Stephen and Gilliam. The story basically expands to encompass the larger world surrounding the kingdom of the Breodani, and even involves the gods to a greater degree than the first book did. I really liked the new characters that were added, and learning their stories made this book very interesting to read. Adding a Hunter Lord into the city of Averalaan, and the Kings' Court, was also very entertaining. This series, although only two books, really felt like epic fantasy to me, and it had a satisfying conclusion. I will have to add Michelle West to my list of authors to read in the future.
September 1, 2013
I loved this book. New characters are introduced, some of whom are my favourite in the series. Some passages were really moving and the conclusion was great. What I particularly appreciate was seeing characters from the House War series.
However, the House War series having been written later, those characters were better drawn in it than in Hunter's Death (I particularly hate how Jewel is portrayed as a spoiled urchin and how she seems to be attracted to one of the other characters; I now understand better how people can hate her) and there are some minimal inconsistencies between the two series.
Besides, it can quickly become boring if you read House Name and Hunter's Death in a row, as they figure the same events from different points of view. Nevertheless, I found them complementary and greatly enjoyed comparing them.
However, the House War series having been written later, those characters were better drawn in it than in Hunter's Death (I particularly hate how Jewel is portrayed as a spoiled urchin and how she seems to be attracted to one of the other characters; I now understand better how people can hate her) and there are some minimal inconsistencies between the two series.
Besides, it can quickly become boring if you read House Name and Hunter's Death in a row, as they figure the same events from different points of view. Nevertheless, I found them complementary and greatly enjoyed comparing them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews