Nothing in this world or any other competes with the thrill of soaring through the skies on a griffin's back ...A thrill sharpened by the knowledge that one wrong move, one lapse in concentration can prove fatal ...Only the elite are selected by Griffin Master Romulus to patrol the skies of a mist shrouded Britain. But that's okay with Neb, because even a lowly orphan has ambitions, and he plans to be recruited as a groom. So when selection day dawns, he works extra hard to ensure all the griffins in his care look their best. All goes well, until with a flap of his wings, Balkind, the most mischievious griffin ever, ruins both their chances. Telling himself and anyone else who'll listen that Balkind deserves a second chance, Neb steals the beast and flies off after Romulus, determined to change the old warrior's mind. As Balkind soars above fields and villages, Neb tries not to think about the punishment for theft and tries even harder not to fall ... unaware that there's more than one way to fall and he's about to fall hard.
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Author of The Celtic Cousins' Adventures: (A Raucous Time, A Ripple in Time and An Explosive Time), also The Bridle Path, and The Griffin Cryer.
This book presented a unique take on mythology. It was a well paced and fun time throughout the book. It completes a story well but leaves enough for the series to continue.
I lost myself in The Griffin's Boy by Julia Hughes. It is a fascinating story for readers of all ages where there are adventures and strange wonders on every page. The author transports us once again to Ella-Earth, a parallel universe where evolution has taken a different course and Britain remains an island clothed in mist. The date is unspecified, a time of yellow fields and thatched roofs, of griffins and griffin masters where evil villains lurk in unusual places.
The Griffin’s Boy is a coming of age story, a tale of defiance and adventure and derring-do as Neb, the “ No One” boy disobeys orders, ignoring his place in life. He steals the unruly griffin, Balkind. Together they soar and attempt to rescue the weak and innocent. Along the way, Neb discovers girls.
The plotting, characterization and the writing are all superb, the scenes of rescue and flight some of the finest I’ve read in any fantasy, including the Harry Potter series, and I was swept up in the whimsy of the story, in the exalted view of field and farm in an alien and beautiful world.
I loved the characters, especially Neb and Balkind and Chantress Anderra and loved to hate the villains, of which there are many. I especially liked the scenes with Neb riding Balkind. The author’s prose is fine indeed when describing their flight, some passages reminding me of de Saint-Exupery’s Wind, Sand and Stars. I read them over several times and each time felt the sheer joy of flying as if for the first time. My favorite, of course is the hero, Ned, who never ever gives up. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. And now I'm off to ride my griffin.
The world was both vibrant and dark, dependent upon the given situation, and the environment felt true. Hughes didn't just create a world... she lived it.
But that's not all!
From minor characters that only spoke a few lines to those of prominence, every single person within this ebook was three dimensional. They had flaws and perfections, fears and dreams. Hughes didn't cut any corners. Even the griffins within the pages had individual personalities.
I was transfixed.
I started and finished The Griffin's Boy in a single day. Seriously. Not only did the world and everything in it feel real, but the action was high, and the story complex.
Hughes wove plenty of plot twists and mysteries into this ebook. I've mentioned that I love to place myself into stories as I read them. It's not always possible, but in this case, every break I took was filled with ideas of how I could solve the problems the characters encountered, or where the characters would discover me (thereby including me in their adventure).
Yep. I'm the bookish version of a camera ham. I admit it.
And Hughes gave me plenty of opportunities to bask in that glory!
(This is a truncation of the review to be posted on Undiscovered Tomes on 7/22. Sneak peek!)
Neb wants to be a Griffin rider but is just a Griffin boy, someone who looks after the Griffins. Balkind, a gryffant, is chosen to be trained with the Griffin riders, but Bites his rider and is left behind. Neb, not wanting Balkind to be left behind, mounts up and follows the riders. Before he catches up with the others he is waylaid by a group of people if I can down and want him to rescue a young boy who has fallen down a sink hole that has opened in the river bed. This is only the beginning of Neb and Balkind’s adventures.
He wanted to be a Griffin rider but would he be allowed? Follow his adventures to see if his Griffin and him have what it takes to a part of the Griffin riders.
finally read a story that put you into the adventure with the excitement and the romance without it taking hours. what comes next I don't know but this story I enjoyed
Entertaining Fantasy listening 🎧 Another will written fantasy adventure thriller short story by Julia Hughes. I read this in 2013 before my eye were damaged and enjoyed it very much. 2013
The Griffin's Rider is an utterly enchanting read set in an alternative Britain about Neb, a peasant boy so lowly that he doesn't even have a real name, and the adventure he shares with the cheeky, disobedient griffin, Balkind, not to mention the trouble they get themselves into.
When Balkind's rider is unable to control him, Griffin Master Romulus unfairly leaves the griffin behind, and so Neb takes it upon himself to ride Balkind himself because he knows they both deserve a chance. Along the way, they come across a village in need of a hero, and their adventure begins.
This is an awesome story, and perfect for anyone of any age, teenager and adult alike. It's exciting, fantastical, and had me on the edge of my seat many times.
Julia Hughes did an amazing job with the descriptions. I was easily able to imagine the surroundings, the people, the griffins, even the smells and the atmosphere. It was so detailed and intricate that I found myself reading through it slowly and thoroughly to make sure I didn't miss a thing. I've never read a griffin story before, but I didn't find myself lost or confused at all.
My favourite character – aside from Balkind the lovable Griffin – had to be Samara, Neb's love interest. I adore a strong female character with sass and fire, and that's just what she was. The romance between Samara and Neb was sweet and innocent, and yet didn't take over the story, which is just how I like my romances. It simply added a bit of loveliness. I liked how much of a surprise it came to Neb, who didn't have any experience with these kinds of things before.
And the evil characters are so creepy and sinister – just how I like them :). They really added a thrilling, darker aspect to the story, and I kept hoping for them to get what they deserved.
The Griffin's Boy is the kind of story that would look seriously amazing on the big or small screen. It would be something that I'd definitely watch.
I'd definitely recommend this, especially those who like action/adventure and fantasy, with just a dash of romance thrown in to sweeten things up. I hope there will be more books with Neb and Balkind's adventures, and I'll be going out to look up more of Julia Hughes' work right away.
For all who, like me, enjoy electrifying, mind-gripping stories, THE GRIFFIN’S BOY reverberates with excitement from beginning to end. This other-worldly fantasy about a fierce yet lovable griffin and his spirited young rider offers a heart-pounding adventure amidst feudalistic squabbles and evil doings by a sorcerer and demons. A sense of young, budding romance adds a sweet tone to the story.
THE GRIFFIN’S BOY is chockablock full of emotion-charging and intellectually stimulating scenes. There is a tumultuous river rescue segment involving Neb and Balkind the griffin that is spectacular – breath-stopping and heart-pumping! I became caught between two sensations: one of terror – impending doom – and the other, a powerful surge of exhilaration.
The script is full of fascinating characters; the subterfuges and manipulations of some are subtle yet the author cleverly juxtaposed these segments with scenes depicting other characters’ undaunted courage and unselfish valor. Every chapter flows effortlessly and sequentially into the next, which maintained my sense of intrigue and excitement. Ms. Hughes’ has an uncanny ability to paint vivid scenes with her words; I remained captivated by this ability throughout my read.
The author’s writing is enigmatically refreshing – she is clever in the way she subtly weaves in the personality nuances of her characters. The dialogues and descriptive mannerisms of each character are superbly scripted, making me feel as if I was with them, in the story itself. I’m still a bit awestruck by how tastefully Ms. Hughes scripted a macabre scene involving a demon and Neb, the griffin’s boy. This segment is bold – dramatically electrifying in its portrayal of evil sorcery as it battles the forces of good.
Look for several segments that invite a reader to pause and consider the mystical aspects inherent within ourselves, within all that dwells in a world. There is more to this griffin’s boy than meets the eye; I am so looking forward to Book Three.
There is a keen sense of life not being fair in the “The Griffin’s Boy.” There is desperation of circumstance that may be familiar to some readers. The Griffin Riders are children born into their elite circle. They don’t earn a place by skill or work but by the noble bearing of the family into which they’re born. Neb’s ambition seems hopeless if not a bit silly at the start of the work and therein lays the brilliance. Neb aspires in a way that will translate to young readers and succeed or fail, the message of nothing being easy for most of us. His name literally means “no one” and at the start of the novel, Neb is no one.
The setting is rather Harry Potteresque in that it is a world next to a world. Neb’s England is foggy and inhabited by magic and griffins. If you’ve read the first novel in the series, “The Griffin’s Boy” is consistent while not dependent upon the prior work. Children who like fantasy will soak up the familiar landscape with foreign elements inherent in its atmosphere. There’s a wisdom in writing what you know and coloring it in with what you imagine.
The baddies are everywhere and somewhat nebulous. Neb and Balkind direct the story and carry the reader through. The last line is great and provides the reader great promise for what’s to come.
“The Griffin’s Boy” is a great story. Pick it up today and follow this talented author.
I actually read this series out of sequence--for some reason, I thought "Griffin's Cryer" was Book 1, and frankly you can read it perfectly well without having read Book 1 (for which the author has my undying thanks!). I enjoyed Griffin's Cryer, and when I realized at the end of the book that the character known as Griffin's Rider had his own story--here--I snatched it up for free.
Sadly, I wasn't as happy with this book as I was with Book 2. The writing is decent, the pacing lags a bit here and there, but the real clincher for me was that the main character didn't really play a major role in resolving the climax of the story. He was there, but he didn't take action. It's one of those mistakes that you expect in a debut novel, but one that a good editor would have caught and had the author rework pre-publication. :( I do think I'll read more by Julia Hughes, mostly because Griffin's Cryer found a way to work in both the main character and the griffin equally into resolving the climax--and in fact, for the emotional climax, it's all about the main character. Which tells me this author has grown in her writing, and she'll be going interesting places in her coming books.
Overall, an enjoyable, easy fantasy read, but lacking that satisfying hero-takes-action climax.
Having previously read the Griffin Cryer, I was delighted to be able to read The Griffin's Boy, a companion book which tells us the story behind the Griffin Rider. Balkind is a young Griffin selected for special training, but a mishap with one of the new recruits put his training chances at risk. Neb is that boy who grooms the Griffins and he is determined to help Balkind.
Disobeying orders, Neb and Balkind set off to follow Griffin Master Romulus, but on the way they end up making a daring rescue of a young boy from the village of Darkling. By the time the Griffin Master arrives in the village Neb and Balkind are heroes. They make new friends and soon Neb finds himself disobeying more orders in a desperate attempt to save Samara from danger and a very unpleasant marriage.
There are some great details about the Griffins, their wings, feathers and flight veins, plus we get to read about how the Griffins patrol the ancient Ley lines, sensing the energy from the lines and keeping demons at bay. You can almost feel the magic that flows from Balkind when he faces and destroys a demon.
This book was a pleasure to read, Julia Hughes has written another great book.
**I received a free copy of the book from the editor in exchange for my fair and honest review**
"The Griffin's Boy" by Julia Hughes is part of the Griffin Riders' Chronicles. Although it is the second book, it is written in such a manner that it can stand alone. This fantasy book is wonderful for any lover of the genre. It is full of hope and wonder and brought me a feeling of childlike fascination. Neb (aka, the nameless boy) is such a great main character. I found myself rooting for him from page one. Even Neb's griffin, Balkind, is very well developed as a character, along with the other characters in the book.
The book had moments that made me smile, cheer, and have suspenseful fear. Without giving too much away, Neb's bravery and boldness is inspiring, and the reader can really feel how he reacts to each situation. There were parts that really reminded me of how I felt with Eragon, and that brought me back to a familiar, comforting place. The fantasy world is very well done, not an easy feat to accomplish. Overall, a great read, and I recommend it for any fan of fantasy and adventure.
I've not read any stories with Griffins in them before and I have to say - I wonder why not - as it was enchanting and magical. I want one! I loved Balkind, Neb and Samara and the grumpy Griffin Master, Romulus! The story kept me entertained from start to finish and I read it in two sittings, if I'd had the time I would've done it in one but alas I didn't. Neb's character is easy to love and I sincerely hope his life improves now he's got his own Griffin tho I think Balkind will take him on some fast and furious adventures! I never do spoilers or great, long, reviews - preferring just to let folks know if I really liked, or didn't, a story. This one I did - tons - grab your own copy and follow Neb and Balkind's story. You won't be disappointed a lovely story, great characters equals a great read!
The Griffin's Boy is an excellent story for the young and not so young alike. I notice a lot of reviewers are saying that very same thing, but it's just so true! This isn't one you want to pass up!
The story has a beautifully designed fantasy world that is similar, yet different, from the world we live in and know. The characters have great depth and each and every one of them has very distinct personalities. In other words, the author did an excellent job and the characters within the pages are all brought to life wonderfully.
The storyline progresses steadily from a young boy and a griffin, both passed over for a chance at more, to a grand adventure, to an ending you just never expected at all. With a good flowing story arch, this was such a fun filled entertaining adventure that I would gladly recommend it.
I was looking for a simple storied book to fill some down time without demanding I pay close attention as I waited impatiently for my wife to finish her many appointments that I have to take her to and wait indefinitely.
This book did meet my simple story with few characters to keep straight due to the random reading opportunities I deal with, but it did a great job of filling the story framework with both necessary detail and relevant description of the scenes and situations that our unlikely hero found himself in as he tried to do the right thing in spite of very difficult and unexpected circumstances and chain of events.
I loved The Griffin Cryer and the character of Frankie, and I equally loved Neb’s story. I am a great fan of dedicated point of views in books, and I like when an author writes companion stories to let the readers explore more of one character. Neb was already lovable in The Griffin Cryer, but in The Griffin’s Boy we discover how painful his journey to become a rider was. I loved the world building, the secondary characters, and the pace of the story. I especially like how Ms. Hughes mixes fantasy and horror in her stories. Looking forward to the next installments in this great series.
I was given this book for review and found it a good fantasy adventure with lessons on 'you can do it, regardless of your station in life' - albeit a fantasy life where orphan, Neb, dreams of becoming a griffin rider.
Read this well written story and see if he manages to fulfill his dream and the many obstacles in his way.
I read the Griffin fryer first. it was a little confusing. then I read this one. it is awesome. we still do not much about the main character. I want to to know more about him and his Griffin. I will be watching out for new books.
Would, wo, wo, what a great adventure! Neb turns out to be a great fit for a reluctant hero. And the strong minded Griffin an equal sidekick. Non stop action, suspense and danger till the very last page. Hard to put down.
Padrick (griffin boy) was belittling Neb (gryffant, aka No-one, narrator). Chantress Anderra (f) put a stop to it. Master Romulus was not happy with Padrick either. Samara was gathering fish for the woman to gut/salt. Balkind (griffin boy) could now fly & soar very high.
Why are the villagers' mad at Chief Luthan (Penwyn village)? What happened to Vander (Kattin’s brother, Samara’s fiancé)? What were Father Thomas, & Sister Catherine discussing? Will Neb ever get a promotion?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written YA Celtic tale (fantasy) book. It wasn’t very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great Celtic fantasy movie, animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. It was just OK for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Talon Press; instafreebie; Author; PDF book Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)