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The Trapper and the Missing Spy
The pastoral quiet of the Orem shrouds a dark and terrible secret. In ancient days, it was the seat of a tyrannical sorcerer-king. Even in recent memory, it was troubled by despots, raiders, and bandits.
And now the residents of the region are vanishing. Among them, a spy sent to keep watch should the evils of the distant past resurface. To this end, a warrior named Halsedric arrives on a mission to discover what has become of the spy and investigate the troubling reports sent from the area.
Follow Halsedric as he uncovers dark deeds as they unfold in the land of Orem.
And now the residents of the region are vanishing. Among them, a spy sent to keep watch should the evils of the distant past resurface. To this end, a warrior named Halsedric arrives on a mission to discover what has become of the spy and investigate the troubling reports sent from the area.
Follow Halsedric as he uncovers dark deeds as they unfold in the land of Orem.
264 pages, Paperback
Published May 21, 2024
3 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 21, 2024
Look closely and you'll realize this high fantasy novel is a brilliant western. Fast-paced, yet thoughtful, Hunter is the premiere voice in contemporary indie fantasy fiction.
June 27, 2024
This is my third year in a row of reading Hunter's work and I'm enjoying the sport of reading indie authors who strive to just tell good stories they want to tell. Hunter dips back into his shorter story from "The Revenant and the Tomb" which I enjoyed quite a bit (My Video Review Here). We join again Halsedric, Herodiani, and Tulvgir as the main crew who have moved past their fight on the Horn of Torgiv but whose effects seem to be popping up again. This time they are joined by a much more pleasant woodsman guide of Roe who seems to have a similar belief in the Allfather after an encounter with a kind man that feels familiar to Jean Valjean from Les Mis. A further unfolding of Halsedric's backstory with being blessed with long life and wound repair from the Allfather occurs which offers more insight in the background I liked from the first book. The elf-like Herodiani is still mysterious with a bit more of her background fleshed out but her stealthy fighting skills are on more display here. Tulvgir is also nice to see back and offers up his tank support.
This book is a good start to a fuller story and is really Act 1 of the mystery of some cult who seems to be tied with the big bad from the first book. There is a bit less of the full story here and more of the building up of setting and characters with a few good action scenes. Hunter shows off those action scenes well. With his first book it was a good bit of set up before the waves of fighting that were a lot of fun to read occurred. Here, Hunter is taking his time to set things up. However, the main plot is a bit lighter than what I'd like to see that would move a new reader into the next book. However, I think there is enough of the character build up and the surprise of liking the guide Roe to wet your whistle to check out the next in the series.
I appreciated Hunter's opening line about wanting to listen to his readers and return to the world of Revenant since it sounds like many people enjoyed it. I believe you could start with this book and use the shorter previous one as a prequel or the other way around and it would both work and inform whether to continue the series which I hope to do with the next one. Final Grade - B
This book is a good start to a fuller story and is really Act 1 of the mystery of some cult who seems to be tied with the big bad from the first book. There is a bit less of the full story here and more of the building up of setting and characters with a few good action scenes. Hunter shows off those action scenes well. With his first book it was a good bit of set up before the waves of fighting that were a lot of fun to read occurred. Here, Hunter is taking his time to set things up. However, the main plot is a bit lighter than what I'd like to see that would move a new reader into the next book. However, I think there is enough of the character build up and the surprise of liking the guide Roe to wet your whistle to check out the next in the series.
I appreciated Hunter's opening line about wanting to listen to his readers and return to the world of Revenant since it sounds like many people enjoyed it. I believe you could start with this book and use the shorter previous one as a prequel or the other way around and it would both work and inform whether to continue the series which I hope to do with the next one. Final Grade - B
January 29, 2025
Herman P. Hunter continues to impress with his signature solid prose in The Revenant and the Cult. The storytelling is rich and engaging, with beautifully crafted action sequences that shine both in sweeping fight scenes and in the small, meticulous moments, like the simple act of lighting a lantern.
The characters, Halsedric and Herodiani, are compelling and well-drawn. However, as this is part of a serialized format, I found myself hoping for some noticeable growth or change in their arcs. Hopefully, future installments will explore their development further, as their relationship is worth a deeper exploration.
One aspect that stands out is Hunter's decision to split this tale into two parts, a choice he addresses thoughtfully in the foreword. While the reasoning makes sense initially, by the time I reached the abrupt ending, that explanation had slipped from my mind—an indication of how thoroughly I had become immersed in the narrative. That said, the conclusion lacks a satisfying resolution or even a cliffhanger, making the break in the story feel somewhat jarring.
Despite this structural quirk, The Revenant and the Cult remains an immensely enjoyable read. Hunter's vivid descriptions and masterful action scenes kept me captivated throughout. I look forward to revisiting this series to see how the story unfolds and where Halsedric and Herodiani’s paths lead.
The characters, Halsedric and Herodiani, are compelling and well-drawn. However, as this is part of a serialized format, I found myself hoping for some noticeable growth or change in their arcs. Hopefully, future installments will explore their development further, as their relationship is worth a deeper exploration.
One aspect that stands out is Hunter's decision to split this tale into two parts, a choice he addresses thoughtfully in the foreword. While the reasoning makes sense initially, by the time I reached the abrupt ending, that explanation had slipped from my mind—an indication of how thoroughly I had become immersed in the narrative. That said, the conclusion lacks a satisfying resolution or even a cliffhanger, making the break in the story feel somewhat jarring.
Despite this structural quirk, The Revenant and the Cult remains an immensely enjoyable read. Hunter's vivid descriptions and masterful action scenes kept me captivated throughout. I look forward to revisiting this series to see how the story unfolds and where Halsedric and Herodiani’s paths lead.
June 6, 2024
I got to say this is a worthy follow up to the REVENANT AND THE TOMB. It is book one of a two part planned story and it doesn’t pull a rebel moon, which is my way of saying it doesn’t disappoint. It delivers the goods in spades. FIVE STARS!!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews