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The Riven Wyrde Saga #1
Fae: The Wild Hunt
Faeries... The fae... The stuff of bedtime stories and fables.
But sometimes the faerie tales are true. Sometimes they are a warning...
For a hundred generations the fae have been locked away from the world, in the cold, the Outside. They have faded out of sight and mind, into myth and folklore. But now the barriers are weakening and they push against the tattered remnants of the wyrde as they seek a way to return.
As a new religion spreads across the world, sweeping the old ways and beliefs away before it, a warlike people look across the frozen ocean towards the shores of Anlan, hungry for new lands. War is coming, even as the wyrde of the Droos is fading.
As the fae begin to force their way through the shreds of the wyrde, will mankind be able to accept the truth concealed in the tales of children in time to prepare for the Wild Hunt?
But sometimes the faerie tales are true. Sometimes they are a warning...
For a hundred generations the fae have been locked away from the world, in the cold, the Outside. They have faded out of sight and mind, into myth and folklore. But now the barriers are weakening and they push against the tattered remnants of the wyrde as they seek a way to return.
As a new religion spreads across the world, sweeping the old ways and beliefs away before it, a warlike people look across the frozen ocean towards the shores of Anlan, hungry for new lands. War is coming, even as the wyrde of the Droos is fading.
As the fae begin to force their way through the shreds of the wyrde, will mankind be able to accept the truth concealed in the tales of children in time to prepare for the Wild Hunt?
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2014
1190 people are currently reading
4276 people want to read
About the author
Graham Austin-King
15 books353 followersGraham Austin-King was born in the south of England and weaned on broken swords and half-forgotten spells. A shortage of these forced him to consume fantasy novels at an ever-increasing rate, turning to computers and tabletop gaming between meals.
He experimented with writing at the beginning of an education that meandered through journalism, international relations, and law. To this day he is committed to never allowing those first efforts to reach public eyes.
After spending a decade in Canada, learning what 'cold' really means, and being horrified by poutine, he settled once again in the UK with a seemingly endless horde of children.
To date he is the author of five novels, drawing on a foundation of literary influences ranging from David Eddings to Clive Barker.
Sign up to the spam-free mailing list to hear about upcoming releases and special discounts at http://www.grahamaustin-king.com/read...
Find Graham on facebook at http://on.fb.me/1pMyWmK He loves to chat with readers.
Follow him on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Grayaustin
What others are saying about Graham's books:
"Austin-King's writing is descriptive and layered, full of mystery and tension..." - Sarah Chorn, Bookworm Blues
"The action is great, the suspense is well done and the Fae are truly scary." - Leanne Ellis, Bloody Cake News
"...If you like fantasy books which you can really get stuck into then this one is for you!" - Bodicia, A Woman's Wisdom Blog
"...This is a fantastic fantasy! I loved it!" - Lynn Worton, Book Reviews by Lynn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
January 29, 2018
I read Faithless as part of my SPFBO reading list and I absolutely adored it, so I’ve picked up some other Graham Austin King stuff looking for some more awesomeness!
Plot:
The plot is sort of slow going at first, it’s introducing a fair amount of characters and plotlines that start intersecting about halfway through, and by the end, it’s all together.
Miriam and her son are living with a drunk as a father, basically just enduring every day as best they can. Eventually, things come to a head when Miriam fights back and runs with her son, Devin. They intended to get to Miriam’s father’s house, but they were attacked by bandits and got lost in the woods. Miriam was injured and went into this weird trance-like thing where she danced around and sang weird poems, which summoned a Fae. The Fae take his mother and leaves him in the woods by himself. Some villagers find him and take him in, treating them like one of their own. Years later, the Fae and other mythical creatures/demon like things come and visit some of Devin’s new family members – beyond that it gets spoilery.
Kloss is part of another culture apart from Devin, he’s on an island whose population is maid of raiders and reavers – think Ironborn from ASOIAF. He’s training to be a reaver despite his father’s objections. They are planning on upping their raiding to a full-scale invasion of the mainland, their culture is dying because they are outgrowing their islands. There’s just not enough food or supplies to sustain a growing population, so the plan is to take over the shores – which is where Devin lives.
Selena is a queen who’s married to a drunk who wants nothing to do with her, she’s been running the country for the last few years as her husband has slipped further and further into alcoholism. She’s dealing with reports coming in from all over her country that the raiders, (Kloss and Co) are laying waste to a bunch of villages. Her husband then dies via choking on his own vomit, and she has to figure out how to keep ruling since the law of the land is that without an heir the crown would pass to the next male heir. But, none of his family members are competent, and changing regimes mid-war could lead to disaster, she’s plotting to keep control and defend her country.
All the while, the Wyrde is breaking… the force that holds the Fae and demons at bay, and it could make the raiders look like no big deal.
Final Score: 8.5/10
Characters:
Devin – the book starts when he’s 10 years old, and he’s 17 by the time it’s over. He’s a pretty typical kid, likeable character.
Selena – she’s determined and forceful, she’s not supposed to be ruling the country but she’s taken matters into her own hands.
Kloss – he’s resentful that his father is a merchant, in a society that views them as little more than thieves, he’s determined to make something of himself.
Forstbeard – Kloss’s uncle and a famed raider, the mastermind behind the invasion to the shores
Hannah – Devin’s adopted mother, she’s been visited by Fae and demons but no one believes her, her once happy marriage is being tried by her claims that her experiences aren’t dreams.
Korrin – Devin’s adopted father, a good person who treats Devin like one of his own, traditional family man providing for his wife and kids.
Obare – an old man who’s been maintaining the Wyrde, which is the dam that holds back the Fae. After he was attacked, his grip on the Wyrde slipped, and the world is left defenceless.
Final Score: 7/10
World Building:
There are lots of old nursery rhymes that hint at the Fae and their monstrosity – but there’s a new religion that’s formed within the last decade that’s fighting the “old ways” called “New Dayers”. They are telling people to take down their horseshoes over their barns and to stop their pagan rituals – which is helping disarm the citizens against the Fae. It’s not some evil plot by the New Dayers, they don’t know what they’re doing is handing over the world to the Fae.
The Fae have golden amber eyes with no white or pupils, they are evil as shit and seem to love torturing – no one is spared when they come. They are also susceptible to iron, scorching their skin and revealing them for what they really are.
Satyrs are demon like things that can take human form and seduce women, it’s sort of like a succubus, they are horned devil like things in their true form, but can make themselves appear as extremely attractive men.
The Bjornmenn are a society that lives on islands and don’t have much room for expansion, they rely on raiding the villages on the shoreline of the mainland to make up for what they can’t produce on their own. They are a hard race, and one of the only that have the technology to build ships that can break through ice. They rely on the fact that no one can follow them home as protection.
The Druids were a race that helped keep the Wyrde together but were driven off almost to extinction. They wanted to be left alone, so they spread rumors that they sacrifice virgins on stone pillars and other horrible things to keep people from trying to find them.
Final Score: 8/10
Pacing/Prose/Tone:
This is sort of a darker book by the end, but in the beginning, it was a lot of world building and set up. It took a little while for all of the plotlines to come together. It wasn’t until about halfway through that the stories really started to intersect and you could see where everything was going. Once it hit the last third of the book things got real and I flew through the end.
The writing was well done, as it was in Faithless – flowed nicely and kept things moving.
Pacing Final Score: 7/10
Writing Final Score: 8.5/10
Originality:
I loved how Fae in this world aren’t glittery friends, I’ve read so many of those books it’s nice to get a different take on fairies. Although I’ve seen a lot of ‘demons/fairies/elves’ coming back into the world kind of thing, there was def enough originality going on to keep my attention.
Final Score: 8/10
Audience:
For people who like multi pov
For people who like fae/demons/fairies
For people who like mysterious “magic”
For people who like lower-key magic, there wasn’t a lot of wizardy or anything like that
For people who like female pov
For people who like raiders/warriors/sailors
Final Score: 47/60 or 7.83/10
Plot:
The plot is sort of slow going at first, it’s introducing a fair amount of characters and plotlines that start intersecting about halfway through, and by the end, it’s all together.
Miriam and her son are living with a drunk as a father, basically just enduring every day as best they can. Eventually, things come to a head when Miriam fights back and runs with her son, Devin. They intended to get to Miriam’s father’s house, but they were attacked by bandits and got lost in the woods. Miriam was injured and went into this weird trance-like thing where she danced around and sang weird poems, which summoned a Fae. The Fae take his mother and leaves him in the woods by himself. Some villagers find him and take him in, treating them like one of their own. Years later, the Fae and other mythical creatures/demon like things come and visit some of Devin’s new family members – beyond that it gets spoilery.
Kloss is part of another culture apart from Devin, he’s on an island whose population is maid of raiders and reavers – think Ironborn from ASOIAF. He’s training to be a reaver despite his father’s objections. They are planning on upping their raiding to a full-scale invasion of the mainland, their culture is dying because they are outgrowing their islands. There’s just not enough food or supplies to sustain a growing population, so the plan is to take over the shores – which is where Devin lives.
Selena is a queen who’s married to a drunk who wants nothing to do with her, she’s been running the country for the last few years as her husband has slipped further and further into alcoholism. She’s dealing with reports coming in from all over her country that the raiders, (Kloss and Co) are laying waste to a bunch of villages. Her husband then dies via choking on his own vomit, and she has to figure out how to keep ruling since the law of the land is that without an heir the crown would pass to the next male heir. But, none of his family members are competent, and changing regimes mid-war could lead to disaster, she’s plotting to keep control and defend her country.
All the while, the Wyrde is breaking… the force that holds the Fae and demons at bay, and it could make the raiders look like no big deal.
Final Score: 8.5/10
Characters:
Devin – the book starts when he’s 10 years old, and he’s 17 by the time it’s over. He’s a pretty typical kid, likeable character.
Selena – she’s determined and forceful, she’s not supposed to be ruling the country but she’s taken matters into her own hands.
Kloss – he’s resentful that his father is a merchant, in a society that views them as little more than thieves, he’s determined to make something of himself.
Forstbeard – Kloss’s uncle and a famed raider, the mastermind behind the invasion to the shores
Hannah – Devin’s adopted mother, she’s been visited by Fae and demons but no one believes her, her once happy marriage is being tried by her claims that her experiences aren’t dreams.
Korrin – Devin’s adopted father, a good person who treats Devin like one of his own, traditional family man providing for his wife and kids.
Obare – an old man who’s been maintaining the Wyrde, which is the dam that holds back the Fae. After he was attacked, his grip on the Wyrde slipped, and the world is left defenceless.
Final Score: 7/10
World Building:
There are lots of old nursery rhymes that hint at the Fae and their monstrosity – but there’s a new religion that’s formed within the last decade that’s fighting the “old ways” called “New Dayers”. They are telling people to take down their horseshoes over their barns and to stop their pagan rituals – which is helping disarm the citizens against the Fae. It’s not some evil plot by the New Dayers, they don’t know what they’re doing is handing over the world to the Fae.
The Fae have golden amber eyes with no white or pupils, they are evil as shit and seem to love torturing – no one is spared when they come. They are also susceptible to iron, scorching their skin and revealing them for what they really are.
Satyrs are demon like things that can take human form and seduce women, it’s sort of like a succubus, they are horned devil like things in their true form, but can make themselves appear as extremely attractive men.
The Bjornmenn are a society that lives on islands and don’t have much room for expansion, they rely on raiding the villages on the shoreline of the mainland to make up for what they can’t produce on their own. They are a hard race, and one of the only that have the technology to build ships that can break through ice. They rely on the fact that no one can follow them home as protection.
The Druids were a race that helped keep the Wyrde together but were driven off almost to extinction. They wanted to be left alone, so they spread rumors that they sacrifice virgins on stone pillars and other horrible things to keep people from trying to find them.
Final Score: 8/10
Pacing/Prose/Tone:
This is sort of a darker book by the end, but in the beginning, it was a lot of world building and set up. It took a little while for all of the plotlines to come together. It wasn’t until about halfway through that the stories really started to intersect and you could see where everything was going. Once it hit the last third of the book things got real and I flew through the end.
The writing was well done, as it was in Faithless – flowed nicely and kept things moving.
Pacing Final Score: 7/10
Writing Final Score: 8.5/10
Originality:
I loved how Fae in this world aren’t glittery friends, I’ve read so many of those books it’s nice to get a different take on fairies. Although I’ve seen a lot of ‘demons/fairies/elves’ coming back into the world kind of thing, there was def enough originality going on to keep my attention.
Final Score: 8/10
Audience:
For people who like multi pov
For people who like fae/demons/fairies
For people who like mysterious “magic”
For people who like lower-key magic, there wasn’t a lot of wizardy or anything like that
For people who like female pov
For people who like raiders/warriors/sailors
Final Score: 47/60 or 7.83/10
Read
January 24, 2017I read this a couple of years back, and I remember that I liked it (especially the second book), but not much more in order to write a full review. I'll re-read both of them at some point, to catch up for the 3rd and final installation.
January 3, 2017
I'm not one for long reviews so I'll stay consistent with this one:
I listened to this on Audible because I knew the author had got hold of a good narrator for his trilogy. And he has! The narration was second to none. Accents were brilliant, narration itself was too, and actions scenes were enhanced by realistic shouting which I've not heard a narrator do before.
But what about the story? Well I shall tell you!
I found this first book to be a character, setting and atmosphere building story. It allowed you to get to know and warm to several characters whilst hinting at the horrors to come. The characters felt real and the action was gritty and brutal - just how I like it. Despite this being fantasy, I felt that the setting could well have been our own history. There was little of the fae themselves throughout, but the teasers - brief appearances - did what they were intended to and built the anticipation until the BANG of an ending that promises action and intrigue galore from the sequel!
I'm happy to learn that the whole series has the same narrator working on it and I look forward to see what comes after the explosive ending I just listened to.
I listened to this on Audible because I knew the author had got hold of a good narrator for his trilogy. And he has! The narration was second to none. Accents were brilliant, narration itself was too, and actions scenes were enhanced by realistic shouting which I've not heard a narrator do before.
But what about the story? Well I shall tell you!
I found this first book to be a character, setting and atmosphere building story. It allowed you to get to know and warm to several characters whilst hinting at the horrors to come. The characters felt real and the action was gritty and brutal - just how I like it. Despite this being fantasy, I felt that the setting could well have been our own history. There was little of the fae themselves throughout, but the teasers - brief appearances - did what they were intended to and built the anticipation until the BANG of an ending that promises action and intrigue galore from the sequel!
I'm happy to learn that the whole series has the same narrator working on it and I look forward to see what comes after the explosive ending I just listened to.
March 30, 2018
This started off fairly ordinary, then it moved into the realms of the fairytale, then back to the mundane world of humanity once more. I liked the way the story was constructed, though I could have lived with less description (that is my personal taste). That said, there was plenty of action in this book.
It all begins with a young lad living with his mother and drunken and abusive father. Forced to leave because of the father's violence, hence the story moves in the direction of the forest and its dark secrets.
Those who live on the mainland are constantly under threat of raids by the Bjornmen. I looked upon these invaders as being Viking barbarians, which has a kind of a nice ring to it. They row across the icy seas to carry out raids on the mainlanders. As usual, it is the innocent who suffer first. The small settlements of the mainland are mostly farming villages linked to their rulers only by the taxes they pay. It is only when the threat of the Bjornmen raids becomes an invasion that the toffs deem it necessary to act.
There is also the underlying threat of a mostly forgotten race of beings, the Fae to deal with. The trouble is that most of the populace don't even believe they exist. Even the names of the ancient lines have become twisted by ignorance over the passing millennia.
Will the people's ignorance be their undoing?
Will the Bjornmen really invade, killing the mainlanders as they go?
Do the Fae really exist?
I would urge you to find out by reading this first book in the series. I look forward to reading book 2 The Realm of Twilight when I have the time. I believe there is a free offer on for book 1 at the moment, so snap it up and see what you think.
It all begins with a young lad living with his mother and drunken and abusive father. Forced to leave because of the father's violence, hence the story moves in the direction of the forest and its dark secrets.
Those who live on the mainland are constantly under threat of raids by the Bjornmen. I looked upon these invaders as being Viking barbarians, which has a kind of a nice ring to it. They row across the icy seas to carry out raids on the mainlanders. As usual, it is the innocent who suffer first. The small settlements of the mainland are mostly farming villages linked to their rulers only by the taxes they pay. It is only when the threat of the Bjornmen raids becomes an invasion that the toffs deem it necessary to act.
There is also the underlying threat of a mostly forgotten race of beings, the Fae to deal with. The trouble is that most of the populace don't even believe they exist. Even the names of the ancient lines have become twisted by ignorance over the passing millennia.
Will the people's ignorance be their undoing?
Will the Bjornmen really invade, killing the mainlanders as they go?
Do the Fae really exist?
I would urge you to find out by reading this first book in the series. I look forward to reading book 2 The Realm of Twilight when I have the time. I believe there is a free offer on for book 1 at the moment, so snap it up and see what you think.
November 20, 2017
Though initially a bit of a slow-burner, this indie fantasy begins to build momentum as the story goes on, pitting two different groups of humanity against the Fae.
The treatment of the Fae is particularly well done, conveying all the sinister and savage glamour that these creatures possessed in myth before the 19th century sanitised them.
The ending was a great cliff-hanger for the first novel, and tied in well to the books opening.
Well recommended.
The treatment of the Fae is particularly well done, conveying all the sinister and savage glamour that these creatures possessed in myth before the 19th century sanitised them.
The ending was a great cliff-hanger for the first novel, and tied in well to the books opening.
Well recommended.
July 15, 2014
I was very excited to take part in the tour for "Fae- The Wild Hunt" by Graham Austin King. Anyone who reads my blog knows I'm an avid lover if faery tales. I'm NOT talking about the Disney versions that make you think of the pixie Tinkerbell & pixie dust. There is nothing nice about a Fae regardless of wether they are part of the light or dark court. True faery tales are scary, violent, full of inhumane manipulative , arrogant creatures.
WARNING! DANGEROUS! Stamped all over them since the beginning of tales being told around Irish and Scottish fires.. The only thing pleasant about these tales is the fragrant heather or peat put atop the fire emitting a fragrance that with the outdoors backdrop gave a community a reason to gather & keep their numbers aware and safe if all things that creep into the forest.
Fae - the Wild Hunt followed along right in the footsteps of many grand bards telling a tale through multiple points of view .first you meet Devin @ just a wee ten years of age. Living in an abusive environment with an alcoholic father who beats his mother and eventually Devin himself. When Devin's Da takes the abuse farther than Devin's Mother will tolerate any longer she protects herself & Devin & runs to a childhood friends inn to stay for the night and prepare to flee town.
The adventure takes off right from those first couple chapters. When Devin's "adventure" to go find his estranged grandparents in a neighboring town go violently astray. Mother is injured, cured, and than taken by a amber eyed creature in the woods as payment for aid and Devin is left at the base of a tree.
When a farmer who lost his own son comes across Devin he takes him home to his wife Hannah. Devin has no clue where to go so he stays with Hannah and her Husband .
The story goes on over a period of years. Many characters are introduced . The book is action packed when the Fae decide they've been banned from our realm to long & plan to fight to walk amongst humans again .
This is the point where we're introduced to Klöss. He's an Oarsman & being trained as a soldier to fight against the Droo's. With several castes of Fae the battle with this one is going to be violent.
As a lover of fantasy books that paint a vivid image if it's characters . Realistically show that no side is 100% good or bad. I found myself drawn into this book and turning pages as time flew by. Though I dread a cliff-hanger when I've come to think of the characters as friends this book does leave you dangling quite precariously !
I would absolutely recommend this book to a wide variety if readers. It's enjoyable for both woman and men alike. There's adventure, suspense, violence, bits of romance all wound up in a fantastical world that is described to a point that's vivid .
Mousehead & Tales gives this book an excited 4 stars and will absolutely be keeping my eye out for more stories by Grahm Austin- King!
WARNING! DANGEROUS! Stamped all over them since the beginning of tales being told around Irish and Scottish fires.. The only thing pleasant about these tales is the fragrant heather or peat put atop the fire emitting a fragrance that with the outdoors backdrop gave a community a reason to gather & keep their numbers aware and safe if all things that creep into the forest.
Fae - the Wild Hunt followed along right in the footsteps of many grand bards telling a tale through multiple points of view .first you meet Devin @ just a wee ten years of age. Living in an abusive environment with an alcoholic father who beats his mother and eventually Devin himself. When Devin's Da takes the abuse farther than Devin's Mother will tolerate any longer she protects herself & Devin & runs to a childhood friends inn to stay for the night and prepare to flee town.
The adventure takes off right from those first couple chapters. When Devin's "adventure" to go find his estranged grandparents in a neighboring town go violently astray. Mother is injured, cured, and than taken by a amber eyed creature in the woods as payment for aid and Devin is left at the base of a tree.
When a farmer who lost his own son comes across Devin he takes him home to his wife Hannah. Devin has no clue where to go so he stays with Hannah and her Husband .
The story goes on over a period of years. Many characters are introduced . The book is action packed when the Fae decide they've been banned from our realm to long & plan to fight to walk amongst humans again .
This is the point where we're introduced to Klöss. He's an Oarsman & being trained as a soldier to fight against the Droo's. With several castes of Fae the battle with this one is going to be violent.
As a lover of fantasy books that paint a vivid image if it's characters . Realistically show that no side is 100% good or bad. I found myself drawn into this book and turning pages as time flew by. Though I dread a cliff-hanger when I've come to think of the characters as friends this book does leave you dangling quite precariously !
I would absolutely recommend this book to a wide variety if readers. It's enjoyable for both woman and men alike. There's adventure, suspense, violence, bits of romance all wound up in a fantastical world that is described to a point that's vivid .
Mousehead & Tales gives this book an excited 4 stars and will absolutely be keeping my eye out for more stories by Grahm Austin- King!
February 17, 2021
I am very glad I ordered the second already! Each day less of waiting is a blessing...
I absolutely loved this book. The writing is very fluent und sucked me into the story within a few pages... I bought it, and just wanted to take a peek into the book - but ended up reading 1 quarter in one go. I simply couldn't put it down anymore! So instead I paused everything else I was currently reading, and devoured this in a matter of 2,5 days.
I must say, I bought it on recommendation, without looking at the blurb or reviews, and was nicely surprised how many different types of story meet in here.
There's a small boy and his mother who run away from a violent father.
There's a big part playing in a viking-ish culture.
There's a small village of peasants and farmers.
There's a Duke and Duchess and their impact on the story.
And of course - there are the Fae...
Though we didn't get to see nearly as much of those as one would think by the cover and title of the book - YET. I'm sure they will play one hell of a role in book two.
As said, I really loved the writing style, the characters were well developed and believable, the plot really interesting, the different story lines weaved together perfectly throughout the story and the world expanded to show always a bit more.
I really don't know whom to root for in this story. I like all the main characters, and I think this will be a real torture later on!
Once again, no one is save... And what a cliffhanger!
I can't wait to lay my hands on book two!
I absolutely loved this book. The writing is very fluent und sucked me into the story within a few pages... I bought it, and just wanted to take a peek into the book - but ended up reading 1 quarter in one go. I simply couldn't put it down anymore! So instead I paused everything else I was currently reading, and devoured this in a matter of 2,5 days.
I must say, I bought it on recommendation, without looking at the blurb or reviews, and was nicely surprised how many different types of story meet in here.
There's a small boy and his mother who run away from a violent father.
There's a big part playing in a viking-ish culture.
There's a small village of peasants and farmers.
There's a Duke and Duchess and their impact on the story.
And of course - there are the Fae...
Though we didn't get to see nearly as much of those as one would think by the cover and title of the book - YET. I'm sure they will play one hell of a role in book two.
As said, I really loved the writing style, the characters were well developed and believable, the plot really interesting, the different story lines weaved together perfectly throughout the story and the world expanded to show always a bit more.
I really don't know whom to root for in this story. I like all the main characters, and I think this will be a real torture later on!
Once again, no one is save... And what a cliffhanger!
I can't wait to lay my hands on book two!
June 14, 2017
So, I finished this book last night and wasn't sure what to say about it, other than I loved it!
Started reading it without knowing exactly what it was about, other than it had faeries in it. I admit I was expecting the book to be a little "softer", but the fae, even though they weren't that present in this first installment, turned out to be pretty nasty things.
Very basic thoughts on why I loved this book so much:
- the setting was very beautiful, specially the sceens in the forests;
- the prose was well written and easy to follow;
- there were many different plots and stories going on at the same time about different issues, such as religion, politics, strategy, war, and the fae themselves - in the end it seems that everything will turn out to be connected;
- in a weird way, this story reminds me a lot of The Demon Cycle... the problem with the refugees, the way that the fae appeared in the world and how affraid people were of them. In certain excerpts it felt like I was reading The Demon Cycle again; and since that is one of my all time favourite series, that's hardly a problem! :)
The only thing that bugged me a little in this book was the "poor" quality of the editing. There were some ponctuation problems that were really unnecessary.
So, basically, I can't wait to binge read the rest of the books in this series.
Started reading it without knowing exactly what it was about, other than it had faeries in it. I admit I was expecting the book to be a little "softer", but the fae, even though they weren't that present in this first installment, turned out to be pretty nasty things.
Very basic thoughts on why I loved this book so much:
- the setting was very beautiful, specially the sceens in the forests;
- the prose was well written and easy to follow;
- there were many different plots and stories going on at the same time about different issues, such as religion, politics, strategy, war, and the fae themselves - in the end it seems that everything will turn out to be connected;
- in a weird way, this story reminds me a lot of The Demon Cycle... the problem with the refugees, the way that the fae appeared in the world and how affraid people were of them. In certain excerpts it felt like I was reading The Demon Cycle again; and since that is one of my all time favourite series, that's hardly a problem! :)
The only thing that bugged me a little in this book was the "poor" quality of the editing. There were some ponctuation problems that were really unnecessary.
So, basically, I can't wait to binge read the rest of the books in this series.
June 4, 2016
3.5 stars. A new medieval fantasy world, with powerful fairies lurking in the dark, but not really present in this book. It's a good introduction to a series, with a lot of world building, which won't appeal to everyone.
In this world, there are two different populations: one is the usual medieval kind (farmers, some aristocrats, priests...), the other has built its foundations with fishers and fighters. Somewhere else, but not enough far, there is a fairy world, which is definitely not the friendly kind. The story follows two characters from each of the human populations, from their youth to the first years of their men's lives. A war is coming, between the two countries, but at the same time, the door to the fairy world is opening.
I find very difficult to review/rate this book as I've mixed feelings. The writing was quite good and well balanced, so no bad surprise here. The world building was interesting, even if it wasn't really unusual, except the fae part. However, I'd problems with several things: the jumps in time without warnings, it was difficult to follow when suddenly the characters were 5 years older; the lack of personality for the characters, if I put down the book for several days, I'd difficulties to remember who was who (they were probably not different enough for me, apart from their jobs or physical features); the huge lack of faes, I bought the book for the war against them, they were approximately showed in (only) 15% of the book. The sample was appealing with enough character depth and the mystery, but after this, the story was slow moving and less interesting, until the last 10%. Overall, a good book, but I prefer more balanced pacing and stories really driven by characters or action (for me, there was neither one nor the other).
In this world, there are two different populations: one is the usual medieval kind (farmers, some aristocrats, priests...), the other has built its foundations with fishers and fighters. Somewhere else, but not enough far, there is a fairy world, which is definitely not the friendly kind. The story follows two characters from each of the human populations, from their youth to the first years of their men's lives. A war is coming, between the two countries, but at the same time, the door to the fairy world is opening.
I find very difficult to review/rate this book as I've mixed feelings. The writing was quite good and well balanced, so no bad surprise here. The world building was interesting, even if it wasn't really unusual, except the fae part. However, I'd problems with several things: the jumps in time without warnings, it was difficult to follow when suddenly the characters were 5 years older; the lack of personality for the characters, if I put down the book for several days, I'd difficulties to remember who was who (they were probably not different enough for me, apart from their jobs or physical features); the huge lack of faes, I bought the book for the war against them, they were approximately showed in (only) 15% of the book. The sample was appealing with enough character depth and the mystery, but after this, the story was slow moving and less interesting, until the last 10%. Overall, a good book, but I prefer more balanced pacing and stories really driven by characters or action (for me, there was neither one nor the other).
June 27, 2016
I was initially very excited to get the chance to read a book by one of /r/fantasy 's regulars, but the more I read, the more I thought this book REALLY needed better editing and revision before it was released.
It starts off with the first few chapters being redundant repetitions of why the mother and son left town due to an abusive husband. First the reader gets to see the husband be terrible first-hand. Then the reader has to sit through the mother telling a friend all about it despite the reader having just read it for themselves. Then we get another short re-cap when the mother talks to a caravan guard. I have never seen that kind of redundancy in any well-revised novel. The book should have started with them on their way to the other city, talking with the caravan guard to fill in the reader. But that was only the first of the issues I had.
The whole thing reads like a young adult book with infrequent burst of intense violence to maybe not make it feel so YA? I'm not sure. If it was either YA -or- an adult novel, it would have been fine, but the weird juxtaposition threw me off. I couldn't settle into a subgenre.
Then we have the stilted dialogue and odd jumps in narration. I never felt like there was any real connection between any of the characters - not even between Devin and any of his parents. So when crap started hitting the fan towards the end of the novel, it all fell flat because I didn't believe the grief that was being experienced by the characters.
Then we have the poorly woven-in mentions of all of the scary stories to frighten children that were all obviously true and start coming true almost immediately after the stories start to be told. It felt ham-handed.
All of that said, I enjoyed the way the fae acted. They had better dialogue and motivations than the actual main characters. They were also bad-ass fighters and not the stereotypical fighter-class Bjornmen.
Overall, I felt that while it's always awesome that someone has the motivation and willpower to write their own series and to go through the tough work of getting it published(I'm viscerally aware that I'm not published and it's ballsy to critique things I read so toughly), not all of these people should publish so quickly. Fae - The Wild Hunt needed a hard-nosed reviser and editor, but didn't get it and the novel suffered as a result. I don't think I will be able to bring myself to finish the series.
It starts off with the first few chapters being redundant repetitions of why the mother and son left town due to an abusive husband. First the reader gets to see the husband be terrible first-hand. Then the reader has to sit through the mother telling a friend all about it despite the reader having just read it for themselves. Then we get another short re-cap when the mother talks to a caravan guard. I have never seen that kind of redundancy in any well-revised novel. The book should have started with them on their way to the other city, talking with the caravan guard to fill in the reader. But that was only the first of the issues I had.
The whole thing reads like a young adult book with infrequent burst of intense violence to maybe not make it feel so YA? I'm not sure. If it was either YA -or- an adult novel, it would have been fine, but the weird juxtaposition threw me off. I couldn't settle into a subgenre.
Then we have the stilted dialogue and odd jumps in narration. I never felt like there was any real connection between any of the characters - not even between Devin and any of his parents. So when crap started hitting the fan towards the end of the novel, it all fell flat because I didn't believe the grief that was being experienced by the characters.
Then we have the poorly woven-in mentions of all of the scary stories to frighten children that were all obviously true and start coming true almost immediately after the stories start to be told. It felt ham-handed.
All of that said, I enjoyed the way the fae acted. They had better dialogue and motivations than the actual main characters. They were also bad-ass fighters and not the stereotypical fighter-class Bjornmen.
Overall, I felt that while it's always awesome that someone has the motivation and willpower to write their own series and to go through the tough work of getting it published(I'm viscerally aware that I'm not published and it's ballsy to critique things I read so toughly), not all of these people should publish so quickly. Fae - The Wild Hunt needed a hard-nosed reviser and editor, but didn't get it and the novel suffered as a result. I don't think I will be able to bring myself to finish the series.
August 21, 2015
NO SPOILERS: Fae - The Wild Hunt is a solid -- no, more than solid -- offering for your fantasy reading taste buds. It starts out interestingly enough (sometimes a little disturbingly) with a survival-type scenario but then evolves into some fairly standard fantasy fare interspersed with interactions with the fae which, at times, is truly horrifying.
The characters are interesting in that they are simple folk confronted with an ancient and complex evil, and so they must adjust to this threat or perish. I found the characters well-written although it's hard to determine exactly who should be carrying the day ... it seems many POVs bear the brunt of the action, and that's not a bad thing at all.
King's writing style is efficient and (I found) fairly descriptive -- I would consider it around average reading difficulty for the most part, but the concepts and story arc are focused to a fine edge.
Very good reading. Highly recommended. I will be continuing with the series.
The characters are interesting in that they are simple folk confronted with an ancient and complex evil, and so they must adjust to this threat or perish. I found the characters well-written although it's hard to determine exactly who should be carrying the day ... it seems many POVs bear the brunt of the action, and that's not a bad thing at all.
King's writing style is efficient and (I found) fairly descriptive -- I would consider it around average reading difficulty for the most part, but the concepts and story arc are focused to a fine edge.
Very good reading. Highly recommended. I will be continuing with the series.
February 7, 2016
This book broke my 'bookfast' and I am glad it did.
There is a lot of description world building, always with the sense that it is leading somewhere. Foreshadowing is used well and, like all good books, the beginning sets up a satisfying end. The fact that there are two more in the series is good news!
There is a lot of description world building, always with the sense that it is leading somewhere. Foreshadowing is used well and, like all good books, the beginning sets up a satisfying end. The fact that there are two more in the series is good news!
January 7, 2017
Absolutely loved this series.
Well written, fast paced, a delight.
I enjoyed the characters and read all three books back to back...
dinner got burnt, lunch got burnt, heck even breakfast was looking dodgy.
Read it. Now.....
Well written, fast paced, a delight.
I enjoyed the characters and read all three books back to back...
dinner got burnt, lunch got burnt, heck even breakfast was looking dodgy.
Read it. Now.....
August 2, 2019
A good solid start to the series. I'm sure it will only get better (in fact I know it does because I've read the rest of the books).
It's a wonderful twist on all the old mythologies that I read as a child, so it really resounded. The pace is good, the characters interesting. None are too good, or too bad, they're just normal people - some with extra abilities - trying to survive in a seriously deteriorating world. All believe in the right of what they do, which is often the way of it, right?
It's a wonderful twist on all the old mythologies that I read as a child, so it really resounded. The pace is good, the characters interesting. None are too good, or too bad, they're just normal people - some with extra abilities - trying to survive in a seriously deteriorating world. All believe in the right of what they do, which is often the way of it, right?
December 29, 2016
(Audiobook review!)
I love me a fairy tale, whether the Fae therein are portrayed as good or bad (as they seem to be often interchangeable in the various mythos in which they appear). The Fae in this one are pretty obviously the bad Fae, and I'm down with it. Dark, scary Fae are okay.
It took me a little while to truly get into. The story didn't really latch on to my attention until about 1/4 of the way in or so. Once we got a bit settled down with Kloss, I was completely immersed. The shifting POV between Selena, Kloss, and Devin gave a nice view of the whole story from multiple angles. I really liked Selena's 'I'M THE BOSS' attitude. I'm excited to see how she deals with the situation that is arising. I'm also excited to see if everyone puts their differences aside, so to speak, to deal with what has become an entirely larger problem than Vikings vs the locals, in the end.
The narrator of this book was amazing. Accents on point (though, I might have made the Bjornmen ah... Scandinavianer, which is a word I just made... but I'll roll with this). Stress in the right places. Out-of-breathiness when it fit. He told this story very well, and I do really hope that we get audio versions of books 2 and 3 of this trilogy with this same narrator. My fingers are crossed.
Really well done!
I love me a fairy tale, whether the Fae therein are portrayed as good or bad (as they seem to be often interchangeable in the various mythos in which they appear). The Fae in this one are pretty obviously the bad Fae, and I'm down with it. Dark, scary Fae are okay.
It took me a little while to truly get into. The story didn't really latch on to my attention until about 1/4 of the way in or so. Once we got a bit settled down with Kloss, I was completely immersed. The shifting POV between Selena, Kloss, and Devin gave a nice view of the whole story from multiple angles. I really liked Selena's 'I'M THE BOSS' attitude. I'm excited to see how she deals with the situation that is arising. I'm also excited to see if everyone puts their differences aside, so to speak, to deal with what has become an entirely larger problem than Vikings vs the locals, in the end.
The narrator of this book was amazing. Accents on point (though, I might have made the Bjornmen ah... Scandinavianer, which is a word I just made... but I'll roll with this). Stress in the right places. Out-of-breathiness when it fit. He told this story very well, and I do really hope that we get audio versions of books 2 and 3 of this trilogy with this same narrator. My fingers are crossed.
Really well done!
January 19, 2017
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Judging by the title alone, it didn't sound like something that would appeal to me. I was very wrong.
The pacing might feel slow to some readers as much of the book is spent developing the characters and plot, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This isn't a story about some lone hero sent to ward off evil. Instead, it focuses on simple folk and their simple lives. When the complex and mystical enemy finally arrives, peasants and farmers and soldiers alike must unite to preserve their livelihood.
As far as characters are concerned, they were well-written and flushed out. I enjoyed most all POVs and the author did a wonderful job balancing their showtime for the flow of the story. He also did excellent work in the description department as the reader was never left wondering about the surrounding environment or the events taking place. There were a few typos here and there, but that's expected from an "indie" author and small-time press. It was nothing breaking.
Overall, this is a highly fun and entertaining novel. The pace might feel a bit leisurely to some, but I enjoyed it from the very beginning up to the slowly building whirlwind of an end. There's a steady progression of events, and based off the finale I'd absolutely like to continue with the series to see where it leads.
The pacing might feel slow to some readers as much of the book is spent developing the characters and plot, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This isn't a story about some lone hero sent to ward off evil. Instead, it focuses on simple folk and their simple lives. When the complex and mystical enemy finally arrives, peasants and farmers and soldiers alike must unite to preserve their livelihood.
As far as characters are concerned, they were well-written and flushed out. I enjoyed most all POVs and the author did a wonderful job balancing their showtime for the flow of the story. He also did excellent work in the description department as the reader was never left wondering about the surrounding environment or the events taking place. There were a few typos here and there, but that's expected from an "indie" author and small-time press. It was nothing breaking.
Overall, this is a highly fun and entertaining novel. The pace might feel a bit leisurely to some, but I enjoyed it from the very beginning up to the slowly building whirlwind of an end. There's a steady progression of events, and based off the finale I'd absolutely like to continue with the series to see where it leads.
June 15, 2016
I have seriously enjoyed reading this and thanks Julia and Marielle for the recommendation. This is an excellent novel and I will be getting the next two books on to my TBR as soon as possible
May 13, 2016
Graham Austin-King, having checked out my website, was kind enough to send me a sample of his work in order to review. Reading the first book, I promptly purchased the first book I'd already read and then purchased the remaining two volumes of the series at full cost. It was me voting with my dollars, so to speak.
Fae: The Wild Hunt is an interesting book and is somewhat difficult to classify. I'm inclined to say it's a Young Adult Fantasy but it's a good deal more grounded, moody, and strange than the majority of works which would fall underneath those categories. I think it's probably best described as Dark Fantasy as a result with it reminding me a good deal of Changeling: The Lost. That role-playing game being about those kidnapped by the fae, tortured by them, and then dealing with the aftermath thereof.
The book is divided into three story arcs. The first follows Devin, a young boy who escapes his abusive father with his mother only to be orphaned in a chance encounter with the fae. The second follows Kloss, a would-be Reaver who wants to prove his metal as a warrior. The third beat deals with Selena, the intelligent wife of a completely incapable Duke forced to deal with a looming crisis.
Graham Austin-King has a gift for making evocative archetypes so you really feel you're living in Devin's village and experiencing plausible, if not realistic, life in the Middle Ages. The little bit of realism like domestic squabbles, unrequited love, and other business grounds the story better than many stories. Here, the plucky young hero doesn't win the girl over the rich jerk because that's just not how life works sometimes and the story is all the better for it.
The politics in the book are surprisingly clear and precise yet intelligent as well as realistic. There's the Continent full of rich farmland but poor in warriors while the pseudo-Vikings have poor land but plenty of warriors. What this means is obvious to any historian as we see a full-scale invasion which has the potential to destroy the region, or at least depopulate it of anyone but Bjornmen. The locals are capable of putting up a much bigger fight than they first appear, though, which is good since too often it seems like these invasions just roll over everyone who resists.
I think the book could have benefited from a little story-tightening with keeping the perspectives always from Devin, Kloss, and Selena or even less but I never stopped enjoying the stories. I also think the tale made Kloss a bit unsympathetic as it's hard for me to care about his story when he's butchering and murdering innocent farmers as part of his journey to becoming a "real man." I doubt it will happen but I hope he gets slaughtered by the fae or some of the farmers he's trying to kill during the next couple of books.
The Fae, themselves, don't appear until much later in the book and I tend to view them in the same manner as I do the Others in A Song of Ice and Fire. They're interesting monsters, true, but I prefer the conflict among the humans. I could easily have seen this as a story purely about the invasion of the Bjornmen. Despite this, I like the depiction of the Fae who are treated as mysterious, alien, and cruel.
It's difficult to say who I enjoyed the most of the main characters. Devin is fun but I didn't much care for his entitled attitude toward his love interest. She's moved on, Devin, let it go. Kloss is a very cool protagonist but loses all sympathy once he becomes a murderous brigand. Selena has a very interesting story but it just doesn't have enough appearances in the books to talk at length about. Despite this, I loved them all and can't say which story should have elements removed to let another shine. The characters' flaws make them interesting and even when I'm wishing them ill, I'm appreciating they're not shining paragons of justice and wisdom.
In conclusion, this seems like an excellent series and I'm eager to read the rest of the books. While lacking in the sex, violence, and profanity so common to grimdark works--I think a lot of fans of the genre would enjoy this.
10/10
Fae: The Wild Hunt is an interesting book and is somewhat difficult to classify. I'm inclined to say it's a Young Adult Fantasy but it's a good deal more grounded, moody, and strange than the majority of works which would fall underneath those categories. I think it's probably best described as Dark Fantasy as a result with it reminding me a good deal of Changeling: The Lost. That role-playing game being about those kidnapped by the fae, tortured by them, and then dealing with the aftermath thereof.
The book is divided into three story arcs. The first follows Devin, a young boy who escapes his abusive father with his mother only to be orphaned in a chance encounter with the fae. The second follows Kloss, a would-be Reaver who wants to prove his metal as a warrior. The third beat deals with Selena, the intelligent wife of a completely incapable Duke forced to deal with a looming crisis.
Graham Austin-King has a gift for making evocative archetypes so you really feel you're living in Devin's village and experiencing plausible, if not realistic, life in the Middle Ages. The little bit of realism like domestic squabbles, unrequited love, and other business grounds the story better than many stories. Here, the plucky young hero doesn't win the girl over the rich jerk because that's just not how life works sometimes and the story is all the better for it.
The politics in the book are surprisingly clear and precise yet intelligent as well as realistic. There's the Continent full of rich farmland but poor in warriors while the pseudo-Vikings have poor land but plenty of warriors. What this means is obvious to any historian as we see a full-scale invasion which has the potential to destroy the region, or at least depopulate it of anyone but Bjornmen. The locals are capable of putting up a much bigger fight than they first appear, though, which is good since too often it seems like these invasions just roll over everyone who resists.
I think the book could have benefited from a little story-tightening with keeping the perspectives always from Devin, Kloss, and Selena or even less but I never stopped enjoying the stories. I also think the tale made Kloss a bit unsympathetic as it's hard for me to care about his story when he's butchering and murdering innocent farmers as part of his journey to becoming a "real man." I doubt it will happen but I hope he gets slaughtered by the fae or some of the farmers he's trying to kill during the next couple of books.
The Fae, themselves, don't appear until much later in the book and I tend to view them in the same manner as I do the Others in A Song of Ice and Fire. They're interesting monsters, true, but I prefer the conflict among the humans. I could easily have seen this as a story purely about the invasion of the Bjornmen. Despite this, I like the depiction of the Fae who are treated as mysterious, alien, and cruel.
It's difficult to say who I enjoyed the most of the main characters. Devin is fun but I didn't much care for his entitled attitude toward his love interest. She's moved on, Devin, let it go. Kloss is a very cool protagonist but loses all sympathy once he becomes a murderous brigand. Selena has a very interesting story but it just doesn't have enough appearances in the books to talk at length about. Despite this, I loved them all and can't say which story should have elements removed to let another shine. The characters' flaws make them interesting and even when I'm wishing them ill, I'm appreciating they're not shining paragons of justice and wisdom.
In conclusion, this seems like an excellent series and I'm eager to read the rest of the books. While lacking in the sex, violence, and profanity so common to grimdark works--I think a lot of fans of the genre would enjoy this.
10/10
November 26, 2020
This review was originally posted on RockStarlit BookAsylum!
Actual rating: 3.5*
I have to admit, I’m really on the fence about Fae: The Wild Hunt. It’s been ages since I’ve read the blurb of it, so I went into the book pretty blindly. I didn’t know what to expect. But I also had certain expectations as I’ve read some of Austin-King‘s later books and loved them. I don’t know if it was the audiobook, the fact that I probably wasn’t in the right frame of mind, or that it’s quite different from his other books, but found myself not to enjoy it as much as I hoped to. Whatever the reason, I really can’t put my finger on it and I’m overall annoyed by this situation in general.
Fae: The Wild Hunt starts out pretty interestingly. Devin and his mom have to get on the road to get away from Devin’s abusive and violent alcoholic dad. But their caravan gets attacked and they are forced to hide in the forest, where strange things are lurking in the shadows. Devin’s introducing chapter sets the atmosphere quite nicely. You have this sense of foreboding right from the beginning. And you don’t have to wait too long for it to pay off.
The story is told from four POVs: Devin, Klöss (sorry if I misspell his name, that’s the downside of listening to the audiobook), Selena a duchess and a mysterious old man. The different plotlines come together slowly, and generally the whole book feels like a slow build up to the later books in the series. Kloss and Devin’s plotlines get about the same amount of time and we get a look into their lives and different backgrounds and lifestyles. The old man and Selena has supporting POVs to show us what is going on in the wilder world outside of Devin and Klöss’ quite narrow world. While Devin is confined to the village and the forest around it, and caught up in the affairs of its people, Klöss, against his father’s wishes joins the reavers and becomes an oarsman. He belongs to the people whom the islanders call Bjornmen. It’s quite intriguing to see the brewing conflict from the POV of both sides.
I might be wrong, but I had the feel that this story was partly inspired by the Vikings invading Britain, even if that explicitly wasn’t said out. Another interesting aspect was the clash of the new religion (New Days, which has the characteristics of Christianity) and the old religion which faded into superstitions and only a very few people still believes in the Fae, who are getting ever stronger and waiting in the shadows for the right time to claim their glory. And they are far from the joyful, friendly creatures you might know from the Disney movies.
I think I was hoping for something more folketale-y in regard to the setting and overall feel. While I admire Austin-King‘s worldbuilding and the way he waves the life of his characters together, Fae: The Wild Hunt lacked the charm to sway me off my feet. I really couldn’t get invested in any of the characters and eventually that affected my enjoyment. But if you are into some dark atmospheric epic fantasy which doesn’t shy away from some bloodletting, then you definitely should give Fae: The Wild Hunt a try.
Actual rating: 3.5*
I have to admit, I’m really on the fence about Fae: The Wild Hunt. It’s been ages since I’ve read the blurb of it, so I went into the book pretty blindly. I didn’t know what to expect. But I also had certain expectations as I’ve read some of Austin-King‘s later books and loved them. I don’t know if it was the audiobook, the fact that I probably wasn’t in the right frame of mind, or that it’s quite different from his other books, but found myself not to enjoy it as much as I hoped to. Whatever the reason, I really can’t put my finger on it and I’m overall annoyed by this situation in general.
Fae: The Wild Hunt starts out pretty interestingly. Devin and his mom have to get on the road to get away from Devin’s abusive and violent alcoholic dad. But their caravan gets attacked and they are forced to hide in the forest, where strange things are lurking in the shadows. Devin’s introducing chapter sets the atmosphere quite nicely. You have this sense of foreboding right from the beginning. And you don’t have to wait too long for it to pay off.
The story is told from four POVs: Devin, Klöss (sorry if I misspell his name, that’s the downside of listening to the audiobook), Selena a duchess and a mysterious old man. The different plotlines come together slowly, and generally the whole book feels like a slow build up to the later books in the series. Kloss and Devin’s plotlines get about the same amount of time and we get a look into their lives and different backgrounds and lifestyles. The old man and Selena has supporting POVs to show us what is going on in the wilder world outside of Devin and Klöss’ quite narrow world. While Devin is confined to the village and the forest around it, and caught up in the affairs of its people, Klöss, against his father’s wishes joins the reavers and becomes an oarsman. He belongs to the people whom the islanders call Bjornmen. It’s quite intriguing to see the brewing conflict from the POV of both sides.
I might be wrong, but I had the feel that this story was partly inspired by the Vikings invading Britain, even if that explicitly wasn’t said out. Another interesting aspect was the clash of the new religion (New Days, which has the characteristics of Christianity) and the old religion which faded into superstitions and only a very few people still believes in the Fae, who are getting ever stronger and waiting in the shadows for the right time to claim their glory. And they are far from the joyful, friendly creatures you might know from the Disney movies.
I think I was hoping for something more folketale-y in regard to the setting and overall feel. While I admire Austin-King‘s worldbuilding and the way he waves the life of his characters together, Fae: The Wild Hunt lacked the charm to sway me off my feet. I really couldn’t get invested in any of the characters and eventually that affected my enjoyment. But if you are into some dark atmospheric epic fantasy which doesn’t shy away from some bloodletting, then you definitely should give Fae: The Wild Hunt a try.
March 13, 2014
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
This is a fantastic fantasy! I loved it!
I normally do a character breakdown in the reviews I write, but there are quite a few characters in this book to do one for all of them, so I will focus on the two main characters.
Devin is a young boy when we first meet him. He is only 10 years old, but he has a good head on his shoulders. He is bright and inquisitive. I liked him very much.
Klöss is 14 years old when we first meet him, and he is training to be an Oarsman (a kind of soldier). He is a determined young man. I liked this character very much.
I love fantasy novels, so when I was offered the chance to read this book, I grabbed it! I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to read this book, as I had only previously read a children's book written by this author. However, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted with the story. This book is mainly told from Devin's and Klöss's points of view, but as I said previously, there are also a lot of characters that have their say too. The story felt like two separate stories at first, and I was a bit unsure as to how it would all mesh together. However, as I got further into the story, the threads began to knit together and converge into one. I actually found myself completely hooked by the story and, as I was reading about one character, I was wondering what the other ones were up to. The book covers several years, so we get to see the characters grow up into wonderful men; Devin helping out on the farm and Klöss is an Oarsman and warrior. The story has a Viking vibe going on; there are sword fights, battles and raids. The fight scenes were quite gruesome in places, and the action was intense and exciting. I could picture them very easily, and I felt like I was actually there in the midst of them. Meanwhile, there is trouble brewing and the Fae, who have been kept at bay by a magical ward called the Wyrde, are starting to break through. These Fae are not exactly the nice and fluffy kind! They are vicious killers, who love to hunt humans.
The story ends on one heck of a cliffhanger and, although I normally get frustrated by these kinds of endings, I am looking forward to find out what happens next!
Graham Austin-King has written an exciting fantasy novel that kept me turning the pages! I really enjoyed the story, but felt some of the scenes ended a bit too abruptly for my liking. However, the story flowed wonderfully and was fast paced when it needed to be. The characters came alive on the page, and I could imagine the scenes in my mind like a movie.
Warning: This is NOT a children's fairy tale! I do not recommend this book to young children or those of a nervous disposition, as there are scenes of violence and abuse that could be very disturbing to some readers. However, I highly recommend this book to older teens and adults alike if you love dark fantasy novels. - Lynn Worton
This is a fantastic fantasy! I loved it!
I normally do a character breakdown in the reviews I write, but there are quite a few characters in this book to do one for all of them, so I will focus on the two main characters.
Devin is a young boy when we first meet him. He is only 10 years old, but he has a good head on his shoulders. He is bright and inquisitive. I liked him very much.
Klöss is 14 years old when we first meet him, and he is training to be an Oarsman (a kind of soldier). He is a determined young man. I liked this character very much.
I love fantasy novels, so when I was offered the chance to read this book, I grabbed it! I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to read this book, as I had only previously read a children's book written by this author. However, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted with the story. This book is mainly told from Devin's and Klöss's points of view, but as I said previously, there are also a lot of characters that have their say too. The story felt like two separate stories at first, and I was a bit unsure as to how it would all mesh together. However, as I got further into the story, the threads began to knit together and converge into one. I actually found myself completely hooked by the story and, as I was reading about one character, I was wondering what the other ones were up to. The book covers several years, so we get to see the characters grow up into wonderful men; Devin helping out on the farm and Klöss is an Oarsman and warrior. The story has a Viking vibe going on; there are sword fights, battles and raids. The fight scenes were quite gruesome in places, and the action was intense and exciting. I could picture them very easily, and I felt like I was actually there in the midst of them. Meanwhile, there is trouble brewing and the Fae, who have been kept at bay by a magical ward called the Wyrde, are starting to break through. These Fae are not exactly the nice and fluffy kind! They are vicious killers, who love to hunt humans.
The story ends on one heck of a cliffhanger and, although I normally get frustrated by these kinds of endings, I am looking forward to find out what happens next!
Graham Austin-King has written an exciting fantasy novel that kept me turning the pages! I really enjoyed the story, but felt some of the scenes ended a bit too abruptly for my liking. However, the story flowed wonderfully and was fast paced when it needed to be. The characters came alive on the page, and I could imagine the scenes in my mind like a movie.
Warning: This is NOT a children's fairy tale! I do not recommend this book to young children or those of a nervous disposition, as there are scenes of violence and abuse that could be very disturbing to some readers. However, I highly recommend this book to older teens and adults alike if you love dark fantasy novels. - Lynn Worton
June 16, 2014
So this is another book where I found the story interesting, but it just didn’t hold my attention throughout.
First off, there was way too much description for my taste and it slowed the story down terribly. I started skimming descriptions half way through the book. Not that they were done poorly, they were just too drawn out for me. I’d also say that the writing and proofreading got a tad bit lazy towards the end. There were repetitive words and, sadly, I noticed quite a few quotation errors and incorrect commas. It seemed to get worse the further in I got. Or maybe I just noticed it more.
If I’m being honest, about 70% in I thought about putting it down. I had lost interests, I wasn’t invested in the characters, and I didn’t feel like the story moved at all. But I had a tiny bit of curiosity gnawing away at me so I skimmed until about 85%. I must say the ending was great. Really great. Seriously enjoyed it. I’d been following what I consider to be 3 main story lines and they came together in whirlwind of action in the last part of the book.
Though I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters, Devin was my favorite. I was more curious about his storyline throughout. He faced more adversity than the others. I will say that the story of Kloss dragged for me, though I did like him. I think that’s probably my problem with all the characters. Their stories were slow in evolving and I wasn’t invested in them enough to enjoy a slow moving plot. If I had latched on to any of them, I wouldn’t have minded the slower pace. Matter of fact, I would have loved it.
Overall, I think this was a book meant to submerge you into the lives of the characters, but besides Devin, the others didn’t go through enough hardships for me (personally) to be invested. And while Devin did, I think I just wasn’t in his mind enough to grow attached to him. Or maybe his reactions kept me at a distance.
I was also slightly confused on the timing of everything. At one point, I find out that we’d skipped five years. I’m fine with that, but I’m not sure when the other 2 story lines jumped. I would have liked a break or label to show me.
I’m curious about the second book. I’ll pick it up one day because book 1 left us with a cliffhanger. I mean, a serious one: ending it right at an action scene. So if cliffhangers bother you, you might want to wait until you have the second book in hand.
Overall, I think the ending and Devin saved this book for me. If you do pick it up, be prepared for an interesting, slower evolving plot, a few grammar issues, and a sprinkling of lengthy descriptions (said by a reader who doesn't care much for descriptions). If by chance you connect with one of the characters, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy spending chapters with them. It’s a decent way to pass some time and I don’t regret reading it in the slightest.
First off, there was way too much description for my taste and it slowed the story down terribly. I started skimming descriptions half way through the book. Not that they were done poorly, they were just too drawn out for me. I’d also say that the writing and proofreading got a tad bit lazy towards the end. There were repetitive words and, sadly, I noticed quite a few quotation errors and incorrect commas. It seemed to get worse the further in I got. Or maybe I just noticed it more.
If I’m being honest, about 70% in I thought about putting it down. I had lost interests, I wasn’t invested in the characters, and I didn’t feel like the story moved at all. But I had a tiny bit of curiosity gnawing away at me so I skimmed until about 85%. I must say the ending was great. Really great. Seriously enjoyed it. I’d been following what I consider to be 3 main story lines and they came together in whirlwind of action in the last part of the book.
Though I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters, Devin was my favorite. I was more curious about his storyline throughout. He faced more adversity than the others. I will say that the story of Kloss dragged for me, though I did like him. I think that’s probably my problem with all the characters. Their stories were slow in evolving and I wasn’t invested in them enough to enjoy a slow moving plot. If I had latched on to any of them, I wouldn’t have minded the slower pace. Matter of fact, I would have loved it.
Overall, I think this was a book meant to submerge you into the lives of the characters, but besides Devin, the others didn’t go through enough hardships for me (personally) to be invested. And while Devin did, I think I just wasn’t in his mind enough to grow attached to him. Or maybe his reactions kept me at a distance.
I was also slightly confused on the timing of everything. At one point, I find out that we’d skipped five years. I’m fine with that, but I’m not sure when the other 2 story lines jumped. I would have liked a break or label to show me.
I’m curious about the second book. I’ll pick it up one day because book 1 left us with a cliffhanger. I mean, a serious one: ending it right at an action scene. So if cliffhangers bother you, you might want to wait until you have the second book in hand.
Overall, I think the ending and Devin saved this book for me. If you do pick it up, be prepared for an interesting, slower evolving plot, a few grammar issues, and a sprinkling of lengthy descriptions (said by a reader who doesn't care much for descriptions). If by chance you connect with one of the characters, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy spending chapters with them. It’s a decent way to pass some time and I don’t regret reading it in the slightest.
September 9, 2016
So let me start by saying this is my first review on here. After reading all the positive reviews here and other sites online, I decided to borrow Fae - The Wild Hunt from my online lending library. My disappointment and frustration in this book is what inspired me to write this review.
I can't decide if the book was plot driven or character driven. If it was plot driven, it took too long to get going (all the action is in the last quarter of the book).
If it was character driven, nothing happens to promote any sort of character growth with any of the numerous characters introduced. There were some great opportunities to expand on the characters and to explore how the events in the book effected them and changed them. The book is written in a mainly POV style, but there was a definite lack of deep character development which almost made the POV pointless.
I also found the writing to be derivative - and in many occasions repetitive.
I love the fantasy genre, and I know it can be hard sometimes not to be derivative. But there is no excuse in my book for lazy writing that states the same thing in two different ways a few sentences apart. This happens too often in this book.
The actual story line has potential and that was what intrigued me when I decided to read this book. This would have been a brilliant story if handled by a different author.
I can't decide if the book was plot driven or character driven. If it was plot driven, it took too long to get going (all the action is in the last quarter of the book).
If it was character driven, nothing happens to promote any sort of character growth with any of the numerous characters introduced. There were some great opportunities to expand on the characters and to explore how the events in the book effected them and changed them. The book is written in a mainly POV style, but there was a definite lack of deep character development which almost made the POV pointless.
I also found the writing to be derivative - and in many occasions repetitive.
I love the fantasy genre, and I know it can be hard sometimes not to be derivative. But there is no excuse in my book for lazy writing that states the same thing in two different ways a few sentences apart. This happens too often in this book.
The actual story line has potential and that was what intrigued me when I decided to read this book. This would have been a brilliant story if handled by a different author.
March 17, 2014
This story had quite the unusual story line to it. It's full action, suspense and it kept me addicted from beginning to end. I loved the characters in the story and how amazingly written they were. I highly recommend this story to Paranormal Lovers to enjoy.
I received an e-ARC copy of this book, in return for an honest review.
I received an e-ARC copy of this book, in return for an honest review.
March 13, 2016
Loved loved loved it! I am not sure I would have started it without a recommendation (thank you Julia) because fae doesn't sound as my sort of thing... Turns out it is ver much my thing! I couldn't put it down in the end... Onwards to book two!
June 15, 2016
See my review of the entire saga here:
http://smashdragons.blogspot.com.au/2...
http://smashdragons.blogspot.com.au/2...
September 19, 2016
Unique
Very hard to put down, completely gripping. Easy to read as it switches back and forth between characters. Well worth reading if your a fantasy fan
Very hard to put down, completely gripping. Easy to read as it switches back and forth between characters. Well worth reading if your a fantasy fan
November 14, 2018
This is the second book I've read by Graham Austin-King. I recent read his new book 'Faithless' and liked it enough to read his earlier series that I discovered he wrote, of which this is the first book.
I found the style similar to Faithless, and very much enjoyed the world building, full characters and down to earth reality of them all.
There are no superpowered hero's but rather just people doing what they think is right, but just on different sides.
In the meantime there is the Fae, who are slowly introduced into the story in a way that you gradually see they are the real villain of the peace, not the various factions of humans.
I am going straight onto book two and glad to say I've found a new author I am happy to read anything that he writes.
I found the style similar to Faithless, and very much enjoyed the world building, full characters and down to earth reality of them all.
There are no superpowered hero's but rather just people doing what they think is right, but just on different sides.
In the meantime there is the Fae, who are slowly introduced into the story in a way that you gradually see they are the real villain of the peace, not the various factions of humans.
I am going straight onto book two and glad to say I've found a new author I am happy to read anything that he writes.
February 7, 2019
I found out about this series in the Robin Hobb facebook group and thought I'd give it a try. I was pleasantlu surprised. While the foundation of the story is classic, the slow build-up and character introductions were very nice to read. Fortunately I can continue with #2 right away!
November 29, 2014
When I was at primary school many moons ago, the height of technology was the old record player brought out for assemblies. If it was your birthday that day you got to pick a record to play in celebration. Seeiing as how this was the late 1960s there were only about three records to choose from, education budgets being no more generous then than they are now. The one I remember most was the "Teddy Bear's picnic." There was the slight frisson of the unknown in the opening line "If you go down to the woods today you're in for a big surprise" juxtaposing posed with the imagined friendliness of the teddy bears. Mark Lawrence in his Sleeping Beauty short story takes a sideswipe at a few other fairy tales along the way - including a foolish goldilocks getting her due come-uppance.
Graham Austin-King weaves an effective story around a world where fairie stories commemorate in childish song and play an older colder reality of fear and threat. It is a story well told, which builds in pace and engagement so that I ripped through the last few pages at a rate of knots, suddenly finding myself quite intolerant of the well meaning distraction of family calling me to watch the latest installment of "I'm a celebrity - get me out of here." Ironic really as the threat in the woods near Widdengate is enough to have even the staunchest celebrity calling immediately for the champagne helicopter home.
The disparate characters, converge on the denoument over the course of many pages like tributaries to a stream where it is only near the end that one sees how they feed a single narrative flow. This means at first the book can seem a little jumpy. The opening is like a long prologue as Miriam and her son flee an abusive husband and father. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going this opening sequence breaks off and we almost start again with three main characters, a reluctant ducal bride, a fostered boy and an ambitious sea warrior, all leading different lives in different places attended each by a handful of minor supporting characters. However, having told my own tales through multiple points of view, I was happy to relax and be lead by the author through seemingly unrelated stories confident that he would weave them together in due course, and he did.
In some ways it reminds me of Michael J Sullivan's Ryria Chronicles, there is the same sense of a flowing story with engaging characters, and of a back story to elves and the fae which is not quite Tolkien. However, Austin-King's story is darker than Sullivan's and his style allows (without excessively embracing) the coarse variety of language that one might expect from a variety of coarse people. For example in a frozen sea a crew of young sea-raiders are warned in no uncertain terms of the what they stand to lose should they relieve themselves with anything less than alacrity.
What's too like? well it is an engaging story that leads you along with enough sub-plots and character development to keep the pages turning as the deeper darker plot gradually uncoils in the shadows ready to bind our leading characters in a terrible finale. The author teaches us early on that no character is safe and in the best GRRM tradition, that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat knowing that all characters are mortal.
There is also some lyrical writing and imagery. The bird's eye view of the sea-raiders island fortress was a particularly evocative introduction of a new setting and main character. One could almost imagine the camera of a film adaptation sweeping in over the landscape and landing like the bird itself on the prow of the leading boat in a fifty ship race.
If it has a downside then it maybe just that it ends with something of a cliffhanger, but then that's not a problem for me as I've just got an Advance Reader Copy of book 2 and can plunge straight on. The rest of you will have to wait a week or so!
Graham Austin-King weaves an effective story around a world where fairie stories commemorate in childish song and play an older colder reality of fear and threat. It is a story well told, which builds in pace and engagement so that I ripped through the last few pages at a rate of knots, suddenly finding myself quite intolerant of the well meaning distraction of family calling me to watch the latest installment of "I'm a celebrity - get me out of here." Ironic really as the threat in the woods near Widdengate is enough to have even the staunchest celebrity calling immediately for the champagne helicopter home.
The disparate characters, converge on the denoument over the course of many pages like tributaries to a stream where it is only near the end that one sees how they feed a single narrative flow. This means at first the book can seem a little jumpy. The opening is like a long prologue as Miriam and her son flee an abusive husband and father. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going this opening sequence breaks off and we almost start again with three main characters, a reluctant ducal bride, a fostered boy and an ambitious sea warrior, all leading different lives in different places attended each by a handful of minor supporting characters. However, having told my own tales through multiple points of view, I was happy to relax and be lead by the author through seemingly unrelated stories confident that he would weave them together in due course, and he did.
In some ways it reminds me of Michael J Sullivan's Ryria Chronicles, there is the same sense of a flowing story with engaging characters, and of a back story to elves and the fae which is not quite Tolkien. However, Austin-King's story is darker than Sullivan's and his style allows (without excessively embracing) the coarse variety of language that one might expect from a variety of coarse people. For example in a frozen sea a crew of young sea-raiders are warned in no uncertain terms of the what they stand to lose should they relieve themselves with anything less than alacrity.
What's too like? well it is an engaging story that leads you along with enough sub-plots and character development to keep the pages turning as the deeper darker plot gradually uncoils in the shadows ready to bind our leading characters in a terrible finale. The author teaches us early on that no character is safe and in the best GRRM tradition, that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat knowing that all characters are mortal.
There is also some lyrical writing and imagery. The bird's eye view of the sea-raiders island fortress was a particularly evocative introduction of a new setting and main character. One could almost imagine the camera of a film adaptation sweeping in over the landscape and landing like the bird itself on the prow of the leading boat in a fifty ship race.
If it has a downside then it maybe just that it ends with something of a cliffhanger, but then that's not a problem for me as I've just got an Advance Reader Copy of book 2 and can plunge straight on. The rest of you will have to wait a week or so!
August 29, 2017
Read the full review at my site https://wp.me/p89tYT-iW
Happy endings only happen in faerie tales, Gavin. In life you need to work for any ending you can get. The happy ones always seem to take their price in tears. Yours or those of another, the price must always be paid.
Introduction
‘The Riven Wyrde Saga’, authored by Graham Austin-King, is his first fantasy series. This saga is a trilogy consisting of ‘Fae – The Wild Hunt’, ‘Fae – The Realm of Twilight’ and ‘Fae – The Sins of the Wyrde’.
The premise of this series is, on the surface, straightforward. The fae (elves, fairies etc.) are real but have been locked off in their own dimension for millennia since they enslaved humanity. And now, they are coming back to exact their revenge on the world. At the same time, pseudo-vikings invade pseudo-england . There are many complex issues addressed here – domestic abuse, rape, religion poverty, power to name a few. Each of these issues have their own threads which intertwine with the main story line.
Recommendation
I recommend ‘The Riven Wyrde Saga’ to fantasy readers. This series has good character arcs, brutal action and a unique take on the fae. It does not shy away from addressing complex issues either.
‘The RIven Wyrde Saga’ has an ensemble cast of characters, each of whom is integral to the story line. Nominally, there are a couple of male characters, Kloss and Devin who could fit in the standard fantasy alpha male mold. But Graham Austin-King has taken the series beyond these two characters. There are strong male and female characters, each of whom could lead a series on their own. Most of them have fully developed character arcs too. Graham Austin-King is great at developing characters (see my review of ‘Faithless‘) and this series is no exception.
Read the full review at my site https://wp.me/p89tYT-iW
Happy endings only happen in faerie tales, Gavin. In life you need to work for any ending you can get. The happy ones always seem to take their price in tears. Yours or those of another, the price must always be paid.
Introduction
‘The Riven Wyrde Saga’, authored by Graham Austin-King, is his first fantasy series. This saga is a trilogy consisting of ‘Fae – The Wild Hunt’, ‘Fae – The Realm of Twilight’ and ‘Fae – The Sins of the Wyrde’.
The premise of this series is, on the surface, straightforward. The fae (elves, fairies etc.) are real but have been locked off in their own dimension for millennia since they enslaved humanity. And now, they are coming back to exact their revenge on the world. At the same time, pseudo-vikings invade pseudo-england . There are many complex issues addressed here – domestic abuse, rape, religion poverty, power to name a few. Each of these issues have their own threads which intertwine with the main story line.
Recommendation
I recommend ‘The Riven Wyrde Saga’ to fantasy readers. This series has good character arcs, brutal action and a unique take on the fae. It does not shy away from addressing complex issues either.
‘The RIven Wyrde Saga’ has an ensemble cast of characters, each of whom is integral to the story line. Nominally, there are a couple of male characters, Kloss and Devin who could fit in the standard fantasy alpha male mold. But Graham Austin-King has taken the series beyond these two characters. There are strong male and female characters, each of whom could lead a series on their own. Most of them have fully developed character arcs too. Graham Austin-King is great at developing characters (see my review of ‘Faithless‘) and this series is no exception.
Read the full review at my site https://wp.me/p89tYT-iW
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews