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Darkmouth #1
Darkmouth
The world s unlikeliest hero is also its only hope in this spirited fantasy debut, perfect for fans of "How to Train Your Dragon "and "The Hero s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom."
Welcome to Darkmouth. It s a lovely little town except for the monsters.
For generations, Finn s family has protected Darkmouth from the fierce magical creatures known as Legends. Now the Legends are plotting a major attack, and it s Finn s turn to defend his hometown. So it s too bad he s the worst Legend hunter in history.
"The Legends Begin" is the first book in a new middle grade series full of madcap adventure, mythological creatures, humor, and heart."
Welcome to Darkmouth. It s a lovely little town except for the monsters.
For generations, Finn s family has protected Darkmouth from the fierce magical creatures known as Legends. Now the Legends are plotting a major attack, and it s Finn s turn to defend his hometown. So it s too bad he s the worst Legend hunter in history.
"The Legends Begin" is the first book in a new middle grade series full of madcap adventure, mythological creatures, humor, and heart."
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2015
54 people are currently reading
1104 people want to read
About the author
Shane Hegarty
34 books46 followersAuthor of Darkmouth series (HarperCollins), being adapted for film by Alcon Animation. Also writer of Boot (Hachette), published in May 2019. reader of sci-fi, YA, middle-grade, picture books, fantasy, history, science, comics... everything, really. Likes to dance while writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
November 14, 2019
Imagination Dates Humor
This story begins with an unexpected visitor in Darkmouth (later, I will tell you a micro lil bit about this place) — one of those legendary figures who is a cocktail of bull and man — a Minotaur.
What the heck was he doing in a land of humans?
Shopping?
Killing time for lunch?
Looking for a human girlfriend? (Yuuuuckkkk!... Not me, I hope!... Sorry Mino, but you’re definitely not my type!🤪)
Searching for Godot?
....
All sorts of questions come up, when such a strange visitor drops by without even calling. And ... if there will be answers, they’ll have to be somewhere hidden in this book 😉
Ah!... In case Darkmouth also arose your interest, well... all I can tell you is that it definitely honors its name ... 😉
Imagination dates humor in this one !😊👍
This story begins with an unexpected visitor in Darkmouth (later, I will tell you a micro lil bit about this place) — one of those legendary figures who is a cocktail of bull and man — a Minotaur.
What the heck was he doing in a land of humans?
Shopping?
Killing time for lunch?
Looking for a human girlfriend? (Yuuuuckkkk!... Not me, I hope!... Sorry Mino, but you’re definitely not my type!🤪)
Searching for Godot?
....
All sorts of questions come up, when such a strange visitor drops by without even calling. And ... if there will be answers, they’ll have to be somewhere hidden in this book 😉
Ah!... In case Darkmouth also arose your interest, well... all I can tell you is that it definitely honors its name ... 😉
Imagination dates humor in this one !😊👍
November 14, 2019
A Visita do Minotauro
A história começa com uma visita inesperada:
Em Darkmouth, a Última das Aldeias Flageladas, eis que surge de supetão e sem aviso prévio, um daqueles seres mitológicos que são um misto de touro e homem — um Minotauro!
Qual a razão de tão ilustre visita?
Espírito de aventura?
Acabou com a namorada?
Ataque de tédio?
Anda à procura de Godot?
....
Enfim!... São múltiplas as questões e dúvidas que igualmente de supetão assaltam o leitor incauto, e que só a leitura deste livro poderá satisfazer.
Outra hipótese será uma viagem impetuosa a Darkmouth. Porém, se optarem por essa via, devo adverti-los que a sua localização no mapa está incorreta e quem lá vai começa sempre por dar com o sítio errado. E... pior que tudo... logo que acertam com o local, os visitantes deparam com um cartaz onde figura em letras gigantes a palavra MONSTROS, sendo o S final uma serpente a degustar um infante na sua goela escura (Darkmouth 😝)
Após a leitura desse cartaz, o visitante recém-chegado abdica inevitavelmente do entusiasmo inicial, e inverte apressadamente a marcha...
Porém, em toda a regra há exceção, o que no caso particular, significa que há sempre um ou outro forasteiro mais arrojado, cuja curiosidade supera o medo, e embarca na aventura!...
Será esse o vosso caso, ou à cautela, preferem optar pelo livro? Afinal, por vezes, ler não é mais que uma cómoda viagem sem riscos, não é assim?! 😊😉
A história começa com uma visita inesperada:
Em Darkmouth, a Última das Aldeias Flageladas, eis que surge de supetão e sem aviso prévio, um daqueles seres mitológicos que são um misto de touro e homem — um Minotauro!
Qual a razão de tão ilustre visita?
Espírito de aventura?
Acabou com a namorada?
Ataque de tédio?
Anda à procura de Godot?
....
Enfim!... São múltiplas as questões e dúvidas que igualmente de supetão assaltam o leitor incauto, e que só a leitura deste livro poderá satisfazer.
Outra hipótese será uma viagem impetuosa a Darkmouth. Porém, se optarem por essa via, devo adverti-los que a sua localização no mapa está incorreta e quem lá vai começa sempre por dar com o sítio errado. E... pior que tudo... logo que acertam com o local, os visitantes deparam com um cartaz onde figura em letras gigantes a palavra MONSTROS, sendo o S final uma serpente a degustar um infante na sua goela escura (Darkmouth 😝)
Após a leitura desse cartaz, o visitante recém-chegado abdica inevitavelmente do entusiasmo inicial, e inverte apressadamente a marcha...
Porém, em toda a regra há exceção, o que no caso particular, significa que há sempre um ou outro forasteiro mais arrojado, cuja curiosidade supera o medo, e embarca na aventura!...
Será esse o vosso caso, ou à cautela, preferem optar pelo livro? Afinal, por vezes, ler não é mais que uma cómoda viagem sem riscos, não é assim?! 😊😉
February 26, 2018
Brīnišķīgs piedzīvojums! Lai gan pēc gadiem sen vairs neatbilstu mērķauditorijai, man vienmēr ir patikušas labas piedzīvojumu grāmatas, un šī ir nevis vienkārši laba, bet kapitāli laba - tur ir briesmoņi un mednieki, bailes un drosme, draudzība un nodevība. Un nav tā, ka viss ir tikai melns vai balts, labs vai ļauns. Aizraujoši lielisks stāsts, kurā man galīgi nav, kur piesieties.
"Gods ir svarīgāks par bagātību. Vienmēr. Kaut gan būtu jauki, ja būtu abi..."
Plašāk izrakstījos blogā - https://oysternotes.wordpress.com/201...
"Gods ir svarīgāks par bagātību. Vienmēr. Kaut gan būtu jauki, ja būtu abi..."
Plašāk izrakstījos blogā - https://oysternotes.wordpress.com/201...
February 11, 2015
There's a lot to love here. Darkmouth is funny, fresh, and exciting.
Finn is the only son of legendary legend hunter Hugo, who is, by the way, hilarious. Together, father and son are tasked with defending the last Blighted Village on earth from ugly, malevolent Legends who creep in every so often from the dreaded Infested World. Gateways pop up, and Hugo mobilises his son, and off they go to deal with the creatures that are creeping into their world. That's basically Finn's whole life, but Finn isn't really a fan of it. He's not a fan of living in his father's shadow, of failing to live up to everyone's expectations, and he definitely doesn't enjoy being the target of jibes at school. He wants to be normal, not legendary. In fact, he'd rather be a vet, much to his father's dismay. But when the world of monstrous legends starts to get out of hand and people close to Finn find themselves in peril, he's got to step up and become the hunter he was born to be, before it's too late for everyone.
Darkmouth is a story about family, about destiny, about finding your courage and stepping out of your comfort zone to help the people you love. Like so many timeless classics, it's about an ordinary kid in an extraordinary situation. It reminds me of the excitement I used to feel when reading Darren Shan and Eoin Colfer as a young teenager. The concept is brilliant, the plot is fresh and fast-paced, and most importantly, the humour is on point. I laughed out loud more times than I can count. I had the biggest grin on my face while I was reading this and it's thanks to Hegarty's fantastic narrative skill as well as his endearing portrayal of an authentic (and totally amusing) father-son relationship.
Finn is the only son of legendary legend hunter Hugo, who is, by the way, hilarious. Together, father and son are tasked with defending the last Blighted Village on earth from ugly, malevolent Legends who creep in every so often from the dreaded Infested World. Gateways pop up, and Hugo mobilises his son, and off they go to deal with the creatures that are creeping into their world. That's basically Finn's whole life, but Finn isn't really a fan of it. He's not a fan of living in his father's shadow, of failing to live up to everyone's expectations, and he definitely doesn't enjoy being the target of jibes at school. He wants to be normal, not legendary. In fact, he'd rather be a vet, much to his father's dismay. But when the world of monstrous legends starts to get out of hand and people close to Finn find themselves in peril, he's got to step up and become the hunter he was born to be, before it's too late for everyone.
Darkmouth is a story about family, about destiny, about finding your courage and stepping out of your comfort zone to help the people you love. Like so many timeless classics, it's about an ordinary kid in an extraordinary situation. It reminds me of the excitement I used to feel when reading Darren Shan and Eoin Colfer as a young teenager. The concept is brilliant, the plot is fresh and fast-paced, and most importantly, the humour is on point. I laughed out loud more times than I can count. I had the biggest grin on my face while I was reading this and it's thanks to Hegarty's fantastic narrative skill as well as his endearing portrayal of an authentic (and totally amusing) father-son relationship.
February 25, 2018
Nudien jauks piedzīvojumu gabals ar briesmoņiem, noslēpumiem un paralēlo pasauli. Labs humors, bet vietām grāmata kļūst pat mazliet patumša, kas man šķiet labi, bet diez vai tā tiks izvēlēta lasīsanai bērnu žūrijai. :)
Gribētos jau arī tos turpinājumus.
Gribētos jau arī tos turpinājumus.
November 30, 2015
Изсушени чудовища в стъкленици: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
Винаги е забавно, когато някой смотльо трябва да спасява света – единствено не обичам, когато му тикват свръхсили в ръцете и му осигурява картбланш за тая цел (мисля, че за момента само във втората част на поредицата “Възмездителите” – “Зарево” – на Брандън Сандерсън имаше оригинално решение на този казус със спуснатите даром свръхвъзможности). В “Даркмут” на Шейн Хегарти обаче няма кой да даде нещичко на Фин, нещастен тийнейджър, предопределен да защитава града си от Легендите. Те са, както е ясно от името им, митични чудовища, които начесто нахлуват с обичайното желание да сеят смърт и разрушение. Нещо като “Скълдъгъри Плезънт” и Безликите, но тук Легендите сами си отварят портали из града, единственото останало им достъпно място в света. Защо пробиват само тук – никой не знае, но Даркмут все още има нужда от своя Ловец и жителите му наблюдават с трепет как един баща обучава сина си да продължи мисията да ги защитава… и силно недоволстват. Защото Фин е смотан, тромав, неуверен и дяволски несръчен дори и с нелошите оръжия, които има на свое разположение.
CIELA Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
Винаги е забавно, когато някой смотльо трябва да спасява света – единствено не обичам, когато му тикват свръхсили в ръцете и му осигурява картбланш за тая цел (мисля, че за момента само във втората част на поредицата “Възмездителите” – “Зарево” – на Брандън Сандерсън имаше оригинално решение на този казус със спуснатите даром свръхвъзможности). В “Даркмут” на Шейн Хегарти обаче няма кой да даде нещичко на Фин, нещастен тийнейджър, предопределен да защитава града си от Легендите. Те са, както е ясно от името им, митични чудовища, които начесто нахлуват с обичайното желание да сеят смърт и разрушение. Нещо като “Скълдъгъри Плезънт” и Безликите, но тук Легендите сами си отварят портали из града, единственото останало им достъпно място в света. Защо пробиват само тук – никой не знае, но Даркмут все още има нужда от своя Ловец и жителите му наблюдават с трепет как един баща обучава сина си да продължи мисията да ги защитава… и силно недоволстват. Защото Фин е смотан, тромав, неуверен и дяволски несръчен дори и с нелошите оръжия, които има на свое разположение.
CIELA Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/d...
March 24, 2018
Ļoti laba grāmata lieliem un maziem bērniem ar piedzīvojumiem, nodevību, ģimenes noslēpumu, pieaugšanu un atbildības uzņemšanos. Grūti tiem cilvēkbērniem, kuriem ir izcili senči un tiek gaidīts vismaz tāds pats sniegums. Izklaidējoša, ar interesantu pasauli un gaidu nākošās daļas.
July 21, 2018
Grāmata bērniem no 9 līdz 99 gadiem. Nekad īsti neesmu atmetusi bērnu grāmatu lasīšanu, ir tikai samazinājusies to proporcija. Reizēm lasot zinu, ka man būtu patikusi vecumā, kam tā ir paredzēta. Reizēm man patīk tagad, bet nepatiktu tolaik. Un pavisam labas ir tās, kas patīk tagad un skaidri zinu, ka būtu patikušas arī tad. Tumšmute ir no tām labajām . Raiti piedzīvojumi, draudzība, nodevība, noticēšana sev. Galvenais varonis ir izdevies gana ticams un tāds, ar kuru viegli identificēties - it sevišķi tajā vecumā, kad patiešām vecāki parasti uz tevi tomēr liek kādas nekādas cerības.Ko gan lasītājs vēl var vēlēties? Protams - turpinājumu.
June 26, 2019
Sāksim šoreiz šādi -
jāāāāāāāāāāāaāāā - mīnotauri, mantikoras, hidras, milži - kas gan var būt labāks par šādu mitoloģisko salikumu vienā bērnu grāmatā? Mitoloģija vienmēr ir bijusi interesanta, kā arī šis lika padomāt : ja nu patiesi mitoloģiskās būtnes pastāv, tikai diemžēl mūsu darbības dēļ (dikti patika grāmatā fragments par to, ka globālās sasilšanas dēļ un citu antropogēno faktoru dēļ šīm būtnēm ir grūtības ierasties uz Zemi...)
īsumā brīži vien šis sižets atgādināja jau pasaules apātisko līniju - "Atriebējus", kur arī caur portāliem arī iziet ļaunie spēki, bet nē! šis ir kaut kas daudz labāks!!!!
kas raksturo šīs grāmatas foršumu atšķirībā no citām bērnu grāmatām?
NEPAREDZAMĪBA!!!!!!!
lasot man likās, ka es stabili jau nojaušu turpmāko plotwistu, grāmatas beigas, turpmākos notikumus, pēdējo teikumu, bet....
šis patiesi bija aizraujošs piedzīvojums, tādēļ jādodas pēc otrās daļas!
patiesībā tik ļoti grūti ir uzrakstīt jaunas grāmatas bērnu grāmatu autoriem ar svaigu sižetu, tādēļ, manuprāt, autors ir visu paveicis lielā godā!
starp citu, vienā brīdī likās, ka autors mazliet ir sajucis prātā ar mitoloģisko būtni volpertingeru, bet, jā, tas taču vācu mitoloģijā pastāv un es jau sen esmu redzējis šo klasisko bildi -
jā... cik ļoooooti forši
jādodas pēc otrās daļas!
jāāāāāāāāāāāaāāā - mīnotauri, mantikoras, hidras, milži - kas gan var būt labāks par šādu mitoloģisko salikumu vienā bērnu grāmatā? Mitoloģija vienmēr ir bijusi interesanta, kā arī šis lika padomāt : ja nu patiesi mitoloģiskās būtnes pastāv, tikai diemžēl mūsu darbības dēļ (dikti patika grāmatā fragments par to, ka globālās sasilšanas dēļ un citu antropogēno faktoru dēļ šīm būtnēm ir grūtības ierasties uz Zemi...)
īsumā brīži vien šis sižets atgādināja jau pasaules apātisko līniju - "Atriebējus", kur arī caur portāliem arī iziet ļaunie spēki, bet nē! šis ir kaut kas daudz labāks!!!!
kas raksturo šīs grāmatas foršumu atšķirībā no citām bērnu grāmatām?
NEPAREDZAMĪBA!!!!!!!
lasot man likās, ka es stabili jau nojaušu turpmāko plotwistu, grāmatas beigas, turpmākos notikumus, pēdējo teikumu, bet....
šis patiesi bija aizraujošs piedzīvojums, tādēļ jādodas pēc otrās daļas!
patiesībā tik ļoti grūti ir uzrakstīt jaunas grāmatas bērnu grāmatu autoriem ar svaigu sižetu, tādēļ, manuprāt, autors ir visu paveicis lielā godā!
starp citu, vienā brīdī likās, ka autors mazliet ir sajucis prātā ar mitoloģisko būtni volpertingeru, bet, jā, tas taču vācu mitoloģijā pastāv un es jau sen esmu redzējis šo klasisko bildi -
jā... cik ļoooooti forši
jādodas pēc otrās daļas!
September 2, 2017
When I read the blurb for this book, I had a hunch that I was going to love it and have a heck of a time reading it...and guess what? I WAS RIGHT. Darkmouth was outrageously funny and 100% thrilling. It was filled with hilarious, lovable characters, cracking dialogue and a gripping storyline. It's monster mayhem at its finest and it had me gripped in its claws from the very first page.
Darkmouth is about twelve-year-old Finn who loves animals and wants to be a vet...but who is instead spending his time training to be a Legend Hunter in order to save his village from the monsters (Legends) that have a tendency to run rampage around his town. Between training to become a full-time Legend Hunter like his father and trying not to die in the process, making friends with the new girl Emmie who is decidedly secretive about her and her father's business in Darkmouth...Finn has his hands full. And then of course there's the small matter of the Legends plotting a war against humanity in Darkmouth itself, but no biggie, right?
OKAY, so I loved pretty much everything about this book and I'm so excited to read the rest of the series. From the very first page, I knew I was going to love it. Why is that might you ask? Well, I love the way the author writes and I have a feeling that many middle-graders, teens and adults alike will love the writing. It's inviting, it flows smoothly and it has a magical kind of characteristic about it that makes the words come to life.
After I had been enchanted by the writing, I was enchanted by the main character and all the other varying characters that pop up throughout Darkmouth. Finn is a precious cinnamon roll that needs to be protected at all costs and I LOVE him. He's not your typical hero that falls into the So Perfect I'm Practically Not Human category that a lot of fictional heroes fall into. He's not particularly good at wielding a Desiccator and he's not the most adept at fighting off a Legend, but he does try super hard so A+ for effort, right? There's also this inward struggle that wages inside Finn which was quite touching to see and it also helped define him as a three-dimensional character. He really wants to be a vet and help animals...but he also wants to be a Legend Hunter to please his father. I think there comes a point in every child's life where they want to do a certain thing but they also want to please their parents and those two things don't always go hand-in-hand and I really enjoyed that that aspect was explored. It gave the book a tender, more personal aspect which I liked.
The other characters were wonderful as well! I loved Emmie, Finn's new-found friend. She's curious and she talks a lot (girl, same) and she's an adorable character. Her and Finn's friendship was slightly rocky in this book which is understandable given the circumstances but I'm hoping to really see their friendship develop in the next few books! I also ADORED Broonie, the one Legend that featured quite heavily in this book. He reminded me of Dobby, just sassier, and I'm hoping he'll be a part of the sequels.
Another thing I really loved about this book was that Finn's parents were alive and heavily involved in his life. YA – and some middle-grade novels – have a tendency to most have parents that are either a) dead, b) completely absent or c) utterly horrible which makes no sense to me BUT Darkmouth didn't fall into that category – small mercies! I absolutely loved Finn's mother and Finn's relationship with her. He asked his mom for advice and was inspired by her and IT WAS ADORABLE. Finn's dad could be hilarious at times but sometimes I wanted to shake him for being so disappointed in my precious Finn who is gentle and caring and not particularly agile at fighting and doing Legend Hunter things. His dad put quite a lot of pressure on him to succeed and I thought it was great that the author included this aspect into the story as it's something a lot of kids might be able to relate to. I hope that by the end of the series Finn will listen to his heart and that his dad will support him with that.
The plot in this book was non-stop fun as well! There were several twists and turns and towards the end there may have been a few instances where I was gripping the book slightly too hard because it was intense, man. I absolutely loved that this book was able to surprise me and shock me and keep me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I also adored the concept of this book. Like, monsters appearing through doorways in certain villages and needing Legend hunters to fight them off before they wreak havoc like eating people and stuff – doesn't that intrigue you?? IT INTRIGUES ME.
One last thing I absolutely LOVED about this book - and which was probably my favourite thing about Darkmouth - was the humour. Guys, I snorted and giggled so many times throughout this book. Finn was super sassy and sarcastic, his dad could be hilarious too and the banter between all the characters was utterly brilliant! One thing that I've found in a lot of the books I've read is the dialogue is often stilted and awkward but thankfully Shane Hegarty is brilliant at crafting excellent conversations between the characters. There were touching conversations, heated conversations, many hilarious conversations...and they were all done brilliantly.
Darkmouth is an incredible start to what I'm sure is going to be an incredible series! With lovable characters, hilarious one-liners, monsters and mayhem, Darkmouth contains so many marvellous elements that makes it a book that's very easy to fall in love with. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the sequels!
Darkmouth is about twelve-year-old Finn who loves animals and wants to be a vet...but who is instead spending his time training to be a Legend Hunter in order to save his village from the monsters (Legends) that have a tendency to run rampage around his town. Between training to become a full-time Legend Hunter like his father and trying not to die in the process, making friends with the new girl Emmie who is decidedly secretive about her and her father's business in Darkmouth...Finn has his hands full. And then of course there's the small matter of the Legends plotting a war against humanity in Darkmouth itself, but no biggie, right?
OKAY, so I loved pretty much everything about this book and I'm so excited to read the rest of the series. From the very first page, I knew I was going to love it. Why is that might you ask? Well, I love the way the author writes and I have a feeling that many middle-graders, teens and adults alike will love the writing. It's inviting, it flows smoothly and it has a magical kind of characteristic about it that makes the words come to life.
After I had been enchanted by the writing, I was enchanted by the main character and all the other varying characters that pop up throughout Darkmouth. Finn is a precious cinnamon roll that needs to be protected at all costs and I LOVE him. He's not your typical hero that falls into the So Perfect I'm Practically Not Human category that a lot of fictional heroes fall into. He's not particularly good at wielding a Desiccator and he's not the most adept at fighting off a Legend, but he does try super hard so A+ for effort, right? There's also this inward struggle that wages inside Finn which was quite touching to see and it also helped define him as a three-dimensional character. He really wants to be a vet and help animals...but he also wants to be a Legend Hunter to please his father. I think there comes a point in every child's life where they want to do a certain thing but they also want to please their parents and those two things don't always go hand-in-hand and I really enjoyed that that aspect was explored. It gave the book a tender, more personal aspect which I liked.
The other characters were wonderful as well! I loved Emmie, Finn's new-found friend. She's curious and she talks a lot (girl, same) and she's an adorable character. Her and Finn's friendship was slightly rocky in this book which is understandable given the circumstances but I'm hoping to really see their friendship develop in the next few books! I also ADORED Broonie, the one Legend that featured quite heavily in this book. He reminded me of Dobby, just sassier, and I'm hoping he'll be a part of the sequels.
Another thing I really loved about this book was that Finn's parents were alive and heavily involved in his life. YA – and some middle-grade novels – have a tendency to most have parents that are either a) dead, b) completely absent or c) utterly horrible which makes no sense to me BUT Darkmouth didn't fall into that category – small mercies! I absolutely loved Finn's mother and Finn's relationship with her. He asked his mom for advice and was inspired by her and IT WAS ADORABLE. Finn's dad could be hilarious at times but sometimes I wanted to shake him for being so disappointed in my precious Finn who is gentle and caring and not particularly agile at fighting and doing Legend Hunter things. His dad put quite a lot of pressure on him to succeed and I thought it was great that the author included this aspect into the story as it's something a lot of kids might be able to relate to. I hope that by the end of the series Finn will listen to his heart and that his dad will support him with that.
The plot in this book was non-stop fun as well! There were several twists and turns and towards the end there may have been a few instances where I was gripping the book slightly too hard because it was intense, man. I absolutely loved that this book was able to surprise me and shock me and keep me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I also adored the concept of this book. Like, monsters appearing through doorways in certain villages and needing Legend hunters to fight them off before they wreak havoc like eating people and stuff – doesn't that intrigue you?? IT INTRIGUES ME.
One last thing I absolutely LOVED about this book - and which was probably my favourite thing about Darkmouth - was the humour. Guys, I snorted and giggled so many times throughout this book. Finn was super sassy and sarcastic, his dad could be hilarious too and the banter between all the characters was utterly brilliant! One thing that I've found in a lot of the books I've read is the dialogue is often stilted and awkward but thankfully Shane Hegarty is brilliant at crafting excellent conversations between the characters. There were touching conversations, heated conversations, many hilarious conversations...and they were all done brilliantly.
Darkmouth is an incredible start to what I'm sure is going to be an incredible series! With lovable characters, hilarious one-liners, monsters and mayhem, Darkmouth contains so many marvellous elements that makes it a book that's very easy to fall in love with. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the sequels!
November 2, 2015
A great kids read not just for the kids. If I'd read it a little slower though, I think I'd have enjoyed it that little bit more and would've given it a 5 stars.
I can definitely recommend.
I can definitely recommend.
October 7, 2021
Atslodzei izdomāju palasīt kādu bērnu bestselleru. Interesanti izveidots sižets, kur saplūst cilvēku pasaule ar briesmoņu zemi. Un uz robežas ir Leģendu mednieki. Ātri un saistoši. Varbūt vienīgi esmu izlepis nedaudz ar pieaugušo literatūru, kur sižets ir daudzslāņaināks un sarežģītāks. Šeit viss diezgan lineārs. Detektīvsadaļa arī nelika ilgi lauzīt galvu, lai izskaitļotu un nojaustu vaininieku.
Bet kā bērnu grāmata lieliska, lai noliktu blakus citiem jau bērnu iemīļotiem varoņiem. Nē , ne Harijam Poteram, tas tomēr bērniem pārāk sarežģīts.
Citāti:
Viņam bija dotumi; neraža bija tā, ka tie tim cieši savijās ar trūkumiem.
Bet kā bērnu grāmata lieliska, lai noliktu blakus citiem jau bērnu iemīļotiem varoņiem. Nē , ne Harijam Poteram, tas tomēr bērniem pārāk sarežģīts.
Citāti:
Viņam bija dotumi; neraža bija tā, ka tie tim cieši savijās ar trūkumiem.
December 7, 2016
I really enjoyed the book. I totally recommend it to all of the Percy Jackson's fans. There are a lot of common things between the two book series. In the beginning it was a bit hard to get into the story but page after page it got more and more interesting and I couldn't help it - I had to finish the book. I look forward to reading the second part.
October 22, 2025
Эндрю Скотт классный, но даже он мог бы не так орать, люди же ночью книжки слушают, ей-богу.
Read
November 14, 2015С истинско удоволствие сядам да пиша за "Даркмут". Изключително приятна книга, с лек и жив стил, едновременно забавна и караща човек да се замисли - за това, какво е да си различен, "специален", от самото си раждане да си натоварен с мисия, която всъщност не искаш, но която си е твоя по наследство и няма измъкване. Независимо дали смяташ, че това е твоят път.
Когато започнах да я чета, очаквах нещо подобно на "Подмененият" на Брена Йованоф. Или история за един недоволен тийнейджър, който изведнъж открива, че е способен на невероятни неща.
"Даркмут" обаче не е от "онези" книги.
Да, Фин е различен. Или поне знае, че е - и трябва да бъде - такъв. Дори и да не го иска, неговият път е предопределен. Един ден той ще е Ловец на Легенди - онези създания, които ние, непосветените, наричаме просто "чудовища".
А Фин не желае да бъде такъв. Той не иска да "изсушава" или погубва живота. Иска да го спасява. Но няма право да направи този избор.
Но както се случва понякога с всеки от нас, той се оказва принуден да прави точно това, което цялото му същество отрича. Да унищожава. Да погубва Легенди, за да спаси най-близките си хора.
Фин обаче няма да е Фин, ако не наруши това правило. Не от непокорство, а от човечност. Защото той е светъл, добър, чувствителен млад човек. Защото е само на дванайсет. И защото не може да посегне на беззащитно същество, дори ако то е Легенда, тоест - естествен враг и мишена на Ловците.
В света на Фин, Ловците на Легенди нямат фамилни имена, а само собствени, докато не бъдат Завършени, справяйки се успешно три поредни пъти с Легенда. Фин знае от най-ранна възраст, че един ден трябва да се нареди сред онези с имена като Неразумния, Разочарования, Железния зъб. Но сякаш е обречен вечно да се проваля.
Намесват се обаче обстоятелствата - и изправен почти сам пред страховити Легенди, Фин открива, че всъщност може да се справи. За да спаси онези, които обича. И го прави... вярно, престъпвайки правилата, но успява да извърши своите три успешни лова. И да се превърне в истински Ловец. Представям ви Фин Непокорния!
Когато започнах да я чета, очаквах нещо подобно на "Подмененият" на Брена Йованоф. Или история за един недоволен тийнейджър, който изведнъж открива, че е способен на невероятни неща.
"Даркмут" обаче не е от "онези" книги.
Да, Фин е различен. Или поне знае, че е - и трябва да бъде - такъв. Дори и да не го иска, неговият път е предопределен. Един ден той ще е Ловец на Легенди - онези създания, които ние, непосветените, наричаме просто "чудовища".
А Фин не желае да бъде такъв. Той не иска да "изсушава" или погубва живота. Иска да го спасява. Но няма право да направи този избор.
Но както се случва понякога с всеки от нас, той се оказва принуден да прави точно това, което цялото му същество отрича. Да унищожава. Да погубва Легенди, за да спаси най-близките си хора.
Фин обаче няма да е Фин, ако не наруши това правило. Не от непокорство, а от човечност. Защото той е светъл, добър, чувствителен млад човек. Защото е само на дванайсет. И защото не може да посегне на беззащитно същество, дори ако то е Легенда, тоест - естествен враг и мишена на Ловците.
В света на Фин, Ловците на Легенди нямат фамилни имена, а само собствени, докато не бъдат Завършени, справяйки се успешно три поредни пъти с Легенда. Фин знае от най-ранна възраст, че един ден трябва да се нареди сред онези с имена като Неразумния, Разочарования, Железния зъб. Но сякаш е обречен вечно да се проваля.
Намесват се обаче обстоятелствата - и изправен почти сам пред страховити Легенди, Фин открива, че всъщност може да се справи. За да спаси онези, които обича. И го прави... вярно, престъпвайки правилата, но успява да извърши своите три успешни лова. И да се превърне в истински Ловец. Представям ви Фин Непокорния!
April 26, 2015
Review to come.
July 25, 2025
Grāmata ir ļoti interesanta un aizraujoša ar nodevību, mīlestību, uzticību un patiesu draudzību. Iesaku izlasīy visiem fantāzijas cienītājiem!
January 1, 2015
Book review was first posted on http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/
HarperCollins has always been known for its particularly strong connections with Irish horror writers both past and present. Shane Hegarty has recently joined the infamous corridor of fame alongside the likes of Darren Shan and Derek Landy. His recent book, Darkmouth, was hotly contested at this year's Bologna Book Fair. Shane Hegarty, the former Arts Editor for the Irish Times, has since negotiated a four-book deal in this series.
Darkmouth is an imaginative adventure for 8-12 year olds which is full of monster-hunting action. It definitely marks the arrival of a major new voice in children's books. Fresh, fun and very witty; it is incredibly cool and will pull in readers of all ages who love a good story.
It was a real pleasure reading this fantastic story. Shane has forgone the more popular route in my opinion. There are NO Vampires, NO Zombies, NO Werewolves and NO mundane ghosts. In fact, it was a breath of putrid air reading this book. I'm sure that you are asking, so what will I find in this book? Well, you will find a range of monsters routed in folklore and others that have been dreamt up from the good old-fashioned imagination. Shane plays with the reader very cleverly feeding off your emotions. You will laugh your pants off one minute and then the dark explosive plot will scare the socks of you the next.
You'll notice that another extra special element are the layered illustrations throughout this story. The fantastically detailed black and white pencil sketches are by the talented James de la Rue (aka PencilsMcDraw). These really enhance the fantasy horror shenanigans immensely as they create a parallel world between words and images. You will be easily transported between these two elements from the start of the book right until the very end.
It's a monster quest for Finn, a boy who must follow fifty generations of his family to become a Legend Hunter, and save the world from monsters who wish to destroy it. However, the huge problem is that Finn is not very good as a Legend Hunter - you might want to PANIC now! Fortunately, help is on hand from his dad and a mysterious girl called Emmie. The relationship between these two characters is captured incredibly well and adds extra appeal as it pulls you through a turbulent dimension.
At the time, it felt that the beginning of the book perhaps started a little too slowly, but on reflection this was perhaps needed to create the world and introduce the story. I recognise that this is particularly important for the first book in a series in order to establish future books and storylines.
I have to say that this is one of the most promising debut books that I have read for a long time. The tone has been set for a fantastic new series which I'm really looking forward to reading. MG horror is on the up with another name in Irish writing.
HarperCollins has always been known for its particularly strong connections with Irish horror writers both past and present. Shane Hegarty has recently joined the infamous corridor of fame alongside the likes of Darren Shan and Derek Landy. His recent book, Darkmouth, was hotly contested at this year's Bologna Book Fair. Shane Hegarty, the former Arts Editor for the Irish Times, has since negotiated a four-book deal in this series.
Darkmouth is an imaginative adventure for 8-12 year olds which is full of monster-hunting action. It definitely marks the arrival of a major new voice in children's books. Fresh, fun and very witty; it is incredibly cool and will pull in readers of all ages who love a good story.
It was a real pleasure reading this fantastic story. Shane has forgone the more popular route in my opinion. There are NO Vampires, NO Zombies, NO Werewolves and NO mundane ghosts. In fact, it was a breath of putrid air reading this book. I'm sure that you are asking, so what will I find in this book? Well, you will find a range of monsters routed in folklore and others that have been dreamt up from the good old-fashioned imagination. Shane plays with the reader very cleverly feeding off your emotions. You will laugh your pants off one minute and then the dark explosive plot will scare the socks of you the next.
You'll notice that another extra special element are the layered illustrations throughout this story. The fantastically detailed black and white pencil sketches are by the talented James de la Rue (aka PencilsMcDraw). These really enhance the fantasy horror shenanigans immensely as they create a parallel world between words and images. You will be easily transported between these two elements from the start of the book right until the very end.
It's a monster quest for Finn, a boy who must follow fifty generations of his family to become a Legend Hunter, and save the world from monsters who wish to destroy it. However, the huge problem is that Finn is not very good as a Legend Hunter - you might want to PANIC now! Fortunately, help is on hand from his dad and a mysterious girl called Emmie. The relationship between these two characters is captured incredibly well and adds extra appeal as it pulls you through a turbulent dimension.
At the time, it felt that the beginning of the book perhaps started a little too slowly, but on reflection this was perhaps needed to create the world and introduce the story. I recognise that this is particularly important for the first book in a series in order to establish future books and storylines.
I have to say that this is one of the most promising debut books that I have read for a long time. The tone has been set for a fantastic new series which I'm really looking forward to reading. MG horror is on the up with another name in Irish writing.
July 4, 2016
Reseña en el blog: La cueva de Danny.
En pocas palabras es un libro entretenido, pasan y pasan cosas y poco a poco vas descubriendo cosas sobre el mundo, sobre las leyendas y su objetivo hacía esta aldea, un libro con algunos misterios, algunos que se resuelven y con otros que te dejan la duda para los siguientes libros y obvio con ganas de leerlos para resolverlos, lleno de acción en muchas partes que hacen la lectura más entretenida, tiene una escritura simple y sencilla de seguir, rápido de leer y con unas ilustraciones muy bonitas, en pocas palabras es un buen inicio de trilogía y si les gustan los libros de aventura estilo Percy Jackson este libro sin duda les va a gustar.
En pocas palabras es un libro entretenido, pasan y pasan cosas y poco a poco vas descubriendo cosas sobre el mundo, sobre las leyendas y su objetivo hacía esta aldea, un libro con algunos misterios, algunos que se resuelven y con otros que te dejan la duda para los siguientes libros y obvio con ganas de leerlos para resolverlos, lleno de acción en muchas partes que hacen la lectura más entretenida, tiene una escritura simple y sencilla de seguir, rápido de leer y con unas ilustraciones muy bonitas, en pocas palabras es un buen inicio de trilogía y si les gustan los libros de aventura estilo Percy Jackson este libro sin duda les va a gustar.
August 3, 2016
To quote the immortal words of our football legend Stoichkov, two parts - second very good, first am no like. The book is pure adventure, has likeable protagonist and original mythology and I LOVED the fact that this is a fantasy book and not a social issues novel, disguised within the genre, as some other popular author, who I'd prefer not to name, like to do. However it needs to bite a little bit more and to have higher tension, to become a true hit.
Review in Bulgarian here:
http://citadelata.com/%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1...
Review in Bulgarian here:
http://citadelata.com/%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1...
September 2, 2018
http://www.writingis.fun/%D0%B3%D1%80...
След като приключих със Скълдъгъри ми беше трудно да намеря друга подобна на него книга. И ей така, след препоръка към тази поредица, аз и дадох шанс да ме заплени.
След като приключих със Скълдъгъри ми беше трудно да намеря друга подобна на него книга. И ей така, след препоръка към тази поредица, аз и дадох шанс да ме заплени.
July 25, 2022
Przygody Finna przypomniały mi jak to jest być znowu dzieckiem i mieć frajdę z takich historii. Na początku zamierzałam dać tej książce 3 gwiazdki ze względu na dość nudny początek, ale rozumiem też, że autor chciał w ten sposób wprowadzić czytelnika w świat małego Łowcy Legend. Końcówka pozostawiła niedosyt, więc na pewno wrócę do tej serii.
June 19, 2016
Für junge Leser ist es wirklich ein super tolles Buch! Aber auch für "große Leser" ist es spannend :)
Ich freue mich schon auf den zweiten Band!
Ich freue mich schon auf den zweiten Band!
May 2, 2020
I haven't heard anyone talk about this book/series, but when I was the audiobook was narrated by Andrew Scott I immediately picked it up. Yes I am that shallow. And I actually was very pleasantly surprised.
This story is set in Darkmouth, the last town still plagued by legends. Finn comes from a family of legend hunters and needs to take over the business from his father after his next birthday. Finn doesn't want to be a legend hunter though, he would much rather become a vet. Too bad he is part of a prophecy though...
Finn is just an ordinary kid. Nothing memorable, but relatable and he grows a lot throughout the story. I also really lie that the adults aren't gotten rid of. They are present, important and helpful (without making Finn's story any less exciting). Such a refreshing treat.
The plot is fast paced, fun and thrilling. Andrew Scott absolutely nailed the narration (obviously) and all of this made for such a fun experience. I listened to this in a single sitting and had an absolute blast with it. The ending was definitely intriguing and I am very excited to find out what happens next.
This story is set in Darkmouth, the last town still plagued by legends. Finn comes from a family of legend hunters and needs to take over the business from his father after his next birthday. Finn doesn't want to be a legend hunter though, he would much rather become a vet. Too bad he is part of a prophecy though...
Finn is just an ordinary kid. Nothing memorable, but relatable and he grows a lot throughout the story. I also really lie that the adults aren't gotten rid of. They are present, important and helpful (without making Finn's story any less exciting). Such a refreshing treat.
The plot is fast paced, fun and thrilling. Andrew Scott absolutely nailed the narration (obviously) and all of this made for such a fun experience. I listened to this in a single sitting and had an absolute blast with it. The ending was definitely intriguing and I am very excited to find out what happens next.
August 12, 2016
Zum Buchinhalt
Es gibt 1000 Gründe, nach Darkmouth zu kommen. Und eine Million, es lieber zu lassen. Das Leben des zwölfjährigen Finn ist alles andere als langweilig. Denn er ist der Sohn des letzten amtierenden "Legendenjägers" von Darkmouth. Dabei will er mit den Monstern eigentlich gar nichts zu tun haben! Doch als der finstere Riese Gantrua plant, geheime Portale zur "Verseuchten Seite" zu öffnen und die gruseligsten und gefährlichsten Legenden auf Darkmouth loszulassen, hat Finn keine Wahl. Gemeinsam mit seinem Vater und der vorwitzigen Emmie stellt er sich dem großen Kampf.
Meine Meinung
Das monsterhafte, etwas unheimlich wirkende Cover und die schwarz/giftgrüne Aufmachung des Buches, sind nicht nur ein absoluter Hingucker, sondern stimmen einen bereits passend auf die Geschichte ein, sodass man einfach dazu greifen möchte. Dieser Drang hat sich bei mir nur noch verstärkt, da mich der Klappentext irgendwie an „Lockwood & Co“ von Jonathan Stroud erinnert hat.
Das Leben in dem kleinen Örtchen Darkmouth ist alles andere als normal, denn es ist der letzte Ort auf der Welt, an dem sich das Tor zur „Verseuchten Seite“ nicht vollständig geschlossen hat. Und so kommt es immer wieder vor, dass sich Legenden, Monster aus alten Mythen und Sagen, dorthin verirren. Somit ist Darkmouth auch der letzte Ort an dem bis heute Legendenjäger leben. Finn und seinem Vater wird es sicher nicht langweilig, allen voran Finn, der sich zurzeit in der Ausbildung befindet und bis zu seiner Vollendung noch allerhand über das Jagen von Legenden zu lernen hat…
Dank des einfach gehaltenen Schreibstils von Shane Hegarty, der ganz wunderbar an die junge Zielgruppe angepasst ist, waren die ersten Seiten bzw. Kapitel, in dem wir mit der Besonderheit Darkmouths vertraut gemacht werden, Finn bei seiner Jagd nach einem Minotaurus begleiten sowie ihn und sein Leben kennenlernen, wie nichts verschlungen. Danach gibt es einen kurzen Perspektivwechsel und wir dürfen einen Blick auf die „Verseuchte Seite“ werfen, wodurch ich einige neue Erkenntnisse erlangt habe. So habe ich unter anderem erfahren, welchen Plan die Legenden verfolgen um zu verhindern, dass sich das Tor auf die „Gelobte Seite“ endgültig verschließt. Damit war ich Finn und seinem Vater, die natürlich von nichts ahnen, weit voraus.
Finn hatte meine Sympathie schnell auf seiner Seite und er tat mir auch sehr leid, da man von Anfang an gemerkt hat, dass er alles andere als glücklich über seine zukünftige Berufung ist. Im Grunde ist er nie gefragt worden, ob er Legenden jagen möchte. In seiner Familie wird diese Tätigkeit von Generation zu Generation weitergeführt, sodass es von ihm schlichtweg erwartet wird, dass er in die Fußstapfen seines Vaters, einem ausgezeichneten Legendenjäger, tritt. Und diese Erwartungen, die an ihn gestellt werden, setzen ihn unter Druck. Hinzukommt, dass er bisher nur Misserfolge erzielt hat und deshalb von seinen Mitschülern blöd angemacht wird. Dabei ist Finn gar nicht so unfähig wie er immer denkt. Ihm fehlt lediglich das Selbstvertrauen bzw. der Glaube an sich selbst.
Emmie war mir vor allem zu Anfang ein ziemliches Rätsel, denn obwohl sie relativ neu in der Stadt ist, scheint sie bereits richtig gut Bescheid über die Legenden und die Arbeit der Legendenjäger zu wissen (auf jeden Fall besser als so manch alteingesessener Bewohner). Sie weiß sogar Dinge, die sie eigentlich nicht wissen dürfte und von denen Finn sicher ist, ihr nichts dergleichen verraten zu haben. Emmie ist ein unglaublich neugieriges Mädchen, was ich teilweise echt nervig fand. Über ihr Leben schweigt sie sich dagegen geradezu auffällig aus, was mir mit der Zeit ein wenig seltsam vorkam. Aus diesem Grund habe ich sehr gespannt darauf gewartet, ob ich eine Erklärung für ihr Verhalten bekommen würde.
Spannung ist im Großteil des Buches nicht so stark ausgeprägt. Zwar gab es immer wieder kurze aufregende und actionreiche Szenen, doch dazwischen waren meistens Ruhephasen, in denen es einem aber nie langweilig wurde. Im Gegenteil ich wollte durchweg weiterlesen. Auf den letzten 100-150 Seiten steigt die Spannung konstant an. Shane Hegarty verblüfft den Leser mit der einen oder anderen Wendung und führt eine geheimnisvolle Prophezeiung in die Geschichte ein, zu der wir in den Folgebänden sicher mehr erfahren werden. Das Ende ist dementsprechend offen gehalten.
Mein Fazit
Mit „Darkmouth: Der Legendenjäger“ ist Shane Hegarty ein toller Auftakt zu einer wirklich vielversprechenden Reihe gelungen, den ich fast in einem Rutsch verschlungen habe. Unser Protagonist Finn, der mit seinem Job als Legendenjäger nicht nur total unglücklich sondern auch sichtlich überfordert ist, konnte meine Sympathie schnell für sich gewinnen. Ansonsten ist die Handlung sehr vielfältig gestaltet und von Spannung, unerwarteten Wendungen, überraschenden Enthüllungen sowie einer guten Portion Humor durchzogen, sodass es einem nie langweilig wird. Das eine oder andere mag zwar etwas offensichtlich und voraussehbar gewesen sein, doch bei einem Buch, das eher auf die jüngere Zielgruppe ausgelegt ist, drücke ich gerne mal ein Auge zu ;)
Es gibt 1000 Gründe, nach Darkmouth zu kommen. Und eine Million, es lieber zu lassen. Das Leben des zwölfjährigen Finn ist alles andere als langweilig. Denn er ist der Sohn des letzten amtierenden "Legendenjägers" von Darkmouth. Dabei will er mit den Monstern eigentlich gar nichts zu tun haben! Doch als der finstere Riese Gantrua plant, geheime Portale zur "Verseuchten Seite" zu öffnen und die gruseligsten und gefährlichsten Legenden auf Darkmouth loszulassen, hat Finn keine Wahl. Gemeinsam mit seinem Vater und der vorwitzigen Emmie stellt er sich dem großen Kampf.
Meine Meinung
Das monsterhafte, etwas unheimlich wirkende Cover und die schwarz/giftgrüne Aufmachung des Buches, sind nicht nur ein absoluter Hingucker, sondern stimmen einen bereits passend auf die Geschichte ein, sodass man einfach dazu greifen möchte. Dieser Drang hat sich bei mir nur noch verstärkt, da mich der Klappentext irgendwie an „Lockwood & Co“ von Jonathan Stroud erinnert hat.
Das Leben in dem kleinen Örtchen Darkmouth ist alles andere als normal, denn es ist der letzte Ort auf der Welt, an dem sich das Tor zur „Verseuchten Seite“ nicht vollständig geschlossen hat. Und so kommt es immer wieder vor, dass sich Legenden, Monster aus alten Mythen und Sagen, dorthin verirren. Somit ist Darkmouth auch der letzte Ort an dem bis heute Legendenjäger leben. Finn und seinem Vater wird es sicher nicht langweilig, allen voran Finn, der sich zurzeit in der Ausbildung befindet und bis zu seiner Vollendung noch allerhand über das Jagen von Legenden zu lernen hat…
Dank des einfach gehaltenen Schreibstils von Shane Hegarty, der ganz wunderbar an die junge Zielgruppe angepasst ist, waren die ersten Seiten bzw. Kapitel, in dem wir mit der Besonderheit Darkmouths vertraut gemacht werden, Finn bei seiner Jagd nach einem Minotaurus begleiten sowie ihn und sein Leben kennenlernen, wie nichts verschlungen. Danach gibt es einen kurzen Perspektivwechsel und wir dürfen einen Blick auf die „Verseuchte Seite“ werfen, wodurch ich einige neue Erkenntnisse erlangt habe. So habe ich unter anderem erfahren, welchen Plan die Legenden verfolgen um zu verhindern, dass sich das Tor auf die „Gelobte Seite“ endgültig verschließt. Damit war ich Finn und seinem Vater, die natürlich von nichts ahnen, weit voraus.
Finn hatte meine Sympathie schnell auf seiner Seite und er tat mir auch sehr leid, da man von Anfang an gemerkt hat, dass er alles andere als glücklich über seine zukünftige Berufung ist. Im Grunde ist er nie gefragt worden, ob er Legenden jagen möchte. In seiner Familie wird diese Tätigkeit von Generation zu Generation weitergeführt, sodass es von ihm schlichtweg erwartet wird, dass er in die Fußstapfen seines Vaters, einem ausgezeichneten Legendenjäger, tritt. Und diese Erwartungen, die an ihn gestellt werden, setzen ihn unter Druck. Hinzukommt, dass er bisher nur Misserfolge erzielt hat und deshalb von seinen Mitschülern blöd angemacht wird. Dabei ist Finn gar nicht so unfähig wie er immer denkt. Ihm fehlt lediglich das Selbstvertrauen bzw. der Glaube an sich selbst.
Emmie war mir vor allem zu Anfang ein ziemliches Rätsel, denn obwohl sie relativ neu in der Stadt ist, scheint sie bereits richtig gut Bescheid über die Legenden und die Arbeit der Legendenjäger zu wissen (auf jeden Fall besser als so manch alteingesessener Bewohner). Sie weiß sogar Dinge, die sie eigentlich nicht wissen dürfte und von denen Finn sicher ist, ihr nichts dergleichen verraten zu haben. Emmie ist ein unglaublich neugieriges Mädchen, was ich teilweise echt nervig fand. Über ihr Leben schweigt sie sich dagegen geradezu auffällig aus, was mir mit der Zeit ein wenig seltsam vorkam. Aus diesem Grund habe ich sehr gespannt darauf gewartet, ob ich eine Erklärung für ihr Verhalten bekommen würde.
Spannung ist im Großteil des Buches nicht so stark ausgeprägt. Zwar gab es immer wieder kurze aufregende und actionreiche Szenen, doch dazwischen waren meistens Ruhephasen, in denen es einem aber nie langweilig wurde. Im Gegenteil ich wollte durchweg weiterlesen. Auf den letzten 100-150 Seiten steigt die Spannung konstant an. Shane Hegarty verblüfft den Leser mit der einen oder anderen Wendung und führt eine geheimnisvolle Prophezeiung in die Geschichte ein, zu der wir in den Folgebänden sicher mehr erfahren werden. Das Ende ist dementsprechend offen gehalten.
Mein Fazit
Mit „Darkmouth: Der Legendenjäger“ ist Shane Hegarty ein toller Auftakt zu einer wirklich vielversprechenden Reihe gelungen, den ich fast in einem Rutsch verschlungen habe. Unser Protagonist Finn, der mit seinem Job als Legendenjäger nicht nur total unglücklich sondern auch sichtlich überfordert ist, konnte meine Sympathie schnell für sich gewinnen. Ansonsten ist die Handlung sehr vielfältig gestaltet und von Spannung, unerwarteten Wendungen, überraschenden Enthüllungen sowie einer guten Portion Humor durchzogen, sodass es einem nie langweilig wird. Das eine oder andere mag zwar etwas offensichtlich und voraussehbar gewesen sein, doch bei einem Buch, das eher auf die jüngere Zielgruppe ausgelegt ist, drücke ich gerne mal ein Auge zu ;)
February 6, 2022
Wróciłam dziś do tej książki po kilku miesiącach. Pierwsze 70 stron męczyłam od października, a dzisiaj doczytałam pozostałe 311 xd Ciekawy świat, prosty język i świetne ilustracje. Przyjemna, zrozumiała historia. Ale zakończenie??? Bardzo niesatysfakcjonujące
January 8, 2020
Mais um livro juvenil, este mais destinado a rapazes (faixa etária preferencial dos 10 aos 14 anos).
Gostava que as personagens, em particular Hugo e Finn, não fossem tão planas. Mas talvez o autor pretendesse um primeiro volume mais ligeiro, de modo a poder explorar melhor as personagens nos livros seguintes.
Gostava que as personagens, em particular Hugo e Finn, não fossem tão planas. Mas talvez o autor pretendesse um primeiro volume mais ligeiro, de modo a poder explorar melhor as personagens nos livros seguintes.
September 19, 2024
I wanted to love Darkmouth. I wanted to love the characters, be engaged in the story and fall in love with a new series. I wanted it to be a Big Thing for me. I really did.
I wanted too much.
Granted, it is not a bad book by any means. Overall Darkmouth is enjoyable, has a somewhat original idea and the characters can be very charming in their own way if you’re one to ignore certain things and not nitpick.
That is basically the best things I can say about it. The other side of the coin is that the book just felt unfinished, as if the author had submitted the draft to their publisher by accident and it was now too late to take it back.
And now we arrive at my problems with this book: inconsistent character narrative and unclear motivations. Slightly messy point of view narrative. Also the fact that Finn somehow suddenly accepts being a Legend Hunter.
Let me elaborate: it is stated very clearly throughout the book that Finn doesn’t even want to be a Legend Hunter, that he instead wishes to be a veterinarian, and wonders if maybe he can talk to the Legends instead of just Hunting them. And somehow, that went out the window without any clear explanation in the second half. The only time I saw Finn display any kind of concern for a Legend, or even a semblance of sympathy, was in scenes with Broonie, and even then I got the feeling that Finn was more annoyed than sympathetic. It isn’t Finn’s fault, I just felt as if his feelings were not properly conveyed by the narrative. One may argue that he decided to be a Hunter because of his father, but we never get a good segue into that. The time frame presented is simply not enough for Finn to change his deepest desires so much.
Which brings me to my other big issue with the book: unclear point of view narrative. Look. There is a neutral third person point of view and an involved one. Darkmouth clearly tried to go for the latter, and failed. Many times I was confused as to Finn’s thoughts and motives for his actions, as they were not properly explained or conveyed – not even subtly. And because the narration is unreliable, that means you don’t get a clear picture of any of the other characters. The only person I somehow got a better idea of was Emmie. Finn’s father, from start to finish, was a complete mystery to me, although he is mentioned on almost every page. Even Finn himself states that his father is odd, but what I mean is that he wasn’t a confusing person, but a confusing character, which are two very different things. It was extremely hard to tell what kind of person he was even in Finn’s eyes.
Another problem I have is the way the relationship between them is handled; I understand that Finn himself cannot stand up to his father easily, but the narrative itself forgives his father’s actions, which to me is quite frankly atrocious. Nowhere in the book did anyone say Hey, maybe your dad shouldn’t act that way towards you. There is a scene or two including Finn’s mother trying to defend him, but those get glossed over so much that they’re hard to really take seriously. Somehow things turn out okay and Finn says he wants to take his father’s place despite the treatment he had received before. That was not okay.
The scenes I did like were the reveal about Finn’s grandfather, and basically almost every scene involving a villain. Mr Glad was a nice reveal as well, and even if somewhat cliche, I understood his motivations much better than Finn’s – which says a lot about the way Finn is written.
Which is just sad.
I wanted too much.
Granted, it is not a bad book by any means. Overall Darkmouth is enjoyable, has a somewhat original idea and the characters can be very charming in their own way if you’re one to ignore certain things and not nitpick.
That is basically the best things I can say about it. The other side of the coin is that the book just felt unfinished, as if the author had submitted the draft to their publisher by accident and it was now too late to take it back.
And now we arrive at my problems with this book: inconsistent character narrative and unclear motivations. Slightly messy point of view narrative. Also the fact that Finn somehow suddenly accepts being a Legend Hunter.
Let me elaborate: it is stated very clearly throughout the book that Finn doesn’t even want to be a Legend Hunter, that he instead wishes to be a veterinarian, and wonders if maybe he can talk to the Legends instead of just Hunting them. And somehow, that went out the window without any clear explanation in the second half. The only time I saw Finn display any kind of concern for a Legend, or even a semblance of sympathy, was in scenes with Broonie, and even then I got the feeling that Finn was more annoyed than sympathetic. It isn’t Finn’s fault, I just felt as if his feelings were not properly conveyed by the narrative. One may argue that he decided to be a Hunter because of his father, but we never get a good segue into that. The time frame presented is simply not enough for Finn to change his deepest desires so much.
Which brings me to my other big issue with the book: unclear point of view narrative. Look. There is a neutral third person point of view and an involved one. Darkmouth clearly tried to go for the latter, and failed. Many times I was confused as to Finn’s thoughts and motives for his actions, as they were not properly explained or conveyed – not even subtly. And because the narration is unreliable, that means you don’t get a clear picture of any of the other characters. The only person I somehow got a better idea of was Emmie. Finn’s father, from start to finish, was a complete mystery to me, although he is mentioned on almost every page. Even Finn himself states that his father is odd, but what I mean is that he wasn’t a confusing person, but a confusing character, which are two very different things. It was extremely hard to tell what kind of person he was even in Finn’s eyes.
Another problem I have is the way the relationship between them is handled; I understand that Finn himself cannot stand up to his father easily, but the narrative itself forgives his father’s actions, which to me is quite frankly atrocious. Nowhere in the book did anyone say Hey, maybe your dad shouldn’t act that way towards you. There is a scene or two including Finn’s mother trying to defend him, but those get glossed over so much that they’re hard to really take seriously. Somehow things turn out okay and Finn says he wants to take his father’s place despite the treatment he had received before. That was not okay.
The scenes I did like were the reveal about Finn’s grandfather, and basically almost every scene involving a villain. Mr Glad was a nice reveal as well, and even if somewhat cliche, I understood his motivations much better than Finn’s – which says a lot about the way Finn is written.
Which is just sad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2015
4.5 stars.
Billed as the 'next big thing', a new Harry Potter - I couldn't resist trying this to see...
And it's really, really good. I can see the comparisons, and also why the predictions have bene made. This is exciting fantasy, with scope for a long-lasting series of likeable characters, with backstory and all sorts of interesting creatures.
Our hero doesn't feel like a hero, though his family background would say otherwise. Finn is destined to become the 43rd generation of Legend Hunter in his family. His small Irish town of Darkmouth is now the only remaining place where creatures ('legends' such as manticores, basilisks and hogboons) can enter from their world into ours. Finn has been trained all his life to take on his role as protector of our world, but he isn't very good at it, and doesn't, in fact, want the job.
Finn is twelve, and can't seem to get it right, causing more problems than he stops with his attempts to best the Legends, to the constant frustration of Hugo the Great, his Hunter dad. In this world too, Finn's destiny and family is no secret, at school everyone knows what he's been doing (and what he's been getting wrong), and in this world too, the public are starting to rebel against the Hunters ways - they want to protect themselves.
A big invasion is planned, and Finn is caught up in a large battle that envelopes everyone in Darkmouth, including new friend and fan Emmie, as friendship, betrayal, death, and the safety of our world are all entangled in a Legend plot.
There are lots of nice little touches that rang true - Finn wearily interrupting all the "heard it before" stories of his dad's heroics, the poor Sergeant sick of policing the town and wanting to be posted elsewhere, a constantly desiccated and reanimated Legend called Broonie.
Hegarty has included stories from the Hunters books, some great family dynamics, and lots of fantastical creatures that are both funny and dangerous. It looks like a long book, but it whizzes by just like a Potter story.
The story ends on a cliffhanger that promises more episodes with a Finn who has grown in bravery and confidence in the first, who just like Harry we will probably get to see change through adolescence, with a small group of recurring characters around him. It's not as complete a world as Potter's but could become so.
There are some good relationships that I'd like to see again, between both adults and children, some 'superhero' conventions are played with, I LOVE Finn's house. Broonie reminded me a little of Mulch Diggums from Artemis Fowl, but without the physical attributes everyone likes about him, though he is sweet.
Maybe next time we'll see more of the Legends' world?
A great new fantasy series, one ripe for film plucking (wouldn't it be nice to see Irish accents on screen in a children's film?), and recommended for ages 8-13.
Billed as the 'next big thing', a new Harry Potter - I couldn't resist trying this to see...
And it's really, really good. I can see the comparisons, and also why the predictions have bene made. This is exciting fantasy, with scope for a long-lasting series of likeable characters, with backstory and all sorts of interesting creatures.
Our hero doesn't feel like a hero, though his family background would say otherwise. Finn is destined to become the 43rd generation of Legend Hunter in his family. His small Irish town of Darkmouth is now the only remaining place where creatures ('legends' such as manticores, basilisks and hogboons) can enter from their world into ours. Finn has been trained all his life to take on his role as protector of our world, but he isn't very good at it, and doesn't, in fact, want the job.
Finn is twelve, and can't seem to get it right, causing more problems than he stops with his attempts to best the Legends, to the constant frustration of Hugo the Great, his Hunter dad. In this world too, Finn's destiny and family is no secret, at school everyone knows what he's been doing (and what he's been getting wrong), and in this world too, the public are starting to rebel against the Hunters ways - they want to protect themselves.
A big invasion is planned, and Finn is caught up in a large battle that envelopes everyone in Darkmouth, including new friend and fan Emmie, as friendship, betrayal, death, and the safety of our world are all entangled in a Legend plot.
There are lots of nice little touches that rang true - Finn wearily interrupting all the "heard it before" stories of his dad's heroics, the poor Sergeant sick of policing the town and wanting to be posted elsewhere, a constantly desiccated and reanimated Legend called Broonie.
Hegarty has included stories from the Hunters books, some great family dynamics, and lots of fantastical creatures that are both funny and dangerous. It looks like a long book, but it whizzes by just like a Potter story.
The story ends on a cliffhanger that promises more episodes with a Finn who has grown in bravery and confidence in the first, who just like Harry we will probably get to see change through adolescence, with a small group of recurring characters around him. It's not as complete a world as Potter's but could become so.
There are some good relationships that I'd like to see again, between both adults and children, some 'superhero' conventions are played with, I LOVE Finn's house. Broonie reminded me a little of Mulch Diggums from Artemis Fowl, but without the physical attributes everyone likes about him, though he is sweet.
Maybe next time we'll see more of the Legends' world?
A great new fantasy series, one ripe for film plucking (wouldn't it be nice to see Irish accents on screen in a children's film?), and recommended for ages 8-13.
March 18, 2015
Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.
I haven’t read a series debut that was this good in a long time, and that’s the truth – I might have received this book for free, but I’ll be buying the next one myself, when it comes out. Hegarty’s Darkmouth is a small Irish town that’s the last place in the world that’s still under attack from monsters – Legends, to give them their full title.
The Legends are able to attack the streets of Darkmouth by creating portals between their world, which is an arid, acrid wasteland, and our own. All that stands between them is twelve-year-old Finn, the last Legend Hunter. Finn’s being trained by his father who’s hoping to pass on the skill, but he’s not a natural – he tries hard, but he does more harm than good, and he secretly hopes to become a vet when he grows up.
This, then, is a coming of age story, and it’s a beauty – a super exciting new series that has serious potential. It might not dethrone Harry Potter, but it could easily overtake the Skulduggery Pleasant series and pose a serious threat to the likes of Artemis Fowl, the author of which described this book as “incredible, the next big thing.”
The village of Darkmouth is also a lot easier to visualise thanks to the epic illustrations that are dotted throughout the book, as well as online in the form of animated YouTube videos (unless I dreamt that). Harper Collins has done a great job here, it just exudes quality everywhere it exists – there must’ve been a pretty big team working on this one, ’cause it looks to me as though they’ve covered every angle.
Even the cover is epic, and I’m not just talking about the artwork – the spine is ridged, and feels like snakeskin if you run your fingers over it. It’s the little touches like that which make this book stand apart from most of the other young adult books on the market, and both the publisher and the author should be proud of this.
Fingers crossed that the rest of the series follows suit, because this is one hell of a promising start. The potential for the story to be developed seems almost limitless, and I can’t wait to find out what Finn gets up to next.
I haven’t read a series debut that was this good in a long time, and that’s the truth – I might have received this book for free, but I’ll be buying the next one myself, when it comes out. Hegarty’s Darkmouth is a small Irish town that’s the last place in the world that’s still under attack from monsters – Legends, to give them their full title.
The Legends are able to attack the streets of Darkmouth by creating portals between their world, which is an arid, acrid wasteland, and our own. All that stands between them is twelve-year-old Finn, the last Legend Hunter. Finn’s being trained by his father who’s hoping to pass on the skill, but he’s not a natural – he tries hard, but he does more harm than good, and he secretly hopes to become a vet when he grows up.
This, then, is a coming of age story, and it’s a beauty – a super exciting new series that has serious potential. It might not dethrone Harry Potter, but it could easily overtake the Skulduggery Pleasant series and pose a serious threat to the likes of Artemis Fowl, the author of which described this book as “incredible, the next big thing.”
The village of Darkmouth is also a lot easier to visualise thanks to the epic illustrations that are dotted throughout the book, as well as online in the form of animated YouTube videos (unless I dreamt that). Harper Collins has done a great job here, it just exudes quality everywhere it exists – there must’ve been a pretty big team working on this one, ’cause it looks to me as though they’ve covered every angle.
Even the cover is epic, and I’m not just talking about the artwork – the spine is ridged, and feels like snakeskin if you run your fingers over it. It’s the little touches like that which make this book stand apart from most of the other young adult books on the market, and both the publisher and the author should be proud of this.
Fingers crossed that the rest of the series follows suit, because this is one hell of a promising start. The potential for the story to be developed seems almost limitless, and I can’t wait to find out what Finn gets up to next.
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