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Whyborne & Griffin #4-6
Whyborne and Griffin, Books 4-6: Necropolis, Bloodline, and Hoarfrost
Books 4-6 in the Best-Selling Whyborne & Griffin Series, now in one convenient download. Save 30% off the cover price of buying separately!
Necropolis, Bloodline, and Hoarfrost
Whyborne and Griffin join Christine midst the ancient ruins of the pharaohs, to face betrayal, murder, and a legendary sorceress risen from the dead. In the forge of the desert heat, the trio will either face their fears and stand together—or shatter the bonds between them forever.
Revealed secrets threaten to destroy everything Whyborne believed to be true about his family and himself.
Whyborne and Griffin must journey to the farthest reaches of the arctic to stop an ancient evil from claiming the life of Griffin’s brother. In the rough mining camp of Hoarfrost, secrets fly as thickly as the snow, and Whyborne isn’t the only sorcerer drawn by the rumors of magic. Amidst a wilderness of ice and stone, Griffin must either face his greatest fear—or lose everyone he loves.
_______________
Novel 230,488 words.
Necropolis, Bloodline, and Hoarfrost
Whyborne and Griffin join Christine midst the ancient ruins of the pharaohs, to face betrayal, murder, and a legendary sorceress risen from the dead. In the forge of the desert heat, the trio will either face their fears and stand together—or shatter the bonds between them forever.
Revealed secrets threaten to destroy everything Whyborne believed to be true about his family and himself.
Whyborne and Griffin must journey to the farthest reaches of the arctic to stop an ancient evil from claiming the life of Griffin’s brother. In the rough mining camp of Hoarfrost, secrets fly as thickly as the snow, and Whyborne isn’t the only sorcerer drawn by the rumors of magic. Amidst a wilderness of ice and stone, Griffin must either face his greatest fear—or lose everyone he loves.
_______________
Novel 230,488 words.
859 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2015
47 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Jordan L. Hawk
84 books2,646 followersJordan L. Hawk is a trans author from North Carolina. Childhood tales of mountain ghosts and mysterious creatures gave him a life-long love of things that go bump in the night. When he isn’t writing, he brews his own beer and tries to keep the cats from destroying the house. His best-selling Whyborne & Griffin series (beginning with Widdershins) can be found in print, ebook, and audiobook.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 24, 2019
3 Books in 1.
1. So far my favourite story. Like always I liked liked the dynamic between the characters. And Griffin and his Ival are just really great together.
One thing that was a little annoying were all the spelling mistakes. I'm german and my spelling in english is really bad, but even I noticed all the mistakes (although it got better in the other storys).
2. That was actually my least favourite in the series. I get this urge to be free and wanting to do whatever you want. Whyborne had to hide his whole live (still has to partly) and suddenly there are other sourcerers who show him that his live can be different.
But his behaviour was just annoying and egoistic. And it overshadowed a lot of the otherwise great plot. I mean, I know he was grieving (kind of) and it was just nice to meet other sorcerers and to find out more about his family history.
I liked that his mother had a bigger role, she's such a sweet character.
3. This time it was Griffin's family. It was really sweet that he just wanted a family member to be part of his life and accept him (no wonder after his parents reaction) and how he regretted not telling his brother everything. It was clear from the beginning that something must happen, but I'm glad everything worked out at the end and I hope we'll see him again.
Overall I'm still hooked with the series and don't want it to end. It is so very well written and it has a perfect line between action and romance. The plot seems to be thought through (at least it makes sense in my head) and I can't wait for their next adventure.
1. So far my favourite story. Like always I liked liked the dynamic between the characters. And Griffin and his Ival are just really great together.
One thing that was a little annoying were all the spelling mistakes. I'm german and my spelling in english is really bad, but even I noticed all the mistakes (although it got better in the other storys).
2. That was actually my least favourite in the series. I get this urge to be free and wanting to do whatever you want. Whyborne had to hide his whole live (still has to partly) and suddenly there are other sourcerers who show him that his live can be different.
But his behaviour was just annoying and egoistic. And it overshadowed a lot of the otherwise great plot. I mean, I know he was grieving (kind of) and it was just nice to meet other sorcerers and to find out more about his family history.
I liked that his mother had a bigger role, she's such a sweet character.
3. This time it was Griffin's family. It was really sweet that he just wanted a family member to be part of his life and accept him (no wonder after his parents reaction) and how he regretted not telling his brother everything. It was clear from the beginning that something must happen, but I'm glad everything worked out at the end and I hope we'll see him again.
Overall I'm still hooked with the series and don't want it to end. It is so very well written and it has a perfect line between action and romance. The plot seems to be thought through (at least it makes sense in my head) and I can't wait for their next adventure.
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January 31, 2022
2019: I will be transferring my reading dates to the single editions.
Read
May 12, 2022Solid entertainment
Many books aren't holding my attention these days, but this collection kept me engaged for hours. I expected a lot of the "twists" but that didn't hurt my enjoyment.
Many books aren't holding my attention these days, but this collection kept me engaged for hours. I expected a lot of the "twists" but that didn't hurt my enjoyment.
October 20, 2019
Rattling good yarn!
More adventures for true friends and lovers queer and het (if still not quite socially acceptable) in this Lovecraft-influenced setting -- monsters and sorcery without the racism or misogyny of the original Cthulhu stories. Also small quiet humor. I like spending time with these people.
More adventures for true friends and lovers queer and het (if still not quite socially acceptable) in this Lovecraft-influenced setting -- monsters and sorcery without the racism or misogyny of the original Cthulhu stories. Also small quiet humor. I like spending time with these people.
July 15, 2016
Amazing, as always. I was so happy to find the three heroes again, and I love Aleksander, poor guy.
I love the fact that the plots in these volumes are things that have been hinted since book 1. You see it was planned.
So many feels in these books.
I love the fact that the plots in these volumes are things that have been hinted since book 1. You see it was planned.
So many feels in these books.
Read
April 5, 20251. Necropolis ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jeezy-flippers! I've read this book twice, yet never wrote a review. Here's what I remember from a tw0-month distance.
Whyborne and Griffin travel to Egypt to help Christine with her latest dig. They stop in London for a 5-star adventure detailed in Remnant: A Caldwell & Feximal/Whyborne & Griffin Mystery.
Egypt is filled with the good and the bad. Bad: Whyborne is scarred for life. Good: Christine is on the cover of the 2016 edition!
We meet Christine's sister Daphne and her assistant Iskander. Both are key to additions to the series.
Griffin has a deathly face-to-face encounter with a daemon. It's so frightening, he saves one bullet to use before the monster gets him. But it does give us some lovely Whyborne & Griffin moments.
2. Bloodline: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Re-read review, January 2025:
In Bloodline everything changes; and I'm raising my rating to 5 stars. Not just because of the book's significance, but because now I better understand Whyborne's transformation from shy, introverted young man to confident, competent sorcerer. The problem is that, although Whyborne is finally happy with who he is, the change is not for the better.
Thank goodness Griffin is there to bring Whyborne back to himself, although it takes a great deal of effort. Perhaps Christine’s sharp tongue helped in the process.
----->Complete original review, April 2018<------
Holy cow! Moral of this story?
All in all, this is a game-changer. Perhaps the best of the series so far, certainly the most dramatic. Up until this one, I hadn't been a huge Whyborne & Griffin fan. I enjoyed the stories, but they weren't necessarily anything I'd read again. But this book was quite exceptional.
3. Hoarfrost: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 2025: Upping my rating to 4 stars.
This is the first time we get Griffin's POV. It's a blessing and a curse. A curse because alternate 1st person POVs can be a bitch to follow. A blessing because...
Well there are several blessings: 1) We get Griffin's perspective first hand, not just what he says, but what he feels. 2) Griffin himself becomes part of the mystical world, dreaming of the umbrae, hearing voices in the aurora borealis. And 3) we see first hand how very frightened he is of losing his sanity.
Christine quote of the moment:
My original review c. April 2018"
Jeezy-flippers! I've read this book twice, yet never wrote a review. Here's what I remember from a tw0-month distance.
Whyborne and Griffin travel to Egypt to help Christine with her latest dig. They stop in London for a 5-star adventure detailed in Remnant: A Caldwell & Feximal/Whyborne & Griffin Mystery.
Egypt is filled with the good and the bad. Bad: Whyborne is scarred for life. Good: Christine is on the cover of the 2016 edition!
We meet Christine's sister Daphne and her assistant Iskander. Both are key to additions to the series.
Griffin has a deathly face-to-face encounter with a daemon. It's so frightening, he saves one bullet to use before the monster gets him. But it does give us some lovely Whyborne & Griffin moments.
2. Bloodline: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Re-read review, January 2025:
“Honestly, Whyborne, are you certain you’re related to that man?” Christine asked. “I don’t mean to cast aspersions on your mother, of course, but perhaps the fairies left you as a changeling.”I began re-reading the entire Whyborne & Griffin series in late 2024 when I received Tales from Widdershins, a collection of the short stories and novellas from the W&G universe. The initial short story is titled "Changeling." It tells the story of Whyborne's childhood, from birth until he leaves for college. Seeing the term referenced here is a nice nod to the saga's beginnings.
In Bloodline everything changes; and I'm raising my rating to 5 stars. Not just because of the book's significance, but because now I better understand Whyborne's transformation from shy, introverted young man to confident, competent sorcerer. The problem is that, although Whyborne is finally happy with who he is, the change is not for the better.
Thank goodness Griffin is there to bring Whyborne back to himself, although it takes a great deal of effort. Perhaps Christine’s sharp tongue helped in the process.
You’re really terrible at the whole monstrous creature thing.”Whyborne does come to his senses. He may even start to realize he is beyond competent. His mother certainly knows who he truly is.
She met my gaze then, and the anger slid away, replaced by love and something very like grief. “Send them both to hell, my knight,” she said."My knight!" *swoon* Heliabel may be my favorite part of this entire series.
----->Complete original review, April 2018<------
Holy cow! Moral of this story?
All in all, this is a game-changer. Perhaps the best of the series so far, certainly the most dramatic. Up until this one, I hadn't been a huge Whyborne & Griffin fan. I enjoyed the stories, but they weren't necessarily anything I'd read again. But this book was quite exceptional.
3. Hoarfrost: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 2025: Upping my rating to 4 stars.
This is the first time we get Griffin's POV. It's a blessing and a curse. A curse because alternate 1st person POVs can be a bitch to follow. A blessing because...
Well there are several blessings: 1) We get Griffin's perspective first hand, not just what he says, but what he feels. 2) Griffin himself becomes part of the mystical world, dreaming of the umbrae, hearing voices in the aurora borealis. And 3) we see first hand how very frightened he is of losing his sanity.
Christine quote of the moment:
“We must get to the library and find out if this will revive my career, or kill us all in the process!”
My original review c. April 2018"
March 30, 2019
What a good book
Well this wasn't the least little bit creepy. Actually, it was a whole lot of creepy. I love these stories and the way the relationships between all the characters develop.
Will admit I spent a lot of time in both Necropolis and Bloodline seriously ticked off with everyone even when I could halfway understand why they were doing what they were doing. Really glad Griffin has decided not to hide his relationship with Whyborne, if he finally gets to find his other brother. And really glad Jack didn't turn out to be a rat in Hoarfrost. That would have been just too hard.
Interesting characters, fascinating magic and a real feel for the period. What's not to like?
Well this wasn't the least little bit creepy. Actually, it was a whole lot of creepy. I love these stories and the way the relationships between all the characters develop.
Will admit I spent a lot of time in both Necropolis and Bloodline seriously ticked off with everyone even when I could halfway understand why they were doing what they were doing. Really glad Griffin has decided not to hide his relationship with Whyborne, if he finally gets to find his other brother. And really glad Jack didn't turn out to be a rat in Hoarfrost. That would have been just too hard.
Interesting characters, fascinating magic and a real feel for the period. What's not to like?
March 13, 2022
Frozen Auroras
Why borne & Griffin head to Alaska for their next adventure. Christine & Iskander join the fun with Griffin's recently found older brother Jack Hogue. Jack is in Hoarfrost, Alaska working a gold claim and sends Griffin part of an ancient stele he discoverrf.in his claim and ask if Whyborne thinks it's worth anything. Christine is ready to go and in a few week's time the group is on their way to Alaska and their next adventure. Great read for fans & newcomers alike. Not to be missed.
Why borne & Griffin head to Alaska for their next adventure. Christine & Iskander join the fun with Griffin's recently found older brother Jack Hogue. Jack is in Hoarfrost, Alaska working a gold claim and sends Griffin part of an ancient stele he discoverrf.in his claim and ask if Whyborne thinks it's worth anything. Christine is ready to go and in a few week's time the group is on their way to Alaska and their next adventure. Great read for fans & newcomers alike. Not to be missed.
August 8, 2018
Chracking page turners
Another thoroughly enjoyable adventure . Each book just gets better. Looking forward to reading the next in the series. I love the characters and worldbuilding so much.
Another thoroughly enjoyable adventure . Each book just gets better. Looking forward to reading the next in the series. I love the characters and worldbuilding so much.
June 2, 2018
The very first books were better because of the novelty of the universe. But the following ones are also great :)
November 27, 2019
I really loved the first book in this box set. The second story was a major shocker. The third book I was not as big a fan of. Overall I really like this series.
November 11, 2020
Better with each installment
This book gets better with each installment. Each book takes you on a wonderful adventure and strengthens the bind between the characters.
This book gets better with each installment. Each book takes you on a wonderful adventure and strengthens the bind between the characters.
Want to read
November 23, 2020Thank you for the gift, Secret Santa!! <3
March 2, 2021
This is a fun series.
Full of love, adventure and fussy sorcerers.
I say load up and have some fun.
Full of love, adventure and fussy sorcerers.
I say load up and have some fun.
February 22, 2021
Love love love
Adventure, magic, and some spicy bits too! Perfection. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Definitely worth a read~
Adventure, magic, and some spicy bits too! Perfection. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Definitely worth a read~
November 21, 2019
Great 3-book set!
This series gets better and more complex with each book, adding great new characters and excellent narrative twists. Fantastic read!
This series gets better and more complex with each book, adding great new characters and excellent narrative twists. Fantastic read!
October 15, 2016
NECROPOLIS: 3.25 stars
Egypt! Mummies, ghuls, and more
This time, Whyborne is taken far out of his comfort zone, into the hot, gritty sands of Egypt. Griffin may be more accustomed to travel and physical rigors, but he has to face nightmares he's tried to leave behind, of dark underground passages, and the deadly, unnatural threats they may harbor. Also, he is still very wary of the sorcerous powers Whyborne is eager to experiment with.
Christine may (or may not) have found a romantic interest for herself, despite long having considered herself beyond any such possibility, and her estranged sister, now a widow, shows up too, offering to help with the expedition for a chance at reconciliation.
The plot is exciting (if rather complicated) and emotional, full of perils and revelations, and not without occasional humor to keep it human.
My only real criticism is on the relationship level: in the first couple books, it was rather sweet how both male leads felt the other was SO wonderful that they were unworthy, but surely in a healthy relationship, there should be more confidence in their bond by now, on both sides.
Re. editing, I only spotted one repeated error: the use of the subject pronoun "I" in compound OBJECT phrases ("She left Griffin and I", e.g.), where it should be "me".
BLOODLINE: 3 stars
Shocking revelations on both sdes of Whyborne's family tree
This installmenf had me worried for Whyborne, who, under the influence of magic-using, monster-fighting, brother-and-sister twin cousins from England, starts lying to Griffin about practicing and expanding his own magical skills. He gets carried away when his own new sense of power and freedom combines with a too-eager desire for vengeance. By the bittersweet, but mainly sweet, end of tbe story, thougb, their relationship is stronger than ever, and even Whyborne's controlling father has found a new respect for him. Whyborne (Percival, I mean) has also gotten a new perspective himself on what it means to be a monster, or not.
The revelations re. both parts of the Endicott family history were great; I wonder if there will be any repercussions from across the Atlantic. I saw some of the plot's twists coming (view spoiler), but others not at all. The climax was exciting and intense, and as I said, the conclusion was highly satisfying. I debated giving it 4 stars, but the way Whyborne had unquestioning, conclusion-leaping tunnel-vision for a major portion, while weaving his tangled web, kept it down to a Goodreads 3.
ETA: After posting my review, I took a look at a few others, and besides being reminded that I'm stingy with stars, I realized something terrible: I didn't even mention Christine! How did that happen? Now, the previous book was in some ways "hers", and this one wasn't, but she's still her wonderfully brash yet caring self here, someone I'd love to know, or maybe even be. When Whyborne goes too far, she doesn't just let him off easy.
One comment: in the end of Necropolis, W&G offer to accompany Christine as support when she goes to see her parents in Philadelphia, and in this one there's brief mention that they blamed her for the whole Daphne tragedy (or, what they were told happened, anyway), but apparently nothing supernatural happened on that trip, because JLH didn't even write a short about it.
HOARFROST: 4 stars
Excellent: dangerous landscapes, and more-dangerous men & creatures, plus the power of love
This was a great installment. Whyborne finds that the wilds of the Alaskan winter are even less hospitable than the sands of Egypt, and that the new power he has access to while in Widdershins is little use half a world away, facing something he's less prepared for than he thought. Griffin, torn by the grief and disappointment of his foster father's death w/o any reconciliation between them, is determined to face any nightmare if it means not losing anyone else he cares about, be it his husband or his only recently reconnected brother. Those nightmares, and that brother, have some shocking surprises in store for him, though. We learn some ancient secrets about the origins and nature of both the ketoi and the demons of the night, and that there are other factions among human magic-workers besides those our heroes have confronted before -- though whether that will prove for good or ill remains to be seen. The climax is powerfully emotional as well as exciting -- have some tissues handy! -- but *spoiler* fear not! JLH leaves us with an (almost completely) happy ending once again.
Egypt! Mummies, ghuls, and more
This time, Whyborne is taken far out of his comfort zone, into the hot, gritty sands of Egypt. Griffin may be more accustomed to travel and physical rigors, but he has to face nightmares he's tried to leave behind, of dark underground passages, and the deadly, unnatural threats they may harbor. Also, he is still very wary of the sorcerous powers Whyborne is eager to experiment with.
Christine may (or may not) have found a romantic interest for herself, despite long having considered herself beyond any such possibility, and her estranged sister, now a widow, shows up too, offering to help with the expedition for a chance at reconciliation.
The plot is exciting (if rather complicated) and emotional, full of perils and revelations, and not without occasional humor to keep it human.
My only real criticism is on the relationship level: in the first couple books, it was rather sweet how both male leads felt the other was SO wonderful that they were unworthy, but surely in a healthy relationship, there should be more confidence in their bond by now, on both sides.
Re. editing, I only spotted one repeated error: the use of the subject pronoun "I" in compound OBJECT phrases ("She left Griffin and I", e.g.), where it should be "me".
BLOODLINE: 3 stars
Shocking revelations on both sdes of Whyborne's family tree
This installmenf had me worried for Whyborne, who, under the influence of magic-using, monster-fighting, brother-and-sister twin cousins from England, starts lying to Griffin about practicing and expanding his own magical skills. He gets carried away when his own new sense of power and freedom combines with a too-eager desire for vengeance. By the bittersweet, but mainly sweet, end of tbe story, thougb, their relationship is stronger than ever, and even Whyborne's controlling father has found a new respect for him. Whyborne (Percival, I mean) has also gotten a new perspective himself on what it means to be a monster, or not.
The revelations re. both parts of the Endicott family history were great; I wonder if there will be any repercussions from across the Atlantic. I saw some of the plot's twists coming (view spoiler), but others not at all. The climax was exciting and intense, and as I said, the conclusion was highly satisfying. I debated giving it 4 stars, but the way Whyborne had unquestioning, conclusion-leaping tunnel-vision for a major portion, while weaving his tangled web, kept it down to a Goodreads 3.
ETA: After posting my review, I took a look at a few others, and besides being reminded that I'm stingy with stars, I realized something terrible: I didn't even mention Christine! How did that happen? Now, the previous book was in some ways "hers", and this one wasn't, but she's still her wonderfully brash yet caring self here, someone I'd love to know, or maybe even be. When Whyborne goes too far, she doesn't just let him off easy.
One comment: in the end of Necropolis, W&G offer to accompany Christine as support when she goes to see her parents in Philadelphia, and in this one there's brief mention that they blamed her for the whole Daphne tragedy (or, what they were told happened, anyway), but apparently nothing supernatural happened on that trip, because JLH didn't even write a short about it.
HOARFROST: 4 stars
Excellent: dangerous landscapes, and more-dangerous men & creatures, plus the power of love
This was a great installment. Whyborne finds that the wilds of the Alaskan winter are even less hospitable than the sands of Egypt, and that the new power he has access to while in Widdershins is little use half a world away, facing something he's less prepared for than he thought. Griffin, torn by the grief and disappointment of his foster father's death w/o any reconciliation between them, is determined to face any nightmare if it means not losing anyone else he cares about, be it his husband or his only recently reconnected brother. Those nightmares, and that brother, have some shocking surprises in store for him, though. We learn some ancient secrets about the origins and nature of both the ketoi and the demons of the night, and that there are other factions among human magic-workers besides those our heroes have confronted before -- though whether that will prove for good or ill remains to be seen. The climax is powerfully emotional as well as exciting -- have some tissues handy! -- but *spoiler* fear not! JLH leaves us with an (almost completely) happy ending once again.
June 10, 2020
Wonderful and surprising
The three follow-up volumes continue the startling blend of mystery, adventure and arcane power. Hawk manages to make the love story an integral part of each book’s landscape, just as Griffin and Whyborne’s strengths and insecurities, logic and emotions are fully drawn. I have been bingeing on these books and it’s because the characters are so well rounded. Moreover, in books 5 and 6, our heroes have to face down changes that will threaten who they are and what they will ultimately be to one another.
The three follow-up volumes continue the startling blend of mystery, adventure and arcane power. Hawk manages to make the love story an integral part of each book’s landscape, just as Griffin and Whyborne’s strengths and insecurities, logic and emotions are fully drawn. I have been bingeing on these books and it’s because the characters are so well rounded. Moreover, in books 5 and 6, our heroes have to face down changes that will threaten who they are and what they will ultimately be to one another.
October 28, 2016
They just keep getting better!
5 stars are all I can give these books, I'd give 10 if it were possible. Jordan L Hawk writes some of the best books and if you're not reading them you're denying your self one of life's greater pleasures. Well? What are you waiting for? Go buy them and enjoy!
5 stars are all I can give these books, I'd give 10 if it were possible. Jordan L Hawk writes some of the best books and if you're not reading them you're denying your self one of life's greater pleasures. Well? What are you waiting for? Go buy them and enjoy!
March 1, 2016
Love these books
Seriously read these books if you like MM books. I don't typically love historical fiction but these are great. I adore Whyborne, Griffin, Christine, and so many other characters.
Seriously read these books if you like MM books. I don't typically love historical fiction but these are great. I adore Whyborne, Griffin, Christine, and so many other characters.
March 10, 2017
I was spellbound!
See what I did there?! I can't think there's much I can add to all the stellar reviews of these stories. I liked Bloodline the best because of Griffin and Ival on the beach, at the end, pledging themselves. Wonderful, fun, alternate paranormal world.
See what I did there?! I can't think there's much I can add to all the stellar reviews of these stories. I liked Bloodline the best because of Griffin and Ival on the beach, at the end, pledging themselves. Wonderful, fun, alternate paranormal world.
January 5, 2016
I loved this series! Can't wait for more more more
although an easy read, Griffin and Whyborne are a compelling couple.
although an easy read, Griffin and Whyborne are a compelling couple.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews