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The Sacred Hunt #1-2
The Sacred Hunt Duology
The Sacred Hunt the first time the duology Hunter's Oath and Hunter's Death, by bestselling author Michelle West, will be available as a single volume
HUNTER'S OATH
When the covenant was made with the Hunter God, all who dwelt in Breodanir swore to abide by it. The Hunter Lords—and the hunting dogs to which their minds were specially attuned—would seek out game in the God’s woods to provide food for their people, and the Hunter God would ensure that the Hunters, the land, and the people prospered.
But in payment, once a year the Sacred Hunt must be called, the God’s own Hunt in which the prey became one of the Lords, or his huntbrother. This was the Hunter’s Oath, sworn by each Lord and his huntbrother—the companion chosen from the common folk to remind each Lord of his own ties to humanity. It was the Oath pledged in blood by Gilliam of Elseth and the orphan boy Stepehn—and the fulfillment of that Oath would lead them to the kind of destiny from which legends were made…
HUNTER'S DEATH
Averalaan—the most ancient of cities, had long been the home of magics both dark and bright. For the site where this most civilized city of mortals now stood had once been a dread place indeed, a citadel of evil ruled by the Lord of the Hells. Only through the greatest of sacrifices had he been contained and cast back into his own dimension. And though the passing centuries had all but obliterated the memories of that terrible time, trouble was once again stirring in the hidden byways of Averalaan.
The first warning that the Dark Lord’s minions were at work came from a pack of street rats led by a young woman gifted with the ability to see the truth even when it was hidden behind carefully spell-crafted illusions. And as she carried her warning to The Terafin, head of one of the most powerful families in the land, others, too, were rallying to Averalaan’s aid.
Blessed or cursed by their Hunter God and gifted with his most unique creation, the Hunter Lord Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen were about to do the unthinkable. Guided by the seer Evayne, they would journey beyond the borders of their kingdom, something no Hunter Lord had ever done. For only in Averalaan could they find their true destiny, even if it meant facing the Dark Lord himself…
HUNTER'S OATH
When the covenant was made with the Hunter God, all who dwelt in Breodanir swore to abide by it. The Hunter Lords—and the hunting dogs to which their minds were specially attuned—would seek out game in the God’s woods to provide food for their people, and the Hunter God would ensure that the Hunters, the land, and the people prospered.
But in payment, once a year the Sacred Hunt must be called, the God’s own Hunt in which the prey became one of the Lords, or his huntbrother. This was the Hunter’s Oath, sworn by each Lord and his huntbrother—the companion chosen from the common folk to remind each Lord of his own ties to humanity. It was the Oath pledged in blood by Gilliam of Elseth and the orphan boy Stepehn—and the fulfillment of that Oath would lead them to the kind of destiny from which legends were made…
HUNTER'S DEATH
Averalaan—the most ancient of cities, had long been the home of magics both dark and bright. For the site where this most civilized city of mortals now stood had once been a dread place indeed, a citadel of evil ruled by the Lord of the Hells. Only through the greatest of sacrifices had he been contained and cast back into his own dimension. And though the passing centuries had all but obliterated the memories of that terrible time, trouble was once again stirring in the hidden byways of Averalaan.
The first warning that the Dark Lord’s minions were at work came from a pack of street rats led by a young woman gifted with the ability to see the truth even when it was hidden behind carefully spell-crafted illusions. And as she carried her warning to The Terafin, head of one of the most powerful families in the land, others, too, were rallying to Averalaan’s aid.
Blessed or cursed by their Hunter God and gifted with his most unique creation, the Hunter Lord Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen were about to do the unthinkable. Guided by the seer Evayne, they would journey beyond the borders of their kingdom, something no Hunter Lord had ever done. For only in Averalaan could they find their true destiny, even if it meant facing the Dark Lord himself…
864 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2016
31 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Michelle West
73 books467 followersSee also:
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle Sagara
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle Sagara
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 23, 2017
The Sacred Hunt is the first time the duology Hunter's Oath and Hunter's Death, by bestselling author Michelle West, has been available as a single volume. This author has also published under the names Michelle Sagara and Michelle Sagara West.
HUNTER'S OATH: When the covenant was made with the Hunter God, it ensured that the Hunter Lords, their land, and their people would prosper. But in payment, once a year the Sacred Hunt must be called, in which the God's prey would be one of the Lords or his huntbrother. This was the Hunter's Oath, sworn to by each Lord and his huntbrother. It was the Oath taken by Gilliam of Elseth and the orphan boy Stephen--and the fulfillment of their Oath would prove the kind of destiny from which legends were made.
HUNTER'S DEATH: The Hunter Lord Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen must travel to Averalaan, a city once ruled by the Lord of Hell himself, the Dark Lord who once again seeks to impose his reign over the mortal lands. And only Stephen, Gilliam, Espere, and the seer Evayne stand any chance of saving the world from this most evil of fates.
The Sacred Hunt is a solid and complete story. The world, the characters, and the mythology are all well written and interesting. I enjoyed the personalities, and their imperfection, that made the characters real despite the obvious fact they they are fictional. The relationship between Stephen and Gilliam, and those in similar positions, is well built and described with plenty of growth and change- as real personalities and relationships grow. The only thing that I really did not like were the interludes when Evayne's point of view came through. As the story progressed her importance was clear, but in the beginning I just found it disruptive, bringing me out of the story for a bit. I understand the importance of what readers gained there- but while I was reading the first portion of the doulogy, even though I knew there would be a good reason for it, it just did not help the flow of the book for me. I did find the pacing a little slow, but that could have been my eagerness to get to the action, and to see where West was going to take us.
The Sacred Hunt is a reminder for me of what I enjoy from a favorite author. I am a fan of her books written as Michelle Sagara, and know that this douolgy was originally written much earlier. I can see the dedicated world and character building, as well as a slower pace and some pitfalls that showed me how much the author has grown. A solid fantasy series, but a less engaging story than I had hoped for.
HUNTER'S OATH: When the covenant was made with the Hunter God, it ensured that the Hunter Lords, their land, and their people would prosper. But in payment, once a year the Sacred Hunt must be called, in which the God's prey would be one of the Lords or his huntbrother. This was the Hunter's Oath, sworn to by each Lord and his huntbrother. It was the Oath taken by Gilliam of Elseth and the orphan boy Stephen--and the fulfillment of their Oath would prove the kind of destiny from which legends were made.
HUNTER'S DEATH: The Hunter Lord Gilliam and his huntbrother Stephen must travel to Averalaan, a city once ruled by the Lord of Hell himself, the Dark Lord who once again seeks to impose his reign over the mortal lands. And only Stephen, Gilliam, Espere, and the seer Evayne stand any chance of saving the world from this most evil of fates.
The Sacred Hunt is a solid and complete story. The world, the characters, and the mythology are all well written and interesting. I enjoyed the personalities, and their imperfection, that made the characters real despite the obvious fact they they are fictional. The relationship between Stephen and Gilliam, and those in similar positions, is well built and described with plenty of growth and change- as real personalities and relationships grow. The only thing that I really did not like were the interludes when Evayne's point of view came through. As the story progressed her importance was clear, but in the beginning I just found it disruptive, bringing me out of the story for a bit. I understand the importance of what readers gained there- but while I was reading the first portion of the doulogy, even though I knew there would be a good reason for it, it just did not help the flow of the book for me. I did find the pacing a little slow, but that could have been my eagerness to get to the action, and to see where West was going to take us.
The Sacred Hunt is a reminder for me of what I enjoy from a favorite author. I am a fan of her books written as Michelle Sagara, and know that this douolgy was originally written much earlier. I can see the dedicated world and character building, as well as a slower pace and some pitfalls that showed me how much the author has grown. A solid fantasy series, but a less engaging story than I had hoped for.
January 21, 2024
Hunter’s Oath: This is the first half of this Duology. It features many interesting characters. Mainly Gilliam of Elseth and his huntbrother Stephen.
Hunter’s Death: The conclusion of the Sacred Hunt Duology. Lord Gilliam Elseth and his huntbrother Stephen have traveled to Averalaan to find their true destiny.
Both of these books are peopled with a variety of races and rich characters. Whether mage born or hunter born each plays their part. Can they trust one another enough to conquer the greatest of evil? Michelle West doesn’t disappoint.
Hunter’s Death: The conclusion of the Sacred Hunt Duology. Lord Gilliam Elseth and his huntbrother Stephen have traveled to Averalaan to find their true destiny.
Both of these books are peopled with a variety of races and rich characters. Whether mage born or hunter born each plays their part. Can they trust one another enough to conquer the greatest of evil? Michelle West doesn’t disappoint.
October 13, 2019
Loved the way the author's worldbuilding- it's classic fantasy, and I loved the bond between Gilliam and Stephen.
"Wisdom," she said, as he rose from his bow, "is not knowledge. It is experience. You will find, as you grow older, that you are capable of many wrongs which you consider evil now; you will also understand much about people that you dismiss. You may even understand the fear that comes with love, and the love that transcends fear."
"Wisdom," she said, as he rose from his bow, "is not knowledge. It is experience. You will find, as you grow older, that you are capable of many wrongs which you consider evil now; you will also understand much about people that you dismiss. You may even understand the fear that comes with love, and the love that transcends fear."
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August 20, 2020I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I really enjoy her writing over all but I couldn’t get into this book through there were too many points of view changes. I like the story but I just had a hard time getting into and staying with it.
July 31, 2016
I received a free electronic copy of this set of books free from Net Gallery for review.
The most interesting aspect to these two books is the gods and how they interact with the people. Unfortunately the theological underpinnings aren't revealed in any detail until the latter part of the second book. As a result there's too much tease and not enough delivery.
What you end up with is a story about a god that was left behind when his brethren left the world--and his role in a fight to keep darkness from winning dominion over the world. West uses two young men, noble Gilliam and street urchin Stephen who form a hunting pair, to drive the plot. Most of the action happens behind the scenes and the reader is left reading long passages where not much happens. It's an interesting world but there's just too many pages in which tedium rules. It's small wonder that Gilliam is temperamental when forced to deal with other people.
The second book is a lot more interesting than the first so it might be best to just start there.
The most interesting aspect to these two books is the gods and how they interact with the people. Unfortunately the theological underpinnings aren't revealed in any detail until the latter part of the second book. As a result there's too much tease and not enough delivery.
What you end up with is a story about a god that was left behind when his brethren left the world--and his role in a fight to keep darkness from winning dominion over the world. West uses two young men, noble Gilliam and street urchin Stephen who form a hunting pair, to drive the plot. Most of the action happens behind the scenes and the reader is left reading long passages where not much happens. It's an interesting world but there's just too many pages in which tedium rules. It's small wonder that Gilliam is temperamental when forced to deal with other people.
The second book is a lot more interesting than the first so it might be best to just start there.
July 27, 2016
This is a great introduction to the complete Essalieyan Series. Michelle is an excellent composer of epic fantasy. She can be mentioned along with Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Anne Bishop and (though I am loathe to admit it) Terry Goodkind.
July 11, 2016
I originally read this duology as a child in two separate novels It was a beautifully written and original story with heart wrenching moments.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews