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Tales of Luah Fáil #1
Horns of the Hunter
An age of myth. A bitter feud. A storm of legend.
It is the closing days of the Enkindled King’s wars for Earthblood, when a cycle of violence and hatred sparks a bitter feud in his shadow.
Náith, the Warrior. Luw, the Hunter. Cast aside and burned by their lover’s betrayal, the two find themselves trapped in a bloody struggle for the affections of Síle, the Maid of Mael Tulla.
Cherished as a healer and bringer of verdant life to barren lands, Síle stands as a mystery unto all – even those who would claim her heart. For one so gentle and kind, secrets and bloodshed swarm about her like flies upon a corpse.
Consumed by hatred and heartache, both Náith and Luw will take the darkest of trials and challenge death itself, unaware of the true game being played.
A storm beyond imagining waits for the Warrior and the Hunter. One that will decide the fate of Luah Fáil.
It is the closing days of the Enkindled King’s wars for Earthblood, when a cycle of violence and hatred sparks a bitter feud in his shadow.
Náith, the Warrior. Luw, the Hunter. Cast aside and burned by their lover’s betrayal, the two find themselves trapped in a bloody struggle for the affections of Síle, the Maid of Mael Tulla.
Cherished as a healer and bringer of verdant life to barren lands, Síle stands as a mystery unto all – even those who would claim her heart. For one so gentle and kind, secrets and bloodshed swarm about her like flies upon a corpse.
Consumed by hatred and heartache, both Náith and Luw will take the darkest of trials and challenge death itself, unaware of the true game being played.
A storm beyond imagining waits for the Warrior and the Hunter. One that will decide the fate of Luah Fáil.
- GenresFantasy
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2021
10 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Frank Dorrian
16 books102 followersFrank Dorrian was born in Liverpool. His hometown, a post-industrial cityscape, served as poignant inspiration for his creative efforts. He would commence writing in earnest during his teenage years, composing stories to sate desires of both expression and introspection.
Former careers include shop cashier, qualified mental health nurse and large-scale change governance and gap analysis for an international business. Today, Frank works as an operational analyst for a major UK institution, overseeing and improving complex data and processes.
When not writing, Frank spends his spare time reading, playing computer games, collecting tattoos and Thai boxing. He has previously competed as a fighter domestically in the UK and abroad in Thailand.
His first book, The Shadow of the High King, a grimdark fantasy novel, was released 30th August 2016, followed by To Brave the End on the 28th February 2017 and Scars of the Sand on the 8th September 2017, both standalone novellas set in the world of the Weaving Shadows Trilogy.
A further standalone, the start of a new series, Horns of the Hunter was released on 27th July 2021, a standalone novel set in the ancient days of Luah Fáil.
Former careers include shop cashier, qualified mental health nurse and large-scale change governance and gap analysis for an international business. Today, Frank works as an operational analyst for a major UK institution, overseeing and improving complex data and processes.
When not writing, Frank spends his spare time reading, playing computer games, collecting tattoos and Thai boxing. He has previously competed as a fighter domestically in the UK and abroad in Thailand.
His first book, The Shadow of the High King, a grimdark fantasy novel, was released 30th August 2016, followed by To Brave the End on the 28th February 2017 and Scars of the Sand on the 8th September 2017, both standalone novellas set in the world of the Weaving Shadows Trilogy.
A further standalone, the start of a new series, Horns of the Hunter was released on 27th July 2021, a standalone novel set in the ancient days of Luah Fáil.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 4, 2021
I LOVED this book. Serious just loooooved it. I have been a Frank Dorrian fan for years, and this book delivered. All of my expectations were met. More to come but seriously. Do yourself a favor. If you like dark books, you must read this.
June 14, 2021
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/06...
Horns of the Hunter was a book I knew I wanted to edit the second I saw it. It’s based on Celtic mythology, and written with lyrical prose. The two things put together basically just make this one of those books I’m sure to love. I’m a huge, huge sucker for mythology retold, and beautiful prose is icing on the cake.
Most of this story is focused on Cu Náith the Warrior and Luw the Hunter. Cu Náith and Luw are the biggest focal points of this story, and they couldn’t be more opposite. Cu Náith is arrogant and swaggering. He knows he’s the best, and he usually is. He has a supernatural affinity for all things that require physical strength, and his ego basically makes up the biggest part of his personality. Luw the Hunter, on the other hand, is much more quiet and reserved. He’s thoughtful, and while he is focused on his end goals, he is motivated largely by preserving the forests, and doing what needs to be done to ensure that end.
The other main character in this book is Síle. Síle is a romantic interest for both of these men. What starts out as a squabble between two spurned lovers turns into something a bit more serious as Síle starts poking fingers in the conflict between the men. As the book unfolds, it becomes clear that Síle is not who she appears to be, and she is using both of these men for her own ends, and these men seem to be dancing to her tune, and oblivious to her end goals, no matter how obvious they become to the reader. This, in fact, is part of why this book was so compelling. The characters are so absorbed in their own experiences, that what slowly becomes clear to the reader isn’t that clear to the characters themselves, and that draws out emotions from the reader that are just… powerful. I mean, it’s like watching a train wreck. You can’t look away. You know what’s going to happen, at least in a vague way, and you can see it barreling toward the event horizon, but you just cannot stop watching.
It’s that dynamic, that incredible ability for Dorrian to not only play on his readers emotions that skillfully, but his characters as well that, quite honestly, make him a master of the craft.
I will say, reader, the genius of this book is how the characters work against each other, and how that forces their development in some unexpected ways.
In fact, the character development over the course of this novel had me so enchanted, so absolutely absorbed and obsessed, I read this book numerous times before I returned it to the author. I just couldn’t get enough of it. I couldn’t stop looking at how Luw and Cu Náith changed so dramatically over the course of the book, and how, while they often did come to physical blows (and some of the battles were just… I mean, surreal with how well they were written), it was really obsession driven by Síle that was the true weapon here.
I don’t know if I can underscore this enough. The characters you get to know at the start of the book are not the ones you know at the end of the book, and the journey, that transformation is one of the most engrossing, absorbing, well-crafted character arcs I’ve ever read in all my time reading. It blew my freaking socks off.
Dorrian made a few worldbuilding decisions in this book that I think ultimately worked in his favor. First, he kept the world contained, relegated to one island, and populated by a fair number of people, though most of them stay offscreen. He doesn’t take a lot of time to explain terminology to readers. You either figure it out as you go, or you don’t. This immersive style of worldbuilding really worked for me. It allowed me to get sucked into the story, and I trusted Dorian to give me the information I needed as the story progressed. Furthermore, the complex, layered magic system was really the cherry on top of this worldbuilding sundae.
The story of Luw and Cu Náith was truly heartbreaking. These two men are on a crash course to destruction, and both seem incapable of pulling away from it. Because you’ll likely recognize these figures from their mythological influences (if you’re familiar with Celtic lore at all) you’ll probably connect with them right away. Despite all their fantastic, divine aspects, their magic, their more-than-human qualities, they are, in the end, shockingly human and as their arcs begin to unfold, and you see which direction they are both traveling, you realize this really isn’t the story you were expecting. This is a story about obsession and self-destruction. It’s about two men who have these superhuman abilities, coming together in a clash that transforms both them, and their world.
This book, reader, is a glorious, unforgettable tragedy.
And oh, I loved it. I loved it so much, it hurt. I loved it so much, I read it about four or five times before I managed to send the edited manuscript back to the author.
There have been a few times in my editorial life when I’ve felt the need to stand on a mountaintop and pontificate to readers everywhere about this book or that book. I will say, Horns of the Hunter was one of those books that made me want to do just that. I’ve never read anything like this before, and that’s part of its charm. The truth is, what I found here was a story I didn’t expect, told with prose that were just beyond gorgeous. This book is a superb study in character evolution that you won’t get anywhere else.
Horns of the Hunter is, hands down, one of the best books I’ve read in a very, very long time.
It’s one of those books that made me think, “I really wish I could read this book for the first time all over again.”
It’s that good.
Trust me.
Horns of the Hunter was a book I knew I wanted to edit the second I saw it. It’s based on Celtic mythology, and written with lyrical prose. The two things put together basically just make this one of those books I’m sure to love. I’m a huge, huge sucker for mythology retold, and beautiful prose is icing on the cake.
Most of this story is focused on Cu Náith the Warrior and Luw the Hunter. Cu Náith and Luw are the biggest focal points of this story, and they couldn’t be more opposite. Cu Náith is arrogant and swaggering. He knows he’s the best, and he usually is. He has a supernatural affinity for all things that require physical strength, and his ego basically makes up the biggest part of his personality. Luw the Hunter, on the other hand, is much more quiet and reserved. He’s thoughtful, and while he is focused on his end goals, he is motivated largely by preserving the forests, and doing what needs to be done to ensure that end.
The other main character in this book is Síle. Síle is a romantic interest for both of these men. What starts out as a squabble between two spurned lovers turns into something a bit more serious as Síle starts poking fingers in the conflict between the men. As the book unfolds, it becomes clear that Síle is not who she appears to be, and she is using both of these men for her own ends, and these men seem to be dancing to her tune, and oblivious to her end goals, no matter how obvious they become to the reader. This, in fact, is part of why this book was so compelling. The characters are so absorbed in their own experiences, that what slowly becomes clear to the reader isn’t that clear to the characters themselves, and that draws out emotions from the reader that are just… powerful. I mean, it’s like watching a train wreck. You can’t look away. You know what’s going to happen, at least in a vague way, and you can see it barreling toward the event horizon, but you just cannot stop watching.
It’s that dynamic, that incredible ability for Dorrian to not only play on his readers emotions that skillfully, but his characters as well that, quite honestly, make him a master of the craft.
I will say, reader, the genius of this book is how the characters work against each other, and how that forces their development in some unexpected ways.
In fact, the character development over the course of this novel had me so enchanted, so absolutely absorbed and obsessed, I read this book numerous times before I returned it to the author. I just couldn’t get enough of it. I couldn’t stop looking at how Luw and Cu Náith changed so dramatically over the course of the book, and how, while they often did come to physical blows (and some of the battles were just… I mean, surreal with how well they were written), it was really obsession driven by Síle that was the true weapon here.
I don’t know if I can underscore this enough. The characters you get to know at the start of the book are not the ones you know at the end of the book, and the journey, that transformation is one of the most engrossing, absorbing, well-crafted character arcs I’ve ever read in all my time reading. It blew my freaking socks off.
Dorrian made a few worldbuilding decisions in this book that I think ultimately worked in his favor. First, he kept the world contained, relegated to one island, and populated by a fair number of people, though most of them stay offscreen. He doesn’t take a lot of time to explain terminology to readers. You either figure it out as you go, or you don’t. This immersive style of worldbuilding really worked for me. It allowed me to get sucked into the story, and I trusted Dorian to give me the information I needed as the story progressed. Furthermore, the complex, layered magic system was really the cherry on top of this worldbuilding sundae.
The story of Luw and Cu Náith was truly heartbreaking. These two men are on a crash course to destruction, and both seem incapable of pulling away from it. Because you’ll likely recognize these figures from their mythological influences (if you’re familiar with Celtic lore at all) you’ll probably connect with them right away. Despite all their fantastic, divine aspects, their magic, their more-than-human qualities, they are, in the end, shockingly human and as their arcs begin to unfold, and you see which direction they are both traveling, you realize this really isn’t the story you were expecting. This is a story about obsession and self-destruction. It’s about two men who have these superhuman abilities, coming together in a clash that transforms both them, and their world.
This book, reader, is a glorious, unforgettable tragedy.
And oh, I loved it. I loved it so much, it hurt. I loved it so much, I read it about four or five times before I managed to send the edited manuscript back to the author.
There have been a few times in my editorial life when I’ve felt the need to stand on a mountaintop and pontificate to readers everywhere about this book or that book. I will say, Horns of the Hunter was one of those books that made me want to do just that. I’ve never read anything like this before, and that’s part of its charm. The truth is, what I found here was a story I didn’t expect, told with prose that were just beyond gorgeous. This book is a superb study in character evolution that you won’t get anywhere else.
Horns of the Hunter is, hands down, one of the best books I’ve read in a very, very long time.
It’s one of those books that made me think, “I really wish I could read this book for the first time all over again.”
It’s that good.
Trust me.
July 27, 2021
A dark, thought-provoking tale about death and grief, love, madness, and revenge. It took me a while to get into this book because I loathed both protagonists—a couple of brainless jackasses whose tit for tat rivalry is as petty as it is deadly. Yet I kept on with it because I love Frank Dorrian's prose, and at about the halfway point, I became caught up in the story and realized that Dorrian was exploring something a lot deeper than a testosterone-fueled quarrel. This is a brilliant exploration of loss and how far people will go to regain (or reclaim) the love that was taken from them.
Full review here: http://fantasy-faction.com/2021/horns...
Full review here: http://fantasy-faction.com/2021/horns...
Read
May 3, 2021My next book! :)
A grimdark tale of two warring gods of Luah Fáil and the consequences it holds for them and their island, and the start of a new series by yours truly.
If you'd like to support ya boy Frank, Kindle preorders are now live on Amazon: http://getbook.at/HornsOfTheHunter
Kindle and paperback will be releasing on 27th July 2021!
If you're a reviewer and would like an eARC, I have em available, so please feel free to drop me a message :)
Thanks everyone who's been patient with me the last few years while I was busy writing :) it's been a massive bumpy ride but it feels great being able to put something new out there at last.
A grimdark tale of two warring gods of Luah Fáil and the consequences it holds for them and their island, and the start of a new series by yours truly.
If you'd like to support ya boy Frank, Kindle preorders are now live on Amazon: http://getbook.at/HornsOfTheHunter
Kindle and paperback will be releasing on 27th July 2021!
If you're a reviewer and would like an eARC, I have em available, so please feel free to drop me a message :)
Thanks everyone who's been patient with me the last few years while I was busy writing :) it's been a massive bumpy ride but it feels great being able to put something new out there at last.
June 28, 2021
Horns of the Hunter is a fascinating novel influenced by Celtic lore. I couldn't put it down!
The story follows Náith, a fearless warrior and champion and Luw a hunter and protector of the forest. Both characters utterly despise each other, and their worlds collide when they discover each is the lover of Sile, a beautiful and seductive healer. Determined to win her heart, both engage in an epic quest while their feud becomes so bloody it threatens the stability of their native land.
The characters in this story are vivid and lifelike. I found myself hooked into the events as they unfolded, rooting for some characters while praying for the downfall of others. Events move at a nice, steady pace, building to the inevitable climax at the end. The world Mr. Dorrian has created is rich and full of detail, easily immersing the reader into the scene.
A day after finishing this book and I'm still stunned by this incredible book and its ending. This is the true mark of a talented writer; being able to craft a world and characters that leaves the reader begging for more.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Mr. Dorrian's work in the future.
The story follows Náith, a fearless warrior and champion and Luw a hunter and protector of the forest. Both characters utterly despise each other, and their worlds collide when they discover each is the lover of Sile, a beautiful and seductive healer. Determined to win her heart, both engage in an epic quest while their feud becomes so bloody it threatens the stability of their native land.
The characters in this story are vivid and lifelike. I found myself hooked into the events as they unfolded, rooting for some characters while praying for the downfall of others. Events move at a nice, steady pace, building to the inevitable climax at the end. The world Mr. Dorrian has created is rich and full of detail, easily immersing the reader into the scene.
A day after finishing this book and I'm still stunned by this incredible book and its ending. This is the true mark of a talented writer; being able to craft a world and characters that leaves the reader begging for more.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Mr. Dorrian's work in the future.
August 21, 2021
I was lucky enough to nab an Arc and it was massively enjoyable and probably the darkest book I've read this year. A solid 4.5* from me and the tidiest ARC I've read in some time. Neat, tidy prose that is punchy, pacy and as effective as a knife in the balls.
Naith, built like a tank, and comes across as an utter arsehole. I particularly enjoy his transformation through to the end as he begins to use his ears and brain cells to try preventing what he unleashed.
Luw seems the romantic, and his quest for revenge on Naith is a nice twist, in love and war folks to do whatever it takes.
I probably enjoyed Sile the most. She had the vibe of The Lady in subverting both men, leading Luw astray, and twisting them both into ignoring any warning about their actions. I'd have enjoyed seeing more of her on page, even if just to see what else she manipulated.
Dark, grim, pacy. Clever in keeping events local, yet with cataclysmic consequences, when everything spirals beyond anyone's control without giving too much away.
One to entertain, and well worth anyone's notes and groats. I'm massively looking forward to the release edition.
[EDIT]
Got to the Ebook release and wow, somehow it feels even tighter. An easy 5* and grips with the mythological battles you'd read about in ancient Greece and hurls it into almost Shakespearean tragedy. I really like the dynamic of Naith starting out as the arsehole and becoming the sensible one at the last minute. Luw starts out as protective and romanic and becomes the ultimate arsehole as Sile plays both of them to perfection and King Aedomar while he is distracted in grasping greater power.
There are no heroes, just demigods running out of control as they use others for their whims with no regards for the consequences. Brutal, sickening, grotesque, hilarious and good fun. Grimdark British writing at it's perfection.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Naith, built like a tank, and comes across as an utter arsehole. I particularly enjoy his transformation through to the end as he begins to use his ears and brain cells to try preventing what he unleashed.
Luw seems the romantic, and his quest for revenge on Naith is a nice twist, in love and war folks to do whatever it takes.
I probably enjoyed Sile the most. She had the vibe of The Lady in subverting both men, leading Luw astray, and twisting them both into ignoring any warning about their actions. I'd have enjoyed seeing more of her on page, even if just to see what else she manipulated.
Dark, grim, pacy. Clever in keeping events local, yet with cataclysmic consequences, when everything spirals beyond anyone's control without giving too much away.
One to entertain, and well worth anyone's notes and groats. I'm massively looking forward to the release edition.
[EDIT]
Got to the Ebook release and wow, somehow it feels even tighter. An easy 5* and grips with the mythological battles you'd read about in ancient Greece and hurls it into almost Shakespearean tragedy. I really like the dynamic of Naith starting out as the arsehole and becoming the sensible one at the last minute. Luw starts out as protective and romanic and becomes the ultimate arsehole as Sile plays both of them to perfection and King Aedomar while he is distracted in grasping greater power.
There are no heroes, just demigods running out of control as they use others for their whims with no regards for the consequences. Brutal, sickening, grotesque, hilarious and good fun. Grimdark British writing at it's perfection.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2021
If you’ve read any of Frank Dorrian’s work before you’ll already know what to expect. It’s grim and dark and full of characters you love to hate. This one has a more mythological feel to it than the rest of his series so far and it’s a refreshing change of pace. The bitter rivalry between our two leads and the themes of love and death are extremely compelling. This is one of his best works to date. As much as I can’t wait for him to continue the second book in his main series, these side novels/novellas have been a welcome mix and have helped set the foundation for a new and compelling world in what, at times, can be a stagnant genre filled with tropes and cliches. Frank Dorrian avoids most of these pitfalls and in this novel especially, breaths fresh life into his world and makes me excited for the future.
June 1, 2021
Horns of the Hunter is a standalone novella set in Luah Fáil, a setting that will be familiar to those who have read some of Dorrian’s earlier works. I was completely sold upon seeing the wonderful cover by Felix Ortiz and Shawn T. King. Anyone who says they don’t judge a book by its cover is a liar.
Accept me, little one. Its whisper brushed against his skin like the tattered ends of a grave shroud. I am inexorable.
This is my first foray into this world, this being my introduction to Dorrian’s work, and I found myself swept away almost immediately by the world and the characters that inhabit it. Luah Fáil feels immediately familiar in a way that I can’t describe. Even though this is an island inhabited by beings straight out of Celtic mythology, it feels grounded in a reality that I can believe exists. That is probably one of the most impressive things about this story, that a hulking behemoth made up of slabs of muscle and a raging monster made of fire both feel like they are just a step away from being real. It’s also a testament to Dorrian’s skill with the pen that I can be immediately swept away from the get-go, without so much as a paragraph to introduce us to the story.
The story is contained to Luah Fáil, an island that is inhabited by the nuankin. I’m still not exactly sure what the nuankin are, which is the largest failing of the worldbuilding. While Dorrian does a fantastic job of creating feeling, an ambiance, if you will, he rarely takes the time to explain what anything means. My enjoyment of the story was not impacted by this, but it is frustrating not being able to actually explain what most of the stuff is. The nuankin, from what I can tell, are a race of superhuman beings that are remembered as gods by the people of Luah Fáil. They’re clearly inspired by the Celtic pantheon, with the nuankin being the current inhabitants of Luah Fáil, but not the first, nor the last. They’re certainly not human, being nine feet tall and able to throw things for many miles, among many other supernatural feats. But, outside of that, I have a hard time understanding the hierarchy in place or how they fit into their society. Again, it’s not something that affected the way I feel about it, but it is something to keep in mind if you like tight worldbuilding that leaves nothing to the imagination.
‘He was there, Naith,’ she said, rising.
‘Is that all it takes to make you stray from me, woman? Just to be there?’
‘That,’ Síle sniped, ‘and Luw is everything you are not.’
The nuankin are able to use the Earthbond to manifest magic in ways that appear to be unique to each person. For instance, one character can wield fire, while another’s power lies in growth and healing. And some appear to have no particular affinity for the Earthbond, being without magic, but just as deadly with a blade. Fueling the Earthbond is Earthblood, a seemingly-finite source of magic that comes from the Earth itself. Overall, I was really intrigued by the magic system. A system tied to the use of a limited substance pulled from the Earth itself is very cool and was used in interesting ways throughout the story.
Ultimately, this is a tale about the struggles between two men, Cu Náith the Warrior and Luw the Hunter, and this is the shining star of the entire book. Náith is a swaggering, arrogant asshole who thinks he is the greatest warrior alive and, to be fair, he is. Luw, on the other hand, is more reserved and thoughtful, the watcher and guardian. This dichotomy is in part what fuels the feud between these two men and witnessing the transformation of their characters from page one until the end was a spectacle I urge everyone to see for themselves. The linchpin connecting these two is Síle, a woman who has captured each of their hearts. What starts out as a petty squabble between spurned lovers soon threatens all of Luah Fáil and the reckoning is equal parts beautiful and heart-shatteringly tragic. Probably owing in part to their source of inspiration, each of the characters are imbued with a certain archetype, from the fiery Enkindled King, to the patient and kind Hunter, Luw. I found this to be an easy way to immediately connect to the characters and while their inception may have been rooted in that, their development soon outpaced it.
Lighting blasted the mountain’s flank, painting the storm-dark slopes with a moment’s frail daylight. A black shadow cut against the glare, sparks dancing from its shoulders, from its crown of horns.
Horns of the Hunter has catapulted itself into being one of my favorite reads this year. I was swept away by the story and completely enraptured by the struggle between these two larger than life characters. Horns of the Hunter is a story of opposites and the struggle to claim something as your own only to learn that it was never yours to begin with. It feels like a cautionary tale torn straight out of mythology, with Náith and Luw feeling like real-world gods lost to memory. I urge you to read this for yourself and the rest of Dorrian’s bibliography has been added to my TBR.
Accept me, little one. Its whisper brushed against his skin like the tattered ends of a grave shroud. I am inexorable.
This is my first foray into this world, this being my introduction to Dorrian’s work, and I found myself swept away almost immediately by the world and the characters that inhabit it. Luah Fáil feels immediately familiar in a way that I can’t describe. Even though this is an island inhabited by beings straight out of Celtic mythology, it feels grounded in a reality that I can believe exists. That is probably one of the most impressive things about this story, that a hulking behemoth made up of slabs of muscle and a raging monster made of fire both feel like they are just a step away from being real. It’s also a testament to Dorrian’s skill with the pen that I can be immediately swept away from the get-go, without so much as a paragraph to introduce us to the story.
The story is contained to Luah Fáil, an island that is inhabited by the nuankin. I’m still not exactly sure what the nuankin are, which is the largest failing of the worldbuilding. While Dorrian does a fantastic job of creating feeling, an ambiance, if you will, he rarely takes the time to explain what anything means. My enjoyment of the story was not impacted by this, but it is frustrating not being able to actually explain what most of the stuff is. The nuankin, from what I can tell, are a race of superhuman beings that are remembered as gods by the people of Luah Fáil. They’re clearly inspired by the Celtic pantheon, with the nuankin being the current inhabitants of Luah Fáil, but not the first, nor the last. They’re certainly not human, being nine feet tall and able to throw things for many miles, among many other supernatural feats. But, outside of that, I have a hard time understanding the hierarchy in place or how they fit into their society. Again, it’s not something that affected the way I feel about it, but it is something to keep in mind if you like tight worldbuilding that leaves nothing to the imagination.
‘He was there, Naith,’ she said, rising.
‘Is that all it takes to make you stray from me, woman? Just to be there?’
‘That,’ Síle sniped, ‘and Luw is everything you are not.’
The nuankin are able to use the Earthbond to manifest magic in ways that appear to be unique to each person. For instance, one character can wield fire, while another’s power lies in growth and healing. And some appear to have no particular affinity for the Earthbond, being without magic, but just as deadly with a blade. Fueling the Earthbond is Earthblood, a seemingly-finite source of magic that comes from the Earth itself. Overall, I was really intrigued by the magic system. A system tied to the use of a limited substance pulled from the Earth itself is very cool and was used in interesting ways throughout the story.
Ultimately, this is a tale about the struggles between two men, Cu Náith the Warrior and Luw the Hunter, and this is the shining star of the entire book. Náith is a swaggering, arrogant asshole who thinks he is the greatest warrior alive and, to be fair, he is. Luw, on the other hand, is more reserved and thoughtful, the watcher and guardian. This dichotomy is in part what fuels the feud between these two men and witnessing the transformation of their characters from page one until the end was a spectacle I urge everyone to see for themselves. The linchpin connecting these two is Síle, a woman who has captured each of their hearts. What starts out as a petty squabble between spurned lovers soon threatens all of Luah Fáil and the reckoning is equal parts beautiful and heart-shatteringly tragic. Probably owing in part to their source of inspiration, each of the characters are imbued with a certain archetype, from the fiery Enkindled King, to the patient and kind Hunter, Luw. I found this to be an easy way to immediately connect to the characters and while their inception may have been rooted in that, their development soon outpaced it.
Lighting blasted the mountain’s flank, painting the storm-dark slopes with a moment’s frail daylight. A black shadow cut against the glare, sparks dancing from its shoulders, from its crown of horns.
Horns of the Hunter has catapulted itself into being one of my favorite reads this year. I was swept away by the story and completely enraptured by the struggle between these two larger than life characters. Horns of the Hunter is a story of opposites and the struggle to claim something as your own only to learn that it was never yours to begin with. It feels like a cautionary tale torn straight out of mythology, with Náith and Luw feeling like real-world gods lost to memory. I urge you to read this for yourself and the rest of Dorrian’s bibliography has been added to my TBR.
August 30, 2021
I was familiar with Frank Dorrian from his Blackshield Dogs novellas, and his The Shadow of a High King novel, which are some dark fantasy masterpieces. This meant I had an idea of what was in store for me with Horns of the Hunter: interesting but flawed characters, lots of fast paced, in your face brutal action, strong world building and a story that races along until it all ends in the clash of steel and spilling of blood. My expectations were met completely, in some of the best ways possible.
The story takes place in a land of legends, in an ancient time only spoken of in stories, when gods among men roamed the world, accomplishing impossible feats. This land is the island of Luah Fail, which bears a striking resemblance to Ireland. An Ireland that had magic in its very soil. You can definitely see that strong Irish Celtic mythos inspired this world, which is cool choice, since its usually some variation of Norse mythology used as a setting lately. This leads to some interesting situations throughout the book, since the Celts had as grimdark a pantheon as there ever was, and this is reflected in the characters.
Those characters are just such a strength in the story. Naith, the powerful warrior, and Luw, the horned hunter, are obviously destined to be at each others throats throughout the story, all the way to the bitter end. Their story revolves around Sile, the Maid of Mael Tulla, who brings plants to life around her, and holds both of their hearts. It’s this love triangle that has so much potential for tragedy, and it doesn’t disappoint. You can tell as the story progresses, and Naith and Luw keep trying destroying each others lives, that Sile is not unaware of this, and has something more than just playing with them in her long term plans. This mystery plays out so well as the story works towards its epic conclusion.
The secondary characters really help round out the story. Aodhamar especially stands out. He is the king who has absorbed more of the Earthblood magic than is wise, and his power makes him ruthless and unworried about his actions, since he is the most powerful being on the island. He’s also greedy for more, so is always looking for the next war, and is completely intolerant of failure. He also seems to know more than he lets on about what's happening between with Sile, as we discover later on. They really help round out the story and its epic clash at the end.
I am amazed at how much I became invested in these characters. Luw starts off as the more sympathetic character, but as the story progresses, we get to see some of the machinations in the background play out, and realize that things aren’t quite what they seem. It plays out perfectly, and leads to an ending you just couldn’t imagine. I have to list this as one of my favorite reads of the year, and highly recommend reading it yourself.
The story takes place in a land of legends, in an ancient time only spoken of in stories, when gods among men roamed the world, accomplishing impossible feats. This land is the island of Luah Fail, which bears a striking resemblance to Ireland. An Ireland that had magic in its very soil. You can definitely see that strong Irish Celtic mythos inspired this world, which is cool choice, since its usually some variation of Norse mythology used as a setting lately. This leads to some interesting situations throughout the book, since the Celts had as grimdark a pantheon as there ever was, and this is reflected in the characters.
Those characters are just such a strength in the story. Naith, the powerful warrior, and Luw, the horned hunter, are obviously destined to be at each others throats throughout the story, all the way to the bitter end. Their story revolves around Sile, the Maid of Mael Tulla, who brings plants to life around her, and holds both of their hearts. It’s this love triangle that has so much potential for tragedy, and it doesn’t disappoint. You can tell as the story progresses, and Naith and Luw keep trying destroying each others lives, that Sile is not unaware of this, and has something more than just playing with them in her long term plans. This mystery plays out so well as the story works towards its epic conclusion.
The secondary characters really help round out the story. Aodhamar especially stands out. He is the king who has absorbed more of the Earthblood magic than is wise, and his power makes him ruthless and unworried about his actions, since he is the most powerful being on the island. He’s also greedy for more, so is always looking for the next war, and is completely intolerant of failure. He also seems to know more than he lets on about what's happening between with Sile, as we discover later on. They really help round out the story and its epic clash at the end.
I am amazed at how much I became invested in these characters. Luw starts off as the more sympathetic character, but as the story progresses, we get to see some of the machinations in the background play out, and realize that things aren’t quite what they seem. It plays out perfectly, and leads to an ending you just couldn’t imagine. I have to list this as one of my favorite reads of the year, and highly recommend reading it yourself.
August 20, 2021
My Take:
There’s a raw energy to the writing that struck me as early as 10 pages in… it comes across as vengeance and lust and violence. These characters are far from perfect and they will very quickly need to live with some rash decision making.
The Love Triangle. Naith, the aggressive Warrior. Luw, the stalking Hunter. Sile, the mystifying healer who may be manipulating them both to her cause… This part of the book developed well and some of its evolution was definitely surprising.
My criticism lies in the worldbuilding… I felt like I was missing out on much of what the world has to offer by only reading this book. And at times the author focused too much on the relationships between the characters and not on the relationships they have with the world around them.
A bit of a mixed review here. The characters themselves were drawn so well, yet I felt a disconnect with the world around them.
4 out of 5 stars/
There’s a raw energy to the writing that struck me as early as 10 pages in… it comes across as vengeance and lust and violence. These characters are far from perfect and they will very quickly need to live with some rash decision making.
The Love Triangle. Naith, the aggressive Warrior. Luw, the stalking Hunter. Sile, the mystifying healer who may be manipulating them both to her cause… This part of the book developed well and some of its evolution was definitely surprising.
My criticism lies in the worldbuilding… I felt like I was missing out on much of what the world has to offer by only reading this book. And at times the author focused too much on the relationships between the characters and not on the relationships they have with the world around them.
A bit of a mixed review here. The characters themselves were drawn so well, yet I felt a disconnect with the world around them.
4 out of 5 stars/
July 28, 2021
If you like dark, bloody, amazing stories then this book is for you. Frank Dorrian characters are brutal, grim, determined. The story is written in such detail that it brings your imagination alive. Seeing and feeling through their eyes as if you are there.
November 29, 2022
My choice to go through the second round of SPFBO8. Now a semi-finalist - https://booknest.eu/reviews/spfbo/248...
September 24, 2025
Never has grimdark fantasy been so dark and so grim – and yet this is a beautifully written story that is almost literary in its quality of description. The story explores the soured relationship of Náith, the Warrior and Luw, the Hunter, rivals for the love of Síle, the Maid of Mael Tulla. The complications of this relationship reminded me of medieval folk songs where love is always blighted by jealousy and leads to people fighting and dying. Don’t for one minute think this is some kind of grimdark love triangle though, it’s not. Things get way more complicated than that because this is the first book in a series, it’s setting things up.
An intriguing feature of the story is the magical qualities of Earthblood which is slowly vanishing from the world and is linked to Nature. Luw is its champion, as a “sprite” who protects the forests where Earthblood has existed. Náith on the other hand, a one-time friend and ally to the king, might be seen as the human component whose ignorance and carelessness compromises the natural world. Allegories abound in this story in this way. It’s why I consider the story to have literary qualities; concepts work not only on the thematic level but also within the language. Dorrian selects his words with the precision of a surgeon. It left me marvelling at simple sentences that provoked vivid images and powerful reactions.
The world building is unsurprisingly graphic and original. It’s dark, of course. Death pervades every landscape in some form or other, so does rot and decay, we’re plunged into a world that is rotten. Qualities that impact on the people within it. They struggle to survive, it is a selfish, self-serving goal that has no time for others. Motives which bring about their downfall. These are not people for whom you’re going to feel sympathy. Except, in a strange way, you do, particularly for the two protagonists. Yes, they have their faults, they ignore the wisdom of others and allow their ignorance to lead them to make huge mistakes, yet you still cheer them on when matters look set to overwhelm them. The climax of the story achieves this goal and it is testimony to Dorrian’s skill that he keeps us onside. In less skilled hands we might not care what happens to our antiheroes, as the inevitable final battle reaches its exciting, epic climax.
This is a book which is not for the faint hearted. But if you like you fantasy dark, your final scenes visceral, your world building filled with distrust and toxic magic, and every detail vividly presented, this is for you.
An intriguing feature of the story is the magical qualities of Earthblood which is slowly vanishing from the world and is linked to Nature. Luw is its champion, as a “sprite” who protects the forests where Earthblood has existed. Náith on the other hand, a one-time friend and ally to the king, might be seen as the human component whose ignorance and carelessness compromises the natural world. Allegories abound in this story in this way. It’s why I consider the story to have literary qualities; concepts work not only on the thematic level but also within the language. Dorrian selects his words with the precision of a surgeon. It left me marvelling at simple sentences that provoked vivid images and powerful reactions.
The world building is unsurprisingly graphic and original. It’s dark, of course. Death pervades every landscape in some form or other, so does rot and decay, we’re plunged into a world that is rotten. Qualities that impact on the people within it. They struggle to survive, it is a selfish, self-serving goal that has no time for others. Motives which bring about their downfall. These are not people for whom you’re going to feel sympathy. Except, in a strange way, you do, particularly for the two protagonists. Yes, they have their faults, they ignore the wisdom of others and allow their ignorance to lead them to make huge mistakes, yet you still cheer them on when matters look set to overwhelm them. The climax of the story achieves this goal and it is testimony to Dorrian’s skill that he keeps us onside. In less skilled hands we might not care what happens to our antiheroes, as the inevitable final battle reaches its exciting, epic climax.
This is a book which is not for the faint hearted. But if you like you fantasy dark, your final scenes visceral, your world building filled with distrust and toxic magic, and every detail vividly presented, this is for you.
June 7, 2022
Grimly Fantastic.
Holy moly that was absolutely fantastic, Grim, bloody and frigging outrageous. Hats off to you Frank Dorrian, everything I've read that you have released so far continues to just blow my mind. Awesome worldbuilding, plot and setting and the prose, oh they are so good. In this celtic inspired fantasy gem, we follow Náith the Warrior and Luw the Horned Hunter both legends of their domains with their super god like strengths. Náith is the undefeated warrior of Luah Fail and his arrogance holds no bounds, Luw is keeper of the Forests and a famed hunter. When these two legends fall love drunk with a Goddess like woman Síle. Reeled in by her beautiful singing voice, used and manipulated against each other. There can be only one outcome, a fight to the death. If you love your fantasy grimdark, giant clashing battles, gore goodness and just some good oul storytelling at its finest, then check out Horns Of The Hunter. I promise you won't regret it, highly recommended. Damn I really hope there is a follow up....😁💥🔥🖤☠️🗡
Holy moly that was absolutely fantastic, Grim, bloody and frigging outrageous. Hats off to you Frank Dorrian, everything I've read that you have released so far continues to just blow my mind. Awesome worldbuilding, plot and setting and the prose, oh they are so good. In this celtic inspired fantasy gem, we follow Náith the Warrior and Luw the Horned Hunter both legends of their domains with their super god like strengths. Náith is the undefeated warrior of Luah Fail and his arrogance holds no bounds, Luw is keeper of the Forests and a famed hunter. When these two legends fall love drunk with a Goddess like woman Síle. Reeled in by her beautiful singing voice, used and manipulated against each other. There can be only one outcome, a fight to the death. If you love your fantasy grimdark, giant clashing battles, gore goodness and just some good oul storytelling at its finest, then check out Horns Of The Hunter. I promise you won't regret it, highly recommended. Damn I really hope there is a follow up....😁💥🔥🖤☠️🗡
December 7, 2021
I felt like the two protagonists we follow were a bit too blinded by love and it was a bit unrealistic. In fact as I was reading it, I felt as though the plot was being forced forward by the two main protagonists as they simply refuse to realise or even question what Sile was upto.
August 19, 2021
Not really my cup of mead.. But in Náiths (one of the main protagonists) words, that's because I'm a dainty fanny-boy.
Anyway, the prose is excellent but it was too grimdark for me. There was very little in the way of likeable characters and a lot of page time is taken up by fight scenes. No matter how well written, after a while, I just started to zone out reading them. The was some alright character evolution but it didn't blow my socks off, in the way Sarah Chorns review had made me believe.
I received an eARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Anyway, the prose is excellent but it was too grimdark for me. There was very little in the way of likeable characters and a lot of page time is taken up by fight scenes. No matter how well written, after a while, I just started to zone out reading them. The was some alright character evolution but it didn't blow my socks off, in the way Sarah Chorns review had made me believe.
I received an eARC from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
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