This trilogy seems to be another play on the boy saving the world trope that used to be so prevalent in fantasy, but seems to have been replaced by the kick-ass chick meets vamp/ghost/demon/were. I'm enjoying both, but wish this one was done more often; when done right, it's so enjoyable.

The Hawk and His Boy is no different. There are a few rough spots in the editing, but they in no way interfere with the storyline or enjoyment of the tale.

I am liking the story so much that I immediately purchased the rest of the trilogy and sampled 5 or 6 books that were recommended by Amazon because of this purchase. I am very happy to have found this self-pubbed book out of the mess that had previously been recommended to me. I will be trying more self-pubs because of this one.

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Edit after finishing series

This review is for the entire trilogy.
I hope this doesn't sound snobbish, but this trilogy forever changes my mind about indie books. Up until now I've been either ho-hum or actively looked down on all the self-published Kindle books out there. In my defense, a lot of that was due to all those spam books in the Kindle store. On the other hand some was also due to the fact that I always figured that if a book was really good, someone would pick it up. Guess I was wrong!

Anyway, back to the books. This was a great installment of the standard boy meets wizard, goes on quest with band of trusty helpers, boy saves world trope in epic fantasy. When done correctly (as this one is), it will remain an oldie but a goodie.

There was a good mix of humor, magic, mystery and a few twists that I didn't see coming. In the end, not all evil was defeated and not all of the good guys got their HEA which surprised me, but made me wonder if it wasn't an opening for another book or two. I'm all for that!

Favorite Lines (All from Book #3. I tried a new quote system that failed miserably for books 1 & 2)

"though all agree that the painted caravans of the Farrow clan were never again seen trundling about the duchies of Tormay. Declan was the last of that blood."
Note: Awww. I was hoping the Farrows got their HEA. Not fair.

"They died, cursing and spitting and calling out defiance even as more and more ranks of the enemy marched over the ruins of the walls to join the fray."
Note: This part of epic fantasy stories always seems stupid to me.


"He is the fire that always burns. He was the eldest of the anbeorun."
Note: Didnt see that coming


“Your neck. Do you hear? I’ll snap it like a twig.” “Very well, my lord.” The steward managed to look both alarmed and honored at the prospect of being strangled by the Lord Captain of the Guard."
Note: Haha. Try to manage that.

Book 1 - B
Book 2 - B-
Book 3 - B


( )

DNF

This book is available for free on Amazon.
That was the selling point. Good way to dip your toes into the story.

While idea sounds exciting, the execution is ... lacking.
Writing is choppy and somewhat mind-numbing. Nothing much is actually happening.

I could not bring myself to continue. But I'm a picky reader with high standards.
Perhaps there are others who would find it more appealing.

VERDICT : TRY IT ? ( )

Sometimes incredibly exciting and wonderful, sometimes a bit meh. I think the pacing may need a bit of work.

What's up with all of the character names that sound so similar? I spent most of this book getting names confused. :)

Overall, a fascinating concept with fascinating characters. I'll read the 3rd book eventually. ( )

The more I read Young Adult books, the more I am liking them.
Clean, tight short story, bit less jaded views of good and evil.

I hope the rest of the series lives up to this book. This does suffer from first book syndrome and leaves you with a cliffhanger right at the end. Good thing we don't have to wait for the next book. ( )

Overall this was a good story and a decent read. The author was able to create a very rich world without going into overly-lengthy details. The book focuses on several different characters, each with his own story line, which keeps it interesting. The writing is well done with very minimal errors and flows nicely.

However, while this was an enjoyable read, the main plot unfolds slowly while several subplots are explored and the characters are not very deeply developed.

I do plan to read the rest of the trilogy and look forward to seeing how all of the characters collide. ( )