Heroes of the Valley

Well, that didn't take long!  I finished my first Fantasy book for Once Upon a Time III !

Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud

Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (January 27, 2009)
ISBN-10: 142310966X

 

Product Description
Halli Sveinsson has grown up in the House of Svein, listening to the legends of the heroes as all his forefathers did. His is a peaceful society where the violence of the past has been outlawed and disputes are settled by the Council. But young Halli has never quite seemed to fit in with the others. For starters, he was not at all handsome or tall, like his attractive blond siblings. He's stumpy and swarthy, with a quick mind and aptitude for getting in trouble. Bored with the everyday chores and sheep herding, he can't help himself from playing practical jokes on everyone, from Eyjolf the old servant, to his brother and sister. But when he plays a trick on Ragnor of the House of Hakonsson, he goes too far, setting in motion a chain of events that will forever alter his destiny. Because of it, Halli will have to leave home and go on a hero's quest. Along the way, he will encounter highway robbers, terrifying monsters, and a girl who may finally be his match. In the end, he will discover the truth about the legends, his family, and himself. Jonathan Stroud's new novel is a hero's saga and coming-of-age--as well as a surprising look at what bravery really means.

I was a bit leery to read this book by Jonathan Stroud because I sooooooo love his Bartimaeus Trilogy!

Between my emotional problems right now, and the fact that as soon as I picked up this book I began to think about a humorous demon, I did have a slow start getting into this book.  It's hard enough to pick up a book when you come off of one that you loved so much you can't quite shake it from your mind, let alone one that stays with you for a really long time.

But Stroud seems to have a way of making characters that you want to read about.  This time he makes his main character something less than perfect.  In fact.. he's pretty much the underdog.  Which of course makes you want him to come out on top.

The book is pretty much two stories in one.  At the beginning of the chapters you get a small amount of a story of "heroes of long ago".  The ancestors and the heroic stories that Halli grew up on.  Then what follows is Halli's story.  Amazon did a good job giving a synopsis of the book.

It's very clever how it was written so that you are always seeing if there are any comparisons between the past and the present.  The heroes story is so fantastical you even begin to wonder if any of it is real, or just stories that somehow have lived through the years.

It's safe to say that eventually I managed to break away from my love of Bartimaeus and enter Halli's story.  Once entered, I found I picked up the book more than once a day.  It moved along just quickly enough that you always wanted to read just a little more to see what Halli would do next! 

In the end, I would say Jonathan Stroud has written a very enjoyable stand alone book.  (just don't ask me if I liked it MORE than Bartimaeus, 'cause that ain't gunna happen!)