You probably recall that I was a huge fan of Michelle West's the Sun Sword series. Unfortunately, I was far less enthused about the House War sequence which came after. Especially the finale, which is doubtless the most underwhelming ending to a fantasy series that I've ever read. I knew then that I needed a break from West, even if I knew I'd eventually return to her grand Essalieyan saga at some point.
In the end, it took me about a year to garner the courage to give the author another shot. It took this long because, according to most fans, the Sacred Hunt duology is West's first and weakest work. And yet, since you cannot read her latest novel, Hunter's Readoubt, without having first read the duology, I had no choice but to go through both Hunter's Oath and Hunter's Death before I could read about the aftermath of West's other series.
My expectations weren't particularly high to begin with, yet I found myself enjoying Hunter's Oath a lot more than I expected. There is a much tighter forcus to the writing, which is a welcome change from everything that was written after the Sacred Hunt.
Here's the blurb:
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 Stephen—and the fulfillment of that Oath would lead them to the kind of destiny from which legends were made…
From reading both the Sun Sword and the House War, we've learned very little about Breodanir, the Western Kingdoms, and the Free Towns. We know that Breodanir is where reality began to unravel as the tale of the House War series progressed, but not much else. Hunter's Oath introduces readers to the Hunter Lords and their huntbrothers, to the women who govern their estates, as well as the Hunter's Oath and the Sacred Hunt which sees one of their number sacrificed every year. I've mentioned that there is a tighter focus to Michelle West's writing, which is a good thing. As the first book in a saga that is now comprised of seventeen novels and several short stories, there is an absence of the scope and vision that made so many storylines in the following series such compelling reads. Still, Hunter's Oath is the genesis for many of these plotlines, chief among them those of Evayne and Kallandras. Indeed, even though they're not mentioned in the blurb, these two play pivotal roles in Gilliam and Stephen's tale. West's worldbuilding is what made the Essalieyan saga so amazing in the past, and you can see her placing pieces on the board that will have dire repercussions down the line.
Characterization is what ultimately sunk the House War series. Indeed, the poor characterization and the weird choice of perspectives often undermined what should have been key and emotionally charged moments. As West's first published work with Daw Books, I have a feeling her editor gave her a lot less leeway in that regard. Which explains the tight focus and the smaller number of POV characters. Even though Gilliam and Stephen take center stage, they are often upstaged by not only Evayne and Kallandras, but also by Gilliam's mother Lady Elseth. Perhaps because I've already read both the Sun Sword and the House War series, through no fault of their own, I was more invested in Evayne and Kallandras' storylines. It was nice to have Evayne as a POV character for a change and to finally find out how she acquired her rings. The strange girl Espere and Cynthia were also nice additions to the supporting cast.
Although Hunter's Oath is by no means a fast-paced affair, West keeps the story moving at a good clip. There are no extraneous and/or pointless plotlines to go through, so once again the tighter focus on the writing works wonders on the plot. The author's prose is less verbose and repetitive, which is also an improvement.
As the first installment in a duology, there is no endgame and finale per se. Nevertheless, Michelle West closes the show with panache and sets the stage for what comes next. My expectations may have been low for this book, but I have to admit that the bar has been raised for the second volume, Hunter's Death. Definitely looking forward to what comes next!
The final verdict: 8/10
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