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3.0 out of 5 stars
A Quick Taste of the Fantasy Genre, but little Originality, Jan 24 2004
A young boy who is more than he seems, a cast of unusual companions who must help him, and an ultimate evil in the land to be defeated. Sound familiar? Unless this is your first foray into fantasy, you've encountered all these elements before. Douglas Hill's first book in this two-book young adult series published during the 1980's is not spectacular by any means, but it is a nice action-packed, short adventure story.Young Jarrel has suffered a wound from the evil Poisoner's blade, and is destined to die by the next full moon. Only by destroying the blade that gave him the wound can Jarrel be saved, and it will be up to Jarrel's new companions--Archer, Scythe, Mandra and the wizard Cryl-to help save him. What follows is a lively journey to the Poisoner's lair to ultimately defeat the evil-and to discover what remarkable powers Jarrel may possess. The book is only 192 pages long, which means the story detail remains pretty thin, without much complexity and more than a bit cliché. There isn't much recommend Hill's villains, they are two-dimensional evil caricatures that must be defeated, likewise the fantasy world itself mirrors just about any D&D fantasy setting. But the brevity of the story does have its benefits-the story doesn't bog down in exposition, the chapters are often less than ten pages long and it reads quickly. All of these elements make it an appropriate and appealing read to a preteen reader, especially boys, who might be discouraged by longer books, and who are just beginning to discover heroic fantasy. The author's storytelling is strong and his writing is decent , which makes even this bare-bones tale come to life and allows the reader to have a vested interest in the outcome. The book ends with a clear lead in to its companion volume, THE MASTER OF FIENDS, so if you do pick this one up to read, be forewarned, you might want to have the sequel to hand when you finish. Douglas Hill's published a number of books in the fantasy/SF genre, most of which have been out of print for quite a while. But, if you enjoy this tale be sure to check out the sequel, and also Hill's YOUNG LEGIONARY. Probably any intense fantasy reader will find this paltry fare, but for a new reader interested in action tales and pure entertainment, these may be a comfortable introduction. Happy Reading!
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