Available:*
Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607002189341 | Young Adult | STROUD | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
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.
Author Notes
Jonathan Stroud, best selling fantasy fiction author, was born in Bedford, England on October 27, 1970. While growing up he experimented with different kinds of writing. He went on to read English Literature at York University. After graduation he worked in editing at Walker Books, in London and continued there for several years. His first novel, When Buried Fire, was published in 1999. In 2001 he began writing full-time. He is the author of the wildly popular Bartimaeus Sequence and Lockwood and Co, series.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5 Up-Jonathan Stroud's fantasy (Hyperion, 2009) tells of young Halli Sveinsson who longs for the heroic life he hears about in sagas. Short, homely, and a misfit in his well-ordered society, Halli takes revenge for his uncle's murder. Then, with the help of Aud, a girl who is equally out of place but who doubts the old legends, tests and ultimately confronts the truth about the heroic exploits of his ancestor, Sven, who defeated the flesh-eating Trows. British narrator David Thorn makes clear the distinction between the introductory passages which recount the ancient saga of Sven and Halli's story by using distinct pitch, cadence, and tone. However, Thorn does not clearly distinguish the voices of Halli and Aud as well as those of some of the minor characters so that it is often difficult to know who is speaking. There are a few sentences in the audiobook version that differ slightly from the print version. Stroud's many fans will enjoy this tale.-Louise L. Sherman, formerly Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Witty and cinematic storytelling propels Stroud's engrossing novel, set in a medieval world that recalls Norse epics--no gods, but plenty of heroes to go around. Twelve Houses control sections of a valley. Halli Sveinsson--at 15, the youngest child of the rulers of the House of Svein--goes against tradition when he sets out to avenge the death of his murdered uncle, and his actions result in warfare among Houses for the first time in generations. Halli, "a cumbersome stump of a boy," is a quick-witted, appealing underdog and troublemaker ("Leif needs no sabotage from me," he quips. "If he manages two sentences without tripping over his trailing knuckles he will have exceeded my expectations"). Smart, funny dialogue and prose, revealing passages about the exploits of the hero Svein, bouts of action and a touch of romance briskly move the story along. Offering more than just a grand adventure (which the tale certainly is), Stroud (the Bartimaeus Trilogy) explores the consequences behind legend-worthy acts of glory and the power and peril of blind faith and hero-worship. Ages 10-up. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved