Wednesday, October 25, 2017

A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne [Review]

A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne
A Plague of Giants (Seven Kennings #1) by Kevin Hearne
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 16, 2017

Seven Kennings
1. A Plague of Giants - Hardcover | Kindle
2. A Blight of Blackwings
3. A Curse of Krakens

Kevin Hearne
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
From the author of The Iron Druid Chronicles, a thrilling novel that kicks off a fantasy series with an entirely new mythology—complete with shape-shifting bards, fire-wielding giants, and children who can speak to astonishing beasts

MOTHER AND WARRIOR
Tallynd is a soldier who has already survived her toughest battle: losing her husband. But now she finds herself on the front lines of an invasion of giants, intent on wiping out the entire kingdom, including Tallynd’s two sons—all that she has left. The stakes have never been higher. If Tallynd fails, her boys may never become men.

SCHOLAR AND SPY
Dervan is an historian who longs for a simple, quiet life. But he’s drawn into intrigue when he’s hired to record the tales of a mysterious bard who may be a spy or even an assassin for a rival kingdom. As the bard shares his fantastical stories, Dervan makes a shocking discovery: He may have a connection to the tales, one that will bring his own secrets to light.

REBEL AND HERO
Abhi’s family have always been hunters, but Abhi wants to choose a different life for himself. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, Abhi soon learns that his destiny is far greater than he imagined: a powerful new magic thrust upon him may hold the key to defeating the giants once and for all—if it doesn’t destroy him first.

Set in a magical world of terror and wonder, this novel is a deeply felt epic of courage and war, in which the fates of these characters intertwine—and where ordinary people become heroes, and their lives become legend.
Thoughts on A Plague of Giants: It's been a while since I dove into the realm of high fantasy. For me, it takes a chapter or two to mentally shift gears and find the narrative flow. Especially when it's something as involved as this book is.

No lie, this book is involved. It has a big cast of characters--some of whom we only meet briefly before being whisked off to meet up with the next set--and a big, complicated societal structure that is built around the different abilities each kingdom wields and...you know what? I'm going to let you read about that. Suffice to say, it is complex, but everything makes sense once you start visiting the different kingdoms.

Here's the deal...Through the bard Fintan's ability, we see key moments of the Giant invasion from the perspective of various peoples in the different kingdoms. We're given triumph and heartache in equal measure as Fintan recreates the first sighting of strange ships ghosting into the harbor of one kingdom to their outright destruction of pretty much everyone they come across.

It's brutal at times. It's painful at times. The secret 6th ability and the possibility of a 7th kept me mentally hopping. As did the outright destruction the giants sow as they do their invading. Good times!

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