BLOOD OF THE HUNTED REVIEWS
“Blood of the Hunted ” is a fast-paced fantasy set within the mystical world of Kosavros where humans are tyrants and non-human creatures are struggling to survive. From the opening sentence, darkness slips through the pages, building a sense of fear and dread as a war is brewing. We bear witness to a horrific execution led by the unimaginably cruel King Louis. This event in turn entices a riot to unfold between the humans and non-humans referred to as Torain, the hunted. As time passes, we follow the leader of the resistance, Weylyn and his friends Olwen, and Rosalie, as they are relentlessly pursued by witches set to eradicate the non-humans. Once an alliance is formed under Queen Sophia, the Resistance and Tudrose band together to overthrow the monarch and bring justice back to the lands.
Author Marc R. Micciola is a masterful storyteller. I found his writing exciting and easy to follow as he vividly paints a vast world full of danger and intrigue. The descriptiveness in his writing style is flawless, leaving the reader emotionally invested as the story unfolds. I especially enjoyed the way Fleuran dialect was sprinkled throughout the exchanges with the monarch guards. The hardships the resistance face are told from multiple points of view and added depth to the characters individually, allowing a feeling of connection to their plight for justice as well as a hint at their strengths and weaknesses. Each chapter is packed full of adventure in this heroic tale where humans are the villains to be feared.
“Blood of the Hunted” portrays all the makings of a masterpiece. There are some very dark areas within the story that at times result in scenes of gruesome brutality. I hurt for Weylyn as he witnesses his lycan father being tortured. The Howl in defiance of King Louis reminded me of the scream for Freedom in Braveheart. From that moment I was hooked. The strength and fortitude Weylyn displays quickly makes him my favorite character. Page after page, I became mesmerized as I continued to immerse myself in the world of the hunted.
I highly recommend “Blood of the Hunted” for anyone searching for a heart pounding adventure.
— Leigh Kimberly Zoby for Reader Views
Blood of the Hunted by Marc Micciola is a fantasy novel that revolves around the persecution of the Tóráin, the non-human residents of 18th-century Kosavros. A lycan by the name of Weylyn is the leader of The Resistance and the driving force behind a campaign to end the utterly inhumane oppression, torture, and murder of the Tóráin in Kosavros by fanatical humans once and for all. It is an act of war that requires assistance across the continent. Weylyn goes to Tudrose and obtains the backing of Queen Sophia, but she requires that a rise of rebellion must first be implemented before risking her own soldiers for the cause. Weylyn, with the help of a fellow Resistance rebel from Fleuris
named Olwen, heads off to the countries of Tulp, Korblum, Stelpina, and Malvene to enlist powerful rebel leadership to accomplish the first stage of a sweeping goal: incite rebellion in the lead-up to an attack from Tudrose, replace bloody regimes with Tóráin allies, and live equally ever after. As the mission progresses it becomes clear that the immediate risk is worse than even the suffering endured before, and, at best, as horrific as what is expected to come. “You have committed many crimes against the Tóráin, and now you must pay for them.”
Blood of the Hunted is an ambitious novel with a lot going for it. Marc Micciola crafts a really diverse cast of characters and fleshes out the landscape, culture, social structure, and the need for an insurgency with skill and enough flourish to bring it to life, but not so much that it destroys the pacing. The world building and character development are enhanced by first-person point of view characters that extend beyond and dig deeper than what Weylyn's limited outlook could achieve on its own. Shifting narratives like this is rarely successful as the voices can become convoluted and the head-hopping can get annoying, but that never happens in Micciola's story. The stand-out character to me was Rosalie who, by virtue of being human, has reason not to work with the Tóráin when even treating one without payment in a hospital marks the end of her freedom. She does so anyway. As a woman she is authentic and strong, as is another fierce ally, Queen Sophia, who literally follows Weylyn with an army at her back. Descriptions of torture can be raw and really punch a reader in the gut, such as the avian race of the Tóráin called harpies being mutilated and cauterized. It's par for the course in a world at war where magic elements, like daggers that invoke decaying flesh, are all in play. This novel takes a strong stomach and some resolve to get through, but please do believe me when I say it is worth every step of the journey. Very highly recommended.”
— Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite
Oppressed supernatural creatures make a stand against tyranny in Micciola’s fantasy novel.
In a fantasy world where magical beings such as lycans, sprites, satyrs, and goblins were transported to a human realm to escape persecution, they only met more danger and prejudice in their new home. Nine years ago, Weylyn’s father was tortured and executed for the crime of being a lycan who stood up to the oppressive structures keeping all magical beings endangered and subjugated. Now, Weylyn leads the resistance movement, assisted by his closest friends, including Brina and Keagan (fellow lycans), Olwen (a sprite), and his human girlfriend, Rosalie. They ask Queen Sophia of Tudrose for aid, and she agrees to assist them—but only if they encourage rebellions and further resistance across the land. They leave Rosalie at home to lead the resistance there while Weylyn goes with Brina and Olwen goes with Keagen to foment resistance on multiple fronts. There is danger lying ahead greater than the expected enemy soldiers, gladiator tournaments, and dangerous mines: The Dove is a masked witch set on killing them, and the only hope against her may be Weylyn’s secret magical abilities (“You don’t know? Mystic Bloods are descendants of Druids. You all have the gift of magic wielding”).The author has created a complex and engaging world full of a range of characters, classes, lands, and languages. The different points of view that track Weylyn and his friends (and occasionally his enemies) keep the plot engaging and the stakes real. At times, the narrative can feel heavy with exposition, but this extra information aids in the reader’s immersion into the novel’s vivid reality. Weylyn’s heroic arc drives the plot forward and highlights the emotional core of the story. This is an enterprising fantasy that is ambitious in its scale and successful in its worldbuilding.
A fun adventure in a fantastical land.
When humans are “the monsters,” it’s not safe for anyone or anything.
Blood of The Hunted has a riveting beginning, opening with a tortuous execution of a lycan. I was immediately invested in the plight of the Tóráin, and Weylyn and his companions, in particular. With its fast take-off, the pace was set for the rest of the book; the action was always ON. The story is dark and disturbing at times, not only for the cruelty of the ruling class but its allegorical underpinnings to the history and circumstances of our own societies’ class struggles. The author also presents the less used take on epic fantasy quests by establishing humankind as the villainous monsters while the “monsters,” the satyrs, sprites, lycans, etc., are the heroes.
I really liked the four main characters: Weylyn, Rosalie, Olwen, and Keagan, though the latter two were my clear favorites. Each one is a unique and heroic individual. I enjoyed the changes in point-of-view as one or another took over the narration of the story. The author’s writing style made for easy and comfortable reading, with well-done dialogue a strength. I also liked the “just right” amount of foreign phrases sprinkled throughout and was delighted to see a Language Key included at the end of the book. However, coming in at almost 700 pages (according the Amazon [Ebook] listing), this book is a commitment, and at times, the author tended to over-describe (just got a little wordy). But don't be afraid, just be prepared. It is a long but worthy journey. (Think A Game of Thrones!)
A well-known bonus of this genre is fantastic world-building, and I was not disappointed. The world of Kosavros is awash in atmosphere, with different types of homes, bars, towns, waterways, and mountainous terrain all lending hands to create the whole. I’d also like to compliment the designer of the lovely chapter headings. I was reading an advance review copy, which typically do not include illustrations, so I don’t know if there will be a map in the finished edition, but it would be great if there were. This new dark epic fantasy is bursting at the seams with intrigue and action! I recommend BLOOD OF THE HUNTED to fantasy readers who enjoy robust epic tales of heroes and magic and aren’t afraid to venture into a darker story. — Karen from Guatemala Paula Loves to Read