Medalon (Hythrun Chronicles: Demon Child Trilogy: Book 1)

A Fantasy Series Book Review

By Jennifer Fallon

Genre: Epic Fantasy, 16+
ISBN: 0765348667
Publisher: Tor Fantasy (November 2, 2004)
Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages

After doing a few rather dark series I figured I'd lighten things up a bit.

The Hythrun Chronicles fit that bill.This story takes place in Medalon, a country where all forms of religion are forbidden. Ruled by the Sisterhood of the Blade, backed up by the Defenders, an elite force of warriors sworn to the First Sister, Medalon has eradicated the worship of the Harshini and their Gods. Or have they? Regardless of how hard they try, rumors of heathen worship and the supposed coming of the Demon Child, continue to pop up.

The characters in this book are delightful. You have R'shiel, daughter of and in training to become, a Sister of the Blade. Tarja, her half brother, raised from a young age to become a Defender. Joyhinia, mother to them both, a cold, calculating woman with all the warmth of a snake. Brak, a half breed Harshini, irreverent friend to the Gods , a man supposedly belonging to a race completely destroyed by the Sisterhood. And there are the Gods. In many ways I liked them the best.

When Joyhinia takes control of the Sisterhood, both R'Shiel and Tarja find themselves in full rebellion against their mother. In fear for their lives both flee Medalon and come face to face with things they never dreamed possible. They are forced by circumstances to join a rebellion against the Sisterhood, discover a serious threat from the adjoining nation of Karien, meet Brak and even a few of the heathen Gods (though they are unaware at first who they are dealing with) and discover that not all myths and legends are just flights of fancy. Including the ones concerning the Demon Child.

I love books like these. The author manages to close most chapters with a line or two that makes me grin. Now don't get me wrong, there is plenty of violence, hate, betrayal, and even a rape (not detailed but does take place)plus twists and turns that will almost leave you breathless. But there is also mystery, romance, loyalty and humor mixed in. The pace picks up steadily throughout the book, its a definite page turner and while the story concludes satisfactorily, it does leave you looking forward to the next book.

Series Summary
Other books in the series
Ratings, Reviews, Similar Reads, Buy Books

Shelfari Rating 4+/5 Librarything Rating 3.71/5 Amazon Rating 4 out of 5 stars (32 Customer Reviews) What Should I Read Next? Kindle: Medalon Ebook: Fictionwise Buy Book: B&N Amazon: US Canada UK