Thursday, April 11, 2013

Review of Hawk Quest by Robert Lyndon

Hawk Quest is one of the newest additions to the genre of "epic" journeys. Oh! I didn't know that wasn't a genre in which to reference books. Well in that case, Hawk Quest is an interesting historical fiction novel set during the times of the Norman invasion of England. Our hero Vallon is accompanied by a team in their quest to free an imprisoned soldier who's ransam is to be paid by four white gyrfalcon. Vallon and his team traipse across the northern countries including Greenland and Iceland in an effort to locate these beatiful falcons. Suffice it to say, the journey is epic.



This novel surprisingly is an easy read and I was definitely weary of its length. Thankfully Lyndon's novel is gripping and doesn't lose readers' interest entirely. Although there are parts that I felt were a little slow, there is still no shortage of situations that our guides come across that I wonder how are they to get out of this one. I had to keep on with the quest in an effort to find out what's going to happen and will our protagonist be safe. 

Lyndon also does a great job at rendering characters with depth and memorability. My favorite of these characters is definitely Wayland. And although our main hero Vallon is complicated and damaged, there's an endearing quality to him as well. The journey they embark upon is different for each person and it's length allows the reader time to get to know them personally.

Overall, this novel is definitely worthy of the time it takes to read it. Lyndon's expertise in falconry and history bodes well and is evident throughout this tome. I don't think readers will be disappointed. It's historical fiction at its best mixed with richly drawn characters, harrowing situations, and surprising conclusions. I can't wait for the next installment, if in fact there will be one. I would recommend Hawk Quest to anyone interested in getting lost in an "epic" journey. ****




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