The Hounding begins with Greydal Alone, a Tulka teen who is watching ants in the rain. He is dreading going to the Ring, a fantasical court room. His adopted father is also there, but as a convicted murderer. Although the court suspects Greydal of aiding his father in murder, the judges declare him innocent and execute his father. Greydal returns to his hamlet, but things are not the same. His home town gets torn apart and taken over. Almost everyone dies. Greydal and Rulf, another teen, escape. Both boys have never been anywhere outside of their town and only know legends that explain other lands in the Four Corners. They soon sense that they are being hounded. Both boys encounter trouble and Greydal is left for dead. Greydal soon wakes up in a wagon with King Marcos and his daughter Roan. He is missing his leg. They jouney back to the king's kingdom. Greydal and Roan eventually fall in love. Outside forces such as the Legate, Interloper, and Old Man Moonlight are discussed. The king and Greydal seem to have similar folklore. These evil forces appear on their journey and the king dies.
I don't want to spoil the story, but inspite of Greydal's physical disadvantages, he is a Tulka and has special powers that allow him to communicate with the supernatural. Some of my favorite scenes include a battle between Greydal and a warrior. It reminds me of David and Goliath. The love story is heartfelt and genuine. I love a phrase that Randall repeats throughout the book. It goes something like this: 'You can't go over it, you can't go under it or around it, but you have to go through it.' I took it to mean a good way to live your life-facing it head on, without trying to find easy shortcuts.
Randall is also quite the expert in imagery and metaphors. I never tire of his beautiful prose and vivid descriptions. This story has a very dramatic sharp turn that will leave most if not all readers surprised on the direction of the story. Surprisingly, this is Randall's first book. Based on imagination, originality, complex characters, and intricate plot, I believe he hit a home run! If you like both fantasy and sci-fi, you will love The Hounding.
5 Stars
1 comment:
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