Jonathan Stroud
Hardcover | Pages: 483 pages Rating: 3.44 | 4987 Users | 679 Reviews
Declare Containing Books Heroes of the Valley
| Title | : | Heroes of the Valley |
| Author | : | Jonathan Stroud |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 483 pages |
| Published | : | January 27th 2009 by Disney-Hyperion (first published 2009) |
| Categories | : | Fantasy. Young Adult. Adventure. Fiction. Young Adult Fantasy. High Fantasy. Historical. Historical Fiction |
Rendition As Books Heroes of the Valley
I read Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy and liked it pretty well, the writing and the originality of the book (especially the ending) impressed me. THIS BOOK I think I can sum up (at least in my humble opinion) in 3 words... "OH GOOD GRIEF".Now I am tempted to let my one star rating and those three words sum up my feelings here and move on. I see many enjoyed this book (actually, predictably I think). I didn't, so to be fair to those who would like more detail let me add another phrase, seven words this time, "been there, done that, got the T-shirt".
This book, like several other "youth books" I've come across (many of which have what Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn would call a "whole raft of awards") is far more "youth indoctrination" than "youth literature". This story exists solely to drill the desired "lesson" into minds of it's readers. Now while that in itself is a huge problem for me a worse one is...it doesn't even do it while telling a good story. The story begins somewhat slowly, becomes repetitive and beats the reader over the head with it's "persuasion" (brainwashing?), and it does it with all the finesse and delicacy of a howitzer shell.
So, should I tell the BIG lesson of the book? That would of course constitute a spoiler and therefore negate the necessity of you finishing the book. I could be doing you a favor...still there are some of you who I'm sure will want to read it for yourself, heck some will wholeheartedly embrace the indoctrination. So, I'll cover that below a spoiler warning. For now I give the book one (1) star. Why do I give the book one star? Because I can't give it less without it looking like I just read the book and didn't rate it.
I can't recommend this one.
(view spoiler)[ So okay, now it's just us. What's the BIG lesson? What's the big reveal? Why it's that everything "you" ("you" being the "youth" who's reading the book and inculcating it's propaganda) have (you've) been taught is A LIE. The role models you were brought up to look up to even the ideals you were taught to embrace are all LIES.
There's even a place where we get the line "Halli realized all the ideals he'd been taught were lies". Thus my summing up, "oh come on".
The book starts out with Halli making a series of bad decisions meeting the results of said bad decisions (and the actions based on them) and rationalizing it all away because he was clinging to the stories of the "Heroes" this happens over and over in varying ways, these events running the gamut from (attempted) humor to (attempted) pathos.
Along the way the book sets up straw men that can be knocked down. For example, Halli is constantly almost coming to blows...or coming to blows to, "defend his honor" or his family's "honor". Leaning hard on the negative (and incorrect) definition of the word honor as basically overweening pride and ignoring the positive (and more correct) aspect of the word "honor". It (honor) is seen as "a bad thing". It's not understood as a basic honesty and respect for one's self and others, the thing that teaches us to do the right thing, even when no one is looking, the reason to play by the rules even when a "little cheating" will bring a win. This sort of thing goes on throughout the book. Halli doesn't learn that the "Heroes" were just human, with the "proverbial feet of clay". He (and of course the co-protagonist) discovers that the greatest evil of all is of course the hero he's been taught to revere. (By the way the hero's name is "Svein"...again the phrase comes to mind, "oh come on".)
If the lesson of this book had been that Halli (and by extension the reader) needed to learn to think for themselves, find balance, that he would come to realize that the "Heroes" were a mixture of good and bad, humans doing the best they could, making decisions both good and bad, people with "feet of clay", then I could have said okay. Poor story telling aside that's a good lesson. As it is the book (again in my opinion) fails on both levels. The main action in the book is set in motion by what amounts to a cruel practical joke Halli plays on members of the household of another of the "Great Heroes" (Hakon). It ignites (reignites) a feud and leads to all the "unpleasantness" that follows. All this never, even in the end teaches Halli to think. He moves from one set of indoctrinated ideas to another (what was all good is now all bad, of course) and after he and his "partner" and co-protagonist the girl Aud learn this they leave the Vally..as no one is supposed to be able to do. So the stories around them say they probably died killed by the Trows (the monsters the Great Heroes of legend are renowned for saving the valley from). So in the end the "lies continue" simply inculcating Halli and Aud into them.
So, my opinion, poor book on several levels. I've seen the reviews, many love it, I'm not among them, not being a big fan of brainwashing and BEING a big fan of good stories. My take, my opinion, for what it's worth, can't recommend it. If you like it, enjoy. (hide spoiler)]
Details Books Toward Heroes of the Valley
| Original Title: | Heroes of the Valley |
| ISBN: | 142310966X (ISBN13: 9781423109662) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Literary Awards: | Carnegie Medal Nominee (2010), Premio El Templo de las Mil Puertas Nominee for Mejor novela extranjera independiente (2009) |
Rating Containing Books Heroes of the Valley
Ratings: 3.44 From 4987 Users | 679 ReviewsRate Containing Books Heroes of the Valley
not really exciting ..My mouse hovered between four and five stars for a long time. I LOVED this book! But I'm not totally sure if I loved it because it was great, or because it just so happened to tick all the check boxes for Things Stephanie Loves with Inordinate Passion:--Icelandic saga-inspired setting (!!!!)--A spunky heroine who is also realistic (not a world-class swordswoman the first time she picks up a sword, for example)--A hero who is, in fact, NOT handsome--Witty, funny dialogue--Understatement--Frame
Jonathan Stroud is no longer as popular as he used to be, but he remains one of the few automatic-buy authors for meif he has a new book or series out, I am on it like shit on flyeven though one would say I should have outgrown him long ago. There are still turns of phrases and words from his books that I still use in conversation to this day (e.g. "unmentionables" to refer to one's privates). When I saw a remaindered copy of Heroes of the Valley at a book sale, I bought it without any
I don't think so, of course I couøs be wrong, but Svein as well as Håkon and Aud are common names in Scandinavia. And I'm sorry about the vikings, I
Halli lives in a valley founded by 12 Heroes long ago who fought monsters, called Trows, for mastery of the land. As the second son in his family, hes a bit of a prankster, seeking attention from a village that would rather see him remain quiet and out of the way than have fun. But when his uncle is murdered by the arbiter of another house, Halli embarks on a quest, seeking revenge for his fallen kin. Along the way he begins to question his familys history, the legends of the Trows, and his
This is an unusual book, with the plot driven less by action than by character building and introspection. This may be the reason why I liked it so much: I tend to enjoy the exploration of the personalities at least as much as the story itself. Take this as both a recommendation and a warning: if you want a fast-paced, action-packed book, this isn't for you. If, however, you love a good character - a realistically flawed and self-aware person - as much as you like action, read this book.I would
I read Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy and liked it pretty well, the writing and the originality of the book (especially the ending) impressed me. THIS BOOK I think I can sum up (at least in my humble opinion) in 3 words... "OH GOOD GRIEF".Now I am tempted to let my one star rating and those three words sum up my feelings here and move on. I see many enjoyed this book (actually, predictably I think). I didn't, so to be fair to those who would like more detail let me add another phrase, seven words
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