Gods and Warriors

July 23, 2012
Paver (the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series) tells the engrossing story of 12-year-old Hylas, a poor goatherd in Bronze Age Greece, who is attacked, along with his fellow outcast Outsiders, by the Crows, black-garbed soldiers led by the warrior Kratos. When Hylas makes a desperate bid to escape by sea, he is saved by “an enormous fish burst from the waves in a rain of blue fire—but it wasn’t a fish, it was a dolphin.” Washing ashore on the mysterious Island of the Goddess, Hylas meets Pirra, the daughter of a high priestess, who is also on the run, in her case from a forced marriage. Working through mistrust and misunderstandings—and aided by a dolphin, Spirit—Hylas and Pirra work to survive the island’s perils and defeat Kratos. Hylas and Pirra are engaging heroes, and Spirit stands out as an especially intriguing character. First in a planned series, Paver’s story should appeal easily to lovers of historical fantasy (and, of course, Percy Jackson fans) with its polished blend of action, ancient history, and myth. Ages 10–up. Agent: Peter Cox, Redhammer.

June 15, 2012
Set during the Bronze Age of Ancient Greece, this new adventure series attempts to navigate a land filled with fickle gods, dangerous spirits and even more dangerous men. Hylas, a young goatherd and Outsider, is forced to run for his life when a dark swarm of warriors known only as the Crows attacks. Following the raid, Hylas sets out to find his missing sister and solve the mystery of why the Crows are so intent on destroying every last Outsider. Parallel storylines of the chieftain's son, Telamon, and Pirra, a mysterious girl from across the sea, emerge, further complicating Hylas' quest. When a prophecy reveals that Hylas' destiny will destroy the known world, he must rely on new and old friends to survive. Action-packed chapters ending in cliffhangers keep the story moving forward at a fast clip. Richly detailed and historically believable scenes show Paver's commitment to authenticity. Unfortunately, an uneven plot, a lack of character development and unstable fantastical elements will keep readers from fully engaging. Though the story promises much in its premise, it falls short in its execution. Less than a sum of its parts, this unfortunate series falters before it even begins. Beautiful, but broken. (Fantasy. 10-14)

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October 1, 2012

Gr 6 Up-Paver brings her intense research skills to Bronze Age Greece to tell the story of Hylas, a young man who is an Outsider and is not allowed in the clan village. He suddenly finds himself being hunted by fierce warriors he knows only as the Crows, who seem bent on destroying him and all the remaining Outsiders. Hylas takes refuge in a tomb where he discovers a dying man who gifts him with a bronze dagger and some cryptic words about the answer being found in the sea. With help from his friend, Telamon, who is the village chief's son, Hylas makes his way to the sea. There he is befriended by a dolphin named Spirit that leads him to an island where he finds Pirra, the daughter of the High Priestess, who has escaped to avoid a forced marriage to Telamon. While initially antagonistic toward each other, Hylas and Pirra must work together not only to stay alive, but also to discover the truth behind the dagger and why Hylas is being pursued. The added element of Hylas's friendship with the dolphin adds a surreal quality to this story already filled with adventure and danger. Paver brings this mysterious period of history to vibrant life in a compelling realistic narrative with some fantasy flourishes. Who knew the Bronze Age could be so fascinating?Tim Wadham, Puyallup Public Library, WA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2012
Grades 5-8 Hylas starts off running and never slows down; his sister Issi is missing, and warriors are pursuing him. Hylas is an Outcast, and Outcasts are being killed to subvert a prophecy about a bronze daggera dagger that Hylas has in his possession. Telamon, the chieftain's son, can't help, so Hylas escapes to the Island of the Fin People, where he receives aid in the strangest of forms: from Pirra, the runaway daughter of a High Priestess, and a dolphin called Spirit. Using multiple points of view, including Spirit's, Paver explores a very detailed settingthe Mediterranean during the Bronze Agealong with the rituals and beliefs of people who worship elemental gods, all the while keeping readers on the edge of their seats with plenty of death-defying action and adventure. Although each character is given time to develop, Spirit is the most fascinating. This first book in a new series will have natural appeal to fans of Rick Riordan's books as well as Paver's earlier Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
In Mycenaean Greece, young goatherd Hylas and priestess Pirra are on the run from the same enemy. The pair is forced to join together to accomplish their own goals. Along the way, they learn to trust each other and eventually become friends. Bronze Age gods, fierce warriors, and heroes-in-the-making take center stage in this action-packed story.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)