Talon of the Silver Hawk

Raymond E. Feist

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

A powerful new epic fantasy series from one of the great masters of the genre.

Among the Orosini tribe, every boy must undergo the traditional manhood ritual in order to understand his place in the universe and discover his manhood name. Kielianapuna must survive on the remote mountain peak of Shatana Higo until the gods grant him his vision. But Kieli has already waited for four days and nights, and now he is cold, lonely, despairing, and very, very tired...

When he is woken by the terrifying sensation of sharp claws piercing his skin, and finds a rare silver hawk upon his arm, it is such a disorientating moment that he is not sure whether it has even happened, or whether it was a vision.

Returning to his home, nameless and still a child, Kieli stumbles upon devastation. His village is being burned, his people slaughtered. Although it means certain death, Kieli throws himself into the battle...

Against all the odds, he survives, alone of all the Orosini, who have been cut down where they stand: every last man, woman and child.

A distant voice echoes in his mind: Rise up and be a talon for your people...

The visitation of the bird on Shatana Higo was indeed his naming vision. He is a boy called Kielianapuna no more. Now he is Talon of the Silver Hawk, a man who must avenge the murder of his people, whatever that may take...

Talon of the Silver Hawk begins a sweeping new epic fantasy series from worldwide best-selling author Raymond E. Feist and marks the 20th year since the publication of his first novel, Magician. Featuring one of the most fascinating characters and scenarios ever created in the genre, The Conclave of Shadows promises to become one of the great all-time classics in the field.

Review by Chrissi (011102) Rating (8/10)

Review by Chrissi
Rating 8/10
This is a story I'm guessing is the start of another chapter in the Midkemia saga. Talon is a young boy from a tribe of simple people who believe that young men should get their adult names with a quest in the mountains. Talon's name quest is ends with him finding his village being destroyed by armed men, and in attacking them he is so badly injured that he is left for dead, until he is rescued and nursed back to health by strangers to whom he feels a life debt.

Talon is raised by these strangers and is taught languages, reading and writing and swordplay, feeling that there is some plan in their minds for him. This plan is never completely revealed, but we do see that Robert, his benefactor, is part of the secret society founded by Pug to protect Midkemia after the Riftwar.

It is nice to see that Feist alone has written this book and it probably explains the number of collaborations that have been published over the past couple of years. I hope that this series is as engaging as the Riftwar and the Serpentwar series, and I think that Talon is an engaging enough character to maintain a connection if the series does progress.

It is nice to see that Pug and Miranda are in this series but Pug has become an increasingly remote character, and in his strict enforcement of his society, he has become less of a character to be identified with. It seems as though he has changed a great deal since we first saw him as the boy from Crydee. It is a shame, I hope that there is a reason for making him this way.
Chrissi (1st November 2002)