The Bookwyrm's Review of The Huntresses' Game by Joe Jackson
Author: Joe Jackson
Length: 416 Pages/ 12 Hours, 43 Minutes (Audio)
Publisher: Aethon Books
Release Date: June 30, 2020/ October 8, 2020 (Audio)
Narrator: Chelsea Stephens
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
As I mentioned in my recent review of the fourth book in this series, its easy for a series as long as this one to have books that feel like filler in the middle. Like book four, this book not only avoids that fate, but wow, what a kick to the gut with the sheer amount of revelations, action and tragedy in this book! So, with no further ado, lets get into the review.
PLOT SUMMARY
As the web of deceit and lies widens, Karian Vanador must try to find allies - however unlikely - to combat the enemies of the Demonhunter Order.
Effectively forced into a visit to the volatile King S'Bakthra, Kari must try to match wits with a being over 12,000 years old. Can she turn an enemy into an unwitting ally, without having the same done to her?
This is to say nothing of Kari's testing to become her deity's avatar. An age-old enemy comes back into Kari's life, forcing her to walk away from an ailing husband and young children to see to her god's wishes. Worse, she must leave behind friends and family as well to avoid having them used as tools against her. It seems a straightforward hunt, but as she uncovers more and more plots, it will be anything but....
What new allies will she find as she returns to the land of her birth, the nations where she was a legend, and can they stand against these ancient enemies?
OVERALL THOUGHTS
This is definitely one of those books that has multiple aspects that shine. The plotting is fast paced and taut, and the characters really shine in their individual arcs. With the amount of action and plot threads going on, it almost felt as if it would be too busy, but the author did an excellent job of tying off the plot threads within the story, while leaving their overall arcs open enough to continue in later books. He introduced some new characters to the fold that really added to the texture of the story, while continuing the arcs he has followed for the current cast of characters. I have to say that Kari Vanador, the main protagonist in this series, has to be one of my top five all time fantasy protagonists. She is such a bundle of contradictions. being an excellent warrior who leads an entire demon hunter order, but is wracked by self-doubt at times due to trauma and misfortune she has suffered. She constantly questions herself, and is her own harshest critic. She is just such an amazingly well rounded character. She's the exact opposite of the usual fantasy tropes we see so much in today's fantasy. Most authors would never imagine making a character so strong while so utterly vulnerable at the same time.
The secondary characters also get a chance to shine and develop more of their own character arcs as well. We get to see a new side of characters like Alegios, Kari's brother-in-law, and watch as he struggles with his own place in Kari's life, as well as his own self worth after several recent failures during missions. It's interesting watching his decision making process as his character grows with what's he's forced to do. We also get a deeper look into the demon king Kourstourax, who is vastly powerful but still has some vulnerabilities that Kari uncovers and even manages to exploit. It's not often we see such a powerful possible antagonist be so outmaneuvered by someone with such a disparate power level. The addition of an old friend turned enemy of Kari's is also an interesting twist, opening up more of Kari's past while pointing at more potential threats to Kari and the greater world.
NARRATION
Like the previous books in the series, the narration duties are performed by Chelsea Stephens. I have to say that this is an even better performance than book four, which was really well done. You can tell she is really invested in these characters, striving to realistically bring these characters to life. She truly outdid herself this time, and I can't wait to hear her work on the next book in the series.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It seems with every book in this series the author finds a way to make a complete arc for the book, all while adding hints and portents of events in the future. So far, the portents seem to point to threats that have world shaking consequences, all tying into the revelations about Kari. I look forward to seeing where the rest of the series goes, and where Kari's journey takes her. Fans of sprawling epic fantasy with lots of great characters, plenty of action and serious consequences should really enjoy this story.
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