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alexandrabree's review
5.0
While many see this as a duplicated Watership down, featuring deer in the place of rabbits, I throughly enjoyed this novel. I found the story engaging enough that I read it twice back to back. Davies has joined Brian Jaques and Richard Adams on my list of wonderful animal authors. I would recommend this to anyone who is up for the long read in small print
gracebikes's review
4.0
A childhood favorite revisited can go either way.
This held up. What an intense adventure of Rannoch and his friends as they go up against the ruthless Sgorr. Well worth the re-read.
I have to admit the [spoiler forthcoming] death of Sgorr at the bow of Liam felt very deus ex machina, but I suppose it fulfilled the Prophecy .. I would've liked to have known why Liam was there and able to kill Sgorr, but oh well.
This held up. What an intense adventure of Rannoch and his friends as they go up against the ruthless Sgorr. Well worth the re-read.
I have to admit the [spoiler forthcoming] death of Sgorr at the bow of Liam felt very deus ex machina, but I suppose it fulfilled the Prophecy .. I would've liked to have known why Liam was there and able to kill Sgorr, but oh well.
bailo2's review
4.0
Aside from the overuse of the word "ruminate" in the last half of the book, I was entertained and impressed, especially considering this is a YA, anthropomorphic novel about deer of all creatures. It's like CS Lewis meets Tolkien meets the Lion King meets Bambi.
julialaurajean's review
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
One of my favourite books simply for nostalgia reasons. It was one of the first books I read outside of school work, and David Clement-Davies' books all have a special place in my heart
booksong's review
5.0
I've discovered that what most people think when they look at this book is "It's an epic fantasy about deer? Well, unless you're some kind of deer lover, it's got to be boring, right?"
Wrong.
In his debut novel, Clement-Davies spins a world of incredible, realistic fantasy. Much as he did later in "The Sight," he populates this world with prophecies, myths, dark forces, spirits, gods, and unlikely heroes and heroines. And the result never ceases to amaze me.
High in the hills of Scotland, amid one of the herds of proud red deer, a fawn is born to the stag captain Brechin. On that same night, Brechin is murdered in a dark plot by the tyrannical Drail, who seeks to make the herd, and eventually all the deer in the valley, his own. But Brechin's calf, Rannoch, is in grave danger. For he is born with a white oak leaf on his forehead: the sign of a prophesied hero who will rise to bring the true ways of the wild back again. But not before he has endured an unimaginable quest.
In a tradition as epic as any ancient mythical hero, Rannoch and his friends, a wonderful and diverse cast of characters that are fantastically written, must travel into the heart of the wilderness to seek sanctuary from Drail. Like "Watership Down," this book makes you take a closer look at an often dismissed animal, into you are pulled so completely into the adventure you can't believe you ever thought deer were boring.
Wrong.
In his debut novel, Clement-Davies spins a world of incredible, realistic fantasy. Much as he did later in "The Sight," he populates this world with prophecies, myths, dark forces, spirits, gods, and unlikely heroes and heroines. And the result never ceases to amaze me.
High in the hills of Scotland, amid one of the herds of proud red deer, a fawn is born to the stag captain Brechin. On that same night, Brechin is murdered in a dark plot by the tyrannical Drail, who seeks to make the herd, and eventually all the deer in the valley, his own. But Brechin's calf, Rannoch, is in grave danger. For he is born with a white oak leaf on his forehead: the sign of a prophesied hero who will rise to bring the true ways of the wild back again. But not before he has endured an unimaginable quest.
In a tradition as epic as any ancient mythical hero, Rannoch and his friends, a wonderful and diverse cast of characters that are fantastically written, must travel into the heart of the wilderness to seek sanctuary from Drail. Like "Watership Down," this book makes you take a closer look at an often dismissed animal, into you are pulled so completely into the adventure you can't believe you ever thought deer were boring.
annalisenak97's review
4.0
This is a 4.5 for me. I adore the scope of this storytelling and how much time the book spans. Clement-Davies does an excellent job putting his characters through the ringer, making them suffer, and telling an epic and interesting adventure story. It also asks some interesting questions about nature and faith. I will say that this book is basically Watership Down for deer; the plots are identical in a lot of ways. Also, there are some writing choices that Clement-Davies makes that scream "THIS IS MY FIRST NOVEL" to me. But overall this book is cinematic and epic.
rev_sarahyoung's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
deranged_pegasus's review
5.0
An in-depth philosophical book that none-the-less draws in the reader and refuses to allow you put it down. The tale is broad and encompassing of all aspects of life and morality and is just beautiful.
ndwisard's review against another edition
4.0
It got a little boring in some parts but I think that's because deer (maybe elk. I forgot) are boring creatures.