The Archer and The Princess — L.A. Hammer

Three young heroes find themselves in a world descending into chaos in this high fantasy novella. - Kirkus ReviewsIn this series opener, Hammer's prose evokes the romantic diction and mythological complexity of the high fantasy genre, sometimes to an eye-rolling extent:- Kirkus Reviews.It's unclear how many more installments Hammer has planned—one suspects it's quite a few—but so far the pacing is brisk and the world, if not completely unique, is quite fun. - Kirkus ReviewsThis story may not prove to be a crossover hit like some of the books that inspired it, but readers who love the fantasy genre will find much here to enjoy. - Kirkus ReviewsA derivative but skillfully executed and engaging fantasy. - Kirkus ReviewsHammer writes with energy—the characters rush from one danger to another, always with high stakes and mysteriousartifacts involved. - Kirkus ReviewsThe author's narrative technique of rapidly shifting viewpoints from chapter to chapter echoes a similar tactic by some ofthe bestselling writers in the fantasy genre, and for good reason: It keeps the story hurrying along in a compulsivelyreadable way. - Kirkus ReviewsHammer is likewise skillful at changing tones; one chapter can be filled with high-stakes sorcerous tension,and the next can be, equally convincingly, lighthearted - Kirkus ReviewsReaders encounter a very inventive world—one that features everything from Jinns to Greek mythology to Shaolin monks to the Monkey King, and in which the legions of Caesar can easily end up fighting hordes of vampires. - Kirkus ReviewsReaders already up to speed on the many ongoing plot threads will find this volume a tense and fast-paced addition to Hammer's engaging fantasy world. - Kirkus Reviews-Hammer does a good job of orchestrating the book's suspenseful ending, which leads readers right on to the next installment. - Kirkus ReviewsA colorful and hyperactive section of a larger multicultural fantasy epic. - Kirkus ReviewsOver the four books of L.A. Hammer's Heroes of Legend series, the author draws from animpressive wealth of sources, including Eastern philosophy, classical mythology, early horrorliterature of the West, as well as standard, Tolkienesque fantasy elements that form the bedrockof the narrative structure. - BlueInk ReviewsThe stories, while somewhat derivative, offer an impressively complex, action-packed series ofadventures featuring the orphaned, magical young prince Matthew, Princess Cybele, and archerTristan. In their quest to defeat a vampire king named Drahkuhl (the nod to Bram Stoker'slegendary baddie hardly feels coincidental), they find a rich and varied troupe of allies, from thewizard Eldarus to white wolves and dragons (nod to Game of Thrones) to an emperor namedCaesar (nod to ancient Roman history) to gods, goddesses and spirits pulled from suchavenues as ancient Celtic mythology, Buddhism and the Greek pantheon of gods. - BlueInk ReviewsTaken singly, the four books of the series feel rather hurried as the author works to fit asurprising amount of action, plot and intrigue into the novella form. Yet Hammer's overarchingvision for his characters has a sense of cohesiveness. Even as the heroes shuttle betweenadventures in short bursts and rapid perspective shifts, the format offers readers the space tofind connections between the separate stories and elements. - BlueInk ReviewsIt's a rapid-fire approach that may feel a bit cursory for longtime fantasy fans. For newcomers tothe genre, however, especially young readers, Hammer offers a rich fusion. Although many ofthe ingredients here are familiar, including the sometimes-clichéd writing style (the books offermany boilerplate grandiose descriptions of prophecies, saviors and end-of-world standoff...