Heroes of the Valley

Heroes of the Valley has ratings and reviews. Mike (the Paladin) said: I read Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy and liked it pretty well, the writing.
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I am having a hard time following it and I would just like to check my understanding so far. This question contains spoilers… view spoiler [At the end of this book, when we learned that the dead people buried in the cairns are undead—I need to know: What was that ending?! See 2 questions about Heroes of the Valley…. Lists with This Book.


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Aug 04, Mike the Paladin rated it did not like it. I read Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy and liked it pretty well, the writing and the originality of the book especially the ending impressed me. Now I am tempted to let my one star rating and those three words sum up my feelings here and move on. I see many enjoyed this book actually, predictably I think. I didn't, so to be fair to those who would like more detail let me add another phrase, seven words t I read Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy and liked it pretty well, the writing and the originality of the book especially the ending impressed me.

I didn't, so to be fair to those who would like more detail let me add another phrase, seven words this time, "been there, done that, got the T-shirt". This book, like several other "youth books" I've come across many of which have what Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn would call a "whole raft of awards" is far more "youth indoctrination" than "youth literature". This story exists solely to drill the desired "lesson" into minds of it's readers. Now while that in itself is a huge problem for me a worse one is The story begins somewhat slowly, becomes repetitive and beats the reader over the head with it's "persuasion" brainwashing?

So, should I tell the BIG lesson of the book? That would of course constitute a spoiler and therefore negate the necessity of you finishing the book.

The new heroics

I could be doing you a favor So, I'll cover that below a spoiler warning. For now I give the book one 1 star. Why do I give the book one star? Because I can't give it less without it looking like I just read the book and didn't rate it. I can't recommend this one. What's the BIG lesson? What's the big reveal? Why it's that everything "you" "you" being the "youth" who's reading the book and inculcating it's propaganda have you've been taught is A LIE.

The role models you were brought up to look up to even the ideals you were taught to embrace are all LIES. There's even a place where we get the line "Halli realized all the ideals he'd been taught were lies". Thus my summing up, "oh come on". The book starts out with Halli making a series of bad decisions meeting the results of said bad decisions and the actions based on them and rationalizing it all away because he was clinging to the stories of the "Heroes" this happens over and over in varying ways, these events running the gamut from attempted humor to attempted pathos.

Along the way the book sets up straw men that can be knocked down. For example, Halli is constantly almost coming to blows Leaning hard on the negative and incorrect definition of the word honor as basically overweening pride and ignoring the positive and more correct aspect of the word "honor". It honor is seen as "a bad thing". It's not understood as a basic honesty and respect for one's self and others, the thing that teaches us to do the right thing, even when no one is looking, the reason to play by the rules even when a "little cheating" will bring a win.

This sort of thing goes on throughout the book. Halli doesn't learn that the "Heroes" were just human, with the "proverbial feet of clay". He and of course the co-protagonist discovers that the greatest evil of all is of course the hero he's been taught to revere. By the way the hero's name is "Svein" If the lesson of this book had been that Halli and by extension the reader needed to learn to think for themselves, find balance, that he would come to realize that the "Heroes" were a mixture of good and bad, humans doing the best they could, making decisions both good and bad, people with "feet of clay", then I could have said okay.

Poor story telling aside that's a good lesson. As it is the book again in my opinion fails on both levels. The main action in the book is set in motion by what amounts to a cruel practical joke Halli plays on members of the household of another of the "Great Heroes" Hakon. It ignites reignites a feud and leads to all the "unpleasantness" that follows.

All this never, even in the end teaches Halli to think. He moves from one set of indoctrinated ideas to another what was all good is now all bad, of course and after he and his "partner" and co-protagonist the girl Aud learn this they leave the Vally.. So the stories around them say they probably died killed by the Trows the monsters the Great Heroes of legend are renowned for saving the valley from. So in the end the "lies continue" simply inculcating Halli and Aud into them. So, my opinion, poor book on several levels. I've seen the reviews, many love it, I'm not among them, not being a big fan of brainwashing and BEING a big fan of good stories.

My take, my opinion, for what it's worth, can't recommend it. If you like it, enjoy. View all 21 comments. Jan 01, Betsy rated it really liked it. Jonathan Stroud simply is not a fan of innocent protagonists as pure as the newly driven snow. He has little patience for innocents as main characters. No time for guys like Harry Potter or Frodo, who find themselves thrust into dangerous situations that were not of their own making.

Give Stroud a nicely corrupt kid or a wildly headstrong hero any day of the week. Having burst upon the juvenile writing scene with his breathtaking Bartimaeus trilogy , Stroud now scales himself back a little with a Jonathan Stroud simply is not a fan of innocent protagonists as pure as the newly driven snow. Having burst upon the juvenile writing scene with his breathtaking Bartimaeus trilogy , Stroud now scales himself back a little with a slightly more conservative fantasy going by the name Heroes of the Valley.

Masquerading as yet another boy-shepherd-learns-how-the-world-really-works tale, Stroud's newest book may seem to tread a well worn path but in fact it has all the zip, panache, and intelligence you would expect of the man who made footnotes a literary technique outside of Pale Fire and Jonathan Strange , of course.

It has a slow start, but stick with Heroes of the Valley and you will discover a smart bit of storytelling that knows how to suck in its readership. Halli has grown up hearing the stories. How the heroes of the Houses in the valley drove back the horrible monstrous Trows and that's why no one can ever leave the valley again.

Halli yearns for those old days, when violence and fighting could solve problems, particularly since in this current world Halli stands out. He is rough and short and ugly and prone to getting into trouble. Pranks come to him easily, but when a particularly keen one leads to the death of someone he loves, Halli vows to avenge the murder.

Yet the boy has no idea what lies in store for him, or just how important it will be to remember those old stories and find out the truth and lies behind them. Trying to compare Heroes to other children's books isn't difficult, but I did find that it broke certain rules. Like Taran from the Prydain Chronicles , Halli yearns for battle and glory. As such, the first half of this book takes on a distinctly Don Quixote flavor, with Halli in both the role as the deluded would-be knight and his much put upon squire.

Halli meets odd characters, goes against all rhyme, reason, and sense and then only finds himself facing the truth about the world around him when given exactly the thing he has been searching for. This is a quest novel where the quest keeps changing. If it reminded me of anything it was of the smart fantasy writing of Nancy Farmer in her The Sea of Trolls. But it's hard to find anyone to compare to the hero in this book.

Generally as heroes go, usually they can at least fight a little bit. But Halli, aside from being one of the uglier bandy-legged protagonists out there, is both short and incapable of fighting someone. To his credit, he's pretty good at escaping from death though in truth a lot of that is probably due to the fact that swords pass a fair foot above his head half the time.

But how many books have you read where the hero's short legs prevented him from making a clean escape time and time again? It's kind of novel, really.

And now let's talk about female characters a bit, shall we? For all that Stroud likes his boys flawed and wretched, he does a darn good girl. This may not sound too remarkable. Many a fantasy writer for kids knows how to write strong women characters. But I would go so far as to say that male fantasy writers for kids almost always make those same girls humorless. Not always a tip of the hat to Neil Gaiman here but more often than I would like. No sir, when you first meet Aud she is falling out of trees, laughing, and mocking Halli in a truly humorous fashion when his ridiculousness comes to be too much.

Aud is the daughter of one of the lords from another House. She has all the spunk and verve you would expect, but that's not extraordinary. I was far more interested in how funny she could be. It's a trait that serves her well in the tale. There is an interesting lack of religion or spirituality to this book's world, which is probably a necessity for many a children's author Fly by Night aside. It also makes one of the book's central themes stand out without raising too much controversy.

I doubt very much that you will hear that a parent has attempted to ban Heroes of the Valley because the story argues vehemently against a blind allegiance to past beliefs and ideas. The slow reveal of the truth behind the stories Halli has loved for so long grows more delicious as the tale carries on. There is much to be said here about cultural traditions and a society that fails to question its own rules from time to time. Consider Halli the Harry Beaton of his own private Brigadoon. The writing itself proves to be similar to the Bartimaeus books, even if the story is so vastly different.

Stroud excels at ending a chapter on a tense note. There's a wonderful moment when Halli leaves a sick man's bedside, convinced that the fellow who wants to kill him is helpless. Then, in the dimming light, all Halli hears is the sound of a mattress that has just had a weight removed from it. Aside from basic competencies in producing a strong plot, metaphor, storyline, and smattering of character development, Stroud is also keen in including small amusing asides. At one point Aud and Halli are discussing various Heroes from he past and she makes a reference to how one of them came home with some outlaws' heads in a little string bag.

Halli says, "A little string bag? Sounds a bit girly. These two characters are in the midst of a serious conversation and Stroud has the wherewithal to include a dash of humor. It's a pretty British move, and more than welcome considering the circumstances. I run a homeschooler bookgroup, and my kids recently complained to me about fantasy novels that are parts of a series. For once they wanted to read something that could stand on its own. And when you read the book it certainly remains self-contained, without any difficulty.

No spoiler alerts here. I won't say a thing except that it certainly wouldn't be impossible if Stroud felt inclined to go about making a sequel or two in his spare time. There certainly is more story to tell, and I for one would be first in line to buy if he felt inclined to carry on. I was a little perturbed to find that one of the book's major villains takes his leave of this earth off-screen, so to speak.

Seemed a bit unsporting of Stroud. And there is also the little matter of the book's beginning being so slow. My advice is to encourage child readers to strive ever on. In fact, by the end of the story you will find yourself hard pressed to pry the title from well-clenched hands. I came within an inch of missing my subway stop the other day because I had had the misfortune to be reading Chapter 26 at the wrong time. All that aside, this is a fine frisky novel. If you have ever wanted a fantasy for kids that shows a character learning and growing, this is one of the best examples I've found to date.

Ages 10 and up. Heroes of the Valley turned out to be a good book to listen on audio. At first I wasn't sure how much I'd like it, but I ended up enjoying it immensely. Halli is a roguish, endearing young hero who wrapped himself around my heart. Although he was quite a prankster, he was a good kid at heart. He didn't really get a chance to shine until he broke free from the mold of his family and their expectations for him. This took him on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment about his world. Everyone Heroes of the Valley turned out to be a good book to listen on audio.

Everyone in the Valley lives in the shadow of their great ancestors, who all died in a standoff with trolls that were plaguing the humans of the Valley. Now, they are nearly worshipped by each of the twelve houses founded in their names. Halli grew up with tales of the bravado of his ancestor, Svein, and wishes to commit similar feats of bravery to have his name listed in the hall of heroes. That's a bit hard to do with the current situations. All weapons are outlawed and any disputes are judged by the Lawgivers, women of the twelve houses. When Halli's uncle Broda is murdered by Olaf of the Hakonsons, Halli is determined to avenge his uncle.

He goes on a journey deeper into the valley, and comes to realize that heroism and bravery is not the way it sounds in the stories he was weaned on. Halli makes it on my heroes I love shelf because he is a great kid. He is brave in a real life way. He gets himself into some very sticky situations, but he fights his way through with his ingenuity and his determination. He's not unaware that others view him in a negative light, but he doesn't let that stop him from doing what he believes is right. He stands up for himself, and others, and I loved his pluck.

He's an outrageous kid who tells it like it is, and that's a trait that I can't help but admire. And Halli saves the day in a great way, not just to be labeled as the Hero, but because it's the right thing to do. Jonathan Stroud keeps the reader guessing where Halli's adventures will lead him next, and this makes for a book that is nothing like I expected. I'm still trying to work my mind around the twist near the end that I completely didn't expect. Heroes of the Valley has some good messages for younger and older readers about being true to yourself, standing up for what you believe, and using your wits instead of resorting to violent actions.

There is violence, yet it's not pointless. Instead, violence in this story is used to illustrate something important. Violence doesn't make you a hero just because you are capable of using brute force to harm others and end lives. There is a place for it, but we must all question when is violence necessary, and count the cost of that violence, which can be a lot greater than we previously anticipated.

In this story, the reader sees what kind of man Svein really was, and you have to wonder if he's truly a hero. Or do our heroes truly have feet of clay that merely make them the humans they were all along, despite their fantastic, lauded deeds.

Heroes of the Valley - Wikipedia

I truly believe that each person has it in them to be the hero, merely by standing up and doing what's right when they find themselves in those situations that don't even seem very grand. But their actions can be crucial, and how they react to those situations can define them and how confrontations end up being resolved, for the better or worse.

I didn't have a lot of expectations for this, but I ended up a satisfied listener. I think the narrator did a good job, and he brought the characters to life in a distinctive manner that fits the story, and had me listening intently. I am glad I was able to meet Halli, and his young girl friend Aud. They are definitely the true heroes in this story. View all 5 comments. This a fantasy set in an isolated valley above a fjord where farming and feuding are the primary occupations.

The culture is based on what can be found in Icelandic sagas, complete with a heavy emphasis on legal disputes.

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The protagonist, a boy with a quick wit and a way with words, is fascinated by the legends of the Heroes who settled the valley and made it safe from the monsters that lived underground and preyed on the new-comers. He hopes for a more exciting life than bein Stroud's best book. He hopes for a more exciting life than being a tenant farmer and has a talent for making mischeif and a set of ideals that eventually leads him away from home and into an adventure like and yet unlike those in the tales of the Heroes. Stroud brings the humour of the Bartimaeus books and the seriousness of The Last Siege together and blends them excellently to give us a sympathetic yet flawed protagonist, whose dialogue is a delight and whose journey is as much about self-discovery as learning the true nature of the society he lives in.

The story is unpredictable, with an ending I would never have guessed and is about stories themselves: Excellently realised, thought-provoking and fun. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ya, Sobat, kau juga. Kau yang sempat membelalakkan matamu tanpa hasil yang keren. Kau langsung tahu siapa aku, tentu saja. Memang kecantikanku tidak mungkin melayu dalam tiga tahun ini.

Sekiranya pun pandangan menyedihkanmu ternyata makin kabur, begitu langkahku melewati pintu masuk Penginapan Suka Tidur ini kau bisa mengendus wangi patenku, Moroccan Rose -kubeli di Body Shop, tentu saja tidak kuekstrak sendiri. Ya, ya, kau juga tahu siapa aku, wahai Tuan bertopi pelaut di pojok sana. Tentu aku mengenali rambut keriting yang gagal kau rebonding saat mencoba naik pangkat menjadi kelasi pertama di The Flying Dutchman.

Tahu tidak, si tengkorak tua sial itu kini terdampar di Benua Putih, dihempas badai selepas meloloskan diri dari Selat Magelhaens. Biarkan saja, kataku, biar tahu rasa dijepit es Antartika dan diolok2 penguin abad Ah ya, terimakasih, Bung. Ini minumanku sudah tiba. Kuharap persis sama dengan yang kuminum tiga tahun lalu, teh tawar hangat seduhan daun teh cap mawar. Ngomong2, dalam pengembaraanku rakyat Sari Wangi menyuguhiku teh nikmat, Gold Selection aroma jeruk.

Sayang aku tak bisa membaginya dengan kalian. Beli sendiri saja, ya. Kalian tentu tahu aku tidak mengunyah tembakau, ganja, menenggak bir.

Heroes of the Valley

Aku masih konsisten dengan diet golongan darah. Kalau tidak terpaksa, aku takkan menggoreskan duriku pada nyamuk. Kurang higienis, kalau boleh kuingatkan. Kalian sudah mendekat semua, sudah yakin bahwa aku ounya sesuatu untuk telinga2 kalian yang haus jeweran, Aku terharu, sungguh. Terasa perjalananku tidak sia2 walau begitu melelahkan. Maka aku akan tidur sekarang.

Sudah kausiapkan kamar terbaik? Aku mendengar desah kecewa dari bawah meja itu! Siapa itu berani mengeluh? Tolong, tarik dia dari sana! Pantas kau begitu tak paham etika. Kaukira seorang wanita baik2 sepertiku mau semalaman duduk bercerita tentang pengalamanku yang bersimbah darah? Di malam purnama begini, di mana roh2 durjana melayang dan mengintai di dahan sambil cekikikan? Rupanya ayahmu harus memukulmu lebih keras, Nak, alih2 menyerahkanmu pada emban pengasuh tua yang mendongengimu kisah kepahlawanan palsu.

Atau kau akan berakhir seperti tokoh yang kutemui sebelum turun ke sini. Ya, pulanglah kalian semua. Jangan lupa membayar tagihan makan malam kalian. Sudah kubilang aku harus tidur sekarang! Ceritaku tentang si bocah salah asuhan tadi? Jangan usik aku lagi. Bunga Mawar M Vera h View all 4 comments.

Dec 07, Avalley rated it really liked it. I liked it though it wasn't that good in the beginning and was boring sometimes. Short comment, 'cause I feel lazy tonight. I reached the end and when the plot twist was revealed I felt so stupid. I didn't expect that at all, Stroud, you evil genius.

I liked it less than Barty because Bartimeus' ending still makes me want to go in a corner and cry like ther's no tomorrow but more than Lockwood Short comment, 'cause I feel lazy tonight. Heroes of the valley is a fantasy with a main protagonist that is completely different from your average hero and a breathtaking ending. Maybe I would have liked to see a bit more world-building, but I can't complain, really.

View all 11 comments. In other YA fantasy series we have heroes like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson who are hardly responsible for the situations they get into. They are ordinary, unambitious guys who were thrown into adventure by fate. They did not wish to be famous or save the world but when the need arose they rose to the challenge.


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Harry survived the killing curse because of his mother and Percy got into scrapes because of who his dad was. These characters are like blanks. They are a horde of wonderfully flawed characters who are utterly responsible for the scrapes they get into. And you love them for being so vibrant and a pleasant change from characters as bland as oatmeal. Halli is born into the house of Svein, one of the twelve founding heroes who fought the vicious Trolls long ago and thus brought the valley to safety. Each of these twelve heroes had founded a house during their times and now their descendants rule over their lands and their people, their livelihood being agriculture.

The warring days of the heroes are long gone and all the houses live in peace and harmony, the only swords ever made are those which are to be buried along with the dead. No ones strays across the valley boundaries marked by the cairns of their ancestors, fearing that if they so much as touch the shadow of the mounds of the heroes the trolls would come and eat them. Everyone is happy with the life they now lead.

He longs for the day when he can ride out and meet the other houses, see the valley and yes, earn fame and honour by doing great deeds. On the year of his fourteenth birthday his house hosts the Gathering, a festival which is attended by the members of the other eleven houses. The leaders of the twelve houses and their families meet, there is music, food, drinks, dancing and wrestling—none of which Halli is allowed to take part in because of a prank he played on his brother.

A dejected Halli is moping about in the orchard when he meets Aud, the gorgeous daughter of the house of Arne. Did I mention the other thing about Stroud I love? Aud is this adventurous, lively, charming, pretty girl who yearns for adventure as much as Halli does and regards the stories of Trolls with much contempt and disbelief.

And she seems to have a point. No one has ever seen Troll. All they know are stories passed from generation to generation which speak of the fearsome trolls.

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But none has ever seen any. Furthermore, even in the times of Svein and the other great heroes, no one but the heroes ever saw the fearsome creatures. The heroes went, fought with something , came back covered in blood and told everyone else to stay clear of the boundary. And then of course at the great battle they all left and fought together and were found dead the next morning but then again no one saw what exactly killed them.

Aud tells Halli her theories and though Halli refuses to see eye to eye with her at first his mind being more preoccupied with thoughts of feuds she finally manages to convince him that there maybe adventure beyond the boundary and all that talk about Trolls tommyrot. I liked this book. I liked the legends, the simple minded people with their love of food and good music. I liked old Katla the nurse maid and her belief that Halli will die a tragic death him being a mid winter baby and all , and the matter of fact way she deals with it. Of course their was a big mystery but not the one I wanted.

Stroud of course takes an unorthodox approach to the subject of role models and shows that the people society tells us to look up to may not be as great as they are reputed to be. An enjoyable read that I would recommend to all Stroud fans View all 3 comments. Feb 22, Laura rated it it was amazing. So, halfway through this book I wasn't really sure I was enjoying it all that much. Mostly, I think I was annoyed that it just wasn't funny. It wasn't supposed to be funny, but I wanted it to be.

The other problem was that I was having a hard time cheering for a main character that I didn't really like or relate to in any way, a foolish young boy who derides respon So, halfway through this book I wasn't really sure I was enjoying it all that much. The other problem was that I was having a hard time cheering for a main character that I didn't really like or relate to in any way, a foolish young boy who derides responsibility and spends his time playing pranks, some with dire consequences, and who desires glory and fame for avenging his uncle's death.

Or so he thinks And then Halli got a dose of reality, and then he grew up a little bit. And then his newfound maturity didn't win him any points with a lot of people who disliked him for his previous childish antics. And then he grew up some more, and then he took responsibility- for his actions, for his non-actions, and for a whole lot of people that pretty much despised him. All because it was the right thing to do. While the ending wasn't all that happy, it was fantastically satisfying.

The evolution of Hallie from beginning to end was logical, yet at the same time, clarifying. When I finished this book, I realized that I liked it very very much, and I would definitely recommend it.

Lo specifico lascia il posto al generale; il particolare lascia il posto al grandioso. Intendiamoci, "La valle degli eroi" non vanta un grande sviluppo narrativo, invero scolastico e dal ritmo piuttosto compassato; i personaggi sono ben lungi dall'essere indimenticabili sotto il profilo della caratterizzazione; persino la prosa risulta fin troppo elementare e didascalica.

Oct 16, Kitri rated it really liked it Shelves: What a great read! Spanning the edges of several different genres, Heroes of the Valley is so delightfully Stroud-esque that I couldn't put it down. Halli Sveinsson lives in a valley founded by 12 Heroes long ago, who fought the vicious Trows for mastery of the land. Now 17 generations later, Halli questions the Hero stories he grew up with, and seeks to know the truth.

Through a strong friendship, revenge, and many adventures involving courage, quick thinking and as always with Stroud, a lot of What a great read! Through a strong friendship, revenge, and many adventures involving courage, quick thinking and as always with Stroud, a lot of wit that had me laughing out loud but never seemed out of place , this story will have readers entertained - and constantly delightfully surprised at the outcomes. Although it seemed a little young for the Printz age group, I could easily see Heroes being enjoyed by a wide range of readers with various interests - this story could easily fit for lovers of adventure, fantasy, and historical fiction, both young adult and adult.

May 14, Yola NY rated it really liked it Shelves: Jonathan Stroud emang slalu bikin kaget! Jonathan Stroud kayaknya bukan pengarang yg suka menjabarkan klo tokoh utama certanya itu sempurna, atau kuat, atau hebat. Halli yg berangkat dengan bekal seadanya, di jalan bertemu dengan si tua Snorri dan pedagang licik Bjorn, seiring dengan perjalanan itu membuktikan kalau Halli bukanlah anak umur 14 tahun yang lemah.

Halli juga penakut, dan nggak cekatan pas ngadepin musuh. Halli emang ngasih "rasa" sendiri biar para pembaca nggak ngelupain dia. View all 9 comments. Jul 13, Mary-Jean Harris rated it it was amazing Shelves: This was an amazing book, with very likeable characters despite their numerous faults! It was written beautifully and had many elements of an old tale being told, the simultaneous legend of the "heroes of the valley" at the beginning of each chapter, and to a lesser extent, the story itself.

I found the beginning a bit jumbled, since you weren't really sure who the story was about. But once it got started, I liked it more and more. The main character, Halli, seemed too This was an amazing book, with very likeable characters despite their numerous faults! The main character, Halli, seemed too unpredictable and bratty at first, but when he starts out on his adventure the first one , you get to know him better and he is such a fun character to follow. One thing I didn't like was that pretty much all the young characters are brats, such as Halli's siblings, and Ragner, who reminded me of Draco Malfoy.

Halli and Aud are too, but they have other noble qualities that make up for it. There were also so many insulting characters, especially insulting toward Halli for being so short and stout, which was alright overall, but got to be a bit too much at times. It was, however, a really fun story to read, and I laughed a lot! The world of the story, which is reminiscent of Viking-era, is unique and well-crafted, centering on the valley, but there is the recurring question of what lies beyond the "boundary".

This does, however, get addressed at the climax, if only partially, but I think satisfactorily for the story. The end of the story was very unexpected I won't give it away , but in a sense, it came back full circle with the beginning and connected to the parallel tales of the heroes of the valley. The narrator was also great I listened to the audiobook version , so if you can listen to it, it's worth it. Jul 06, Katharina Gerlach rated it it was amazing Shelves: Nothing like Stroud's other books but just as good.

This book reads more like a historical novel set in a time where people lived rather isolated lives for there's fairly little magic involved. The mythology of the people in this tale resembles stories told about Vikings but there are no direct clues that indicate the author really meant to create vikings. The "valley" of the title is a place of developed feudalism, dotted with clans which live alongside each other in the edgy peace which so bores young Halli.

But beyond the boundaries the dank earth shivers and groans with sinister creatures called Trows, who rise up to snatch unwitting flesh and drag it underground. First cousins to HG Wells's Morlocks, the Trows are all the more terrifying for never being fully described. Instead they haunt the edges of the narrative, giving Halli's juvenile scrapes a real sense of jeopardy. This is a hero who, one feels, might actually not live to fight another day.

The point that Heroes of the Valley makes so well is that founding mythologies - family romances by another name - are often damaging and almost certainly false. As Halli moves beyond the narrow boundaries of his estate he begins to realise that the stories he has learned about his all-conquering ancestor, Svein, have little purchase in the wider world. As far as other clans are concerned, it is "their" great men - Arne, Ketil, Rurik - who have won the epic battles, killed the Trows, slashed and burned the land into submission.

Halli's real challenge, then, is to forge a new kind of heroism, one which is founded on the shared needs of the moment rather than the fuzzy bombast of the tribal past. Jonathan Stroud's great strength is his willingness to puncture his own narrative with humour well before it tumbles into portentousness.

Halli and his heroine, Aud, both have the contemporary teenager's capacity for clever put-downs and rude bickering. They smell and bleed and tease and can't wait to leave home. Aud is the leader of the two - taller, smarter, less taken in by hoary old stories.