A Plague of Giants: A Novel

Kevin Hearne

Oct 2017 · The Seven Kennings Book 1 · Sold by Del Rey

About this ebook

From the author of The Iron Druid Chronicles, a thrilling novel that kicks off a fantasy series with an entirely new mythology—complete with shape-shifting bards, fire-wielding giants, and children who can speak to astonishing beasts

“A spectacular work of epic fantasy . . . an absolute delight.”—Shelf Awareness

MOTHER AND WARRIOR
Tallynd is a soldier who has already survived her toughest battle: losing her husband. But now she finds herself on the front lines of an invasion of giants, intent on wiping out the entire kingdom, including Tallynd’s two sons—all that she has left. The stakes have never been higher. If Tallynd fails, her boys may never become men.

SCHOLAR AND SPY
Dervan is an historian who longs for a simple, quiet life. But he’s drawn into intrigue when he’s hired to record the tales of a mysterious bard who may be a spy or even an assassin for a rival kingdom. As the bard shares his fantastical stories, Dervan makes a shocking discovery: He may have a connection to the tales, one that will bring his own secrets to light.  

REBEL AND HERO
Abhi’s family have always been hunters, but Abhi wants to choose a different life for himself. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, Abhi soon learns that his destiny is far greater than he imagined: a powerful new magic thrust upon him may hold the key to defeating the giants once and for all—if it doesn’t destroy him first.

Set in a magical world of terror and wonder, this novel is a deeply felt epic of courage and war, in which the fates of these characters intertwine—and where ordinary people become heroes, and their lives become legend.

Don’t miss any of Kevin Hearne’s action-packed Seven Kennings series
A PLAGUE OF GIANTS • A BLIGHT OF BLACKWINGS • A CURSE OF KRAKENS (Coming Later!)

Ratings and reviews

Let me start by saying the Kevin Hearne is a talented writer with some absolutely brilliant stories. I loved his Iron Druid Chronicles and was so excited to see this start to a new series. A Plague of Giants comes in at 600+ pages and is quite the undertaking, especially with so many characters and situations. The premise is an exciting one and quite often, there are some amazing scenes to hold a reader's interest. The problem lies in the execution of the story. It is told by Dervan, a historian and that, in itself, wouldn't be bothersome except that Dervan is retelling the stories that the bard, Fintan, is telling to the people gathered to listen. So, basically, this is a story of a story, or more accurately, several stories of stories. The way the bard goes about it is imaginative with the optical illusions and colorful language, but each chapter is a different story. By the time I was able to get into each individual tale, it was coming to a close and time for the next, creating a rather disjointed story. As this is a series, the story will continue in the next book, but by the time I got to end of this one, I found that I'm not sufficiently invested in any of the characters to see where it goes from here. Hearne is a favorite for this reader and I'll be looking forward to seeing what comes after this series. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark and was just okay for me.

There are characters that are engaging and disengaging as well. But overall the book is a disjointed mess. I like the Iron Druid Chronicles but this is not a worthwhile read. I get the point of trying to vary the way a story is delivered but this type doesn't work. You don't have a sense of fulfillment and eagerness for the next installment.

Generally, I enjoy many types of science fiction from a wide variety of authors and styles. The main storyline and plot is a pretty good one and the structure is uniquely formed making it an interesting read. By the end the format was starting to become a little tiresome, but it works for one novel at least.

About the author

Kevin Hearne hugs trees, pets doggies, and rocks out to heavy metal. He also thinks tacos are a pretty nifty idea. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles, the Ink & Sigil series, and the Seven Kennings series, and is co-author of The Tales of Pell with Delilah S. Dawson.