| Title | : | Silvermay (Silvermay, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0732292034 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780732292034 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 448 |
| Publication | : | First published June 1, 2011 |
| Awards | : | The Inky Awards Gold Inky (2011), The Inky Awards Shortlist Gold Inky (2011) |
So things seem, until the dark forces of Coyle Strongbow come in search of Nerigold′s baby and Silvermay is swept up in the young family′s escape. When Lucien is entrusted to her care, she discovers the startling horror of what he might become, and the truth about Tamlyn, too.
Can Lucien be spared his fate, or is he doomed to become like Coyle? And Tamlyn, can he be trusted, can he be loved and can he love in return? Silvermay′s heart will not give him up, but what happens when devotion becomes a weapon in the hands of the ruthless?
Silvermay (Silvermay, #1) Reviews
-
PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS!!!! I'm not even kidding. Purchase it now! Read it now! I have been obsessed with this book and the rest of the series for a long time. It gets better every time I read it and I've read it five times and I will carry on reading it again because I love it so much!!!! I first read this book in 2012 and loved it. I had to wait for the others to come out which resulted in me reading it again. This book is fabulous!! I do not understand how this book is not popular. It seems that there are a lot of excellent books out there that sadly are unpopular which is not a good thing.
To be honest I don't really know why I love this book I just do. The plot is really different and unique, there is no book like it. You'd think after reading it so many times it'd get boring but honestly even though I've memorized every section and everything that happens in it I never get sick of it. Now I don't usually read books again because I have a lot of other books that I haven't read before and there is just so little time but I just saw it on my bookshelf and I was like I need to read this book again.
Even though it is an amazing book it took me a while to finish it because of exams and I gave it to my friend to read. It was torture waiting to finally pick the book up.
PEOPLE PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!!! -
"Birdie folded me into her arms and said into my ear, 'I know why you're so reluctant, Silvermay. You still think yourself in love. Well, this is your chance to show how strong that love is. Go with them, so the ones he loves will live to make him happy.'"
My motivation to read 'Silvermay' had been the pretty cover with a bit of 'Aussie Author Awe' thrown in - for the description sounded pretty confusing and non-descriptive to me and held me back instead of rushing me to the Fishpond's expensive shores. My motivation for writing this review after giving up the book at approximately 40% is that the only two-star-review consists of about two sentences. I understand perfectly. Writing something with a bleeding heart, giddy happiness or a boiling anger in tow comes pretty easy to me. Expressing my mildly irritated indifference or boredom so others can nod with made-up minds is a rather difficult task.I think, I start (and probably stop) with breaking down that confusing description / back flap copy to the more or less bland plot the reader faces when braving the pages. Maybe that will do the trick:
Silvermay Hawker lives in a harsh, feudalistic world. Common folks in the villages are farmers, innkeepers, miners, game hunters or healers who are forced to share - and not just to tithe a tenth, but as much as the wyrdborn enforcers randomly tell them to - with those lording over them. It seemed peculiar to me, but the Wyrdborn, who you can imagine like invincible, super-strong brutes with heightened senses and both the 'gift' and mind-frame of Kristin Cashore's villain Leck, are seldom in a Lord's position themselves. Usually they are employed by one, in sets of two, who jealously keep each other's appetite for power in check. On harvest collection days those wyrdborn guards tend to ensnare a couple of pretty young bed warmers on top, who they return as mindless wrecks without memories after growing bored of their services. In spite of that frightful practice no one tries to hide away their female offspring or to send them safely out of sight, when the tithe wagons roll in. The villagers just watch and lament the drama and then look down on unwed mothers as if those poor things have had any chance to prevent being abused. The remaining lot of the kingdom's population lives in Vonne, the capital, earning money as spies/thugs/assassins ... whatever. So far, it's annoying, but business as usual.
So far? Well, the problem is, it stays that way: Wyrdborn Leck-look-alike Lord Coyle gets notice of a prophecy about one of his newborn bastards and sends out his greedy minions to get hold of his last pretty plaything Nerigold. Perpetually weak Nerigold and her solemn baby Lucien turn up in Silvermay's - think 'Merida', but without a castle and without wealthy suitors - village with the mysterious, perfect and hyper-attractive Tamlyn in their wake, who poses as her lover, makes a feeble attempt at hiding his name and a quick, flirty beeline towards sixteen-year-old Silvermay's fluttering, boy-hungry heart. Silvermay's parents, a hawker and a healer, are the strangest lot. Lacking a son they have taught her youngest daughter to master the bow and the bird of prey, but not with particular changes to the usual female career in mind. They - just like that and notwithstanding the talk of starving in winter - take in disgraced Nerigorld against the elders' wishes - but without any kind of consequences at all - and later insist, that their precious, immature and inexperienced daughter is to accompany the couple on their journey, although Tamlyn predicts, that they will be hunted by ruthless killers and have only a small chance to survive them, and although they know that Silvermay harbors a crush on the unavailable guy. Well, someone has to care for the baby, they say. To complete the samaritan picture painted of them, they part with their strongest bow and their only sword in order to outfit the doomed trio properly. Silvermay does not know much about her future travel companions than her family - apart from the fact that he has both a kind and yearning face and a cold and calculating one and that she loves her baby. But she feels their goodness and she cannot bear to part from them. So, farewell, Silvermay! Don't die, honey! And off she goes. I endured a rather long road trip with descriptions of feeding the baby and resting and feeding the baby and shooting a rabbit and feeding the baby and mortal danger and resting and some affectionate touches and discoveries of love and secrets and feeding the baby, all the while unsuccessfully waiting for the inevitable moment when Nerigold is finally too weak to take the next breath of air. The - first - trip temporarily ends with the revelation of the prophecy - which is thanks to another point of view already known to the reader - and a lot of anguish. But that anguish also was expected and bland and boring and ... they were feeding the baby.
B.t.w. : I am desperately trying to remember: In which other book does a baby suck all the life force out of its mother? The title lurks in a corner of my brain. Finally I stopped reading. I was very, very confident at this time that nothing the remaining half of the novel would present had anything to offer that would manage to grab my interest. Nerigold has to die, the prophecy has to be stopped. A lot of traveling and touching ... and feeding ... will have to be done, while Silvermay grows a personality and starts to battle for Tamlyn's hardened heart of gold and the first declaration of his unusual, kind of inappropriate affections. For it will come. Whether in volume one, two or three is certainly unknown and wholly uninteresting to me. But it will come.
Apropos things to come: I think it is absolutely futile to have the heroine state in the prologue that she had to murder a baby by smothering its face with a cloth, when the title of the trilogy's third volume consists of said baby’s name. *Disappointed sigh* -
Call me shallow, simple minded or plain stupid, I admit to judging this book.
Firstly, I saw it for sale for five dollars... which made me 0.o over whether it would be a good book or not.
Secondly, it's written by a guy. Yes, as sexist as it seems, when it comes to a blurb that describes the book as laden with romance... well, I question the abilities of a man to successfully write such a novel in a girl's point of view.
Well, with the initial judgemental phase gone, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Paralleled in style and era to that of Poison Throne or Cashore's Graceling, the adventure was intriguing.
The writing style was also commendable. Biff out those trashy chik-lit novels for something with a little substance! While supposedly not quite as fulfilling as a protein shake (which I must admit I have never tried for the mere fact they look revolting) Silvermay's story is one that I definitely want to hear more of! -
Just finished this and ... WOW. Such a thrilling story, with interesting characters and an epic adventure they're leading. The last few chapters have probably the most plot twists in any book I've ever read ... ever. Honestly. And it's fantastic because you just race through the final chapters, desperate to know what's going to become of the charcters you've come to love. That feeling of adrenaline - when you're stomach is heavy with anxiety and dread - is the most horrible, yet most incredible feeling in the world to me and this novel supplies you with all that and a WHOLE lot more. Just wonderful.
-
Silvermay Hawker’s life is forever changed when a fleeing couple enter her village. A young man named Tamlyn (masquerading as Piet) and his wife, Nerigold, whom has recently given birth to a son. Nerigold is near death when she and Tamlyn come to the village, and it is Silverymay’s kind, healer mother who nurses her back to health. The town elders frown upon Nerigold and Tamlyn having a child out of wedlock, but the Hawker’s welcome the young couple into their home and as Silvermay looks after the little baby, nicknamed ‘Smiler’, she comes to care deeply for this travelling family.
But as the days pass, Silvermay begins to notice uneasiness in the young, handsome Tamlyn. He is wary of the tax-collectors who come on the King’s behalf. He watches the skies for sign of messenger birds. And he sits vigil outside the Hawker house at night.
When it comes time for Tamlyn, Nerigold and little Smiler to leave, Silvermay is adamant she goes with them – to help care for the baby, and a still weak Nerigold. But agreeing to journey with this couple will put Silvermay’s heart, and life, at risk . . . for as she falls deeper and deeper in love with the mysterious and forbidden Tamlyn, she also learns that the couple are fleeing Coyle Strongbow – a most dangerous man to have on your tail.
‘Silvermay’ is the first novel in James Moloney’s new young adult fantasy trilogy.
It has been a long time since I've read a James Moloney novel. He was a staple of my high school reading life, and I can still vividly remember pouring over ‘A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove’ and discussing ‘The Book of Lies’. So it was with great expectation and excitement that I read ‘Silvermay’, from one of the greats of Australian young adult literature. And I am thoroughly delighted to report that it’s as brilliant as I had hoped.
The book opens on one of the most powerfully disturbing prologues I have ever had the spine-tingling pleasure to read. Narrated by Silvermay as she recounts the day that changed her life, we are privy to the dark thoughts which now haunt her in the aftermath of change. And most awful of all is the confession that Silvermay boldly admits;
Or should I tell you, instead, that I've held a blanket over a baby’s face to smother it, and to this day I’m not entirely sure I was wrong to do it?
Thus begins Moloney’s haunting fantasy tale of a young woman caught in the middle of political and magical upheaval.
Silvermay is our protagonist on this epic journey, and she is quite the warrior woman in training. We read Silvermay’s conflicting youth; as a young woman falling in love for the first time, but whose girlish fantasies are interrupted by a journey of great import that will see her risk her life for people she barely knows, but quickly trusts. I loved Silvermay. She’s heroic and bold, loyal and observant. But I especially love her for being a little player in a big story. Silvermay is almost like a footnote in history – an unsuspecting girl whose presence in a baby’s life will change the course of history. The fact that she is just a girl from a village, the daughter of a healer and bird-trainer, makes her presence in the novel so much more meaningful for being accidental.
I also loved Silvermay and Tamlyn’s romance. This marks Silvermay’s real transition to womanhood – as she develops feelings the wrong man, but will face all sorts of danger for the sake of him. Talk about epic. Moloney touches on notes of longing and bravery with regards to Silvermay and her unrequited love the Tamlyn . . . and their romance is further complicated when Silvermay learns the truth of him.
If sleep had been out of reach before I ventured into the night air, afterwards it fled to another kingdom. We had stood beneath the moon and spoken of love. Not a love between him and me; of course not. I wasn’t pretending for a moment that we had. But even to say the word out loud to any man was a first for me, and, no matter how I told myself otherwise, there had been an intimacy in the things we’d said that seemed stronger than any of the girlish dreams I'd painted inside my head since he arrived in the village.
One of the best aspects of the book are the dark villains and magical monsters chasing after the travellers. In this world the bogeyman who strike fear into the hearts of children everywhere are called Wyrdborn, and they are at Coyle Strongbow’s beck and call. The Wyrdborn are wizards, with dark magic and unimaginable power. Moloney has made these wizards as pervasively evil as possible, partly through the mystery surrounding them. All Silvermay knows of the Wyrdborn is what she has heard in stories and gossip – rumours of girls who are taken from villages and spend time in the Wyrdborn castles, only to leave months later with no remembrance of their time, but a loss of innocence.
Coupled with Coyle Strongbow, ‘Silvermay’ has no shortage of evil. Here is a man with nefarious, but unknowing purposes. And it’s only when Silvermay comes to understand more about the baby Smiler that she sees a connection to the dangerous and dogged Coyle Strongbow . . .
I adored Moloney’s new fantasy novel. ‘Silvermay�� is set on an epic and fantastical scale, with a simple village girl at the centre of it all. This is a wonderful novel, with an empowered and courageous young woman to carry the story of upheaval. I can’t wait for the second and third novels, Tamlyn, will be released in June, 2012 and the third book, Lucien, the year after. -
Silvermay, the first in a new fantasy trilogy by best-selling Australian author James Moloney, was a unique adventure I have not read of for a while, most likely due to the lack of fantasy in Young Adult these days. This is what fantasy in these younger age categories should be like. From the very first page you are swept up in the journey of Silvermay, our female protagonist, along with Tamlyn and Nerigold, a couple fleeing from the grasp of Coyle Strongbow, a power-thirsty individual. Now I don’t want to give much away because Silvermay is a novel full of mysteries and discoveries so I’m just going to let you read and find out why they’re escaping and for what reason.
And when I said ‘first page’ I meant the first page of the prologue. Some prologues just don’t interest me, but by far the one in Silvermay is one of the best I have ever read. It has Silvermay question her humanity and innocence. I would provide it here as a huge long-ass quote for you to devour too, but I don’t want to get caught on copyright infringements :). I would if I could! It’s simply the best. And it’s only two pages, but so full of thought and heart.
Silvermay is steadily-paced and great-twisting plot to keep you on your toes. It is worth the read if you like some fantasy to keep you occupied on a long weekend or cold winter day. All characters are memorable and will leave you thinking about their individual choices, their pasts, and how their future will turn out. Just don’t trust anyone. That’s what I’ve learnt.
In this world there are certain wizards called Wyrdborn, who are strong in strength, power and seducing. And they can make you trust in them. Silvermay trusted in one and at the same time, you as the reader will not know the truth like her until the very end.
Silvermay was a very enjoyable read and I’m itching to know the future of each of these characters in Tamlyn the second, and Lucien the third. Thanks to Harper Collins Australia for providing me with a copy to be seduced by. The writing was easily readable and flowed flawlessly. Looking forward to more by James Moloney. Must go check out his earlier series, The Book of Lies.
First paragraph/line:
Prologue:
“Should I tell you of the first time I saw him, when he was still just a figure on the road like so many others who passed through Haywode, stopping only for a bowl of broth at the inn?" -
Note to self :
Why is it on the "I'm gonna regret reading this" shelf and not on the "never" one?
A weird love triangle with a "young man of solemn good looks" involved with a woman and...a baby, really? A male character named Tamlyn, really? You know what happened the first time... Un-shelf it! Re-shelf it somewhere else! Read "War and Peace" instead! Have an ice-cream fest!
Why do you even have a "I'm gonna regret reading this" shelf?! Stop hurting yourself! -
In a Nutshell: A group of strangers - Nerigold, her child and Tamlyn enter into Silvermay's life when they seek shelter in her village. Of course she starts to fall for handsome Tamlyn - but he seems to be utterly devoted to Nerigold and her son. Eventually she discovers that they are on the run from a Coyle Strongbow - who is the actual father of the child and wants him for his own 'nefarious' purposes. Soon Silvermay is swept up in their escape, and she also discovers the truth behind Tamlyn and the horror of exactly why Coyle wants his son so badly.
I won't be doing a video review for this book, because in all honesty - there wasn't really that much I could really say about this book. Was it godawful? I've read far worst. While the main characters like Nerigold, Tamlyn and Silvermay are likable - they weren't anything remarkable and pretty much fell flat, regardless of the fact that I wanted them to succeed and usurp the archetypical villain, Coyle Strongbow.
The romance between Silvermay and Tamlyn, in my opinion - felt somewhat rushed and undeveloped. I'm pretty sure that's why I wasn't as emotionally invested in their relationship (or when Silvermay bordered on being whiny-annoying when moping about Tamlyn) as I wanted to.
I found that this book was pretty consistent in how slow it took the plot along. I don't think the real plot started to emerge until halfway through the book. I'm kind of wary at this point if I want to continue reading the rest of the series or not.
Recommended for: people with patience
Rating: 3/5 stars -
It's not every day that a kiwi admits that Australians write some of the best fantasy books in my opinion. I loved this book! my only complaint was that it ended so abruptly and now I'll have to wait until June 2012 for the next one and then 2013 for the last one. I almost wished that I had waited for all three to come out before reading it because that would be the best way to do it as it is a continuing storyline.
Silvermay falls in love with Tamlyn a handsome and mysterious young man who arrives in her small town with the beautiful but weak Nerigold and her small baby Lucien. He is devoted to Nerigold and her small baby and it soon becomes clear that they are running from more than disapproving families. There is a prophecy that Lucien possesses great powers that the world has never seen and that the one who controls the child will have the power to rule the world. Silvermay leaves with the trio, helping to keep them all alive and to stop Lucien from falling into evil hands. The Wyrdborn are wizards of sorts. They are cruel and petty but possess great strength and powers. They also can only be killed by a something that belongs to them personally. Silvermay is surprised to learn that Tamlyn is a wyrdborn but he is different. He wants to deny who and what he is. I loved the plot in this, it was original and the characters were so real. A must read! -
1st reread: 23/9/18
-
Silvermay is the first in a new trilogy by best-selling author James Moloney.
Silvermay is unique in a young adult genre still fixated on vampires, werewolves and fallen angels. The feature that impressed me the most was the highly original plotline; a world of corrupt wizards called Wyrdborn and an ancient prophecy that warns of a child that could destroy the world.
As a reader, you are immediately swept up in this grand adventure as Silvermay, Nerigold and Tamlyn make their escape to the fabled Erebus Felan seeking to save Lucien from his fate. With a cast of villains and hero’s and a mix thereof, the reader is never sure who to trust and Moloney cleverly plots twist and turns that will leave the reader guessing until the very end.
Silvermay is a fierce and industrious heroine who faces tough questions regarding love and loyalty. Its Silvermay′s naïveté and stubborn nature that makes her such a relatable character; readers will no doubt be left anxiously waiting for the next instalment to see what the future holds for their beloved heroine.
Ultimately Silvermay is well-written and imaginative new fantasy with the perfect balance of romance and adventure. -
Woah!!!!
James Moloney is back with a bang. This is a sweeping saga of intrigue and the power of fear, but also of courage and the power of love.
Silvermay is young. She lives in the countryside outside the large town of Vonne. She has little understanding of how cities work, but she is a skilled hawker, thanks to her father, and an astute reader of people, thanks to her mother. Silvermay's parents embody love and rational thought, and Silvermay blossoms under their attentions.
Nerigold and Tamlyn are from Vonne. Nerigold has recently had a child, and she and Tamlyn are travelling hard and fast away from the city. When Nerigold collapses not far from Silvermay's house after being turned away from the town inn, Silvermay's family does not hesitate to take them in, baby Lucien included.
So begins this amazing novel, book one of a three part series. Get it, read it, love it!
(Spoiler Alert: don't read the blurbs for the next two books which are at the end. JUST DON'T!) -
WHY HAVEN'T MORE PEOPLE READ THIS BOOK?!?!?! Why is it not selling?!
It's actually soooo good. YA Fantasy? My favourite! And wow, it's got a bit of romance in it, but it was written by a GUY! :D Which means the reactions of the male character are realistic...unlike some other books I can think of *cough*.
Without spoiling anything, the plot, story-line and concept is quite clever and unique (and unlike other books with clever concepts, this one isn't a flop with bad writing). It's intriguing, and I WANT THE NEXT BOOK! I need to know!!!!
And the guy.droolsIn a way, this reminds me a little of
, and I loved that too. -
What a gifted story-teller James Moloney is! The Hero's Journey tales have been around for millenia but Moloney has managed to come up with so many original twists to it that you can't really imagine what will happen next even though you know the cycle. The moral dilemma is particularly pertinent given the Global Sheriff role that America has recently been actively engaged in.
His figurative language is beautiful and so fitting for the world he's created. Silvermay's questioning hooks and urges the reader to actively participate in the story. This is going to win awards somewhere in the near future I can feel it. Looking forward to the sequel and hope it's not too far off. -
Silvermay is such a beautiful novel. Can I enjoyed this immensely. James Maloney has a gift for storytelling. I would recommend this to everyone! I can' wait for the next series to be released!
-
How good was this book?
Filled with action, adventure, romance, unexpected turns and clever storytelling, "Silvermay" is a classic fantasy adventure that would be loved by all readers of all ages. -
Meh... Boring, predictable, one-dimensional characters, and my pet hate - mistaking infatuation for "true love".
-
I wanted so much to love this book, but
The writing style... Is just... So bland.... I can't, I'm sorry. -
Silvermay Hawker, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Ossin Hawker, her hawk-training father. Her mother Birdie is the village healer. Haywode is like many other small villages, a place to travel through on the way to another place. She and her best friend Hespa watch some travellers approaching the inn. The man is cloaked and the woman looks sickly. Silvermay calls her mother to treat the woman. Nerigold had just had a baby and was still unwell.
From that day on Silvermay was smitten by the stranger, however, the woman Nerigold had a child and they travelled together. She could not claim the man. The strangers stayed to allow the young mother to recover some strength. The baby grew as Silvermay played with him while his mother slept. Soon the young mother was her friend and the man was her heart's desire.
What a fantastic book. It ends, and that's what I hated. But, knowing that there are two other books to follow to continue this drama, dilemma, the tale of dark powers and possibly love with someone unable to love. -
Four stars.
Silvermay was an extremely enjoyable read. When I first picked it up I was skeptical as it sounded like a story revolving around a over triangle between Silvermay, and a married man and his wife. However this is not that book all. This is a book about a prophecy, but Silvermay isn't the chosen one, she's simply helped two strangers and in doing so irreversibly tied herself to their fate. The writing was beutiful, the characters were good and the sitting, while not overly unique, was adequate for the story.
I'm also enjoying the slowly developing romance between Silvermay and Tamlyn and can't wait for this to blossom in The next book. I would recommend this for anyone who likes Ya books and adventure. -
Silvermay is a wonderful, relatable character, both selfish and generous, a terrible and wonderful friend, brave and determined in an impossible situation. This is a fascinating and emotionally fraught take on the magical mostly medieval-feeling third world fantasy. Despite the fact that I'm trying not to add to the TBR mountains and this series is really pricey to track down right now, I have purchased the next two in the series.
-
Silvermay by James Moloney is the first in the series, and follows a premise i haven't read about before. Moloney has managed to create an intricate land of commonfolk and Wyrdborns. This book kept my interest in its entirety. It also managed to change the reader's mind with doubt being cast towards one of the protagonist's. I rate it 4.5 stars as i quite enjoyed it.
-
I first read this book for school in year 7. Of course, because I had to analyse it, I could never really enjoy it properly. But, rediscovering it and it’s trilogy recently, I read all three books non stop. I absolutely love the world that James Moloney has created. I wish for everyone to experience it as well!
-
The story, in my opinion, was insanely captivating. It took me but a couple days to finish it, as i was rarely not reading it. The characters are loveable but flawed making them even more real. The character development we see as the mood of the book changes shows fantastic writing. without a doubt, would read again.
-
2 stars.
This was pretty slow though not too painful to read. I found it pretty bland, especially the writing, the style was rather bland. I felt no connection to the characters whatsoever. -
A lustrous menarche fantasy, hitting all the right notes to appeal to young teenage girls. And readers like me who still love that kind of book.
Silvermay is a young village girl who falls for the looks of a gorgeous boy, Tamlyn, who seeks shelter for himself and the ailing mother of a small baby. At first Silvermay thinks Tamlyn is the father of the baby, as do the rest of her village. But little by little she begins to notice that Tamlyn's protection of the mother, Nerigold, doesn't include affection. As Tamlyn fixes the thatch on houses throughout the village, Nerigold wastes away. Even as the baby thrives.
Silvermay's own heart is leading her into treacherous ground - she makes friends with Nerigold, begins to love the baby she calls 'Smiler' and is wholly infatuated by Tamlyn. One day, looking for mushrooms, she sees Tamlyn 'talking' to a hawk before killing it. She is appalled: she's been brought up to love these wild majestic birds by her father who knows how to train them.
Tamlyn abruptly announces his intention to leave and take Nerigold and the baby. Nerigold is sick and they know they won't get far but it transpires that she and the baby have been sought by the Wyrdborn lord, Coyle Strongbow - a cruel amoral magic-wielder who serves the king and who, like most of his kind, want only to dominate and control. Coyle's men are closing in and they will think nothing of wiping out an entire village to get the mother and baby.
Silvermay travels with Nerigold and Tamlyn to take care of 'Smiler'. She is more and more troubled by her heart's yearning for Tamlyn and by the apparent lack of affection between him and Nerigold.
As the violent Wyrdborn catch up with the tiny group, they are startled to discover Tamlyn travelling with Nerigold. But Silvermay is even more startled: he is revealed as Wyrdborn himself and as the baby's brother, not his father.
The world is shifting day by day for Silvermay. The baby is revealed as the subject of a prophetic mosaic in a cave system, high in the mountains in an archaeological dig. What choice is possible when it seems that this baby is destined to kill thousands and usher in a rule of evil in the world?
-
**I received this book from The David Gemmell Legend Awards, and this review was originally posted there
(link)**
Silvermay tells the story of a young woman, by the same name, who has always lived peacefully among family and friends, until the day a couple of strangers show up in her village in need of shelter and with a newborn baby in their arms. Turns out these strangers, Nerigold and Tamlyn, are on the run because a very powerful evil lord wants the child, little Lucien, for a wicked purpose.
This was my first book by James Maloney, and I was pleasantly surprised by the writing, it’s clear, understandable, the whole story has great rhythm, and I seriously never felt the need to put the book down for a moment and get my thoughts together as it usually happens when I’m reading fantasy of this kind. The plot helped too, Silvermay goes on a quest to save Lucien from what seems to be his destiny, a very dark one, and I couldn’t just stop to take a rest, could I?
On the other hand, I think the book fails a bit on the character development area, because they all seemed a bit flat for me, especially Tamlyn who has everything to be a great hero with the incredible powers he has, and the tormented past from which he can’t run away, but sadly we get little of him in this first installment of the series.
Also, the romance didn’t convince me, first because it’s instantaneous for Silvermay, she takes one good look at Tamlyn and falls in love, and second because from his part it seems forced. I would have loved to see a lot more chemistry and sparks between these two.
But don’t get me wrong, great romance or not, I’m very fond of young adult fantasy involving a group of people on a dangerous journey through unknown forests and towns, with little resources of survival and with the enemy constantly at their heels. And for most of it, that was Silvermay, an engaging adventure with a likable heroine on the lead, plus the cute baby, and that is always a good read for me.
