Hallow Wood (Furyck Saga, #4) by A.E. Rayne

Hallow Wood (Furyck Saga, #4) Reviews

• 
  Angel

  Author seems to really be stretching out the story now (which I didn’t think was possible). Still like the writing style, just wish things moved along a bit faster, such that skipping 100 pages would actually cause me to miss something important. SERIOUSLY tired of Eadmund, as he really doesn’t seem to be worth all the trouble and hurt he causes.
• 
  ShannaBanana✨

  These books could honestly be 200 pages less even though it is a good read and I enjoy most of the characters. Eadmund being under this woman’s control is getting annoying. Can I just have him back already? Please let this next book be the last of that.
• 
  Louise

  Drawn out
  
  This is a good story but it's unnecessarily long winded. There's so much humming and hawing from different characters and every single hum and haw is written down and it just genuinely does not need to be. I want to know what happens, but the thought of having to plough through another 2 books is slightly nauseating. This one was a chore. It's always the absolute nonsense with Edmund and Evaine that is so very tedious to read. Not a fan of rape scenes in any story, and this didn't help as I just didn't want to come back to the book after that. I have forced myself through it though. Not sure if I'll be picking up the next one any time soon.
• 
  Mario

  Personally, I'm ready to kill half the characters in this story. Starting with Jael's mother who proved from the beginning of this story what a useless person she has been all her life. She cries she bitches and her high opinion of her self has no merit. There are numerous characters like that, including her hero Eadmund. I'm not sure why the author feels the constant need to name every person in the room. They need to rush, they need to figure something out immediately or they will die but then they never follow thru, when people die the walling starts up again and we need to know exactly where each of the tears is running or are falling. The author has a great story but destroys it by making so many excuses for some of her characters.
• 
  Catherine

  Aside from my major criticism for the assault scene, I think that for a book that seems to mostly be setup with only a little payoff this was still an interesting installment! We got a lot more of the fantasy elements I was hoping for and Draguta really does deliver on her promise to be twice as dangerous as the Following. She’s justifiably terrifying while also being the villain I want to have the most page time in the series. I hope there’s not another villain acting behind her, because I want Draguta to be the Big Bad through to the end. I’m glad that more pieces of the prophecy are being discussed and revealed, since that’s been looming over Jael’s head for so long and we know so little about it in the end. I’m excited to see what happens with the Book of Aurea, and Eadmund’s journey, as well as see more payoff for Eydis and Ayla’s roles in figuring out how to defeat Draguta. Also Meena. Justice for Meena.
• 
  Threading Books

  Can you feel emotionally changed and drained at the same time? The saga continues and I MUST know what goes on next! After a short break to catch my breath of course.
• 
  Pam Foster

  A thrilling read!!!
  
  Sometimes you just read a book that’s so good it’s actually hard to review - words fail me! But I’m gonna try and do this book justice....
  This book is epic, jaw dropping, thrilling, heart breaking, exciting and terrifying!!!! My nerves were shattered worrying about all the characters and I was sucked into this roller coaster story with them.
  The storytelling talent of this author to weave such a complex tale with so many characters is mind blowing and it’s a privilege to read something so enchanting. Fans of this series are going to love joining Jael and all the characters as the story continues to unfold, I cannot wait for book 5!!!!!! 500 stars for this book ❤️
• 
  christine dawson

  Great reading
  
  Absolutely love this series.
  Didn't expect the monsters.
  The battle scenes are well written as is the whole book.
  Please hurry with the next book!
  
  
• 
  Kimberly Matyunenkov

  Love love love!!! The characters are so well developed, the world is so compelling, I just get lost in these books. Definitely a hidden gem 💎!
• 
  Natalia

  I feel like all my recent reads have been 3-3.5 starts lately. I have enjoyed the overall story. I just don't know if I can continue with this series or if it's worth it...ugh. It's been a commitment and it's hard to just stop when I only have two more books left. It's getting to the point though where I am skimming so much because the author has to divulge into every single little conversation and it makes the books unnecessarily long, in my opinion. It feels like you are just reading conversations and waiting, waiting, waiting for something to happen, then BAM! Something will happen, and we keep reading dialogue, dialogue, dialogue, and that cycle repeats. It starts to feel really redundant with the way Draguta and the antagonists come against our heroes. I am interested in the story, and I do want to find out how Jael is going to win out in the end, BUT I feel like this series as a whole was written like you are watching a TV series because literally, [LITERALLY], every few paragraphs (and sometimes sentences) it changes to another character's POV. So, at this point in the fourth book, we are actually reading 10+ people's perspectives and POVs, and I honestly am losing track of who the person is and I have to remind myself, but also...a lot of the excess people or extras in the story I JUST DON'T CARE about their perspective. I don't mind hearing the enemies side, and then maybe Jael, Eadumnd, ect. and I do like Ivaar actually, but besides that....it's just droning on. So, if reading a different perspective every few paragraphs is your thing, then go for it. It really is like GOT tv series in that way, you are watching the story through the eyes of many characters play out in these books and you have to be okay with that. The story seems to drag on...the length of time we just read about Jael and Aleskander making their way through Hallow Wood is torturous. Anyway, these are not short books, and I'm at the point where I'm not sure if I should just google the cliff notes to satisfy my urge to know how it ends. If anyone has finished the series, please advise if it's worth continuing.
• 
  Yasmin Danielle

  Whenever I finish reading Raynes books, I have to sit for a while digesting, and finding my way home from what’s fantasy to reality.
  
  Raynes writing style is similar to that of George R R Martins (author of GOT Series), she explores the struggle and exploitation for power amongst families throughout the Furyck saga, emphasising that whilst the story has undoubted elements of Love, not everyone gets a happily ever after.
  
  ~ refers to book/ storyline, not characters ~
  
  I really loved Hallow Woods, particularly the first and last volume, we are introduced to action packed violence including sword fights and beheading, impending decisions and betrayal. Enemies become allies, and plans for an alliance amongst many is formed in order to overcome the powerful and magical.
  
  Hollows Wood emphasises that’s its ‘Better to be doing something about what’s coming, than waiting for it to come..’. especially when adrenaline is high and war is on the horizon.
  
  However, as the story progresses we see cracks in the characters who are essentially the foundations of this book - this isn’t a bad thing, it’s character development - and whilst it’s heartbreaking, particularly to see what can happen when bitter and twisted people take control of you like a puppet on a string, it’s an important parallel to real life, of not getting what we want regardless of how bad we want it.
  
  I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen in the next instalment particularly for all currently in Andala and Hest, including Eadmund who is still lost in the in between.
  
  5 Star Magical Medieval storyline
• 
  Yezz

  Decline
  
  Let's just add a bunch more enemies and drag the actual storyli.e another book or two. The fact that Morac is still alive goes to show how much of a decline the story has taken. I'm all for Jael doing what she needs to do for the sake of her ppl but there is no relationship worth saving between her and Eadmund. He's just a disgrace. Him and Evaine can keep each other. Jael deserves so much better. Curse or not idc, you can't come back from the damage done. Especially if things go as I think they will for the baby. Like save the world and cut off Eadmund, Morac and Evains heads. That the only way I'm going to continue to like this series. Might just skim through books five and six. No longer liking the series.
• 
  Tim Lumsden

  Wow! Epic! Great story and characters! Must read for fantasy lovers!!!!
  
  Great series, one of the best I've read in a while. Our heroine, Jael, fights against the forces of evil who seek to destroy the world. Will she be able to free her husband, Eadmund from Morana's spell that has bound her to Evaine? Well hopefully the answers will be in the next book in series! Happy Reading !!!!!
  Tim
• 
  Pamela Parodi

  This book skipped around tremendously referring to people and situations in the previous books, which I had read but since forgotten. It was too long and tedious. I kept checking to see how close I was to the end. When the end came, nothing was resolved; and I felt as though I had wasted my time.
  
  There was a note at the end that the author was working on Book 5. Forget it. I will have already forgotten Book 4.
  
  My advice is not to waste your time.
  
• 
  Victoria

  Another filler book. I would suggest to anyone reading the series to read the first 100 pages and the last 100 pages and continue on to book #5.
• 
  Udit Kumar

  Loved it
  
  So many relationships, so many people in pain, in love. This is a story that feels like it's happening right next door. It feels like I am living it. So good. My fav characters are Jael, Ivaar, Alexander, Gant, and Thorgils. And Bram.
  
  I can't wait to read how Ivaar's story develops.
  
  I absolutely hated Jaeger. But I imagine the scenario is such that things like what he did can happen and still the victims are helpless to do anything. By no means is Jaeger one dimensional. He has his own motivations, his own strengths and weaknesses.
  
  One gripe I would have is with the emergence of the dragon and the sea serpent. Where did they come from.. were they hiding somewhere (unlikely). The sea serpent emerged because draguta used a fang.. maybe she used something similar for the dragon.. but my mind couldn't just equate the emergence of the dragon from nothing.. even the draugrs came from the ground and were dead soldiers buried in the ground for centuries. So where did the dragon come from.. and why is it not an army of dragons.. I guess I have a sweet spot for anything dragons.
  
  I hope Jael gets to ride a dragon one day.
• 
  Carol Thompson

  Amazing series!!! Love how I'm pulled right into the story... This is a must read for all fantasy lovers, great story line, awesome characters.... I was surprised this wasn't the finale, I was really dying to find out what happens! However, the author is so good at telling her story that you're just to interested in how it's all coming together to get frustrated that you're not getting to the end, because what you do know is being spun so well that you feel good that the author isn't rushing....
  
  In ending this, I would like to beg the author to hurry with the next installment, I'm not gettin any younger... My bucket list is full of series I wanna finish and this one is at the top of my list!
• 
  Karenda

  A must read series, one of THE BEST epic stories ever!!
  
  This series, 'The Furyck Saga’ is one of THE best I've ever read. It's filled with some excellent characters and there's a lot of meat on the bones of these books, they're the right length and filled with so many twists & turns that will have you cheering, jeering, and sobbing in equal measure.
  
  The only regret I have is that the books ended at all, but the story is truly epic & surpasses Game of Thrones and rivals Lord of the Ring in content, excitement & characters.
  
  Be prepared to despise and love and lament in equal measure, but gift yourself this 6 book series, read our listened to in order - you'll be so glad you did!!
• 
  E

  this one def had more fantasy/magic to it which i love - its not the whole series like the normal fantasy ones i read, but nice to have a little more in this book!
  this is def the bridge book of the series where a lot of questions are answered but still a TON happens in the story line and with the characters.
  Characters continue to develop and I just love them all!
  Definitely a little long winded tho - kinda repetitive with some of the character issues and stuff and just some things that could be cut shorter - but i dont mind - gives me more time with the characters and book! :)
  huge ending that i didnt see happening quite yet, and just a LOT happened in this book, so very excited to see how it all plays out in the next books
• 
  Mica-Jade Rowswell

  fantastic books and easy to read
  
  I came to game of thrones late and have o my just felt the sting of the series being unfinished so I needed a series of books to slake my thirst for fiction. And I want disappointed! These books are very well written, give me game of thrones feel but mixed in with some Norse mythology. The only qualm I’ll say about the books which has started to irritate me is the authors use of explanation marks, they are every other sentence, it’s as if the characters are always shouting at each other and the audiobooks do not read that way. It sort of takes away some of the brevity of the tales in my opinion which is why I could t give full stars
• 
  Brooke

  This book can be summed up by the title:
  Hollow: the plot is empty and void
  Wood: the characters are wooden. Able to sway back and forth in the breeze but no growth.
  
  I liked the main character (badass Viking warrior queen) in the first two books so I wanted to hear the rest of her saga. The author focuses too much on the disgusting bad guys whose dialogue consists mainly of grunting, or cutting off family members body parts.
  
  Unfortunately I already wasted my money on the next book in the series so if I ever get around to begrudgingly read it then there will be another salty review. It’s so frustrating to read something that was not done with care (an editor, a publisher) It does a disservice to the main character. This could have been a lot better and that’s frustrating.
• 
  Hollie

  This series started strong but I feel like it should have ended with this book. The series has now become tiring and redundant. I was hoping to complete the series only to find out that the final book isn't even going to be available for a couple more months. After reading 4 books with little to no closure I find myself more frustrated with this series then anything. I likely wont even read the last book.
• 
  Cody Arko-Omori

  Fast paced and brilliant
  
  She starts this with a bullet in the chamber then bang! You're up and running. The action is almost constant and her delivery is brilliant. You can see the struggles of the would be hero, Jael Furyck, who will do anything to save her people and her enemies if she can. This is a beautifully crafted story, with rich detail of the landscape and character depth that is believable. Her characters come to life in your mind.
• 
  Kathy Zuercher Diveley

  Jael
  
  Jael and Aleksander help Edmond defeat the people trying to take over Os. Ivaar betrays his allies and sides with Jael and Edmond. In Hest Jaeger kills his Father and severs Berards arm.The rest of the Dragos family flee. The Following resurects Dragata and she kills the following. She sends a serpent, dragon and dead bodies after Jael. They now have the book from the Widow.
  
• 
  DOROTHY SILLS

  I enjoy the series, like most of the characters, even though we keep getting new ones to remember. I feel each book should have an ending but these series do not, it leaves you so frustrated. I want to complete the series but do I want to spend the money only for the next book not to end either. What’s with Jael and Eadmund, I thought after Tuura things would be better between those two. My mistake.