Awakening (Hyddenworld Quartet 2)
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Product Description
This title is first in trilogy prefaced by "Hyddenworld", continuing from the adventure begun in Hyddenworld...Born of the Hyddenworld but living in our reality - Jack knows that he has a foot in both worlds but doesn't wholly belong to either. Even his relationship with his wife can't convince him that this is the place where he truly belongs. He has to decide - is he human, or hydden? Leaving everything he loves behind, including his daughter Judith, Jack travels back to the Hyddenworld to try to find the missing gem of summer. Judith is also a child of two worlds with her human mother and giant-born hyddenworld father. She knows her destiny, she knows who she is supposed to be - but she's tortured. She feels just like a normal teenage girl, with typical teenage angst. How could she possibly be the legendary Shield-Maiden? While Judith tries to come to term with her future, the world around her is starting to deteriorate. The weather is changing and destruction and upheaval follow in its wake. Jack knows that the four gems need to be reunited soon and that the Shield-Maiden needs to be ready to wield them. And if Judith can't accept her destiny, or the gems can't be found, then both the Hyddenworld and the human are threatened with extinction.
Book Description
A series of extraordinary events mark the beginning of summer: earth tremors ravage the Hyddenworld; Jack and Katherine have a child, Judith; and a mysterious gem is found near Brum. That same night, after decades of sleep, the Emperor of the Hyddenworld awakens . . . Jack, born of the Hyddenworld, knows that he has a foot in each world but doesn’t wholly belong to either.Is he human, or hydden? Judith too is a child of two worlds, with her human mother and hydden father. She knows who she is supposed to be – the Shield Maiden, bearer of the gems and helper of humankind – but somehow this destiny seems too much to accept. The discovered gem puts Brum firmly in the path of the Empire – Jack must travel back to the Hyddenworld. He knows that the four gems need to be reunited soon and that the Shield Maiden must be ready to wield them. If Judith does not embark on her own great journey soon, or the gems can’t be found, then both the hydden world and the human will be threatened with extinction.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book isn't just good, it's magical!
William Horwood has taken threads from his first Hyddenworld book (Spring) and has developed them to create a colourful web of interweaving plots and characters which are so delightful that I found myself reluctant to put this book down. I was drawn into the tightly written plot in such a way that my own imagination was engaged very early on, allowing me to create my own mental imagery based on the author's wonderful descriptions of people and scenes.
From the beginning we are greeted by characters we have met previously, but even though this book is a sequel and works as such, it also functions as a stand-alone volume because of the way the author has occasionally dropped important snippets from the first book into the plot of this one. He has done this sparingly but effectively so that the new reader can understand what's happening while those of us returning to this series are reminded of useful facts without having to wade through pages of repetition from the first book.
The writing flows along very easily and I found myself being constantly surprised by the number of pages I had read without realising that much time had passed. The plot is both tight and consistent and contains numerous events which maintain interest and excitement throughout. The quality of the work is very even and the novel has a good sense of pace.
In typical Horwood fashion the writing is beautifully elegant, a fact which is helped by the author's unusually extensive vocabulary. There is evidence of great skill in the way he uses slightly different but complementary turns of phrase and even dialect for the various character groups and individuals, so helping to cement their disparate identities. The elusive Bilgesnipe have a distinctive way of speaking which makes them feel warm and welcoming while Jack's links between the human and hyddenworld are subtly emphasised by his use of words from both. You would not, for example, expect a modern twenty-something to talk about `perambulating' in the way Jack does, but that is entirely consistent with hyddenworld usage.
I dislike reviews which give an outline of the plot because they are based on someone else's memories and so they limit my own discovery of the novel as it unfolds. However, I would like to go so far as to encourage other readers to let their minds run free when they come across the chapters in this book which involve Paley's Creek and the Emperor. Horwood is at his very best here and he creates worlds and experiences which are both original and familiar. He does this by using his knowledge of mythology and ancient philosophical ideas to form the foundation of something new and very beautiful. In fact, even while I was reading this book I felt that it would make a visually stunning film because of its powerful descriptions.
This is a very well crafted piece of work in which the plot moves along quickly without losing any of Horwood's trademark descriptive elements. A lot happens in this book and the various threads are kept closely entwined so that one can slip easily from one to the next without losing focus, a fact that is helped by the relatively short length of the chapters.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. There are touches of inspiration in this novel and it's a high quality piece of work of a kind that is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I look forward to the next volume in the quartet.
William Horwood has taken threads from his first Hyddenworld book (Spring) and has developed them to create a colourful web of interweaving plots and characters which are so delightful that I found myself reluctant to put this book down. I was drawn into the tightly written plot in such a way that my own imagination was engaged very early on, allowing me to create my own mental imagery based on the author's wonderful descriptions of people and scenes.
From the beginning we are greeted by characters we have met previously, but even though this book is a sequel and works as such, it also functions as a stand-alone volume because of the way the author has occasionally dropped important snippets from the first book into the plot of this one. He has done this sparingly but effectively so that the new reader can understand what's happening while those of us returning to this series are reminded of useful facts without having to wade through pages of repetition from the first book.
The writing flows along very easily and I found myself being constantly surprised by the number of pages I had read without realising that much time had passed. The plot is both tight and consistent and contains numerous events which maintain interest and excitement throughout. The quality of the work is very even and the novel has a good sense of pace.
In typical Horwood fashion the writing is beautifully elegant, a fact which is helped by the author's unusually extensive vocabulary. There is evidence of great skill in the way he uses slightly different but complementary turns of phrase and even dialect for the various character groups and individuals, so helping to cement their disparate identities. The elusive Bilgesnipe have a distinctive way of speaking which makes them feel warm and welcoming while Jack's links between the human and hyddenworld are subtly emphasised by his use of words from both. You would not, for example, expect a modern twenty-something to talk about `perambulating' in the way Jack does, but that is entirely consistent with hyddenworld usage.
I dislike reviews which give an outline of the plot because they are based on someone else's memories and so they limit my own discovery of the novel as it unfolds. However, I would like to go so far as to encourage other readers to let their minds run free when they come across the chapters in this book which involve Paley's Creek and the Emperor. Horwood is at his very best here and he creates worlds and experiences which are both original and familiar. He does this by using his knowledge of mythology and ancient philosophical ideas to form the foundation of something new and very beautiful. In fact, even while I was reading this book I felt that it would make a visually stunning film because of its powerful descriptions.
This is a very well crafted piece of work in which the plot moves along quickly without losing any of Horwood's trademark descriptive elements. A lot happens in this book and the various threads are kept closely entwined so that one can slip easily from one to the next without losing focus, a fact that is helped by the relatively short length of the chapters.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. There are touches of inspiration in this novel and it's a high quality piece of work of a kind that is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I look forward to the next volume in the quartet.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed Hyddenworld: Spring: Spring Bk. 1, so I was looking out for this, to continue the story and return to this world again.
Once again, this is a pure joy to read and although it has scary and thought-provoking episodes, the overall feeling is of a kind of optimism about the world and the forces of nature.
There is a kind of naivety to many of the characters, which in other hands might make you see this as a book aimed at children - but there is a richness to the world created and a seriousness of purpose, that makes this a worthy read for anybody.
I found the descriptions of the Emperor Sinistral, being kept alive artificially beyond his natural time - extremely haunting and thought-provoking. The book deals with birth and death - what these mean to us and apart from the Emperor's deathly situation, it was the visceral birth of Judith - out in the open - that made the biggest impact.
The main philosophical issue is exemplified in Judith's condition - a life lived within a year. How short our lives are and what do we make of them? Jack develops further as a character, through the birth of his daughter and discovering his real family, as well as losing people close to him.
Once again, this series gains greatly by being linked to real places in England and Europe - it feels real and the detail rings true. The idea of viewing this from the perspective of the Hydden gives us a new perspective on familiar ideas.
As I mentioned before, I loved this book - but it can be slow and goes off on tangents and diversions that halt the narrative - often with detailed descriptions. I was happy to go with the flow and enjoy where we were taken. I think this is like life - at times it seesm to go slowly and we can't see that we are making any progress and then suddenly, the solution comes and we make rapid progress.
Some may see this as a weakness in the writing - but I believe the pacing reflects the story's basis in the natural world and the ideas in the story are firmly rooted in a familiar ecological morality tale. The earth is going to get us back in its own time. We know and feel this - how we have such a brief time to make an impact on something that is measured in millions of our lives.
I took my time to savour this and once again am really looking forward to the next installment.
Once again, this is a pure joy to read and although it has scary and thought-provoking episodes, the overall feeling is of a kind of optimism about the world and the forces of nature.
There is a kind of naivety to many of the characters, which in other hands might make you see this as a book aimed at children - but there is a richness to the world created and a seriousness of purpose, that makes this a worthy read for anybody.
I found the descriptions of the Emperor Sinistral, being kept alive artificially beyond his natural time - extremely haunting and thought-provoking. The book deals with birth and death - what these mean to us and apart from the Emperor's deathly situation, it was the visceral birth of Judith - out in the open - that made the biggest impact.
The main philosophical issue is exemplified in Judith's condition - a life lived within a year. How short our lives are and what do we make of them? Jack develops further as a character, through the birth of his daughter and discovering his real family, as well as losing people close to him.
Once again, this series gains greatly by being linked to real places in England and Europe - it feels real and the detail rings true. The idea of viewing this from the perspective of the Hydden gives us a new perspective on familiar ideas.
As I mentioned before, I loved this book - but it can be slow and goes off on tangents and diversions that halt the narrative - often with detailed descriptions. I was happy to go with the flow and enjoy where we were taken. I think this is like life - at times it seesm to go slowly and we can't see that we are making any progress and then suddenly, the solution comes and we make rapid progress.
Some may see this as a weakness in the writing - but I believe the pacing reflects the story's basis in the natural world and the ideas in the story are firmly rooted in a familiar ecological morality tale. The earth is going to get us back in its own time. We know and feel this - how we have such a brief time to make an impact on something that is measured in millions of our lives.
I took my time to savour this and once again am really looking forward to the next installment.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I enjoyed Hyddenworld so much that I bought Awakening in hardback as soon as it was released - something I almost never do. But I did so with some trepidation. Hyddenworld was going to be a hard act to follow, and I wasn't sure if Awakening could live up to it.
Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed. Awakening is a beautiful book. Like Hyddenworld, it's a complex story simply told, with a perfect balance of huge themes and well-chosen detail.
To my delight, there's a lot more of Bedwyn Stort in this story. Stort was my favourite character from Hyddenworld, and he's developed more fully in Awakening, with a central role to play in the action. I applaud Horwood for making Stort (who is essentially an eccentric academic) the hero of a fantasy novel. The characterisation of the sinister dictator Emperor Slaeke Sinistral and the vile Witold Slew is also brilliantly done. Once again, I was reminded a little of Mervyn Peake - and as a huge admirer of Peake, I don't make that comparison lightly.
Awakening strikes me as a darker book than Hyddenworld - even bleak, at times. The Earth in Awakening is in pain, and both human and hydden civilisation is under threat as a result. Bochum, the hydden city that lurks beneath a festering rubbish tip populated by savage dogs, is a sinister dystopian creation, and the chapters from the point of view of the remorseless psychopath Witold Slew are chilling. Moreover, the 'wyrd', or destiny, of certain characters seems to condemn them from the start, and it's heartbreaking at times to see them come to terms with it. Hydden Jack and human Katherine struggle to cope with their 'Shield Maiden' daughter Judith as she matures from baby to adult in the space of a year, and Judith herself cries with the physical and psychological pain of growing up.
But despite all that, there's a strong sense of hope and warmth running through Awakening too. There's a glorious vibrancy to some of the scenes, and it's a book with a big heart in which love plays a strong and vital role. The love between Arthur and Margaret, a couple in their seventies, is just as strong and sensitively portrayed as that between teenagers Jack and Katherine, and there are some deeply touching moments involving Stort, who in Hyddenworld professed to yearn for love while simultaneously failing hopelessly to understand what it really is.
Cleverly structured, with multiple viewpoints and story threads that interweave as the narrative progresses, picking up pace and tension, Awakening is another triumph from William Horwood. I just hope he's working on Autumn now - I can't wait.
Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed. Awakening is a beautiful book. Like Hyddenworld, it's a complex story simply told, with a perfect balance of huge themes and well-chosen detail.
To my delight, there's a lot more of Bedwyn Stort in this story. Stort was my favourite character from Hyddenworld, and he's developed more fully in Awakening, with a central role to play in the action. I applaud Horwood for making Stort (who is essentially an eccentric academic) the hero of a fantasy novel. The characterisation of the sinister dictator Emperor Slaeke Sinistral and the vile Witold Slew is also brilliantly done. Once again, I was reminded a little of Mervyn Peake - and as a huge admirer of Peake, I don't make that comparison lightly.
Awakening strikes me as a darker book than Hyddenworld - even bleak, at times. The Earth in Awakening is in pain, and both human and hydden civilisation is under threat as a result. Bochum, the hydden city that lurks beneath a festering rubbish tip populated by savage dogs, is a sinister dystopian creation, and the chapters from the point of view of the remorseless psychopath Witold Slew are chilling. Moreover, the 'wyrd', or destiny, of certain characters seems to condemn them from the start, and it's heartbreaking at times to see them come to terms with it. Hydden Jack and human Katherine struggle to cope with their 'Shield Maiden' daughter Judith as she matures from baby to adult in the space of a year, and Judith herself cries with the physical and psychological pain of growing up.
But despite all that, there's a strong sense of hope and warmth running through Awakening too. There's a glorious vibrancy to some of the scenes, and it's a book with a big heart in which love plays a strong and vital role. The love between Arthur and Margaret, a couple in their seventies, is just as strong and sensitively portrayed as that between teenagers Jack and Katherine, and there are some deeply touching moments involving Stort, who in Hyddenworld professed to yearn for love while simultaneously failing hopelessly to understand what it really is.
Cleverly structured, with multiple viewpoints and story threads that interweave as the narrative progresses, picking up pace and tension, Awakening is another triumph from William Horwood. I just hope he's working on Autumn now - I can't wait.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
wonderful
I loved the first book and worried that the second would be unable to match it. I need not have worried. Read more
Published 22 days ago by annieb
Needed wakening after the Awakening
The first of the series was gripping, excellently written with great imagination and flair so I was looking forward eagerly to the next book only to be disappointed. Read more
Published 3 months ago by wobblybob
A rare treat
It took me a little time to read this book; not because it is a difficult read, more because any William Horwood book is a rare treat that should be savoured. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Teleute
Another great book from the author
I have been waiting for another series of books from William Horwood, this one doesn't disappoint. This series revolves around a race of little people who share the world with... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mad Cat Woman
Even better than Part One
This, the second book of a series of four, continues the themes of book one but seems darker and more threatening. There is certainly more pain than before. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Rosalind
Brilliant Awakening
I was very keen to read this book, and when William e mailed to say it was out I had it delivered straight away. Read more
Published 7 months ago by RosieB
The tale winds on!
William Horwood has written many great tales and this one is proving to be another masterpiece! Awakening continues the Hyddenworld trilogy beautifully, drawing the reader into yet... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. Nicholas J. Ladd
A book of rare beauty.
This book's narrative is a thing of rare beauty which allows the author's obvious love for his work to transmit over to and into the reader. Read more
Published 9 months ago by FantasyBookReview.co.uk
Wonderfully written
I've loved William's writing for a number of years and with last year's original new release, Hyddenworld: Spring, I really couldn't wait to see how the series would develop. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Gareth Wilson - Falcata Times Blog
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