the hunter's moon

[star_song]

just wondering if anyone here has ever read The Hunter's Moon by O. R. Melling published in 1993

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

The title doesn't ring any bells, but maybe if you told a little something about it?

 

[rune]

I've not heard of the author either, please tell us more

 

[star_song]

I found this book in a random book shop when i was around 9 years old. it grew to become one of my favorite books. one of the reasons i enjoyed it soo much was the fact it was one of the first 'proper' young adult books i had read as a child. anyways i thought it was a great read and still think so today.

it is set in ireland, ancient and modern day. a canadian girl named gwen visits her cousin in ireland and they go off on a hitch-hiking adventure when they run across a poem collection of old about faeries. the poem book inspires gwen and her cousin to sleep in a haunted mound of sorts on their adventure and the next morning her cousin is gone. the story is of gwen in search of her cousin and of the faerie prince, not necessarily benevolent, who may have been the captor.

i do not know anyone else who has read this book, which i found entertaining, and thus wish to share it with the world. very nice fantasy adventure type book, i hope any of you could get a hold of a copy and read it for yourselves and let me know if you think it is as marvellous as i say.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

According to Amazon, The Hunter's Moon and it's sequels are in the process of being reissued.

 

[GOLLUM]

From what I gather the storyline is fairly predictable but the story itself is still entertaining and the author has supposedly done her research well, which always helps...

This is book 1 of a published trilogy Chronicles Of Faerie. Kelpie you're correct as far as a republishing of these series goes in the US BUT they've been out in the Uk/Aus from a few years now. Avaialable in a compendium (collection) of the first 3 books under the title Chronicles Of Faerie.

1. The Hunters Moon
2. The Summer King
3. The Light-Bearer's Daughter

Theres' a book 4 that has also been published that follows on from The Light-Bearer's Daughter, all 4 books collectively known as the Golden Book Of Faerie.

4. The Book Of Dreams

She's also written earlier (1980s) some other standalone novels:

The Druid's Stone - YA
The Singnig Stone (Adult/YA)
My Blue Country - YA (Based on tha author's early travels to Malaysia and northern Borneo with the Jeunesse Canada Monde (Canada World Youth) organisation.

Author's website:

http://www.ormelling.com/

Hope this helps....

 

[Alia]

Thanks Gollum...
The website that I use doesn't have this author listed. I guess I could have searched the net by the authors name. Duh! lol

 

[GOLLUM]

Actually I got this specific link via a fan forum, so not an obvious one you may have necessarily got via Google...

 

[lorrie]

i know you posted this months ago, but if you wver check to see if someone else has ever read this book- i have. my sister picked it up in a school book sale in 1996, it was the book that introduced me to the world of fantasy. i love it, and hope to have it again real soon. for all who havent read it, find it. it is a book that will take you to a special place if you let it.
COME AWAY, O HUMAN CHILD, TO THE WATERS AND THE WILD.
WITH A FAERY, HAND IN HAND. FOR THE WORLDS MORE FULL OF WEEPING
THAN YOU CAN UKNDERSTAND. - O. R. MELLING

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've just started reading this. As Gollum accurately picked up from the reviews, it's a fairly predictable premise -- or rather two familiar premises combined. But so far it's done rather well, and Melling certainly has an excellent grasp of the myths and legends she is working with.

I'm sure the book has been updated for the reissue, since the two young protagonists make references to LOTR (the movies) which of course hadn't been made let alone released by then. I can see how these contemporary touches would make the book very accessible to the young teens it seems to be meant for, since it would help them identify with the characters of Gwen and Findabhair, and then suck them into the fantasy. (Just as Lorrie says it was for her.)

For the most part, the prose is nothing special, but every so often it sings.

(Although the verse, "Come away human child ..." is not, of course, Melling's own, and she does give proper credit to Yeats.)

There are a couple of scenes that I really got a kick out of -- like the way that Melling slyly lets it out that the old man is a leprechaun before Gwen catches on herself. (A car full of old shoes waiting to be mended.)

 

[DancerBabe]

Hunter's Moon is the greatest book ever! The sequel, The Summer King, is good 2. I can't wait 2 read the third book!

 

[DancerBabe]

U will NOT predict the end. Trust me.