Fantasy Book Reviews

The Chronicles of Hettleden: Brynhettle

Author: author422
Title: The Chronicles of Hettleden: Brynhettle
Link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/21267098-the-chronicles-of-hettleden-brynhettle-wattys2016

The Chronicles of Hettleden is a story of war and the children that are afflicted by it. I love a story where the protagonists take control of their lives and overcome their hardships to become something great. This book seems to be it.

In one fateful night, the Fire Empire is destroyed: the villages are set ablaze; townsfolk are burned alive; and the Imperial Family is assassinated. Amid the chaos, three children survive: two of the Emperor's children—Aidan and Enya, and the son of a blacksmith—Ivan. Nine years later, Ivan is roaming from town to town in search of the remnants of his past. He's amassed quite a few things, including a bunch of scrolls, magic items, and maps. Now, he's ready to go on the mission to fulfill the promise he made nine years ago. What is that promise? You'll have to read the book to find out!

I didn't get far enough into the story to find out what happened to Aidan and Enya, but the central characters seem to be Ivan and Envo, an orphan girl he meets while resting in a passing town. Their encounter marks the beginning of a friendship (and possibly love?) that will change both their lives. Ivan is shown to be cautious, reserved, and observant, while Envo is energetic and curious. Their personalities play well on each other; the author quickly creates a bond between the two through their interactions and that in turn makes us feel connected to them, an accomplishment in just a mere chapter! However, the dialogue is a bit weak and contrived. The exchange between the two reveal essential information to the story, but I felt it could've been more subtle. Instead it was overly dramatic, similar to what you might read in Teen Fiction. OK, but, they are teens (I assume). Still, the author needs to adjust the characters' behaviors and choice of words to fit the Fantasy world.

The style of writing was wonderful to read. It's the first true third-person omniscient I've seen successfully done on Wattpad. The use of the occasional second person "you" gives it an added flare, like you're being told a story by grandpa. The writing truly shines during scenes with large amounts of exposition. The author's ability to evoke emotions through the powerful descriptions that cover all five senses was a pleasure to read, and inspiring, even. As a village burns, and we get to witness all the chaos, from the stinging tears of the dying, to the stench of cooked (human) meat, to the soft squelch of a dagger sliding out of the lifeless body of a little girl. You can't get more vivid than that! There was just a minor problem in pacing. Character descriptions would pop up in odd places and interrupt the action. This is easily remedied by moving those offending paragraphs to a more appropriate location in the story.

The Chronicles of Hettleden has enormous potential. The author has a clear voice and is very close to honing her craft. Please go read the book now. You will not be disappointed!