Of Truth and Beasts by Barb & JC Hendee – Review

Of Truth and Beasts, Barb & J.C. Hendee’s ninth adventure in the “Noble Dead Series,” once again allows the reader the rare opportunity to travel into the uniquely imaginative realms that only they can create with such power and grace. They have designed a world where trust is a rare commodity, a world where sacrilege as well as great sacrifice abounds, and absolution is a tarnished dream. A world where questions lead to deeper mysteries and answers lead to added questions that leave the reader wanting more. These novels are an integral and enlightening part of the “Noble Dead Saga,” which in total is no simple myth, but rather a true epic, which stands at the highest levels of fantasy lore.

In this incarnation, Wynn, the Hendees’ most unlikely heroine, has returned to the Guild of Sage-Craft, fresh from her harrowing adventures in Dhredze Seatt, only to find that her superiors in the “Premin Council” are waiting to chastise her for all her supposed transgressions to Sage-Craft law, that Wynn breaks with justifiable alacrity. Wynn and her two ubiquitous companions, Shade, an Elven wolf, and Chane, the enigmatic Vampire, had successfully retrieved the ancient texts that were stolen from the Guild’s vaults. Unfortunately the mysteries contained in the texts still elude our ambitious heroine’s understanding, and so she continues without permission to search for answers that, when found, will be imbued with dangerous consequences.  Answers she believes can be found at Baalade Seatt, a dwarven settlement, lost in the mythical war at the end of the forgotten history. Recklessly opposing the will of her masters, Wynn sets out on her own path, and the Hendee’s begin another fantasy quest which I promise is as entertaining as the previous eight novels.

The Hendees are adept at creating complicated characters with real personalities. Characters that are both likeable and exasperating at the same time. The Hendees create tension by the clever juxtaposition of their unique characters, and force these mismatched groups to work together while seeking totally separate goals. As the quest begins, the group of journeyers consists of four characters: Wynn, the methodical but reckless sage, who is wildly defiant, but will cringe under direct scrutiny; Ore-Locks, the unwelcomed worshipper of an infamous dwarven traitor; Chane, a vampire, whose obsessive love for Wynn makes him unpredictable and unstable; and Shade, the irrepressible Majay-hi, Wynn’s ultimate protector who has the unfortunate ability to complicate almost every situation. This is the group the Hendees send in search of the mysteriously powerful tool of the ancient enemy.

Trust is a major issue in Of Truth and Beasts; who to trust, what to trust, and can the main characters even trust their own motivations. Wynn begins to struggle with this, and if she is to succeed, she must face certain truths. Can she continue to absolve Chane’s evil nature and trust he will no longer perpetrate heinous acts of violence? Can she count on Shade, the obstinate adolescent Majay-hi, whose willingness to run headlong into danger might jeopardize the entire mission? What of Ore-Locks, the dower, secretive dwarf whose unwanted companionship complicates the simplest situation? The greatest truth Wynn must face is whether she can trust her own belief that the wraith, Sauilahk, no longer exists. Or is it possible that he might already be dogging their trail, malevolently waiting to strike them down for his master?

The Hendees have created a hugely diverse land filled with strongholds of beauty that are surrounded by a terrifying darkness that seems to be gaining strength. Wynn’s group, traveling by land and sea, begins to succumb to this consistent oppression, and the fear of impending evil leaves the journeyers in a state of nervous vigilance. There is a sinister air to this world that makes traveling the dusty roads a heavy burden. Wynn questions her motives and her actions. She has lied, deceived, stolen, and, worse, protected evil, all in her the name of her quest:  “Her purpose put her at great risk. Despite the harm she caused along the way, in the end the price of failure–or success–could be her life, but the alternative for so many others was too great.”  No, Wynn could not be wrong, she had to be right, she must go on, and, thankfully for the reader, we get to go along with her to the conclusion of her journey.

The Hendees’ style of writing is verbally arresting, leaving the reader unable to put the novel down. They are a talented team of storytellers, who are able to build a world that is both foreign and familiar. A world full of characters who are developed to make the reader care what happens to them and to become personally involved in their fictional lives. This novel is a masterful conglomeration of manipulations, collusions, and deceits which allow for a situation where nothing is what it seems. Alliances are weakening, duplicitous games abound, and the Guild of Sage-Craft is unraveling, all at a time when the ancient enemy is reviving in preparation for the next climatic conflict. The novel begins slowly, gradually growing in intensity, leading to an immensely exciting conclusion that I hated to see end. The only thing that could have topped the Hendees’ whirlwind ending was their epilogue, which will undoubtedly make the “Noble Dead Saga” fans stand up and cheer. I, for one, am hooked and eagerly await the next incarnation in this hypnotizing series.