Official Review: Hale by JK Noble

[mmm17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hale" by JK Noble.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Hale, written by J.K. Noble, is an imaginative fantasy novel. When its intricately crafted narrative begins, in the eighteenth century, Felix, Bayo, and Greon are in a mystical place looking for treasured magical artifacts – a pendant and three glassy orbs that represent different realms. One of them represents Malphora, home of the humans and the extraordinary, who share the realm. There is, however, an untraversable divide between them, which can only be breached using the orbs or knowing the location of an ancient tree.

Back in the twenty-first century, readers get to know two orphans, sixteen-year-old Hale and his older sister Carly. They have been abducted by a conflicted man named Greon. Carly tries to escape but ends up getting killed in front of a horrified Hale. Using her last breaths, Carly begs Hale never to take off a protective amulet their father gave them. But Hale loses the amulet and ends up in a whole different realm, the home of the Griffin Clan, where he finds out he is a Griffin, a lion-eagle shapeshifter with extraordinary powers.

The book is full of positive aspects. Firstly, what I liked the most about Hale was its rich and energetic narrative arc. The author skillfully weaves several plot threads and does a great job of tying everything neatly, which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the coming-of-age undercurrent that permeates the whole narrative, which is full of symbolism. Hale gets transported to a completely different world and is baffled by this new place and its violence, having to fend for himself at such a young age. The teenaged protagonist is a multidimensional and relatable character that makes us root for him. The author developed him very well, creating vivid descriptions of his surroundings as a background for his state of mind. For instance, Noble does a great job of portraying Hale’s anguish as he watches the Griffins fight to the death on a stage almost every night, with bodies thrown into a fire.

Also, the mystical elements are explored very well by the author; there are nymphs, sirens, potions, portals, magic spheres, and kings, among others. It is a feast for fantasy fans. I particularly liked how each Griffin (including the elders of the Griffin Clan) had one of five powers: shielding, ardor, light, dark, or endurance. Noble explored these characteristics creatively and masterly. There were also illustrations that added to the worldbuilding. A map of the territories at the beginning of the novel came in handy, and I resorted to it several times as the story progressed.

In closing, I found no negatives worth mentioning in this book, and I give it 4 out of 4 stars. It seemed professionally edited, for I only found a couple of very minor mishaps. With all the elements of a great fantasy novel, I had lots of fun reading it, and I recommend it to all readers who enjoy the genre. I believe it is a good read for teenagers as well, for it has no profanity or sexual content. It does have a good deal of violence and gore, though, so sensitive readers should be aware of this.

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Hale
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[Sohana Hasan]

I'm fascinated! It sounds like you really enjoyed this book and that it's a good read. I'm already trying to read one too many books at the same time because I keep starting new ones without finishing old ones, but this is definitely going on my TBR list.

[the_ashfeathers]

The book cover caught my eye, it just seemed so 'grand'. The plot of the book also looks very engaging, traversing through realms and mystical happenings is just my thing. This is surely going to my Bookshelf!

[Kenna Ridzi]

It's interesting to watch characters learn to fend for themselves and grow in new environments. This sounds like an interesting storyline, there's definitely a lot of detail that went into this book. Great review!

[Jacques Mwashuma]

If you have a fascination with races beyond humans then this review shows you the way. Add in magic, adventure and a bit of mayhem and you are definitely in a review that draws you into a fantastic realm. I'm already curious of how it all ends.

[NetMassimo]

This seems like a well-constructed fantasy story that uses mythical creatures and magic to create an engaging story. Thank you for your great review!

[DTamara]

Sounds like a good quality fantasy book. Proper world building and complex well developed characters. Nice review

[IamJc_Bembo12]

This is a masterpiece. I’ll definitely give this a shot. Thanks for this honest and fascinating review!

[Aisha Yakub]

Fantasy and adventure, seems like my cup of tea. I'm curious to know if he ever got back that amulet. I think this book has a good amount of suspense and I find that exciting. Thank you for your review

[Ay Obaj]

I love it when books storyline are constructed perfectly, and contains every single element of thrill. A book like this will surely wow any reader. Thanks for a honest review.

[Stevenmusk]

Thanks for the review. The plot is interesting and captivating. I look forward to reading it.

[Shelby Ayres]

I like the number of fantasy elements; the creatures and magic. I also love when authors are able to create vivid descriptions so the readers can visualize better. Great review!

[abstactlemon]

Wow, I really like the cover and the story you talked about with Carly sound really captivating. I might have to pick this one up. For research purposes.
Thanks for the review.

[Sarah tianna]

Based on the rating, it is evident that the book is interesting and amazing. Another amazing feature is that this review is well-detailed. Captivating review.

[Joshua Sawders]

Wow, this review of "Hale" by J.K. Noble really captures the essence of the fantasy genre. It seems like a highly enjoyable read, with its rich narrative and well-developed characters. The author's exploration of mystical elements and the coming-of-age theme adds depth to the story. The inclusion of illustrations and a helpful map also enhances the worldbuilding. Overall, it appears to be a great book for fantasy lovers, including teenagers. However, sensitive readers should be aware of the violence and gore. Enigmatic atmosphere, kept me intrigued throughout.