The Griffin's Boy by Julia Hughes Sets Your Imagination Soaring!

Have you ever dreamed of soaring the skies...

On a griffin?

Artwork is an image engraved by Gustave Dore via Ludovico Ariosto,
and adapted for the cover by LLPix Designs

If so, you'll definitely be interested in The Griffin's Boy, a YA fantasy written by Julia Hughes.

So what's it about?

As a commoner, Neb's future will be one of drudgery... that is, until he decides that Balkind, a young griffin, deserves a place as a mount within the ranks of the prestigious Griffin Riders. Though Balkind is chosen, his intelligent and troublemaking nature causes him to be left behind. 

Neb, who has cared for Balkind since the griffin was a baby, refuses to let Balkind's opportunity slip away. Leaping onto Balkind's back, the two of them ride off in pursuit of the Dragon Riders. Neb is determined that Balkind will get his chance at greatness.

On the way, though, Neb and Balkind discover a young child in danger, and a village in trouble. Once they become involved in the situation, the pair's lives change profoundly.

Hughes created a beautiful and rich world full of people who had real problems. 

The world was both vibrant and dark, dependent upon the given situation, and the environment felt true. Hughes didn't just create a world... she lived it.

But that's not all!

From minor characters that only spoke a few lines to those of prominence, every single person within this ebook was three dimensional. They had flaws and perfections, fears and dreams. Hughes didn't cut any corners. Even the griffins within the pages had individual personalities.

I was transfixed.

I started and finished The Griffin's Boy in a single day. Seriously. Not only did the world and everything in it feel real, but the action was high, and the story complex. 

Hughes wove plenty of plot twists and mysteries into this ebook. I've mentioned that I love to place myself into stories as I read them. It's not always possible, but in this case, every break I took was filled with ideas of how I could solve the problems the characters encountered, or where the characters would discover me (thereby including me in their adventure). 

Yep. I'm the bookish version of a camera ham. I admit it.

And Hughes gave me plenty of opportunities to bask in that glory!

This was almost a Treasured Tome. So what held me back from giving it that designation? Well, for whatever reason, though the characters were spectacular, the story engrossing, and the plot complex, it was missing something on an emotional level. 

My heart didn't beat hard enough to feel like it would burst through my chest, I didn't cry, I wasn't enraged, and I didn't feel a strong personal connection with anyone. The characters felt real, but they felt more like acquaintances than friends or enemies.

I'm not entirely sure why, and that may just be me. It's very possible that you'll feel differently and believe it should be a Treasured Tome. The writing is solid and the story is brilliant. So give it a read. 

You won't be disappointed.

The Griffin's Boy is available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.