Medalon

Hythrun Chronicles: Demon Child #1

by Jennifer Fallon

The small country of Medalon lies between the vast nation of Karien in the north and the nations of Fardohnya and Hythria in the south. For centuries the Medalonians co-existed peacefully with the Harshini, a magical race that abhors killing. But now they are gone and in their place the Sisters of the Blade rule Medalon from the Citadel. An elite army of Defenders enforces the Sisterhood's oppressive rule. The Harshini and their demons are believed to be extinct and Medalon has an uneasy peace with its northern and southern neighbours.

R'shiel Tenragan, daughter of the First Sister, and her half-brother Tarja find themselves caught up in the political infighting amongst the Sisters of the Blade. When their mother's scheming becomes too much to bear, R'shiel and Tarja are determined to follow their own path and they flee the Citadel. Their lives take a turn neither could ever have imagined and the Defenders of Medalon hunt them as traitors.

Meanwhile, far south in Hythria, Brak, a Harshini outcast, is called to find the demon child, the half-human child of the dead Harshini King, Lorandranek. But what can this mean to R'shiel...?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Dragons, Magic, Science Fiction Fantasy

512 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 26, 2000

About the author

Fallon is the author of 17 full-length bestselling novels and a number of published short stories in genres ranging from horror to science fiction.

In addition to 4 complete fantasy series - The Demon Child trilogy, The Hythrun Chronicles, the Second Sons Trilogy,The Tide Lords Quadrilogy and the Rift Runners series - Fallon has written both a tie-novel and short fiction for the TV series, Stargate SG1, an official Zorro story, a novella for the Legends of Australian Fantasy Anthology and has a superhero - The Violet Valet (CHICKS IN CAPES).

Fallon has a Masters Degree from the Creative Arts faculty of QUT. A computer trainer and application specialist, Fallon currently works in the IT industry and spends at least a month each year working at Scott Base in Antarctica.

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars



Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing beats old-school fantasy. Especially not when said old-school fantasy is set in a world ruled by a bunch of somewhat power-hungry, slightly ruthless, moderately self-serving, tolerably cunning and reasonably wicked bitches Sisters. Oh, these gals sure are doing it for themselves. It really is quite glorious and stuff.



Glad you approve, Gustav.

Also, divine shenanigans 4ever.

Also also also, most original dragons ever.

Also also, Jennifer Fallon wrote this, ergo DUH.

👋 To be continued and stuff.

Well this was a Slightly Very Good (SVG™) conclusion to this Slightly Very Good (SVG™) trilogy. Okay, so the demeaning bit about the ocean dragons was quite uncalled for and most outrageous indeed—I'm thinking of unleashing my murderous children on Jennifer Fallon for voicing such despicable views on those scrumptious marine creatures (I'm somewhat protective of all things aquatic, in case you didn't know)—but apart from that, yeah, this wasn't too bad. And now let's dance and stuff.



👋 To be continued and stuff.

📚 The Hythrun Chronicles reading order:
(Each series can be read independently.)
· Demon Child Trilogy, Book 1: Medalon ★★★★
· Demon Child Trilogy, Book 2: Treason Keep ★★★★
· Demon Child Trilogy, Book 3: Harshini ★★★★
· Wolfblade Trilogy, Book 1: Wolfblade ★★★★★
· Wolfblade Trilogy, Book 2: Warrior ★★★★★
· Wolfblade Trilogy, Book 3: Warlord ★★★★★
· Standalone novella: First Kill ★★★
· War of the Gods, Book 1: The Lyre Thief ★★★★★
· War of the Gods, Book 2: Retribution ★★★★★
· War of the Gods, Book 3: Covenant · to be published. Maybe.



[Pre-review nonsense]

⚠️ Spoiler alert : this was Slightly Very Good (SVG™).



Super Extra Short Review (SESR™) to come and stuff.

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.44 ***

Another beautiful book by Ms. Jennifer Fallon! There is something about her writing that is very enticing, without being complicated or pretentious, and without the typical for old-school Fantasy tendencies of flowery language or certain tropes. She creates a world full of political strife, living demigods and G-ds, all interacting on the same plane with regular humans and other creatures. As always, religion and the consequences of it mixing with politics and power, is a central theme of her work, as well as the complex relationships between abusive or neglectful parents and their kids. Put in the context of what it takes for a small country to keep itself independent of the more powerful neighbors, and you have a power-hungry mother, who is ready to sell her kids to the highest bidder, as long as it secures support of her position, while just as ready to turn her back on them, if they might jeopardize the same.

Riveting as always, I just can't wait to get to the next book and find out what happens 😎👍

[Aleshanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Ich bin absolut begeistert von diesem großartigen Auftakt!
Auf die Autorin bin ich ja durch ihre 4teilige Gezeitenstern Saga aufmerksam geworden, in der es ebenfalls um "Götter" geht. Es ist zwar völlig anders, aber genauso mitreißender, wenn nicht sogar besser!

Zum Teil sind in dieser Fantasywelt die Götter und alles magische verbannt worden und so herrscht in Medalon die Schwesternschaft des Schwertes mit strengen Regeln, die ihren Bürgern jeglichen heidnischen Glauben versagt. Während mit Karien im Norden ein Friedensvertrag besteht, gilt es für die waffengewandten Hüter, die südlichen Grenzen nach Hythria und Fardohnja zu sichern. Dort wird der Glaube an die Götter noch immer praktiziert, auch wenn schon lange kein Kontakt mehr ihre Überzeugungen untermauert hat.
Vor allem die Kinder von Göttern und Menschen, die Harshini, wurden scheinbar völlig ausgelöscht und scheint die Sage von dem "Dämonenkind" ein alter Aberglaube zu sein, der so schnell wieder verschwindet wie er aufflammt.

Es war anfangs nicht so leicht, die ganzen Hintergründe zu durchschauen, aber Jennifer Fallon weiß es bestens, zuerst die Neugier zu schüren und einen im Lauf der Geschichte immer tiefer in die Geschehnisse eintauchen zu lassen. Hierbei hilft auch die Weltkarte vorne im Buch und das Personenverzeichnis hinten, wobei ich letzteres kaum gebraucht habe.
Die wichtigen Figuren sind sehr prägnant und aus ihrer wechselnden Perspektive erlebt man die ausgefeilten und komplexen Ereignisse, die das bisherige Leben der Protagonisten auf den Kopf stellen.

Die Charaktere durchleben ein Wechselbad der Gefühle und die Autorin spart nicht mit überraschenden Wendungen und ständiger Spannung. Ich war durchgehend gefesselt und konnte das Buch wirklich kaum aus der Hand legen und die Menge der Seiten sind nur so dahin geflogen.

Die Details zum Weltenaufbau, zur Hintergrundgeschichte der Gesellschaft und ihrem Glauben und den Intrigen im Einzelnen sind anschaulich skizziert und entfalten eine ganz eigene Atmosphäre, so dass ich mich beim Lesen komplett mit einbezogen gefühlt habe. Es entwickelt sich langsam, aber stetig, umfassend und doch auf den Punkt gebracht - und dadurch umso lebendiger und tiefgreifender, so dass ich mich schon extrem auf die nächsten Bände freue.
Vor allem weiß man auch noch immer nicht genau, wo es hinführen wird, es bleibt also spannend - denn selbst wenn man vieles durchschaut und erkannt hat, bleiben viele Fragen noch offen.

Wieder einmal eine Reihe, bei der ich mich frage, warum sie so unbekannt scheint. Für High Fantasy Fans auf jeden Fall ein absolut empfehlenswerter Buchtipp, den ich jedem Leser des Genres ans Herz legen möchte!

Weltenwanderer

[majo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Medalon is an old high fantasy book. It was written more than 10 years ago, so if you're going to read this book, keep in mind that. The fact that this book is old is something that is highly noticeable in the way some things are handle and in the way the story is written.

Trigger warning for rape,abuse and violence.

But I was in the mood for an old fantasy, and this book was exactly what I needed. The context and the story behind the politics were super interesting to me. This book is what you would expect from a first book in a series: it focuses a lot on the background of everything and in explanations about how things works. But the story caught my attention since the beginning and now that the background is established, I have the feeling that the next book is going to be amazing.

[Flint · Rating 2 out of 5]

This like alot of fantasy books appears to start off much in the way alot of hero adventure journeys do. There is a prophesized hero who doesn't know they're the most powerful being in something like a thousand years give or take and somehow must be trained by someone who must find them or vice versa in order to destroy some supremely powerful villian. Fine by me. I love stories like this if written well!

The book starts off by letting you get to know our two main protagonists Tarja and R'Shiel, who btw is the demon child, but somewhere along the way I began to realize that the story didn't appear to have much focus to it. Tarja and R'Shiel are simply put in one contrived clamity after another all the way from beginning to end as they attempt to escape from their evil mother. Virtually everything they plan and do ends up in disaster as they are either escaping from the enemy or attempting to confront them, foil their plans, etc. R'Shiel is kidnapped and imprisoned something like 5 different times throughout the course of the book and is virtually helpless despite being the great prophesized demon child capable of destroying a god with her powers. Oh and btw the person who is supposed to help R'Shiel finds her, but does a half ass job of keeping her safe. By the end I was just shaking my head.

[Kay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, what a hot mess of the story! This book takes one sharp turn after another. In addition to providing virtually no explanation behind why the world is what it is, it became quickly apparent that the story lost its focus. By the time I eventually stopped, R'shiel and Tarja were constantly getting into one mess or another, despite their best attempts to evade danger... and they were pretty bad at that too.

Even more confusing was the sudden attraction between two main characters. It was so incredibly random and weird...and I'm usually all for forbidden, strange romance.

I still don't understand what just happened... and frankly, I don't see any more reason to muddle through the rest to sort everything out.

I've been wanting to read Wolfblade for a long time but started with Medalon since it's a prequel of sorts. Now I'm not so sure Ill be picking it up anytime soon.

[Karen ⚜Mess⚜ · Rating 5 out of 5]

MacHalo Buddy Read

YAS!! I loved this book! I'm giving it the 5 star treatment.



Sure, there were some flaws and several "skim through" areas, but I was really invested in the story. I didn't even have to set a 50 pages a day goal. I flashed right through it.

I love stories with meddling gods. The gods in this story gave me "Hercules" and "Xena" vibes. Dace stole my heart. The little thief!



I'm definitely reading the next book. It looks like the MacHalos will be too!

[Sarah Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was awesome. The best high fantasy tome I've read in quite some time -- a detailed but not overwhelming tale of exiled immortals, religious conflict, unreliable magic, & familial soap. Despite the serious nature of the plot, there's plenty of dry humor & fail-horns sprinkled throughout (esp when the gods decide to intervene), so the story can include darker themes -- rape, murder, guilt, persecution, & betrayal -- without taking itself too seriously. Imagine GREEN RIDER had a child with GAME OF THRONES, with the gods from XENA thrown in for entertainment value. :D

My one critique is the naming. This world is universally blessed with ugly and/or awkward monickers, so expect to cringe whenever new characters are introduced. But otherwise, well done. 5 stars for sheer enjoyment, & I shall be continuing with this saga. (No doubt Loclon -- the Khan to R'shiel's Kirk -- will make another appearance, which should prove amusing. From hell's heart he stabs at thee. :P)

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book couldn't be any more marvelous if it tried. If you are a fan of the sweeping fantasy epic, then this really is a must read. I would try to sum up the plot but there is simply too much going on, too many realistically and brilliantly imagined characters, that there is just time in the day to express my love from them all, well, except for the ones you are supposed to hate, and my God there are some utter bastards. All I can say is that it's got lashings of humour, some wonderfully witty banter, prose that just flows of the page and enough political intrigue and betrayal to keep you shocked and gasping from start to finish. This is a book I have read many times, and will continue to read it many, many times more, the wonder of them never fading, only growing. I really can't stress enough how thoroughly fantastic this book is, and the best part is that it is but a part of an even more breath-taking series, of which there are three parts. Huzzah! And they just get better and better and better!!!

Edit: 26/1/13

Ok, I have just read this for like, the fifth time, and it never ceases to amaze me just how stunning this series truly is. It holds such a staggering wealth of detail and vision that no matter how many times you read it, it always feels like that first time, that first magical, wonderful time when every sentence holds a surprise, every character is new and fascinating and just waiting for you to get to know them, whether you will grow to love them or hate them. The overwhelming depth of the plot means that there is always something you've forgotten, some tiny detail which takes you completely by surprise and that is what helps make this series such a joy to read. Then there are the bits you do remember, and as they draw nearer you can feel your pulse racing that tiny bit faster. I don't just dip my toe into these books, I wade into them, submerge and then sink into them and become hopelessly and completely lost in their splendour. So much so, that when I return to the world, I can't help but feel a little pang of loss, that I have to re-enter this dull place, where there are no Harshini, no Demon Childs', no interfering Gods. Where the countries of Medalon, Hythria and Fardohnya and all their peoples, do not exist. It actually makes me feel a little sad, but then, I've always been a bit of a dreamer.

So it seems that I can finally say, without any doubt whatsoever, that the Demon Child series, holds my three absolute favourite books of all time. There I said it. I can't pick a favourite song or movie, animal or food, but I can say with a certainty that I have never felt before, that I love these books more than any other. For me there will probably be no better, though I will continue searching for one that may take their crown. An endeavour I can't help but feel, will be more than a little pointless.

I just hope that everyone can find that special book, the one that no matter how many times they pick it up off the shelf, they still feel the tinglings of excitment and awe at knowing that no matter how you feel or what mood you're in, you will find that perfect escape and everything you are looking inside. A book that you simply can't believe or understand how anyone could think they are anything but amazing.

To me, these books are flawless, and be damned anyone who thinks otherwise.

[Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is Fallon's older work, I was actually first introduced to her through The Tide Lords. One thing which both series have in common is that they take their time to properly set up the world in which the story takes place, and don't throw you into action immediately as a means of getting your attention. Some people prefer the latter approach in fantasy, but I'm happy for a change of a pace.

As far as Medalon is concerned, it isn't the page-turner that The Immortal Prince or the rest of the Tide Lords series was, but it keeps you hooked nonetheless, and is definitely a story to finish. The characters are fun, and the plot is full of obstacle after obstacle that takes you on unprecedented but necessary adventures.

One the most interesting things, for me, was the religious set-up of her world. Medalon is a nation ruled by atheists who oppose any godly worship; to the South are two major nations that worship a whole pantheon of gods, while to the north Medalon finds itself in a strange alliance with a monotheistic nation. The way in which these different nations and their faith play into the politics and motivations of nations and their subjects is fascinating, believable, and well thought out. Although few of the central characters are politicians, the politics of the world readily affects their lives and decision-making, and it was a highlight of the story.

A final thought: this book, in it's pitch, appears to promote a strong female character as the leading protagonist, which is half the reason I was anxious to pick it up. While, certainly, R'shiel is anything but weak her role in the story was less than I had hoped for. Given the circumstances of the plot, this actually makes some sense, but I hope in future books she will take a more prevalent role in directing the course of the story, rather than simply being tossed around (as I felt she was). Right now, the book ultimately felt like a story of her half-brother Tarja instead.

I nonetheless look forward to reading the sequels in the series.

[Sian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book held alot of promise and I enjoyed the detail that went into the book for the first 1/3-1/2.

Then things got sloppy and wishy-washy. Time seemed to blur and the characters lost their definition. The character development of R'shiel, the female lead, started out really well and she was likable but as more characters got added into the mix she began to do things that appeared to be against her character without any explanation. By the end of the book she was not recognisable any more and quite frankly I didn't like her.

Further to this, Tarja, the male lead, went through a similar transformation and basically became pussy whipped and greedy for R'shiel's attention.

The development of the Harshini also held great promise but then it got fuzzy aswell with no real reasoning as to why they did things the way they did.

Towards the end, I got sick of the capture-escape-capture-rescue-capture-walk-into-danger-again-without-any-real-explanation parade.

My biggest issues with the whole thing is a) I feel I lost connection with the storey and characters due to the author's need to speed it along and cram so much into it b) the creepy bother-sister-but-she-isn't-my-real-sister thing. To me if you have spent the last 20 years thinking you are brother and sister, a little fact of no actual blood relationship is not going to change the way you feel about the other person, c) the characters actions simply don't make much sense, in both a general what would anyone do) and specific (what would this character do) way.

Would I read the next book? I might try if I found it cheap, but would I be able to finish it? I doubt it. I barely got myself to finish this one.

2.5 stars because I did enjoy the first half of the book alot.

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Fallon is a wonderful fantasy author. I've read her Tide Lords series which I enjoyed a lot. Now, I've decided to start with the Hythrun Chronicles. I didn't know for sure which book I should start with but I decided for the Demon Child Trilogy because some websites recommend to do so. I really enjoyed the read, it was epic, full of original ideas and rich characters, everything a good fantasy book should be.

R'shiel grows up in Citadel, capital of Medalon. Her mother is a scheming, ruthless bitch (excuse my choice of words but she is) who couldn't care less about the actual well-being of her children. But R'shiel shares a deep bond with her half-brother Tarja, a captain in Medalon's Defender army. Soon they find themselves caught up in their mother Joyhinia's political spiel and they need to escape the Citadel. The Sisterhood continues their fierce fight against all heathen cults and, seemingly, all gods in general. But did they really succeed in destroying the old Harshini religion?

I liked R'shiel, even for her immaturities and rash decisions. She's brave and reckless, but she's still growing to meet all challenges put out for her. Tarja is a great companion, even though he's not her knight in shining armor. She's very capable of getting along on her own, using her wit and strength. Tarja is a natural leader and both of them have to decide whose side they want to be on in the upcoming war.

The usage of magic is still rather light in this first, establishing book. I thought that was a wise decision because all the characters need to be developed and it would be a pity to see them overpowered by some monster magic abilites.

The plot moves swiftly forward, I can't say that there were any boring moments in this book. It already moves beyond Medalon's border and it's pretty obvious that this whole fantasy world will be involved at the end. I love Fallon's ideas, especially how she created the demons in this book and how they need to meld in order to form big creatures like dragons. I'm always curious about what she'll think of next.

Romantic notions in this book are very very marginal, I wouldn't call this women's fantasy. Though for me, there could have been a little bit more blood and cruelty. Maybe I'm perversely spoiled by Abercrombie & Co.

I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in this trilogy, Treason Keep. R'shiel and her companions still have a long way to go and I'm not exactly sure how the ending could actually turn out to be (which is great).

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great start to a series! I really enjoyed the world created, the characters and the writing. It was paced well, intriguing, and fun to read.

We start the book by being introduced to R'shiel, a Novice in the Sisters of the Blade in Medalon. In Medalon, all religion is outlawed, and anyone practising worship is arrested by the Sisters. I really enjoyed learning about the history of this world and it's adjoining countries. The way that the world building was done was great, it didn't feel info dumpy and things were told to us throughout the book without being confusing or having me feel like the author was withholding information.

We also get to see a perspective from Brak - a Harshini/human man, part of the race that was "exterminated" by the Sisters. I really enjoyed seeing his perspective and how his story worked into it all as well.

I found the plot really intriguing, and well paced. I liked how the author wrote the story so that it really does feel like we need more books and how she created the situation we end up it. It was well crafted.

I enjoyed the characters and how they developed throughout the novel and how we got to know them. I did find some of the side characters to be a bit underdeveloped, but the had their place and their purpose and the author incorporated them well. I have a feeling some of these characters will show up more in the next book and we will get to see more of them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I'm glad that I accidentally bought the Lyre Thief without realizing I needed to read this trilogy first. Would recommend.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd heard about Jennifer Fallon through some Amazon boards. Then, I saw her book sitting on a shelf in Barnes and Nobles. So, thought I'd give her a try.

I do like her characters and the world that she created. It involves the Harshini people, who are worshipped as god-like, but are believed to be destroyed 200 years ago. The main kingdom, Medalon, is full of atheists in a world that is surrounded by god believing kingdoms. The Sisters of the Blade helped destroy the Harshini, but of course, not all are dead. The gods are real too. It is almost like a D & D game with made over Greek Gods. But then, that is what gives the book some charm. It is a good world to plunge into.

Some things are a little predictable, but nothing that draws away from the plot too much. There is a capture/recapture pattern in the plot that did drive me a little crazy. I would think the main character guy, Tarja, would figure out a trap, especially if he kept falling into one over and over. He is supposed to be a great soldier, Captain, and good at battle tactics.

But other than that small character problem, Fallon's world drew me in. I've got the next two books in the series, and am plowing into them now. If you need a good fantasy world to delve into for a long trip or to disappear into, this is a Goodread.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I struggled to put this book down, and it tended to stick in my head when I wasn't reading it. It took me a while to work out the overarching plot, but it seems the author was trying her best to keep shielded as long as possible. The plot twists and the building action were completely delicious, and the climax and resolution had me grinning and my jaw bouncing on the floor at the same time. I don't think there is any doubt that I will read more by this author, and I can not wait to read the next book in the series.

[Connie53 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat ben ik blij dat mijn Engels goed genoeg is om dit deel te lezen. Want na de eerste 3 boeken (Wolfsblad trilogie) is er niets meer vertaald en dat is echt zonde. Het zijn allemaal heerlijke boeken en dit '4de' deel is geen uitzondering. Ik ben zelfs al begonnen in boek 5. een 9 maar met de sterren hier een acht

[Corey J Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but wolfblade was so much better.

[Kat Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Jennifer Fallon's Medalon is the first book in The Demon Child Trilogy, which makes up the larger Hythrun Chronicles. The Sisterhood of Medalon has made it illegal to practice religion (the worship of pagan gods), persecutes all believers of the gods, and has forced the Harshini, a race of long-lived beings who interact with the gods, into hiding. The sisters use a highly trained army of male Defenders to enforce their orders across the country. But, the First Sister has just been murdered, and while the sisters are plotting and jockeying for position amongst themselves, the Demon Child -- a human/Harshini half-breed -- is coming to maturity in Medalon and the gods, who are involved in their own plots, need to find the child because it's the only creature capable of killing another god.

The main characters, R'shiel and Tarja, are the children of Joyhinia, a sister whose one goal is to be the First Sister. Though she claims to not have a concept of "sin," Joyhinia commits a lot of it as she seeks to fulfil her ambition. Even her children are not permitted to get in her way, and are used as pawns in her scheming. Eventually, R'shiel and Tarja find themselves allied against their mother and the Sisterhood, and their beliefs are challenged as they actually meet gods and Harshini who, they thought, don't exist.

Medalon was a quick and entertaining read. The pace is fast and there is plenty of action. The characters are mostly well-developed, interesting, and likeable (or hateable where appropriate). A couple of characters are over-the-top enough to be unbelievable (it's hard to believe that Joyhinia dislikes her own children more than she dislikes other people), but they are interesting enough that I found myself over-looking that. The writing, while not particularly beautiful like Carey, Clarke, Valente, or Bujold, is completely competent, clear, and often witty.

I really have only a couple of objections: Medalon is a society based on "law" and "common sense," not ideas of "sin" or "morality." Yet we learn that lust, rape, betrayal, stealing, lying, treason, murder, incest, abortion, premarital sex, and tardiness are "wrong." Whores and bastards are looked down on, paternity of Joyhinia's son is kept secret, abortionists are run out of town, and the man who defends the First Sister is required to take an oath of celibacy. For a society with no sin, they sure spend a lot of time condemning it; it just doesn't make sense.

Second, while the antics of the gods were meant to be funny and entertaining, I found them annoying. For example, the goddess of love styles herself as a little girl and demands that everyone loves her. She casts a spell to make one of the characters fall in love with another and then declares that she hopes another god won't be mad. Well, I don't know if the other god got mad, but I did. The love of the one character for the other (I'm trying not to spoil the plot here) is a major plot element, but its unnatural contrivance makes it seem shallow, and I felt cheated. Some of the other gods and their interactions with disrespectful humans (who remind them to stay vigilant and tell them to "shut up") was just silly. And then there are the ugly but cuddly demons who can become gods if they get enough followers to believe in them. Somehow, this didn't work for me.

But, even with these issues, I found myself really enjoying Medalon; it's not great literature, but it's fun. And I admire Jennifer Fallon for having a bunch of gossiping and scheming unlikeable women being defended by brave and mostly honorable and likable men. I don't want to ruin the plot, but I'll say that only a female writer could get away with it.

I have picked up (at my library) the next three books, and I look forward to starting Treason Keep soon.
Read more Jennifer Fallon book reviews at Fantasy Literature .

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Jennifer Fallon creates a complicated world. She tackles religion, family loyaty, ambition and self-interest. If the gods were real and walked among us what would they be like? The small country of Medalon, which lies between three vast nations, is rule buy a religion called Sisters of the Blade with their own elite army of Defenders to enforce the Sisterhood's oppressive rule. The Harshini messengers of the gods, thought to be driven to extinction by the Sister have a prophecy called "Demon Child." The Demon Child is the half human half Harshini child that has the powers of the Harshini and none of their weaknesses. The Demon Child is supposed to have the power destroy the world. The Main Characters are the two adult children of a highly placed Sister of the Blade (Cardinal) Tarja. and 'R'shiel who get dragged in to a political and religious mess of biblical proportions.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book and I'm looking forward to finding the time for the rest of the series.

Great worldbuilding and solid, complicated characters with a slightly new spin on the mortal destined to take on a god.

I know this isn't much of a review or comment, but I do highly recommend this and hope others enjoy it as much as I did.

[Copied across from Library Thing; 9 February 2013]

[Corwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fucked my shit up. But there's a lot of good stuff in this book, but there's a lot of of eh stuff too. Overall it's not half bad but it gets really dark and brutal and fucks your shit up

[Hannah Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this series so many times and it never gets old.

I love all the characters, the storyline, the world around them, I’ll be moving onto Treason Keep soon but will read a few other books in the interim 🐉

[Monalisa Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give it 5 stars in a heartbeat. Simply loved the book and the world it has created. There are so many interesting elements- Gods, demons, Harshini, humans. It combines politics, war, magic, conspiracies, love and gives us remarkable story.

[thecloserkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: High Fantasy
Is it the main pairing: Yes
Is it canon: Yes
Is it explicit: No
Is it endgame: Alas no
Is it shippable: Yes

Here is what happens in Medalon: two siblings who have always been unusually close, who have just experienced a lengthy separation, are reunited. A war breaks out. They go on the run. They fall in love and initiate a physical relationship. If you think this sounds too good to be true, it is — it’s not endgame and while the story opens with a laser focus on our sibling pair, it’s eventually overwhelmed by other plot threads. But it’s worth reading anyway and I recommend, with reservations. I will now summarize the first 1/3 of the book and post a big SPOILERS linebreak before I hit major spoilers.

What I like about Medalon is the setup. I was unimpressed by how it developed and unsatisfied with how it was resolved (it's trilogy so hardly anything was resolved in this first book), but I would be lying if I said I was unaffected by the bind our adolescent protagonist finds herself in. R'shiel Tenragan has spent her whole life pummeled by her mother's ambition, steered into a political vocation for which she shows little inclination and less ability. On one level the story of Medalon is about how nepotism creeps into supposedly meritocratic technocracies. It's been less than a generation since the militantly atheistic Sisterhood of the Blade overthrew the polytheistic dynasty that preceded it, but that's precisely what her mother’s ambition threatens to turn the Sisterhood into: a dynasty, with R’Shiel to follow reluctantly in her mother’s footsteps. R'shiel has grown into a mutinous teenager whose isolation from other sources of emotional support and validation (friends or grandparents, for instance) is positively ghastly. The only person she might confide in, her older brother Tarja, is a soldier who has been banished to the southern border for the past four years as punishment for some as-yet-unspecified misdemeanor.

The story opens with the funeral of the First Sister - that is, the head of state - and the election of the next one. This means a major shakeup in the power structure. The very first thing R’Shiel does is corner Tarja’s commanding officer and beg him to recall Tarja from exile.

”Please, Lord Jenga. Bring Tarja home.”

That’s the last line of Chapter 1. In Chapter 2 we meet Tarja, who is well-liked by his men and respected by his enemies but he does not suffer fools gladly, and it comes as no surprise that he was banished for insubordination. In Chapter 3 we have R’Shiel and Tarja’s reunion. I’m not sure if they were writing each other but given the tech level I doubt Medalon boasts a reliable postal service. So R’Shiel shows up late at a reception for one of her mother’s lackeys and catches her breath because there he is, her big brother, in full dress uniform:

”Now if you will excuse me, my Lord, I see that my sister is anxious to welcome me home.”

DAMN STRAIGHT SHE IS. And he takes her arm and whisks her away so they can talk privately.

”You know, I almost didn’t recognize you. You’re all grown up.”

Last time Tarja saw R’Shiel she was fourteen. A lot happens to a girl between fourteen and eighteen. C u r v e s happen. The text doesn’t dwell on it but I guarantee you Tarja’s internal monologue is some variant of damn, my sister is hot playing on loop. There is a pretty big age gap between R’Shiel and Tarja (ten years) so he was a grown man by the time he left and she was still a girl but now they’re both adults and it could be awkward or stilted but instead they fall right back into their old rapport.

”I can’t believe you had the nerve to show up here tonight. Mother looks ready to burst something,” R’shiel laughed.

These two are united above all by their common enemy and oppressor, their mother. “I don’t think either of us has turned out quite what Joyhinia intended,” says Tarja. Their bond was forged by the anvil of Joyhinia’s parenting. At this point Tarja’s best friend Georj joins them in order to urge Tarja — who has been home less than 24 hours — to take up a gladiatorial challenge issued by an uppity young cadet.

Georg took R’shiel’s arm conspirationally. “Well, you might be too young to remember, but back in the good old days, before Tarja publicly called Trayla a fatous bitch, he was the undisputed champion of the Arena.”

”I remember,” she said, before turning to Tarja, wide-eyed. “Is that what you did? You called Trayla a fatuous bitch?”

Just imagine preteen R’shiel hero-worshipping her big brother, the actual undefeated champion of the training arena; sneaking out behind her mother’s back to watch him fight; squealing with delight every time he gives a big middle finger to authority.

”I said no, Georj!” snapped Tarja. “Cajoling R’Shiel isn’t going to change my mind either.”

Look if Georj, Tarja’s BFF, thinks the way to change Tarja’s mind is through R’Shiel by proxy, he probably has good reasons for thinking so. Like the fact that she is THE WAY TO TARJA’S HEART.

”No! I’m not afraid he’ll beat me. I’m afraid I’ll win, and then every half-witted, glory-seeking Cadet in the Citadel will want to take me on. I’ve done my time in the Arena, R’shiel. I’ve nothing to prove.”

So it ends up that Georg takes up the gauntlet that Tarja declines, and R’shiel is there to wish him luck before he enters the Arena. Actually she didn’t particularly want to go but her roommate bodily drags her along. Her roommate wants to be introduced to Tarja, you see. So does an entire clique of other girls they have somehow collected along the way. Because Tarja is a certified heartthrob.

Tarja looked up as she neared him, his smile of recognition fading to a frown as he looked at her. “Founders, R’shiel! You look awful.”

”It’s nice to see you too, Tarja.”

So Tarja ignores his flock of fawning admirers in favor of interrogating R’shiel about her health. Her roommate helpfully offers that R’shiel hasn’t been eating lately. Tarja is alarmed:

He took her arm and before she could protest steered her away from the other girls … Tarja spun her around to face him. “You don’t look awful, R’Shiel,” he said with concern, “You look like death. What’s wrong with you?”

”I don’t know, Tarja. I keep getting the worst headaches, and every time I smell meat I want to throw up.”

What Tarja doesn’t know is that R’shiel, at eighteen, alone among her peers has not gotten her period. Which is weird because (a) she’s not an Olympic figure skater on a starvation diet and (b) she has all the other outward signs of puberty. It’s always the first question that Joyhinia asks R’shiel during their weekly mother-daughter chats, “have your courses started yet.”

”Have you told Joyhinia?”

”She told me to see a physic,” R’shiel admitted.

”For once, I agree with her,” Tarja grumbled. “Why not go home, R’shiel? …” Then he smiled at her, and she understood why half the Probates in the Citadel wanted to be her best friend. “I’m sure Georj can redeem the honor of the captains without you cheering for him.”

R’shiel frowned. “He will beat Loclon, won’t he?”

”He’d better!”

”Can I see him before I go?”

”Of course,” Tarja said, taking her arm. “I’m sure if he’s planning to die tonight, the last thing he’d rather see is you, in preference to our ugly faces.”

Tarja and R’Shiel have been onscreen for about five minutes together and I count three instances of him taking her arm to draw her away and talk privately. But also, THAT SMILE. When he smiles at her R’shiel can totally see why all those other girls are ready to swoon when Tarja so much as glances in their direction. This is obviously a COMPLETELY NORMAL way to feel about your brother who is hands down your favorite person in the world. And then he basically tells her that he sees her as an object of desire, because how else are we supposed to interpret that comment about the last thing Georj wants to see before he dies? When men die in battle their last thoughts are of the woman they love, isn’t that the way it goes? R’shiel is crushing a little on Georj but that’s because he’s the closest thing she can get to Tarja. At this point they are interrupted by Georj’s opponent:

”Is this your sister, Captain Tenragan?”

Tarja did not appear too pleased that he had forced an introduction. “R’shiel, this is Lieutenant Loclan.”

”Lieutenant,” R’shiel said with barely a civil curtsy. Something about this handsome young man set her teeth on edge.

Tarja does not want that sonofabitch anywhere near his baby sister. And R’shiel doesn’t care how “handsome” Loclon is, she’s not interested (which would place her among the minority because we’re told Loclon is considered quite the catch). I could read about Tarja being overprotective all day. R’shiel changes her mind and decides to stay for the fight, which is a fucking BLOODBATH and Loclon that worm cuts Georj down and then Tarja goes running into the middle of the pit even though he’s not even one of Georj’s seconds. He scoops up the sword Georj dropped. This has got to be against the rules but nobody intervenes. Now we have a textbook case of battle-hardened veteran vs. fancy duelist. After Tarja makes mincemeat of Loclon, he contents himself with mutilating Loclon’s face and leaves him lying there in the sand screaming.

Another crippling cramp seized R’shiel, and she realized that it had nothing to do with seeing so much violence. So much blood. Something else was wrong … Another cramp, even worse than the last one, twisted her belly and she cried out. The sound must have cut through Tarja’s fury. He stopped and glanced back at her.

”I warned you to go home,” he told her.

R’shiel didn’t answer him. Couldn’t answer him. She held out her hand, as she felt a warm rush between her legs. She looked down and was surprised to find herself standing in a puddle of bright blood.

”Founders!” Tarja rushed toward her as she fell. He caught her and scooped her up into his arms. The last thing she remembered before falling into a swirl of blessed darkness was Tarja holding her. Running. Calling for help.

This passage is my favorite from the whole book. The fact that her cry of pain is the only thing that can pierce his haze of battle rage, and that he’s there for the very public, very painful onset of her menses to catch her when she faints — I mean he’s already covered in blood but he doesn’t give a shit that R’shiel’s going to bleed all over him before he gets her to a medic. When she wakes up it’s to a scolding from her mother, who says:

”I suppose I should be grateful it was Tarja who found you, although why he insisted on running through the Citadel, yelling like a fishwife, instead of dealing with the matter discreetly is beyond me.”

Because he panicked, that’s why. He was petrified that he might lose her; she is his everything. Tarja comes to her while she’s convalescing:

”Why does she hate you, Tarja?”

Tarja shrugged. “Who knows? For that matter, who cares?”

”I care.”

He took her hand in his. “I know you care, R’shiel. That’s because no matter how hard Joyhinia tries to mold you into another version of herself, there is part of you she can’t seem to corrupt. I hope she never succeeds.”

Like I said before, the depth of Tarja and R’Shiel’s bond owes much to the necessity of forming a united front against their bloodless reptile of a mother.

”Where do you get all this big brother nonsense from?” she demanded. “Every time you want to weasel out of explaining yourself, I get the same excuse.”

He smiled but refused to answer. “You take care of yourself, young lady. Big brother will be checking on you when he gets back.”

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

Tarja leaves for a tour of duty, in the course of which he discovers some pretty big honking skeletons in his mother’s closet, aka the fact that R’Shiel isn’t Joyhinia’s biological child. Joyhinia wanted a daughter for dynastic purposes and did what she had to do to acquire one of the right age; later she even torched an entire village to keep her secret. Tarja has the tale from one of the survivors:

”She called the child Rochelle, or something like that.”

”R’Shiel,” Tarja corrected softly, afraid that if he spoke too loudly, Bereth would not finish her tale.

He’s got a hostile witness on his hands and he knows he shouldn’t antagonize her but he can’t resist correcting her when she mangles his baby sister’s name. Sheesh Tarja, you just can’t help it can you? When it comes to R’Shiel your default setting is defend defend defend. This is him discussing his mother’s perfidy and his sister’s parentage with another soldier:

”I’ve seen your sister at the Citadel. She’s very pretty.”

”She is,” he agreed. “And apparently she’s not my sister.”

”At the risk of sounding trite, there’ll be a lot of officers at the Citadel quite pleased to learn that, sir.”

So we’ve established that R’Shiel is attractive and likable and if Tarja had been home the last few years he’d have been chasing off her admirers with sticks. This is literally how Tarja arranges a clandestine meeting with R’Shiel— he has another soldier ask her to dance, and pass the message along:

”Fear not, my designs on you are completely honorable.”

”Is that so?”

”Tarja wants to see you.”

”My brother is in the north.” She’d heard her shares of lines from dozens of Cadets and Officers, but nobody had ever tried using Tarja before.

WELL MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE, i’m sure she would have been off like a shot at the sound of his name. So the designated rendezvous with Tarja is …. the caverns under the amphitheater.

”You look a lot better than the last time we met,” he told her, taking her hand and leading her deeper into the caverns … In the distance, R’Shiel could hear the faint sounds of a couple giggling and urging each other to silence. They were not the only ones seeking privacy tonight.

Okay so Tarja and R’Shiel are meeting clandestinely on SRS BZNS but is it an accident they choose to do so in the same place that horny teenagers come to hook up??? I THINK NOT. This is when he breaks the news that Joyhinia’s not her biomom. At no point does either Tarja nor R’Shiel interpret this revelation as undermining their relationship, however—they are still each other’s family.

I need to zoom out slightly and explain you guys a few things about the larger geopolitical context. If you recall, the onset of R’Shiel’s womanly courses were accompanied by nausea, fainting, and a violent aversion to the smell of meat. This turns out to be because R’Shiel is the product of the union between a human and a demigod - who are all pacifists and vegetarians - which means she is the prophesied Demon Child, and she is finally coming into her power. At present nobody, least of all R’Shiel, has the faintest inkling of this; nobody except the priests of the monotheistic theocracy that borders Medalon to the north, whose holy mandate is to stamp out every other religion on the planet. A couple of priests with scary magical staffs are dispatched on a “diplomatic” mission to Medalon to neutralize R’Shiel. Their goals happen to coincide with Joyhinia’s, who sells R’Shiel to them like a sack of potatoes and in return secures their support to maneuver her own election as First Sister. This is a bridge too far for Tarja, who very publicly refuses to swear allegiance to his mother, renounces his officer’s commission, and storms out of the Citadel in a scene guaranteed to generate bad publicity for the new First Sister’s reign. At least he’s able to warn R’Shiel before she’s sold down the river. The two of them steal some horses and go on the lamb:

Her decision to run away appeared to be much easier than his. She was bound by no oaths, hampered by no thoughts of treason. But she was nursing a smoldering rage that manifested itself as stubbornness.

R’Shiel here has the exact same chaotic energy as Lucrezia Borgia in Season 1 of the Canal+ Borgias TV show, seething with long-suppressed “burn it all down” rage against the system. It’s a very destructive sort of teenage rage seeking a constructive outlet. There are quite a few shippy moments as soon as they go on the run:

For most of the winter they survived by R’Shiel’s wits or by Tarja’s hunting skills or by hiring themselves out for a few days at a time to farmers … She had surprised him at the first farm where they sought shelter, by introducing herself as his wife rather than his sister.

He had grown used to her sleeping next to him over the winter.

They act Fake Married to avoid detection!!! Ok so Tarja and R’Shiel accidentally start a bar brawl. It gets out of hand, soldiers kill civilians, and all of a sudden R’Shiel and Tarja have been recruited to lead The Resistance—which consists of a couple hundred unarmed, under-resourced pagans who resent the new administration’s crackdown on non-atheists. In effect, Tarja and R’Shiel are defending the smallfolk against tyrannical federal troops. Goes without saying that neither of them is a True Believer in the cause. Here is an outsider POV perspective:

When he first met them, Brak had thought Tarja and R’Shiel were close, but they fought more often than not these days. Tarja counseled caution, while R’Shiel advocated aggression.

R’Shiel is obviously out for blood. She’ll do anything to get back at Joyhinia—these pagan rebels are merely the instruments of her vengeance. Tarja, a professional soldier, is a little more circumspect:

”If I had a hundred years, I could not teach your heathen farmers how to fight like the Defenders.”

read the rest here

[TinaNoir · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first in a three-book trilogy known as the Demon Child trilogy.

In Medalon, the Sisters of the Blade are the law and they believe in a society of laws and science. They do not believe in nor do they allow the worship of Gods. As a matter of fact, current Medalon society is built from the persecution of an immortal race of magical beings known as the Harshini. The Harshini were a sort of bridge between Gods and Humans and were a gentle and loving people who, although they could touch magic, could not kill or hate.

Centuries ago, the Sisters of the Blade and their male military protectors known as the Defenders, purged all Harshini. In this they were ably abetted by their neighbors to the North, The Kariens, fanatical worshipers of the God Xaphista and whose theocratic rulers' sole purpose is the decimation of any and all Harshini.

Many believe that the Harshini are dead and gone, myths from old stories. But still others believe they are in hiding, biding their time to return. And that they will send before them a Demon Child, a half-Human/Half-Harshini who has all the magic of the Harshini but none of the killing squeamishness. This Demon's Child's raison d'etre is to kill the God Xaphista.

Into this comes R'Shiel a young novice in the Sisters of the Blade and her half-brother Tarja, a Defender of some reknown. They get caught up in the power-hungry machinations of their mother in her quest to capture the highest office in the land, First sister and end up defying her and going on the run.

I had read and ADORED, Jennifer Fallon's Warlord trilogy. So after reading that, I had to go out and see what else she had written. I was hesitant at first to get this first series because I had so enjoyed the Warlord series and this one takes place in the same time/place as that one. But this one was written first and I really didn't want to go backwards. But I decided to anyway.

Well, at first, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that although this trilogy was written first, it actually takes place chronologically later than the Warlord series. So I could revisit those characters I liked and see what they were doing.

However, my pleasant surprise soon waned. I settled in happily enough to read this and it starts off great. But the middle half of the book drags interminably. There seemed to be an endless loop of circumstances where either R'Shiel or Traja or both are in mortal danger and need to be rescued by each other. In a fantasy novel of this sort, your main protagonists should be in danger for appreciable amounts of time, it is expected. But this just read as pure tedium. I was so astonished by how unreadable it was. In some cases, I skipped whole passages.

Luckily, the last third of the book picks up and redeems the book to the point that I do plan to read the next book.

But I was really disappointed in this after how great her other series is. This book had none of the verve, none of the flair and none of the character deliciousness of the other series. I hope that doesn't continue into the next two books of this series.

[Véronique Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read Medalon back in 2002 and have re-read it throughout the years. Despite being a bit older in terms of publication, I have never found it to disappoint, unlike some even older fantasy novels that I read when I was younger and tried to read again at a later age.

First novel of a great high fantasy epic series, it mainly take the time to set up the premise of the world and its characters.
This world building is what I always found compelling about the novel because the point of the story is not the mystery of who the hero is, or what the plot is, but rather how these seemingly unaware people will get there. The author's little hints of mystery is what drew me into the story from the first chapter. The sensation that there was more than just a description but rather a fully fledged world behind the characters thoughts and actions.
That sort of world building can feel a bit slow at times, especially since it becomes quickly evident of who the hero is, but I believe that is what the first novel of a series is supposed to be about : setting the tone for the journey you're about to go on.
One of my favorite development were the gods, far more akin to the persona of the olden pagan gods, and the limitations that the author has put on them. This sense of balance, between power and powerlessness, made for an interesting plot point that added motivation to their interactions with the human world.
There are some harder themes in the novel. While it may feel useless and gratuitous, I, for one, think that it makes sense in the greater scheme of things. Something I've learned with Jennifer Fallon is that her series are hard to review because they need to be considered as a whole and the story is only complete when you have turned the last page. It makes it hard to separate the events taking place in the first book and the results that they have in the third.

All in all, I think, as far as the epic fantasy genre is concerned, that the Demon Child trilogy is a novel to consider. You may or may not like it, to each their own. I'll be honest that it came at a time in my life where most fantasy novels I could get my hands on were written by men and featured very problematic female characters, if they featured them at all, and it has stayed one of my favorite series throughout the years.

[DemetraP · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an epic fantasy that takes place in the country of Medalon, book 1 of the Hythrun Chronicles. There are quite a few books out in this series already so it looks like I can binge read.

The pagan gods wanted to kill one of their fellow gods. Only they are un-killable since you know, they're gods. So they create a "demon child" with the ability to kill a god. There is massive interference by multiple gods, a rebellion against tyranny, neighboring kingdoms at war, and a few centuries old "Harshini" with magic powers who is half human.

It's sucked me in. I'm eager to read the next book in the series.

I took off 1 star because of multiple rapes of characters. I don't like reading about that and I really don't like it when the rape victims don't get revenge.

I took off another star because one of the interfering gods, the goddess of love, made someone fall in love with someone else when they WERE NOT INTERESTED before. So this is a huge set up for sadness.

[Jennavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's funny to see this book pop up again because holy moly did I love it as a teenager. I was famously cheap as a kid (still am) and I actually ordered Harshini, the last in the trilogy, early and at full price. Medalon was as addicting as crack and happily went around hawking it to all friends/relatives who couldn't get out of the way fast enough. So what's there to love? R'Shiel is smart and determined and so very real as a young women growing up. Her mother is a harridan and learning to stand against her is hard. Having a very strong-willed mother myself I could sympathize how hard it is to try to reach an impossible bar. The gods were catty and fascinating, the Harshini confusing, and the love interest totally stole my heart. So there you go:) Read it and tell me what you think!

[Melania Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as much as the Wolfblade trilogy or the Second Sons trilogy, but I couldn't give it less than 5 stars either. As always, Jennifer Fallon does not disappoint, the story and the characters are fabulous.