Booklog 81/2025: Terry Mancour: Hawkmaiden – Spellmonger Cadet #1 – Audiobook

[jacey]

Audiobook narrated by Finty Williams.

This is not advertised as a YA book, but it definitely is. Twelve-year-old Dara of Westwood captures and trains a falcon with the help of her supportive family. Much of the early part of the book is concerned with this, but when Minalan the Spellmonger becomes the new Lord of Sevendor, ousting the hated Sir Erendal, magic comes into the equation. Contending with new talents Dara plays an important part in saving Sevendor from an attack by a neighbouring lord, then goes on to enter a magical competition which leads to unexpected consequences. It’s a fairly standard coming-of-age tale with a few exciting sequences. Finty Williams' voice carries traces of her mother's (Judi Dench) and the narration is good, but the story is a bit slow. I generally like keeping up with what's available in the YA field, but I probably won't seek out then next book in the sequence yet. Although this is labelled as Spellmonger Cadet #1 I gather that it’s a YA retelling of events in a previous book. I guess I started in the wrong place.