Return from the Hunt by Hugh T McCracken    Books by Hugh T McCracken     View all 10 · Masters of the Hunt · Heads up for Harry · The Knotted Cord (Alistair Kinnon) · Ring of Stone · The Tangled Skein (Alistair Kinnon)
Category:	Young Adult/Teen	Publisher:	Bewrite Books, UK	ISBN-10:	1904224520	Type:	Fiction
Pages:	228	Copyright:	Mar 1 2003

Buy your copy! Amazon Amazon Barnes & Noble.com Bewrite Books Amazon.ca Return from the Hunt Pet, Davey, and Mike are back in modern Scotland after a frightening byut exhilarating year out of time in twelth century. The survival skills they fought so hard to acquire in the distant past are as inappropriate for them in the present as hand-to-hand battle tactics are for soldiers returning to civilian life. Mike's father, a retired special forces major, at first tries to deprogram the boys, but Pete begins to feel that his destiny is tied to the past and that he, at least, must go back.Pete has the added complication of being the subject of a custody battle between his parents who are the process of divorce. His father's sister is constantly in a state of war with Pete, thinking he should still be the innocent little boy he was a year ago when the group vanished from the island and thrown back in time to the brutal days of Braveheart.The decision to go back or to stay seems to be Pete's. But can he go back? Does he really have a chioce? If he does go back, should he go alone or should the others go with him? Excerpt "I wish we'd never come back." Davey scuffed his shoes in the dust and threw his empty Coke can in the general direction of the trash bin. "Okay, okay." He scowled at the policeman who had stopped to stare at him, picked up the litter, and deposited it properly. "See what I mean, Pete? Here, we're only kids again." "Clean your shoes," I said, tugging at my clothes. "Your mom'll chew us out if we're messy for the interveiw at school." Davey sighed and stood on one foot to rub one toe-cap up and down the back of the other trouser leg and peered down at the result. "I'll be fourteen next birthday ..."

Paperback

Professional Reviews
Review by Steve Mazey, Eternal Night
Pete, Davey, and Mike are back from their time-jump year in the medieval period, but without Keith and Colin who never returned. But they are now, once again, subject to the ways of our time. This means school, and remembering how to act in relation to other people according to the social rules we live within. Their experiences in the past, in a more violent, feudal society have hardened them, and changed their attitude to the world and the folks in it to a much more black and white position.
When they encounter bullies they retaliate, and act as one, in a way similar to a trained military unit. People around them notice this, and it is only through the intervention of the Duke on the island that they stay out of serious trouble. The Duke has his own agenda as he has discovered similarities between these three and the three protectors of one of his ancestors in the dim past — he realises they are the three his family legends tell of, and that the local legend of the Night of the Hunt was the way these three (and the two who didn't return) made their time jump. He also realises they must return to continue their part in these legends and safeguard the lives of his ancestors. Together with some old army buddies of his they begin to train the three in preparation for their return to the past.
Often the middle book in a trilogy is a difficult book to read. The first book is usually action packed and fast-paced, introducing you to the world, the characters, and the direction of the story. Book three of the set finishes things off and includes lots of action. This leaves book two often as a means to get from book one to book three. Book two's often include journeys — long journeys. These to me serve no purpose whatsoever except to show the author has researched medieval transport — okay it's a pet peeve of mine!
This is different. It is the mid-book as a series, but it is not a traditional middle book. The first book is entirely self-contained; the story starts with the boys returning to the past having an adventure and then returning. This book takes place entirely in the modern day and sees the returning boys having some very normal everyday issues to deal with. But against all this is a growing sense of anticipation. This book works in that it hints at what is to come in book three without revealing too much of it.
The writing style is comfortable; it invites the reader into this world and makes him/her feel very much at home. This is a book aimed at young adults, and I would imagine it is very suitable for that audience (as well as anyone older like myself).
The violence the book contains is not overly described, and the emphasis is very much against bullying. The main characters are all teenagers, allowing younger readers to identify and sympathise with them. The story is paced well, with enough interesting twists to maintain the reader's enthusiasm. Now all I need is book three.
Review by Steve & Lesley Mazey, Editor of Eternal Night, www.eternalnight.co.uk

Reader Reviews for "Return from the Hunt"

Reviewed by Hugh McCracken	9/22/2003
See my web page http://members.rogers.com for several reviews

Want to review or comment on this book?
Click here to login!

Need a FREE Reader Membership?
Click here for your Membership!