The Hob's Bargain

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Very nice story - Rated
One of the ealier Patricia Briggs stories, it presents us with the reawakening of magic and of magic creatures in a rural area. In this book the author really shines at her greater strength: creating interesting stories full of unexpected twist, and narrating everything at a good pacing. Unfortunately, as is shown also in other of her works (such as Dragon Bones and Dragon Blood) she is not very good at world building, and so we are introduced into a world that honestly feels....tiny. As a matter of fact, the main character and her companions only visit three very rural village, and even if the characterization of those is good, there is what it seems a lot of unexplored potential and a lot of ideas that are only marginally explored (like the ghost village).

Unfortunately, in the story there is also a love affair with a cat/bear/humanoid creature that, although you can feel is interesting, you don't really understand how the femaly protagonists just falls in love with him.

In short, a worthy read, but lacks greatness.

Way to go Brigg's! - Rated
Once again Briggs pulls it off. I like all of her books a great deal and read them again and again. "The Hob's Bargain" is no exeption. Her portrayal of people (I use the term loosely) is tender, fun and sometimes frightening. She is not afraid to look at the darker sides of humanity.

Aren's struggle with her loss of both family and the well-regard of the villagers is compelling. Her resolution of the meeting with the Hob is not surprising but at the same time it is.

I highly recommend this book.

Great stuff - Rated
Hob's Bargain grabs you from the first moment you pick it up. Other reviewers have laid out the story and plot, so I won't repeat their words, but suffice it to say, this book is well worth your time and money.

I started to read it late one night and didn't stop until 4am! When I awoke, I had to finish it ASAP. One thing though. I have to agree with the others when they say that the people of Fallbrook, for the most part, didn't deserve Aren. I know she feels an obligation to save them all despite how nasty they are to her, but if I had been her, I would have let the HIllgrims have the worst ones. :¬)

Mark E. Cooper
Author of The Warrior Within

Something a little different - Rated
After a single night of marriage, raiders kill all of Aren of Fallbrook's family. In the same day, the bonds that have tied magic for generations are broken, and magic and the wildings are once more losed upon the land. Magic had dribbled before into the mageborn, such as Aren, but such were feared and killed if discovered, or worse. One of those returned by the release of magic is the Hob - a mischevious but essentially protective being, strong, big, and while being humanoid, still distinctly different.

Considering Fallbrok is all Aren has known, perhaps it is not surprising that Aren decides to remain to help them, despite their fear of her when she confesses to being mageborn. Although I'm not sure that it was so much of a decision as just the way things worked out. I'm also not sure how many in the village were worthy of saving! Nevertheless, with the assistance of the Hob, who helps her grow into her powers, Aren learns much of the nature of both the magic creatures and those in the village. But an evil presence is reaching toward Fallbrook and the few remaining beings that Aren loves...

I liked that Aren became a lot more self aware in the course of the book - that she was a different, stronger character at the end than she was at the beginning. Being an outsider herself, she is more accepting of the strange, magical creatures and is usually fascinated by them rather than fearful of them, even when fear should be her reation. Her relationships with her human friends, theirs to each other, and her friendship and bargain with the Hob are the backbone of the story, and Briggs has done a great job in creating a story which is very much character driven, even set as it is in a fantastical world.

I found Aren to be a very believable hero - flaws and all - and very much enjoyed her voyage of discovery. I also very much enjoyed that the central male character was not at all your 'usual' hero - not even human. And that Aren came to enjoy the differences between them.

Hobs Bargain keeps you hooked to the end - Rated
Patricia Briggs is a fantastic author my favorite is When Demons Walk but this book about struggling to survive when your world changes and magic returns is well balanced and holds your imagination.