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The Griffin's Boy (The Griffin Riders' Chronicles Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Julia Hughes (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 317 ratings
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Nothing in this world or any other competes with the thrill of soaring through the skies on a griffin's back ...A thrill sharpened by the knowledge that one wrong move, one lapse in concentration can prove fatal ...Only the elite are selected by Griffin Master Romulus to patrol the skies of a mist shrouded Britain. But that's okay with Neb, because even a lowly orphan has ambitions, and he plans to be recruited as a groom. So when selection day dawns, he works extra hard to ensure all the griffins in his care look their best. All goes well, until with a flap of his wings, Balkind, the most mischievious griffin ever, ruins both their chances.
Telling himself and anyone else who'll listen that Balkind deserves a second chance, Neb steals the beast and flies off after Romulus, determined to change the old warrior's mind. As Balkind soars above fields and villages, Neb tries not to think about the punishment for theft and tries even harder not to fall ... unaware that there's more than one way to fall and he's about to fall hard.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Griffin Riders' Chronicles
  2. Print length
    180 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    December 11, 2013
  6. File size
    5222 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The plotting, characterization and the writing are all superb, the scenes of rescue and flight some of the finest I've read in any fantasy, including the Harry Potter series, and I was swept up in the whimsy of the story, in the exalted view of field and farm in an alien and beautiful world."

From the Author

This little story is dedicated to all those who dream of flying. Have fun, be safe, but should you fall, may there always be someone there to catch you and lift you high into the skies once more.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00H9NMQE4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Talon Press; 19th edition (December 11, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 11, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5222 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 180 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 317 ratings

About the author

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Julia Hughes

Julia Hughes

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Julia Hughes is the London born author of The Celtic Cousins' Adventures: "A Raucous Time", "A Ripple in Time" and "An Explosive Time".

Her two Griffin Riders' Chronicles are "The Griffin Cryer" and "The Griffin's Boy".

Detective Inspector Crombie who first appeared in the Celtic Cousin's Adventures, now has his own series, titles so far: "Everybody Lies" and "The Ink Man Lies" shortly to be joined by "My Sister Lies".

"The Bridle Path" is a stand alone romantic adventure, set in Cornwall.

Julia hopes to make enough money as an author to keep her small dog, Tinker, supplied in hazelnuts for evermore. Until then, she'll continue to mine said hazelnuts from chocolate bars, nobly sacrificing her diet for Tinker's benefit.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
317 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Susan Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars The Sheer Joy of Adventure
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2014
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I lost myself in The Griffin’s Boy by Julia Hughes. It is a fascinating story for readers of all ages where there are adventures and strange wonders on every page. The author transports us once again to Ella-Earth, a parallel universe where evolution has taken a different course and Britain remains an island clothed in mist. The date is unspecified, a time of yellow fields and thatched roofs, of griffins and griffin masters where evil villains lurk in unusual places.

The Griffin’s Boy is a coming of age story, a tale of defiance and adventure and derring-do as Neb, the “ No One” boy disobeys orders, ignoring his place in life. He steals the unruly griffin, Balkind. Together they soar and attempt to rescue the weak and innocent. Along the way, Neb discovers girls.

The plotting, characterization and the writing are all superb, the scenes of rescue and flight some of the finest I’ve read in any fantasy, including the Harry Potter series, and I was swept up in the whimsy of the story, in the exalted view of field and farm in an alien and beautiful world.

I loved the characters, especially Neb and Balkind and Chantress Anderra and loved to hate the villains, of which there are many. I especially liked the scenes with Neb riding Balkind. The author’s prose is fine indeed when describing their flight, some passages reminding me of de Saint-Exupery’s Wind, Sand and Stars. I read them over several times and each time felt the sheer joy of flying as if for the first time. My favorite, of course is the hero, Ned, who never ever gives up. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. And now I want to ride a griffin.
8 people found this helpful
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Johnathon K
4.0 out of 5 stars Decent YA Fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2014
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I bought this book thinking it was for the adult market. After reading it, though, I think it really is intended for the YA market, and this review is based on that assumption.

Neb (which means nobody) is low man on the social hierarchy at a school from where griffins and handlers are prepared for selection into a griffin-based service. He has no known background (although there are hints that more will be revealed in subsequent books). He is tall, brave, capable, and has a good heart. This is pretty formulaic in YA, the high-quality protagonist who suffers under the thumb of other, less qualified characters.

He is not selected for what he truly wants, but he refuses to take no for an answer and takes things into his own hands. Along the way, he performs some feats of derring-do, tries to do others but fails, disobeys the orders of his superiors, has a little love interest--once again, the type of thing in popular YA fiction. These are popular themes precisely because YA readers like them, and I think the author pretty much checked all the boxes with them.

The story flowed well and was fast-paced. Action abounded. Characterization, on the other hand, was a little one-dimensional. Neb had some depth, but that was about it.

One little question, though: how can a griffin, with an eagle's beak, have teeth? This is fantasy, and some early flying dinosaurs (not the pterosaurs, which were actually reptiles) had both beaks and teeth, but I think this was just a slip-up.

This is a book that I think most YA readers will like. It is a quick, fun read.
2 people found this helpful
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Deep Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars A sweeping adventure ... without the broom!
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2014
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“Neb” which means “No-one” a name given the orphan boy by refined and scornful “Lordlings”, is heartbroken when he learns he will not be chosen as a Griffin Rider but even more so that his extraordinary mount “Balkind” was not selected by stern Master Romulus. It is this un-kindled desire that leads the lad and his mythical friend to follow after the special ones and tumble into a sweeping adventure of a lifetime.
Julia Hughes is the British author of many bestselling fantasies including “A Ripple in Time” and “The Bridle Path.” The magic this novelist creates with words diverges from each page as the reader excites to ageless adventure available no-where else on this planet. The plot and prose of “The Griffin’s Boy” set fire to the imagination and are exacting without the filler you receive from lesser known story-writers. The characters in this volume are closely related to those of “The Griffin Cryer” but I would be hard-pressed to choose as to which should be read first, as each novel is a stand-alone work that needs no sustenance. As a fantasy writer, Ms. Hughes is un-matched in her Genre … for that I give her an easy 5 stars.
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Nate Kirtis
3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I was looking for - but might be good for others.
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2016
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It wasn't really what I look for in a book, but you might like it. Go ahead and read the sample chapters before you write if off.
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Jcat
4.0 out of 5 stars I'm actually surprised how much I liked this little YA Fantasy.
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
I also have what is listed as Book 2 in this series (Griffin Cryer). However, it appears that this Book 1, "Griffin's Boy", is actually a background prequel book that was written after "The Griffin Cryer". This Book 1 is short--and unfortunately, I've looked at "Griffin Cryer"--and it appears to be even shorter. I prefer longer books, so that's a disappointment.

One of the things that I found lacking in this book was sufficient World Building. Now I'm thinking that some of that World Building probably took place in "Griffin Cryer"; but until I read it, I can't say for sure. I would have wished for more stable character development and personality progression as well.

But what it did have was an entertaining plot, interesting characters (good and bad) and, of course, Griffins. The writing style flowed well, and the ending was satisfying. Because of these things, I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book. I like Dragons, Gargoyles, and now Griffins. These Griffins kind of made me think of Pern Dragons (but with beaks and feathers).
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Top reviews from other countries

Lily Star
5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2014
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The Griffin's Rider is an utterly enchanting read set in an alternative Britain about Neb, a peasant boy so lowly that he doesn't even have a real name, and the adventure he shares with the cheeky, disobedient griffin, Balkind, not to mention the trouble they get themselves into.

When Balkind's rider is unable to control him, Griffin Master Romulus unfairly leaves the griffin behind, and so Neb takes it upon himself to ride Balkind himself because he knows they both deserve a chance. Along the way, they come across a village in need of a hero, and their adventure begins.

This is an awesome story, and perfect for anyone of any age, teenager and adult alike. It's exciting, fantastical, and had me on the edge of my seat many times.

Julia Hughes did an amazing job with the descriptions. I was easily able to imagine the surroundings, the people, the griffins, even the smells and the atmosphere. It was so detailed and intricate that I found myself reading through it slowly and thoroughly to make sure I didn't miss a thing. I've never read a griffin story before, but I didn't find myself lost or confused at all.

My favourite character – aside from Balkind the lovable Griffin – had to be Samara, Neb's love interest. I adore a strong female character with sass and fire, and that's just what she was. The romance between Samara and Neb was sweet and innocent, and yet didn't take over the story, which is just how I like my romances. It simply added a bit of loveliness. I liked how much of a surprise it came to Neb, who didn't have any experience with these kinds of things before.

And the evil characters are so creepy and sinister – just how I like them :). They really added a thrilling, darker aspect to the story, and I kept hoping for them to get what they deserved.

The Griffin's Boy is the kind of story that would look seriously amazing on the big or small screen. It would be something that I'd definitely watch.

I'd definitely recommend this, especially those who like action/adventure and fantasy, with just a dash of romance thrown in to sweeten things up. I hope there will be more books with Neb and Balkind's adventures, and I'll be going out to look up more of Julia Hughes' work right away.

Five stars!
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S
4.0 out of 5 stars Great backstory
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2014
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This is a prequel story to The Griffin Cryer which explores the back story of the young man who is to become The Rider. We first meet him as a lowly stable boy, a servant who does little more than see to the welfare of the Griffins. He isn't one of the rich kids destined for greatness. He's so low on the totem pole that he doesn't even deserve a name: they simply call him 'Neb' which, in this universe, means 'nobody'.

Destiny calls when Neb steals a young griffin called Balkind (in a move eerily reminiscent of Dr Who stealing The Tardis) and this kicks off his journey of self discovery, which is a fantasy based coming of age.

The whole story is told from Neb's viewpoint, including a lot of internalisation and his reaction to riding a griffin, soaring through the skies and taking on the bad guys. It's simply written in an informal, and distinctly British style that would suit young adult readers (in the 13-16 bracket or so - there is some violence within the later chapters).

Formatting is quite nice, with proper indents, and all chapters on a new page. I don't know if the **** separators are needed at the end of chapters (rather than to simply denote in chapter scene breaks), but there's no harm in them being there.

All in all, a worth prequel. Oddly, I'd recommend the main story The Griffin Cryer, be read first as this instalment fleshes out the 'Ella Earth' universe created within TGC, although it does pre-date TGC chronologically.

A solid four from me.
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AvaK
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2014
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I've not read any stories with Griffins in them before and I have to say - I wonder why not - as it was enchanting and magical. I want one! I loved Balkind, Neb and Samara and the grumpy Griffin Master, Romulus! The story kept me entertained from start to finish and I read it in two sittings, if I'd had the time I would've done it in one but alas I didn't. Neb's character is easy to love and I sincerely hope his life improves now he's got his own Griffin tho I think Balkind will take him on some fast and furious adventures! I never do spoilers or great, long, reviews - preferring just to let folks know if I really liked, or didn't, a story. This one I did - tons - grab your own copy and follow Neb and Balkind's story. You won't be disappointed a lovely story, great characters equals a great read!
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dianne mcguire
3.0 out of 5 stars a good story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2014
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I liked this book it was a good short story I only wish it was longer give us more from the griffin boy
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bd
5.0 out of 5 stars Very intersting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2015
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I chose five stars because the story is original and has a realistic emotional element in the young rider. It's what interesting from the first page and I didn't want it end quite so quickly. I am looking forward to book two.
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