J.T.T. Ryder’s first installment of The Bronze Sword Cycles: Hag of the Hills is what he terms as a work of “heroic prehistoric fantasy fiction” and I believe there is no better descriptor for it. The story follows Brennus son of Biturix through his fight to reclaim his ancestral homeland in the Isle of Skye and make a name for himself as the warrior Vidav who has been blessed—or cursed—with “the sight” by one of the sidhe. Hag of the Hills feels like a classic epic, the beginning of a grand saga that jumps from one battle to another—fitting, considering the prologue and epilogue set up the novel as if Brenn were telling of his adventures to a bard so as to preserve his story for future generations.
The decision to impose the role of the bard, Luceo, upon the audience so that Brenn/Vidav is addressing the reader directly is an interesting one. From a craft perspective, it makes sense as it allows Ryder to explain the cultural and historical details of Brenn’s life in a way that would not be possible with a more traditional or removed form of first person. Admittedly, I am fairly familiar with the historical and mythological foundation that this story is build upon and—perhaps because of that—I sometimes felt that the amount of context weighed down the action that is meant to be the heart of this novel. However, someone who hasn’t already done research in this area might find it necessary, so I can’t fault Ryder for taking the time to provide that context.
As I mentioned, the action is truly the heart of this story. From one-on-one boxing matches to large-scale battles, if you’re a fan of detailed combat scenes, then this is the story for you! This may seem like a bit of tangential connection, but I was a bit surprised at how little any sort of romance subplot seemed to crop up. In “heroic tales” like this I feel like it’s expected; some variation of a love left at home, saved from a battle, reunited after the final conflict—you know what I mean. Hag of the Hills isn’t necessarily void of romance, but it certainly isn’t the driving goal of the protagonist.
For me? I think that’s a huge positive in this text. I love romance as much as the next person, but—as I said—it tends to feel expected in this genre. As the first installment in this series, Hag of the Hills tackles the first part of Brenn’s journey into becoming Vidav. It’s a coming-of-age story, at its core, and I truly appreciated the fact that the majority of that journey was spent with Brenn defining his identity off of things that were not “How do I most impress this love interest?” It was refreshing and I think it makes Brenn’s journey feel more focused even among the myriad of plots and styles of conflict he has to deal with.
Hag of the Hills is not, however, completely void of romance. There’s certainly foreshadowing for a potential romance and the final chapters make it more concrete. An exploration of that relationship—with all the conflicts and hopes it may bring—is something I fully expect to see in Ryder’s later books in this franchise.
Also, I hope that Ryder will incorporate even more fantasy in any future novels in this series. The fantasy elements are, indeed, present in Hag of the Hills—mainly in the form of mythical monsters to be conquered; however, I feel like there’s more to be uncovered with Brenn’s abilities and the potential for divine intervention and all of the benefits and problems that may bring.
Overall, J.T.T. Ryder’s Hag of the Hills is an action-packed first installment of The Bronze Sword Cycles and if you’re looking for a modern—slightly fantastical—take on the classic hero’s tale, then this is the book for you.
A copy of Hag of the Hills by J.T.T. Ryder was provided for this review by Black Coffee Tours. Hag of the Hills can be purchased here!
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