Warriors of Hallan by Evi Photopoulos follows a group of people who want to change their lives for the better in the 1600s. We have Roby Jones, the London street urchin who sets out on the seas hoping to make a better life; there’s his friend Nora Red,  a prostitute who wants to get out of the slums, and Imamu from the African island of Mozambique, who is constantly trying to stay ahead of soldiers wanting to make him a slave. Finally, there’s Craig Norton from a wealthy business family who would love nothing more than to run away to the sea. Their stories intertwined as happenstance and piracy bring them together. Will they find the happiness they seek, or will their less-than-reputable activities get them killed? Equally as important, who are the shady figures who seem to be trying to fulfill a darker purpose?

I have to say off the bat, this was a beautifully written book. Photopoulos captures the hunger and grime of London’s poorer sections in this time period. She also does justice to the hardships of a life at sea and the terror and loss in trying to evade being enslaved. Each character was introduced and woven perfectly into this tapestry, each adding a fresh element to the tale. I love how a hero who was already towing the edge of good and bad fully tips to the dark side, and you go from rooting for him to loathing him. It’s an exciting turnaround.

One issue I had with the book is the author’s frequent foreshadowing right before said event takes away the surprise elements of the story. I felt like I kept getting spoiled for a plot twist. I also felt that dates were awkwardly inserted into the paragraph when they could have just labeled it at the head of the section.

Warriors of Hallan by Evi Photopoulos is a riveting high-seas adventure with a little hint of fantastical; I highly recommend this book. There’s triumph, pain, loss, and even a little romance to whet your literary appetite.

Pages: 309 | ASIN : B0BLL3FTJ3

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/24/warriors-of-hallan/