Wing of a Falcon

by Cynthia Voigt

Book Overview

There was something different about him. He had no name. He showed no emotion, never yielded. And Griff had always stood by him. Even in this place where cruelty and betrayals were the way of life. So... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590467131
• ISBN13: 9780590467131
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 467 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.7"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

The Lord of the Rings it's not, but still fantastic!

The Wings of a Falcon is the third book in a series of highly acclaimed heroic adventures that began with Jackaroo and continued in On Fortune's Wheel. This book was written by Cynthia Voigt who is a renowned author of books that revolve around the heroic theme. Although relatively difficult at places, The Wings of a Falcon shouldn't be missed by anyone who is remotely interested in a book that illustrates friendship, courage, and loyalty. As a boy with no name, no family, and no love, he only knew how to obey and stay loyal to the sixth Damall. Under cruel and unreasonable treatments, he remained strong and eventually earned the honorable position of seventh Damall. Just when everything is set, he escaped the Damall's island with his only friend Griff, the falconstone called Beryl, and a name. From war torn cities to steep steps of the snowy mountain, he and Griff conquered numerous challenges and after each exhausting day, their hearts slowly began to unite as one. When fate brought them to the mysterious Kingdom, a devastating tragedy struck and Griff's responsibility and unwavering loyalty will be severely tested. The book is very well written and it is obvious that the author imputed a lot of energy on small details that would enhance the final product. There are definitely enough cleverly used sensory details to give readers a clear picture of the subject, and even better, the sensory details never bogged down the pace of the book and readers would never feel overwhelmed by hordes after hordes of figurative languages. The characters featured in this novel all have distinct personalities and complex ambitions, and at no where in the book did the author just simply introduces a character. All characters came into their roles mysteriously and some character's true backgrounds are never revealed. The different parts of the book are all connected to each other seamlessly, and the book flows along smoothly. With crystal clear sensory details and complex character build-ups, the Wings of a Falcon also has a twisting plot that will puzzle and surprise even the most advanced readers. It is hard trying to pick weak points from such a wonderful book, but The Wings of a Falcon isn't perfect. The most evident flaw is probably the fact that the book is a bit too difficult to understand at times, and the twisting plot would constantly confuse readers. Some of the things in this novel should be filtered out to make it more exciting and less repetitive, and some moments should be emphasized more to make it stand out and memorable. The author could have added some funny moments to make this book more entertaining and the unexpected ending could depress and disturb some readers. But these are just minor pitfalls that are barely worth mentioning in front of all the strong points of this book. Overall, The Wings of a Falcon is a fantastic book that tells about courage, friendship, and loyalty. While it definitely has some problems, its unparalleled depth, eng

A masterpiece

I must somehow acquire the hardcover edition of this book, because all I have now is the paperback, and I have gripped it so tightly and opened and closed it so many times that I have broken the binding.The Wings of a Falcon is one of the key books of my life. It takes elements of traditional fantasy -- a journey, friendship forged in adversity, legendary lands -- and weaves them into a character-driven novel that transcends these components so utterly that they disappear seamlessly into the story. The book is, in fact, not fantasy in any definable way -- no fabulous creatures or supernatural forces appear -- but it retains the sense of wonder and exploration that is at the core of what draws readers to the fantastic.Cynthia Voigt accomplishes this sublime transcendence by keeping the focus on the characters, with the faintly fantastic elements judiciously employed as background and environment. The emphasis here is on human interaction, and Voigt describes that interaction carefully and naturally. The structure of the story is such that the two main characters come into contact with various others under various circumstances and thus assume various roles: slave, stranger, captive, lover, leader. Voigt is able to clothe her characters in many habits without obscuring their fundamental personalities, the foundations which underlie all of the attitudes they assume.Ultimately, the environments through which the characters travel, and the situations they find themselves in, are not as important in themselves as in how they illuminate the characters. By watching as the two companions move from one place and one set of people to another, we see them from different angles, and in the end we are presented with character portraits breathtaking in their complexity and completeness. (Though it pains me to lend legitimacy to petty complaints by addressing them, I must add that "the plot twist" referred to so derisively by various readers is just such a thing: an event whose causes and effects reveal things about the characters.)Books as perfect as this are rare. I have read The Wings of a Falcon at least four times -- maybe more -- and each reading has been a fulfilling rediscovery of its delicate power. It's one of my favorite books of all time.

I Hate This Novel

I give this book 5 stars because it is a compelling, well-written, engrossing novel, not because I like it. For the first 25 chapters I loved this book and its main character, Oriel. I read it voraciously, eager to witness the adventures of this brilliant, indomitable soul and his wise friend and (at times) conscience, Griff. However, after reaching the "plot twist" contained in chapters 26 and 27, I quickly lost all interest in the story. I only continued reading so I could see how the author attempted to redeem this unholy mess. As was perhaps inevitable (given the circumstances), the concluding chapters turned out to be predictable and unsatisfactory. I do not argue with an author's right to defy convention or to shock his or her readers; however, an author's "surprises" ought not to ruin the rhythm of the novel, nor should they seem artificial or forced. Sadly, this particular plot twist was guilty of the above charges. After reaching chapter 27, I could see how the novel must end; I realized how conveniently the preceding chapters had placed each of the characters in preparation for the "unexpected event"; I could divine what touching messages of hope, friendship, etc. the rest of the book had in store for the reader; and I gritted my teeth. I could feel no sympathy nor affinity for characters the author had never bothered to develop -- characters who, in the absence of the one person who had breathed life into this story, now seemed like static, uninteresting puppets whose only purpose was to plod along to the story's unsurprising, yet self-satisfied, conclusion.But despite all these failings, I am compelled to give this book 5 stars. A character as brilliant and vital as Oriel deserves no less.

Indescribable

This book is really indescribable, but I'm going to try anyway. It is moving, touching, heartening, heart-breaking, real, and pretty much everything I could ask for in a book. And thank you on behalf of all the people who haven't read this book yet to the braniac a few reviews down who decides to give away pretty much the most shocking twist in the book (Hint: don't read Emilyjane's review!!! Stay away if you're planning on reading the book!) Also, I have to disagree with the person who says that reading the other two books in the series, Jackaroo and On Fortune's Wheel, doesn't make reading this one more fun. The three books are VERY loosely connected, and she's right that the book is great on its own, but when you've read the other two books, it creates an entire world and you really get to know it well. It makes it all the more real. You can't just dismiss is a "just a book" when you've been completely wrapped up in Cynthia Voigt's universe for three whole books. Also, if you read carefully, you can pick up subtle refererences to the other books that you will really love. It's kind of exhilerating to recognize an allusion to a character you absolutely loved and thought you would never see again (eg: Orien). I can't reccomend this book enough. Reading it is an adventure. I promise.