Balefire (Whyborne & Griffin Book 10)
To that end, Whyborne, his husband Griffin, and their friends Iskander and Christine travel to a small island off the coast of Cornwall. But when they arrive at Balefire Manor, Whyborne must not only face the evil within the ancient mansion, but the painful truth about his own destiny.
Reviews (77)
Powerful and over-the-top. Fantastic romantic fun.
“I’m really just a fellow who gets paid to translate what other people find.” In the penultimate book in the Whyborne and Griffin series, we see the absurdity of Percival Endicott Whyborne’s self-deprecation. Jordan Hawk takes us over the top, to great effect, visually and emotionally. In the course of this series we’ve watched the meek, beaten-down Whyborne gradually rise up, both through the gradual realization of his magical powers, and through his love for the ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty. But Whyborne has never become an egotist, full of himself and arrogant in his new-found power. He has ever been forgiving of his misbegotten family, and endlessly caring and grateful for the friendship of his colleague Christine and her husband Iskander. All Percival really wants is for things to go back to normal, so he can sit in his office at the Ladysmith Museum and translate fragments of long-dead languages. He wants his home and his cat and his husband. Fate has other plans for Whyborne. Even as he and his cohort try to prepare themselves for the expected return of an alien master race to rule the earth, others continue to distract him from his work. This time the ruthless and arrogant Endicotts, cousins of Whyborne through his non-human mother, show up in Widdershins to seek his help. Something bad has happened at Balefire Manor, the Endicott stronghold off the Cornish coast. Knowing that the Endicotts have something he needs, Percival agrees, and then concedes when his beloved, his mother and his friends all insist on joining him. They are definitely all for one and one for all, this group, and that’s one of the core pleasures of this book. Whyborne is not a hero alone; he is part of a team, each with different skills, each of whom is essential for the success of the others. The action is even more operatically violent and cinematic in its visual descriptions than any of the previous books in the series. I was blown away by the last few chapters, my emotions stretched to breaking as I fretted about this gang of oddballs whom I’ve grown to care about as I’ve read the series. There is plenty of tragedy and redemption here, and a grand confrontations of good and evil that satisfies the soul. You really can’t ask for much more in a book like this. The world of Widdershins has always been a little off for me. However, despite the long-since-jumped-the-shark plotline of the series, and the not-quite-careful-enough quasi-historical world Hawk creates (I’m a curator and a scholar of the 19th century, and thus pretty hard to please), I cannot help but be drawn to Hawk’s wonderful characters and carefully drawn emotion. Even the sinister Niles Whyborne, selfish patriarch of the Whyborne financial dynasty, has evolved into a complex, layered character. The proto-feminist feistiness of Christine Putnam-Barnett is endlessly appealing; the tomboy archaeologist who finds love with a half-English Egyptian. Whyborne’s half-human mother, Heliabel, and his rediscovered twin sister Persephone, provide a surreal, alien love for our gentle hero, providing him with the kind of happy family he has never experienced otherwise. And, of course, Griffin Flaherty, the brash, masculine detective-for-hire, who falls for the disheveled, brilliant, and timid curator, and becomes the center of his being—the essential romantic hero who sweeps the damsel away to happy ever after. The fact that Whyborne is both a man and has all the real power just makes Hawk’s twisted romantic model all the more piquant. I look forward to the final book in the series, but know that I’ll be sad to say goodbye to Widdershins and its denizens.
An excellent tension-filled adventure
This is definitely not a standalone. Go back and start at book one – please. I think book 7 is the latest you can pick up the series. If you’ve made it so far, this is a great addition to the tale of Whybourne and Griffin. Whybourne and Griffin, Christine and Iskander, and Heliabel (!!) travel to the Endicott ancestral island to face whatever evil creature has cut it off from the outside world. “Whatever” doesn’t indicate that the evil creatures are fungible. It does mean that they don’t know which evil creature they will face until they arrive. The conflict takes up much of the book. There are no pauses, leaving the reader feeling as embattled as the protagonists. The enemies they face are more gruesome than ever. Tentacle faces. Giant rat creatures. There are some off notes. Christine declares that she will be a better mother than the Creator. Really? That’s a pretty low bar. Saving the world isn’t enough? The poignant moments are far more common. Griffin contemplates that what he’s going to miss the most are the small moments he spends with Whybourne. Heliabel remembers her children and grandchildren. This may be the best book in the series.
Fantastic penultimate adventure
Ten is a solid, round number, so I thought this would be the final book in the series. I was disappointed that the grand finale didn’t look like it would take place in the city of Widdershins, but I figured out early in the story that this was not the end of the series. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it looks like book 11 will be the end instead. As usual, Hawk does a fantastic job of blending horror and action. Meeting the Endicott clan on their own ground was fraught with tension and surprises. They finally get their due, and I definitely pity them for it. Everyone comes close to death on more than one occasion, secrets are revealed, and there are creepy/scary moments galore. I don’t think I could adore Christina any more than I already do, but the stand-out character in this story is Whyborne’s mother Heliabel. I love that she is living the full life that was denied her for far too long. If I ever complained that this Lovecraftian-inspired series didn’t have enough tentacles, this installment makes up for that lack in spades. Every evil that is banished reveals a greater foe to be fought, and Whyborne, Griffin, and their friends make a solid team that I hope will be up to the task.
To Balefire, the Endicotts, the Gang Go for an Adventurous Trip
WOWZA! After everything that happened in Draakenwood with the Endicotts and Rupert's request, Whybourne and Gang have to go save his awful cousins in Balefire. I truly loathe the Endicotts. They're the worse sort of pure bloods with no great love for hybrids and abominations which is ironic given their true beginnings with their ancestor. More secrets are unfolded and told with the Endicotts, the Seeker, and the Keeper. What they discover inside the old stronghold of the Endicotts' ancestral home is truly horrifying as the Seeker of Truth made a dark pact with the Old Masters to try and save as many of his family as he could. Whybourne meets the father of Theo and Fiona and he truly is a horrid, ghastly little old man who gave in to his fears and sacrificed members of his family to a fate worse than death. It was a wonderful audiobook narrated by Julian full of twists and turns as we follow Whybourne and the gang inside Balefire! Stay tuned for the finale!
Magical adventure, magical baddies: our Widdershins fam is on the case to save the world
I had buy-in before even opening this book: it's set in gloriously mystical Cornwall. *happy sigh* Course, my buy-in originated with book one of this series, Widdershins, and these characters in one of the best trios in modern fiction, and the ceaseless imagination of Jordan Hawk. This story is all about the magic and adventure and danger, and the further building of this chosen family despite the horror and loss surrounding them this trip. Well, yes, they technically go on a hop across the pond, but it's not filled dancing all night and sleeping all day. The rats and rat bath turds have their gross, selfish, deadly agenda and our Widdershins gang is determined to save the world from it. Hawk's ability to give us action adventure in a vein similar to our beloved Indiana Jones is on fiyah: the adrenalized crescendos, the craftily placed respites that afford the smallest opportunities of breath catching, and of course the complete surrounding of us by the full blown perilous atmosphere in which our all too human superheroes attempt to defeat the magical baddies. On the flip side, we do get less of the personal side of things. There are moments that made me cackle, awwww, and maintain my love for these people, but they're supporting characters, as it were, to the plot. Christine is still the end all be all of bada$$er¥, with mama bear Heliabel right on her cudgel-wielding heels. Their baldly evident love for their peeps is motivational and swoony. This isn't the most well-penned collection of word type things from Hawk and their lengthy collection of works, but it also doesn't matter: their continued trend of trying new things, allowing these characters to progress, learn, fail, and love, and willingness to share all of this with us farrrr outweigh any bumps in the practicality of presentation. Even more, those blips are beautifully shoved aside with moments like this: Q: I expanded my focus, searching for Morgen. For a moment, I thought I’d made a mistake, missed her passing. But she hung like a wisp in the abyss of light, barely more substantial than a thought. /Q Gah! I love Ival and Grif and this entire Widdershins world, and this is a hella exciting next chapter in it. Having fun while reading: you betchur sweet bippy!
Mind-blowing magical adventure!
Wow, what a book! It just keeps getting better and better! Ms Hawk has outdone herself again. I loved every page. If I tried to describe any part of it in this review it would be one huge spoiler. But I can say one thing - amazing! What was different about this one was the fact that it had less downtime for Whyborne and the crew - from about 30% of the book you just pull on your big boy/girl panties, put on your seat belt and hold on! It's a roller coaster of an adventure! So detailed you can picture it all in your mind. Some secrets are revealed, more mysteries uncovered but yet so many new questions you want to know answers to. When the book ends you want to know when the next (and the last book *ugly angry tears*) will come out. Thrilling, fast-paced, fascinating magical journey! I highly recommend it! Enough said! P.S. Christine stole part of the show per the norm. :-)
Do I need to say that I love this series
Do I need to say that I love this series? And this book is simply one of the best in it. Whyborn and Griffin's relationship is well established, solid and firm, and it's so easy to see their love burn through all their thoughts and interactions! Christine and Iskander's relationship isn't less strong, but they are facing some changes
It's time for Whyborne to make good on his promise to help his Endicott relatives recover ...
It's time for Whyborne to make good on his promise to help his Endicott relatives recover the family manor and once that is done he will recieve the key that will help him decipher the Wisborg Codex so he can defeat the masters. With Griffin, Iskander and Christine at his side, Whyborne makes the trip but what he learns on this mission may not be what he expected. No one knows what the future holds but destiny on the other hand may already be written but will it bring happiness or heartache? I really don't know what I can say about Balefire that I haven't already said in reviews for the other entries in the Whyborne & Griffin series, but I'll try. I really love how both boys have grown throughout their journey. Whyborne has become more confident without losing his quietness, I hate to use the word "innocence" because he has seen so much evil but he still retains that part of him that borders on naivete. As for Griffin, well he has always been the more outspoken of the two but he has become more accepting of Whyborne's powers and embraced his own gift. As for Christine and Kander, well they just keep on trucking with their friendship to the boys, love for each other, determination to help good prevail over evil, and all the while doing it with wit and wisdom. I can't imagine anyone not loving Christine's pluckiness but one scene that really stood out for me was even in the face of possible death she was livid over Whyborne's reckless destruction of an archeological find. I don't think her outrage even lasted a full page but it stood out and was a perfect example of what makes Christine tick and why she has become a fan favorite. She may be a secondary character with sidekick aspects but there is nothing secondary or sidekicky about her. Heliabel is along for the journey as the ketoi "ambassador" which I thought was a delightful touch. She's been around the whole series but I don't think we've ever seen this much of her in one entry. Watching her step into a motherly role to everyone was lovely, especially Christine. Now, their talks may not be something we seen on page all the time but you just know they were emotional, straight to the point, and exactly what they both needed. I'll admit I missed Persephone and Miss Parkhurst but it was only right that they stayed in Widdershins to "hold the fort" as it were. Balefire is a brilliant entry in Whyborne & Griffin series and the idea that there will be only one more breaks my heart but I know that Jordan L Hawk will bring it to a conclusion we'll never forget. So if you haven't started Whyborne & Griffin's journey than there's no better time to start and if you are a W&G follower than you certainly don't want to miss this one.
Whyborne struck again!!!
Well, Whyborne and Griffin and company could do no wrong for me. So, even if imho “Balefire” was not as gripping as “Draakenwood” I still love it. The book add pieces of clue into the secret and mystery that Ival had been searching for, an unlikely allies formed. Hawk certainly gave me nightmare with the sort of cursed forms some people suffered in this entry, but what else is new. I even found myself feel sorry for such a horrid character (you can guess of whom I referred to) for the nightmare they got themselves in. It helped how among those gloomy and depressing scenes Hawk managed to imbue humor on the pages, especially as wonted to happen when Christine and/or Persephone were in picture. Those really lifted up the mood in unexpected times. The character development is interesting not only for our MCs, but also the supporting and unlikely casts. With one book left in the story, and with underlying trouble still unresolved in “Balefire,” I’m eager to see how this whole series would conclude.
WHYBORNE & GRIFFIN FACE "THE COUSINS" , AGAIN. WELL, WHAT FAMILY DOESN'T HAVE A LITTLE STRIFE?
Hawk continues to surprise and delight. Mystery, mayhem, danger and betrayal. Whyborne should have really known better. Well he did, it's just Hawk's talent for pirouetting into near chaos while we grab for a hand rail,(any hand rail!). A trip to Endicott England to assist the kin who want him dead Whyborne (and Griffin ) can't seem to say no. Hawks heroes, plus the matriarch, come to assist the Endicotts in a "mess of their own making". Scenic and awesome, thrilling and frightening. This one is as good as the rest. Thank you, again Mr. Hawk.
