Blurb:

A gripping tale set in the world of the Dryad's Crown

Bren Caius is a living legend, the greatest warrior of her age. But much of her legacy is a lie, fabricated by those in desperate need of a champion.

As high general of Amon, Bren has grown weary of commanding a dwindling army against the gnoll warlord Kret Bonebreaker and his fearsome legion. Amidst the bloodshed, she must lead her soldiers to victory while contending with a disloyal advisor, a mysterious prophet, the cruel ambitions of nobles, and ghosts from her past. The fate of Amon rests upon a single epic battle-one of fire, steel, and magic. Can Bren stand against the darkness and become the hero she's expected to be?

Based on Shakespeare's Henry V, War of the Hounds is the story of Bren's greatest triumph and her most heartbreaking failure.

Review:

Aubec’s face twisted at the bitterness of his fate.

“I live to serve. And now I serve to live.”

To start this review off, I would like to mention that I read this novella in a very interesting way. It was offered by the author to read War of the Hounds between two very specific chapters in “The Dryad’s Crown”, which is book one of the Tales from Efre Ousel series. In doing this, it has heightened the experience of both books and made for a very pleasurable reading adventure. However, one could read the novella before or after Dryad’s Crown and still experience an amazing story. 

The land to which you are transported is war torn. Opposing armies clash as our main protagonist, General Bren Caius, is up against a warband which consists of gnolls, trolls, and a dangerous goblin war mage. The deadly legion is led by the vicious gnoll warlord, Kret Bonebreaker, who will stop at nothing to see the entire land of Amon burned to the ground. 

The unique aspect of this story is that the tale of Legendary Bren Caius is being told via actors in a Shakespearean style play. As you read along, Hopkins seamlessly pulls you back and forth between the raging battle and the theater stage. As one continues through the book, they easily forget that the story originally started out as an entertainment event for the common people.

Readers experience a wide cast of characters, from the theater actors to the warband leaders on the battlefield. Even those with minor roles, or are on page briefly, are integrated very well and support the plotline. Bren Caius is written in a way that provides deep and personal understanding into her thoughts, motivations, and desperation for needing to secure her victory in the war. On the other hand, Kret Bonebreaker is written so that readers can almost physically feel his brutality, malice, and savagery radiating off the pages. 

There are some elements of magic present in the story, but it is not the primary focus. Each army has a single war mage that can significantly influence the outcome of the battle with highly destructive magic and spells. It is quite the scene when both go toe to toe with each other in the middle of the war field. 

In conclusion I really enjoyed this book, especially in the reading order that was recommended to me by Hopkins. It was great to see the characters I am enjoying in The Dryad’s Crown featured in the novella. If anything, War of the Hounds has solidified them as favorites. The incorporation of telling the story though the concept of theater acting was unique. It was eye opening and exciting to read about the legendary characters and their accomplishments we kept hearing about in The Dryad’s Crown. I am looking forward to the next installment in the Efre Ousel series!