*originally posted on my blog, She Dreams in Fiction as part of a blog tour* 
 Fantasy has always been a genre close to my heart. Mythical creatures, daring adventures, brave heroics, terrifying villains, magic of all sorts... I love it all! When the chance came to read the newest young adult novel by one of my favorite fantasy writers, I simply had to jump at it. I mean, how could you possibly go wrong with a novel written by that wonderful weaver of words, Mercedes Lackey? Answer: you can't! But I must be honest... I have been staring at my computer for quite a while, trying to find the words to describe how much I enjoyed Hunter. I guess the best way to figure it out is to just start talking, huh? Here goes! 
 There's just something about diving into a book and being wowed over and over again by the wonder of it all! Now, granted, this one started out a little slower. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, quite the contrary. I like the slow build, the getting-to-know-you part of the story, so this didn't bother me in the least. In Hunter, you jump right into the world; how they speak, grow their food, live, fight, you name it. Our main character is the amazing Joyeaux (Joy) Charmand. As the reader, we get to experience everything with Joy; the new, the exciting, the terrifying, the sad. She's a strong, independent, talented, smart young lady. For me, it was easy to like her. She had a real sense of calm about her that helped exhibit the way in which she was raised in her mountain home. She thinks. Some characters these days rush around without so much as a clue into what they should do, or knowledge of what's going on, it's hard to believe they can accomplish anything! It's really refreshing to see someone like Joy calculating risks and figuring out what the best way to handle something is. On the flip side, she's also a very quick thinker, which is amazing if you have to deal with creatures such as Gazers (giant, mind-melting flying eyeballs... ew), Tommyknockers (I'm still trying to figure those ones out) or the ever-frightening Folk (don't worry, you'll see). 
 Joy is an amazing heroine, and lucky for her, she finds some pretty great people to surround herself with in her new home in Apex city. One of my favorites is a fellow Hunter known as Knight, or White Knight. He is such a strong person, with strong convictions, and he's an amazing Hunter. He comes into Joy's new life within just a few days, but he quickly became someone I adored. I could mention more about Knight and the others, but I feel I'd much rather talk about the hounds. The Hounds! Oh my word, they are seriously the coolest creatures! They're smart and loyal and brave and strong and insanely amazing. Joy has seven hounds that came to her when she was young and they have built up a bond that is quite heartwarming. I particularly like her relationship with her Alpha, Bya. Hounds pick their Hunter and come to them from the Otherworld, where they mostly reside, except for when the Hunter calls them. No two Hunter's hounds are the same, and no two Hunter/Hound relationship is either, which is fascinating. It's quite difficult for me to describe them, but they do vaguely resemble canines. Some look like shadows, some kind of lion-esque with wings, some multi-colored and huge! The idea that these creatures come from another dimension, so to speak, to help these special people fight and protect, well that's awesome. AND not only do they help Hunters fight, have some kick-butt fighting skills of their own, and enhance their Hunter's power, but they have their own special powers and they can change their shape! Honestly, amazing. 
 The world in which this all takes place is a futuristic version of ours. There is a lot of history and new lingo, which can get somewhat confusing and/or frustrating at first for those who don't like that sort of thing. For the most part, I was able to figure out what these foreign words or concepts were. Even the ones I hadn't a clue about were explained before too long, so no need to worry there. I did get a little annoyed by some of the alternate spellings of familiar things, but I learned to get over that quickly. It makes sense that, over time, people might change and evolve what something is called. Along with a lot of familiar objects, there are some new things. The buildings are more of a futuristic, utilitarian build, for example. They don't have cars, but go around in (sometimes driver-less) "pods." Hunters are considered a sort of celebrity, so they have floating cameras that video their every move to play on television for people to watch. I mean, it's familiar, but also so very foreign! Again, Mercedes Lackey has proved to be a master world-builder, in my opinion! 
 Gah! There is so much I want to share and talk about, but I can't seem to get it all together in a manner that makes sense (and excludes spoilers). I think it best for you to read it for yourself. There are to be more books following this one and I simply can't wait to read them! Hunter is a wonderfully inventive and magical novel that is sure to excite those looking for a great adventure!