The Hunters

Written by David Wragg

Narrated by Sara Powell

Book 1 of the thrilling new series from David Wragg, acclaimed author of THE BLACK HAWKS.

She’s on the run. They’re out to kill.
But what happens when you catch a hunter?

Ree is a woman with a violent past – a past she thought she’d left behind. After years of wandering, she and her niece Javani have finally built a small life for themselves at the edge of the known world.

But sometimes the past refuses to stay there, and Ree’s is about to catch up with her. This time, there will be blood.

For the land is in turmoil and professional killers have arrived in their town looking for an older woman and child, setting off a desperate chase through deserts, mountains, and mines. Ree will have to discover her former self if she is to keep them both alive.

From a master of modern fantasy comes a new thrilling trilogy, full of intrigue, bloodthirsty stakes – and a heroine who just won’t quit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Jul 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9780008533755

David Wragg

David Wragg has written many books on railway, aviation and defence subjects, including Wartime on the Railways, The Southern Railway Story, The LMS Story and The Steam Locomotive Story (all The History Press). He has also written on these subjects for The Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator and The Scotsman.

Reviews for The Hunters

[Kayla Yetman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5/5 Stars

The past doesn’t always stay where you left it. The Hunters by David Wragg is a thrilling, action packed escape while exploring the meaning of familial bonds and the power of stories.

Told through multiple POVs, we meet a variety of characters including an ambitious girl and her protective aunt with a violent past, bantering siblings, a greedy guildmaster, an intimidating mercenary and a relentless prince. While there are other POVs throughout, they are carefully selected characters that help give a broader insight into specific scenes.

However, the story itself is focused on Ree and her niece, Javani. After years of wandering and finally building a home for themselves at the edge of the known world, Ree’s past catches up with her and they’re sent on the run. Throughout their escape they meet unlikely friends, enemies and face hard truths all while trying to survive in an unforgiving land.

The tone and setting of the world felt like the blending of a low fantasy and western. With deserts, frontiers, and prospectors to swords, alchemy, and stories of gods. Meanwhile, the pacing moves between medium and fast with the ever-present threat looming over Ree and Javani in their wild escape.

When reading, there were two things that surprised me. First was the unexpected violence. Despite knowing this was action packed I wasn’t prepared for how quickly moments escalated. Although there is humour throughout to balance this, when those sudden dark moments hit, it often served as a somber reminder of how high the stakes truly are. I personally loved this as it delves into the best and worst in people, the extremes someone will go to, cultural differences and mob mentality.

Second, the emotionally impactful moments that hit hard. David Wragg doesn’t shy away from exploring the emotional vulnerabilities of the characters and the impacts it has in their escape. This doesn’t end with just the main characters either, but extends to the side cast showing Wraggs skill with character work. I found myself crying at a few scenes and being left with the best kind emotional damage any reader seeks out in stories. There are themes of motherhood, paternal relationships and finding one’s identity which are thoughtfully woven into a thrilling chase.

The dynamics between characters was also spot on, with great dialogue, banter, with many loveable and hateable characters. I can’t forget to mention the secrets that are woven around Ree and Javani. It’s tantalizing! With twists along the way, these secrets impact the characters developments and their relationships in gripping ways.

In addition to reading the paperback, I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Sara Powell, did a fantastic job at breathing life into the characters with a stellar performance.

All these elements are woven together seamlessly and made for a binge worthy read. The Hunters is also a contained story featuring a satisfying ending with room for continuation. So, while you can read this as a standalone, there is room for the story to go on.

The Hunters is one I highly recommend for fantasy readers looking for a western mix (or vice versa) a bingeable story, with plenty of action that doesn’t skimp on character work.