Stag Lord

This is Urban Fantasy at it s best. An amazing storyline with strong and interesting characters, a dash of romance and humor. This is my first book by Ms. Darby Kaye and I am so glad I gave it a shot. Stag Lord has so many great things that I cant decide what I liked best but I will give it a shot. The relationship between father and son, Bann and Cor, was so beautiful and powerful and so sweet. I loved them both so much. Bann is strong, brave, passionate and prepared to do anything to fight for his son. Cor is an adorable little boy, who has so much courage and charm. His interactions with Max, the dog, were amazing.
I loved the romance between Shay and Bann. It was slow, both trying to overcome their past but realizing that together they can acomplish anything. I loved the mythology, Tuath Dé Danann, and how the story progressed and I look forward to the sequel Unholy Blue, which will be released December 2015 from Spence City. A long time to wait, but worth it, I'm sure. Every lover of Urban Fantasy and Celtic background stories should check this book out.

THE STAG LORD is Darby Karchut's first adult novel. It is set in the same world and her YA Griffin Rising series and middle grade Finn McCullen series. It mines Celtic myth for its fantasy background. It is the story of Bannerman Boru who is on the run with his eight-year-old son Cor. They are trying to get away from a crazy Celtic god named Cernunnos who has sworn revenge on all the descendants of High King Brian Boru. Bann will do anything to keep his son safe. But he is staying away from other Tuatha de Danaan because the ones around his home failed to support him when Cernunnos killed his wife in his young son's presence.

Bann and Cor have been travelling in their old camper for a year and have arrived in High Springs, Colorado, where they meet Shay Doyle who is a healer and the rest of the Doyles who are also Tuatha De Danaan. Shay heals Cor after a fall and takes both Bann and Cor home with her. But trouble soon follows in the persons of the Fir Bolgs who are other Fey and minions of Cernunnos and in the Tulley clan who want Bann to move on and take his trouble with him.

The Tuatha De Danaan are warriors who battle goblins and other Fey. They are long-lived as is evidenced by Bann who is over 100 but looks to be just 30. They are trained to fight and can call on supernatural powers to increase their strength, speed, and endurance. However, they can be hurt and can die.

This story, besides being a fantasy with battles, was a story of relationships. Bann's relationship with his son Cor formed the heart of the book. But there was also Cor's relationship with Shay's dog Max which was more than just the relationship of a boy and a dog. The other relationship was that of Shay and Bann. Bann is still feeling guilty about the loss of his wife. Their marriage was troubled at the time of her death because they wanted different things for themselves and Cor. But Bann still loved her. Shay is getting over a bad relationship with a Tulley and doesn't want to fall for a man who might be moving on in a while. But Bann and Cor quickly work their way into her heart. And Bann comes to realize that Shay is also a warrior who can, and will, stand at his side through all sorts of trouble.

This is the first book in a series. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

I actually haven’t read anything by Darby Karchut and now I’m wondering why. I fell in love with The Stag Lord immediately and its intense and rich writing totally hooked me. Darby is on my author-to-stalk list. I am sure that I will be reading her other books soon and I will not be surprised if I’ll devour it for 1 day like what I did in The Stag Lord.

Bannerman and his son, Cormac or Cor is on the run. First of all, let’s mention it already that this two are not ordinary human. They are part of the tribe Tuatha De Danaan. Tuatha De Danaan are warriors. They fight with other creatures that human don’t know about like Feys and goblins. But right now, Bannermans main enemy is Cernnunos. And Cernunnos wants something from him that he will never give. Good thing he met Shay and her clan and they fought with him against the shapeshifter Cernunnos.

Okay, that’s all I can give. Darby Kaye’s characters are phenomenal. They’re very real and authentic. Bannerman Boru is the reason some book nerds are not interested in guys anymore. This guy can make you hot all over.. but he can also make your heart melt. His son, Cor, is no different. He is a kid and he’s character is written well. The father and son relationship s to die for. There were scenes that really squeezed my heart.

Shay is one awesome heroine. Now this heroine is what I am dying to read. Funny, badass and kind hearted.

“Shay Doyle,” he declared. “You are in danger.”
“No. I’m in the kitchen.” She raised a hand, forestalling him.

Did I mention she’s funny? The chemistry between Bannerman and Shay is just intense and totally magnetic.

But an Urban Fantasy book won’t be complete without its magical and entrancing myths and secrets right? Well, The Stag Lord didn’t fail to deliver. The world surrounding the Tuatha De Danaan and their culture and ways really captivated me. I want to know more. And although I can already feel the torture of waiting, I WILL BE PATIENT. For Cernunno’s next move. For what’s going to happen to Shay and Bann. And for knowing the secret that is surrounding Cor.

The Stag Lord is a success Urban Fantasy novel. It’s fast paced, it’s writing is impressive and the characterization is exquisite! This is 2014 favorite for me. It’s a MUST READ and I recommend it to any UF lovers. You don’t to miss the heart stopping first book in this series.

I have to admit, I had a bad case of judging a book by its cover when I selected this from Netgalley. It's a cliche, but it's actually often a good indicator - you can generally tell how much effort/money has been put into a book by its cover, and in my experience I've found that for the most part, if it looks cheap, it reads cheap. However. Sometimes I am proved wrong. The Stag Lord doesn't have a great cover, but what's inside is something else.

I've not come across Kaye's books before, but its clear that she is an experienced and talented author. Her characters come to life instantly, the mythology she uses is intriguing and believable, her dialogue is both sassy and touching. I picked up this book because of the Celtic myth basis, and I wasn't disappointed. Kaye's use of the god Cernunnos and the Tuatha De Danaan is inspired and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. And that's not all I enjoyed - her main characters, Bann, his son Cor, and the healer Shay are all really wonderful and the way they interact, the relationships that build between them was a joy to read. Add in a bunch of excitement and danger, and you've got yourself an unputdownable book! I'm so glad I picked this one up, and I can't wait to read more from Kaye.

THE STAG LORD was SO long, GOOD, but SO long. Therefore if you're looking for a quick read this book is not for you.

The world building is super thorough and I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters involved. I am thinking that future books might feel a little shorter now that we have all the back story out of the way and character development started. The father-son bond between Bann and Cor was strong and I could feel the love through the pages. The slow romance between Shay and Bann was well done and they have a strong start to their future. I enjoyed the author's take on the Tuatha De Danaan. There is a lot involved, but I was never bored. I enjoyed my introduction to the author and look forward to where she takes her characters next.

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.