The Hob's Bargain Discussion

[Patti L.]

Well, welcome, Nannarules!  Always glad to have sympathizers/fellow addicts on hand.  Make yourself comfortable.

[Mereniel]

This is the first Patricia Briggs book I ever read. I'm currently rereading it. I hope she decides to make a sequel! There are so many intriguing characters in the book, and backstories that could become books, but I really want to see a sequel 10 or so years in the future, with Aren and the Hob's children coming into their powers, playing with the human children in the village. A lot of drama and humor possible there. And I agree, the Hob is a charming creature and I love the tail! Please, may I have some more? 

[mystify]

This was the first Patricia Brigg's book I ever read also and so I've always loved it. Yesterday I found a copy at the library used book sale for 50 cents! I was so excited. I knew there was a reason I told my sister I wasn't ready to go yet and had to browse that shelf one more time. 

[CarolKat]

Read the book once got wrapped up in the tail  , re-reading for answers or more questions...

[Varg]

Read the book once got wrapped up in the tail  , re-reading for answers or more questions...

The tail does sort of seem more of important in the book overall..... :

[pence]

On rereading the book I started wondering what exactly a Kindred Deer was.  Aerin says that she has seen them rarely and that they are a third bigger than regular deer.
The only other thing we know is that the White Beast can take on their shape ... or that that it can take on other shapes, and that that is its' proper seeming .

[skybluerider]

I LOVE THE TAIL!!!!

[Valentine]

I don't remember if Hob's Bargain or Dragon's Bones was my first Briggs novel, but I've been a fan for a LONG time.  I would love to see a sequel to this novel; I just need something that settles my fretting brain.  Could they really work as an inter-species couple?  Did she not only embrace her powers but grow in them?  Did the townspeople (like real people would do) conveniently forget what she had done for them and begin to view her with distrust again?  What happens to all of the other magic wielders?  If they were able to have children (kits?) what would they look like?  Would more hobs turn up, and would that create a kink in their relationship?  Don't get me wrong - if no sequel is ever written, I can live with the happy-ish ending and let my own imagination determine the answers to my questions, but for some reason, it's always so much nicer when the author does it! :-)  And after all, if I can live with Sunshine by McKinley not having a sequel (a book that not only begs but screams for a sequel), I can live with anything.

[Lakritz]

actually, the Hob's Bargain was the last book I read by Patty - and i loved it!

I really like that she takes the idea of trying to find non-violent solutions very serious, although there is a violent, bloody conflict. Her main characters struggle hard to find solutions other than killing and Aren's "I'm not going over to the dark side" decision in the end is well written and compelling!

oh yes, and i do love the tail!!!! 

[deadfrog]

I don't remember if Hob's Bargain or Dragon's Bones was my first Briggs novel, but I've been a fan for a LONG time.  I would love to see a sequel to this novel; I just need something that settles my fretting brain.  Could they really work as an inter-species couple?  Did she not only embrace her powers but grow in them?  Did the townspeople (like real people would do) conveniently forget what she had done for them and begin to view her with distrust again?  What happens to all of the other magic wielders?  If they were able to have children (kits?) what would they look like?  Would more hobs turn up, and would that create a kink in their relationship?  Don't get me wrong - if no sequel is ever written, I can live with the happy-ish ending and let my own imagination determine the answers to my questions, but for some reason, it's always so much nicer when the author does it! :-)  And after all, if I can live with Sunshine by McKinley not having a sequel (a book that not only begs but screams for a sequel), I can live with anything.

Maybe they would not be an interspecies couple? Maybe she will turn into a Hob. After all, magic works now in their world even if I have no idea how. If I remember correctly her year on probation was not yet over. It would be interesting to see how the lives of these characters progress, but I can live without a sequel, too.  There are really books, and stories, which are much more in need of a sequel than this one 

[CarolKat]

Maybe they would not be an interspecies couple? Maybe she will turn into a Hob. After all, magic works now in their world even if I have no idea how. If I remember correctly her year on probation was not yet over. It would be interesting to see how the lives of these characters progress, but I can live without a sequel, too.  There are really books, and stories, which are much more in need of a sequel than this one 

And alas poor Hob will have to wait even longer if there is to be a sequel, now that Patty is going to work on Masques and it's unpublished one.

[bikracer]

I loved Hobs Bargain. i really want to read more of the story of Aren and the Hob. I’m hoping there is a second or even a third book coming eventually.

[Firestorm]

The poor hob doesn't have a series indeed. I'm new but I just wanted to share my love for the hob. I, too, would like to see another book and if I have to wait 5 or 10 years, I will do so happily and have a grand time reading the books Patricia is writing in the meantime!

Seriously, stand-alone books are dangerous as they sometimes contain so much information that you'd really like to see another book or two to finish getting all the details out. Don't get me wrong, I loved the ending (it's a pretty sure thing they survive until the summer and spend their time hunting down hillgrims and making babies happily ever after) but we are only beginning to see Caefawn and Aren move from flirting friends to lovers and I'd like to see more of that relationship as it develops.

There seems to be characters in all of Patricia's books that look or sometimes act human but aren't. I love Caefawn (and his awesome tail!) because he isn't human and yet he's stable - he doesn't seem to have to fight for control over dangerous instincts like vampires and werewolves do. He's capable of breaking your neck but he is also a mischievous yet lonely emotional creature who craves companionship. He's a very sympathetic and likable character because he has so many human qualities yet we are reminded that he's a hob and doesn't think quite like humans do. I love characters like that.

Also, I don't think the original book cover did him justice. As my sister said, "I was thinking more monkey, less gorilla." I don't picture him as looking like an elf (not with those movable ears) but I didn't picture him like that either...

Anyway, I could probably keep going with the random thoughts but I'll stop for now.

[Patti L.]

Maybe tomorrow, Firestorm!
I did feel the cover was a bit 'gorilla' looking too, that's a good point.  But I seem to recall he's quite 'stocky' of build, so combined with his color & fur, and the lack of importance that cover had to the publishers at that time, it wasn't bad.
I'd like to find out more about the magic of the Hob's world and whether they expand outward to eradicate blood mages.

I also wonder if the King still exists beyond the area affected by this massive earthquake, and if he has a new mage yet, whether he will send anyone looking for his lost mage, and those special warriors he created, an important asset in the troubled land.

[Firestorm]

Well, he's described as broad but not fat. I took that to mean wide across the chest and shoulders, which would help explain his strength and stamina but he'd still need to be wiry enough to move quickly and do flips. I know book covers can be hit or miss but I admit I had a good laugh. 

But yes, there's plenty of fodder for another tale or two.