The Hunt is the first novel in The Ninth Scripture series by D. Wolfsbane. In a world ravaged by war, Zecaar is ready to face her fate. There is a set rule in Cuest; the men go to war and the women give birth to new soldiers. Zecaar is ready for a similar fate, but things change for her. Turns out, she has the Talent. She has telekinetic and telepathic abilities that are prized beyond anything in Cuest. And so, her journey begins. This is her only chance to serve a purpose other than giving birth to more soldiers. However, the more she trains the harder it is for her to come to terms with what is happening around her. Slowly but surely, things are going out of control and Zecaar no longer knows what she is supposed to do. Feeling isolated and out of her mind, she cannot help but wonder where she belongs.

Incredibly paced to grab the attention of readers, The Hunt nails everything that you expect from young adult fiction. The world-building is fascinating, the background is detailed and the characters develop at a very realistic pace. Zecaar is a simple yet complicated character. All she wants is a place where she can belong, but sadly that is not in the cards for her. I sympathize with her and I feel a connection with her. She is one of those universal characters that hook you in and suddenly, you feel part of their story. The author did a fantastic job of keeping the pace steady. D. Wolfsbane takes the first few chapters to introduce the characters and the setting. After that, it is smooth sailing for the plot. Reading this story was a sensory experience. The imagery is vivid, the descriptions are detailed and the characters have room to develop. The author leaves plenty of questions unanswered so that the reader will want more. I can’t wait to read what happens next in Zecaar’s journey.

The Hunt is the opening book in The Ninth Scripture trilogy by D. Wolfsbane, a compelling coming-of-age novel with a strong appeal to readers who enjoy dystopian settings. Cuest has lived long under threats from the war started by the Gutarro, who will stop at nothing to take everything they have and what is dear to them. In this world, war is the highest calling for the people of Cuest live to fight. It is against the backdrop of a world being torn apart by war that Zecaar, an orphan saved from Sector Six, finds herself pulled into a story she never wanted. Gifted with telepathic and telekinetic abilities, she is made to undergo rigorous training. But for what? As she follows her new path, she finds out that she is at the center of conflicts and interests that might tear her life apart. Can she design her own destiny in a world filled with conflict?

I love the way D. Wolfsbane writes and the characters are exceptional, well-written, and believable. The setting is an imaginary world in perpetual conflict, a world where boys are drafted for war when they come of age and where women nurture babies to turn them in for military service. The author captures the sense of uncertainty when it comes to life in Cuest and this aspect of the writing creates interest in the reader and makes them want to see what will happen to the characters they care about. The prose is powerful, filled with wonderful descriptions and dialogues that entertain the reader, explore characters, and move the plot forward. The Hunt is imaginative, action-packed, and filled with surprising twists.

Life is bleak for the orphaned teens on Sector Six. Naresta has been at war with the monstrous Gutarro for a very long time. Zecaar knows that as soon as she comes of age she’ll be sent to the front line as fodder like the many parentless kids before her. She is rescued from this fate when the Talcom Academy comes on a rare trip to test the population to see if they have the Talent. Zecaar finds out that she has the abilities they seek and is taken away from Sector Six to study at Talcom Academy with others who have the Talent. Upset that she is leaving behind friends that will be thrown into the war before long, Zecaar is also eager to be able to channel her talent that she knew she always had. She soon finds out that Talcom isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. In addition to worries about the Gutarro attacking the school, she also has to deal with her own peers deeming her unworthy of attending their academy because of where she came from.

I thought The Ninth Scripture: The Hunt was an excellent and creative read. D. Wolfsbane has brought to life this dystopian tale that has a Hunger Games feel to it. The main character Zecaar is a well written and relatable muse that we follow along on her journey. It’s quick-paced which keeps the reader on their toes, eager to continue on. Overall, I enjoyed reading the first of what I believe is part of a trilogy. I can’t wait for the second and third books to follow Zecaar through her important journey.

The Ninth Scripture: The Hunt by D. Wolfsbane is a young adult fantasy adventure. The story revolves around a teenage girl named Zecaar who has always been different from other kids her age but has no memory of her childhood nor any idea of who her parents were. The way of the world on which she lives (not Earth) is to make every young man into a soldier and every young woman into a nurturer (producer of babies.) Zecaar wants badly to avoid becoming a nurturer and jumps at the chance to go to a special school for those who have special abilities. The school is meant to train her to use her Talent, as they call it. But at the school, she finds that even though she’s among other teens that have the Talent as she does, she is still different. Zecaar clashes with other students and gets caught up in the war that is overtaking her planet. Before long, she finds herself swept away into a fantastic adventure that will reveal why she’s so different. However, much trouble awaits her on her path to enlightenment and she must find strength from within herself and from others to help her on her journey.

The Hunt by D. Wolfsbane is the beginning of a trilogy and contains lots of world-building, setting up of characters, and laying of groundwork for the overall story. Readers who enjoy complex plots with different worlds and warring nations will enjoy this book immensely. The characters are well developed and interesting. The people groups, animals, and natural elements are vivid and real, thanks to D. Wolfsbane's knack for verbal creation. At the core of this story is a young girl’s efforts to overcome overwhelming odds to find out who she is and then to fulfill her destiny. Zecaar’s story is fascinating and tragic and is the golden thread that ties it all together. Fans of imaginative and well-told young adult fantasy will enjoy The Ninth Scripture: The Hunt.