This page is about the novel Talon of the Silver Hawk. For the character Talon of the Silver Hawk, see Talon of the Silver Hawk (character).
Talon of the Silver Hawk was first published in 2002 and is the first book of the Conclave of Shadows trilogy. It's story line follows the life of Talon of the Silver Hawk a young Orosini boy in his quest for revenge after his village is burned and slaughtered by a mystery army.
Detailed synopsis
Ch1 – Keili is introduced sitting on a mountain in his right of passage into boyhood waiting for a vision. He receives his vision and his name Talon of the Silver Hawk and returns to his village. He finds solders destroying his village and killing his people, he attacks what seems to be the leaders of the invaders and is gravely wounded and left for dead.
Ch2 – Talon is found by a magician Robert De Lyes and a companion Pasko and nursed back to health. He is taken to an inn whose owner is Kendrick. He knows that now has a life debt to Robert.
Ch3 – He becomes a servant at the inn and he is tested by Caleb in hunting and by Robert about his observation skills after serving some nobles at dinner.
Ch4 – Robert hones Talon’s skills in reasoning and gambling through games and he and Magnus decide to educate him so Talon can avenge his people more effectively and help in their own agendas. He and Lela become lovers. It is reveled that it was a mercenary captain Raven who led the attack on the Orosini
Ch5 – Talon starts learning to cook from Leo the cook. He and Caleb go for supplies in the nearby town Latagore and his observation skills are further honed.
Ch6 – In Latagore. Talon and Caleb visit an inn some new personal background is revealed. Talon and Caleb recognize a possible attack on few merchants by their guards and intervene saving their lives. Talon sees a man he thought he recognizes and attacks.
Ch7 – Talon is stopped by Caleb in his attack of a man he thinks is one of the men that destroyed his people. The conflict is resolved peacefully when Talon realizes he is wrong. However he does recognize another man Quentin Havrevulen a Special Captain of Olasko and follows him to some officers of the Latagore army, which leads to their conclusion that Kaspar the Duke of Olasko is behind the destruction of the Orosini and has his eyes on Latagore and nearby lands. Talon and Caleb return to the inn to find Lela and the other two men gone. He spends the night with Meggie the other serving girl on whom he first had a crush.
Ch8 – Soon after he is taken by Magnus to a hut on Sorcerers Isle and is further educated by him.
Ch9&10 – His education continues in the until an attack by death dancers during which he barely survives. He meets Miranda, Nakor and Pug and is offered a choice of joining the Conclave of Shadows or having his memory erased and given a new identity but he has to choose blindly without knowing much about the Conclave. He meets a more students of the Conclave and his education continues
. Ch11 – Talon is further educated in horsemanship and magic besides other disciplines. He meets Alysandra a very atractive girl. He is also educated in music and drawing.
Ch12 – His drawing abilities are honed by having him draw Alyssandra all summer with whom they become lovers. The final lesson is in having his heart broken by her.
Ch13 – Talon realizes that what happened with Alyssandara was an orchestrated and necessary lesson and he and Caleb depart by ship for Krondor. After they hire on as caravan guards and continue on to Salador where Talon hones his swordsmanship skills at the master court and his nobility skills ar fine tunned.
Ch14&15 – In Roldem Talon enters the Masters Court and continues to improve his swordsmanship. He also acts the part of a nobleman by courtin numerous women and gambling in anticipation of the tournament for best swordsman. There is another atempt on his life in a public bath. He is saved and healed again by the Conclave.
Ch16 – The Tournament occurs and there is another atempt on Talon's life by a Keshian assasin in the semifinals.
Ch17 – The finale of the turnament occurs and his oponent is one of the men responsible for the destruction of the Orosini which Tal manages to kill and make it look like an accident which also means he is the Champion.
Ch18 – Tal is offered a position in Kaspars court and he delays accepting. He decides to go north and hunt down the mercinarys reponsible for the genocide of the Orosini. He recruites some mercinaries and goes to save the Orodoni (people that are related to the Orosini) from Raven's mercinaries.
Ch19&20 – Talon bolsters the defences of the vilages of the Orodoni and manages to defeat the attacking mercinaries and disperse them.
Ch21 – Talon hunts down Raven and the few mercenaries with him and kills them
. Ch22 – Talon is back on Sorcerer’s Isle and has a discussion with Nakor during which he decides on how to finish avenging his people. He decides that he will serve Kaspar of Olasko until he is betrayed by him and then finish his revenge.