Books like The Blue Hawk

This book caught my eye purely based on the name of the author -- I grew up loving the movie "Flight of Dragons," and not only did Peter Dickinson write the book that movie is based on, but the filmmakers named the main character in his honor. A curious reason to pick up a book, perhaps, but it at least caught my attention... and the premise of a young man up against gods and kings, and with a magnificent bird of prey by his side, was intriguing enough to hold my attention. And while the characters of this book are a bit flat, the world and culture Dickinson constructed was magnificent, as was his unique approach to the nature of godhood and mankind's relationships to their deities.Tron is a priest-in-training who is present at the ritual of the Blue Hawk, where a beautiful blue hawk will be sacrificed to prolong the life of the king. But Tron has been chosen as "Goat," which means that for one day he can do whatever he pleases to disrupt the rituals of the priests... and directed by a mysterious sign of the gods, he steals the hawk, condemning the king to death. When the priests seek Tron's death for his interference, he is forced to flee first the temple, then the kingdom itself, both to protect himself and the magnificent hawk. Neither gods nor the new king are done with him, however... and to save the kingdom from ruin by a stagnant, all-powerful priesthood, Tron will have to play a role in a power game that could destroy everything he believes in.Dickinson has a poetic, lyrical writing style, one that creates vivid descriptions and draws you into the world and characters. There are some odd stylistic choices here and there -- such as an entire chapter written in present tense whereas the rest of the book is in past tense -- but for the most part it's very enjoyable to read. The world and culture he has constructed bears some superficial similarities to ancient Egypt, but has enough of its own unique flair that it doesn't feel like a wholesale ripoff, and the system of government and religion are fascinating to explore.Tron himself feels less like a heroic character and more like a character who is simply pushed about by the whims of the plot, and I never really felt like he was developed enough to be interesting. In fact, none of the characters really stood out to me, which is a shame seeing as the world around them was so richly realized. And while I loved some of the philosophical and theological concepts introduced late in the book, I kind of wish they had been introduced earlier so they didn't feel thrown in at the last minute. Just a personal preference."The Blue Hawk" is a relatively short read, but one with a lovingly detailed world and a fascinating exploration of the relationship between gods and their worshipers. And while it's not a masterpiece, it's a lovely fantasy novel that deserves more recognition than it gets.