Book Review: The Goblin Wood

Title: The Goblin Wood (Goblin Wood, #1)
Author: Hilari Bell
Published on: June 15th 2004

Makenna is a young hedgewitch who watched her mother die at the hands of the villagers she had helped with her small magical ability. Unable to cope with the laws abolishing magic practiced outside of the church, Makenna strikes off into the wilderness of the north. On her travels, she saves the life of a goblin, who teaches her of the goblins sense of debt and loyalty.

Tobin is a knight who has lost everything. In order to save his brother he has been stripped of his title, his responsability, and his rights as firstborn. When given the chance to reclaim these lost parts of his life by killing the great sorceress who leads the goblin rebelion in the North he reluctantly takes the offer. His actions will he believes allow the goblins to disperse and free the Northern lands for resettlement by his own people as they are forced to leave their homes due to barbarian invasion.

However, when Makenna catches Tobin, he is forced to spend time with the goblins. As he gets to know the goblins he is forced to face the facts that perhaps his actions will lead to the destruction of a magical race. in order to save his own people, can he cause the destruction of another people, even if they are not human? Can he force the goblins from their homes the same way the barbarians are forcing his people from their own homes?

Hilari Bell's The Goblin Wood is an engaging fantasy story. It introduces reader's to and draws them into a realm of conflict. Ifound this story short, but sweet and look forward to reading the next chapter in Makenna and Tobin's adventures together as they try to help their goblin friends.

Books read in February 2013

Print Books:

1.) World Without End by Sean Russell
2.) American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
3.) The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein
4.) Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
5.) Sea without a Shore by Sean Russell
6.) The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay
7.) The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
8.) Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins
9.) Bailey's Cafe by Gloria Naylor
10.) The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory
11.) Clementina's Cactus by Ezra Jack Keats
12.) Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
13.) Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
14.) Time Flies by Eric Rohmann
15.) Anno's Flea Market by Mitsumasa Anno
16.) Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleischman, Kevin Hawkes (Illustrator)
17.) The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard by Gregory Rogers
18.) Hidden Army: Clay Soldiers of Ancient China by Jane O'Connor
19.) Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
20.) Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass
21.) This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Audio books:

1.) Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
2.) The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore
3.) Dark Lords of the Sith by Tom Veitch, Kevin J. Anderson
4.) Year Zero by Rob Reid

E-books:

1.) The Goblin Wood by Hilary Bell


Lots of children's books this month for class reading.

Book Review:The Bretton Katt Alliance – The Lorrondon Saga book 1 by Margaret Garside

Read and reviewed for Front Street Reviews.

It is the year 2441. The two major powers in the galaxy are the Terrans and the Neorans. Currently it is a time of strife between the two races. Great civil unrest is occurring because of the Terran military leader Victor Bastian’s movement against Neoran populated planets in Terran Space. This leaves more and more Neorans fleeing for the safety of Neoran space as refugees with little to their names besides the clothes on their backs.

Anna Lorrondon-Helsak The chancellor of the planet Bowman secretly breaks the long term alliance with the Neorans. Unknown to anyone, she makes a new alliance with old enemies of both the Terrans and the Neorans. When she is approached by her old friend Russorin the Neoran representative she holds fast to her idea of neutrality for Bowman. This is despite Russorin’s predictions of bad things to come for both races.

With no other choice left to her, Russoran turns to the free city of Breton-Katt for help. The city, a center for learning and commerce, is the Neoran’s last hope for an ally in Terran space. There, she uncovers a web of murder and blackmail Helped by Rob Lorrondon Anna’s son Russoran needs to get the alliance made and stop Anna’s plan to annex Bretton –Katt into Bowman. She needs to keep Anna from handing the city over to its enemies. But, will they be able to do this without triggering an all out war?

Science fiction can be hard genre to write. With so many books written already, it is very easy to start sounding like a rehashed plot. I’m glad to say that The Breton-Katt Alliance is not one of these books. Margaret Garside introduces her readers to a society in upheaval. Her story takes place in a universe which holds inhabitants whose ideals and communities are struggling with the ideas of sharing their resources and land with outsiders. Led by the stronger opinions of their leaders, the universe as they know it has become an unstable place to live. I look forward to the next installment of the Lorrondon Cycle, and seeing what sort of resolution to the conflict that has been introduced, in this first book of the series, is brought into action.

Books Wild Released in February 2013

1.) Around the World in the Middle Seat: How I Saw the World (and Survived!) by Joyce Brooks on 2/4/2013
2.) Are You Afraid of the Dark? by Sidney Sheldon on 2/5/2013
3.) After All These Years by Susan Isaacs on 2/6/2013
4.) The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison on 2/11/2013
5.) Bayou Bride by maxine patrick on 2/13/2013
6.) Killer Gorgeous by Jane Holleman on 2/13/2013
7.) The Texan's Tiny Secret by Peggy Moreland on 2/21/2013
8.) The Client by John Grisham on 2/21/2013
9.) The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios by Yann Martel on 2/21/2013
10.) After Midnight by Ruth Alana Smith on 2/25/2013
11.) Many Mansions: The Edgar Cayce Story on Reincarnation by Gina Cerminara on 2/25/2013
12.) Western: A Saga of the Great Plains by Frank Yerby on 2/25/2013