Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain: Elven Resurrection

by Oldman Brook

Elven boys Finn and Beezle enter a time portal just before their race is wiped out by an otherworldly warrior and his goblin army. Travelling 3000 years into the future and arriving in snow-filled lands, the boys are saved from the cold by two shape-shifters sent by Greybeard, the wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain.

Genres: Fantasy

416 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2012

About the author

I was born in Burnley some time ago. Educated in and around Lancashire, I then gained a degree in Arts and Media from Cheltenham University.

Unsure as to what I wanted to become, I took a temporary placement with a well known retailer in Manchester, as an adminstrator, in the trading department. Enjoying the work and wanting to progress I moved around the country gaining experience as a buyer.

Comfortable with my progress I left my job to travel round the world, working for a good while in a good few places. Now back in England I buy biscuits, a lot of biscuits, for an up and coming retailer in the East of England.

Soon after returning from our jaunt around the world, my partner gave birth to a daughter. Wanting to write my daughter a bedtime story, something from me that she could keep, I set about developing a tale about a wizard living in a crescent moon shaped mountain. My imagination got the better of me and soon the bedtime story became a novel, and so 'The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain' was born.

I'm now in the process of writing an offshoot to 'The Wizard...', but am concentrating also on marketing my debut novel.

Reviews

[Vincent Ripley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Ripley's Book Review
I'm a very big fan of the fantasy genre, so when I heard a little whisper about this book, I thought to myself . . . . 'I need to read this'. I tracked a copy down through the publisher's website and eagerly waited for it to arrive. When it eventually came, my first thoughts turned to the book cover image as it didn't immediately suggest the storyline and, to be honest, didn't really sell itself to me. Fortunately, the synopsis on the back sounded very interesting and outlined just enough for me to be intrigued. However, all in all it wasn't really the best start.

I really liked the size of the book (about 430 pages) as it was able to give the adventure enough life and sustain the reader's interest. The first part of the story is very detailed and, as a result, quite slow going. However as an older reader, I liked that. But for those readers who might be put off or find it too slow, my advice is to keep going as you shall be rewarded on an epic scale. It has taken the author many years to write this book; influences from J.R.R Tolkien, Philip Pullman and Philip Reeve can be found within this story, and what a story it is.

The start of the plot is focused around one Wizard (Greybeard) and his quest to save Everlast. Through the story he is joined by three Dwarfs, two shape shifters and two Elves (all brothers) as well as Perrywinkle, who is a man with a talent for dishonesty. Interestingly, he is enlisted to the task of documenting events that occur along the way. One such example involves the Goblin army, who have a love for killing, and killing they do in abundance! At this point, the story writing is dark and, at times, very graphic which I really loved.

The epic battle scenes that are played out in this book have a feel of the Hobbit or the Fellowship of the Ring. They can only be described as big time, movie-screen, fantasy action which leave you feeling breathless for the eventual outcome. The host of characters will keep you engaged, but will probably leave you feeling sad at the end. My favourite character was a Goblin called Bobbucket. He may only play a minor role within this book, but he really made me laugh and will probably have a greater role in the next book - if I am reading between the lines correctly!

This is a deliciously dark and, at times, graphic fantasy novel that is a brilliantly entertaining read. It is a great debut book written in an accomplished hand to tell a tale traditionally. The end of the book delivers an epic finale which will leave the reader feeling satisfied. Although the mouth watering glimpses to the start of the sequel are tantalising - I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I would recommend this to anyone who loves adventure/fantasy and hope that this books gains more coverage over the next few months. Unfortunately, it probably won't find itself on many bookshop shelves, but it is definitely worth tracking down on the Internet. This is one of my top five books of the year, so far!

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical moons and worldly wizards...

This has to be the most exciting book that I have encountered this year by a most accomplished author. I could hardly wait to read ‘the wizard of crescent moon mountain’ as soon as I herd news of it being a first-reads giveaway that I had won, hence by the time it arrived I was delving strait in and sat engrossed within its pages for hours. Not wanting to put this remarkable story down I encountered the most fascinating and original storyline, being utterly unique within this genre and quite comparable to JRR Tolkien at his best or JK Rowling’s Harry Potter. Magical creativity in abundance this story opens a window into your heart, igniting your imagination and letting it run with the most outlandish but also highly believable creation. Traveling into the future with two main characters called Finn and Beezle you are swept into the most enchanting world called Everlast, which I cannot compare to anything else I have encountered in literature; with its memorable and distinctive characters to its sheer brilliance and atmosphere that takes ones breath away. With the help of the wizard of crescent moon mountain named Greybeard, these three characters take you on a quest of a lifetime to save the world against the most deadly warrior. Glued to my seat with tense anticipation, I plunged into a story that was thrilling from page one and which kept me in suspense throughout.

Similarly to other writers of this particular genre the author Oldman Brook has created something that his readers will find truly realistic and credible, where you connect to the characters and their stories. The concept also of the illusive weapon was also another twist within this detailed plot, which added even more drama and excitement to this already deeply complex but fascinating story which gets better and better with each passing chapter. The book is adorned with the most beautiful illustrations that bring the story to life, where the black and white words jump off the page and turn into vivid color. I felt a part of there tale and adventure as I began to learn more about each individual character, being thus able to relate to them and connect with their quirks and particular attributes. I am so excited by this author and can almost certainly predict great things to come, as even the thought of turning this tale into a film and placing it on the big screen has crossed my mind; it would be in league with ‘the hobbit’ for sure. For those readers who devoured JK Rowling’s highly commended series and who enjoys a story with all the elements of a great and memorable fantasy fictional tale, then look no further as here is a novel which will delight many readers. The fact that this also had the most dramatic climax and ended on a spine-chilling cliffhanger made it all the more brilliant as I finished reading with a rather large grin on my face.

A highly enjoyable and enthralling read that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat throughout, and is something that I cannot enthuse about enough. With an absorbing plot that will keep you guessing, to remarkable and distinctive characters that you will fall in love with. This has to be my book of the year that is going strait to the top of the bookshelf, and something which I urge you to add to your to-read lists in a hurry!

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain is a children's fantasy adventure novel, funny, emotional, and with enough gore and darkness to hopefully lure pre-teens/early teens away from their video games in favour of good old-fashioned books. It might be advisable for parents to have a quick flick through the story before giving this to children who might not be comfortable with the scarier, bloodier scenes, which for those made more of “snails and puppy dog tails” might be what makes this an awesome read.

The greatest strength of this book has to be the way the characters bring themselves to life—from the titular character, Greybeard, who alternates between being a grumpy old man and a fearsome wizard warrior, and comical dwarf, Wattlespalf, who amused me so much that he was by far my favourite character.

The book opens with a dramatic pursuit through the woods as goblins chase cowardly thief turned writer, Connor Perrywinkle, before he is saved by the imposing wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain. The story then shifts to Greybeard entertaining his adventuring companions—three dwarfs and two shape-shifters. While they plan to rid the south of a mysterious warrior leading armies of goblins, their evening is interrupted as they rescue a pair of boys, lost and exposed in the snow.

These boys turn out to be elves, accidental time travellers who discover that their race has been extinct for over three-thousand years. Finn, the older of the two, is noble, brave, and grows to be the archetypal hero, while his younger brother is naughty, petulant, and demonstrates a natural aptitude for magic. These characters will give young readers someone to identify with as the elves get caught up in Greybeard and friends’ cause.

Travelling through the world of Everlast, the adventurers battle monsters such as draugar and goblins, and discover that giants and dragons are not as beastly as they seem—although with dragons you never know when they might decide to gobble up a soldier, friend or foe! With strong messages about not judging a book by its cover and seeing the good and bad in everyone, this is probably the first story I’ve read where an insight into goblin minds has made me feel sympathetic for some—cultured Bobbucket trying to avoid the violence, and Pompucket, a more traditional goblin, complaining about being imprisoned in a clean and comfortable house even as he snuggles into a warm blankie.

A steady build up while the group amasses a small army to prevent the destruction of Everlast, soon turns into a fast-paced battle, with thrills, plenty of spills, tears and laughter. Although the story concludes nicely, there is enough to keep you thinking, “Is this really the end...or could there be more?” I certainly came away with many theories about who the mysterious voice in the green light might be, and what really hides behind Warrior’s mask. I won’t be shy in saying that I would love to read a sequel, should one ever be written.

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first read the description for this book I had two contrasting thoughts:
Firstly, because I am a fan of good fantasy, I had high hopes for this as a book tht could capture my imagination and run away with it. The ingredients looked right, elves: dragons, wizards...
...bringing me to the second thought: Elves, dragons and wizards involved in some sort of quest sounds awfully familiar! Hence, I was worried that this book would turn out to be a bit of a disappointment, that it would go no further than was suggested by the blurb.

Luckily, when this book plopped through my letterbox - I had forgotten that I had put my name forwards for a first-reads copy - it very quickly dissolved some of these misgivings: yes the book is obviously influenced by Tolkien, and yes, I would perhaps criticise the way in which it falls into the same problem as Lord of the Rings does in that 'good' and 'evil' are very polarised with little apparent space for an in-between. Nevertheless, the story is reasonably well-written, the tension well built-up, and the characters endearing and often humourous.
I did, however, feel that perhaps this was not a book that was particularly aimed at my age-group, which is perhaps one of the reasons why I felt that the writing could have been more descriptive. Additionally, I struggled with the fact that the narrative was all in the present tense, although this is largely a matter of taste.

All in all the book is a decent and fun read that I would probably recommend to teen fantasy readers.

[Burial Hearts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wizard of crescent moon mountain. A playfully written book which entraps you into a state of awe as the battle for Everlast ensues.
When reading this book you may feel, as I did that there was a lot of influence from “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of The Rings.” But as your progress further into the book the author strays away from this style of writing and this story starts to stand apart as having his own influence and not that of J.R.R Tolkien.

The story mainly revolves around a wizard called Greybeard. He, along with a group of creatures, set out on an adventure that none of them will forget. The battle scenes in the book are epically written. You can truly imagine the scene that the author lays out before you in the purest of detailing.

I also did enjoy the fact that unlike most books that revolve around wizards, Greybeard actually showed fear. So as to say he was not immune to death.

This book although influenced greatly at the start, stands on its own as a wonderful piece of literature and I look forward to seeing how the goblin returns the favour to greybeard in the next book.

[Joanna Burr · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a high school English teacher, and the mother of two young girls, I always love coming across stories that have an appeal for every age group. This story clearly fits the bill.

Adults will get the Tolkien-ness of the story....a magical world, full of different races, and sought after objects that grant the user power beyond belief.

Teens and Pre-teens will love the characters in the story, who are both humorous and heart-warming...tiny elves, and giants, and thieves, and goblins, and dwarves, and dragons, and of course a Wizard...who face the struggle to do what is right for the future of the world and possibly even correct a past wrong.

I highly recommend this book, and I can't wait for the next installment!!!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was a fantastic book by Oldman Brook. I was keen to start it and was not disappointed. It is a brilliantly written fantasy novel focusing on characters on a quest to save Everlast.

The descriptions are gripping and created vivid pictures in my mind, making it a highly entertaining read. At times it was fast-paced and I found myself racing through the pages with excitement. The characters were wonderful and I managed to lose myself in their journey and this magical world!

I think children, young adults and anyone with a love for fantasy should try this! I thoroughly enjoyed it and was so pleased to have the opportunity to read such an enchanting book.

Oldman Brook is an author to look out for!

This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic book which was dark and gripping. The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain is a fantasy novel centred around nine characters on a journey to save Everlast.

What I enjoyed most about this book was it's length which allowed for a good, unpredictable and fast paced storyline.

Whilst I connected with some characters, specifically Greybeard and Finn, I found that other characters didn't come to life - the dwarves for example didn't have any distinguishable traits.

Overall, I found this book entertaining and I'm sure many children will also enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to the next instalment(???).

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain: Elven Resurrection is an epic adventure very much in the style of Tolkien. Humans, elves, shape-shifters, dwarves, wizards, dragons, goblins and more vie for power and survival in the land of Everlast. Most of which contribute at least one colourful character to the cast of the book. I really found the characters themselves enjoyable, though I found their mannerism and flippant lack of sentiment toward their enemy equally disturbing. Let me elaborate (hopefully without spoilers). Greybeard and his crew set out on a quest to save the world essentially. Who is friend and who is foe is fairly clearly delineated. Warrior and his goblins are bad, Greybeard and his army are good. However, both sides treat the lives of the enemy with frightening disregard. This is, perhaps, to be expected in a dehumanised enemy, but not in those that are presented as the representative of the morally superior. An example:at one point the 'good guys' callously joke and laugh as they watch the enemy being incrementally and, almost certainly, painfully burned alive. Not funny and more to the point not appropriate in a children's novel.

If The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain was written for adults, who can be expected to think deeply about such things, I might find this ubiquitous callousness an interesting addition. It might prompt readers to remember that histories are written by victors, who have a tendency to gloss over the cruelties of their own. In a children's novel, however, I find it dangerously close to suggesting that it is ok to kill another as long as they are an enemy, which is of course a subjective classification, making the actual lesson 'it's ok to kill just so long as you think you are on the right side.' I have no doubt that the Hitler Youth were taught a very similar lesson along the way somewhere.

This is my only real complaint though. A whole host of varied and interesting characters are introduced in an unusual narrative. It is told in present tense, which takes some getting used to, but I liked it once I had. The writing is clean and uncluttered for easy reading, and though the first in a series, the book wraps up nicely so there aren't any unbearable cliffhangers. Its well worth a read.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may have taken me a couple of months to finish this, but here it is. I found this enjoyable for the most part with only a few flaws (I'll get to those later). The plot of the book Involves two elf brothers, Finn and Beezle, who get taken from their home and are flung 3000 years into the future. They are taken in by a wizard, named Greybeard, who tells them they must go on a long quest in order for them to get back to their home. The quest involves many different characters including two shape shifters, three dwarves, and a former thief. The book is supposed to be geared towards kids 10+, but I think adults can enjoy it too as there are some violent moments scattered here and there.

These are my only problems with the book:
-The antagonists are pretty weak characters (you'd have to read the book to see why)
-I felt the way the book was worded was strange at first, but eventually, I got used to it.

Flaws aside this was still a fun read. It had a certain Tolkien vibe to it. The book also ended on what seemed like a cliffhanger, so if there will be a sequel, I will gladly read it.

[Ti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

This was an interesting read. It may not be in many peoples tastes but I must admit I was able to finish it quite easily and found it enjoyable. The book could use a bit more editing in some areas but all in all I liked it.

[Sobia Raja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book that I've had on my book shelf for way too long. I can't believe I didnt read it for all those months! I liked it, or rather loved it. I'm not really into this type of fiction but this was actually a refreshing book to read. I'm looking forward to reading similar fiction stories like this now. Woo! :D

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this tale of good versus evil. Good characters who I actually cared about (well, some of them anyway!).

The laughing out loud, the gripping drama and the "hand punched in the air moment" all make for a wonderfully entertaining read.

Mr Brook - when can I have my hands on the sequel please? I need to know what happens next!

[Oldman Brook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my book so would be unfair to give it any less than 5 stars. the book is out January 2012, so you can make your mind up then, should you purchase. I will post sample chapters as a try before you buy option.

[Roshane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was filled with adventure and I enjoyed reading it. The plot was really interesting and as well as being adventurous occasionally this book also made me smile.

[Paddy O'callaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly Brilliant.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book started off at a slower pace, I am glad I stuck with it. Very nicely detailed and a very enjoyable storyline. I've got to say I cannot wait to read the next installment!

[Jenelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain by Oldman Brook is a story about an adventure. Nine companions, comprised of dwarves, men, elves, Otso (men who can shapeshift and become animals), and a wizard set out across the land to battle Warrior: the evil entity that threatens their world.

Pros:

1. The book is incredibly family-friendly. It is listed by the author as “children’s fantasy” and it is. There is no swearing, no inappropriate scenes, and no crude humor. There is a lot of fairly graphic violence, however, so be forewarned. At 431 pages (I’m guessing close to 150,000+ words) it doesn’t really strike me as a “children’s” book (as the word "children" to me conjures up the ages between 8-12), but perhaps the author means “young adult” - the classifications in Britain might be worded differently than here in America.

2. There are very few mechanical errors. I think I caught maybe 3 typos and they were all very minor. (I didn't even make note of them because I wasn't sure they were truly errors, or simply a result of different grammar/spelling rules between America and England).

3. The characters are likeable. The dialogue flows well. The characters are fairly believable and each has a complex back-story that the author unwraps for us to more fully understand as the novel moves along.

4. The plot/story is interesting. You will want to know what happens next.

5. This world is very well-thought-out. There are creatures you may not be familiar with, but the author helps you along by describing everything very clearly. This is classic fantasy complete with magic, dragons, a quest, an evil to overcome, and extraordinary weapons.

Cons:

1. The book is written in the third-person-omniscient/present tense. This took some getting used to, and I felt that the author did himself a disservice by using the present tense. Somehow, it detracted from the adventure and deflated any excitement. This may have also been due to the fact that the author tells us what every single character is thinking all the time (that’s what 3rd-person-omniscient means, for anyone who hasn’t taken a creative writing class). There’s no guess-work involved. The reader always knows exactly what is going through every character’s mind.

2. Earlier I mentioned that everything is described very clearly. That is a pro in fantasy, however, the sheer amount of description in this book turns into a con fairly quickly. I think that if you took Robert Jordan and Charles Dickens and told them to write a book together, this might be very similar to what you would get. Now, if you LOVE Charles Dickens, then this book might be right up your alley. I, unfortunately, do not love Charles Dickens, and the descriptions in this book made reading it feel like I was wading through knee-deep waters.

3. This is related to point 2, but I thought it deserved its own bullet. In addition to the over-descriptive writing, the author spends the entire novel “telling” the reader what is happening. This is a perfect example of what a story looks like when it is “told” rather than “shown.”

4. Perhaps because of the previous three points, you never really get to know the characters. You are told about them, but they start to blur together. The three dwarves are almost indistinguishable from each other. The two Otso are personality twins. The only characters that stand out at all are the wizard, the two elves, and the dragon.

5. There is very little emotion in the story. It might have been the present-tense (I had a hard time getting past that) nature of the story, but I honestly think it is the “telling” that is the culprit here as well, but either way, although you know about the characters, and you know their every thought, you never get “drawn into” their story. The author has done his best to keep you at arm’s length, never allowing you to “feel” anything towards these characters or their adventure. And that really is a shame, because their adventure is pretty cool.

As per FTC guidelines, I must inform you that I received this book for free in exchange for a review. I was not asked to write a positive review, merely an honest one. I have tried to do that to the best of my ability.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all I think this would be better geared towards the YA genre.

I have never read any of the Tolkien books or seen the films as I find them so boring, even though I seem to love every other kind of fantasy, but this was obviously influenced by him, even from the cover !

It is your basic tale of good and evil, nothing took me by surprise sadly even though I did enjoy some parts of the humour. It is well written I think but just not the story for me.

I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
4/10

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gripping fantasy story, which you can imagine as a film as you read it.

[Miya (queen-huntress13) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable book. Not one of my favorites, but I'm glad I read it.