La Leggenda dei Guardiani: Il Regno di Ga'hoole

Guardians of Ga'Hoole #1-3

by Kathryn Lasky, Raffaella Belletti (Translator)

This contains the first three books by Kathryn Lasky, which are the basis of the animated movie, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole.

Book 1: The Capture
Soren is born in the forest of Tyto, a tranquil kingdom where the Barn Owls dwell. But evil lurks in the owl world, and Soren is captured and imprisoned in a dark canyon where there is a mysterious school. It's called an orphanage, but Soren believes it's something far worse. He and his new friend, the clever and scrappy Gylfie, know that the only way out is up. To escape, they will need to do something these fledglings have never done before -- fly. And so begins a magical journey. Along the way, Soren and Gylfie meet Twilight and Digger. The four owls band together to seek the truth, be reunited with their families, and protect the owl world from a great danger.

Book 2: The Journey
It began as a dream, a quest for the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, a mythic place where an order of owls rises each night to perform noble deeds. There, Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger hope to find inspiration to fight the evil that dwells in the owl kingdom. The journey is long and harrowing. When Soren and his friends finally arrive at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, they face challenges they never imagined. If they can learn from their leaders and from one another, they will become true Ga'Hoolian owls: honest and brave, wise and true.

Book 3: The Rescue
Ever since Soren was kidnapped, he has longed to see his sister, Eglantine. Now, Eglantine is back is Soren's life, but she s been through an ordeal too terrible for words. At the same time, Soren's mentor, Ezylryb, has mysteriously disappeared and may be in danger. Something deep within Soren tells him there is a connection between these mysterious events. To rescue Ezylryb, Soren must face a force more dangerous than anything that even the evil rulers of the owl orphanage could have devised.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Audiobook, Middle Grade, Adventure

589 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Kathryn Lasky, also known as Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann, is an award-winning American author of over one hundred books for children and adults. Best known for the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series, her work has been translated into 19 languages and includes historical fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read all 15 books in this series, out loud, at bedtime, I can offer the following insights. The book is not like the movie. The books move a great deal slower than the movie and offer a much more complex plot. They also get creepy in later books. Hagfiend owls that put their enemy's heads on spits - not real good bedtime material. I admit editing this for my child.

The author's style improved as the series progressed. The writing flowed better and was much easier to read aloud. Several later books abandon the main characters for stories about the history of the owl kingdom. These were very interesting, but some of my library patrons were really anxious to get back to the original story line.

Overall, a very original and enjoyable series. Just keep in mind that these are not cutesy animal stories. Lots of action will appeal to reluctant readers, but the language may be difficult for them,as the author creates her own vocabulary for the owls.

[Jo-Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This actually included Books 1, 2, and 3 in this series. I wasn't sure what to expect when I began this book, but I am so happy I decided to read this! I was absolutely enchanted by this story that began with a little barn owl named Soren being pushed out of his tree by his bullying older brother Kludd. I became completely swept along in the story- from him being snatched by the horrible owls of the "orphanage", to his meeting Gylfie, a sweet little elf owl, and through all their adventures together after fleeing the horrible and awful orphanage. I love the big gray owl, Twilight that Soren and Gylfie run into right after escaping, and Digger- a burrowing owl the other 3 bump into in the desert while making their way to find the island that holds "The Great Ga'hoole Tree." They all have something in common- a reason to want to defeat the horrible orphanage of St. Aggie's. There are so many great things about this story. There is sadness, fear, and death, but on the other side of that there is faith, hope, and love. This is a series I am going to definitely encourage both of my daughters to read, and I enjoyed it so much that I plan on moving on with the rest of the series. I felt the narrator was absolutely AMAZING(I listened to the Audio version, but since I needed the page count for a challenge I put my review on the hardcover copy). I really thought this book may be too "young" for me, but I truly don't feel that way after listening to it. I enjoyed all of it A LOT! I'm probably repeating myself, but I loved it so much.

[Bitchin' Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly wish I had discovered this series when they were first coming out. Although geared toward a younger crowd of late elementary schoolers and middle schoolers, the storytelling is fantastic and also surprising brutal, sometimes gory. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

[Gil Bradshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suck it Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and Hemingway, I'm reading lightweight books about Owls right now. These books are so fun and easy. I originally thought I would get my kids into the books with me but they were completely uninterested. Back to the Boxcar Children for the kids as I escape with these fun and light novels about Owls and their political conquests in Ga'hoole.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

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This was fricken adorable. Not only was it a beautiful story line, with such delightful characters but I feel like I am an owl expert now!

[Love of Hopeless Causes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Resist the urge to explain.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owls were my Grandma's thing. She had thousands around the house--stitched into towels, printed on porcelain, figurines, art made with seeds.... Her house was full of owls. When she passed away in December, Legend of the Guardians had just come to the dollar theatre. I loved the story, the characters, the whole experience, mostly emotionally.
The book is very different. I loved it for the owls, for their beautiful, intelligent world that Lasky imagined. The characters are darling and well developed. The descriptive passages are, for the most part, quite well done. The owl-specific terminology is a little cheesy in some parts and in others doesn't quite work: "breaklight" instead of "breakfast" betrays very little sense of etymology or word formation. Lasky is not quite the master of inventing a whole new world as Rowlings. She slips up a little here and there.
Also, after Soren's and Gylfie's escape from St. Aggie's, the story drags. I can see why the movie skipped so much. I do love how much we learn about life in the great Ga'Hoole tree, though.
Overall, I would call the writing well done but not masterful. The story line is a genius idea in its essence but could have done with some pruning in the final stages of execution. I oddly found several typos, which is more a criticism of Scholastic Inc. and Lasky's editor than anything else. After the individual volumes had already appeared before, you'd think they could have ironed out such errors for the combined volume of the first three books.
In any case, it's a charming read, well worth anyone's while. I loved it for indulging my inherited love for owls and for endowing them with some further personality and mystery in my imagination.

[liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh this was my ultimate vibe! So melodramatic and unintentionally funny, epic 00s fantasy, this is DEFINITELY not for everyone and there are loads of things I question, but overall, this is what I love. So over the top and yet perfect.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to check out these book before I saw the movie. I really like this so far! I imagine that I would have appreciated them even more if I were a kid. There are plenty of elements that are typically appealing to children. The world of intelligent owls in fascinating enough for most kids to be intrigued. But there are also a lot of dark situations. The authors takes the audience seriously, even if they are children. I really like this. I unfortunately find that lacking in many children's books. Kids can be smarter than what some adults give them credit for, and these books recognizes that by including situations of complex emotions. The serious nature of the books also involves the adult readers, so this series is great for families. However, the story is not so depressing all the time, which is good. The plot is fast paced, and full of adventure, which is great for any story.
As for the recording, I like it very much. However, I have a pet peeve with matching the gender of the narrator with the main character. Since the main owl, Soarin, is male I would have preferred a male narrator. But as the story is not written in first person, it was not so bad to have a female voice actor. Also, many of the characters are young owls, and so the narrator naturally uses high-pitched voices for the young, small owls. But there are so many of them! Often times, she is just talking in an annoying high-pitch when there is straight dialog. Other than that, she does a good job. The narrator was so good at changing her voice, I found myself forgetting that one person was doing all of the voices.
Anyway, definitely check this out. I am definitely going to read book 4, and probably the rest of the series.

[BooksAmL · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book series that i started reading after i seen the movie first and have to say that i enjoyed both of them very much. The reason that i give only 3.7 stars is because at some points i thought i was a little to much detail for this type of book.

Most of the plot in all 3 books runs around Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger and their journey from when their kidnapped to when they get to the Tree of Ga'hoole. I love Soren character development from where he starts until where he gets and who will end up to be. The 'gang' has to figure out what is the connection with all the owls that they disappear and who is the this owl with the metal beak that everyone is terrified of.

I am so happy that i had the chance to read this book and i am thinking to continue this series even if is a good ending i could stop reading it at the 3rd book. This series is for any age and i at any time especially if you are in a reading slam.

[Zoe's Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this wonderful idea that owls rule after the humans are gone. Gylfie is my favorite owl because she is so tiny yet she can do so much. My least favorite owl is probably Kludd.

Soren a barn owl has an older brother Kludd and a younger sister Egglintena when Soren falls out of the nest and is flown to a canyon where he meets Gylfie an elf owl together they must survive against moon blinking. They decide that they must get out of the canyon. They make a plan to get out but it could or could not work.

This is a wonderful fantasy book. With some evil characters and evil places. There are still good characters in this book like Soren.

[Sharman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these books aloud to second and third graders. Not only did I develop a love for them, so did my students. It was a race between one of my students and I as to who would get to read the next book first. Kathryn Lasky did an amazing job of developing the characters. I loved how she tied her stories to classics in literature (King Arthur) and history (WWII and the holocaust) in such a beautiful manner. I saw the movie after reading the books, and although it was fun to see, it is eclipsed by the stories in the books. I highly recommend this series.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know quite what to think when I started listening to this story about a little owl and his family. I allowed the narrator to carry me along and before I knew it, I was entranced by the drama and caught up in the struggle and lore of this world of the owl and the band of friends who have become "the best of the best".

A ten star performance by Pamela Garelick!

[Jelinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Since this tome actually contains the first three books of the Legend of the Guardians series, I'll be updating this review as I finish each of the books.)

Book One: The Capture

My good buddy JN let me borrow this one. He said it was decent, and, since he has exquisite taste for an eleven-year-old boy, I decided to give it a shot.

The tales of the Owls of Ga'Hoole begins where every owl begins: a hatching. But Soren Alba, a Barn Owl from the Forest of Tyto, is not the one hatching; he's awaiting the birth of his sister, Eglantine. His older brother, Kludd, is a bully, but his parents, Noctus and Marella, are loving owl parents who patiently and gently teach their young owlets all about being an owl.

But when Soren is only a few months old, his life is changed forever when he falls out of his family's tree and is abducted by the owls of St. Aegolius. St. Aggie's is a mysterious institution: the owls here spend their days working and their nights sleep-marching -- that is, they march around in the bright moonlight, trying to sleep, and are subsequently hypnotized by the moon's rays. Soren is assigned a number to replace his name, but he is determined to remember his family and get back to them.

Along the way, he makes friends with Gylfie, a smart Elf Owl, who immediately sets to work trying to figure out a way to escape St. Aggie's so that they can return to their families.

As fantasy series go, this one's not terrible. It's fun enough to engage your attention, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next. I do have a few nitpicks, but these are common problems that I have with children's literature today.

First off, the characters tend to swing back and forth between extremes of emotion. Look, authors, kids aren't as dumb as you think. They can pick up on subtlety, so you don't have to have your characters constantly on the brink of despair in order to get kids to sympathize with your characters.

Also, the exposition is a little clunky. The way that Soren and Gylfie arrive at certain conclusions can be a little cheesy.

Finally, what's with all the martyrdom? I don't want to spoil those who haven't read it yet, so I won't elaborate, but I did find the martyrdom in the story to be a little over-the-top. So, yeah, St. Aggie's is a dangerous place and these owls are ruthless. I get it.

But there's a lot of dreck out there for kids these days. You could do a lot worse than Legend of the Guardians.

Book Two: The Journey

The second book of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series fell rather flat for me. The book follows our quartet of heroes on their journey to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, where they hope they will find a noble band of warrior owls to join.

My biggest problem with this volume is that there's nothing here than couldn't also be included in the next book. Yet, we still have to bear with all of the tedious summarizing that tends to happen at the beginning of serialized books (See: Babysitters Club, The and Sweet Valley High). First off, if you're going to make me sit through all of that summarizing, then you'd better make it worth my while with something interesting. Second, if you want people to read your series, then you should stop assuming that people will start reading midway through. Once again, kids aren't stupid; they'll remember all the major plot points from the previous volume. Unnecessary summarizing was a big pet peeve of mine growing up. I hated having to read a whole chapter full of information I already knew.

Also, in this volume, Soren and his compatriots (notice that I didn't list them or explain their backstories! That's because I trust that you read my last review!) reach their destination, which turns out to be a cheap Hogwarts retread. I admit that I have issues with J.K. Rowling's writing, but even I have to concede that the woman has an imagination that can't be beat. If you can't think of a setting for your fantasy novel other than a school for [insert subject of series here], then it might be time to keep thinking.

All in all, there wasn't much in this volume that couldn't have been deleted or compacted and tacked onto the beginning of the next book.

Book Three: The Rescue

In some ways, the third installment of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series provided many of the same annoying tropes that plagued the first two books.

But, then, the ending of this volume, I must admit, threw me for a loop. I should have seen it coming, but, still, I must give credit where credit is due.

I wish Ms. Lasky has condensed Book Two into the beginning of Book Three. It would have made for one fun volume instead of two mediocre ones.

The Rescue picks up where The Journey left off. (SPOILER!!) Orensay's istersay, Eglantineyay, ashay eenbay escuedray, utbay ishay entormay, Ezylrybyay, ashay onegay issingmay.

I can't say much about this volume without spoiling the book, but we do get some vital background information about Soren's mentor, Ezylryb, and more information about an evil plaguing the land that is even worse than the owls of St. Aegolius. And the book ends with a pretty exciting battle. It looks like the author is finally starting to warm up.

However, it still rankles me that she insists upon summarizing all of the major plot points in each of the books. This was especially irritating because I read all three books in the same volume, so there were certain parts of the book that I had to relive three times in a week.

I also don't appreciate the obvious Hogwartsian quality of life in the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, complete with punishments for misbehavior, mean teachers, and even a prissy, know-it-all Hermione character whom the gang initially hates, but later comes to appreciate.

Finally, the only thing more annoying than all of the summarizing is all of the explanations of the owl jargon that Lasky has created for the owls. Okay, I get that giving the owls their own vocabulary and slang makes it seem like more of its own culture. But I think that Lasky overdoes it, as is evidenced by the fact that she has to explain all of those words every time she uses them in a new installment of her series. Used correctly, creating a unique and complete culture for your characters can ground the reader in your fantasy world (see: Tolkien, J.R.R.). But it needs to serve a purpose, and if you don't know how to wield that weapon, you'll end up hurting yourself.

That's exactly what happens with Lasky's owlspeak. It ends up becoming more tedious than it's worth because it doesn't add all that much to the story.

I do have to admire the author, though, for her thorough research of owls. She understands their physiology and habits. I know more about owls now than I ever did, and I think that's valuable (what? You won't be rolling your eyes when I win "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" with an owl question).

I still plan to read the rest of the books, as long as JN keeps lending them to me. But I hope that the plot starts developing a little faster.

[Agataverena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fluido e semplice da leggere.

Molti colpi di scena di cui non mi aspettavo, essendo che ho preso ispirazione in leggere questo libro dal film. Il quale non prende la storia precisa del romanzo.

Sopratutto nella scoperta di chi fosse il famoso Becco di Metallo, chiamato così dalla copertura di metallo sul viso. Che nel film invece fosse tutt'altro personaggio.

Il fatto che Kludd fosse il spregiato tiranno, il "Supremo Tyto" , di cui nessuno si sarebbe mai pensato di apprendere attraverso il romanzo, ecco quello era certamente un colpo di scena che ha cambiato la mia prospettiva su questa storia.

La storia è scritta molto bene, anche se ogni tanto venivano aggiunti capitoli per scene fuoriluogo, inerenti al seguito della storia principale, ma sinceramente per come scrive Kathryn Lasky me lo aspetterei in molti altri romanzi simili.
Questi capitoli poi spezzano e danno pausa, creando suspense e semmai anche aggiungendo più informazioni e fatti alla plot, il quale può essere visto sia bene che male da persona a persona.

Le scene violenti sono molto sobrie, e tra i vari libri, di scene di questo genere ne ho letti molte. Corte, privi di aggressività, non sanguinolente, specifiche ma non pesanti o disgustose.

Ho apprezzato molto questa lettura, come anche il film stesso. Sono molto felice di aver finito questo volume, spero che il continuo sia entusiasmante quanto il primo.

E si, film e romanzo sono due storie molto differenti.
Però raccomando tantissimo questo libro a qualsiasi persona che sia interessata nella fantasia e avventura. Spero piaccia anche a voi altri lettori come l'ho apprezzato io.

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Легенда за Пазителите: Совите от Га`хуул” (изд. „Пергамент прес”) на Катрин Ласки е очарователна поредица за деца и младежи, чиито пернати герои бързо се превърнаха в мои любимци. Легендарно тайно общество от сови-рицари, шепа отдадени млади герои, твърдо решени да защитават мира, справедливостта и свободата с цената на всичко... Епичен сблъсък между добро и зло, в който грабливите нощни птици ще ви убедят, че съвсем не е нужно да яздиш кон и да размахваш меч, за да бъдеш главен герой във фентъзи роман. Поредицата „Легенда за Пазителите” е далечен наследник на приказките за животни и достоен съперник на множество от съвременните детско-юношески фентъзи саги. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...

[Chevy · Rating 2 out of 5]

In all fairness I’m an adult reading these for the first time and they are absolute garbage. There is a story here but it isn’t actually being told.

The first book introduces St. Aggies’s where something strange is going on with young owls being taken and brainwashed for purposes unknown but something to do with battle claws. This is well done but once the owls leave it is a bit of wizard of oz where they’re off to seek the tree and pick up random owls on the way.

Book 2 had 0 story except for the owls being taught in a sort of owl school to learn their designated task. The only worthwhile thing that happens in this book is at the very end with “the great downing”. The owlets emo poet zombies which hints at something similar but different to St. Aggie’s going on. This feels like it’s leading up to something but what? Don’t expect to find out because the owlets magically revive themselves but no one asks and they don’t explain what happened to them.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Effective children's story telling. Some will claim that it's too violent at times. I disagree. It's naturalistic for the most part--if you ignore the whole semi-armored owl thing. As with younger reader books--each book just felt like the part of a larger novel. I know the Ga'hoole series is long. This volume collected the first three books and as collected they are better served.

If I were to read these separately, I'd feel a little short changed. Granted, if I was in the age range of the intended readers...I'd love the open ended ending of each story. I'd also like the each of the last 10-15 page reveals of each book a little better. As it is...this beginning of the Ga'hoole series should be experienced like this--as the first 3 books collected.

The audio book narrator is also top notch. It would be difficult to differentiate the different owls--and she does deftly.

[Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story of young orphans with elements of adventure, bravery, banding together against evil. It reads like a mashup of Harry Potter and Watership Down. I learned a great deal about owls (I think), and the author has done a good job making the characters believable in their own context. You don't find out until later on that it takes place in a post-apocalyptic, post-human(?) world, which is kind of weird, but at least there's some worldbuilding going on.

It's hard to describe, but the book feels like it's both overly juvenile (e.g., poop jokes) and inappropriate for children at times (e.g., intense violence, scenes of gruesome death), which makes it difficult to appreciate. I could see young folks getting into it, though.

[Paola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un fantasy simil medievale dal punto di vista dei gufi. Una gradevole scoperta che è riuscita ad unire più generi in uno. Mi potrei anche azzardare a dire che si tratti di un possibile scenario post apocalittico. Sicuramente qualcuno avrà visto qualche anno fa il film di animazione che cerca di essere più fedele possibile ad una saga lunga più di 6 romanzi. Questa prima trilogia è stata interessante e rilassante, ma non la consiglierei ad un lettore inesperto poiché sono presenti terminologie e gergo relativi all'ornitologia e anche alle scienze cui bisogna abituarsi per comprendere lo sviluppo della storia. Spero che la seconda trilogia raccolta da Mondadori sia altrettanto stimolante!

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to have a richly imagined world of owls, blending adventure and themes of bravery and friendship. Kathryn Lasky's storytelling shines with vivid descriptions and a compelling plot, drawing readers into the intricate lives of her avian characters. But there were times where I was thrown off by the uneven pacing and certain elements may lean toward predictability, the series effectively balances excitement with deeper moral lessons. However, if you're a younger reader, this is a good and engaging read for you though it might not fully resonate with older readers like me.

[Madilyn Dyche · Rating 3 out of 5]

It really is a good adventure story and I like the characters just as much as I did when reading it as a kid, but it suffers from some problematic themes that think get resolved in later books but I am unsure. It also suffers from the fact that almost every line of dialogue is followed by a long explanation in why what they said is important or told again about a characters backstory or explained an aspect of the world building even though we just heard about it a few chapters ago. It can get a little irritating.

[Rikke Grave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mighty fine read. Watched the film back when it was releashed in the theatre. I recall having strong feelings for the little owlets and the main character Soren. It made me want to rewatch the film and find out how much of the stories that are in the animation. None the less I found myself not being completely captured by the stories, as I normally and often are by books whether it being childrens literarture, young adults or grown up stuff - hence the three star rating

[Gabriella Giannini · Rating 4 out of 5]

È davvero una bella saga! Un fantasy un po' diverso, dove è il mondo animale ad essere protagonista, ed è una caratteristica che amo molto, soprattutto per il fatto che non è scritto in tono di favola (come spesso accade se sono gli animali i protagonisti delle storie). Crescita, amicizie, battaglie, scienza, perdita, tradimenti...ci sono tante cose in questi libri, miscelate con sapienza ! Mi è dispiaciuto arrivare alla fine.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for fans of Warrior Cats or Redwall series! Loved these books as a teen and they're just as gripping as an adult, plus I can pick up on all the white supremacy comparisons with the villains. The nestmaid snakes considering owls superior and being happy as servants rubs me the wrong way, despite the respect they receive. Audio narration was decent (aside from the very strange rhythms attempted for the songs).

[Angeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️
Adding this to my “forcing my kids to read this” list!!
This was one of my favorite movies as a kid and I really enjoyed reading the books behind the movie (even tho I like the movie more because it’s so nostalgic to me)!

I also think this book is a perfect example of quality over quantity, because this children’s book has more depth and cooler fight/flight scenes than some of nowadays’ new adult book like Fourth Wing for example!

[Jen Jenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't. I am struggling staying awake every time I turn it on, its very slow and a bit monotone. Could just be my current exhausted state, but I'm not struggling as much with other books. Sorry, giving up on this one.

[Marnie Bebej · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book i really enjoyed. the fact the main characters are owls and different tyoes was fun. I also enjoyed the added facts about owls. the story starts out a little dark with baby owls being kidnapped and more or less taken to a cult and brainwashed.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great starter collection for a wonderful series I've enjoyed reading many times since it first came out.
These three books are a magical adventure with wonderful character's you'll always remember.