RedSilver: Nature's Evolutions

by Steve Alford, Andrea Thiessen (Illustrator)

When Red Sunset, an ordinary vixen from Devon, is chosen by Mother Gaia to defend the Heart Forest from attack, she can hardly believe what is happening to her. As one of the legendary Animentals, she can command powers she could only ever have dreamed of.

But this is a far from idyllic situation. The Heart Forest is under attack by strange creatures unlike anything she has ever seen before. And if the Animentals fail, the consequences run far further than she could ever imagine...

241 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2013

Reviews

[James Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I would say that the age range could easily be considered appropriate for children eight and above, and this is a book I would read to my kids. There's not even a hint of bad language or adult situations. The story is about a female fox who, when she's just about to die, finds herself transported to a magical realm and given exceptional powers. That's a good thing, because the evil "Dark Ones" are threatening the safety of her new home and the Earth as a whole. Red must work with her new friends in order to combat the evil that threatens them all.

Some may have issues with the personification of "Mother Earth" as a kind of spiritual entity and guide, but in all honesty, if you were able to sit through an episode of "Captain Planet" and still maintain your sanity, you shouldn't have any issues with this - it's way subtler than that. Also, the book isn't preachy about eco-causes - it's old fashioned good versus evil. It doesn't delve into violence or gore in any respect, either.

As far as mechanics go, I couldn't find any faults in the text, spelling, or grammar, and the artwork inside the book is adorable. I would recommend this highly to anyone who likes stories about animals as characters (which pretty much anyone who liked the Lion King).

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes you just want a nice, fluffy fantasy in which good is good, evil is evil, and nothing truly scary happens. Welcome to the Heart Forest, ruled by Gaia and protected by animal elementals, or Animentals, from the dark forces that aim to destroy it. A cosy adventure with charming illustrations by Silent Ravyn.

[Kris Schnee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun talking-animals story with a straightforward good versus evil plot. I've made fun of this one because of the Mary Sue protagonist: "You're not just worthy of the animal afterlife, but of becoming a supernatural guardian of it! And of getting the super-rare magic element! And of being our leader! And of growing wings! And...!") Still, a Mary Sue isn't always bad; they can be fun to read about, and that's the case here. Don't expect anything especially deep here, but it's still entertaining to read about a magic talking fox blasting shadow monsters with magic. Certainly better than some dreary, depressing story!

[William Fontana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story, very fast moving. I will say however that this book felt very much aimed at a younger audience. Was a great read none-the-less and had a lot of fun with this