Rapunzel and Raphael

by Samuel DenHartog

Rapunzel lives in a tower without a door, where the birds bring her gifts and the walls remember every song she’s ever sung. Her long braid stretches the height of the tower, enchanted and uncuttable, trailing behind her like a secret no one else knows. The sorceress who trapped her there comes and goes without warning, arriving in anger, vanishing in silence. Time doesn’t pass the same up high. Rapunzel counts it in braids and songs and dreams she doesn’t say aloud.

Far beyond the tower, Prince Raphael walks away from Eldoria and everything expected of him. Guided by a vision, he journeys west through cursed woods, forgotten towers, and places where the wind will not carry sound. He carries only a bow, a dagger, and the unshakable sense that something sacred waits beyond the maps. When he finds the tower—and the girl within it—nothing unfolds as he imagined, and everything begins to shift.

What begins with a climb becomes something far deeper. Two strangers in a room above the world, held together by quiet wonder and the fierce ache of freedom. But nothing about this meeting is accidental, and the forces that bound her there are not finished yet. Love may be the beginning, but to change a fate written in blood and braid, they will have to defy more than magic. They will have to defy the sorceress herself.

187 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2025

About the author

Samuel DenHartog is a versatile and imaginative author whose works span a wide array of genres, including mythology, fables, fairy tales, fantasy, romance, mystery, science fiction, and children's books. His stories captivate readers of all ages, blending wonder with rich, timeless narratives.

What sets Samuel apart is his ability to breathe new life into ancient tales while preserving their core essence. Whether it's mythology, folklore, or fairy tales from various cultures, by carefully balancing tradition with modern touches, he creates stories that resonate with contemporary audiences, making historical and mythical narratives feel fresh, relevant, and engaging.

Off the page, Samuel is a lifelong learner, constantly expanding his creative horizons and engaging with innovative ideas. His journey is a continual pursuit of knowledge and creativity, bridging the worlds of tradition and imagination.

Reviews

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 1 out of 5]

I keep waiting to see DenHartog try something original again, but he just keeps churning out ChatGPT renditions of public domain material. Clearly he's no Josh Wolstenholm.

For some reason his Brothers Grimm "inspired" books are set in the Kingdom of Eldoria. You know, that place he totally made up by himself. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

The book's front matter helpfully places this book in context:

HISTORICAL ORDER OF THE KINGDOM OF ELDORIA TALES

The "Kingdom of Eldoria" tales can each be read standalone and can be enjoyed in any order. I did not write them in historical order; they are only loosely connected.

Here, I fixed it for you:

I did not write them.

[neenween · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this in a GoodReads giveaway and I’m very disappointed to see this book was written using AI. I only read books in its entirety if it’s actually written by a human, from a human brain. If I wanted to read a Rapunzel story by AI, I could go to ChatGPT on my own. I should’ve looked closer at the cover before entering this giveaway as it’s also clearly AI-generated.

[R.W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you for the chance to read this giveaway copy. this story has no feeling and is dull. the idea of the expanded story behind the fairytale is nice but poor and boring execution.