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The Impossible Quest #2
The Wolves of the Witchwood
Four unlikely heroes, four mysterious gifts, four impossible elements, five thrilling books. Four unlikely heroes are forced on a perilous quest to save their people. But first, Tom, Elanor, Sebastian and Quinn must escape the overrun castle. Only they can find the four impossible elements needed to wake the sleeping warriors of the legend. Only they can drive back the darkness that reigns over the land. I know every hidden path through these woods.Trust me. There is no griffin in this forest. Hunted by Lord Mortlake, Tom, Quinn, Elanor and Sabastian flee for cover. The unicorn leads them into the darkness of the Witchwood, where they meet Wilda the witch. Can she be trusted? Danger surrounds, but there's no time to lose. The four unlikely heroes must find the griffin, dragon and sea serpent before it's too late.
192 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2014
33 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Kate Forsyth
86 books2,562 followersKate Forsyth wrote her first novel at the age of seven, and is now the internationally bestselling author of 40 books for both adults and children.
Her books for adults include 'Beauty in Thorns', the true love story behind a famous painting of 'Sleeping Beauty'; 'The Beast's Garden', a retelling of the Grimm version of 'Beauty & the Beast', set in the German underground resistance to Hitler in WWII; 'The Wild Girl', the love story of Wilhelm Grimm and Dortchen Wild, the young woman who told him many of the world's most famous fairy tales; 'Bitter Greens', a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale; and the bestselling fantasy series 'Witches of Eileanan' Her books for children include 'The Impossible Quest', 'The Gypsy Crown', 'The Puzzle Ring', and 'The Starkin Crown'
Kate has a doctorate in fairytale studies, a Masters of Creative Writing, a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, and is an accredited master storyteller.
Her books for adults include 'Beauty in Thorns', the true love story behind a famous painting of 'Sleeping Beauty'; 'The Beast's Garden', a retelling of the Grimm version of 'Beauty & the Beast', set in the German underground resistance to Hitler in WWII; 'The Wild Girl', the love story of Wilhelm Grimm and Dortchen Wild, the young woman who told him many of the world's most famous fairy tales; 'Bitter Greens', a retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale; and the bestselling fantasy series 'Witches of Eileanan' Her books for children include 'The Impossible Quest', 'The Gypsy Crown', 'The Puzzle Ring', and 'The Starkin Crown'
Kate has a doctorate in fairytale studies, a Masters of Creative Writing, a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, and is an accredited master storyteller.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 28, 2015
THE WOLVES OF THE WITCHWOOD and THE BEAST OF BLACKMOOR BOG are books 2 & 3 in The Impossible Quest series by Kate Forsyth; a fabulous adventure set in the faraway fantasy land of Wolfhaven. Four young teens band together to save their world. Tom, the son of the Wolfhaven Castle cook; Lady Elanor, the daughter of the Lord of Wolfhaven; Sebastian, a young squire who dreams of being a knight and thinks he is superior to Tom; and Quinn, who is an orphan, an apprenticed witch, and think she knows everything. Wolfhaven Castle is captured by Lord Mortlake who uses evil magic to achieve his goal, taking over the world. The 4 mismatched teens manage to escape with the help of the castle witch – who gives each of them a magical gift. With no time to tell them what their gift will do for them, part of the quest is also to unlock the mystery of their gifts. Now they need to try and awaken some legendary sleeping warriors from the past and overthrow Lord Mortlake and his evil plans for taking over the world.
Before they can bring the warriors to life the group need to stop squabbling and work together to find a Unicorn, a Griffin, a Dragon and a Sea Serpent. By the end of these two books they have found 3 of their mythical animals with one more to go. In Witchwood they meet Tom’s mysterious father and a blind witch, Wilda. On Blackmoor the team splits up (always a mistake) and reach one of the castles they are seeking military assistance from. As you would expect when only half way through a series all is not as it seems and the story races along to a life or death climax in the middle of a spooky bog in the middle of the moor.
Overall the books are a fast read as the group lurches from one crisis to another and the plot twists and turns. However, there is real growth in each of the main characters as they get further along in the adventure; they are learning about themselves and their gift, and become a team rather than being just thrown together due to circumstances.
I love the land of Wolfhaven – as with many fantasy novels the setting is medieval, with castles, bows and arrow, knights and a strict social hierarchy. Throw in magical creatures – both good and evil, witches, a talking pendant and tame wolves and you have a wonderful adventure. THE WOLVES OF THE WITCHWOOD really had just the one task to do with all the gang involved as they worked out their own social hierarchy, then THE BEAST OF BLACKMOOR BOG had a few story lines going with the group splitting up into different task threads and heading off in different directions to do what needed to be done. Kate Forsyth cleverly pulled the threads back into line by the end of the book and the teens moved off as one to start their quest for the final creature that they need.
I know I am not the age of the intended audience – but I am really enjoying the adventure. I like how each of the main characters are becoming aware of their weaknesses and finding their strengths. How they are losing sight of their differences and becoming unified in their similarities. The 4th book in the series - THE DROWNED KINGDOM – has now been released, with one more to go, BATTLE OF THE HEROES, being released in a couple of months.
Before they can bring the warriors to life the group need to stop squabbling and work together to find a Unicorn, a Griffin, a Dragon and a Sea Serpent. By the end of these two books they have found 3 of their mythical animals with one more to go. In Witchwood they meet Tom’s mysterious father and a blind witch, Wilda. On Blackmoor the team splits up (always a mistake) and reach one of the castles they are seeking military assistance from. As you would expect when only half way through a series all is not as it seems and the story races along to a life or death climax in the middle of a spooky bog in the middle of the moor.
Overall the books are a fast read as the group lurches from one crisis to another and the plot twists and turns. However, there is real growth in each of the main characters as they get further along in the adventure; they are learning about themselves and their gift, and become a team rather than being just thrown together due to circumstances.
I love the land of Wolfhaven – as with many fantasy novels the setting is medieval, with castles, bows and arrow, knights and a strict social hierarchy. Throw in magical creatures – both good and evil, witches, a talking pendant and tame wolves and you have a wonderful adventure. THE WOLVES OF THE WITCHWOOD really had just the one task to do with all the gang involved as they worked out their own social hierarchy, then THE BEAST OF BLACKMOOR BOG had a few story lines going with the group splitting up into different task threads and heading off in different directions to do what needed to be done. Kate Forsyth cleverly pulled the threads back into line by the end of the book and the teens moved off as one to start their quest for the final creature that they need.
I know I am not the age of the intended audience – but I am really enjoying the adventure. I like how each of the main characters are becoming aware of their weaknesses and finding their strengths. How they are losing sight of their differences and becoming unified in their similarities. The 4th book in the series - THE DROWNED KINGDOM – has now been released, with one more to go, BATTLE OF THE HEROES, being released in a couple of months.
April 22, 2020
I am reading this series with my 9 year old son. We are really enjoying the story and getting to know the characters. The author carries you through a fun world with intrigue and adventure. We can't wait to pick up the next book in the series!
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March 5, 2022Skyler is LOVING this series! So much action and he loves the fantastical creatures!
August 20, 2022
This second book in Forsyth’s Impossible Quest saga sees our four heroes seeking refuge in a forest populated by a witch, wolves, and other creatures I will not mention here because :spoilers:. It is not as action-packed as the first book but still made for decent bedtime reading with the 9-year-old.
August 4, 2017
A wonderful heroic journey set in a magical forest with four main characters.
December 24, 2014
Tom, Quinn, Eleanor and Sebastian are four children being hunted through a forest by Lord Mortlake and his evil bogmen. They are on a quest to save their land and must find a griffin, a dragon and a sea serpent.
This book is an excellent sequel to Escape from Wolfhaven Castle. The pacing is fast and it leaves little time for readers to catch their breath as the protagonists go from one crisis to another. This could be read as a stands alone book if the first one cannot be found.
Aimed at 10-12 year olds.
This book is an excellent sequel to Escape from Wolfhaven Castle. The pacing is fast and it leaves little time for readers to catch their breath as the protagonists go from one crisis to another. This could be read as a stands alone book if the first one cannot be found.
Aimed at 10-12 year olds.
January 29, 2018
I like how the relationships between the four main characters are growing. They're learning to respect and appreciate each other, despite very different personalities, strengths, and backgrounds. The supporting character Wilda was one of the high points too: her motivations were mysterious and kept the reader guessing. However, there were some pacing issues which impacted my overall enjoyment.
January 3, 2016
A great read for primary aged kids. This series is very interesting, exciting and filled with magical creatures. I can't wait to read the next book!
November 19, 2021
In this book the four kids become a team. All of their society roles fall away and they get to the business of saving the castle.
Sure Sebastian is still a bit of a prickly pear, but it makes the moments when he bravely saves one of the other three more powerful because it goes against his nature.
The team meet the witch of Wildwood and they can not figure if she is friend or foe. She performs powerful magic that the kids can't decide if it is in their best interest or not.
They also find Tom's father who is an interesting character. Not at all what I was expecting, and so much better for it. He helps fullfill another line of the prophecy.
When Eleanor puts her hand in the water with the unicorn and is transformed I worried that her slow transformation would be an anxiety over the course of the rest of the books. Thankfully they find the solution.
Both the fight scene with the two headed giant and the finding of the griffin were pure fantasy fun. I wanted to play a flute and fly on a griffin!
Taking the healing water to Hunter, Tom's dad, and the griffin feather to the blind witch were really special heart warming touches.
Sure Sebastian is still a bit of a prickly pear, but it makes the moments when he bravely saves one of the other three more powerful because it goes against his nature.
The team meet the witch of Wildwood and they can not figure if she is friend or foe. She performs powerful magic that the kids can't decide if it is in their best interest or not.
They also find Tom's father who is an interesting character. Not at all what I was expecting, and so much better for it. He helps fullfill another line of the prophecy.
When Eleanor puts her hand in the water with the unicorn and is transformed I worried that her slow transformation would be an anxiety over the course of the rest of the books. Thankfully they find the solution.
Both the fight scene with the two headed giant and the finding of the griffin were pure fantasy fun. I wanted to play a flute and fly on a griffin!
Taking the healing water to Hunter, Tom's dad, and the griffin feather to the blind witch were really special heart warming touches.
November 15, 2018
After finding the unicorn, the four young heroes on their impossible quest set off to find a Griffin. I love the mixture of fantasy and growing up that are intertwined in this journey. Even though this is only the second book in the series, the four children have already begun to accept each other for their strengths and flaws – the bickering has already almost stopped.
Something about this story that I love is the fact that the main characters who bicker and fight are the two boys – the girls (who, let’s be honest) are often cast into the “bitchy” roles towards one another don’t have any of these issues. Actually they quietly and quickly accept each other from the very beginning.
Wolves of the Witchwood, for an adult, is an incredibly easy, breezy and simple read. I spent a few nights reading it before bed when I needed to switch off, but was too tired to actually concentrate on anything. It’s the perfect addition to your shelf for those people who like a quick, easy read. Or the perfect addition to a children’s shelf.
Something about this story that I love is the fact that the main characters who bicker and fight are the two boys – the girls (who, let’s be honest) are often cast into the “bitchy” roles towards one another don’t have any of these issues. Actually they quietly and quickly accept each other from the very beginning.
Wolves of the Witchwood, for an adult, is an incredibly easy, breezy and simple read. I spent a few nights reading it before bed when I needed to switch off, but was too tired to actually concentrate on anything. It’s the perfect addition to your shelf for those people who like a quick, easy read. Or the perfect addition to a children’s shelf.
July 9, 2024
Tom, Quinn, Elanor, and Sebastian have escaped Wolfhaven Castle. Now they are running for their lives and piecing together the clues of their Impossible Quest.
The gifts each of them have been given to help them succeed. Quinn has her wooden pendant with its ancient face, it speaks to her. Tom has a flute that doesn't play. Sebastian has an amber stone. Elanor has a ring that when she blows on it, lights the way ahead for them. They rescued the Unicorn, and now Lord Mortlake and his bog men and army are chasing them.
Will they survive the Wolves of Witchwood when they hear howling? Will the Witch help them or hinder them? Can they trust her? Will they find Tom's father the Hunter? It's a perilous journey and each step takes them away from the family and friends at the Castle.
Kate Forsyth continues to weave a magical spell in this series. I love the adventure, and as I only have the first two books, I'll have to buy the rest of the series.
The gifts each of them have been given to help them succeed. Quinn has her wooden pendant with its ancient face, it speaks to her. Tom has a flute that doesn't play. Sebastian has an amber stone. Elanor has a ring that when she blows on it, lights the way ahead for them. They rescued the Unicorn, and now Lord Mortlake and his bog men and army are chasing them.
Will they survive the Wolves of Witchwood when they hear howling? Will the Witch help them or hinder them? Can they trust her? Will they find Tom's father the Hunter? It's a perilous journey and each step takes them away from the family and friends at the Castle.
Kate Forsyth continues to weave a magical spell in this series. I love the adventure, and as I only have the first two books, I'll have to buy the rest of the series.
September 20, 2021
I read this book in a beach house several years ago and really liked it. I've always been intrigued by fantasy, so naturally, I just ate this one up. I would recommend it to younger audiences because it is an easier reading level. It is a 3rd person omniscient narration about four children embarking on a tough quest to obtain different objects they need.
Since I didn't read the first book in this series, I think I would have understood the plot better if the author restated what had happened in the first book. It resumed right where the first book left off without really explaining what had happened, which was slightly confusing. It's a good, short book and enjoyable by any young, fantasy fan. This book contains a lot of imagination and a ton of imagery that places you in the same shoes as the characters and I definitely recommend it to all young readers.
Since I didn't read the first book in this series, I think I would have understood the plot better if the author restated what had happened in the first book. It resumed right where the first book left off without really explaining what had happened, which was slightly confusing. It's a good, short book and enjoyable by any young, fantasy fan. This book contains a lot of imagination and a ton of imagery that places you in the same shoes as the characters and I definitely recommend it to all young readers.
December 19, 2020
By the end of the book Sebastian was a little less annoying but he is still kind of an ass and I'm still not enjoying him all that much.
I think my favorite character has become Hunter. And he isn't even one of the main characters.
The book repeats itself a lot. I know the series is made for younger readers, but at times it feels like the author doesn't trust the reader to remember details. That or they are repeating themselves for emphasis. And perhaps its only as noticeable to me since I read most if not all of a book like this in one sitting.
But it is starting to become an interesting series. We will see how it goes, onto the next one.
Happy reading all!
I think my favorite character has become Hunter. And he isn't even one of the main characters.
The book repeats itself a lot. I know the series is made for younger readers, but at times it feels like the author doesn't trust the reader to remember details. That or they are repeating themselves for emphasis. And perhaps its only as noticeable to me since I read most if not all of a book like this in one sitting.
But it is starting to become an interesting series. We will see how it goes, onto the next one.
Happy reading all!
June 19, 2017
This book is a bit of a long slog from crisis-to-crisis, narrow escape to narrow escape. The writing is good and the characters are also interesting and I'm enjoying reading this series to my kids, but the "oh, no! Another terrible danger!" storyline might be hard to continue getting through through another five books (dragging out the same challenge/quest/story over the course of five books is also a lot. Usually, series like this for children have distinct plot lines/quests. This series is the same quest/task/story throughout all the books.)
August 8, 2020
Wolves of the Witchwood: Lower middle-grade. Fantasy. Adventure. Action. Multiple-perspectives. Quest. Friendship. Animal companions. Griffin. Wolves. Witches. Good vs Evil.
Overall, it was well-written and engaging. It had more action and adventure than the last book which I really enjoyed and I can't wait to see what these characters get up to in the next book.
How much I liked it: 4 stars
Ideas: 5 stars
Character Depth: 4 stars
Execution: 5 stars
Overall, it was well-written and engaging. It had more action and adventure than the last book which I really enjoyed and I can't wait to see what these characters get up to in the next book.
How much I liked it: 4 stars
Ideas: 5 stars
Character Depth: 4 stars
Execution: 5 stars
January 5, 2022
Wolves of the Witchwood picks up directly after Escape from Wolfhaven Castle ends. Having escaped Lord Mortlock's castle with the unicorn, the four children are attacked by small fairy creatures as they flee through the Witchwood. Knocked unconscious, they wake in the home of a blind witch, who seems reluctant to let them go further on their journey. With Lord & Lady Mortlock and their bog-men soldiers closing in, the witch sends the four children searching for the mythical gryphon, the part eagle/part lion whose feathers are reported to have healing qualities.
Like its predecessor, Wolves of the Witchwood is an excellent story packed with adventure. While building on the natural progression of the character's journey, we also meet new characters such as Tom's father, a blind with and a playful wolf cub. Book series tend to get a bit flabby in the middle, but the Wolves of Witchwood is as taunt and action-orientated as Escape from Wolfhaven Castle.
Like its predecessor, Wolves of the Witchwood is an excellent story packed with adventure. While building on the natural progression of the character's journey, we also meet new characters such as Tom's father, a blind with and a playful wolf cub. Book series tend to get a bit flabby in the middle, but the Wolves of Witchwood is as taunt and action-orientated as Escape from Wolfhaven Castle.
December 19, 2023
I enjoyed this second book in the series! It's full of adventure even if it does seem a little inexplicable how the children stumble from magic to magic. Their camaraderie blossoms in this one, too, as they learn more about themselves, build their skills, and outrun or overcome countless dangers. It was definitely worth moving on to The Wolves of Witchwood even though book one was just okay for me.
March 18, 2025
Might be a little predictable to an adult, but the plot is good in that the kids are getting to know there is more to the others than appearances. I'm doing a bit of a pre-read for my kiddos, because I don't like to hand them books with figures of authority that end up hurting the kids later on. This book is great in that they encounter various adults, whom they understand to a limited degree, but everyone thinks they can succeed even though the odds are impossible. A+
March 6, 2018
The second of five parts is another reasonable entry in the series but like other fantasy series I have read it seems like not a lot happens and its a lot of padding - it feels like one long chase scene and that can get tired pretty quickly, see how book three goes, but at least it is still engaging.
June 4, 2018
This is the second book of The Impossible Quest series. The story continues with some interesting characters that help the friends in their quest. Once again I believe this is a decent fantasy for a tween (or an advanced and more mature child reader), though personally I am struggling with wanting more detail as an adult fan of epic fantasies.
February 23, 2021
This story itselfwas fun and entertaining entertaining. The pacing was weird and very little transition from one major plot point to the next. The actual writing itself was mediocre at best. Personally I would only give this book a 3 star rating at most if I was feeling generous but as I’m reading this book out loud to my 12yr old his opinion of the children’s book gets the rating.
December 20, 2021
Our adventurers, are after the four items to save the castle. Now that they have a unicorn, but they don’t know how to get the horn without hurting her. They have to make it through the Witchwood forest past all the dangers and bog men. This is a sweet adventure story. I can’t wait to finish this journey.
January 3, 2025
It makes so much more sense now that I know this was written by an Australian😭💀
read this in 2.5 hours and one sitting though, pretty good
I just feel like Elenor’s “situation” was resolved a little to quickly at the end, it could have been way more dramaticized
for anyone who likes found family *cough..ME..cough* you would love this series, especially with all the adventure and stuff <3
read this in 2.5 hours and one sitting though, pretty good
I just feel like Elenor’s “situation” was resolved a little to quickly at the end, it could have been way more dramaticized
for anyone who likes found family *cough..ME..cough* you would love this series, especially with all the adventure and stuff <3
October 24, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. I'm already looking into how I can use this as a teaching resource in my class next year. Kate Forsyth has mastered the use of figurative language and woven it into a damn fine read!!
Well done Kate!!!
Well done Kate!!!
September 13, 2019
These are fun little fantasy books. I wasn’t sure if I would like them, but they are perfect for younger readers. These are also books that I feel could help struggling readers who enjoy fantasy books. I’m excited to finish the series so I can share them with my students in my reading classes.
November 23, 2019
This second one is definitely better than the first one but I still don't like that Sebastian is a verbal bully. He does get better at the end if the book though. Also, I don't like that the story didn't end so I have read the next book.
June 21, 2023
I did enjoyed reading this story and I love how it contuses from the last book in the series. I love the new charcters and everything else. Its just not really my cup of tea but it is if you are a young teen or around that age.
December 17, 2016
The second book in The Impossible Quest is just as good as the first. I discovered that Kate Forsyth also writes adult fantasy, and I'm looking forward to reading some of those books.
February 22, 2018
So adventurous. I love it. I recommend this book for everyone
June 12, 2018
The first book was kind of interesting but I found this one much more interesting and enjoyable. I love the part with Tom and his father and the new additions to their group.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews