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Claus #7
Toyland: The Legacy of Wallace Noel
The 7th standalone novel in the Claus Universe.
If you want to play, and stay out all day, I know the place where we can do it.
Great aunt Annie was a storyteller.
It was mostly Christmas stories she told. No one had ever heard her tales about giant reindeer, living snowmen, and Santa Claus. There were no movies about them. No books. When she passed, everyone thought they’d never hear such stories again.
But she saved the best for last.
When Tin’s family inherits an enormous rural estate, they discover the hidden treasures of Toyland. The eccentric mansion was built long ago by a toy magnate named Wallace Noel, a man made famous by his beloved Noel toys.
Tin and her family spend Christmas at Toyland and find abandoned workshops, old photos, and forgotten toys in strange rooms.
When Tin discovers an authentic-looking elf hat, everything changes. She comes to know the truth behind the urban legends of Wallace Noel and what made his toys so special.
And where Great aunt Annie got her stories.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2019
86 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Tony Bertauski
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He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.
He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.
After several attempts at a proposal, his major advisor was losing money on red ink and advised him to figure it out. Somehow, he did.
After grad school, he and his wife and two very little children moved to the South in Charleston, South Carolina where the winters are spring and the summers are a sauna (cliche but dead on accurate). That’s when he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design. He then transitioned to writing a column for the Post and Courier. They were all great gigs, but they weren’t fiction.
That was a few years later.
His daughter started reading before she could read, pretending she knew the words in books she propped on her lap. His son was a different story. In an attempt to change that, he began writing a story with him. They made up a character, gave him a name, and something to do. As with much of parenting, it did not go as planned. But the character got stuck in his head.
He wanted out.
A few years later, Socket Greeny was born. It was a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. That was 2005.
He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old. A daily meditator, he wants to instill something meaningful in his stories that appeals to a young adult crowd as well as adult. Think Hunger Games. He hadn’t planned to write fiction, didn’t even know if he had anymore stories in him after Socket Greeny.
Turns out he did.
He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.
He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.
After several attempts at a proposal, his major advisor was losing money on red ink and advised him to figure it out. Somehow, he did.
After grad school, he and his wife and two very little children moved to the South in Charleston, South Carolina where the winters are spring and the summers are a sauna (cliche but dead on accurate). That’s when he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design. He then transitioned to writing a column for the Post and Courier. They were all great gigs, but they weren’t fiction.
That was a few years later.
His daughter started reading before she could read, pretending she knew the words in books she propped on her lap. His son was a different story. In an attempt to change that, he began writing a story with him. They made up a character, gave him a name, and something to do. As with much of parenting, it did not go as planned. But the character got stuck in his head.
He wanted out.
A few years later, Socket Greeny was born. It was a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. That was 2005.
He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old. A daily meditator, he wants to instill something meaningful in his stories that appeals to a young adult crowd as well as adult. Think Hunger Games. He hadn’t planned to write fiction, didn’t even know if he had anymore stories in him after Socket Greeny.
Turns out he did.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 19, 2023
Seventh book in this series, I have enjoyed them all so far, they are all stories based on characters we all know, basically around Christmas time such as Jack Frost, Santa Clause, Frosty The Snowman but they are very different to the usual sweet stories that we all know these are quite dark and twisted and I loved them.
This time Tin's family have inherited a lovely house from Great Aunt Annie, Tin had loved Aunt Annie she was a great storyteller, she recalls all the times she was snuggled up on her lap while she spun her tales, mostly Christmas stories that no one had ever heard, Like Ronin the last reindeer, huge living snowmen and Santa Claus. These characters weren't in any books, but came from Aunt Annie's memories.
The house that they inherit is quite eccentric and confusing, with doors on the ceiling, and tiny doors in the walls under sofas. There are stairs that are upside down and start half way up the wall, no way of climbing them, all the rooms are higgledy-piggledy. There were stuffed toy animals all over the place too, they just kept cropping up out of nowhere. It is somewhere where I would love to look around but I don't think I would like to live there though.
The name of the house is Toyland, and had been built by an eccentric millionaire called the Toymaker who had suddenly up and left it, all locked off away from the pubic eye. He left the property to Aunt Annie but she never used it.
Tin and her stepbrother have a great time searching the vast property and the acres of ground, which has a mysterious amphitheatre and a very strange tower that buzzed. They find a green felt hat and Tin tries it on, when she does strange things happens she see things that have happened on the property years ago, involving the Toy Maker, Aunt Annie and the toys, very strange things.
If you want to know more you need to read the book, meantime I am going to get back to book 8 which I started last night.
This time Tin's family have inherited a lovely house from Great Aunt Annie, Tin had loved Aunt Annie she was a great storyteller, she recalls all the times she was snuggled up on her lap while she spun her tales, mostly Christmas stories that no one had ever heard, Like Ronin the last reindeer, huge living snowmen and Santa Claus. These characters weren't in any books, but came from Aunt Annie's memories.
The house that they inherit is quite eccentric and confusing, with doors on the ceiling, and tiny doors in the walls under sofas. There are stairs that are upside down and start half way up the wall, no way of climbing them, all the rooms are higgledy-piggledy. There were stuffed toy animals all over the place too, they just kept cropping up out of nowhere. It is somewhere where I would love to look around but I don't think I would like to live there though.
The name of the house is Toyland, and had been built by an eccentric millionaire called the Toymaker who had suddenly up and left it, all locked off away from the pubic eye. He left the property to Aunt Annie but she never used it.
Tin and her stepbrother have a great time searching the vast property and the acres of ground, which has a mysterious amphitheatre and a very strange tower that buzzed. They find a green felt hat and Tin tries it on, when she does strange things happens she see things that have happened on the property years ago, involving the Toy Maker, Aunt Annie and the toys, very strange things.
If you want to know more you need to read the book, meantime I am going to get back to book 8 which I started last night.
July 17, 2022
After their Great-aunt Annie dies, Pip’s mom inherits her Auntie Annie’s weird ancestral house named Toyland along with 10,000 acres of forestland. Her mom decides to take all of them: Tin, her sister: Pip and her half-brother: Corey to spend Christmas there, then all kinds of strange things begin to happen.
This house is really weird, and the stuffed animals would give me nightmares, but it’d be cool to explore.
Footnote: 1) The house reminds me of the Winchester House in California,
Fave scenes: climbing the upside-down stairs, Mr. and Mrs. Big Toe story, Corey playing the pool game and Annabelle’s Christmas gift.
This house is really weird, and the stuffed animals would give me nightmares, but it’d be cool to explore.
Footnote: 1) The house reminds me of the Winchester House in California,
Fave scenes: climbing the upside-down stairs, Mr. and Mrs. Big Toe story, Corey playing the pool game and Annabelle’s Christmas gift.
December 3, 2019
Toyland is every kids dream, a huge house with tons of rooms to explore and toys all over. But, this isn't a typical Christmas story, because if you know Tony, he doesn't do typical. That's the reason I love Tony's books, they aren't typical! You won't find another out there like it and that makes it all the more unique and fantastical. Toyland is another fantastic addition to the Claus Universe, it fits in spectacularly just like all the misfit toys. Thanks again, Tony, for a spectacular read that transported me to another place.
January 17, 2022
Toyland
Tony Bertauski has created a new Christmas tradition with his Claus Universe stories. They are linked by love and sharing of true Christmas spirit.
Each new story builds upon previous ones and sometimes one can glimpse previously met and welcome characters. These are not the stories and legends you may have grow up with but new and enchanting facets to them.
Tony Bertauski has created a new Christmas tradition with his Claus Universe stories. They are linked by love and sharing of true Christmas spirit.
Each new story builds upon previous ones and sometimes one can glimpse previously met and welcome characters. These are not the stories and legends you may have grow up with but new and enchanting facets to them.
December 11, 2019
Loved this amazing 7th book. The characters and the plot of the story are totally intriguing.
July 10, 2021
I’ve enjoyed each book in Tony Bertauski’s Claus series. They’re imaginative, often twisting what we know of the characters surrounding Christmas, and Toyland does a good job following in the same vein. This time the subject doesn’t focus on Santa or his elves but on a character we might not know, a toy maker. Tin’s family spend Christmas at a rural estate that they have inherited and discover it’s a world of wonder with workshops and toys that belonged to a toy magnate, or toy maker. Tony Bertauski weaves a great deal of magic into the story and you might wonder where exactly it’s going at times. The author brings it all together to fully explain what’s happening and what has happened in the past too. This book didn’t have the same hook for me as the others have done but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fine addition to this clever imaginative series, it is.
December 13, 2024
Toyland is definitely a reminder that the toys we had as children, especially our favorite ones, they were special. They held our secrets, our hopes, our fears, and dreams. They protected us from monsters seen and unseen. They also loved us in ways we can't even begin to imagine.
This book was everything anyone with a large imagination could hope for. Personally, I loved it. And even now, looking over at Theadora, a teddy bear that's known my huge since I was a toddler, I wonder how much she's seen in her long life.
This series gets better with each book, and I'm really glad I decided to start it last year.
I give this book 5 of 5 Paws.
This book was everything anyone with a large imagination could hope for. Personally, I loved it. And even now, looking over at Theadora, a teddy bear that's known my huge since I was a toddler, I wonder how much she's seen in her long life.
This series gets better with each book, and I'm really glad I decided to start it last year.
I give this book 5 of 5 Paws.
December 11, 2025
Fantastic tale!
This story was one of the most whimsical, fantastical stories I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie that played out in my mind while reading this. The house gave me Winchester Mansion vibes. The adventure of the toys brought the original Jumanji to mind. And all of it brought me back to my own childhood, when my very vivid imagination could take me anywhere and do anything. The underlying core of what real love is, just made it perfect. Just because we grow up and grow old doesn’t mean we have to lose our inner child. I recommend this book. I recommend the entire series. Happy reading!
This story was one of the most whimsical, fantastical stories I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie that played out in my mind while reading this. The house gave me Winchester Mansion vibes. The adventure of the toys brought the original Jumanji to mind. And all of it brought me back to my own childhood, when my very vivid imagination could take me anywhere and do anything. The underlying core of what real love is, just made it perfect. Just because we grow up and grow old doesn’t mean we have to lose our inner child. I recommend this book. I recommend the entire series. Happy reading!
January 22, 2024
Toyland: The Legacy of Wallace Noel Book7
The whole series is magical and I like it better every time I read it. This book covers the magic of toys and how they share the love that gives them magic. The best part is the elven hat that explains the magic of the toys and the story of the sharing of the love that animates them. Lovely sentiments of Christmas on a snow covered estate and everyone looks after each other.
The whole series is magical and I like it better every time I read it. This book covers the magic of toys and how they share the love that gives them magic. The best part is the elven hat that explains the magic of the toys and the story of the sharing of the love that animates them. Lovely sentiments of Christmas on a snow covered estate and everyone looks after each other.
December 6, 2024
Book 7 in the Claus Series (each enjoyable as stand-alone stories), Toyland brings a family of five to the strange estate home of their late aunt, where ancient tales, mystery and magic awaits them.
I always look forward to a holiday read during the season, and Tony Bertauski’s Claus series never disappoints.
I always look forward to a holiday read during the season, and Tony Bertauski’s Claus series never disappoints.
November 24, 2023
Fantastic story telling!
Interesting twist of a Christmas story. Original and thought provoking. Well worded so the entire story is easily visualized. Not your everyday Santa story but exceptionally well written and thought out!
Interesting twist of a Christmas story. Original and thought provoking. Well worded so the entire story is easily visualized. Not your everyday Santa story but exceptionally well written and thought out!
May 21, 2025
Another Awesome Book in this delightful series!!
How fun!! Another whimsical and entertaining story in the Claus universe where science seems like magic and old folklore replaced,, yet just before the end a touching tear fell. What a story!!
How fun!! Another whimsical and entertaining story in the Claus universe where science seems like magic and old folklore replaced,, yet just before the end a touching tear fell. What a story!!
May 27, 2025
Magical Fun!
The magical fun continues with Book 7, Toyland: The legacy of Wallace Noel. Plenty of suspense, fun and magical moments that keep you reading and wanting more! Fast paced with an engrossing story line. I'm excited to begin reading book 8!!
The magical fun continues with Book 7, Toyland: The legacy of Wallace Noel. Plenty of suspense, fun and magical moments that keep you reading and wanting more! Fast paced with an engrossing story line. I'm excited to begin reading book 8!!
November 17, 2021
Great Christmas story
Love the entire series. Hard to pit down and walk away from. Can't wait to read the next boom in the series.
Love the entire series. Hard to pit down and walk away from. Can't wait to read the next boom in the series.
December 17, 2021
I'm enjoying the books in this series less with each one I read. Probably won't read any further.
July 4, 2022
The toys
Not up to par with other Claus series books. Just too long with not much in between beginning and ending.
Not up to par with other Claus series books. Just too long with not much in between beginning and ending.
January 2, 2023
It’s a good book. It’s about Santa Claus
December 2, 2023
ENCHANTING FUN
Another great Book from Tony Bertanski. This story is both enchanting fun and on-the-edge-of-your seat exciting. Can't wait to read the next.
Another great Book from Tony Bertanski. This story is both enchanting fun and on-the-edge-of-your seat exciting. Can't wait to read the next.
April 13, 2024
Another page Turner
Once again I find myself buried in the pages and absorbed in the story!! On to the next wonderful story!
Once again I find myself buried in the pages and absorbed in the story!! On to the next wonderful story!
March 30, 2025
I love this book series..but this one had me a bit confused... Good ending but the rest of the book i was a bit lost
June 17, 2025
Another fantastic story that pulls the heart strings in all directions. The nostalgia intertwined with new storyline makes me so excited for the next Bertauski adventure!
January 9, 2020
Christmas twist
Have read everything Tony has published and “Toyland” is just as original as the first. One of the few authors whose books I buy as soon as they are released.
Have read everything Tony has published and “Toyland” is just as original as the first. One of the few authors whose books I buy as soon as they are released.
January 6, 2020
Another excellent ride!
If you like Christmas stories with a little twist, you will love this series!
Tin and her family go to an out of the way, strange house to spend their Christmas holiday. When Tin and her step brother start exploring, she finds out that the Christmas stories she grew up hearing may have a little more truth to them then she could have ever imagined.
If you like Christmas stories with a little twist, you will love this series!
Tin and her family go to an out of the way, strange house to spend their Christmas holiday. When Tin and her step brother start exploring, she finds out that the Christmas stories she grew up hearing may have a little more truth to them then she could have ever imagined.
January 6, 2020
Wonderful book! Fantastical read.
I love the twists of the 'traditional 'legends. I especially liked the unexpected twist at the end. Tin is a great heroine.
I love the twists of the 'traditional 'legends. I especially liked the unexpected twist at the end. Tin is a great heroine.
December 31, 2019
A wild winter ride
At first the story seemed a little disjointed. But at some point, and i can't put my finger on exactly when, the story took shape and took hold of me. I could not put it down. I had to keep reading until the very end.
There must have been some magic in that old elf hat she found for when she put it on her head.... Well for that you will just have to read for yourself.
At first the story seemed a little disjointed. But at some point, and i can't put my finger on exactly when, the story took shape and took hold of me. I could not put it down. I had to keep reading until the very end.
There must have been some magic in that old elf hat she found for when she put it on her head.... Well for that you will just have to read for yourself.
December 28, 2019
Excellent
The intrigue and mystery of suspense kept the pages turning long into the night. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The ending was warm and satisfying. Loved it! Can’t wait for the next story of Gingerman.
The intrigue and mystery of suspense kept the pages turning long into the night. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The ending was warm and satisfying. Loved it! Can’t wait for the next story of Gingerman.
December 2, 2019
I recieved an advance copy for an honest review.
Another great Christmas story!
Auntie Anne was a fantastic storyteller but Tin had no idea that the stories were real. Tin's family was left a mysterious mansion when Wallace Noel died. They went to see it and spend the Christmas holiday. When Tin found an elf hat, strange things happened. A stuffed monkeyl named Monkeybrain seems to come to life! Then other studies are found and the weirdness and mystery deepens. Somehow Tin must figure it out and and save the family and Christmas.
Thia is an excellent series that can be read as stand alone books, however they all build an entire Christmas world and different backstory. I absolutely love them! Tony Bertauski is a fantastic storyteller!
Another great Christmas story!
Auntie Anne was a fantastic storyteller but Tin had no idea that the stories were real. Tin's family was left a mysterious mansion when Wallace Noel died. They went to see it and spend the Christmas holiday. When Tin found an elf hat, strange things happened. A stuffed monkeyl named Monkeybrain seems to come to life! Then other studies are found and the weirdness and mystery deepens. Somehow Tin must figure it out and and save the family and Christmas.
Thia is an excellent series that can be read as stand alone books, however they all build an entire Christmas world and different backstory. I absolutely love them! Tony Bertauski is a fantastic storyteller!
December 12, 2025
Another great book in this series.
December 2, 2019
Wondrously creepy, fantastically wonderful, Toyland captures the spirit of Christmas in a creative manner. I loved every page. I had a hard time putting it down. Tin, Pip, Monkeybrain, and even Pando were wonderfully created characters. I enjoy reading books by Tony Bertauski, he is a master storyteller!
December 2, 2019
The seventh book in the Claus series and the surprises keep coming! The magnificent mansion constructed by Wallace Noel is a house that continuously changes and amazes. More fantastic adventures for your holiday enjoyment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews