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The King of the Trees #1
The King of the Trees
What do an old wooden box, a jeweled pendant and some mysterious, green-garbed strangers share in common? When Rolin son of Gannon sets out to solve this riddle, his adventures take him worlds beyond the walls of his little log cabin in the mountains. With the help of some grumpy griffins and a long-lost prophecy, Rolin and his friends battle a fiendish foe and his underworld army; deadly snake-trees; a dragon, and other mythological creatures. On their perilous quest for the fabled Isle of Luralin and the Tree of Life, they must trust the King with their very lives. In the end, they learn that "The greatest help oft comes in harm's disguise to those with trusting hearts and open eyes."
233 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
16 people are currently reading
831 people want to read
About the author
William D. Burt
12 books74 followersWilliam D. Burt is the award-winning author of the seven-title Christian allegorical "King of the Trees" series. (Author Website) Other works are in progress. His first series title, The King of the Trees, won the silver medal in the category of Christian fantasy in the 2014 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest. The Golden Wood (Book 3) was a finalist in the category of Children's fable.
All seven of Burt's series titles have been awarded five stars by Readers' Favorite reviewers.
Volume I in his new Creation Seekers series, The Lake Lights is Burt’s first foray into the realm of science fiction. The plot deals with the investigation of an unusual lake phenomenon in Oregon as well as the discovery of a world-changing invention that helps prevent a nuclear disaster.
Sequel to The Lake Lights, The Vikings of Loch Morar is set primarily in Scotland and deals with prehistoric water creatures as well as a Viking treasure.
Having spent most of his teenage years living in Middle Earth, the author is an avid fantasy fan. The first edition of his first fantasy title, The King of the Trees, came out in 1998. While still in high school, he began his writing career editing his father's popular identification guides, "Edible and Poisonous Plants of the Western/Eastern States." As an Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at Western Oregon University, he served as a successful grant-writer and program coordinator.
Burt holds a B.S. in English from Lewis and Clark College and an M.S. from Western Oregon University in Deaf Education. He is an RID-certified sign-language interpreter with over 30 years' experience. His interests include reading, foreign languages and mycology. He is married with two grown children.
All seven of Burt's series titles have been awarded five stars by Readers' Favorite reviewers.
Volume I in his new Creation Seekers series, The Lake Lights is Burt’s first foray into the realm of science fiction. The plot deals with the investigation of an unusual lake phenomenon in Oregon as well as the discovery of a world-changing invention that helps prevent a nuclear disaster.
Sequel to The Lake Lights, The Vikings of Loch Morar is set primarily in Scotland and deals with prehistoric water creatures as well as a Viking treasure.
Having spent most of his teenage years living in Middle Earth, the author is an avid fantasy fan. The first edition of his first fantasy title, The King of the Trees, came out in 1998. While still in high school, he began his writing career editing his father's popular identification guides, "Edible and Poisonous Plants of the Western/Eastern States." As an Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at Western Oregon University, he served as a successful grant-writer and program coordinator.
Burt holds a B.S. in English from Lewis and Clark College and an M.S. from Western Oregon University in Deaf Education. He is an RID-certified sign-language interpreter with over 30 years' experience. His interests include reading, foreign languages and mycology. He is married with two grown children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 2, 2010
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I couldn't put it down. It's a good thing the author has written more in the series, or I would have to bug him to write some sequels. It's about a teenage boy who stumbles into another world, where he meets all sorts of interesting human characters and mythical creatures, including talking griffins, dragons, and some half-bat, half-wolf animals. There was a little romance, too, which helped increase the suspense. Most fantasy books I have read are dark and gruesome, but not this one. There's just enough humor to lighten the suspenseful scenes, and it ends on a happy note. I also like the messages that are woven into the book.
April 10, 2010
I'm a homeschool mom, and I choose my kids' books with care. On a friend's recommendation, I read The King of the Trees aloud to my youngsters. (There is a pronunciation guide in the back.) They absolutely loved it, as do I. Biblical themes and principles are woven artfully throughout the story, which is a fun read even if someone doesn't understand the allegory. I was a little hesitant to take on a fantasy series, but unlike most fantasy books these days, this book isn't dark or depressing. It's all about good, clean adventure and mystery. You won't find occult references, bloodthirsty vampires or violence here. In fact, I think the author has gone out of his way to debunk magic.
We're re-reading this book as a family before launching into the rest of the series. (I'm looking forward to the other books.) I can't recommend the King of the Trees highly enough to anyone who loves fantasy adventure that is both uplifting and exciting. Lucambra is a world that my children and I will be visiting again and again. (I am even sewing some green cloaks for them to wear while we're reading or role-playing scenes from the story.)
We're re-reading this book as a family before launching into the rest of the series. (I'm looking forward to the other books.) I can't recommend the King of the Trees highly enough to anyone who loves fantasy adventure that is both uplifting and exciting. Lucambra is a world that my children and I will be visiting again and again. (I am even sewing some green cloaks for them to wear while we're reading or role-playing scenes from the story.)
October 6, 2007
If you ever happen by the book store at the Woodburn Outlet Mall off of I-5 on a Saturday you will probably meet the author of this book. He will definitely sign it for you and let you know that he will be at the Oregon State Fair so you can get the rest of his books in this series.
The idea of this book is very interesting. Mostly fantasy, the story centers around a boy, Rolin, who doesn't know it but is going to become King of a group of people that move through trees to different worlds. They take a life-tree that if it gets cut down they will get "the sickness" and die. So there is a bad guy and his dragon and followers, and all the good guys trying to kill him and be un-repressed.
The idea of this book is very interesting. Mostly fantasy, the story centers around a boy, Rolin, who doesn't know it but is going to become King of a group of people that move through trees to different worlds. They take a life-tree that if it gets cut down they will get "the sickness" and die. So there is a bad guy and his dragon and followers, and all the good guys trying to kill him and be un-repressed.
April 13, 2016
An amazing book!! I loved it!
February 17, 2010
this is one of my favourite boks and my third favorite in the series a must read for all ages
March 7, 2010
Wow! I really liked this book. I just finished it. I was sad to read the last page, but I'm looking forward to reading more about Rolin and Marlis in the next book. (My birthday is coming up!) The dragon and griffins are soooo cool. My favorite characters are Rolin and Windsong.
March 30, 2010
I just finished reading this AMAZING book. A friend of mine recommended it to me. I got it off the website. At first, I wasn't sure I would like it. After the first chapter or two, I couldn't stop reading. It's about a boy named Rolin who has adventures in another world with mythical animals. I especially enjoyed the griffins. Mythical creatures are common in fantasy books, but this book puts a different twist on them. I read a lot of fantasy, and after a while, all the plots start sounding the same. Somebody is always trying to find a dragon, or kill a dragon, or becomes a dragon, or befriends a dragon. From what I know of dragons, they are cunning, evil and bloodthirsty. That is how the author casts the dragon in this book. Rolin doesn't go on a dragon quest. Instead, he and his friends search for the tree of life. On this quest, they get attacked by the dragon and some other nasty creatures.
What I loved about this story is the way good triumphs over evil, and the happy ending. Most fantasy books I read lack any kind of point or purpose. It's just all about the "action," but there's no lesson. You can start off with a great story, but if evil wins and the good characters get killed off, it's a real downer. It's the same thing when good characters are evil and evil characters are "good." The symbolism in the book shows how good will always win out in the end, even when things look pretty bleak. (And the good characters don't have to resort to magic or spells or sorcery to come out on top. Quite the opposite.)
I also really enjoyed the Christian symbolism in the book. The message wasn't too heavy handed, either. Even if you don't like that kind of thing, this book makes a fun adventure read for anybody who likes fantasy. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I highly recommend this book.
What I loved about this story is the way good triumphs over evil, and the happy ending. Most fantasy books I read lack any kind of point or purpose. It's just all about the "action," but there's no lesson. You can start off with a great story, but if evil wins and the good characters get killed off, it's a real downer. It's the same thing when good characters are evil and evil characters are "good." The symbolism in the book shows how good will always win out in the end, even when things look pretty bleak. (And the good characters don't have to resort to magic or spells or sorcery to come out on top. Quite the opposite.)
I also really enjoyed the Christian symbolism in the book. The message wasn't too heavy handed, either. Even if you don't like that kind of thing, this book makes a fun adventure read for anybody who likes fantasy. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I highly recommend this book.
March 22, 2010
This was a fabulous book! I was hooked from the very first page. I really could relate to the characters. It's the story of a teen-aged boy named Rolin, the son of a beekeeper. Rolin's mother and grandmother have just passed away from a mysterious illness, so he is feeling very sad and lonely. Other kids make fun of him because he is different, but he doesn't know why. He belongs in another world that he has never heard of before. (I guess he thinks his world is the only one.) Not even his father knows where Rolin's mother and grandmother came from.
Rolin starts finding clues to his past when he digs up an old box in his cellar. One thing leads to another, and he gets chased into the forest, meets a peculiar old man, climbs a funny little tree, and is attacked by a ferocious wild beast that looks like a nightmare. (That's just the first two chapters.) Still, I wouldn't call this book gory or violent. It just has lots of excitement and adventure.
Befriended by the suspicious Greencloaks, Rolin offers to go on a quest to find the Tree of Life. All this happens as foretold in the Prophecy, a riddle that Rolin and his friends piece together during the story. At the end, there is a terrific battle, but the good characters only watch. Thanks to some flying creatures and a trick Rolin borrows from the Prophecy, the good guys don't have to lift a finger.
It turns out Rolin is more important than he or anyone else suspects.
I really like how the book ends on a happy note. I may read it again, just to be sure I didn't miss anything. The story has some good messages.
Rolin starts finding clues to his past when he digs up an old box in his cellar. One thing leads to another, and he gets chased into the forest, meets a peculiar old man, climbs a funny little tree, and is attacked by a ferocious wild beast that looks like a nightmare. (That's just the first two chapters.) Still, I wouldn't call this book gory or violent. It just has lots of excitement and adventure.
Befriended by the suspicious Greencloaks, Rolin offers to go on a quest to find the Tree of Life. All this happens as foretold in the Prophecy, a riddle that Rolin and his friends piece together during the story. At the end, there is a terrific battle, but the good characters only watch. Thanks to some flying creatures and a trick Rolin borrows from the Prophecy, the good guys don't have to lift a finger.
It turns out Rolin is more important than he or anyone else suspects.
I really like how the book ends on a happy note. I may read it again, just to be sure I didn't miss anything. The story has some good messages.
looks-promising
March 2, 2010Hannah says they are like the Narnia series...
April 25, 2010
I enjoy reading all sorts of fantasy. Recently, I came across The King of the Trees in my school library. This is a fabulous book! It's the first book in a series, and it's different than anything I've ever read before. I guess the closest would be the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or the Hobbit. It's the kind of book that both kids and adults would enjoy reading. It helps that there's a glossary in the back. I wrote a book report on the King of the Trees, and now my friends are also reading it.
The book is about a teenager named Rolin who lives in a medieval-type world. There aren't any knights or castles in this book, but there is a pretty big dragon and all sorts of griffins. There are also some other fantastical creatures that the author made up. When Rolin discovers an old wooden box in his cellar, he gets chased by the Greencloaks and stumbles upon another world where a terrible war is taking place. (The good guys are losing.) Rolin gets caught up in this war, and he volunteers to fulfill an ancient prophecy by going off in search of the tree of life. I can't tell you what happens next, but during his quest, Rolin finds out who he really is. He also makes some new friends, which is a good thing, since he didn't have many friends to start with. The other kids were picking on him where he used to live.
I found myself really getting drawn into the story as it went along. I noticed some religious themes, which was ok. Some people don't like that kind of thing, but I enjoyed the parallels with the Bible. It shows that you can be a Christian and still have fun. It was especially interesting how the author tied the past, present and future together with riddles.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy stories with dragons and other kinds of mythical animals.
The book is about a teenager named Rolin who lives in a medieval-type world. There aren't any knights or castles in this book, but there is a pretty big dragon and all sorts of griffins. There are also some other fantastical creatures that the author made up. When Rolin discovers an old wooden box in his cellar, he gets chased by the Greencloaks and stumbles upon another world where a terrible war is taking place. (The good guys are losing.) Rolin gets caught up in this war, and he volunteers to fulfill an ancient prophecy by going off in search of the tree of life. I can't tell you what happens next, but during his quest, Rolin finds out who he really is. He also makes some new friends, which is a good thing, since he didn't have many friends to start with. The other kids were picking on him where he used to live.
I found myself really getting drawn into the story as it went along. I noticed some religious themes, which was ok. Some people don't like that kind of thing, but I enjoyed the parallels with the Bible. It shows that you can be a Christian and still have fun. It was especially interesting how the author tied the past, present and future together with riddles.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy stories with dragons and other kinds of mythical animals.
April 25, 2010
This book really surprised me. I am mainly a non-fiction reader. As a homeschooled student, I don't have much time for fiction. Creation science and biology are my primary interests. When my mother recommended The King of the Trees to me, I didn't want to pick it up for awhile. When I finally read it, I was glad I did. It was an easy read for me, with Biblical symbolism and references sprinkled throughout. I plan to re-read this book to dig out more of the hidden meanings before I go on with the series.
I was especially impressed with the author's "cosmology." (If that's the right word.) This is a book that supports the Biblical account of creation. People and animals don't just show up on the scene. They were designed and created in the beginning by the God-figure, Gaelathane. Then the main evil character rebels and spoils Gaelathane's good creation.
Aside from the Christian message, I also enjoyed the book's nature imagery. (The author uses nature as the basis for his allegory.) He must possess a pretty thorough knowledge of actual and mythological plants and animals. His descriptions are so realistic that it was hard sometimes to tell whether a plant or animal was real or something he made up. Reading this book has sparked my interest in beekeeping and mushrooms, for instance.
Now I am reading The King of the Trees out loud to my younger brothers and sisters. We plan to go through the entire series together. I'm really looking forward to it. The other books in the series look pretty interesting.
I was especially impressed with the author's "cosmology." (If that's the right word.) This is a book that supports the Biblical account of creation. People and animals don't just show up on the scene. They were designed and created in the beginning by the God-figure, Gaelathane. Then the main evil character rebels and spoils Gaelathane's good creation.
Aside from the Christian message, I also enjoyed the book's nature imagery. (The author uses nature as the basis for his allegory.) He must possess a pretty thorough knowledge of actual and mythological plants and animals. His descriptions are so realistic that it was hard sometimes to tell whether a plant or animal was real or something he made up. Reading this book has sparked my interest in beekeeping and mushrooms, for instance.
Now I am reading The King of the Trees out loud to my younger brothers and sisters. We plan to go through the entire series together. I'm really looking forward to it. The other books in the series look pretty interesting.
August 31, 2016
About this book:
“What do an old wooden box, a jeweled pendant and some mysterious, green-garbed strangers share in common? When Rolin son of Gannon sets out to solve this riddle, his adventures take him worlds beyond the walls of his little log cabin. With the help of some grumpy griffins and a long-lost prophecy, Rolin and his newfound friends battle an ancient enemy and his underworld army; deadly snake-trees; batwolves, dragons and other mythical creatures. On their perilous quest for the blessed Isle of Luralin, they must trust the King with their very lives. In the end, they learn that “The greatest help oft comes in harm's disguise to those with trusting hearts and open eyes.””
Series: Book #1 in “The King of the Trees” series.
Spiritual Content- This story is an Allegory; Revelations 22:1-2 at the beginning; Many Scriptures are mentioned, quoted, sung & talked about (not technically referred to as Scriptures, but the God figure in the allegory says them mostly); A few prayers to & thanking Gaelathane [God]; Praises & Singing about/to [God]; Witnessing to others about [God]; Talks about [God], His call & being remade; ‘H’s are capital when referring to [God]; Many mentions of Gaelathane [God]; Many mentions of a Prophecy; Mentions of Heaven (referred to as Gaelathane’s Country); Mentions of blessings & being blessed; A few mentions of faiths; A couple mentions of praying;
*Note: Good vs Evil, Light vs Dark storyline; Many mentions of a sorcerer (not magic, just evil), Gundul [Hell] & its fire; A few mentions of a non-magic concoction from a woman who’s not a witch; A few mentions of unholy noises; A couple mentions of stories of fairies & wood-sprites; A mention of superstitious people; A mention of a ghost.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘blasted’s; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); A couple mentions of eye rolling; Dangerous & Strange creatures, also fighting and killing them (up to semi-detailed, many mentions of them as well); Many mentions of threats (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of blood, bleeding & pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of battles, wounds & deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of skeletons, bones & deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of kidnappings & slaves; Mentions of bad dreams & cruel taunts; Mentions of fires & smoke; Mentions of knives & blades; Mentions of sheep being carried off by winged animals (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of dead animals’ heads displayed (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of wine & drunks; Mentions of screams; A few mentions of being kicked in the head & slapped; A couple mentions of trying to find a body & the possibility of being eaten by a bear; A mention of a hanging.
Sexual Content- a not-detailed kiss; A few hand touches that causes tingles (barley-above-not-detailed); A tiny bit of noticing a girl’s beauty & blushes; Mentions of crushes; A few mentions of Rolin saying he doesn’t understand girls; A few mentions of Rolin’s parents falling in love; A mention of taking only one mate in marriage.
-Rolin, age 14/15
P.O.V. of Rolin
Fantasy
236 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Stars
New Teens- Four Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
This was a really different read! All the singing made this fantasy feel like a musical with all the times the characters (or animals or plants) would burst out in song, praising Gaelathane [God]. I didn’t have a super difficult time following along the allegory, and found that I enjoyed it. This was a quite cute and other worldly plot, I can see many ages, girls and boys, enjoying this book. :) {Also, a fun note is that there is a pronunciation guide at the end, which is quite helpful! ;) }
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
“What do an old wooden box, a jeweled pendant and some mysterious, green-garbed strangers share in common? When Rolin son of Gannon sets out to solve this riddle, his adventures take him worlds beyond the walls of his little log cabin. With the help of some grumpy griffins and a long-lost prophecy, Rolin and his newfound friends battle an ancient enemy and his underworld army; deadly snake-trees; batwolves, dragons and other mythical creatures. On their perilous quest for the blessed Isle of Luralin, they must trust the King with their very lives. In the end, they learn that “The greatest help oft comes in harm's disguise to those with trusting hearts and open eyes.””
Series: Book #1 in “The King of the Trees” series.
Spiritual Content- This story is an Allegory; Revelations 22:1-2 at the beginning; Many Scriptures are mentioned, quoted, sung & talked about (not technically referred to as Scriptures, but the God figure in the allegory says them mostly); A few prayers to & thanking Gaelathane [God]; Praises & Singing about/to [God]; Witnessing to others about [God]; Talks about [God], His call & being remade; ‘H’s are capital when referring to [God]; Many mentions of Gaelathane [God]; Many mentions of a Prophecy; Mentions of Heaven (referred to as Gaelathane’s Country); Mentions of blessings & being blessed; A few mentions of faiths; A couple mentions of praying;
*Note: Good vs Evil, Light vs Dark storyline; Many mentions of a sorcerer (not magic, just evil), Gundul [Hell] & its fire; A few mentions of a non-magic concoction from a woman who’s not a witch; A few mentions of unholy noises; A couple mentions of stories of fairies & wood-sprites; A mention of superstitious people; A mention of a ghost.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘blasted’s; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); A couple mentions of eye rolling; Dangerous & Strange creatures, also fighting and killing them (up to semi-detailed, many mentions of them as well); Many mentions of threats (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of blood, bleeding & pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of battles, wounds & deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of skeletons, bones & deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of kidnappings & slaves; Mentions of bad dreams & cruel taunts; Mentions of fires & smoke; Mentions of knives & blades; Mentions of sheep being carried off by winged animals (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of dead animals’ heads displayed (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of wine & drunks; Mentions of screams; A few mentions of being kicked in the head & slapped; A couple mentions of trying to find a body & the possibility of being eaten by a bear; A mention of a hanging.
Sexual Content- a not-detailed kiss; A few hand touches that causes tingles (barley-above-not-detailed); A tiny bit of noticing a girl’s beauty & blushes; Mentions of crushes; A few mentions of Rolin saying he doesn’t understand girls; A few mentions of Rolin’s parents falling in love; A mention of taking only one mate in marriage.
-Rolin, age 14/15
P.O.V. of Rolin
Fantasy
236 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Stars
New Teens- Four Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
This was a really different read! All the singing made this fantasy feel like a musical with all the times the characters (or animals or plants) would burst out in song, praising Gaelathane [God]. I didn’t have a super difficult time following along the allegory, and found that I enjoyed it. This was a quite cute and other worldly plot, I can see many ages, girls and boys, enjoying this book. :) {Also, a fun note is that there is a pronunciation guide at the end, which is quite helpful! ;) }
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
July 15, 2010
The non-professional review:
My favorite characters had to be the griffins, Opio, Rolin, and Gannon, though the warbler was also very amusing. My aunt bought a signed copy of the book for me, and when she left, I started reading. I still haven't had sleep, but it was worth it. This book is a real page turner, and once I've let my grandmother finish reading it, I am going to lend it to a friend of mine immediately. The plot was freaking fantastic, and the writing was really good. At first, I would have compared it to J.K. Rowling or J.R.R. Tolkien, but now I'm not sure who I could compare it to. In my humble opinion, it's a must read! Now I must figure out how to get my hands on a copy of the next book A.S.A.P. If nothing else is available, I just might have to steal it. XD
The "professional" review:
The main character for this story is a boy named Rolin, he is the son of a bee keeper called Gannon (not Gannondorf from the Legend of Zelda games). Rolin lives alone in a cabin with his father, since his Grandmother Adelka and his mother Janna both died. The circumstances were mysterious though, Adelka ran off into the woods when people started chopping down the beech grove where she had lived when she first appeared around Beechtown. Janna died in that same grove, after telling Rolin and Gannon to mind the box and the beech tree she’d planted in the front yard. The box that Adelka had owned was lost for a time, and the beech tree was gnawed down by a beaver.
Rolin rediscovers the box at the start of the book, and takes what looks like some odd sort of medalion from it, and decides to wear it when they go to market. He leaves the box behind, and they set out. When they run into Rolin’s aunt, she starts arguing with Gannon about how he should live in town and get a new wife so that Rolin has a mother. Rolin goes off in search of some mushrooms to give them time, and after reporting back, went off to look at “starglasses” (telescopes). When the lense accidentally fell out of one and he went to pick it up, the “medalion” fell out of his shirt and he suddenly had Greencloaks (odd men who everyone had as little to do with as possible) chasing him.
A man in white appears and leads him to a tree, and climbs up it. When he doesn’t reappear, Rolin considers going home. Instead, his curiosity gets the better of him and he climbs it. When he climbs down, he finds himself in fog, with the only tree he can recognize being the one he climbed. This is where the story really takes off, in my opinion. Rolin meets two Greencloaks who decide to take him to someone called Bembor. On the way, they save him from something that is a mix of bat and wolf, a yeg (the full name was yeggorin I think).
As the story progresses, Rolin learns he is in another world, called Lucambra (his own being Thalmos), and he reached it with a torsil tree. To get into the valley where the oak clan lived safely, they used a tara-torsil (made when you split a torsil tree acorn in half and plant the halves at different locations). The overall idea is that Rolin is the heir of the last Lucumbrian king, the last true one at any rate. The current man who calls himself king is a sorcerer with an ashtag as a sythan-ar (a life tree), and he wants to destroy all the torsil worlds he discovers. He’s a good villain, and the way he disappears at the end of the book leaves you with the question of whether or not he’s actually dead. Even though the sorcs (griffins) weren’t there immediately, I still liked the first part. How they found the clapper for the bell that would summon the sorcs to Hallowfast was amusing. To me, if not to anyone else. Out of all the sorcs in there, Windsong and Ironwing (the ones we see the most of) are my favorites. I even like them better than the king of the sorcs! Though if I actually met him in person, I might have to say otherwise to save myself. I love a lot of books, and this isn’t as long as some I’ve read, but it’s going onto my shelf of favorites, and could stand alone as far as I am concerned (lots of books that stand alone have endings where you are left wondering about things). This book actually makes me interested in finding out how to identify different trees (because if I don’t, whenever I think “forest”, I’ll probably think up a whole army of pine trees), and it made me relatively interested in bee keeping. I don’t like bees, yet I’m interested in bee keeping? Does that make me a hypocrite?
In the short, “non-professional”, review I dashed off on Goodreads upon finishing the book (I’ll be putting it in italics when I’m finished with this one), I compared the writing of The King of the Trees to J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. Now however, I’m not sure who to compare it to. It is like, yet unlike, plenty of pretty extraordinary books I’ve read by wonderful authors, but doesn’t really seem to fit in enough with any one style enough to be compared to it the way that I think it should be.
If I am correct, the language the Lucumbrians use is Welsh. I looked up a couple of the phrases and words on Google (“what does such and such mean?”) and so far, most of them came up as Welsh to English. There was a whole Prophecy which the Tree of Life (the name started with a W….) made, and helped fullfill. I find the idea of trees being sentient; very, very cool. Yes I’ve read about sentient trees in lots of different books, but different authors have different ways of describing the ways trees talk. The way Mr. Burt did it has to be one of my favorites. The ashtag’s personalities in particular were interesting, as was the idea of trees falling asleep in winter. Yes I know that they lose their leaves and don’t grow during winter, but still! The idea that if they had minds, they would be sleeping in winter, still amazed me.
So I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read with griffins in it, and Prophecies that have the creator of all life coming and talking to the main hero. Or even if they’re just looking for a good book and don’t enjoy fantasy, I’d still recommend it. XD
My favorite characters had to be the griffins, Opio, Rolin, and Gannon, though the warbler was also very amusing. My aunt bought a signed copy of the book for me, and when she left, I started reading. I still haven't had sleep, but it was worth it. This book is a real page turner, and once I've let my grandmother finish reading it, I am going to lend it to a friend of mine immediately. The plot was freaking fantastic, and the writing was really good. At first, I would have compared it to J.K. Rowling or J.R.R. Tolkien, but now I'm not sure who I could compare it to. In my humble opinion, it's a must read! Now I must figure out how to get my hands on a copy of the next book A.S.A.P. If nothing else is available, I just might have to steal it. XD
The "professional" review:
The main character for this story is a boy named Rolin, he is the son of a bee keeper called Gannon (not Gannondorf from the Legend of Zelda games). Rolin lives alone in a cabin with his father, since his Grandmother Adelka and his mother Janna both died. The circumstances were mysterious though, Adelka ran off into the woods when people started chopping down the beech grove where she had lived when she first appeared around Beechtown. Janna died in that same grove, after telling Rolin and Gannon to mind the box and the beech tree she’d planted in the front yard. The box that Adelka had owned was lost for a time, and the beech tree was gnawed down by a beaver.
Rolin rediscovers the box at the start of the book, and takes what looks like some odd sort of medalion from it, and decides to wear it when they go to market. He leaves the box behind, and they set out. When they run into Rolin’s aunt, she starts arguing with Gannon about how he should live in town and get a new wife so that Rolin has a mother. Rolin goes off in search of some mushrooms to give them time, and after reporting back, went off to look at “starglasses” (telescopes). When the lense accidentally fell out of one and he went to pick it up, the “medalion” fell out of his shirt and he suddenly had Greencloaks (odd men who everyone had as little to do with as possible) chasing him.
A man in white appears and leads him to a tree, and climbs up it. When he doesn’t reappear, Rolin considers going home. Instead, his curiosity gets the better of him and he climbs it. When he climbs down, he finds himself in fog, with the only tree he can recognize being the one he climbed. This is where the story really takes off, in my opinion. Rolin meets two Greencloaks who decide to take him to someone called Bembor. On the way, they save him from something that is a mix of bat and wolf, a yeg (the full name was yeggorin I think).
As the story progresses, Rolin learns he is in another world, called Lucambra (his own being Thalmos), and he reached it with a torsil tree. To get into the valley where the oak clan lived safely, they used a tara-torsil (made when you split a torsil tree acorn in half and plant the halves at different locations). The overall idea is that Rolin is the heir of the last Lucumbrian king, the last true one at any rate. The current man who calls himself king is a sorcerer with an ashtag as a sythan-ar (a life tree), and he wants to destroy all the torsil worlds he discovers. He’s a good villain, and the way he disappears at the end of the book leaves you with the question of whether or not he’s actually dead. Even though the sorcs (griffins) weren’t there immediately, I still liked the first part. How they found the clapper for the bell that would summon the sorcs to Hallowfast was amusing. To me, if not to anyone else. Out of all the sorcs in there, Windsong and Ironwing (the ones we see the most of) are my favorites. I even like them better than the king of the sorcs! Though if I actually met him in person, I might have to say otherwise to save myself. I love a lot of books, and this isn’t as long as some I’ve read, but it’s going onto my shelf of favorites, and could stand alone as far as I am concerned (lots of books that stand alone have endings where you are left wondering about things). This book actually makes me interested in finding out how to identify different trees (because if I don’t, whenever I think “forest”, I’ll probably think up a whole army of pine trees), and it made me relatively interested in bee keeping. I don’t like bees, yet I’m interested in bee keeping? Does that make me a hypocrite?
In the short, “non-professional”, review I dashed off on Goodreads upon finishing the book (I’ll be putting it in italics when I’m finished with this one), I compared the writing of The King of the Trees to J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. Now however, I’m not sure who to compare it to. It is like, yet unlike, plenty of pretty extraordinary books I’ve read by wonderful authors, but doesn’t really seem to fit in enough with any one style enough to be compared to it the way that I think it should be.
If I am correct, the language the Lucumbrians use is Welsh. I looked up a couple of the phrases and words on Google (“what does such and such mean?”) and so far, most of them came up as Welsh to English. There was a whole Prophecy which the Tree of Life (the name started with a W….) made, and helped fullfill. I find the idea of trees being sentient; very, very cool. Yes I’ve read about sentient trees in lots of different books, but different authors have different ways of describing the ways trees talk. The way Mr. Burt did it has to be one of my favorites. The ashtag’s personalities in particular were interesting, as was the idea of trees falling asleep in winter. Yes I know that they lose their leaves and don’t grow during winter, but still! The idea that if they had minds, they would be sleeping in winter, still amazed me.
So I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read with griffins in it, and Prophecies that have the creator of all life coming and talking to the main hero. Or even if they’re just looking for a good book and don’t enjoy fantasy, I’d still recommend it. XD
January 13, 2011
Finally have this book. I've heard a lot of good things about it including a Christian base to it which would be nice. One person called it a Christian Harry Potter of types. But it seems young and old love it and often read a little every night. Someone else said it was like Narnia.
Well I finally finished it. It is very Christian with many of the words used by the King of Trees taken right out of the bible. And although Rolin is the "Choosen one" per prophesy like Harry Potter I didn't see anything of Harry Potter in this book. I did see some of Narnia in it, in fact a lot towards the end especially between the King of Trees and King of Beasts, but the book is it's own not a makeover of some other book. And although there are some strange creatures in it and one can pop in and out of other lands there is not so much magic.
And although it is a good story and read I didn't feel compelled to keep reading like some books. But in a way that is nice. You can just read a chapter each night and not get sucked into reading the whole thing because you can't put it down. And although it ends like good books should, he leaves it open for the next one.
Well I finally finished it. It is very Christian with many of the words used by the King of Trees taken right out of the bible. And although Rolin is the "Choosen one" per prophesy like Harry Potter I didn't see anything of Harry Potter in this book. I did see some of Narnia in it, in fact a lot towards the end especially between the King of Trees and King of Beasts, but the book is it's own not a makeover of some other book. And although there are some strange creatures in it and one can pop in and out of other lands there is not so much magic.
And although it is a good story and read I didn't feel compelled to keep reading like some books. But in a way that is nice. You can just read a chapter each night and not get sucked into reading the whole thing because you can't put it down. And although it ends like good books should, he leaves it open for the next one.
January 30, 2011
Now here is a book that I have read so many times! My copy is literally starting to wear out because of the number of times that I have read it. Mr. Burt knows how to construct a story for all to enjoy, and he has created a number of worlds filled with magic and wonder just begging to be explored. Follow the adventures of King Rolin as he uncovers the mysteries of the King of the Trees.
Want to read
April 13, 2010Looks cool.
September 29, 2010
Just received this wonderful book, and I'm sending it on to my godson for his birthday. There are more in this series, can't wait to pass on the rest.
January 12, 2011
LOVE IT!!
June 17, 2024
This book combines the spiritual allegory of CS Lewis with the descriptive beauty and inventiveness of Tolkien. Fans of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings will enjoy the carefully crafted worlds of Lucambra and Thalmos. The plot of this first book will take you from everyday life in a beekeeper’s hut to the dizzying heights of a griffin ride, down to the murky cell of a dungeon, with resurrection foretold and threads of the gospel story woven throughout.
July 7, 2025
Distinct memories of meeting this author at the Oregon State Fair at 10 years old and being like WOW you can just WRITE A BOOK if you feel like it! I have a lot of appreciation for Mr Burt just for blowing my mind like that, even if he inscribed this copy to me with a Psalm.
Actual content-wise, this is just a weird Tolkien ripoff with Christian Legend of Zelda vibes (??) that moves pretty swiftly. Of course I liked this at 10, but also I wish someone had just handed me LOTR instead.
Actual content-wise, this is just a weird Tolkien ripoff with Christian Legend of Zelda vibes (??) that moves pretty swiftly. Of course I liked this at 10, but also I wish someone had just handed me LOTR instead.
August 13, 2023
Good allegory and theology. Loved that the Jesus character was also the tree of life.
The writing was fine. The pacing felt much too fast, but I guess it is a kid’s book. Curious where the rest of the books go. Not sure if I’ll read them or not yet.
The writing was fine. The pacing felt much too fast, but I guess it is a kid’s book. Curious where the rest of the books go. Not sure if I’ll read them or not yet.
September 2, 2025
Great Read!!!
I met this Author at our State Fair, yesterday. What an incredible imagination he has!! 10 out of 10, HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! This is a fabulous read, full of mystery, intrigue, fantasy, spirituality, friendship, loyalty, love and happiness. Absolutely LOVED it!!
I met this Author at our State Fair, yesterday. What an incredible imagination he has!! 10 out of 10, HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! This is a fabulous read, full of mystery, intrigue, fantasy, spirituality, friendship, loyalty, love and happiness. Absolutely LOVED it!!
September 17, 2024
I love the idea of travel by tree!
January 5, 2025
Terrific ideas, compelling characters, but ultimately derivative, a little too obvious, and really in need of an editor.
July 13, 2010
"The King of Trees" is a fast-paced fantasy adventure that's marketed to males and females ages 8 and up. The main characters were all males, so I think it would appeal most to boys. Since the author used a fair number of infrequently-used big words, I'd suggest it for teens and up. The author also used made-up names, some of them very similar sounding. I had some trouble keeping track of who was who and what was what. Sometimes there were even two names for the same thing: like griffins were called griffins, but usually they were called sorc. There's a glossary with pronunciation guide in the back to help with this.
While I could see the influence of novels like "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Lord of the Rings," the story was original. It was also action-packed and exciting, and the characters were fun and likable.
There were several times that I didn't understand why Rolin acted the way he did during a critical parts of the novel. For example, Rolin was curious and wanted to explore a new world but knew it could be very dangerous. He decided to just take a peek and immediately come back. He goes to the new world, then, without any explanation as to why he changed his mind, he roamed through a creepy forest, knocked on the door to an evil-feeling building, and shouted to see if anyone was around.
Also, on a few occasions near the end, I had a "where did that come from" moment. As in, we weren't told that Rolin still had an object with him. Logically, he shouldn't still have it and, if he did, he would've been using it earlier. But then he suddenly does have it.
This story is a Christian allegory. It's somewhat subtle at first, but in the second half, the allegory was very obvious and rather heavy-handed. At the end, the plot was being driven more by the needs of the allegory than by naturally arising from the characters or their circumstances. Also, the Tree of Life (the Christ-like character) frequently spoke verses found in the Bible, especially those said by Jesus. To have a tree--which was a being created by the Father God figure (p.35)--go from playing a Christ-like allegorical role to essentially being Christ bothered me. Anyone without Biblical knowledge will probably be confused by it since some of the quotes seem to come out of nowhere. Also, Jesus isn't a created being so portraying Christ as a created tree-being who then created humans was a rather critical bit of theology to portray incorrectly.
There were a few sketchy drawings throughout the book. There was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend it as exciting, clean reading as long as none of the above are problems for you.
While I could see the influence of novels like "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Lord of the Rings," the story was original. It was also action-packed and exciting, and the characters were fun and likable.
There were several times that I didn't understand why Rolin acted the way he did during a critical parts of the novel. For example, Rolin was curious and wanted to explore a new world but knew it could be very dangerous. He decided to just take a peek and immediately come back. He goes to the new world, then, without any explanation as to why he changed his mind, he roamed through a creepy forest, knocked on the door to an evil-feeling building, and shouted to see if anyone was around.
Also, on a few occasions near the end, I had a "where did that come from" moment. As in, we weren't told that Rolin still had an object with him. Logically, he shouldn't still have it and, if he did, he would've been using it earlier. But then he suddenly does have it.
This story is a Christian allegory. It's somewhat subtle at first, but in the second half, the allegory was very obvious and rather heavy-handed. At the end, the plot was being driven more by the needs of the allegory than by naturally arising from the characters or their circumstances. Also, the Tree of Life (the Christ-like character) frequently spoke verses found in the Bible, especially those said by Jesus. To have a tree--which was a being created by the Father God figure (p.35)--go from playing a Christ-like allegorical role to essentially being Christ bothered me. Anyone without Biblical knowledge will probably be confused by it since some of the quotes seem to come out of nowhere. Also, Jesus isn't a created being so portraying Christ as a created tree-being who then created humans was a rather critical bit of theology to portray incorrectly.
There were a few sketchy drawings throughout the book. There was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend it as exciting, clean reading as long as none of the above are problems for you.
August 23, 2012
“The greatest help oft comes in harm’s disguise to those with trusting heart and open eyes.” (Bembor to Rolin on his re-entrance to Thalmos)
William Burt has created a host of memorable characters in The King of the Trees! Rolin appears as the son of the Beekeeper, and then, in the midst of accompanying his father to market, he is introduced to a new world, a new sense of wonder and amazement, and the realization that his life has just taken on a whole new dimension.
Through a series of discoveries, confrontations and trials Rolin learns much about Lucambra and its inhabitants. He learns about the link between Earth (or Thalmos) and Lucambra and the hidden passages that are known only to a few and guarded for the safety of all who live beyond the opening. He learns that his past holds great significance to the Lucambrians and he must be convinced that the son of a beekeeper can hold such a place in either world. Shortly after all of this is revealed to Rolin, (time is kind of irrelevant in the grand scheme of things in this story) he and his new acquaintances are engaged in the beginning of a fierce battle, and the outcome….well, remember the saying… “The greatest help oft comes in harm’s disguise to those with trusting heart and open eyes.” The outcome is something every reader will thrill to discover!
It is hard for me to read fantasy and truly enjoy it most of the time, because I get tend to lost in the descriptions and histories of the different life forms. However, William Burt has created such vivid word pictures that the reader (and I was so amazed at this!) is easily drawn from Earth’s realm into the Lucambrian realm with ease. The story unfolds with effortless charm and the characters, regardless of their race or resident world, are believable and very likable.
I am so glad to learn that The King of the Trees is the first in a series of books so I can read more. I am genuinely excited to recommend this book to you!
The Wordsmith Journal strives to guide readers to books of personal interest, with the understanding and respect that what appeals to some may not appeal to others. Therefore we attempt to keep our reviews focused on content, genre and style. The rating is necessary to make use of Goodreads and Amazon. It reflects the reviewer’s own level of enjoyment, but the review is intended to be informative for the benefit of all readers.
William Burt has created a host of memorable characters in The King of the Trees! Rolin appears as the son of the Beekeeper, and then, in the midst of accompanying his father to market, he is introduced to a new world, a new sense of wonder and amazement, and the realization that his life has just taken on a whole new dimension.
Through a series of discoveries, confrontations and trials Rolin learns much about Lucambra and its inhabitants. He learns about the link between Earth (or Thalmos) and Lucambra and the hidden passages that are known only to a few and guarded for the safety of all who live beyond the opening. He learns that his past holds great significance to the Lucambrians and he must be convinced that the son of a beekeeper can hold such a place in either world. Shortly after all of this is revealed to Rolin, (time is kind of irrelevant in the grand scheme of things in this story) he and his new acquaintances are engaged in the beginning of a fierce battle, and the outcome….well, remember the saying… “The greatest help oft comes in harm’s disguise to those with trusting heart and open eyes.” The outcome is something every reader will thrill to discover!
It is hard for me to read fantasy and truly enjoy it most of the time, because I get tend to lost in the descriptions and histories of the different life forms. However, William Burt has created such vivid word pictures that the reader (and I was so amazed at this!) is easily drawn from Earth’s realm into the Lucambrian realm with ease. The story unfolds with effortless charm and the characters, regardless of their race or resident world, are believable and very likable.
I am so glad to learn that The King of the Trees is the first in a series of books so I can read more. I am genuinely excited to recommend this book to you!
The Wordsmith Journal strives to guide readers to books of personal interest, with the understanding and respect that what appeals to some may not appeal to others. Therefore we attempt to keep our reviews focused on content, genre and style. The rating is necessary to make use of Goodreads and Amazon. It reflects the reviewer’s own level of enjoyment, but the review is intended to be informative for the benefit of all readers.
September 19, 2012
This YA (young adult) fantasy is patterned a little like the Chronicals of Narnia. In other words, perhaps intended for young folks but enjoyable also to adults.
You might recognize in it analogies to Bible scriptures. You might wonder how it's going to end up, if the heroes will survive all the tribulations they must endure.
The main character is Rolin Son of Gannon, a red-haired fourteen-year-old with a knack for finding the best mushrooms in the forests and getting teased by his peers who lived in the nearby town. They teased him about him and his mushrooms, about the bees his father kept, and his crazy grandmother.
Rolin finds a small wooden box his grandmother left him when she died. In it is a jewel pendant along with some dried flower petals. He puts on the pendant, and he and his father go into town to sell their honey and potatoes. Rolin has his eye on a spyglass he'd like to get, so off he goes to find the man who has them for sale. Some Greencoats catch a glimpse of his pendant and accuse him of theft.
Rolin runs into the forest to escape them. A tall Stranger leads him to a strange-looking tree. Rolin's good at climbing trees, and he clambers up what he later finds out is a torsil tree--one that transports climbers to a different place. And that is where Rolin's adventures really begin.
He meets Gemmio and Opio, Bembor and Emmer, Scanlon and Marlis. He discovers the existence of sythan-ars and griffins, and the Isle of Luralin and Waganupa (the Tree of Life). And you might decide that he also meets himself over the progress of this epic book, the beginning book of The King of the Trees Series.
You can buy The King of the Trees and others in this series by William D Burt at Amazon and Barnes and Nobel.
You might recognize in it analogies to Bible scriptures. You might wonder how it's going to end up, if the heroes will survive all the tribulations they must endure.
The main character is Rolin Son of Gannon, a red-haired fourteen-year-old with a knack for finding the best mushrooms in the forests and getting teased by his peers who lived in the nearby town. They teased him about him and his mushrooms, about the bees his father kept, and his crazy grandmother.
Rolin finds a small wooden box his grandmother left him when she died. In it is a jewel pendant along with some dried flower petals. He puts on the pendant, and he and his father go into town to sell their honey and potatoes. Rolin has his eye on a spyglass he'd like to get, so off he goes to find the man who has them for sale. Some Greencoats catch a glimpse of his pendant and accuse him of theft.
Rolin runs into the forest to escape them. A tall Stranger leads him to a strange-looking tree. Rolin's good at climbing trees, and he clambers up what he later finds out is a torsil tree--one that transports climbers to a different place. And that is where Rolin's adventures really begin.
He meets Gemmio and Opio, Bembor and Emmer, Scanlon and Marlis. He discovers the existence of sythan-ars and griffins, and the Isle of Luralin and Waganupa (the Tree of Life). And you might decide that he also meets himself over the progress of this epic book, the beginning book of The King of the Trees Series.
You can buy The King of the Trees and others in this series by William D Burt at Amazon and Barnes and Nobel.
March 26, 2016
Loved this action filled YA fantasy read from Wm Burt. Debut of the series of 7 books, it sets a positive tone as it captivates the reader with one adventure after another...
Rolin and his father, Gannon, live a quiet life in their log cabin set in a mountainside forest. Rolin's mother has died, leaving father and son to manage life on their own. Their lives are spent as beekeepers, providing for their own needs as well as supplying their local village. On one such trip to sell their products, Rolin is accosted for the pendant he is wearing - an unexpected find from a forgotten old box in their dusty cellar - heritage from his mother and grandmother.
Rolin's real life adventures begin from there, taking us along with him to mythological lands and meeting fantastical creatures of other worlds. Rolin meets and makes new friends who aid in the understanding of an ancient prophecy, battle of a fiendish foe and his evil army, and journey to the Isle of Luralin to discover the Tree of Life and the King of Trees who cares about them every step of the journey ~ including their newly found 'wings' of flight!
I enjoyed getting to know the characters. the glossary included at the end of the book was invaluable in helping identify unfamiliar names and meanings for this unique world of our young protagonist.
Definitely a recommended read! Thank you for writing and sharing your imaginative worlds with us, Bill! It was certainly an enjoyable summer armchair adventure!
Rolin and his father, Gannon, live a quiet life in their log cabin set in a mountainside forest. Rolin's mother has died, leaving father and son to manage life on their own. Their lives are spent as beekeepers, providing for their own needs as well as supplying their local village. On one such trip to sell their products, Rolin is accosted for the pendant he is wearing - an unexpected find from a forgotten old box in their dusty cellar - heritage from his mother and grandmother.
Rolin's real life adventures begin from there, taking us along with him to mythological lands and meeting fantastical creatures of other worlds. Rolin meets and makes new friends who aid in the understanding of an ancient prophecy, battle of a fiendish foe and his evil army, and journey to the Isle of Luralin to discover the Tree of Life and the King of Trees who cares about them every step of the journey ~ including their newly found 'wings' of flight!
I enjoyed getting to know the characters. the glossary included at the end of the book was invaluable in helping identify unfamiliar names and meanings for this unique world of our young protagonist.
Definitely a recommended read! Thank you for writing and sharing your imaginative worlds with us, Bill! It was certainly an enjoyable summer armchair adventure!
February 12, 2023
The first part of this story was imaginative and well written. By chapter 16 the writing style shifted. No longer was it as descriptive or paced. Rather the writing became a jumble of action and condensed narrative, in other words the author was telling the story instead of the characters.
Another element that began to throw me out of the story was the biblical language and allegory. Despite the intention of the author, such nuanced and, at times, direct language divorced itself from the characters and left them gutted for meaning. Not to say scripture isn't meaningful. Only the direct, rather than active, use of it in a fantasy context was more distracting then conducive for story telling. The insertion of such language was so forceful at times it grinded the story to halt for me.
Finally, the character's dialogue lacked any personal characteristics. Almost all dialogue contained sarcasm or playful banter. Not only that, the lack of narrative partitions caused timing transitions to merge.
This book is okay but had the author kept more to the world and people he created, the story would have flowed and made more cohesive sense.
Overall, it's a decent read for it's creativity. Still it seems a deliberate attempt to use Christian doctrine and scripture to dictate the story and how it plays out. In other words, it's one big sermon.
Another element that began to throw me out of the story was the biblical language and allegory. Despite the intention of the author, such nuanced and, at times, direct language divorced itself from the characters and left them gutted for meaning. Not to say scripture isn't meaningful. Only the direct, rather than active, use of it in a fantasy context was more distracting then conducive for story telling. The insertion of such language was so forceful at times it grinded the story to halt for me.
Finally, the character's dialogue lacked any personal characteristics. Almost all dialogue contained sarcasm or playful banter. Not only that, the lack of narrative partitions caused timing transitions to merge.
This book is okay but had the author kept more to the world and people he created, the story would have flowed and made more cohesive sense.
Overall, it's a decent read for it's creativity. Still it seems a deliberate attempt to use Christian doctrine and scripture to dictate the story and how it plays out. In other words, it's one big sermon.
July 29, 2016
Christian fantasy. The first half of the book was really good - great writing and I really got to care about the characters. Unfortunately the writing lost some of its tightness in the second half, resulting in stilted conversations and awkward jumps from scene to scene. Really a shame, because I enjoyed the plot and found it very interesting.
I think the author would have benefitted from not having the King of the Trees reference the Bible quite as much though. The same effect could have been achieved without the direct quotes, as the allegory was sufficiently obvious, so they seemed unnecessary and threw me out of the story, as he started sounding like he was in fact quoting, rather than talking himself.
Had those two points been handled better in editing, I would have considered this a great book, because the story itself really drew me in, and made me want to learn more about the universe and the characters. Seeing as this is the author's debut novel, I think it's reasonable to hope that these weaknesses will disappear in later books in the series.
I think the author would have benefitted from not having the King of the Trees reference the Bible quite as much though. The same effect could have been achieved without the direct quotes, as the allegory was sufficiently obvious, so they seemed unnecessary and threw me out of the story, as he started sounding like he was in fact quoting, rather than talking himself.
Had those two points been handled better in editing, I would have considered this a great book, because the story itself really drew me in, and made me want to learn more about the universe and the characters. Seeing as this is the author's debut novel, I think it's reasonable to hope that these weaknesses will disappear in later books in the series.
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