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Green Man #4
The Green Man's Challenge
A while back, Daniel Mackmain’s life took an unexpected turn. Now the Green Man expects him to resolve clashes between those dwelling unseen in wild places and the ordinary people who have no idea what’s out there. Dan’s father is human and his mother’s a dryad, so he sees what’s happening in both these worlds.Once upon a time, giants walked this land. So says everyone from Geoffrey of Monmouth to William Blake. This ancient threat is stirring in the Wiltshire twilight, up on the chalk downs. Can Dan meet this new challenge when he can only find half-forgotten fairy tales to guide him? Will the other local supernatural inhabitants see him – or the giant – as friend or foe?A modern fantasy rooted in the ancient myths and folklore of the British Isles.The book also features a bonus short story starring Dan’s boss, Eleanor Beauchene.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2021
24 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Juliet E. McKenna
101 books235 followersJuliet E McKenna is a British fantasy author living in the Cotswolds, UK. Loving history, myth and other worlds since she first learned to read, she has written fifteen epic fantasy novels so far. Her debut, The Thief’s Gamble, began The Tales of Einarinn in 1999, followed by The Aldabreshin Compass sequence, The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution, and The Hadrumal Crisis trilogy. The Green Man’s Heir was her first modern fantasy inspired by British folklore in 2018. The Green Man’s Quarry in 2023 was the sixth title in this ongoing series and won the BSFA Award for Best Novel. The seventh book, in 2024, is The Green Man’s War.
Her 2023 novel The Cleaving is a female-centred retelling of the story of King Arthur, while her shorter fiction includes forays into dark fantasy, steampunk and science fiction. She promotes SF&Fantasy by reviewing, by blogging on book trade issues, attending conventions and teaching creative writing. She has served as a judge for the James White Award, the Aeon Award, the Arthur C Clarke Award and the World Fantasy Awards. In 2015 she received the British Fantasy Society’s Karl Edward Wagner Award. As J M Alvey, she has written historical murder mysteries set in ancient Greece.
Who’s to say what will come next?
Learn more about all of this at julietemckenna.com and on Twitter @JulietEMcKenna
Her 2023 novel The Cleaving is a female-centred retelling of the story of King Arthur, while her shorter fiction includes forays into dark fantasy, steampunk and science fiction. She promotes SF&Fantasy by reviewing, by blogging on book trade issues, attending conventions and teaching creative writing. She has served as a judge for the James White Award, the Aeon Award, the Arthur C Clarke Award and the World Fantasy Awards. In 2015 she received the British Fantasy Society’s Karl Edward Wagner Award. As J M Alvey, she has written historical murder mysteries set in ancient Greece.
Who’s to say what will come next?
Learn more about all of this at julietemckenna.com and on Twitter @JulietEMcKenna
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
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September 7, 2021Another instalment in this cracking series of contemporary British rural fantasy (as opposed to urban), this one set on the Downs and using chalk hill figures (white horses and giants) to tremendous effect. Dan remains a terrific hero, and there's a lot of great women around him, including his swan maiden girlfriend, a shapeshifting wise woman, his dryad mum, a set of psycho hamadryads, and Eleanor from book 1, who gets a bonus short story at the end.
One of the first books I've read that sets itself in the pandemic and tackles it head on, which really works.
Great adventure and atmosphere and I love what this does with the legends. The giant is truly scary, but as ever human beings turn out to be fairly awful too. It's Daniel point of view, so quite a large part of the climactic battle takes place off stage, which I really regretted because I wanted to see it. I'm not honestly sure how one would get around that, structurally speaking, but it was a pity.
I love this series and the covers are absolutely epic. Looking forward to more!
I had an ARC from the publisher.
One of the first books I've read that sets itself in the pandemic and tackles it head on, which really works.
Great adventure and atmosphere and I love what this does with the legends. The giant is truly scary, but as ever human beings turn out to be fairly awful too. It's Daniel point of view, so quite a large part of the climactic battle takes place off stage, which I really regretted because I wanted to see it. I'm not honestly sure how one would get around that, structurally speaking, but it was a pity.
I love this series and the covers are absolutely epic. Looking forward to more!
I had an ARC from the publisher.
February 18, 2022
Honestly? Just get in on this series for all your contemporary rural fantasy fun.
Southern England’s chalk figures are Dan’s latest headache, along with two sets of reluctant allies with uncertain agendas and Fin’s rather hostile sister. I love this series as a reliably entertaining supernatural thriller which manages to embrace the mundane as well as the downright spooky.
Full review
Southern England’s chalk figures are Dan’s latest headache, along with two sets of reluctant allies with uncertain agendas and Fin’s rather hostile sister. I love this series as a reliably entertaining supernatural thriller which manages to embrace the mundane as well as the downright spooky.
Full review
October 18, 2021
Whilst I very much enjoyed this book, it is worth noting that the characters are directly dealing with the affect of the pandemic on their lives. I think it works but if you're not in a place to read that whilst we're still so in the middle of it, with people still getting sick in worrying numbers, perhaps wait to read this book.
October 18, 2022
One of the strongest tales yet I’ve read in this series. This time McKenna explored giants and managed to make this very old myth frightening again. It’s got a great sense also of the ancient myths just being out of the corner of our eye. Well worth your time
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
September 16, 2023
An absolutely fantastic addition to the series, and maybe my favourite so far. Full review to follow soon.
February 28, 2022
Another wonderful Green Man story. This one is set in White Horse Country in the south of England. Dan is called to the area both by a night-time visit from the Green Man and a phone call from Fin, his river-ecologist, swan-maiden lover. She just happens to have seen a giant on her way home from a job in Wiltshire. As you do. I love the magic in these books. It’s very strongly tied to the earth and to English myth and it resonates really deeply with me. The giant isn’t a force for good in the world; but the white horses that populate the chalk hillsides of the area are. This book also introduces good witches that turn into hares, which is brilliant. It’s set in the summer of 2020 or 2021, in the pandemic, and it’s very well done–there in the background, with Dan’s worry about his elderly father, he and Fin’s confusion about whether it’s safe for them to sleep together, all those little things. But it’s not overwhelming or intrusive. The way the real world and the magical world are interwoven is superb as usual.
This is definitely worth your time.
This is definitely worth your time.
October 25, 2021
Great as usual, well fleshed out characters, including a folklore and historical mystery and interesting story.
Juliett's writing style feels familiar and like home a you'll know you'll get a good story when reading her. A good solid card to read whom never disappoints!
Juliett's writing style feels familiar and like home a you'll know you'll get a good story when reading her. A good solid card to read whom never disappoints!
October 29, 2021
Every bit as good as the previous books, which is to say excellent. The story introduces another character who I think we will be seeing more of and explores a little-known (by me at least) byway of English folklore.
Wish I'd written it.
Wish I'd written it.
September 4, 2021
I was lucky to get a review copy of this, thanks to the publisher, Wizard's Tower Press. I loved the three earlier outings for Daniel Mackmain, son of a dryad and a mortal man, who can see the supernatural and has been directed more than once by the Green Man to get involved in dealing with a threat from the unseen world which exists alongside our own. Dan lives and works at Blithehurst, a stately pile owned by the Beauchene (pronounced Beechen) family and more or less run by Eleanor. As the book opens, he's actually living in the house itself to keep the insurance company happy, but on the Green Man's warning about an ancient menace, and information from his girlfriend, Fin, a swan maiden, he dashes off to Wiltshire to deal with something that turns out to be a giant. The story is set in the early autumn of 2020 with the covid crisis and all that entails. Dan and Fin hardly know where to start, but when they connect with a wise-woman (who is a part-time hare and cryptozoologist) and a bunch of hamadryads (some friendly, some not) things become clearer.
Ms McKenna has a glorious sense of place, amazing because as she explains in the afterword, she had to do most of her research on a computer since travelling in these covid times is not a good plan. However she did it, her research is excellent. Her extensive knowledge of English folklore comes to the fore as the chalk hill figures (giants and horses) and Wayland's Smithy weave in and out of the story. She really gets under the skin of main character, Dan, too. He's doggedly determined to complete this task the Green Man has given him. Highly recommended
There's a bonus short story at the end—a ghost story. Luck is Where You Find It is told from Eleanor's point of view, and covers what's happening at Blithehurst while Dan is hunting giants.
Ms McKenna has a glorious sense of place, amazing because as she explains in the afterword, she had to do most of her research on a computer since travelling in these covid times is not a good plan. However she did it, her research is excellent. Her extensive knowledge of English folklore comes to the fore as the chalk hill figures (giants and horses) and Wayland's Smithy weave in and out of the story. She really gets under the skin of main character, Dan, too. He's doggedly determined to complete this task the Green Man has given him. Highly recommended
There's a bonus short story at the end—a ghost story. Luck is Where You Find It is told from Eleanor's point of view, and covers what's happening at Blithehurst while Dan is hunting giants.
August 29, 2021
Wowee! That was one hell of a ride. A fantastic ride, both the main tale and the bonus short story at the end.
First, the main tale. This one is crammed with supernatural folk from the giant bestriding the Oxfordshire countryside in the vicinity of Wayland's Smithy, to the swan maiden sisters, to hamadryads (rather different folk from the dryads Dan knows and is related to on his mother's side), to the wise women who can transform into hares... This tale is full of place and character, folklore and myth and fantasy. It also, being set in contemporary times (ie Autumn 2020) doesn't shy away from mentioning the global Covid-19 pandemic, but at the same time, it doesn't dwell unwarrantedly on it. It's there, in the background and occasionally comes to the foreground, but only as necessary to inform certain actions of the characters. 'The Green Man's Challenge' is a compelling and engaging tale, as McKenna's stories usually are, and a stonking good read.
Second, the bonus short story, 'Luck Is Where You Find It', which tells part of the story of Eleanor Beauchene (pronounced Beechen) which takes place simultaneously with Daniel Mackmain's tale. Part ghost story, part treasure hunt, Eleanor's tale foregrounds the global pandemic, but still without going into great detail. Instead the pandemic engenders Eleanor's treasure hunt: Blithehurst (the ancestral Beauchene family home) is in need of a cash stimulus to save it from the economic effects of the pandemic on a house that's usually open to tourists and normally has thriving visitor numbers. This was a fun little bonus story and it was lovely to see Eleanor again (we first meet her in 'The Green Man's Heir', the first book in this series, but don't see much of her thereafter).
My thanks to Wizard's Tower Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First, the main tale. This one is crammed with supernatural folk from the giant bestriding the Oxfordshire countryside in the vicinity of Wayland's Smithy, to the swan maiden sisters, to hamadryads (rather different folk from the dryads Dan knows and is related to on his mother's side), to the wise women who can transform into hares... This tale is full of place and character, folklore and myth and fantasy. It also, being set in contemporary times (ie Autumn 2020) doesn't shy away from mentioning the global Covid-19 pandemic, but at the same time, it doesn't dwell unwarrantedly on it. It's there, in the background and occasionally comes to the foreground, but only as necessary to inform certain actions of the characters. 'The Green Man's Challenge' is a compelling and engaging tale, as McKenna's stories usually are, and a stonking good read.
Second, the bonus short story, 'Luck Is Where You Find It', which tells part of the story of Eleanor Beauchene (pronounced Beechen) which takes place simultaneously with Daniel Mackmain's tale. Part ghost story, part treasure hunt, Eleanor's tale foregrounds the global pandemic, but still without going into great detail. Instead the pandemic engenders Eleanor's treasure hunt: Blithehurst (the ancestral Beauchene family home) is in need of a cash stimulus to save it from the economic effects of the pandemic on a house that's usually open to tourists and normally has thriving visitor numbers. This was a fun little bonus story and it was lovely to see Eleanor again (we first meet her in 'The Green Man's Heir', the first book in this series, but don't see much of her thereafter).
My thanks to Wizard's Tower Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2021
We’re up to our necks in a rich, varied folklore in Britain, with all sorts of stories about faery creatures. And many of these have disappeared because oral traditions waned as regions have become more accessible and people move around more. But in this instalment of Dan’s adventures, McKenna has brilliantly utilised the likes of the giant figures cut into chalk hillsides and some of the numerous folk stories around hares to add to her intriguing Brit rural fantasy tale.
I really like Dan – his somewhat blokey persona rings true. He’s rough around the edges, but his heart’s in the right place and I also enjoy his growing relationship with Fin. If you like fantasy stories, yet have got a bit fed up with a continual diet of werewolves and vampires, then give this series a spin. You can pick up this book without having read the previous ones and quickly get into the groove of the story. However, in order to fully appreciate the full awesomeness of McKenna’s world, I’d advise that you first go back to the first book – The Green Man’s Heir.
Any niggles? Well, I for one didn’t feel the extra story at the back was necessary and frankly, I wish I hadn’t read it. The shift in viewpoint was jarring and I felt the explanation of what happened within the main narrative was sufficient. But it certainly isn’t a dealbreaker – and surely it’s better to have too much information than too little. I very much hope that there are more books featuring Dan and this wonderful, layered world embedded within old British folklore, as there simply isn’t anything else quite like it. Very highly recommended.
9/10
I really like Dan – his somewhat blokey persona rings true. He’s rough around the edges, but his heart’s in the right place and I also enjoy his growing relationship with Fin. If you like fantasy stories, yet have got a bit fed up with a continual diet of werewolves and vampires, then give this series a spin. You can pick up this book without having read the previous ones and quickly get into the groove of the story. However, in order to fully appreciate the full awesomeness of McKenna’s world, I’d advise that you first go back to the first book – The Green Man’s Heir.
Any niggles? Well, I for one didn’t feel the extra story at the back was necessary and frankly, I wish I hadn’t read it. The shift in viewpoint was jarring and I felt the explanation of what happened within the main narrative was sufficient. But it certainly isn’t a dealbreaker – and surely it’s better to have too much information than too little. I very much hope that there are more books featuring Dan and this wonderful, layered world embedded within old British folklore, as there simply isn’t anything else quite like it. Very highly recommended.
9/10
September 22, 2021
I've been hooked on the Green Man series for a while now but even so, it seems the more I read about Daniel Mackmain (the main character), the more I like him.
It's impossible not to feel sympathy for the plain-speaking and slightly gruff Dan when he's forced to swap his day-to-day work as a carpenter and is sent to deal with a highly entertaining array of supernatural allies and adversaries.
His mum might be a dryad, but he's doing his level best to just get on with the human half of his life.
Fat chance. Trouble always seems to find him, or rather, the Green Man does.
One of the many things I love about this book (and the series as a whole) is that it's incredibly visual making it easy to picture every detail vividly.
It's also packed with fascinating references to myths and folklore - I don't think I'm ever going to look at a tree the same way again.
All-in-all, an absolutely cracking read from deceptively smooth start to gripping finish.
It's impossible not to feel sympathy for the plain-speaking and slightly gruff Dan when he's forced to swap his day-to-day work as a carpenter and is sent to deal with a highly entertaining array of supernatural allies and adversaries.
His mum might be a dryad, but he's doing his level best to just get on with the human half of his life.
Fat chance. Trouble always seems to find him, or rather, the Green Man does.
One of the many things I love about this book (and the series as a whole) is that it's incredibly visual making it easy to picture every detail vividly.
It's also packed with fascinating references to myths and folklore - I don't think I'm ever going to look at a tree the same way again.
All-in-all, an absolutely cracking read from deceptively smooth start to gripping finish.
February 13, 2022
Myths and legends coming alive in the fourth of this series as Dan is 'sent' by his mentor from ancient legend to investigate reports of giants awakening among Wiltshire's chalk hills and their ancient carvings.
Hard to say a great deal without spoilers except to say that the research behind this series gives layers that so many fantasy books lack. The story does have some references to life in the pandemic but with a light touch as Dan and Fin seek out the darkness that is waking.
Do you need to have read the previous three in the series? Not at all. References are made to previous events but The Green Man's Challenge stands on its own feet.
That said - if you haven' bought the first three then so - simply because they are worth it!
Highly recommended
Hard to say a great deal without spoilers except to say that the research behind this series gives layers that so many fantasy books lack. The story does have some references to life in the pandemic but with a light touch as Dan and Fin seek out the darkness that is waking.
Do you need to have read the previous three in the series? Not at all. References are made to previous events but The Green Man's Challenge stands on its own feet.
That said - if you haven' bought the first three then so - simply because they are worth it!
Highly recommended
August 23, 2023
I really think there should be a sub-genre called country fantasy because some books I've read fall into that category because they definitely aren't in urban areas. This series is one of them. It is hard to fight supernatural baddies during the pandemic when you need to talk to long time locals who know the folklore or go to museum for hints and none of these are available. Not everything is actually on the internet even though we tend to think it is.
Anyway, I liked this series. The green man isn't used often enough and he is a good character for linking the supernatural and the human world. Nice to see the development of the romance between Daniel and the swanmaiden.
Anyway, I liked this series. The green man isn't used often enough and he is a good character for linking the supernatural and the human world. Nice to see the development of the romance between Daniel and the swanmaiden.
October 12, 2023
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2023/1...
I did like this one better than the last one, it had some cool stuff going in with giants, chalk horses, and wise women who can turn into hares. It got a little slow toward the end but was pretty entertaining. There is a short story from the protagonist’s boss' perspective at the end which is pretty unnecessary but does add some interesting lore about ghosts into the world. B+.
I did like this one better than the last one, it had some cool stuff going in with giants, chalk horses, and wise women who can turn into hares. It got a little slow toward the end but was pretty entertaining. There is a short story from the protagonist’s boss' perspective at the end which is pretty unnecessary but does add some interesting lore about ghosts into the world. B+.
October 10, 2021
My favourite Green Man outing so far. I really enjoy the pairing of Dan and Fin, so glad to see them working together again with the help of other new allies against the ancient evil of a giant. The bonus short story at the end was also a great inclusion! Really interested to see where Dan's next adventure takes him.
October 12, 2021
Wonderful story
I live a couple of miles from White Horse hill and recognise the landscape, which is vividly bought to life. Wonderful blend of folklore, history and life during the pandemic. Eleanor's story about Blithehurst had me hooked. Having finished it, I feel slightly bereft. More please!
I live a couple of miles from White Horse hill and recognise the landscape, which is vividly bought to life. Wonderful blend of folklore, history and life during the pandemic. Eleanor's story about Blithehurst had me hooked. Having finished it, I feel slightly bereft. More please!
December 21, 2022
This series continues to entertain, and I like the fact that it built in the crazy happenings of 2020 rather than just ignoring them. The author has a strange way of focusing on literally everything the characters are doing and thinking, down to making toast, but once one gets used to that it's oddly soothing!
December 29, 2024
Recent Reads: The Green Man's Challenge. The next of Juliet E McKenna's rural fantasies takes Dan to Wiltshire, as a giant roams the land. He'll need help to save the day, from the swan maidens and the hare women, as well as the local tree spirits. The white horses still roam the chalk. Recommended.
October 2, 2021
Fun Read
Another wonderful entry to the series. A great mixture of reality and mythology while acknowledging the realities of 2021. The short story at the end is a great way to finish
Another wonderful entry to the series. A great mixture of reality and mythology while acknowledging the realities of 2021. The short story at the end is a great way to finish
May 2, 2023
What I like about this series is that it is set in our world. That there is another world hidden from most people's eyes is very well woven into the story-telling. I'm not so familiar with a lot of local lore in England and love to learn more.
October 4, 2021
I absolutely wasn't expecting this book to tackle the pandemic so directly, not sure why. I may need to come back and re-read when I'm more prepared for that.
October 10, 2021
Love this series!
Another brilliant installment with a bonus short story too. The only problem with the Green Man books is that they're so readable they're over too quickly!
Another brilliant installment with a bonus short story too. The only problem with the Green Man books is that they're so readable they're over too quickly!
October 18, 2021
I wish it was longer.
December 19, 2021
A good solid fun adventure
December 23, 2021
Love this series, and looking forward to more. Intelligent contemporary fantasy with interesting characters with one foot in the real world.
July 7, 2022
Still enjoying the series and hoping for more.
July 1, 2024
Brilliant as usual!!!
December 21, 2024
3.5 rounded up.
Still loving the series but this one was a bit repetitive.
Still loving the series but this one was a bit repetitive.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews