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Folklore Cycle #2
Forest Folk
John Hood's Folklore Cycle of historical-fantasy novels uses elements of folklore and epic fantasy to tell the story of America's founding in a fresh and exciting way. The first book in the series, Mountain Folk, was largely set during the American Revolution and featured such historical characters as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Daniel Boone. In this second novel, Forest Folk, the focus shifts to the War of 1812, the beginnings of the abolitionist movement, and the Trail of Tears. As the story begins, the new American republic is struggling to reconcile its lofty principles with the practical realities of a rapidly expanding nation. Three fairy rangers who helped the country win its independence — Goran the Sylph, Har the Dwarf, and Dela the Water Maiden — now find they must seek new alliances with the likes of Davy Crockett, Johnny Appleseed, Ichabod Crane, and the Cherokee hero Junaluska to combat a monstrous new conspiracy against peace, justice, and freedom on the frontier.
544 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 19, 2022
6 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
John Hood
11 books18 followersJohn Hood is president of the John William Pope Foundation. Hood also serves on the board of the John Locke Foundation, the state policy think tank he helped found in 1989 and led as its president for more than two decades.
Since 1986, Hood has written a syndicated newspaper column on politics and public policy. A frequent radio and television commentator, Hood is the author of seven nonfiction books on such subjects as business, advertising, public policy, and political history. In 2021 he switched to writing fiction. His Folklore Cycle series of historical-fantasy tales set in early America currently includes the novels Mountain Folk (2021) and Forest Folk (2022) as well as the novelettes The Bard: A Mountain Folk Tale (2022), The Pixie Light: A Forest Folk Tale (2023), and The Giant (2024).
A former Bradley Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, Hood teaches at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. His articles have appeared in magazines such as Readers’ Digest, The New Republic, National Review, Military History, and Reason as well as newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
At Locke, Hood created the E.A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders, which prepares young North Carolinians for leadership roles in the public and private sectors. He also serves on the faculty and as board chair of the NC Institute of Political Leadership; as co-chair of the North Carolina Leadership Forum, based at Duke University; as vice-chair of North Carolina Public Radio (WUNC), the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, and the Carolina Liberty Foundation; and on the boards of directors of the State Policy Network and the Student Free Press Association.
Hood received his BA in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he serves on the foundation board of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media and formerly served on the UNC-CH Board of Visitors. He earned a MA in liberal studies and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from UNC-Greensboro.
A native of Mecklenburg County, Hood now resides in Wake County with his wife, two sons, and a stepdaughter.
Since 1986, Hood has written a syndicated newspaper column on politics and public policy. A frequent radio and television commentator, Hood is the author of seven nonfiction books on such subjects as business, advertising, public policy, and political history. In 2021 he switched to writing fiction. His Folklore Cycle series of historical-fantasy tales set in early America currently includes the novels Mountain Folk (2021) and Forest Folk (2022) as well as the novelettes The Bard: A Mountain Folk Tale (2022), The Pixie Light: A Forest Folk Tale (2023), and The Giant (2024).
A former Bradley Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, Hood teaches at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. His articles have appeared in magazines such as Readers’ Digest, The New Republic, National Review, Military History, and Reason as well as newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
At Locke, Hood created the E.A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders, which prepares young North Carolinians for leadership roles in the public and private sectors. He also serves on the faculty and as board chair of the NC Institute of Political Leadership; as co-chair of the North Carolina Leadership Forum, based at Duke University; as vice-chair of North Carolina Public Radio (WUNC), the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, and the Carolina Liberty Foundation; and on the boards of directors of the State Policy Network and the Student Free Press Association.
Hood received his BA in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he serves on the foundation board of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media and formerly served on the UNC-CH Board of Visitors. He earned a MA in liberal studies and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from UNC-Greensboro.
A native of Mecklenburg County, Hood now resides in Wake County with his wife, two sons, and a stepdaughter.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 26, 2022
If John Hood wrote instructions for assembling Ikea furniture, you’d read them just for the pleasure of it because he’d surely find a clever way to make them interesting. Luckily for us Hood has focused his considerable talents on the far richer field of historical fantasy. “Forest Folk” is the sequel to his debut novel “Mountain Folk,” in which he conjured up nations of invisible “Folk” (elves, dwarves, sylphs, naiads, etc., etc.) who use magic to influence us humans for their own ends, often with history-making results. “Mountain Folk” was intriguing good fun, even for those who are not fans of the fantasy genre. “Forest Folk” is even better.
In the first book, the Folk take a hand in shaping America’s struggle for independence, some allying with the Americans, some with the British. The second book takes us through the War of 1812 and into our national expansion west of the Appalachians. Here we see the Folk using their magic to influence Native American tribes as well as whites and their government. We meet real historical characters ranging from Tecumseh to Andrew Jackson, and experience vicariously actual historical events. As with the first book, Hood doesn’t change history to fit his narrative, rather he sticks closely to the facts and works the magic into it.
Along the way he touches on a remarkable number of American folk tales. Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, and Ichabod Crane all play important roles in the story. That’s the real Ichabod Crane, by the way (betcha didn’t know there was one), not the character from the Washington Irving story—although Irving himself makes an appearance, and we find out where he got the inspiration for the whole “Sleepy Hollow” business.
To get the most out of the story, it’s best if the reader has a basic, high school-level grasp of American history. A familiarity with classical American folk tales is also helpful. But even if your history class was taught by the coach who relied mainly upon movies and YouTube, you should be able to follow pretty well; Hood’s good about filling in the specific bits you need to know. And did I mention that there’s a particularly sweet love story embedded in the narrative? I really should, and now I have.
As a political history junkie, I think the story is at its best when it evokes the historical themes of slavery, the westward expansion, and the clash between white and native civilizations. Hood addresses these issues with a subtlety and sensitivity that will make you think, which I suspect is part of his goal in writing this series. And unless I mistake, I detect hints of what’s to come in a future volume, as the fairy folk begin to grapple with the parallel between their use (and abuse) of captured ‘monsters’ to cultivate their own magical powers, and the human institution of chattel slavery.
This is a story that just keeps getting better. I can’t wait to read the next one.
In the first book, the Folk take a hand in shaping America’s struggle for independence, some allying with the Americans, some with the British. The second book takes us through the War of 1812 and into our national expansion west of the Appalachians. Here we see the Folk using their magic to influence Native American tribes as well as whites and their government. We meet real historical characters ranging from Tecumseh to Andrew Jackson, and experience vicariously actual historical events. As with the first book, Hood doesn’t change history to fit his narrative, rather he sticks closely to the facts and works the magic into it.
Along the way he touches on a remarkable number of American folk tales. Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, and Ichabod Crane all play important roles in the story. That’s the real Ichabod Crane, by the way (betcha didn’t know there was one), not the character from the Washington Irving story—although Irving himself makes an appearance, and we find out where he got the inspiration for the whole “Sleepy Hollow” business.
To get the most out of the story, it’s best if the reader has a basic, high school-level grasp of American history. A familiarity with classical American folk tales is also helpful. But even if your history class was taught by the coach who relied mainly upon movies and YouTube, you should be able to follow pretty well; Hood’s good about filling in the specific bits you need to know. And did I mention that there’s a particularly sweet love story embedded in the narrative? I really should, and now I have.
As a political history junkie, I think the story is at its best when it evokes the historical themes of slavery, the westward expansion, and the clash between white and native civilizations. Hood addresses these issues with a subtlety and sensitivity that will make you think, which I suspect is part of his goal in writing this series. And unless I mistake, I detect hints of what’s to come in a future volume, as the fairy folk begin to grapple with the parallel between their use (and abuse) of captured ‘monsters’ to cultivate their own magical powers, and the human institution of chattel slavery.
This is a story that just keeps getting better. I can’t wait to read the next one.
April 30, 2023
This series is fantastic. Hood continues to expertly weave history, fiction, and magic together. For those who enjoyed the first one, they will like this one too.
There were a couple of things that made this book a little less enjoyable than the first one. First, the editor appears to have missed more typos or errors in this book. I don’t expect perfection from any book, but there were a few too many for me. Second, this book spent more time with the magical creatures from the first book. Overall I found the choice to spend more time with the politics of the Folk a good way to think about some of the historical issues in America. My issue was with the emphasis on the romantic relationship with some of the Folk characters. This makes magical creatures too human in my opinion.
Overall, however, I really enjoyed this book. The setup for the next installment was done really well, and I loo forward to reading more of the Folklore Cycle.
There were a couple of things that made this book a little less enjoyable than the first one. First, the editor appears to have missed more typos or errors in this book. I don’t expect perfection from any book, but there were a few too many for me. Second, this book spent more time with the magical creatures from the first book. Overall I found the choice to spend more time with the politics of the Folk a good way to think about some of the historical issues in America. My issue was with the emphasis on the romantic relationship with some of the Folk characters. This makes magical creatures too human in my opinion.
Overall, however, I really enjoyed this book. The setup for the next installment was done really well, and I loo forward to reading more of the Folklore Cycle.
November 16, 2023
I am Not Impressed with this book. I needed to purchase and listen to Audible book 1 before I could make sense of this story. Not all that impressed with either book, the author wraps this fictional story around actual historical facts and people, which is cool, but authors fact related to the various native Americans was faulty in a big way. Narrator does a Great job with the various characters voices and Storyline.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews