On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House #4) 4Stars

 

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Title: On the Banks of Plum Creek
Series: Little House #4
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Pages: 172
Words: 55K
Publish: 1937

This took about two years and it is evident that Wilder is expecting the target audience to grow with each book, as they’ve gotten consecutively longer.

I continue to enjoy each book quite a bit and while the story is very idealized, it is still a good snapshot into what families went through in the late 1800’s as they spread out west. Death in its many forms are showcased and it is no wonder so many settlers died. I wouldn’t have wanted to live during that time no matter what. They had to have a certain “spirit” and I know I don’t have what it takes.

I’ve had my issues with “historical” fiction in the past, where writers make up total bullshit on a wholesale level and insert it into a non-fiction framework thus making it very unclear what is historical fact and what is the totally made up bullshit from their sick brains. As you can tell, I am not a fan of that model. This avoids that by being fiction. This is a story and nothing BUT a story. It would give a young reader an idea of what life was like but they wouldn’t come out of these books thinking this was a history book. Laura doesn’t meet Abe Lincoln or Paul Bunyan or help Edison invent the telephone or give Mark Twain an idea for a novel. I approve of that model of historical fiction.

So Imperator Bookstooge approves this book.

★★★★☆

From Grokipedia

Settlement and early life in Minnesota

In the opening chapters of the book, the Ingalls family travels by covered wagon from their previous home in Kansas to a new homestead along Plum Creek in Minnesota. Pa trades their horses Pet and Patty, along with other items, to Mr. Hanson for the land, a dugout home built into the creek bank, crops, and oxen. Laura discovers the entrance as a "door in the ground" at the creek's edge, initially startling her with its unexpected appearance. The dugout proves snug and clean, with smoothed dirt walls, a hard-packed floor, a hay ceiling, and grass growing on the roof. Pa reassures the family that the arrangement is temporary and expresses strong optimism about the fertile land producing a bountiful wheat crop to fund a better home.The family quickly adapts to their new surroundings, with early chores including carrying water from a nearby spring and fashioning beds from willow boughs to avoid sleeping directly on the floor. Laura and Mary spend time playing along the creek, making necklaces and whistles from rush stems, blowing bubbles, and watching tiny fish nibble at their toes in the clear water. Pa builds a wooden fish trap under a waterfall to catch larger fish, which Ma cooks for family suppers, supplementing their food supply. In the evenings, Pa plays his fiddle inside the dugout, providing music that creates warmth and contentment for the household. The family maintains a hopeful outlook, dreaming of prosperity from the coming harvest and enjoying the beauty of the wild plum thickets, willows, and rolling prairie.With the arrival of spring and the wheat sprouting green, Pa buys lumber on credit and constructs a proper frame house on a knoll near the creek. The new home features two downstairs rooms, a lean-to, an attic bedroom for the girls, real glass windows, and a surprise cookstove for Ma. The family delights in moving out of the dugout into the bright, clean wooden structure with its fresh lumber smell and gleaming windows. Ma adds white curtains trimmed in calico and decorates shelves, marking the transition to a more comfortable life on Plum Creek.

School, community, and family routines

After settling into their life near Walnut Grove, Laura and Mary attended school for the first time, marking an important milestone in their education and social exposure. The school was taught by Miss Eva Beadle, and Laura enjoyed learning to read while appreciating the company of other children, including classmates from the Kennedy family, Maud, and the Oleson siblings. However, tensions arose with Nellie Oleson, the storekeeper's daughter, who bullied Laura by pulling her hair, dictating games, and mocking her as a "country girl" due to perceived differences in wealth and background. Interactions with townspeople centered heavily on the Oleson family, whose general store made them prominent in the community. Nellie frequently bragged about her possessions and insulted Laura and Mary's clothing or circumstances, such as flaunting a fur cape while taunting Laura that her father could not afford one. Social reciprocity emerged when Laura and Mary attended a party at the Olesons' luxurious home, where Nellie selfishly guarded her toys—including a lifelike wax doll—and grabbed the largest piece of cake. The Ingalls family returned the invitation with a country party at their home, where Nellie's rudeness prompted Laura to lure her into Plum Creek, resulting in leeches clinging to Nellie's legs as a form of childish revenge. The Ingalls family incorporated regular church attendance into their weekly routine, traveling to the new church in town every Sunday for services led by the gentle Reverend Alden, with hymns sung by the congregation and Sunday school taught by Mrs. Tower. Holidays, particularly Christmas, brought community joy through a church celebration featuring Laura's first Christmas tree, a sermon, hymn singing, and gifts sent from eastern church members to the congregation. Daily family life revolved around chores, with Laura and Mary assisting Ma with household tasks and helping on the farm while fishing in the creek during leisure moments. The family studied lessons together, often with Ma guiding the girls' education at home. Evenings provided warmth and unity, as Pa serenaded the family with songs on his fiddle after supper, prompting everyone to join in singing and creating a sense of contentment. Through these experiences, Laura navigated personal growth amid feelings of jealousy toward Nellie's material advantages and social standing. Her conflicts with Nellie highlighted contrasts between town luxury and country simplicity, as well as selfishness versus kindness, reinforcing moral lessons about treating others with respect and finding satisfaction in family bonds rather than possessions. These everyday interactions fostered Laura's understanding of friendship, reciprocity, and self-control despite provocations.

Natural disasters and family trials

The Ingalls family experiences profound hardship when a massive plague of grasshoppers descends upon their Minnesota farm, devouring the promising wheat crop that Pa had counted on to pay off debts for their new house and stove. The insects arrive in overwhelming numbers, eating every green thing in sight and stripping the fields bare despite the family's desperate attempts to drive them away with smoke and fire. [21] With no harvest to sell, the family faces financial ruin, prompting Pa to walk a long distance east to find temporary work on farms beyond the reach of the infestation in order to earn money and support them. The grasshoppers soon lay eggs in the soil, threatening future crops. Pa returns home before winter. A brutal winter follows, bringing severe blizzards that isolate the prairie. In December, Pa ventures to town for supplies but is caught in a severe three-day blizzard on his return journey, forcing him to seek shelter in a haystack and leaving the family uncertain of his safety. Ma ties a rope from the house to the stable to navigate the blinding snow while performing chores, and she keeps Mary, Laura, and Carrie occupied with games, stories, and household tasks to preserve their morale during the long confinement indoors. Pa finally returns home safely on Christmas Eve, reuniting the family in profound relief and joy despite the absence of presents or festive trimmings, underscoring their endurance through hardship. In spring, the grasshopper eggs hatch, and the young insects devour the new crops. After persisting, the swarm mysteriously departs by flying west together in a glittering cloud, providing relief from further destruction. The family faces continued economic trials but maintains hope for recovery.

Characters

The Ingalls family

The Ingalls family forms the central focus of On the Banks of Plum Creek, depicted as a close-knit pioneer unit navigating life in Minnesota. Charles Ingalls, known as Pa, serves as the optimistic and resourceful provider, trading possessions, plowing fields, constructing the family home, and traveling for work to support the household during hardships. He maintains a positive perspective, returning home with reassuring news that severe weather would prevent future grasshopper plagues. Pa is also musical, playing his fiddle to lull the family at day's end. [22]Caroline Ingalls, known as Ma, is practical and nurturing, emphasizing manners, education, and proper conduct while acting as a steady role model for her daughters. [23] She approaches difficulties with optimism, performs demanding domestic tasks tirelessly, and guides the children through gentle instruction rather than harsh discipline. [23]Laura Ingalls, the protagonist and narrator, is a curious, spirited, and resilient girl who observes her surroundings keenly and perseveres through challenges with an indomitable spirit. [24] She displays impulsive tendencies balanced by courage and hard work, showing gradual growth toward maturity. [25]Mary Ingalls, Laura's older sister, is responsible and gentle, consistently demonstrating obedience, politeness, and ladylike behavior in contrast to Laura's more impulsive traits. [26]Carrie Ingalls, the youngest daughter, has a minor role, appearing primarily within the family context without significant individual actions or development highlighted. These portrayals draw from Laura Ingalls Wilder's own family. [27]

Neighbors and townspeople

The townspeople of Walnut Grove play significant roles in the community life depicted in On the Banks of Plum Creek, with the Oleson family standing out as owners of the general store and central figures in town interactions. Their children, Nellie and Willie, serve as rivals and antagonists to Laura, with Nellie portrayed as a spoiled, haughty girl who brags about her possessions, fine clothes, and social superiority while frequently looking down on others as inferior "country" folk. Willie, her brother, joins her in displaying unkind and exclusionary behavior toward Laura and Mary. The town features multiple storekeepers, including Mr. Oleson, who operates the main mercantile establishment central to community gatherings, and Mr. Fitch, who runs a separate store. Mr. Beadle manages another store alongside his duties at the post office, making these figures key points of contact for townspeople and settlers alike. Reverend Alden serves as the local minister, leading church services and Sunday school classes that bring the community together for religious observance and social support. The school teacher, described as a lovely young woman, instructs the local children in the town schoolhouse, providing formal education to Laura, Mary, and their classmates. Nearby neighbors include the Nelson family, Norwegian settlers living close to the Ingalls, who participate in community efforts such as livestock trading and cooperative responses to local challenges. Their daughter Anna and other local children, including members of the Kennedy family and individuals like Maud, attend school and contribute to the social fabric of the area. These secondary characters reflect the diverse mix of settlers and townsfolk shaping daily life in Walnut Grove.

Farmer Boy (Little House #3) 4Stars

 

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Title: Farmer Boy
Series: Little House #3
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Pages: 143
Words: 52K
Publish: 1933

I enjoyed this as much as the previous entries. My vague earlier memories were that this all took place out in the west, on the frontier, just like the previous Little House stories, so imagine my surprise when I found out this took place in New York, deep in Yankee Country. I also hadn’t remembered that the main character (Almanzo) was the son of a very successful farmer, so there was no hardship beyond what was inherent to farming in the 1800’s.

Almost every story involved food in one way or another. By the book’s end I wanted to go eat and eat and eat! It wasn’t really surprising though. Almanzo is 9 turning into 10 during this book and he works hard, so he needed that food. Since his family was successful, they had plenty of food and didn’t stint.

There was one funny incident where Almanzo’s father refuses to use some piece of new farm equipment (maybe a corn husker or wheat berry stripper or something) because he claims it will make people lazy and it will waste some of the corn/wheat. Then the next paragraph is the father using some other form of new farm equipment that makes their lives much easier. I’m sure that was included deliberately to make his father more human. It made me laugh though, because I think the exact same thing about some stuff today and act exactly like the father. So I’m definitely living in a glass house as it were.

The cover I’m using here isn’t the one I grew up with or that fits with the previous books, but it really shows how much horses were a part of Almanzo’s life. He wanted to raise and train horses and in this book, he wasn’t old enough and was strictly forbidden from it. So it is a big focus for him and all he wants is to become a farmer so he can train horses. We’ll be meeting Almanzo again in later books, so we’ll see how he turns out then :-)

★★★★☆

From Grokipedia

Farmer Boy chronicles the daily life of nine-year-old Almanzo Wilder on his family's prosperous farm in upstate New York during the winter of 1866 through the following year. The narrative centers on Almanzo's experiences with farm chores, family responsibilities, and personal milestones, portrayed through a series of seasonal activities that highlight the rhythm of rural existence.[15]The story opens in winter with Almanzo attending school for the first time alongside his older siblings—thirteen-year-old Royal, twelve-year-old Eliza Jane, and ten-year-old Alice—trudging through deep snow to a one-room schoolhouse. There, a confrontation arises when older boys attempt to bully the new teacher, Mr. Corse, but he subdues them with a blacksnake whip, establishing order. At home, the family engages in essential winter tasks, such as cutting blocks of ice from a nearby pond with hired workers French Joe and Lazy John, hauling them to the icehouse for summer use. Almanzo assists Father and Royal, narrowly escaping a fall into the icy water, and learns the value of caution from Father's stern but fair discipline. Evening routines include carding wool by the fireside, where Mother supervises the children, and maple sugaring, during which the family boils sap into syrup over an outdoor fire, sharing the labor and the sweet rewards.[16][17]On his ninth birthday in February, Almanzo receives a special gift from Father: a yoke for two young calves named Star and Bright, marking his growing trustworthiness. He spends the spring training them to pull a bobsled and later a wagon, demonstrating patience and skill as they mature into reliable draft animals. Family dynamics shine through Mother's meticulous cooking—preparing vast meals from farm produce—and Father's emphasis on hard work and honesty. Siblings contribute uniquely: Royal handles heavier tasks with a mischievous streak, Eliza Jane focuses on studies and household duties, and Alice helps care for the younger children while tending the baby. Spring brings planting season, with the family harrowing fields, sowing corn, potatoes, and other crops, and tending to calving; when one cow's calf weakens, Almanzo helps revive it, fostering his bond with the animals. Occasional visitors, like neighbors or the peddler, add variety, but the core revolves around collective farm maintenance.[15][17]Summer intensifies with haying and harvesting, where Almanzo drives the team of oxen to mow fields under the hot sun, enduring long days but reveling in the farm's bounty. The Fourth of July celebration in town offers a rare break, with parades, fireworks, and family outings. As fall arrives, the narrative shifts to the county fair, where Almanzo exhibits a massive pumpkin he cultivated, winning a blue ribbon and a silver dollar, while his sisters display needlework and preserves. He also returns a lost pocketbook containing $1,500 to its owner, earning a $200 reward and Father's commendation for integrity. School resumes with disruptions when a harsh new teacher arrives, leading to tensions, but Almanzo prioritizes farm duties like potato digging and apple picking. In a pivotal moment, with parents away, Royal's poor management of the household—allowing pigs inside and wasting food—contrasts with Almanzo's steadier approach, teaching lessons in responsibility.[18][19][20]The year culminates in late fall with logging operations to harvest timber for a new barn, where Father teaches Almanzo advanced ox-driving techniques. Thanksgiving brings a grand family feast, reuniting extended relatives and reflecting on the harvest's success. Turning ten, Almanzo faces a choice from Father: an apprenticeship as a wagon-maker or continuing on the farm. Opting for farming, he earns the colt Starlight as his own horse, symbolizing his readiness for greater independence and foreshadowing his future as a farmer. The story closes on this note of achievement, encapsulating a full cycle of growth amid unyielding farm labor.

Little House in the Prairie (Little House #2) 4Stars

 

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Title: Little House in the Prairie
Series: Little House #2
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Pages: 143
Words: 52K
Publish: 1935

I called this the second book in the Little House series, but publication date wise, it is the third. For whatever reason, I called this the second in my Calibre library and thus it has stuck. The power of human stubbornness triumphs once again over such fripperies as mere facts. Booyah!

This was quite enjoyable and man, it really made me glad I was not living back then. Nature was against them, all the time. Other people. Malaria. Every where you turned, something was actively opposing them. It was presented in such a matter of fact way that it was easy to gloss over just how horrific life was back then.

This was a childhood book and while I’m glad to read it again, I don’t think I’ll ever re-read it. It’s really weird for me to be on this end of the spectrum now. It means I’m not just getting older, but that I’m getting just plain old. Boooo!

★★★★☆

From Grokipedia

Little House on the Prairie is the third novel in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, published in 1935 by Harper & Brothers.[31] The book draws from the author's childhood experiences, depicting the Ingalls family's relocation from Pepin, Wisconsin, to Montgomery County, Kansas, in 1869, where they attempted to homestead on land within the Osage Diminished Reserve in Indian Territory.[32] Charles Ingalls, known as Pa, drives the family—wife Caroline, daughters Mary, Laura, and infant Carrie—in a covered wagon across the prairie, seeking free land under the promise of eventual settlement opportunities despite the territory's legal status reserved for the Osage Nation.[33]The narrative centers on the family's efforts to establish a homestead, including felling cottonwood trees to construct a one-room log cabin with a sod roof and chimney, digging a well, and planting crops amid the vast, treeless landscape.[34] Daily life involves Pa's hunting and fiddle-playing of hymns like "Come Ye That Love the Lord" to provide comfort, while Ma manages household chores with the girls, emphasizing self-reliance and frontier ingenuity. Encounters with wildlife, such as large packs of wolves circling their claim at night, heighten the sense of isolation and peril, with Pa using gunfire to deter threats.[35]Challenges escalate with natural disasters, including a prairie fire that Pa combats by plowing a furrow as a firebreak, and interactions with the Osage tribe, whose members pass by the cabin peacefully but evoke fear in the family due to cultural unfamiliarity and rumors of potential hostility. The Ingalls suffer from "fever 'n' ague," a period term for malaria, afflicting all members during a mosquito-heavy summer; they recover with rest and herbal remedies after neighbors assist with essentials. Ultimately, U.S. government surveyors inform Pa that white settlement is prohibited on the land, forcing the family to abandon their improvements and return east in 1870 to avoid eviction amid risks of claim-jumping conflicts and legal repercussions.[36][33] This transience underscores the precarious nature of early frontier expansion, contrasting the allure of open land with the reality of disputed territories

Little House in the Big Woods (Little House #1) 4Stars

 

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Title: Little House in the Big Woods
Series: Little House #1
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Pages: 87
Words: 33K
Publish: 1932

What a delightful gem of a book! While I’m stating this is middle grade level, it is simple enough that it could easily be read by elementary school age kids. We get a year in the life of the Ingalls family from the viewpoint of Laura, who is 4 at the beginning of the book and 5 by the time the story wraps up. It is a very positive outlook to things, just like you’d expect from the memories of someone that young. They wouldn’t understand some of the bad and would just accept things as they are, because they don’t know any different.

My mom read these to me growing up before I could read on my own and then I read them on my own at some point. Might have even read them a couple of times. But I never did read them as an adult and since I needed some ya/childrens books to keep me from being a total old grump, I decided on these. This book delighted me and I feel like I’ve made a great choice to go through the Little House series and I am looking forward to reading more. That makes a book a success in my eyes.

★★★★☆

From Grokipedia

The narrative of Little House in the Big Woods follows the Ingalls family's experiences through the seasons in their log cabin in the Wisconsin wilderness. In the fall and early winter, Pa hunts deer and other game to stock the larder, and with Uncle Henry's help butchers their fattened pig, preserving the meat as roasts, sausages, headcheese, lard, and other provisions while hanging venison and storing vegetables outside to freeze.   During the long winter evenings, Pa plays his fiddle for family singing and tells vivid stories of past encounters with bears and panthers, including Grandpa's sled ride chased by a panther and Pa's own narrow escapes, which both delight and unsettle young Laura.  Pa also molds bullets by melting lead over the fire and pouring it into a bullet mold to prepare ammunition for his rifle. Laura frequently feels afraid of the wild animals surrounding the cabin, such as wolves howling close by at night, the time Ma mistook a bear for the cow Sukey and slapped it before fleeing with Laura back to safety, or imagining panthers lurking in the shadows, yet she feels protected and secure inside the sturdy little house with her family nearby.  Christmas brings a joyful gathering when Uncle Peter, Aunt Eliza, and their children visit, filling the cabin with relatives, homemade gifts including a new rag doll named Charlotte for Laura, mittens, candy, festive food, and storytelling around the fire. As late winter transitions to spring with a "sugar snow," the family travels to Grandpa's for sugaring-off, collecting maple sap from the trees, boiling it into syrup and sugar, and celebrating with neighbors at a lively dance featuring music and food.   In spring, preparations lead to the family's first trip to town, where Laura and Mary marvel at the store and village sights.  Summer brings visits to and from neighbors, along with garden tending and other warm-weather activities. In fall, harvest time involves relatives helping Pa and Ma with field work and grain processing, while the family resumes preparations for the coming winter. 

The Hero and the Crown (Damar #2) 2Stars

 

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Title: The Hero and the Crown
Series: Damar #2
Author: Robin McKinley
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy / Middle Grade
Pages: 207
Words: 80K
Publish: 1984

A story about a girl with no self-confidence, even as she kills a dragon and defeats her half-demonic uncle and prevents him from taking over her country. I got totally sick of the main character thinking everyone was making fun of her or was talking behind her back or putting a negative spin on every interaction she had with every other person.

Then presto-chango, right at the end of the book, she’s all confident due to the power of love, but mainly because she’s now in love with 2 men, one a mortal king and one an immortal magician. No thank you.

In many ways, stylistically, this reminded me of Patricia McKillip, but at about half the skill and none of the positive that McKillip always brought to her stories, even in the darkest moments. I’m done with this Damar series and I’m very definitely done with McKinley.

★★☆☆☆

From Wikipedia

Part one

Aerin is the only child of Arlbeth, king of Damar, and his second wife. Aerin inherits her mother's pale skin and fiery red hair, setting her apart from all other Damarians and causing her to be feared and ostracized. Her particular nemesis at court is Galanna, a beautiful but vain young woman, who spread rumors that Aerin's mother was a witch and that Aerin is illegitimate. Galanna taunts Aerin for having failed to develop the Gift, known as kelar, an ability to use magic that all members of the royal family inherit to some degree. During one of their regular fights, Galanna convinces Aerin to eat the leaves of the surka plant, which is poisonous to all those not of royal blood. While eating the surka plant does not kill Aerin, it makes her extremely ill.

During her recovery, Aerin stumbles upon a book about the history of Damar and the enormous dragons of old that used to terrorize it, of which only much smaller relatives still exist. Seeking privacy in the pasture of her father's now-injured war horse, Talat, Aerin reads through the book while forging a friendship with the stubborn and proud horse. At the back of the book she finds a recipe for kenet, an ointment meant to protect the wearer from the effects of fire. While experimenting with the ointment, she also trains herself on mounted combat with Talat. Eventually, she sneaks off to slay a small dragon that has been terrorizing a village. Her success earns her some minor notoriety and requests for assistance from other villages. In the meantime, trouble comes from the north, in the form of one of the western barons, Nyrlol, who threatens civil war.

Part two

Arlbeth fears that the Hero's Crown, an item of power, has finally fallen into the hands of the demonic Northerners, and that Nyrlol's madness is a symptom of their growing power. He is forced to ride west with many of his court, including Tor (his male heir and Aerin's only friend), to deal with Nyrlol, but denies Aerin's request to join him. However, just as Arlbeth prepares to ride north, a messenger arrives bearing news that the last of great dragons, Maur, has reappeared and is terrorizing Damar. Arlbeth has no choice but to deal with Nyrlol first. But Aerin, having been left behind, decides to fight Maur on her own.

After a tremendous battle, Aerin narrowly defeats Maur, claiming as her trophy a red stone left behind when his body burns itself to ashes. Aerin is severely injured but manages to drag herself onto Talat, who carries her home. Maur's skull is brought to the castle as a trophy but its presence seems to taunt Aerin and her health does not improve. In her declining state, Aerin dreams of a blond man by a lake who beckons her to come to him so that he may help her. Aerin leaves Tor a note and rides off on Talat to find this man, Luthe.

Luthe, a sorcerer, heals Aerin by placing her in the Lake of Dreams, which causes her to become "no longer quite mortal". Luthe teaches her some magic and Aerin learns that it is the kelar that gives the royal family their magical abilities. Luthe then reveals that Aerin's mother and uncle, Agsded, along with Luthe, were students of a master mage. Agsded was the best student but used his abilities for evil. A prophecy foretold that one of Agsded's own blood would defeat him; in fear, Aerin's mother fled to the south to have a child (Aerin) with Arlbeth. When Aerin is fully recovered, Luthe sends her north with the dragon's red bloodstone and Gonturan, The Blue Sword, to challenge Agsded.

As she travels, Aerin is joined by armies of foltsza (large mountain cats) and yerigs (large wild dogs). After an extensive magical battle in which Agsded is eventually defeated and the Hero's Crown is recovered, Aerin is rescued by Luthe, who escorts Aerin back as far as his lake on her way home. They become romantically involved; Aerin leaves him but promises to return one day, as they are both immortal.

She returns to find the kingdom losing a battle with the Northern demons. Using Gonturan and her army of foltsza and yerigs, and giving the Hero's Crown to Tor, she helps defeat the Northerners, but at the cost of many lives, including Arlbeth's. Aerin, with Tor's help, finally rids the kingdom of Maur's evil skull, but in the process the skull turns Damar into a desert. Aerin marries Tor, whom she truly loves in her own way, and they help rebuild the kingdom together as its rulers.

The Farthest Shore (Earthsea Cycle #3) 4Stars

 

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Title: The Farthest Shore
Series: Earthsea Cycle #3
Author: Ursula LeGuin
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy / Middle Grade
Pages: 135
Words: 66K
Publish: 1972

This just didn’t grip me the same way as the previous two books did. It is still a rousing tale, but in this, LeGuin preaches up a storm and while it doesn’t overshadow the story, it is still in the sky, like a harpy, scree’ing at the reader.

But man, can LeGuin spin a tale. Magic is draining from the world and things are getting worse, even though the Ring of Erreth Akbe has been restored (the story told in The Tombs of Atuan). And it is all springing from a time when Sparrowhawk, Ged the Highmage now, dealt with a necromancer in an arrogant and high handed way. LeGuin is trying to make the point that we should all hold hands and sing kum-by-ya together. The lesson “I” learned was to never leave an enemy alive behind you. Cobb, the aforementioned necromancer (and how awesome is it that a guy who is cheating death and destroying the world itself is just called Cobb? LeGuin’s wit is rapier sharp!) was playing with dark powers and Ged tried to “rehabilitate” him (by scaring the living daylights out of him), only for Cobb to return 10x worse. If Get had put his staff through Cobb’s head at their first meeting, none of this would have happened. And yet that leads into even more goodness. Because not only does Ged have to face Cobb again, now much older, wiser and gentler, but he picks up the prince Arren and in the process fulfills a prophecy about the final king of the Archipelago, who of course through their journey, turns out to be Arren. The story is just fantastic.

I’m going to end the review with that.

★★★★☆

From Wikipedia

An ominous, inexplicable malaise is spreading throughout Earthsea. Magic is losing its power; songs are being forgotten; people and animals are sickening or going mad. Accompanied by Arren, the young Prince of Enlad, the Archmage Ged leaves Roke Island to find the cause. On his boat Lookfar, they sail south to Hort Town, where they encounter a drug-addled wizard called Hare. They realize that Hare and many others are under the dream-spell of a powerful wizard who promises them life after death at the cost of their magic, their identity, and all names, that is, all reality. Ged and Arren continue southwest to the island of Lorbanery, once famous for its dyed silk, but the magic of dyeing has been lost and the local people are listless and hostile.

Fleeing the stifling despair, Ged and Arren keep on southwest to the furthest islands of the Reaches. Arren is drawn under the influence of the dark wizard, and when Ged is injured by hostile islanders, Arren cannot rouse himself to help. As Ged's life ebbs, and they drift into the open ocean, they are saved by the Raft People, nomads who live on great rafts beyond any land. The spreading evil has not yet reached them, and they nurse Ged and Arren back to health. At the midsummer festival, the sickness arrives, and the singers are struck dumb, unable to remember the songs.

The dragon Orm Embar arrives on the wind, and begs Ged to sail to Selidor, the westernmost of all islands, where the dark wizard is destroying the dragons, beings who embody magic. Ged and Arren voyage past the Dragons' Run south of Selidor, encountering dragons flying about and devouring each other in a state of madness. On Selidor, Orm Embar is waiting for them, but he too has lost the power of speech. After a search, they find the wizard in a house of dragon bones at the western tip of Selidor – the end of the world.

Ged recognises the wizard as Cob, a dark mage whom he defeated many years before. After his defeat, Cob became expert in the dark arts of necromancy, desperate to escape death and live forever. In doing so, he has opened a breach between worlds which is sucking away all life. As Cob paralyzes Ged with the staff of a long-dead mage, Orm Embar impales himself on it, crushing Cob in a final effort. But the undead Cob cannot be killed, and he crawls back to the Dry Land of the dead, pursued by Ged and Arren. In the Dry Land, Ged manages to defeat Cob and closes the breach in the world, but it requires the sacrifice of all his magic power.

They travel even further, crawling over the Mountains of Pain back to the living world, where the eldest dragon Kalessin is waiting. He flies them to Roke, leaving Ged on his childhood home of Gont Island. Arren has fulfilled the centuries-old prediction of the last King of Earthsea: "He shall inherit my throne who has crossed the dark land living and come to the far shores of the day." Arren will reunite the fractious islands as the future King Lebannen (his true name).

The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea Cycle #2) 5Stars

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: The Tombs of Atuan
Series: Earthsea Cycle #2
Author: Ursula LeGuin
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy / Middle Grade
Pages: 117
Words: 46K
Publish: 1971

Another wonderful coming of age story that is so different from A Wizard of Earthsea and yet tells a story that I love.

Most of the time, when an author tells a completely different tale in a series, I have issues with it. I usually want more of the same, more of the familiar, more of what I enjoyed in the previous book. Thankfully, LeGuin’s skill is such that she can change everything and yet keep the essentials that I loved and thus make me love this new creation.

The characters, the land and the perspective have all changed but what didn’t change was the style. We still get the world building with just a few brief sentences. Whole histories are conveyed in less than a paragraph. Peoples’ characters fleshed out with the perfectly chosen word. Simplicity is still LeGuin’s choice here and it continues to work very well. While the story appears to be about Tennar the young girl, it is just as much about the Ring of Erreth Akbe, which when the broken pieces are found and united, will bring peace to the land. It takes real skill to be able to tell both stories at the same time without one overshadowing the other.

I am also very happy that Tennar’s story ends on a happy note. She has left everything behind her, going to a new land, to a people she doesn’t know, with a man who has told her he can’t stay with her, but she will be given protection and teaching by Ogion the wizard and have wealth should she want it. The blackness of LeGuin’s soul hadn’t yet destroyed everything good…

I was hoping to showcase the cover for the first edition, which was another woodcut style drawing, but sadly, every version I could find had this huge “Award” on it, since it won several childrens’ awards. So I’m choosing to go with the Bantam Spectra cover from the mid 80’s. This was the copy my local library had I believe. I’m going to include the covers for each book because I want a complete collection and I have zero idea what I’ll showcase for the next book’s cover.

★★★★★

From Wikipedia

The story follows a girl named Tenar, born on the Kargish island of Atuan. Born on the day that the high priestess of the Tombs of Atuan died, she is believed to be her reincarnation. Tenar is taken from her family when she was five years old and goes to the Tombs.[14] Her name is taken from her in a ceremony, and she is referred to as "Arha", or the "eaten one",[24] after being consecrated to the service of the "Nameless Ones" at the age of six with a ceremony involving a symbolic sacrifice.[28] She moves into her own tiny house, and is given a eunuch servant, Manan, with whom she develops a bond of affection.

Arha's childhood and youth are lonely; her only friends are Manan and Penthe, a priestess her own age. She is trained in her duties by Thar and Kossil, the priestesses of the two other major deities. Thar tells her of the undertomb and the labyrinth beneath the Tombs, teaching her how to find her way around them. She tells of the treasure hidden within the labyrinth, which wizards from the archipelago have tried to steal. When Arha asks about the wizards, Thar tells her that they are unbelievers who can work magic. When she turns fourteen, Arha assumes all the responsibilities of her position, becoming the highest ranked priestess in the Tombs. She is required to order the death of prisoners sent to the Tombs by the God-King of the Kargad lands; she has them killed by starvation, an act which haunts her for a long time. After Thar dies of old age, Arha becomes increasingly isolated: although stern, Thar had been fair to her. Kossil despises Arha and sees the Nameless Ones as a threat to her power.

Arha's routine is disrupted by her discovery of the wizard Ged (the protagonist of A Wizard of Earthsea) in the undertomb. She traps him in the labyrinth by slamming the door on him, and through a peephole sees him unsuccessfully attempt to open the door with a spell.[29] Trapped in the labyrinth, Ged eventually collapses out of exhaustion, and Arha has him chained up while debating what to do with him. After questioning him, she learns that he has come to the Tombs for the long-lost half of the ring of Erreth-Akbe, a magical talisman broken centuries before, necessary for peace in Earthsea.[14] The other half had come into his possession by pure chance, and a dragon later told him what it was. Arha is drawn to him as he tells her of the outside world, and keeps him prisoner in the tombs, bringing him food and water.[30] However, Kossil learns of Ged's existence, forcing Arha to promise that Ged will be sacrificed to the Nameless Ones; however, she realizes that she cannot go through with it. She instructs Manan to dig a false grave underground, while she herself takes Ged to hide in the treasury of the Tombs.

Arha and Kossil have a public falling out, in which Kossil says that nobody believes in the Nameless Ones anymore. In response, Arha curses her in the name of the Nameless Ones. Realizing that Kossil will now be determined to kill her, she heads to the labyrinth and sees Kossil uncovering the false grave. Evading her, Arha goes to the treasury and confesses everything to Ged, who has found the other half of Erreth-Akbe's ring in the treasury. He tells Arha that she must either kill him or escape with him, and says that the Nameless Ones demand her service, but give nothing and create nothing in return. He tells her his true name, Ged, in return for the trust she has shown him. They escape together, though Manan, who has come looking for Arha, falls into a pit in the labyrinth and is killed when he attempts to attack Ged. The tombs begin to collapse in on themselves; Ged holds them off until they leave. Arha reverts to calling herself Tenar as she and Ged travel to the coast where his boat is hidden. While waiting for the tide, she feels an urge to kill Ged for destroying her life, but realizes while gazing at him that she has no anger left. Ged and Tenar sail to Havnor, where they are received in triumph.

A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle #1) 5Stars

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: A Wizard of Earthsea
Series: Earthsea Cycle #1
Author: Ursula LeGuin
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy / Middle Grade
Pages: 123
Words: 61K
Publish: 1968

This is one of those books that I’ve read since childhood. My first memory is reading the first couple of chapters in a fantasy anthology when I was still in my single digits. I have no idea what that anthology was but I suspect it was a collection of chapters from full books to whet the interest of the readers. If I cared more, I could probably track it down, but I don’t care enough, not this year anyway.

I loved this book as a kid, I loved this book as a teen, I loved this book in my 20’s, I loved this book in my 30’s and now, I’m loving it just as much in my 40’s.

Now, I don’t know how this would go over with me if I was approaching this for the first time, but I have a feeling I’d still love this. This is a coming of age story about a young man who grievously screws up and then has to take responsibility for that mess and fix it.

LeGuin writes an entire world with just a sentence. A hint here, a brushstroke there and and the world of Ea comes to life. I know I am always going on about writers who aren’t wordsmiths but my goodness, when I see an author being an AUTHOR, it just brings joy to my heart. It also brings rage when other people don’t appreciate that, kind of like a food connoisseur sneering at people who think a Big Mac from McDonalds is the height of food goodness. It has its place, but it is NOT good food. I will wear my Book Snob badge proud and loud!

★★★★★

From Wikipedia

Earthsea itself is an archipelago, or group of islands. In the fictional history of this world, the islands were raised from the ocean by a being called Segoy. The world is inhabited by both humans and dragons, and most or all humans have some innate magical gift, some are more gifted sorcerers or wizards.[18] The world is shown as being based on a delicate balance, which most of its inhabitants are aware of, but which is disrupted by somebody in each of the original trilogy of novels.[19] Earthsea is pre-industrial and has diverse cultures within the widespread archipelago. Most of the characters are of the Hardic peoples, who are dark-skinned, and who populate most of the islands.[20] Four large eastern islands are inhabited by the white-skinned Kargish people, who despise magic and see the Hardic folk as evil sorcerers: the Kargs, in turn, are viewed by the Hardic people as barbarians. The far western regions of the archipelago are the realm of the dragons.[20]

Plot summary

"Only in silence the word,
only in dark the light,
only in dying life:
bright the hawk's flight
on the empty sky."

From the Creation of Éa, with which A Wizard of Earthsea begins.[21][22]

The novel follows a young boy called Duny, nicknamed "Sparrowhawk", born on the island of Gont. Discovering that the boy has great innate power, his aunt, a witch, teaches him the little magic she knows.[15] When his village is attacked by Kargish raiders, Duny summons a fog to conceal the village and its inhabitants, enabling the residents to drive off the Kargs.[16] Hearing of this, the powerful mage Ogion takes him as an apprentice, and later gives him his "true name"—Ged.[15] Ogion tries to teach Ged about the "equilibrium", the concept that magic can upset the natural order of the world if used improperly. In an attempt to impress a girl, however, Ged searches Ogion's spell books and inadvertently summons a strange shadow, which has to be banished by Ogion. Sensing Ged's eagerness to act and impatience with his slow teaching methods, Ogion asks if he would rather go to the renowned school for wizards on the island of Roke. Ged loves Ogion, but decides to go to the school.

At the school, Ged meets Jasper, and is immediately on bad terms with him. He is befriended by an older student named Vetch, but generally remains aloof from anyone else. Ged's skills inspire admiration from teachers and students alike. He finds a small creature—an otak, named Hoeg, and keeps it as a pet. During a festival, Jasper acts condescendingly towards Ged, provoking the latter's proud nature. Ged challenges him to a duel of magic,[16] and casts a powerful spell intended to raise the spirit of a legendary dead woman. The spell goes awry and instead releases a shadow creature, which attacks him and scars his face. The Archmage Nemmerle drives the shadow away, but at the cost of his life.[15][20]

Ged spends many months healing before resuming his studies. The new Archmage, Gensher, describes the shadow as an ancient evil that wishes to possess Ged, and warns him that the creature has no name. Ged eventually graduates and receives his wizard's staff.[16] He then takes up residence in the Ninety Isles, providing the poor villagers protection from the dragons that have seized and taken up residence on the nearby island of Pendor, but discovers that he is still being sought by the shadow. Knowing that he cannot guard against both threats at the same time, he sails to Pendor and gambles his life on a guess of the adult dragon's true name. When he is proved right, the dragon offers to tell him the name of the shadow, but Ged instead extracts a promise that the dragon and his offspring will never threaten the archipelago.

Chased by the shadow, Ged flees to Osskil, having heard of the stone of the Terrenon. He is attacked by the shadow, and barely escapes into the Court of Terrenon. Serret, the lady of the castle, and the same girl that Ged had tried to impress, shows him the stone, and urges Ged to speak to it, claiming it can give him limitless knowledge and power. Recognizing that the stone harbors one of the Old Powers—ancient, powerful, malevolent beings—Ged refuses. He flees and is pursued by the stone's minions, but transforms into a swift falcon and escapes as Serret, having taken the form of a gull, is killed. Ged also loses his otak to the shadow.

Ged flies back to Ogion on Gont. Unlike Gensher, Ogion insists that all creatures have a name and advises Ged to confront the shadow.[16] Ogion is proved right; when Ged seeks out the shadow, it flees from him. Ged pursues it in a small sailboat, until it lures him into a fog where the boat is wrecked on a reef. Ged recovers with the help of an elderly couple marooned on a small island since they were children; the woman gives Ged part of a broken bracelet as a gift. Ged patches his boat and resumes his pursuit of the creature into the East Reach. On the island of Iffish, he meets his friend Vetch, who insists on joining him.[20] They journey east far beyond the last known lands before they finally come upon the shadow. Naming it with his own name, Ged merges with it and joyfully tells Vetch he is healed and whole.

• A Wizard of Earthsea (2005 Review)

• A Wizard of Earthsea (2012 Review)

The Tide of Unmaking (The Berinfell Prophecies #3) 1.5Stars

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: The Tide of Unmaking
Series: The Berinfell Prophecies #3
Author: Wayne Batson & Christopher Hopper
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 349/60
Words: 139K/24K
Publish: 2012

I dnf’d this at 60 pages because while seven years have passed and characters are now turning 21, they are still acting like 14 year olds and being written as such. My patience for that was stretched in book 2 and so I’m just done. There is no reason for me to continue :-(

★✬☆☆☆

From the Publisher

Seven years have passed since the Lords of Berinfell - Tommy, Kat, Jimmy, Johnny, Autumn and Kiri Lee - watched the horror of Vesper Crag wash away, as well as their fallen kinsman, Jett Green. But with Grimwarden in exile, the realm of Berinfell finds itself ill-equipped to weather the coming storms. Kiri Lee begins to whisper of ghostly visitations. Taeva, Princess of the Taladrim, desperately seeks out the Elves of Berinfell to rescue her kingdom. And the genocidal Drefid Lord Asp launches his campaign to conquer Allyra. And Earth. But far worse still is a consuming terror on the horizon: an unstoppable force that threatens to devour all creation and all hope. Nations will crumble, loyalties will be tested, and even the might of Berinfell’s Lords may not be enough to stem The Tide of Unmaking.

Venom and Song (The Berinfell Prophecies #2) 3Stars

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Venom and Song
Series: The Berinfell Prophecies #2
Author: Wayne Batson & Christopher Hopper
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 437
Words: 141K

While I enjoyed this, it was simply too long. This second book in the Berinfell Prophecies was over 100 pages and 40,000 words longer than the first book. That is a significant increase for a middle grade book. I think part of the issue is that having seven main characters with multiple other side characters AND a villain just bloats things up no matter what. Trying to give each of the kids enough page time to make them stay relevant to the story while using adult elves to fill in historical and training gaps made it almost impossible to see any scene that could have been cut.

I enjoyed the various training scenes as the kids learned how to use their powers but also how to use them as part of the group. No one of them was obviously “better” and it was made clear that they were stronger as a whole than as disparate parts. While I “agree” with that, I have always preferred the lone wolf kind of hero and story.

During the climactic battle at the end where it appears that the Spider King dies, I was wondering what they (the authors) were going to do to for the third book. I had a momentary thought of “Well, maybe the Spider King isn’t really dead. Nahhhh, they wouldn’t do something so obvious.” Sure enough, the authors went that route. That is the problem with reading books meant for a less experienced set of readers.

I am glad I read this and I’m ok with having a new pair of authors run across my radar. I know both of them have written other things, so depending on what I think of the final book in the Berinfell Prophecies will determine if I seek out any more stuff by them or not. I’m totally on the line at the moment.

★★★☆☆

From the Publisher

Now in the strange realm of Allyra, the Seven young lordsconfront a traitor in their midst, a creature-infested forest, teenage fearsand doubts, inexplicable mysteries . . . and the Spider King himself. In a rigorous training program that makes boot camp looklike Disneyland, the Seven must quickly learnto harness their own powers, work as one, and elude the Spider King's spies.But as the ancient Berinfell Prophecies are revealed, the Seven soon discovertheir training might not be enough. To stop the Spider King they must also unravelthe secrets of the Rainsong, travel to a creepy, trap-infested fortressto find the legendary keystone, and lead the Berinfell Elves in an attack on the Spider King's own turf.

Curse of the Spider King (The Berinfell Prophecies #1) 3Stars

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Curse of the Spider King
Series: The Berinfell Prophecies #1
Author: Wayne Batson & Christopher Hopper
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: 335
Words: 107K

After how my last ya/middle grade book went (The Beggar Queen by Lloyd Alexander) I was just about ready to bag the whole idea of reading books geared toward the younger audience. Before I called it quits I asked some of the kids at church what they were reading. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect much. But I ended up with a suggestion for the Berinfell Prophecies and after reading the synopsis, I decided it certainly couldn’t be as bad as the Beggar Queen. And it wasn’t, at all.

It IS more middle grade than young adult, as the main characters involved are all 13 year olds. There are also 7 of them. That concerned me a bit at first, because finding the right balance for points of view is hard and the more pov’s authors introduce, the harder the balance is to find. Thankfully, Batson and Hopper did an admirable job of giving each kid just the right amount of page time to tell the story they needed but without artificially giving more or less pages to each character.

Another thing that I liked, but wasn’t expecting, is that the authors are Christian and insert Christian elements into the story. No in a preachy way, but in many regards like Lewis does with his Chronicles of Narnia books. I only noticed it three or four times too, so it’s not like they are trying to drown their readers in it either.

This book is all about the gathering of the seven kids and how the elves were trying to get them all back to their original world. It had a good beginning, an exciting middle as all the kids had adventures and then the ending sees them all just crossing over. I am looking forward to the next book to see how things work out.

One final note. As this is middle grade, don’t expect any of the adults to be “actual” adults. They are adults per children’s views and act accordingly. Hence the “surprise” ambush near the end I saw coming from a mile away, but a kid wouldn’t, so the adults in the story didn’t.

★★★☆☆

From Fandom.com

Elves ruled over the land of Allyra for thousands of years until, in a great battle, the capital, Berinfell, was overtaken by an army of Drefids, Gwar, Warspiders, and Wisps under the command of the Spider King. Now as he rules the land, the remnant of the Elven race lives, hidden, in a network of subterranean passages called Nightwish Caverns.
In that battle, the seven heirs to the thrones of Berinfell were captured as babies and taken to the realm of the humans, known as Earth. Disguised among the millions of people on Earth, these Elf Lords have no clue of their identity until, around their thirteenth birthdays, some strange events start happening. Some are stalked by mysterious, creepy strangers, and others receive odd books from teachers, librarians, or bookstore owners. Eventually, the people, who had given the Elves the books, reveal to the Seven Lords their true identity, and the fact that they are being hunted by villainous creatures. These assassins, once held back by an old curse, are now free to kill the Seven. This they intend to do in order to keep the teenagers from returning to Allyra and rallying the Elves against their oppressor, the Spider King.
Autumn and Johnny are attacked in their house by a pack of Drefids, Jett and his family are assaulted by Cragons, and a Wisp of Jimmy's neighbor comes to the boy's school and attempts to quietly kill Miss Finney. Kat and Anna are pursued in a vicious car chase by Drefids, and Kiri Lee is later almost assassinated by Wisps posing as her parents in her own home. Tommy, Goldarrow and Mr. Charlie are forced to fight off another group of Drefids in an abandoned asylum while attempting to find a portal to Allyra.
In the final scene, all the Elven Lords and their escorts (except Autumn, Johnny, and Nelly) have assembled for a concert in Scotland before entering the nearby portal. In the middle of the performance, attended by humans and disguised Elves alike, a massive army of Gwar, Drefids, Cragons, and Wisps attack. In the midst of the chaos, Johnny, Autumn and Nelly arrive. They join the desperate rush of fighting Elves attempting to reach the portal. When they arrive, it is rapidly shrinking. Unbeknownst to everyone else, at the rear of the group Mr. Wallace is killed and replaced by a Wisp. As the final few Elves are diving into the portal, the Wisp kills Mr. Charlie and enters Allyra just before the doorway is completely closed. Once in the Elven world, the returning group of warriors are met by Grimwarden and a team of Elves, who assist the Lords and their guardians into the Underground. Mr. Wallace's Wisp accompanies them, a spy among their number.