Has anyone read the Wingfeather saga by Andrew Peterson?
I was introduced to the series by a friend a few years ago, but truly dug into it in earnest a few weeks ago, having had the wonderful opportunity to be on the launch team for the first two books in the series, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and North! Or Be Eaten. I mean, the titles alone will draw your attention!
I was completely taken aback by how easy it is to fall in love with these books! Within the first few chapters of the first book, I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down. Between the splendid prose, the gorgeous illustrations, and the captivating storyline, it's easy to see Peterson becoming the C.S. Lewis of our time. If you have read and enjoyed the How To Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell, you'll also enjoy this series thanks to the imaginative worldbuilding and prose.
ABOUT THE BOOKS
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness:
Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog, Nugget.
Janner Igiby, his brother, Tink, and their disabled sister, Leeli, are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that they love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang, who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice. The Igibys hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.
Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers' groups are sure to enjoy discussing for its many layers of meaning.
Janner Igiby, his brother, Tink, and their disabled sister, Leeli, are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that they love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang, who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice. The Igibys hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.
Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers' groups are sure to enjoy discussing for its many layers of meaning.
Order from Amazon HERE.
North! Or Be Eaten:
Now in hardcover for the first time, featuring all-new illustrations! First they found themselves On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. Now they must make their way North! Or Be Eaten . . .
Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they're really the Lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone wants to kill them.
In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizardlike Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest, the thieving Stranders of the East Ben, and the dreaded Fork Factory.
But even more dangerous are the jealousies and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart. Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.
Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, North! Or Be Eaten is a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers' groups are sure to enjoy discussing for its many layers of meaning. Extra features include new interior illustrations from Joe Sutphin, funny footnotes, a map of the fantastical world, inventive appendices, and fanciful line art in the tradition of the original Frank L. Baum Wizard of Oz storybooks.
Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they're really the Lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone wants to kill them.
In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizardlike Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest, the thieving Stranders of the East Ben, and the dreaded Fork Factory.
But even more dangerous are the jealousies and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart. Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.
Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, North! Or Be Eaten is a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers' groups are sure to enjoy discussing for its many layers of meaning. Extra features include new interior illustrations from Joe Sutphin, funny footnotes, a map of the fantastical world, inventive appendices, and fanciful line art in the tradition of the original Frank L. Baum Wizard of Oz storybooks.
Order from Amazon HERE.
Might I add that the all-new collectible hardcover versions of both books are on sale from Amazon right now? Best time to order them!
You can also order from the Rabbit Room Store HERE.
These stories have been published previously, but feature over 40 new illustrations as well as new covers, which are gorgeous. The other two books in the series will be releasing September 15th of this year!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hey, folks. If you're just discovering me or any of my work, it can be a little confusing because there are several facets to it. Here's the rundown:
* I write songs. I also record them to these cool things called CDs and put on concerts around the country. (And beyond! To my great delight, I get to play in Europe every year or so.)
* I write books. I've just completed a four-book fantasy series for young readers called the Wingfeather Saga. I also drew some of the pictures (but not the awesome ones). (WingfeatherSaga.com)
* I'm the proprietor of the Rabbit Room, a community of songwriters, authors, and artists interested in storytelling, faith, and fellowship. We have a yearly conference called Hutchmoot, which is as strange and wonderful as it sounds. (RabbitRoom.com)
* I've been married for twenty-four years to Jamie, and we have three sweet children: Aedan (20), Asher (19), and Skye (16). We live in a magical place we call the Warren, just south of Nashville.
The common thread in all this is my love for Christ and his Kingdom, my belief in the power of story and art, and my need for family and community. If I had to boil it all down, I'd say this: I want to use my gifts to tell the truth, and to tell it as beautifully as I can.
That ought to get you started. For a more in-depth look at what I do, visit Andrew-Peterson.com. Thanks!
* I write songs. I also record them to these cool things called CDs and put on concerts around the country. (And beyond! To my great delight, I get to play in Europe every year or so.)
* I write books. I've just completed a four-book fantasy series for young readers called the Wingfeather Saga. I also drew some of the pictures (but not the awesome ones). (WingfeatherSaga.com)
* I'm the proprietor of the Rabbit Room, a community of songwriters, authors, and artists interested in storytelling, faith, and fellowship. We have a yearly conference called Hutchmoot, which is as strange and wonderful as it sounds. (RabbitRoom.com)
* I've been married for twenty-four years to Jamie, and we have three sweet children: Aedan (20), Asher (19), and Skye (16). We live in a magical place we call the Warren, just south of Nashville.
The common thread in all this is my love for Christ and his Kingdom, my belief in the power of story and art, and my need for family and community. If I had to boil it all down, I'd say this: I want to use my gifts to tell the truth, and to tell it as beautifully as I can.
That ought to get you started. For a more in-depth look at what I do, visit Andrew-Peterson.com. Thanks!
Visit Andrew Peterson on his website HERE and learn everything about the Wingfeather Saga on THIS website!
MY REVIEWS
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
As I mentioned before, this book drew me into the lore within the first few chapters. The characters simply seemed to jump off the pages. From a grandfather who chases varmint from his gardens to siblings who like to drag each other into trouble (well, mostly one in particular), this book starts out as a completely normal story for middle-graders. That's one thing that Peterson instills very well in his stories: the absolutely ordinary in completely extraordinary, unique circumstances. It makes readers feel like they could just climb into the pages, or that the characters could just hop right out. We soon learn about the absolutely worrisome corruption in the world that Tink, Janner, and Leeli are growing up in. Children and elderly alike are taken by something called the Black Carriage, never to be seen again, and groups of things called Fangs terrorize citizens. With a mysterious map, a few dangerous encounters with these Fangs of Dang, a mysterious man ostracized to the forest, and some equally mysterious jewels to track down, this story grabs you and draws you in. While the story is fantasy-laced, the children, especially Janner, learn great lessons about family, bravery, and responsibility that will be crucial to middle-grade readers (and perhaps some great reminders for adult readers as well). It's something that anyone of any age can enjoy, really. It's a refreshing, original storyline that I loved. And the prose is absolutely a work of art in and of itself.
North! Or Be Eaten
This one is easily my favorite of the two. While I loved the fast-moving pace of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, this book picks right up and dives into something deeper and grittier. Some of the elements surprised me as being in a middle-grade novel because it deals with extremely real situations like child labor, kids being kidnapped and mercilessly put to work in a factory, and some other matters. Again, Peterson infuses the very ordinary/daily life into the extraordinary, as he did with Book 1. It's so jam-packed with action that I feel like if I say anything about it, I'll be spoiling something...So beware! Continue with caution.
Through a series of truly heartrending events, the kids have to fight through circumstances that are either brought on by themselves or by those around them - not even the adults are blameless here - and they have to do a lot of maturing in order to find a way out. It's a book that, right down to the wire, you're wondering if they will really get out of that scrape alive....and it's "out of the frying pan and into the fire" (to quote Tolkien) for the next crisis. There are a lot of twists and turns that are well-done, things that you won't see coming, and problems that are riveting. Again, the prose is wonderfully executed - typical Peterson - and some scenes are especially touching. I can think of about three or four in particular that really got to me, but I can't even name names because then the book will be spoiled. But let me just say that if a middle-grade novel is making a "doesn't like to cry" adult reader tear up, it's doing something right. Again, there are many themes that readers of all ages will gain something from; I might even say that if your kiddos read this book when they're young and re-read once they're adults, they might gain new layers to the story from circumstances that are more nuanced. Tink (excuse me, Kalmar) and Peet's journeys were especially touching in this book, and although the book follows Janner more closely, it seems like the other characters are developed more in this book than in the first one. And from what I can tell, the story's really just beginning!
I can't wait to continue reading the series (I'm just trying to decide whether I can wait until September or if I'm going to go scrounging online for the former editions of Books 3 and 4...)
Have you read the Wingfeather Saga? Do you plan on picking up these books? And if you have read the Wingfeather books, feel free to discuss in the comments section below!
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