DUAL REVIEW: Wingfeather Saga Books 3 & 4 by Andrew Peterson!

Hey everyone!  Today I have a double-review post featuring the third and fourth books in the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson: The Monster in the Hollows and The Warden and the Wolf King.  I was super excited for the opportunity to read the whole series for review, and just yesterday, I got the news that my preorders of these books shipped -- after a monthlong delay for release, I'm so sO SO  excited to finally hold the entire series in my hands!  They're so gorgeous, and heartfelt, and impactful...and boy, the finale didn't disappoint.  Of course, this is a rerelease for the hardcover illustrated books, so you may have already read them.  But if you're a fan, they're worth getting again. If you haven't read the Saga, check out my post featuring the first two books (On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and North! Or Be Eaten) HERE, and then continue on for more info on the last two books!

The official release day is October 6th...and I'll give you a hint if you want to snag these books: Christian Book Distributors has them both on sale right now....  

Anyway -- onward!

BLURB 

Book Three of The Wingfeather Saga

Janner Wingfeather's father was the High King of Anniera. But his father is gone. The kingdom has fallen. The royal family is on the run, and the Fang armies of Gnag the Nameless are close behind.

Janner and his family hope to find refuge in the last safe place in the world: the Green Hollows--a land of warriors feared even by Fangs of Dang. But there's a big problem. Janner's little brother-heir to the throne of Anniera-has grown a tail. And gray fur. Not to mention two pointed ears and long, dangerous fangs. To the suspicious folk of the Green Hollows he looks like a monster.

But Janner knows better. His brother isn't as scary as he looks. He's perfectly harmless.

Or is he?

Join the Wingfeathers on an adventure filled with mystery, betrayal, and sneakery in a land of tasty fruits. There's a monster on the loose and the truth lurks in the shadows.

AMAZON | GOODREADS



BLURB

All winter long, people in the Green Hollows have prepared for a final battle with Gnag the Nameless and the Fangs of Dang. Janner, Kalmar, and Leeli Throne Warden, Wolf King, and Song Maiden of Anniera, are ready and willing to fight alongside the Hollowsfolk, but when the Fangs make the first move and invade Ban Rona, the children are separated. Janner is alone and lost in the hills; Leeli is fighting the Fangs from the rooftops of the city; and Kalmar, who carries a terrible secret, is on a course for the Deeps of Throg. Meanwhile in Skree, Sara Cobbler and Maraly Weaver care for the broken Artham Wingfeather as Fangs muster for battle across the Mighty River Blapp. Sea dragons lurk in the waters. Wicked Stranders crawl through the burrows. Ridgerunners and trolls prowl the land. Cloven haunt the forest. Monsters and Fangs and villains lie between the children and their only hope of victory in the epic conclusion of The Wingfeather Saga.

AMAZON | GOODREADS


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew Peterson is critically acclaimed in the music industry, and his lyrics and songwriting are compared by reviewers to James Taylor, Marc Cohn, and the late Rich Mullins. He's married to Jamie; they have two sons, Aedan and Jesse, and one daughter, Skye.

Joe Sutphin was known in school as "that kid who can draw." He is the illustrator of Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions by Sheila Grau and the New York Times bestselling novel Word of Mouse by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. 

INSTAGRAM | THE RABBIT ROOM | WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

MY REVIEWS

I couldn't separate the reviews for both of these books, really, because they flow together so well -- but I'll try my best.  And I'll try to keep from screaming about certain spoiler things that really took me by surprise.  

The Monster in the Hollows starts off pretty much where book #2 ended, and I found the first half to be a little bit difficult to get through -- it's not so much focused on the overarching peril faced by the Wingfeathers and Igibys, but it centers on Kalmar's great change and all of the implications that the family faces.  While it's interesting in its own way, it's a bit of an abrupt halt to the general sense of urgency that the first two books are drenched in.  But that peril is actually centralized to the Hollows, where the Wingfeathers go to escape the threat of Gnag and the Fangs.  A Grey Fang isn't much welcome in the Hollows, after all, and there are all manner of them and cloven beasts that threaten the Hollowsfolks' borders.  You just start to think that the Hollowsfolk are accepting Kalmar when something happens - and all fingers point to the Wingfeathers.  And when farm animals are mysteriously snatched up, with no one else to blame, a plot to betray the Wingfeathers and jail them arises.  They have to know who their friends are and who their enemies are -- and sometimes, it's just the opposite of who you might think.  There are a few very clever plot twists that really will leave you with your mouth hanging.  The finale is touching and very sad at the same time, and you'll need to read book #4 ASAP.  

Book #4, The Warden and the Wolf King, picks up immediately from book #3, and deals with some of the jaw-dropping plot twists from the previous finale.  I seriously wish I could blab about all of those spoilers, but I can't...so if I'm being vague, I apologize.  You'll thank me if you read these books.  There isn't really a dry spot to be found in this book, and I ended up reading the entire second half in one sitting.  The stakes are continually high throughout the entire book, and we also get a little bit of backstory on Gnag the Nameless and exactly why he's so terrible.  The Jewels of Anniera must face their worst fears and risk losing everything in order to defeat Gnag and what threatens the whole world as they know it.  I had chills so many times over certain lines, certain actions that were taken, and the depth of thought that is obviously present  in these books.  And as for the finale...well, I'm still reeling a little about it and I'd rather not think about it too much, but I'm satisfied with the ending.  And you'll want to stick around for the epilogue for sure.  Trust me on this.

(I don't cry very often over books, like honest-to-goodness cry, but these ones...wow.)  

These books deal with trust, having faith, learning to let go and humble oneself, and how appearances don't matter -- it's what's beneath the surface that counts.  These are excellent, excellent books for the middle grade audience this series is intended for, and I daresay that adults could learn a lot from them too.  While it is high fantasy, the Christian themes present are very strong and solid but well-used (not preachy); perhaps at the level of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis for worldbuilding and the use of a Maker to represent God.

If you're looking for something new to read, if you're a fan of fantasy, and if you're looking for books that hold wonderful discussions about very tough topics, this is the series for you.  Wow.  

Have you read The Wingfeather Saga yet?  Do you plan to?