Alana Woods   AUTHOR        

I opened this book with some hesitation because although I’m not a huge reader of fantasy a lot of what I have read recently has been pretty forgettable and ho-hum, if not downright bad. For me, good fantasy is Alice in wonderland, The hobbit, Lord of the rings—that kind of quality read.

A few pages in I was starting to relax. A few more pages I was thinking ‘This is good’. By the end I had come to the opinion that this book could stand alongside Alice and The hobbit.

I could find no fault with either the story or the storytelling. The story is delightful and the telling of it both shows and tells in the appropriate places.

There’s much that to me is original. Yes, there are dragons. Yes, there are unicorns. But then there are the prairie dog wand-makers, there is the hunters’ code which requires a hunter to thank the family of his prey for the gift of the meal, and there are the gifts that each living creature is born with that form the basis for their path through life. The last paralleling our world where we say, but don’t always believe, that everyone has a talent, if only we can find it.

I liken it to Alice and The hobbit because I believe it will transcend an age grouping for readership. I can see advanced 12 year olds loving this book as much as their parents and grandparents.

Given the ending, which leaves the story incomplete, I foresee a sequel, perhaps more. I look forward to them.

I liked this book so much I'm taking part in an Osric's wand blog tour on 13 June. So stay tuned because Jack will be giving away an ebook at each stop plus random giveaways of other goodies such as t-shirts, hardcovers and paperbacks.

Here's the link to Osric's wand on Amazon.

5 stars