Gaele Hi
AudioBook Review Stars: Overall 4 Narration 5 Story 4 Welcome to the world of Once: where the Warrior clan and the Wizard clan have been at odds for as long as anyone can remember, no one even knows the reasons why. The Wizard clam is a repository for all things magical, the Warrior clan hates everything magical, branding it dangerous and deadly and ‘not quite right’. Between the two kingdoms is the forest, named the Badwoods. A dangerous place where the now-extinct witches once lived, a looming place of darkness and shadows, forbidden to the children of both clans. But Xar, son of the King of the Wizards and Wish, daughter of the Queen of the Warriors are nothing if not different from their parents. Xar is still without his magic, even though he should have his powers before now – with a headstrong and rather arrogant air, he’s determined to capture a witch with a feather he found, unconvinced that they are gone, and plans to take the magic for himself. On the other side there is Wish, tiny and rather unimpressive with an eye-patch, an assistant bodyguard with narcolepsy, a pet spoon (yes, you read that right) and a sword that she ‘claimed’ from the floor in the hall, a sword of iron with an inscription and some rather unusual powers. With Wish’s mother the enemy of al things magical, and her spoon in danger of having it’s magic removed, she’s just unwilling to accept the “this is the ways it has always been”, or follow the many rules, despite the fact that she is desperate for her mother’s approval. Narration for this book is provided by David Tennant, and if you’ve never listened to an audiobook, this is the one to try. There’s nothing like immersing yourself in the story with voices for each character being distinct and unique, the slight Scottish burr that carries through adding a ‘fairy tale-like’ impression to the story, and the lovely changes as the narrator of the story provides a bit of insight, moves the plot along, and often adds snarky commentary, description and some clever moments that deliver (or not) the message. Tennant is one of my all-time favorite narrators, his ability to enhance the story with a sense of joy in the words and events as they unfold, keeping listeners engaged and wanting more. With a cliffhanger ending that leaves plenty of room for more development and change for the two clans, not to mention Xar and Wish, and the much put-upon Bodkin trying to make sense out of his ever-errant charge and her inability to acknowledge, let alone follow, the rules he’s so fond of reciting, the moments and lessons come subtly but all have to do with understanding and learning about the world in which you live before you accept or allow fear of new and different to constrain your actions. Perfect for a road trip or those rainy (or snowy) housebound afternoons – this Odyssey Award Honoree recording is not to be missed. I received an AudioBook copy of the title from Hachette Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
