The Winter Letter

by Dustan Stanley

On his thirteenth birthday William Wesley (whom everyone calls Will) receives a strange letter from a so-called king. The letter is full of apologies that make no sense, so Will figures it’s some kind of a birthday surprise, but then there are three knocks on his front door. By the next morning his entire world is a smoking heap of ashes and every line written in the letter makes perfect sense.

Near the closing the letter

Get on the 3:30 train. Go south. Get off at sunset and walk deep into the eastern woods. Knock on the door of the only house you come across...

Did this so-called king know what was going to happen beforehand or did he orchestrate the ordeal himself? Is he to blame or is he somehow magical? Will must know, so he sets out on an epic journey that takes him to a world full of magical magi and war, where he meets new friends and new enemies. In the end he comes face to face with the one who is truly responsible.

His life will never be the same.

Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Christian, Christmas, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[Dustan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to all of you kind readers who have reviewed The Winter Letter. I truly hope you enjoyed the story! Blessings!

- Dustan Stanley (Author)

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has definitely become one of my all time favorite books! I'd say this is definitely a book for Narnia fans alike who will appreciate the moral symbolism written in a fun, adventurous, fantastic, mysterious, epic tale that's completely unique and will stand on its own through-out the ages to come. A family classic. A must read for fantasy, fiction, adventure lovers out there!
A new tale, a new world, a new adventure, with magic, talking trees, fantastic new world characters, good versus evil, mystery, betrayal, and above all hope for tomorrow even when it seems all hope is gone...all the things we love in any good versus evil story, which leads our main character on the adventure of a lifetime to seek and find the answers he is looking for. Little does he know what waits for him on the otherside...and this story will continue in a 2 book which will become a 4 part series when all said and done.
I love it! I made me feel like I did when I was a kid and would escape into another world when reading the Narnias, Lord of the Rings, and the Seven Sleeper Series. It's written to where it can be read on its own which I like also. Just leaves you hungry for more!
I also appreciate the authors realistic way of taking you in the journey with the main character who is just a boy on a journey to discover himself and to find out why and who has done these terrible things. He isn't the "super-hero" of the story, but rather you feel for him and experience everything he's going through with him. It's fantastic in story, but yet the characters are more believable and realistic in thought and action.

There is so much more to the world of Baru that the author promises to give us through out this book series as we continue to explore the world and the people in it!
Looking forward to the next book! Share with your friends! All ages will enjoy this book. :)

[Gina Hott · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!! I loved this book! I’m thinking the next “The Princess Bride”.

This was the perfect read for the family. Each of us enjoyed it, were entranced, and were enriched by it in many ways. This is a must have for your shelf!!

To tell you how versatile this book was – I was reading it to my 10 yr old daughter when she was sick. My 16 yr old son overheard part of it & sat down to listen. When I couldn’t read anymore he grabbed his kindle & immediately downloaded & finished it. Yep! Don’t miss this one!!

More…

Author: Dustan Stanley
Source: Amazon FreeRead on Nov 22, 2012
Grade: A+
Ages: 4+
Series: The King of All, #1

[David Bergsland · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to call this Christian fiction, but it is in the like of Narnia. Is it as good as Narnia? That remains to be seen, but D.E. Stanley has made a really good running start. At first glance it is further outside reality than Narnia, but as you begin to understand the new world he has created, it makes sense, and in many ways it is more uplifting than C.S. Lewis. For a children's series, it was really enjoyable.

[SANDYE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Adventure

This story had everything...action, love, sadness, suspense, and wonderfully colorful characters of all kinds. I am not usually a fan of YA adventure stories. I am so glad I read this one though!! I will continue to read about Will's jpurney. It's fascinating.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a fabulous hook. A young boy receives a mysterious letter that makes no sense until it makes perfect sense. The letter serves as an invitation to a wonderful fantasy adventure. It pulled me in from the first chapter. Will, and the reader, never quite knows what will happen next as he begins to follow the instructions that bring him to a world of magic and new friends.

The version I read still had many typos. However, I decided to rate it as though it was more polished because I hope some of those mistakes are being corrected and because I enjoyed the writing so much otherwise. One of my favorite lines: "It was the scariest chair Will had ever seen, especially since Will had never been scared of a chair before."

The book was fairly classic good vs. evil. As for the Christian imagery and themes, they were there if you were looking for them, but I didn't feel that the author was trying to bash you over the head with his beliefs. I think this could be enjoyed as pure fantasy if that's what you want.

My only real complaint was that the ending dragged a bit, perhaps an overly long celebration. But this was minor. I mention it only to explain why I withheld that fifth star. And because this book is aimed at kids, I want to say that my 9-year-old son read it when I was finished and said that it was "very awesome."

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should start by saying that Fantasy is not my favorite genre to read. But I did like "The Winter Letter" well enough. I picked it up because I heard it has underlying Christian themes. Yeah! It certainly does, if you know what details to look for. But it's not overpowering -- someone could read it without ever guessing that there were any religious themes at all.

It's a rousing adventure, set in a land with new things around every corner. Lots of magic and ancient spells. Most kids out there will probably be fascinated by the story. You are truly immersed in a brand new world -- Baru, to be exact. Flying lions, talking trees, moles flying airplanes, scheming enemies, and many surprises along the way.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. I found it through an ad on Amazon and thought it sounded like something fun to read. I bumped it up my "To read" list when the author contacted me saying that he hoped I would enjoy it. I understand why this story is compared to Narnia, but it is unfair to only describe it as that. Stanley has done an amazing job of creating a new world. I can close my eyes and see Baru. I want to have friends like Will and Gatnom. The talking creatures are fun and well developed. I can't wait for book two.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. It definitely seemed written with The Chronicles of Narnia in mind. It took me several chapters to really get into the storyline, but after that I had trouble putting it down.

The clear parallels with some concepts of Christianity were intriguing. There was definite decision theology at the end of the book, but there isn't much Christian fiction these days without it. I found the explanations of the various kings at the end a bit confusing and had to actually research the author as I wondered if he might be Mormon. It took some digging on his website but I don't think he is.

[Nicolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good book.. It is the beginning of a series, but I found it really entertaining. The feeling throughout the book was great and I found myself happy with how it was left. The imagery was wonderful and the world the author created was quite believable. I definitely suggest this book to anyone who wants an adventure in another world.
Great job Mr. Stanley, I cannot wait to read the next in your series. :)

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book and easy read. I picked it up without knowing what to truly expect and was more than pleasantly surprised! Good story, and a solid ending. The book will have a continuation, but it does not leave you without the satisfaction of some closure when the book ends. Can't wait for the next one!

[Seth Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story! The symbolism is good. Needs a little work on character development and the story could be a little more fluid. Yes, it needs some editing for spelling, punctuation, etc; but given the publishing date, I'm sure future editions will have that ironed out. Being a first book by the author, I expect the writing to improve greatly with the coming books in the series.

[Lisa the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book really pulled me in, but then seemed to fall a little flat as far as keeping me really engaged in the story.

I did like the young characters, Will especially was a sympathetic person. I enjoyed taking his journey with him.

[Brandi Hansas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes you on a marvelous journey. It is truly magical. I am in love with the characters and can't wait to see more of them.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good book it would make a very good movie

[Tara Alemany · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Narnia fans

I truly enjoy this story and look forward to reading the sequel. I did remove one star because the book is in need of editing.

A child is suddenly separated from his parents and find himself in another world where he must identify friend from foe. Although the exact nature of his quest is unclear to begin with, war is coming and he is challenged to choose sides swiftly.

The characters in the story were fun to get to know. I highly recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the Narnia series.

[Angela C Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story

This was a good read. I liked how it came together and it's unpredictability kept me engaged through the whole book.

[John Pilott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing fun

Such a good fun book. Highly recommended. Harry potter meets Chronicles of Narnia. Is how I best describe this fun book.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preread for my almost 10 year old. Very pleased!!

[Davraena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an engaging story, I appreciate the take on life and death, and the quirky descriptions.
This script sorely needs a proofreader, though.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute read. Little predictable but enough surprises to keep me reading

[Andrea Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting story concept, but the realization fell flat. The writing was juvenile and the book was either not edited or self-edited and poorly done. A few mistakes that shocked me: not knowing the difference between there and their, perusing vs. pursuing. Based on the following section, and the other mistakes, I'd guess this is a first time writer with no experience: "Early in the morning hours they fell asleep, shoulder to shoulder, staring at the stars above the spot where their dancing legs had finally given out. And the happy magi slept the night away...." They slept the night away after falling asleep in the morning? This book does not make me want to continue with the series, which is sad because I love series books.

[Cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was a mostly fun & magical adventure w/in the first 3/4 way through w/some interesting characters but, not all as well developed as I had hoped as the story progressed. Some Narnia fans may enjoy this novel but, Narnia turns out to be more interesting for me to read. It does however have a strongly influenced Christian based storyline, not all based on symbolism. Which, was unexpected (& to be as strong as it turned out to be), & not something I normally indulge & find enjoyable (To be honest, some of it was especially a bit too much for me near the end of the novel, especially when it was not as pronounced through the previous pages of the novel.).

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was not a normal read for me. I had a hard time getting involved with the book and found myself putting it down more often than picking it up to read. I am happy I finished it and would read it again if only to get a better grasp of the characters I didn't understand near the beginning and middle. Some parts seemed like the cart was going before the horse though it did become clear later on. I am trying not to give spoilers because if you want to read it you should get the full experience from doing so.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book, like really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of the author before, but I thought I'd give it a try. It's fun & exciting, there's lots of twist & turns, & you'll definitely be entertained. The characters are well written & the story leaves you excited for more, & thankfully he's doing a sequel.

Content:
Violence: ** There's some fighting but nothing to violent & it's not overly descriptive.
Drugs/Alcohol: None
Inappropriate Language: None
Sexual Content: None
Magic/Spells: ** It's hard to explain it's symbolism more than it is witchcraft.

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just an OK book. I am surprised by the reviews comparing it to or saying Narnia fans would enjoy this. Where the Narnia collection is epic, The Winter Letter is mediocre at best. I REALLY wish the author had made this a stand alone book instead of dragging it out into a series, because the story was so underwhelming I can't see myself reading further installments (mostly because I assume I'll forget about this book quickly and therefore forget to read the continuing books)

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

William, oh call him Will, looses his parents in a horrible accident. A mysterious letter arrives in his mailbox telling him that if he wants answers to catch the 3:30 train. Will now an orphan, with no guidance decides to do as the letter says. What he finds is an old lady who wants him to go down a well, where he finds another questionable character.....
That's where I stopped reading. The story took to long to develop, wasn't very believable, and had shallow characters.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the descriptiveness of the writing...not too descriptive, but enough to make you feel it. It's geared towards kids, but adults who like Narnia will appreciate this. Some of the talking between characters sounds a little stilted at times, but it does mirror the way teens speak. Not sure you want that in a book though. There is some death & violence...but not much. I didn't feel that any part of the book dragged. I was hooked from the beginning!

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

The two star review may be a bit misleading. I did enjoy the characters and the *idea* of the story but the book is desperately, painfully in need of a proofreader AND both the characters and story feel disjointed a great deal of the time. I will probably check out the next in the series and see if there is a maturation of characters and plot.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it was pretty action packed from start to finish. I read this book when I using the elliptical so there were definitely spans of time that I wasn't reading. I think if I were to read it again I would give it a better rating. I am interested in the next book in the series though!