The Hunter, the Bear, and the Seventh Sister

World of Arcas #1

by B.I. Woolet

When a beautiful and powerful stranger throws Jackson into the world of Arcas, his predictable midwestern life instantly vanishes into an all-consuming adventure.

The last kingdoms of Arcas possess enduring youth, beauty, and wealth but have slowly crumbled under the weight of endless apathy and a painful past.

The rising evil of Gurges Ater now threatens to reopen the ancient kingdom pillars created long ago as passageways between Earth and Arcas. With access to both worlds, Gurges Ater will quickly conquer the weak kingdoms and establish his own throne.

Can Jackson along with a paranoid bear, a lone hunter, and the surviving seventh sister work together to protect both Earth and Arcas?

Or will the unlikely heroes allow their own fears, pain, and past to paralyze them as Gurges Ater opens the pillars and claims the throne?

Leave your own world behind, dive through the shimmering portal, and join Jackson to discover the beauty, danger, and adventure awaiting you in the World of Arcas!

324 pages, Paperback

First published January 19, 2014

Reviews

[Mark Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Hunter, The Bear, and The Seventh Sister. Wow, that’s a long title. I already have Arrows of Darkness slated to be read soon. The story is an easy read, and follow the story. I did figure out key plot points before they were revealed by the author, but watching the characters come to the same conclusion I did was a bit of fun. This story is suitable for readers of all ages, and I even learned a thing or two about constellations while reading it. I’m looking forward to the sequel, and I can’t quite award this five stars, I’m at a loss as to why.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hunter, the Bear, and the Seventh Sister was such an easy book to read, it flowed nicely and a breath of fresh air. I was a little concerned that is says its a YA book but really it had more of a middle school feel to it, kind of a children's book. Though the story isn't as deep and mysterious as most of the books I read, I did feel it was still fun and energetic enough to keep me interested.

If you are looking for a fun story that's youthful and lighthearted, than I absolutely recommend. But if your looking for something that's young adult like ages 13 and up this isn't going to hole your interest for long.

Hope you enjoy it!

[BaraFlis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't start this book unless you have a good chunk of time--it'll hook you with the first chapter! As a 3rd grade teacher, I kept thinking about how much my students would enjoy this book. It makes a great read aloud, too. The variety of characters leaves everyone having his/her own favorite. The twists & turns, adventure & drama of this story kept me interested to the very end. I have to say, I'll never look up into the night sky in the same way again! (When is the next book coming out?!)

[Lipsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviews & more: http://lipsyy.wordpress.com

The Hunter, The Bear and The Seventh Sister is like an amalgamation of all my favourite childhood reads.

The way Jackson is transported into the World of Arcas with its three suns and rich history, and put on a quest to save both Arcas and Earth from the evil of Gurges Ater reminded me of both The Neverending Story and Narnia.

Then, throughout his quest, Jackson meets is a plethora of witty, magical and down-right bizarre characters like Otava, the paranoid yet loveable talking bear, the Hunter who guides him, centaurs, winged beasts, Unicorns (yay!) and not forgetting Cygnus, the angel-like being who put Jackson on his quest in the first place - all 100% reminiscent of Narnia with some splashes of The Book of Lost Things, and Alice in Wonderland in there too. Some of these characters help Jackson along the way, and some are sent to stop him.

I absolutely loved that this book was so action-packed from the beginning, the very first chapter showcases the scale of imagination that has gone into the story and it just gets better and better. I did get a bit lost from time to time, as they were between Pillars, but the writing, and inventive landscapes bought my attention back quickly.

I especially fell in love when Jackson & co reached the castle:

The castle looked as if it were under siege by the jungle around it. Moss crawled up the stone walls; vines twirled around the towering conical spirals. Untrimmed multi-coloured roses sprang wildly from the outer garden [...] the inside of the castle displayed a complete contrast to the bright colours, encompassing greens, and lively disorder of the jungle outside. The world became a mirror: floor tiles, walls hangings, and chandeliers; nearly every part of the inner palace reflected back on itself"

MAGICAL!

It is here we also meet Queen Cassiopeia, with her "rainbow-colored hair...intricately woven around the diamond crown, not a strand out of place." and "clusters of tiny, shiny ornaments sparkled off her bare arms and the sides of her eyes like stars". Seriously guys, the descriptions really blew me away.

The Hunter, The Bear and the Seventh Sister is an epic journey, and one I couldn't put down. I wanted to rush through it to find out if Jackson completed his quest, and if he found his way back to earth (no spoilers here, do not fret), but I do think at times there was too much going on, and I felt like the plot lost its focus slightly in parts. But that being said, this is such an enjoyable read, and one I can imagine being much loved by children and families in the same way that I still love the Narnia books.

Roll on the next book, I say!



Disclosure: I received a copy from the Author/Publisher in exchange for an HONEST review.
Title: The Hunter, The Bear and the Seventh Sister
Author: B.I Woolet
Details: E-Book, Paperback
Publication Date: January 28th 2014, by ArcasArts
My Rating: 4/5

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy was provided by Netgalley.

Jackson lives in a world where fantasy and magic only exists in books. He's just a normal guy living a normal life. That is, until a beautiful strangers literally throws Jackson into another world, a world filled with magic. In the new world of Arcas, Jackson encounters a talking bear, a hunter, and a seventh sister on his newfound journey.

His purpose is to save the crumbling kingdoms of Arcas and save Earth as well. Gurges Ater will stop at nothing to conquer both worlds, but Jackson must stop him to save everything he has ever known and his new friends.

This is a simple high fantasy book filled with action and adventure. It's perfect for any middle schooler as the language is easy to understand and the plot is pretty straight forward. The world of Arcas is easy to understand and I wasn't confused at all during this book. While the book is pretty predictable, the kind of story it told is suitable for younger readers who want to read something full of action and fantasy.

Jackson isn't your typical hero. Most heroes are brave and they never back down as they make stupid decisions over and over. Jackson was kinda a coward as he never stood up for himself and usually backed out of dangerous situations. While this kept him alive, I expected the hero of an adventure story would have more guts. He wasn't very strong and you would think he would then be smart and think his way out of difficult situations, but Jackson was just average.

I guess this can make him relatable to readers, but he seemed rather flat. There was no substance to him, no spirit. I couldn't connect to him as he seemed like a weak character.

But this book was really good and the author made it really easy to understand. I never got bored and I never found myself wanting to skip ahead. I was perfectly content with reading at my own pace. I could picture the world of Arcas in my head as I felt myself transported into Jackson's world where there are bears that talk. It was an enjoyable read and I definitely want to read more from the author, especially if it's a book like this.

[Sigourney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received from NetGalley for review.

2.5 stars

The Hunter, the Bear, and the Seventh Sister by B.I. Woolet is listed as Young Adult fiction on Goodreads, but let’s face it, calling it children’s fiction is much more fair and realistic. I started out with high hopes for this story; the premise is fascinating, a boy taken from his boring Earthly existence into a magical world full of strange creatures? Idea – ten points, execution – maybe five. The concept behind the story is genuinely interesting and there were parts of the book that I did enjoy; using constellation names for characters in Arcas? Stroke of genius, in my opinion.

For me the writing is what really let this story down, and I know that’s awful as a book is its writing, but it just seemed too juvenile to me. I can understand that the writer is putting in lots of description to build the world and engulf the senses of the reader, but I really don’t need to know every little thing that happens. I have my own imagination and telling me how Jackson has removed his socks really is taking it too far and I got bored. A lot. It’s a shame because the language at the beginning of the story was lovely. I don’t know if it’s me just being picky and awkward but the writing style really didn’t work for me. There was also a lot of world building and quick character history through speech and random asides. Parts of the story, like The Hunter’s past, could have been expanded upon so much more, rather than just dropping it in after we’ve met him, I would’ve liked a lot more mystery with some of the characters.

Maybe I’m just being too cynical. Adult (debatable…) + English teacher + reviewer = I’m just not feeling this book. I do imagine that it would be brilliant for use in primary/elementary schools as end of the day reading with children, as I think they would absolutely love Jackson and his adventure in Arcas. I, sadly, did not, but I do think that a lot of people will love this book.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hunter, the Bear, and the Seventh Sister (World of Arcas # 1) by B I Woolet

4 Stars

I received this book to review as part of the tour and while it was on my ‘to be read’ pile for a while, I often found myself skipping past it and moving to the next on my list, purely and simply because I was put off by the very long, child like title. The title does infact fit with the book perfectly, but the YA label does not so I have rated this book as a children’s novel and not a YA.

Thousands of years ago six kings, three from earth and three from Arcas, held sacred gems that when placed in special pillars opened passageways between the two worlds. When the earth filled with water the passageways had to be closed to save the people of Arcas. Gurges is now attempting to reopen them so he can travel to earth and steel weapons from the humans and rule Arcas himself, in order to do this he needs to connect a gem from Earth to a gem in Arcas. Earth stones can only be touched by humans, so it is Jackson’s task to remove all the gems from Earth to be sure the portals stay closed forever.

This is a very simply written story without much depth and is suitable for even very young children … if it is read to them, it isn’t that simply written!! For me it was just a little too young, and I found my mind wandering at times. Jackson wasn’t my favourite hero, he wasn’t as strong and fearless as the characters I normally enjoy reading about in fantasy/adventure novels, he often hid behind things or talked himself out of situations … better to be a live coward than a dead hero I suppose! But I just prefer larger than life characters with a bit of backbone and substance to them, Jackson was somewhat flat, and wimp like.

Most of the twists and turns in the story were predictable but I’m sure they were woven in well enough to keep younger readers in suspense and I would recommend this book to children from 6 years onwards.

Copy supplied for review

[Francesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to rate this book. I put off reading it because though the title and description interested me, the cover did not, and let's face it, we judge books by their covers. It's not on purpose, but it happens. The title also sounded similar to the Lion, the Witch, and the wardrobe, so I had a preconceived notion of what this story would be like to read.

I wasn't completely wrong. Instead of children being dragged into another world its a boy who has an active imagination. Or, at least reading the story he read like a boy, maybe a preteen, but not a teenage boy which the story keeps trying to say he is.

In this world he has to complete a quest to help stop the world from being take over by an ancient evil (does this sound similar?). The story is not the same though, and it had some nice twists, though I had already come to suspect the twists before they were revealed.

My main problem with this story was I didn't become emotionally attached to the characters and I felt like the interactions weren't very deep. They were much closer to the interactions a child would notice.

I enjoyed reading this story and the parallels to the constellations was a nice touch.

The other problem I had with this story was it is a children's story. The main character reads like he is a ten year old (give or take a year or two), and the story reads like a children's novel, not a young adult novel. Young adult novels expect you to deal with the hormones and the rebellion inside and the confusion toward emotions being seen in others and felt in yourself. This didn't have any intensity to the emotions. As stated earlier they were 2 dimensional, more like the emotions in a children's novel.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and ArcasArts in return for an honest review.

[Star Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantasy novel for the middle-aged reader, the whole story was still quite enjoyable for the adult reader. This is going to be a great book to read with your kids and hold some actual intellectual substance on top of its entertainment value. There are dragons, a jungle princess, a paranoid bear, and celestial constellation references galore. The pace moves along with plenty of action, humor, and growth.

Every character and city from Arcas has a relation to the very constellations in our own heavens. Make sure you really utilize the star chart the authors have provided at the back of the book. This novel is bursting with a nebula of new ideas and visions for the fantasy genre for young readers.

All of the characters were very likable, even the villains. There was one moment of grim (but not graphic) violence that just about choked my own heart. It has been a very long time since I have been that gripped by the written word and I cried, big time. Kudos to the Woolets. I have to admit that as an adult reader I did see the plot twist coming pretty early on, but I don't think it detracted enough from my enjoyment of the story. The whole story just made me happy to be a reader. I was very invested in the tale and look forward to the next installment.

(If you are incredibly dorky like myself) I can just imagine "lesson plans" to go along with the read-along for kids. There is no way a creative person could make this book fail to illuminate the child within. I am really hoping that the Woolet couple can continue their series in this vein.

I highly recommend this starting novel. The price is right. The story is fabulous.

[Tammy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy the constellations of stars in the sky and the beauty and the stories behind them then The Bear, The Hunter and the Seventh Sister is the book for you! This is one story the whole family can enjoy from any age. I loved the fact that I could share this book with my 9 yr old niece and still enjoy it myself. The scenery that was brought to life before my very eyes was one of awe and wonder. Arcas in my mind was absolutely breath taking. I so was just blown away by the detailing in this story and how every character was written with the same awe and wonder as the scenes. I couldn't help but love all of them even the villain was one that you loved to hate or hated to love. I was in total amazement by this book and how much I enjoyed learning the constellations from the guide in the back of the book as well as the story that B. I. Woolet wrote to follow these stars. I took my time reading and enjoying every bit of this book from front to back and am positive that I will go back and read it again. It held some of the same qualities as The Dark Crystal for me it had that kind of vibe to it. B. I. Woolet has written an exceptional novel with such wonder and beauty that it is sure to be a pleaser for all ages. Please don't skip over this book give it a try you may like it.

[Hayley Guertin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I absolutely loved The Hunter, The Bear and The Seventh Sister, more specifically for it's fantastic storyline and awesome characters! I immediately fell in love with the main character, Jackson. He is relatable (mostly at the beginning of the story, unless I'm the only one who hasn't gone on a real adventure into another world.).

The other characters were also very enjoyable. My favourite had to be Otava, the bear, for his way with names and his sense of humour. Now, onto the storyline. The way this book was written was flawless to me. I love the story. This book is especially good for people who are really into mythical creatures, completely different worlds and epic battles.

There were a lot of surprising twists to this story, keeping me interested, and wanting to know more. I loved the different places we were sent to and explored, and the different things that needed to be defeated to get to their goal.

The ending of this book was just marvellous! I would love to see a sequel to this book! I definitely have to give this book 5 out of 5 stars! :)

[Kj Partridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep trying to do a short description of the book and just cannot do it, there is no way my words can do this story justice. This story is a wonderful way to make constellations stick out in someone’s mind. I don’t think I will ever stare into the heavens without thinking about Jackson, the Hunter, or the rest of them anymore. That is a very good thing, it means the book left a mark on me, as I figured it would. It was a wonderful adventure from beginning to end, a romp through a world we can only imagine. Easy to imagine too, I fell into the story and didn’t come out until I was done with the book. I want more of this, much more. Kudos to the authors for this incredibly engaging tale which I hope to give to my granddaughter in a couple more years, and maybe read to my grandson before bed, after laying out on a blanket and seeing the stars. I recommend this book highly, not only for the younger crew but right up to the grandparent level. This book is on my favorites list now, I love it.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been trying to sit down and read this book since I was given a copy by the authors. With holiday vacation I have succeeded and am glad that I could sit down with this book and really get invested with the story. For anyone who likes Fantasy reads, this one is for you. I found the book to be really similar to J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit...A group of travelers on a mission, The Hero, someone who is definitely out of his element. With that said, I am a huge fan of The Hobbit so I highly recommend this book. I won't give anything away but the plot twists were great. Some you may be able to figure out but I believe the author's will keep you guessing until the end. I loved how the author's used star names for the characters in their book. I'm not sure what I will do until the second book in the series comes out. I'm very anxious to see where the adventure will take me.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really fun story. It was well written and interesting. There are a lot of characters to get to know and it was a pretty cool adventure. It is listed as a YA / teen book. But I really think this might be more along the lines of junior high (early teens/pre-teens). With that being said, I would recommend it for all kids from 8 yrs - 14yrs – or read aloud to children as young as 5 years old. I know I would have loved it around that age. I liked it a lot as an adult who loves reading. But it was definitely young-feeling. I can’t wait to have my almost 10 year old read it but I’m going to read it to my 6 year old first. I think they’re going to love it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Erica Palfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great fantasy book that you could read for yourself or read it to your kids. There are dragons, a princess, a bear, and much star talk.
The descriptions of the characters and the scenery round them really pops and brings the story to life.
Arcam is absolutely beautiful and each character was tied to the constellations somehow. You fall in love with all of the characters, even the villain, who wants to open the passageways to Earth and steal weapons and rule over Arcas. Though, he can only do it a certain way and to do that, which Jackson is working on removing even the possibility of Gurges being able to.
This is a good book for those who are younger. I did like it, it just was a little predictable early on, but I kept reading and found it to be interesting.

[Brittany Wendtland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book, I enjoyed it from the very first page. Jackson was thrown into a world that was stunningly beautiful. He was brought there by a strange white winged man and for a reason, to open the passage way to earth. This story had a lot of adventure and twists I was not expecting. I really enjoyed all the interesting characters as well. This book tells the great adventure Jackson goes on to do what he was brought there to do and a exciting adventure at that. This is also a book that can be read by any age and enjoyed. Way to go B.I. Woolet a well earned 5 stars!

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hard book for me to rate. Overall I think it's a 2.5 star rating for me. From the description the book sounds like an awesome fun adventure and would've been if it was written differently. For me, the story lacked emotion and depth of character making it hard to connect with both story and character.
The premise itself was good and I really wanted to enjoy this book but I found myself bored often. With some work this book could be an amazing fantasy like Chronicles of Narnia.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this story. Lovers of the stars and those starting out will learn about the constellations as well as the stories behind many of them. The plot was easy to read, yet had enough meat to hold you to the page and for fantasy lovers, the world of Arcas is a place that you could get lost in. My daughter who is 14, enjoyed this as well. Looking forward to seeing where the author will take us,

[Katel70 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story! We were lucky enough to be able to read an advance copy from the authors. Well written, I was amazed at the research that went into this book.

Good for the whole family, enjoyable for adults and children. A great read for anyone who likes a bit of scifi or fantasy without being over the top. Even those who aren't die-hard fantasy fans will enjoy this book.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reluctant to read it but when I started the book, I was hooked! I love journey books with a good moral in the story! This book reminded me of C.S. Lewis' Narnia series! God is evident in those books and is ever present in The Hunter, The Bear and The Seventh Sister! Young readers can understand this book!

[Matrishka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good. I would recommend it for anyone who likes fantasy. Andi is definitely one of my favorite characters. Can't wait for the sequel.

[M.L. Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe the plot twists! If you enjoy C.S Lewis, and J.R.R Tolkien, then you will definitely enjoy this book! It's an easy to understand adventure full of exciting action!

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable, entertaining, magical story about a boy who is taken to another world supposedly to help that world defend against an evil threat that wants to open a bridge between earth and Arcas. He teams up with 3 beings from Arcas as he completes a journey that only an earthian can accomplish! But some beings from Arcas are not who they say they are and circumstances lead to a war to save both Earth and Arcas! This is suited for a younger audience but It is a delightful story!

[Beth Marie P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received from publisher for an honest review. However, this in no way makes me biased.

This book is an adventure story and a good one at that. Would recommend for older children - may read it to my little boy one day.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun story that young teens should love. It combines Indian myths, Greek legends and a love of the star constellations. It appears to be book one of a series. Jackson is wisked away to another world to help steal gems that build bridges between these worlds.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will post my review soon!!