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The Warden and the Wolf King: (Wingfeather Series 4)
512 pages, Paperback
Published May 22, 2025
14 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Peterson
84 books34 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 24, 2025
THIS BOOK. WAS. INCREDIBLE.
I don’t think I can say enough good things about this glorious piece of fiction. Andrew Peterson is such a phenomenal storyteller and this is probably THE BEST end to a series I have ever read. (Notes about Janner and such later on)
I like to think of this book as a sky full of stars. There’s enough darkness that makes you wonder if there really WILL be a good ending. There was multiple points-even when I RE-READ the book-where I wondered, “oh shoot. Do the good guys really win this?!?” But there are also points, like when Janner and Tink are in the deeps of Throg, there are some lighthearted moments where you get to remember that there is still LIGHT in the world!
And now…Janner. *moment of silence*
*tears up* I’m gonna cry JUST THINKING about him. Contrary to popular opinion, I think Janner is dead. End of story. (Literally) I know. I KNOW about the epilogue. I KNOW that the wingfeathers bring his dead body to the first well. But think about it. If The First Well can bring dead people to life, then what’s to stop the people of Aerwiar from becoming immortal? What’s to stop tear-stained mothers coming to the Castle Rysen, carrying their loved ones in their arms? Of course they would have to heal them too.
Anyway, that’s my controversial opinion.
I don’t think I can say enough good things about this glorious piece of fiction. Andrew Peterson is such a phenomenal storyteller and this is probably THE BEST end to a series I have ever read. (Notes about Janner and such later on)
I like to think of this book as a sky full of stars. There’s enough darkness that makes you wonder if there really WILL be a good ending. There was multiple points-even when I RE-READ the book-where I wondered, “oh shoot. Do the good guys really win this?!?” But there are also points, like when Janner and Tink are in the deeps of Throg, there are some lighthearted moments where you get to remember that there is still LIGHT in the world!
And now…Janner. *moment of silence*
*tears up* I’m gonna cry JUST THINKING about him. Contrary to popular opinion, I think Janner is dead. End of story. (Literally) I know. I KNOW about the epilogue. I KNOW that the wingfeathers bring his dead body to the first well. But think about it. If The First Well can bring dead people to life, then what’s to stop the people of Aerwiar from becoming immortal? What’s to stop tear-stained mothers coming to the Castle Rysen, carrying their loved ones in their arms? Of course they would have to heal them too.
Anyway, that’s my controversial opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2026
I'm an English teacher who loves fiction. I've read quite a bit of fantasy and sci-fi of various sorts.
This is, without a doubt, the worst series I have ever read. I only continued reading past the first few chapters because my wife and kids were reading the series and wanted me to read it with them.
Pros:
1. good, clean fun for kids. It has a glaringly obvious Christian allegory structure to it, so kids of any age can read it without parents needing to worry about inappropriate content.
2. It also has some good humor, especially in the first book, as well as some interesting cultures (particularly in books 2 and 3).
3. There are a few glimmers of originality and even a few satisfying plot twists, mostly in book 4.
Cons: Everything else. No exaggeration.
1. I'm a Christian who loves Narnia, but even my love for the Jesus-Lion was insufficient to stomach the sloppy, in-your-face preachiness of this series.
2. Deus ex Machina drives THE ENTIRE SERIES. It is truly astounding. There are at least 10 divine bailouts in the first book alone. It's almost as if the author doesn't know what plot continuity even is. I cannot exaggerate how horrendously structured this series is. Even my 6-year-old daughter caught the gross incongruities, without my prompting. It is truly some of the worst writing I've ever seen actually get published. My middle school students write better story arcs.
3. In the first book especially: the main characters are inconsistent, do not develop in line with the plot, and are downright annoying. One of the marks of a good story is when the reader grows an attachment to one or more protagonists; I was not only unattached, I was cheering for at least one of them to be killed off so that the story could shift focus to better characters. The protagonists are whiny, short-sighted, and idiotic, driving the plot exclusively through their stupidity (hence the need for repeated Deus ex Machina to rescue them).
4. A second mark of a good story is a strong antagonist. This series fails on that account as well. The villain is, effectively, some mixture of a bad joke and pitiful, low-IQ henchman.
5. The author drives a specific moral home again and again, but it's not one you likely want your children to learn. The moral of this story is: negative consequences don't stick if you're "a good person" overall. The protagonists knowingly launch themselves headlong into danger and repeatedly get a divine bailout. Characters die...but not really. Just kidding, they're back...again and again. Murderers are pardoned without consequence, toxic empathy always trumps reality, and committing any variety of sin is pardonable if their hearts were in the right place. This theme is a constant throughout the entire series--down to literally the final lines of the final book--and it is truly vomit-worthy.
5. There are so many PLOT HOLES and obvious mistakes that they are impossible to ignore, and they ruin the entire series.
If you watched Marvel and noticed that Thanos could have snapped his fingers and created twice as many planets just as easily as he could have temporarily reduced the universe's growing population...congratulations, you have a prefrontal cortex and this book is not for you.
If Hunger Games frustrated you because the author made millions by selling a book series that decries violence, yet was only popular in the first place because of all of its violence...congratulations, you have a prefontal cortex and this series is not for you.
If you'd prefer that Star Wars Episode 7-9 be decanonized...this series is not for you.
If you were horrified by the way Paolini ripped of Star Wars Episode 4 for his entire plotline, or by how he horrifically ruined the ending of his Inheritance series...yeah, this series is not for you.
If you've read Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, or George MacDonald then your expectations will be too high, and this series is not for you.
If your kids haven't read any good fiction yet, then sure, start them off with this series. It will serve as an excellent object lesson on the basics of fiction, before you graduate your child to the actual, quality fiction.
This is, without a doubt, the worst series I have ever read. I only continued reading past the first few chapters because my wife and kids were reading the series and wanted me to read it with them.
Pros:
1. good, clean fun for kids. It has a glaringly obvious Christian allegory structure to it, so kids of any age can read it without parents needing to worry about inappropriate content.
2. It also has some good humor, especially in the first book, as well as some interesting cultures (particularly in books 2 and 3).
3. There are a few glimmers of originality and even a few satisfying plot twists, mostly in book 4.
Cons: Everything else. No exaggeration.
1. I'm a Christian who loves Narnia, but even my love for the Jesus-Lion was insufficient to stomach the sloppy, in-your-face preachiness of this series.
2. Deus ex Machina drives THE ENTIRE SERIES. It is truly astounding. There are at least 10 divine bailouts in the first book alone. It's almost as if the author doesn't know what plot continuity even is. I cannot exaggerate how horrendously structured this series is. Even my 6-year-old daughter caught the gross incongruities, without my prompting. It is truly some of the worst writing I've ever seen actually get published. My middle school students write better story arcs.
3. In the first book especially: the main characters are inconsistent, do not develop in line with the plot, and are downright annoying. One of the marks of a good story is when the reader grows an attachment to one or more protagonists; I was not only unattached, I was cheering for at least one of them to be killed off so that the story could shift focus to better characters. The protagonists are whiny, short-sighted, and idiotic, driving the plot exclusively through their stupidity (hence the need for repeated Deus ex Machina to rescue them).
4. A second mark of a good story is a strong antagonist. This series fails on that account as well. The villain is, effectively, some mixture of a bad joke and pitiful, low-IQ henchman.
5. The author drives a specific moral home again and again, but it's not one you likely want your children to learn. The moral of this story is: negative consequences don't stick if you're "a good person" overall. The protagonists knowingly launch themselves headlong into danger and repeatedly get a divine bailout. Characters die...but not really. Just kidding, they're back...again and again. Murderers are pardoned without consequence, toxic empathy always trumps reality, and committing any variety of sin is pardonable if their hearts were in the right place. This theme is a constant throughout the entire series--down to literally the final lines of the final book--and it is truly vomit-worthy.
5. There are so many PLOT HOLES and obvious mistakes that they are impossible to ignore, and they ruin the entire series.
If you watched Marvel and noticed that Thanos could have snapped his fingers and created twice as many planets just as easily as he could have temporarily reduced the universe's growing population...congratulations, you have a prefrontal cortex and this book is not for you.
If Hunger Games frustrated you because the author made millions by selling a book series that decries violence, yet was only popular in the first place because of all of its violence...congratulations, you have a prefontal cortex and this series is not for you.
If you'd prefer that Star Wars Episode 7-9 be decanonized...this series is not for you.
If you were horrified by the way Paolini ripped of Star Wars Episode 4 for his entire plotline, or by how he horrifically ruined the ending of his Inheritance series...yeah, this series is not for you.
If you've read Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, or George MacDonald then your expectations will be too high, and this series is not for you.
If your kids haven't read any good fiction yet, then sure, start them off with this series. It will serve as an excellent object lesson on the basics of fiction, before you graduate your child to the actual, quality fiction.
January 2, 2026
This book series was such a gift to read aloud to my boys. All of the Christian allegories allowed for rich discussion and moments of connection where we were both laughing and crying together. We were all sad it had to come to an end, but are grateful for the way this series echoes the redeeming love of our Savior.
September 13, 2025
Ahhhh! So good! This story ended so well! Themes of healing, understanding, identity, and compassion are so prevalent in this story and so needed in today's culture! The only tiff I have is that Janner dies! I can't believe it and it hurts because I see so much of myself in him. So yeah...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2025
Wow, this book was amazing!
December 8, 2025
This whole series was stellar. I definitely wept reading them. Couldn’t recommend more!
December 29, 2025
It was one of the funniest books I've ever read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews