The Story's End

by Danielle E. Shipley

For Gant-o’-the-Lute, “ever after” has been less than happy. With the last of Carillon’s charm over him gone, the minstrel-king puts royalty behind him in pursuit of the music he once knew and the lifelong dream he let slip through his fingers. But dark whispers on the wind warn that time is running out – not only for Lute and the apprentice in his shadow, but the whole of earth and Sky.

An enchantress’s curse turns a spoiled royal into a beast; a princess’s pricked finger places her under a hundred-year spell; bales of straw are spun as golden as the singing harp whisked down a giant beanstalk – all within sight of Wilderhark, the forest that’s seen it all.

You’ve heard the stories – of young men scaling rope-like braids to assist the tower-bound damsel; of gorgeous gowns appearing just in time for a midnight ball; of frog princes, and swan princes, and princes saved from drowning by maidens of the sea. Tales of magic. Tales of adventure. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew them as fairytales. Know them now as Wilderhark’s.

229 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2015

About the author

Danielle E. Shipley – author of fairy tales retold, legends reimagined, and other expressions of wishful thinking. In the past, she’s worked as a librarian in a kindergarten, a Towne Crier in a Renaissance Faire, and a butler in Germany. In another universe, she’s a tenor on Broadway, a wandering minstrel, or at the very least a Dark Lord singing about world domination. Born, raised, and homeschooled in the Chicago area, she now resides primarily in realms of her own making, along with her crazy crew of character children. She hopes to ultimately retire to a private immortal forest. But first, there are stories to make.
*She also doesn't hang out on Goodreads very often. Find her on her blog, Twitter, and Facebook*

Reviews

[Emerald Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a huge fan of The Wilderhark Tales since the very beginning. And Gant O' the Lute has been my favorite character, I believe, since I met him. I just loved him, so when I saw the cover, I was super excited!

The story follows our lovely Lute many years into the future. He's married to Viralei, and he's had children. But, with an unexpected surprise, there also comes tragedy.

Lute can't be contained within the walls of a castle, so he plans for a journey. When tragedy strikes, he leaves with all he has left on the earth, his lute and a child.What follows is yet another exciting journey with Lute and a few other favorite characters.

The Story's End is bittersweet, but it's a nice ending to a fantastic series. I'll miss my favorite characters, but I'll cherish the time I had with them.

[Tirzah Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Centered on ever-restless Gant-o-the-Lute, the story takes hard turns from the outset, and no heart is safe within these pages—least of all the reader’s.

The Story’s End seems almost a departure in tone from the series as a whole—but not quite. A solemn final stanza, it makes one realize the melancholy notes that have been present from the very first tale.

As ever, Shipley’s writing is beautiful, melodic, and the bard in blue brings even more musicality to the work, his thoughts running in verses, dialogue trilling with unconscious rhythm and rhyme. But the story’s song is an aching coronach, the keen of a world marching towards its final evening.

Will any rays of hope escape the dying of the light?

[Jasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything hurts and I'm dying. Well, fan art time!