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Hagbane's Doom
Three children, Sophie, Josh and Andrew find something very mysterious about an archway in their local park: it seems to have their own names inscribed on it. Going through the archway, they find themselves transported into another world, caught up in a battle to save the Forest of Alamore from the wicked crone Hagbane, who has stolen the Merestone – a magical stone that is essential to keep the forest alive. Prince Oswain , the children, and the forest must face Hagbane and her army of Grims and Grogs, to restore the Merestone to it’s rightful place.
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First published January 2, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 10, 2014
Hi. Matt here from Living Audio. Just wanted to let you all know that this book will be available as an unabridged audiobook for the first time since it was originally published in 1984. Look out for Hagbane's Doom on Audible, Amazon, iTunes, Bardowl, Audioboo and Vivlio soon!
August 28, 2021
Clearly inspired by the Narnia books, Mr Houghton’s fantasy takes another group of children, allies them with talking animals and pits them against an evil witch. It’s the kind of story that I’d have eaten up as a kid and it is a heap of fun, despite there being an awful lot of stuff happening offstage and a bit of a problem with timelines. The character moments are very clearly delineated as are the points of morality being debated but it is a pleasant way to wile away the hours.
January 3, 2016
This is the first time I've ever given a book one star. It might be a bit mean, but I just didn't like it. Maybe it's unfair because it's intended for children but I never read it as a child so I don't know. But coming to it at this point in my life, it felt like a complete waste of time, and no pleasure at all. From the first few pages it felt like a plagiarism of the Chronicles of Narnia, and that feeling only got stronger as the story went on, with a few bits of Tolkien thrown in for good measure. I don't demand that a story should be entirely original, but this book felt like an inferior imitation. It doesn't supply anything which you can't get from other and better books. There is nothing unique in its atmosphere. If you want to read books of this ilk, read the Chronicles of Narnia, read the Lord of the Rings, read the Princess and the Goblin, and don't waste time with this.
As a story it is rather weak. The main plot is fine, but there is a magic mirror which seems to be able to do just about anything, yet it hardly gets used enough. It just seems to come out whenever they find themselves in an impossible situation and miraculously solves all their problems (either that, or an eagle comes to the rescue). Not very convincing or logical.
It's meant to be aimed at, or suitable for, Christians I believe, but I'm not convinced. It's not like I turn up my nose at such fantasy worlds as being inherently evil, but I'm not sure that I would want my kids to read this one. I didn't actually want to spend too much time reading into the story and looking for analogies. If one of the leading men was meant to represent Christ in sacrificing his life and being raised to life again in order to become king, then there was too much else about him that did NOT fit in with the Christ-like analogy, and which could give children false ideas about Christ - such as about Him coming into the world with no idea of what His destiny was and having no idea of what would happen or how things would turn out.
Also, I am not comfortable with God being fictionalised. The fictional god in this book was spoken of in many of the same terms which our God is spoken of (often irreverently/carelessly?) in the real world - "Thanks be to...", "... be praised!" If people want to learn about the true God, we have the Bible, and we have plenty of factual narrative books which reveal truth and don't reduce everything to the levels of make-believe. There are loads of inspiring Christian biographies and history books for children to read, if they want a sense of adventure and excitement.
If this book was meant to teach children anything, then I felt its implications were too narrow and basic (a simple battle of good versus evil), and so far detached from real life that perhaps it would have no practical ways in which to inspire and encourage them in their ordinary lives. If you want good and innocent and challenging and character-building books for children to read, then I think some of the Victorian children's books are the best. Their moralistic tones have been despised and hated by subsequent generations of unregenerate people or antinomian 'Christians' who hate being convicted of sin, and such books have fallen out of fashion. But Christian parents today need to rediscover them and see how much they have to offer in the development of Christian character and principles amongst their children.
If children are to read books merely for recreational pleasure, or for the development of their reading skills, there are far better books to go for than this, and if they are meant to learn useful lessons from what they read, then again, there are far better books than this. Please don't inflict this book on your children! They may enjoy it, but I can't see it being any help in their Christian walk (and certainly no use for helping to bring them to Christ). Don't imagine that it is the sort of book you could give to an indifferent or rebellious child to try and awaken some interest in, or receptiveness towards, the Christian faith.
As a story it is rather weak. The main plot is fine, but there is a magic mirror which seems to be able to do just about anything, yet it hardly gets used enough. It just seems to come out whenever they find themselves in an impossible situation and miraculously solves all their problems (either that, or an eagle comes to the rescue). Not very convincing or logical.
It's meant to be aimed at, or suitable for, Christians I believe, but I'm not convinced. It's not like I turn up my nose at such fantasy worlds as being inherently evil, but I'm not sure that I would want my kids to read this one. I didn't actually want to spend too much time reading into the story and looking for analogies. If one of the leading men was meant to represent Christ in sacrificing his life and being raised to life again in order to become king, then there was too much else about him that did NOT fit in with the Christ-like analogy, and which could give children false ideas about Christ - such as about Him coming into the world with no idea of what His destiny was and having no idea of what would happen or how things would turn out.
Also, I am not comfortable with God being fictionalised. The fictional god in this book was spoken of in many of the same terms which our God is spoken of (often irreverently/carelessly?) in the real world - "Thanks be to...", "... be praised!" If people want to learn about the true God, we have the Bible, and we have plenty of factual narrative books which reveal truth and don't reduce everything to the levels of make-believe. There are loads of inspiring Christian biographies and history books for children to read, if they want a sense of adventure and excitement.
If this book was meant to teach children anything, then I felt its implications were too narrow and basic (a simple battle of good versus evil), and so far detached from real life that perhaps it would have no practical ways in which to inspire and encourage them in their ordinary lives. If you want good and innocent and challenging and character-building books for children to read, then I think some of the Victorian children's books are the best. Their moralistic tones have been despised and hated by subsequent generations of unregenerate people or antinomian 'Christians' who hate being convicted of sin, and such books have fallen out of fashion. But Christian parents today need to rediscover them and see how much they have to offer in the development of Christian character and principles amongst their children.
If children are to read books merely for recreational pleasure, or for the development of their reading skills, there are far better books to go for than this, and if they are meant to learn useful lessons from what they read, then again, there are far better books than this. Please don't inflict this book on your children! They may enjoy it, but I can't see it being any help in their Christian walk (and certainly no use for helping to bring them to Christ). Don't imagine that it is the sort of book you could give to an indifferent or rebellious child to try and awaken some interest in, or receptiveness towards, the Christian faith.
March 22, 2015
This review is of the entire series
Another good Christian series. Again it's like Narnia. It has good plots and interesting characters. My favorite was Surin's Revenge. Compared with Narnia it isn't really anything special. Their still good books though.
Another good Christian series. Again it's like Narnia. It has good plots and interesting characters. My favorite was Surin's Revenge. Compared with Narnia it isn't really anything special. Their still good books though.
February 3, 2016
I loved this whole series as a kid. Christian fantasy like Narnia but more offbeat and unusual..a bit surreal in places.
February 13, 2016
Great little story. Not quite up to Narnia standards, but similar. I will read the rest of _The Oswain Tales_ series. Next book: _Gublak's Greed_.
May 28, 2013
Really enjoyed this book when I was growing up! Love the fantasy and battles between good and evil.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews