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Warriors of the Garden
In the mythical kingdom of Gardenia, eleven-year-old Aden sets out to honor his fallen parents by following in their footsteps to become the strongest warrior in the land. After a humiliating defeat at the hands of a mysterious warrior, he must start over—by becoming a gardener. But fate deals Aden a path far darker and more important than he ever imagined. He learns he is one of five Wards charged with protecting The Planting Tree, the one tree that feeds and nurtures all life in the realm. But a disgraced Ward, calling himself the Crowmaster, has hatched a diabolical plan to steal Aden’s magic, and that of his fellow Wards, so that he alone can control The Planting Tree and bend all life to his will. But Aden has discovered he has the power to inspire those around him to dance to his tune through his one-of-a-kind, red maple fiddle, and he has the help of two unlikely companions—his best friend, Mara, and a broken down warrior with a mysterious past. Will they be enough to overcome the powerful Crowmaster?With its blend of humor, heroism, and heart, "Warriors of the Garden" will appeal to fans of "Artemis Fowl," "How to Train Your Dragon" or "The Unicorn Rescue Society" series.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2020
4 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Brad Millay
4 books3 followersI am a middle-grade fantasy novelist for the adventurer (and gardener) in all of us. My current projects are my books related to my "Wards of The Planting Tree" series. I believe the gardeners of the world -- the artists, the musicians, the creators -- can be heroes, too. When not writing, I tend to my own small garden in the beautiful state of Oregon
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 10, 2021
It's been a long time since I read a YYA (younger young adult) book. I have read Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Divergent as an adult, but that's it. However, I liked this title and the fact that it was about gardens. Plus, I won it on the Goodreads giveaway. I thought why not.
The book started off slow, very slow. Then, halfway through the book, I started to get into it, especially when he became the gardener. I really got into the moral/lesson of the story, the characters, and all the wonderful talk of gardening. It was very much, "give a man a fish, he will eat, but teach a man to fish, he can eat for years" kind of moral. I loved Mara and her parents and the fact that they built something out of nothing.
We didn't get much of a backstory to the three kingdoms. We got pieces of it here and there, but nothing detailed. It also ended very quickly. The main character, Aden was extremely whiny. Even if I read this book at the age it was written for, I would have been annoyed with Aden. I would probably be wondering why Mara was not the main character. Also, it was weird how they were able to leave this kid alone for months at a time when he was younger than 11. I'm glad he didn't kill himself.
If you want a good fantasy late elementary/middle school book to read to just get lost in the gardens, then you will probably enjoy this. Great for teachers I think. Just don't expect a story about gnomes like I did.
The book started off slow, very slow. Then, halfway through the book, I started to get into it, especially when he became the gardener. I really got into the moral/lesson of the story, the characters, and all the wonderful talk of gardening. It was very much, "give a man a fish, he will eat, but teach a man to fish, he can eat for years" kind of moral. I loved Mara and her parents and the fact that they built something out of nothing.
We didn't get much of a backstory to the three kingdoms. We got pieces of it here and there, but nothing detailed. It also ended very quickly. The main character, Aden was extremely whiny. Even if I read this book at the age it was written for, I would have been annoyed with Aden. I would probably be wondering why Mara was not the main character. Also, it was weird how they were able to leave this kid alone for months at a time when he was younger than 11. I'm glad he didn't kill himself.
If you want a good fantasy late elementary/middle school book to read to just get lost in the gardens, then you will probably enjoy this. Great for teachers I think. Just don't expect a story about gnomes like I did.
January 5, 2021
An exhilarating adventure; Warriors of the Garden is a thoughtful, lively fantasy.
The author's immersive world-building evokes the reader to explore the mythical realm of Gardenia. Compelling characterization with likeable, courageous and uniquely crafted characters .
Brad Millay's humorous and exciting writing style engages the reader in a well-paced entertaining read.
"[A] heroic fantasy with page-turning excitement."
Highly recommend children's fantasy. Looking forward to future works of Brad Millay
The author's immersive world-building evokes the reader to explore the mythical realm of Gardenia. Compelling characterization with likeable, courageous and uniquely crafted characters .
Brad Millay's humorous and exciting writing style engages the reader in a well-paced entertaining read.
"[A] heroic fantasy with page-turning excitement."
Highly recommend children's fantasy. Looking forward to future works of Brad Millay
July 26, 2021
I have to say this book surprised me. I started it some time ago and then put it aside since it didn't seem to be going anywhere. I decided to give it another try and this time I got really interested in the story. It appears to be aimed at a middle school reader and has some interesting and unexpected plotting that I think will keep them reading. The characters are great and there's some nice wry humor. I'm sure the Aden, Mara and Davo will pop up again with another adventure.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
November 26, 2020
Fate sometimes throws you a curve ball, Aden learns this the hard way. Is being a gardener better than being a warrior? can they be the same thing?
Quick easy read and great plot. Characters are well written and draw the reader in. Hope this is the first in a series.
Quick easy read and great plot. Characters are well written and draw the reader in. Hope this is the first in a series.
December 23, 2020
OK, full disclosure, Brad is my husband, but I really do love his book! Middle-grade fantasy with a sweet and important message about choosing kindness and taking care of the earth. I love the world Brad has built and I'm excited for him to release the sequel!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews