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Rowan of the Wood #1
Rowan of the Wood
Welcome to the world of magic and wonder with Rowan of the Wood ! Winner of the Indie Excellence Award for YA Fiction, this captivating fantasy novel will take you places other novels about wizards wouldn't dare. Cullen is having a lonely 12th birthday when he finds a magic wand in the forest. An avid fantasy reader, he imagines this would lead to adventurous quests, hidden treasure, and magical friends. But when he picks up the wand, he unwittingly unleashes the ancient wizard, Rowan. Cullen's charming fantasies disappear as he quickly learns that possessing the wand means being possessed by the wizard himself. Experience Celtic lore like never before as you join Cullen on the wild and often dark quest to reunite Rowan with his lost love—an ancient witch! But beware. This journey is not for the faint of heart. Will Cullen ever regain control of his body, or will he be lost to the wizard forever? Step into the Celtic lore of "Rowan of the Wood" and release the magic within yourself. Buy now and experience the thrill of this award-winning YA fantasy novel! "This is a great addition to the wizarding world. You'll find yourself reading it in a day because you won't want to put it down." ~ Austin Monthly Magazine
"The story is very good, the characters are believable, and the situation is bleak. Lovers of magic and fantasy set in the real world would do well to check this book out. A solid tale of magic, love, betrayal, and loss, Rowan of the Wood is well-inspired and lovingly written." ~ Nothing Binding Book Reviews
"...an imaginative and fun read with a fairy tale flavor...that will appeal to old and young alike." ~ Midwest Book Review
"The story is very good, the characters are believable, and the situation is bleak. Lovers of magic and fantasy set in the real world would do well to check this book out. A solid tale of magic, love, betrayal, and loss, Rowan of the Wood is well-inspired and lovingly written." ~ Nothing Binding Book Reviews
"...an imaginative and fun read with a fairy tale flavor...that will appeal to old and young alike." ~ Midwest Book Review
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2008
9 people are currently reading
525 people want to read
About the author
Christine Rose
46 books103 followersAmazon bestselling author of the critically-acclaimed survival memoir One Reason to Live and the award-winning Rowan of the Wood YA fantasy series. Needs copious amounts of dark chocolate, frothy mochas, and silent solitude.
All her books, including the new memoir One Reason to Live, are available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zuoh8E
Between 2010 and 2014, also wrote romance and horror, mostly Steampunk, under the name O. M. Grey.
Blog: http://christinerose.wordpress.com
http://omgrey.wordpres.com
All her books, including the new memoir One Reason to Live, are available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zuoh8E
Between 2010 and 2014, also wrote romance and horror, mostly Steampunk, under the name O. M. Grey.
Blog: http://christinerose.wordpress.com
http://omgrey.wordpres.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 4, 2008
Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com
I really enjoyed reading ROWAN OF THE WOOD. It is the first in a series and I can't wait for the next one to come out.
It starts with two Celtic wizards, Rowan and Fiana, on their wedding day. They have been waiting for this day for many years. Once they are married their power will double. Just as they have been declared married, a band of Christian invaders attacks the ceremony. Fiana manages to escape to the otherworld but Rowan, through magic, seals himself in his wand.
Now we go to modern day. Cullen is a foster child living in Northern California among the Redwood trees. He has survived losing his family and is now living in an abusive foster home. What he loves most are the Redwoods which are behind his house and his fantasy books, especially The Hobbit, which had belonged to his father.
In one horrific scene his foster father makes him burn all of his fantasy novels. That one scene was very hard to read.
Well, Cullen then finds a strange sort of wooden wand and out comes Rowan. He had been trapped there for over a thousand years. But he and Cullen are one person. Rowan can only come out when Cullen is scared or threatened.
Fiana has also returned, but she came back a hundred years after the incident. She has been looking for Rowan for thousands of years. In order to stay young and beautiful she has made a deal with dark magic - and she has turned evil!
All of this makes a fantastic and believable read. The love that doesn't really die between Rowan and Fiana is powerful. The loneliness of Cullen and his love of doing what is right is wondrous. I loved this book and anyone who loves fantasy will love it, too.
The authors have gotten this one right and I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed reading ROWAN OF THE WOOD. It is the first in a series and I can't wait for the next one to come out.
It starts with two Celtic wizards, Rowan and Fiana, on their wedding day. They have been waiting for this day for many years. Once they are married their power will double. Just as they have been declared married, a band of Christian invaders attacks the ceremony. Fiana manages to escape to the otherworld but Rowan, through magic, seals himself in his wand.
Now we go to modern day. Cullen is a foster child living in Northern California among the Redwood trees. He has survived losing his family and is now living in an abusive foster home. What he loves most are the Redwoods which are behind his house and his fantasy books, especially The Hobbit, which had belonged to his father.
In one horrific scene his foster father makes him burn all of his fantasy novels. That one scene was very hard to read.
Well, Cullen then finds a strange sort of wooden wand and out comes Rowan. He had been trapped there for over a thousand years. But he and Cullen are one person. Rowan can only come out when Cullen is scared or threatened.
Fiana has also returned, but she came back a hundred years after the incident. She has been looking for Rowan for thousands of years. In order to stay young and beautiful she has made a deal with dark magic - and she has turned evil!
All of this makes a fantastic and believable read. The love that doesn't really die between Rowan and Fiana is powerful. The loneliness of Cullen and his love of doing what is right is wondrous. I loved this book and anyone who loves fantasy will love it, too.
The authors have gotten this one right and I highly recommend it.
October 14, 2009
This book is categorized as young adult, but I think it is just as, if not more, enjoyable for adults.
One of the most interesting things about the book is that it travels back and forth in time and through time.
I really enjoyed some of the commentary on religion and good/evil too.
Yes, some of the concept is a lot like Harry Potter's situation, but the story soon branches off into its own unique story line.
I feel as though I could be leaving a much better and more informative review on this book, but unfortunately I finished it several months ago and have forgotten some great stuff.
I will be re-reading this book because I got a little lost at the end, but no worries as it is a quick read, and it was never boring. I normally might not re-read, but the sequel Witch on the Water just came out. I know they are planning a third book as well, but I'm not sure beyond that.
I also met the authors of this book at my local book store. They are super nice people, and as a bonus to me - they are animal-loving vegetarians! I follow Christine on Twitter (christinerose), which is how I found out about the book in the first place. She and her husband Ethan are also here on Goodreads.
One of the most interesting things about the book is that it travels back and forth in time and through time.
I really enjoyed some of the commentary on religion and good/evil too.
Yes, some of the concept is a lot like Harry Potter's situation, but the story soon branches off into its own unique story line.
I feel as though I could be leaving a much better and more informative review on this book, but unfortunately I finished it several months ago and have forgotten some great stuff.
I will be re-reading this book because I got a little lost at the end, but no worries as it is a quick read, and it was never boring. I normally might not re-read, but the sequel Witch on the Water just came out. I know they are planning a third book as well, but I'm not sure beyond that.
I also met the authors of this book at my local book store. They are super nice people, and as a bonus to me - they are animal-loving vegetarians! I follow Christine on Twitter (christinerose), which is how I found out about the book in the first place. She and her husband Ethan are also here on Goodreads.
October 15, 2009
See my blog for this review in full detail (links/images)
http://bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com...
Plot: 4
Setting: 4
Writing: 3
Originality: 5
Characters: 4
Passion: 5
Overall: 25/30 83% B
Cover/Title Bonus: 4
I received this book in PDF format from the author to read and review.
Summary (Website)
Release the magic.
Cullen meanders through the redwood forest each day on his way to school with a book in his hands, losing himself in fantastic worlds of elves, fairies, and wizards. He loves escaping to these magical lands because reality is not at all fun. Unpopular and younger than the other kids in his class, he suffers an existence of ridicule along with his two misfit friends Maddy and April.
His life changes when he stumbles upon an ancient magic wand inhabited by Rowan, a powerful wizard. He inadvertently releases this wizard and finds himself possessed with a great power and an obsessive need to find a lost love.
Rowan and Fiana were separated on their wedding day, fourteen centuries ago. Rowan survives, trapped in time until a young boy releases him. Fiana uses dark magic to stay alive and young, continuously searching for her husband. Over the centuries, she descends deeper and deeper into the darkness, eventually giving up her search, until a young boy brings him back to her.
Plot
I found this book to be odd but original. Cullen finds a wand that’s holding Rowan prisoner inside. Some how Rowan gets sucked into Cullen and they share his body. There’s ancient history at hand that explains what happened. There are witches, vampires, blind children, and mean foster parents involved.
Setting
Most of the story takes place in a wooded area of California. And the ancient past is set in Caledonia present day Scotland. It’s pretty adventurous.
Writing
Here’s where I had a minor issue. I enjoyed the concept but I found the story to read like a “short” story. I wanted more detail or something. I can’t quite pin point exactly what was missing. I guess I just wanted “more”, which I guess isn’t a terrible thing really. :)
I also noticed within a few pages of the book that this was geared towards 9-12 year olds, per Amazon.com, but there were quite a few words used that I had to stop and figure out what they meant. Thank goodness for the built in dictionary in my Kindle! Otherwise, a dictionary would have been necessary during this book. Although most of the words could have been figured out through reading the context again or further into the paragraph but I NEED to understand what I’m reading, I can’t just pass over a word hoping the author will disclose the meaning to me shortly.
Here’s a list of the words I “clipped” on my Kindle.
* toque
* amalgamation
* apoplectic
* magus
* tor
* quaffed
* quailed
* fagots
* puissant
* claymore
“I” know what a claymore is but how’s a 9 year old supposed to know that it’s an enormous sword? These words skipped me up in reading and I may find them enlightening now but a younger version of me would have resented an author for using words I didn’t know. :)
Originality
Magic wielding Celtic witches, vampires, a young boy all on an adventure to find love and peace. It was original but as I said in the plot section I wanted more. I learned quite a bit about the Celtic folklore, which was awesome because I’m really into that.
Characters
Rowan was the guy stuck in the wand. He made me sad because he’d been trapped for over 1400 years knowing nothing of what transpired.
Fiana is his lost love. She was interesting but crazy as all hell. I didn’t really understand every action she did. I do “understand” why but I don’t understand why she wasn’t strong enough to get past the evilness.
Cullen is a cute young boy. I wanted to know him better. His foster parents are complete jackasses. His older “brother” was no better than his parents.
His teacher Ms. Max MacFey was pretty cool. His friends Maddy and April were nice additions.
Passion
For a 9-12 year old geared book there were several references to the lust that Fiana and Rowan for feeling for each other. I thought it was handled well for the age but I think it was interrupted rather hotly, at least for me. The sexual tension was palpable to me, which I thought was nice and would probably be overlooked by a younger reader.
Overall
I enjoyed this book. I would have enjoyed learning a bit more about Cullen and his friends Maddy and April. Their relationships intrigued me a bit more than Fiana’s and Rowans actually.
This would be enjoyed by lovers of fantasy, vampires, witches and YA.
Cover/Title Bonus
The cover is actually really cool! It’s a bit busy looking but it depicts the story so well and I think that is important.
Series
Rowan of the Wood by Christine Rose
Witch on the Water by Christine Rose
Connect with Christine & Ethan Rose
ico_wwwblogger_icontwiiter_icon goodreads amazon-icon_bigger_normal_normal
Trailer
line_separatorWhat do you think? I know I didn’t give too many details away, I don’t like spoiling it, but it really was interesting to read. I’ve briefly started the second book, Witch on the Water but I haven’t gotten “into” it yet. I picked up another book I’ve been waiting to read but will come back to Witch soon!
Stop back on the 18th! Christine & Ethan have a guest post and a giveaway to host here!
Jess Sig
http://bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com...
Plot: 4
Setting: 4
Writing: 3
Originality: 5
Characters: 4
Passion: 5
Overall: 25/30 83% B
Cover/Title Bonus: 4
I received this book in PDF format from the author to read and review.
Summary (Website)
Release the magic.
Cullen meanders through the redwood forest each day on his way to school with a book in his hands, losing himself in fantastic worlds of elves, fairies, and wizards. He loves escaping to these magical lands because reality is not at all fun. Unpopular and younger than the other kids in his class, he suffers an existence of ridicule along with his two misfit friends Maddy and April.
His life changes when he stumbles upon an ancient magic wand inhabited by Rowan, a powerful wizard. He inadvertently releases this wizard and finds himself possessed with a great power and an obsessive need to find a lost love.
Rowan and Fiana were separated on their wedding day, fourteen centuries ago. Rowan survives, trapped in time until a young boy releases him. Fiana uses dark magic to stay alive and young, continuously searching for her husband. Over the centuries, she descends deeper and deeper into the darkness, eventually giving up her search, until a young boy brings him back to her.
Plot
I found this book to be odd but original. Cullen finds a wand that’s holding Rowan prisoner inside. Some how Rowan gets sucked into Cullen and they share his body. There’s ancient history at hand that explains what happened. There are witches, vampires, blind children, and mean foster parents involved.
Setting
Most of the story takes place in a wooded area of California. And the ancient past is set in Caledonia present day Scotland. It’s pretty adventurous.
Writing
Here’s where I had a minor issue. I enjoyed the concept but I found the story to read like a “short” story. I wanted more detail or something. I can’t quite pin point exactly what was missing. I guess I just wanted “more”, which I guess isn’t a terrible thing really. :)
I also noticed within a few pages of the book that this was geared towards 9-12 year olds, per Amazon.com, but there were quite a few words used that I had to stop and figure out what they meant. Thank goodness for the built in dictionary in my Kindle! Otherwise, a dictionary would have been necessary during this book. Although most of the words could have been figured out through reading the context again or further into the paragraph but I NEED to understand what I’m reading, I can’t just pass over a word hoping the author will disclose the meaning to me shortly.
Here’s a list of the words I “clipped” on my Kindle.
* toque
* amalgamation
* apoplectic
* magus
* tor
* quaffed
* quailed
* fagots
* puissant
* claymore
“I” know what a claymore is but how’s a 9 year old supposed to know that it’s an enormous sword? These words skipped me up in reading and I may find them enlightening now but a younger version of me would have resented an author for using words I didn’t know. :)
Originality
Magic wielding Celtic witches, vampires, a young boy all on an adventure to find love and peace. It was original but as I said in the plot section I wanted more. I learned quite a bit about the Celtic folklore, which was awesome because I’m really into that.
Characters
Rowan was the guy stuck in the wand. He made me sad because he’d been trapped for over 1400 years knowing nothing of what transpired.
Fiana is his lost love. She was interesting but crazy as all hell. I didn’t really understand every action she did. I do “understand” why but I don’t understand why she wasn’t strong enough to get past the evilness.
Cullen is a cute young boy. I wanted to know him better. His foster parents are complete jackasses. His older “brother” was no better than his parents.
His teacher Ms. Max MacFey was pretty cool. His friends Maddy and April were nice additions.
Passion
For a 9-12 year old geared book there were several references to the lust that Fiana and Rowan for feeling for each other. I thought it was handled well for the age but I think it was interrupted rather hotly, at least for me. The sexual tension was palpable to me, which I thought was nice and would probably be overlooked by a younger reader.
Overall
I enjoyed this book. I would have enjoyed learning a bit more about Cullen and his friends Maddy and April. Their relationships intrigued me a bit more than Fiana’s and Rowans actually.
This would be enjoyed by lovers of fantasy, vampires, witches and YA.
Cover/Title Bonus
The cover is actually really cool! It’s a bit busy looking but it depicts the story so well and I think that is important.
Series
Rowan of the Wood by Christine Rose
Witch on the Water by Christine Rose
Connect with Christine & Ethan Rose
ico_wwwblogger_icontwiiter_icon goodreads amazon-icon_bigger_normal_normal
Trailer
line_separatorWhat do you think? I know I didn’t give too many details away, I don’t like spoiling it, but it really was interesting to read. I’ve briefly started the second book, Witch on the Water but I haven’t gotten “into” it yet. I picked up another book I’ve been waiting to read but will come back to Witch soon!
Stop back on the 18th! Christine & Ethan have a guest post and a giveaway to host here!
Jess Sig
April 12, 2009
Before Scotland, there was Caledonia. Rowan and Fiana are two powerful magicians whose impending love marriage will bring peace and happiness to their people. However, enemies interrupt the ceremony, forcing Rowan to hide inside his wand. Fiana swears to do anything to find Rowan…including using black magic.
Over a thousand years later, among the redwood forests of modern-day California, twelve-year-old foster child Cullen Knight stumbles across an odd-looking stick of wood. Life is harsh on Cullen: his foster family treats him with no love, and he is bullied in school for his diminutive size and young age. When he picks up the wand, however, the spirit of Rowan also occupies Cullen’s body, coming out in times of trauma or stress. And Cullen’s life is changed forever. Will he be the one to reunite Rowan with his fiancée, and save Fiana from the grips of evil?
To start, this book will not be an easy read for what can only be called the “Harry Potter” generation. Despite its uncanny similarities to Harry Potter—the cruel foster family, the magic, the protagonist’s isolation from “normal” school society—ROWAN OF THE WOOD does not have the easy engagement and attraction of Rowling’s series. The writing is often heavy and stilted; adults will be able to appreciate it much more.
Once you get past the often amateur-sounding writing, however, the result is a decent fantasy story that runs between two time periods. Fiana’s trek through magical time is interesting, and Rose does a good job of painting the harsh realities of middle school, a place where bullies lurk. I would recommend this for parents with kids who enjoyed Harry Potter and want to read similarly styled books.
Over a thousand years later, among the redwood forests of modern-day California, twelve-year-old foster child Cullen Knight stumbles across an odd-looking stick of wood. Life is harsh on Cullen: his foster family treats him with no love, and he is bullied in school for his diminutive size and young age. When he picks up the wand, however, the spirit of Rowan also occupies Cullen’s body, coming out in times of trauma or stress. And Cullen’s life is changed forever. Will he be the one to reunite Rowan with his fiancée, and save Fiana from the grips of evil?
To start, this book will not be an easy read for what can only be called the “Harry Potter” generation. Despite its uncanny similarities to Harry Potter—the cruel foster family, the magic, the protagonist’s isolation from “normal” school society—ROWAN OF THE WOOD does not have the easy engagement and attraction of Rowling’s series. The writing is often heavy and stilted; adults will be able to appreciate it much more.
Once you get past the often amateur-sounding writing, however, the result is a decent fantasy story that runs between two time periods. Fiana’s trek through magical time is interesting, and Rose does a good job of painting the harsh realities of middle school, a place where bullies lurk. I would recommend this for parents with kids who enjoyed Harry Potter and want to read similarly styled books.
December 16, 2012
Admittedly, I'm not much of a reader, and it takes a special story to garner my attention to actually sit down and read, Rowan of the Wood is one of those special stories. Engaging from page one, it grabbed my attention immediately and I breezed straight through it, not wanting to put it down. It's the story of a young boy, Cullen who is so rightfully dissatisfied with his own reality, he dives into fantasy books to escape, but quickly discovers that his fantasy has become his new reality. He finds a wand in a forest and becomes merged with the 1400 year old druid trapped within it, and the druid Rowan, is in search of his long, lost love, Fiana. But being the nature of a story such as this, not all goes according to plan. Fans of Celtic mythology and the legend of the 'Green Man' will find this book an absolute treat. I cannot recommend Rowan of the Wood enough, and look forward to getting ahold of the next installlment.
January 26, 2009
Very good for a first book. The story is very good and yes somewhat borrows from Harry Potter, in that a young boy gets involved with magic, (but not in a way you'd expect) & helps avert a crisis. The story contrasts Pagans & Christians in a very balanced way. At first you may think it is only "pro-Pagan", but as you read the authors really balance things thoughtfully & with great insight.
I did find a few places where the editing could have been tighter, you jump from being in one scenario to being in another without a segway or explanation of what just happened; Other than that very nice.
There is to be a series & you are left at the end with no final resolution of the situation.
I did find a few places where the editing could have been tighter, you jump from being in one scenario to being in another without a segway or explanation of what just happened; Other than that very nice.
There is to be a series & you are left at the end with no final resolution of the situation.
June 26, 2009
Cullen Knight has not had an easy life. After losing his father and sister in a tragic accident, Cullen’s mother is mentally unable to care for him, so Cullen is sent to live with the Samuels. While outwardly the Samuels may seem to be a suitable foster family for the young boy, in reality they treat Cullen like a servant and are only interested in getting their hands on the inheritance that he is to come into at graduation...
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, Bitten by Books, for the review of Rowan of the Wood in its entirety. You won't be sorry.
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, Bitten by Books, for the review of Rowan of the Wood in its entirety. You won't be sorry.
September 5, 2008
I was sucked into Cullen, Rowan, and Fiana's varying worlds and couldn't stop reading until they all collided! This is an exciting novel by debut authors Christine & Ethan Rose...they've created characters that are strikingly vivid and a plot that draws the reader into a world much like our own, yet not our own. I can actually see Cullen walking through the majestic Redwood forest...Rowan and Fiana hand-in-hand among the standing stones in Caledonia...the many amusing cats scattered about Raimund's woodland cottage. Lovers of fantasy must give this a read because they will truly enjoy it!
March 7, 2009
Very good book! I thought it was more directed towards junior high/ high school with some of the story line. It may be a bit to scary or intense for a young child. I can't wait for the books to follow assuming there will be some! Defiantly a good book if you like mystical books! Plus it was an easy and fast read!
August 31, 2009
I totally enjoyed the tale of Rowan and his lost love. I adored Cullen, and his family reminded me of Roald Dahl's Matilda. It was wonderfully written -- I can see why my son favors it over Harry Potter. Mind you, he is a bit of a Druid at heart!
I'm so happy I waited until now to read it, because I won't have long to wait for the sequel :O)
I'm so happy I waited until now to read it, because I won't have long to wait for the sequel :O)
January 14, 2015
I thought I already wrote a review for this book. Anyway, it would have been good if I were the target audience. I'm always a little sad when a children's book doesn't entertain every age. I wasn't able to suspend my belief, the writing wasn't magical, and the plot was predictable. I love the cover art for the whole series, though.
December 6, 2008
A fun, light read.
Great book for kids ages 13+
An interesting blend of druidic legends, vampirism, and modern times. Plus, the protagonist was easy to love and relate with.
I’d recommend it. :)
Great book for kids ages 13+
An interesting blend of druidic legends, vampirism, and modern times. Plus, the protagonist was easy to love and relate with.
I’d recommend it. :)
January 12, 2009
I was browsing through freebooks and I came across this one. The cover looks a bit lame, but the book is pretty good. It's a quick easy read, so if you're looking for something fun, you might want to check it out.
March 11, 2009
An excellent young adult book which I would highly recommend for anyone, young or old...
July 29, 2008
I think this is a great book! Watch out Harry Potter! I can't wait for the next one.
March 23, 2023
I just finished listening to Rowan of the Wood read by the author, Christine Rose, in the Rowan of the Wood podcast. The story is very well structured and fast paced. It didn’t meander and kept my attention throughout.
I thoroughly enjoyed Rose’s reading and performance of the characters. She also included author’s notes on the creative process along with each chapter and an interview with co-author Ethan Rose at the end.
This book was originally published in 2008 and sometimes reflects the lack of awareness/sensitivity of that time period. On the other hand, many of the themes touched on were progressive for that time; especially the focus on environmentalism and Rowan (a 40 year old Druid)‘s concern and respect for the body that he and Cullen (a 12 year old) share. There is also a theme of religion-based persecution and power structure which feels relevant in America in 2023.
Some other reviews mentioned that this book reminds them of Harry Potter. In the first few chapters, there are some parallels: Cullen, a preteen-age orphan in an abusive foster family, is spending his birthday alone when he stumbles upon another world. But that is where the similarity ends. This book is not a wish fulfillment fantasy of discovering power, wealth, and chocolate frogs. Having a grown Druid in Cullen’s body does not sound like any fun for Cullen. It’s overwhelming and out of his control. The child characters don’t have a lot of agency in this book. Cullen and the reader are often in a similar position of being moved through the story, rather than moving through the story, though Cullen does play an important role in interpreting the modern world for the ancient Druid living inside his body. I’m interested in seeing how his character will progress overtime and be changed by this experience. Rowan the Druid is understandably confused by our time, where he finds himself sharing a boy’s body, and I found these moments very enjoyable.
The most complex and interesting character is Fiana. **Spoilers ahead**
Rowan and Fiana were engaged since their teen years, but needed to wait until their 40s for marriage (and consummation) as part of a ritual that would make them priest and priestess of their community. Even though we don’t see their relationship before their wedding night, for us to understand what happens to Fiana, it’s important to know that they spent so many years emotionally close to each other. Right after their hand fasting, they are attacked by aggressive Christians, resulting in their separation for a thousand+ years. Fiana spends much of that time feeling guilty and searching for Rowan. The violence of Christianity surfaces again in the book when Fiana is nearly burned as a witch. The separation, guilt, abuse, and time changes Fiana. After hopeless centuries of searching for Rowan, she declares that she wants to live for herself. I wanted that for her so much. Unfortunately she uses it as an excuse to become violent and abusive. She’s been through the ringer. I hope to see her find peace in the series and am looking forward to the next book.
I thoroughly enjoyed Rose’s reading and performance of the characters. She also included author’s notes on the creative process along with each chapter and an interview with co-author Ethan Rose at the end.
This book was originally published in 2008 and sometimes reflects the lack of awareness/sensitivity of that time period. On the other hand, many of the themes touched on were progressive for that time; especially the focus on environmentalism and Rowan (a 40 year old Druid)‘s concern and respect for the body that he and Cullen (a 12 year old) share. There is also a theme of religion-based persecution and power structure which feels relevant in America in 2023.
Some other reviews mentioned that this book reminds them of Harry Potter. In the first few chapters, there are some parallels: Cullen, a preteen-age orphan in an abusive foster family, is spending his birthday alone when he stumbles upon another world. But that is where the similarity ends. This book is not a wish fulfillment fantasy of discovering power, wealth, and chocolate frogs. Having a grown Druid in Cullen’s body does not sound like any fun for Cullen. It’s overwhelming and out of his control. The child characters don’t have a lot of agency in this book. Cullen and the reader are often in a similar position of being moved through the story, rather than moving through the story, though Cullen does play an important role in interpreting the modern world for the ancient Druid living inside his body. I’m interested in seeing how his character will progress overtime and be changed by this experience. Rowan the Druid is understandably confused by our time, where he finds himself sharing a boy’s body, and I found these moments very enjoyable.
The most complex and interesting character is Fiana. **Spoilers ahead**
Rowan and Fiana were engaged since their teen years, but needed to wait until their 40s for marriage (and consummation) as part of a ritual that would make them priest and priestess of their community. Even though we don’t see their relationship before their wedding night, for us to understand what happens to Fiana, it’s important to know that they spent so many years emotionally close to each other. Right after their hand fasting, they are attacked by aggressive Christians, resulting in their separation for a thousand+ years. Fiana spends much of that time feeling guilty and searching for Rowan. The violence of Christianity surfaces again in the book when Fiana is nearly burned as a witch. The separation, guilt, abuse, and time changes Fiana. After hopeless centuries of searching for Rowan, she declares that she wants to live for herself. I wanted that for her so much. Unfortunately she uses it as an excuse to become violent and abusive. She’s been through the ringer. I hope to see her find peace in the series and am looking forward to the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2017
I had read this a couple of years back or so. It's such a wonderful story. The Hobbit is one of my favorite books as it is for the main character here. Take up with this book, it's a wonderful adventure story for any age who loves fantasy.
May 2, 2010
Rowan of the Wood is an enjoyable story about a young boy dealing with life as a foster child. He escapes his unloved life by reading fantasy stories, but one day he finds himself in a situation that is confusing and dangerous when all the elements of one of his stories finds him in real life.
Meanwhile, a second story is unfolding. A story of legends, myths, witches and vampires. We move through the centuries with another character, a woman who is desperate to find her lost love and will do anything to stay alive long enough to find him.
The story is written in a way that held my attention, but as a writer I could see its flaws. Firstly, there’s a lot of telling rather than showing. However, most of the time I was comfortable with this as the telling was mostly done in a storyline that covered about 1400 years and I appreciate how hard it would be to “show” all that passed during that time. Secondly, although the author has noted the intended audience as “young adult”, I felt the age of the young boy – a 12 year old – together with the book cover shown actually targets a younger audience…and the content is not suitable for the younger age group (in my opinion). This could have been easily resolved by increasing the age of young Cullen to about 15 or 16. Thirdly, there are many similarities between Cullen and Harry Potter – so many, in fact, that I found it distracting at times because I felt as if Harry was the model used when Cullen was created. Whether or not that’s true, I don’t know, but I think it’s a shame that Cullen didn’t come across as his own person.
These things aside, I enjoyed the story. The characters fit together well and their motivations were realistic. I found that the author’s writing style was easy to read for long periods of time without becoming fidgety. In fact, I finished the book in a very short period of time and have already started the second book.
This book is recommended to readers who have a mature mind, a young heart and enjoy books about never ending love and adventure.
Meanwhile, a second story is unfolding. A story of legends, myths, witches and vampires. We move through the centuries with another character, a woman who is desperate to find her lost love and will do anything to stay alive long enough to find him.
The story is written in a way that held my attention, but as a writer I could see its flaws. Firstly, there’s a lot of telling rather than showing. However, most of the time I was comfortable with this as the telling was mostly done in a storyline that covered about 1400 years and I appreciate how hard it would be to “show” all that passed during that time. Secondly, although the author has noted the intended audience as “young adult”, I felt the age of the young boy – a 12 year old – together with the book cover shown actually targets a younger audience…and the content is not suitable for the younger age group (in my opinion). This could have been easily resolved by increasing the age of young Cullen to about 15 or 16. Thirdly, there are many similarities between Cullen and Harry Potter – so many, in fact, that I found it distracting at times because I felt as if Harry was the model used when Cullen was created. Whether or not that’s true, I don’t know, but I think it’s a shame that Cullen didn’t come across as his own person.
These things aside, I enjoyed the story. The characters fit together well and their motivations were realistic. I found that the author’s writing style was easy to read for long periods of time without becoming fidgety. In fact, I finished the book in a very short period of time and have already started the second book.
This book is recommended to readers who have a mature mind, a young heart and enjoy books about never ending love and adventure.
March 30, 2010
Just finished this book and can't wait to read the next in the series.
The story seems to be a mix of Harry Potter, Celtic Lore, Romeo & Juliet, Time Travel and a dash of paranormal. And for me, it works!
We follow the story of Cullen, a young boy living with his cruel foster family in present day California. Like in the Harry Potter books, he is unloved and suffers much grief from the family he lives with. Unfortunately there is no Hagrid to spirit him off to a wonderful school where he can be a wizard. Instead, Cullen finds his escape through reading books and his 2 best friends. Magic enters his life when he finds a magic wand with a power trapped wizard within. Freeing Rowan of the Wood changes his life forever.
The story is told in 2 streams. Present day and the past where we learn the legend and story behind Rowan and his true love, Fiana. Through these flashbacks, we gain insight of what Fiana went through which molded her into the being she is upon reuniting with Rowan.
I thought I'd give this book a try since I am a fan of fantasy and the description of the book was pretty interesting. I'm glad I did. While it is of the YA genre, like the Harry Potter series, any age group will enjoy this. It starts off a bit slow as the author sets the tone of the book and lays down the foundation of the story, and picks up by the middle of the book. A bit too fast though. Once the action starts, it doesn't stop and then your at the end of the book. I hope the next book in the series does a better job at pacing the story, and I can't wait to see how the author resolves the "cliff hanger" in the end.
The story seems to be a mix of Harry Potter, Celtic Lore, Romeo & Juliet, Time Travel and a dash of paranormal. And for me, it works!
We follow the story of Cullen, a young boy living with his cruel foster family in present day California. Like in the Harry Potter books, he is unloved and suffers much grief from the family he lives with. Unfortunately there is no Hagrid to spirit him off to a wonderful school where he can be a wizard. Instead, Cullen finds his escape through reading books and his 2 best friends. Magic enters his life when he finds a magic wand with a power trapped wizard within. Freeing Rowan of the Wood changes his life forever.
The story is told in 2 streams. Present day and the past where we learn the legend and story behind Rowan and his true love, Fiana. Through these flashbacks, we gain insight of what Fiana went through which molded her into the being she is upon reuniting with Rowan.
I thought I'd give this book a try since I am a fan of fantasy and the description of the book was pretty interesting. I'm glad I did. While it is of the YA genre, like the Harry Potter series, any age group will enjoy this. It starts off a bit slow as the author sets the tone of the book and lays down the foundation of the story, and picks up by the middle of the book. A bit too fast though. Once the action starts, it doesn't stop and then your at the end of the book. I hope the next book in the series does a better job at pacing the story, and I can't wait to see how the author resolves the "cliff hanger" in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2018
The story starts off with Cullen, a put-upon 12-year-old who's an avid fantasy reader living in present-day northern California. Things shift to post-Roman Britain and Rowan, a druid who escapes an attack by raiders by disappearing into a wooden wand. Also along is Rowan's bride-to-be Fiana, two girls who are Cullen's only friends, and a teacher he has a crush on.
The plot takes off when Cullen finds the wand and begins to communicate with Rowan. At times Rowan even takes over Cullen's body. Rowan wants to find Fiana. She has been searching for him, but she becomes more desperate and dark as time passes. The ending makes this book the first in a series.
I found the characters pretty well-drawn. What was very interesting was Fiana; she doesn't start out bad, but we see her fall as time and frustration take its toll.
On the other hand, there's some switching of viewpoints within scenes. This can be confusing and undermines the narrative flow. To some degree events are set in motion in the present due to coincidence. I suppose this can be attributed to magic, but it's still a bit odd.
I am curious to see how the series progresses.
The plot takes off when Cullen finds the wand and begins to communicate with Rowan. At times Rowan even takes over Cullen's body. Rowan wants to find Fiana. She has been searching for him, but she becomes more desperate and dark as time passes. The ending makes this book the first in a series.
I found the characters pretty well-drawn. What was very interesting was Fiana; she doesn't start out bad, but we see her fall as time and frustration take its toll.
On the other hand, there's some switching of viewpoints within scenes. This can be confusing and undermines the narrative flow. To some degree events are set in motion in the present due to coincidence. I suppose this can be attributed to magic, but it's still a bit odd.
I am curious to see how the series progresses.
August 2, 2012
I thought this was a well-written book. I found the beginning pages a bit difficult to get into, because (for me) it dragged a bit, and took a while to really plunge into the heart of the story, although there did need to be some set up of the situation. Once I got past that first part and into the modern world, I thought it picked up a lot and the twists were interesting. I enjoyed the tie-in with the teacher, and you can tell that the writers are passionate about Celtic history.
I guess because I thought of this as a child's book, I was a little surprised that the sexual tension between the two grown-up love interests was so highlighted, but as someone else said, I think a lot of that would go over a kid's head. (Although a parent may get a question like, "What does consummated mean?" but maybe I'm making it up that word is actually in there.)
I guess because I thought of this as a child's book, I was a little surprised that the sexual tension between the two grown-up love interests was so highlighted, but as someone else said, I think a lot of that would go over a kid's head. (Although a parent may get a question like, "What does consummated mean?" but maybe I'm making it up that word is actually in there.)
July 26, 2009
I had high hopes for this book as I bought it for my 8 year old granddaughter. I decided to read it first as I loved the Harry Potter series. However, this book seems to borrow alot of ideas from the Harry Potter premise (victimized orphan) and also from the Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series (vampires). I found it to be better for kids 13 years or older. Some of the writing was well done but covering 1,000 years to bring the two main characters back together made it drag. After reading this book I actually tossed it into the garbage can as I didn't want my granddaughter reading it accidentally.
June 10, 2014
This book was selected by my creatures book club this month. I found this book boring, and especially did not like how it took a long time to go over what happened in the past but rushed the ending. I also didn't care for the characters. Well, maybe I liked April and Maddy a bit, but they were not the main characters. There were also many errors that shows this book did not go through a good editing process. I can't stand seeing multiple errors in books I had to pay for. I was just underwhelmed, and expected more after reading all the glowing reviews.
April 14, 2011
I liked the historical aspect of this story and how it chronicled the characters over time, along with the myths and legends that have carried through the ages. The characters were well defined and their paths very clear. But, I was a little unsure about the sexual tone in the book with the adult characters when the central character is a 12 year old kid. Parts of the book seemed geared toward more of a young adult or adult audience.
August 27, 2010
The theology seems a little shaky, but the settings and action scenes are good. The characterizations are more consistent than is sometimes found in collaborations and the plot is reasonably fantastic. I'm thinking this book--and the series it presages--is well-designed and written for the sub-teen (8-12) crowd.
May 11, 2011
Great new young adult fantasy series with a 12 year old protagonist. Cullen doesn't fit in anywhere with friends or family. One day his life changes when he finds an ancient wand and unintentionally releases an ancient Celtic wizard who ends up sharing his body and involving Cullen in the battle between black magic and his own world.
October 5, 2011
This was a Kindle purchase I made only because it was cheap. Despite my motivation for purchasing "Rowan of the Wood," this was such a wonderful book. A great blending of celtic, vampire, and wiccan myths. Pretty much every character in this book was dynamic and likable. I've already bought the second book in the series.
May 4, 2014
I enjoyed the Rowan of the Wood series. Bought the books at the Boulder City Renaissance Faire in April. Found the characters engrossing and the story line interesting. Kept reading until all five were finished. Planning to send them to my nephews in order to share the wealth! Thought the villain unraveled a bit quickly at the end. Would enjoy a sequel to follow-up on the group a year later!
December 18, 2009
Just because people look innocent, sometimes they are not. In other words, don't always believe what you see. And everyone can change. But it was a really good book and I would recommend it for anyone who loves adventure tales.
September 9, 2011
This book is very strange and a little boring at times. I read it with my mom and brother a couple years ago, and none of us were a big fan of it. It is a less well known book, and apparently part of a series.
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