The Secrets of the Wild Wood

August 15, 2018
Young Sir Tiuri, recently knighted following the events in The Letter for the King (2015), finds the adventure he seeks deep in the mysterious Wild Wood.Restless after a winter spent at home following his knighting, Tiuri longs to become a traveling knight-errant. He and his squire, Piak, travel to meet knight-errant Sir Ristridin and his friends at Ristridin's castle at the former's invitation. However, once the party arrives there, they learn that Ristridin has not yet returned from his scouting mission into the Wild Wood, a forest shrouded in strange stories of "robbers and dangerous bands of men...woodland spirits and Men in Green." Tiuri and Piak resolve to venture into the Wild Wood itself, following clues to Ristridin's whereabouts. No sooner do they uncover their first hint as to what really happened to Ristridin and his men, than Tiuri is captured and taken prisoner by men of questionable loyalties. From there, this episodic adventure tale bounces between Tiuri's narrow escapes from various forces inhabiting the Wild Wood and Piak's attempts to alert the kingdom to the dangers that lie within and rescue his friend. The meandering pace of this lengthy adventure may prove frustrating for some, though the translation flows smoothly and may well appeal to young fans of knightly adventure tales. The book assumes a white default.An old-fashioned Arthurian-esque adventure for those who enjoy that genre's satisfying storytelling pleasures. (Historical adventure. 10-15)

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January 1, 2019
Grades 6-9 In this Arthurian-inspired tale, freshly knighted Sir Tiuri takes up his sword and shield and, astride his mythical horse Ardanwen, gallops toward another adventure concerning the fate of kingdoms, similar to his perilous quest in The Letter for the King? (2015). Sir Ristridin, charged to investigate the long-unexplored Wild Wood, has gone missing. While other knights chase rumors of Ristridin riding from the Wood to the east, Tiuri and his squire, Piak, enter the Wild Wood in search of clues. The Wild Wood, dark and secret and full of overgrown ruins, is thought to be treacherous, home to the mysterious Men in Green. What Tiuri uncovers there, however, is man-made treachery: a dishonorable plot by the King of Eviellan to usurp the kingdom of Unawen from its rightful heir, his twin brother. This classic medieval adventure, originally published in 1965, may be too old-fashioned or meandering for some, but for the right readers, Dragt and her translator, Watkinson, evoke the quiet, timeless pleasures of gallant knights on heroic quests in a time of wonder.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)