A few reviews.
Sharon Howe - Outrage magazine (Animal Aid- summer 2009 edition)
In this trio of novels Stephanie Scofield appears to have invented a new genre of 'Green Fantasy' for children. Aimed at readers of 12 and above, the books combine a world of elemental magic with a strong environmental message - the eco-campaigner's answer to J. K. Rowling, you might say. Though not overtly 'animal-rightsy', the stories reflect the author's concern for our fellow creatures and highlight the importance of living in harmony with nature and behaving responsibly towards the planet. The tone is not at all didactic, however. On the contrary, these are absorbing, page-turning stories, full of the stuff of childhood imagination: a mysterious key, given to the hero Owen on his 12th birthday; a perilous journey through enchanted worlds populated by all manner of spirits, both good and bad; and the irresistible allure of spells, riddles and secret codes. In the first three published novels, Owen's quest to save the world from impending ecological disaster takes him to the realms of Wood, Water and Earth. With the last two instalments - Air and Fire - still to come in this planned quintet of adventure books, young readers will be eager to find out whether he succeeds in thwarting the likes of Megaco, with its plastic Super-Trees, and reawakening the true spirit of the Earth.
V.Rhodes- Amazon.com customer
I was introduced to this author and this series through some friends in England. It is available on the amazon.uk site but not here in the states. I hope it comes to us soon as the first book in the series, The Elements. It's pure magic for 12 and up. Adults like it, too, at least I did.
A Quote from her facebook page: "Imagine an Elemental Prince more ancient than the Earth herself, a conspiracy older than the Grail, a World depending on one boy and the wisdom and magic of our forebears to save it from destruction... Welcome to The Elements!"
I hope this gifted writer comes to our shores soon.
Kathleen Smith- Bookrabbit
Review of The Spirit of the Greenwood
An Inspiration! This book is an excellent read, a welcome change from Tolkein and J K Rowling with a unique, inspiring quality of it's own aimed at 12 year upwards but still an excellent read for the adults. It is well researched, imaginatively written and full of topical environmental messages for all ages, and exciting enough to keep every age of reader glued to discover the outcome. It is also very cleverly set up for the next 4 adventures which I hope will emerge before long!A great family read for Christmas, I had to wait my turn to read it as my 15 and 11 year olds couldn't put it down.
Sophie N- Amazon
I'm the 40-something aunt of a couple of teenagers - I bought the first two books of this Quintet for them three years ago - they adored them and I promptly `borrowed' them to read them for myself. I was hooked and couldn't wait for the others to come out. Now all five are out and I have just finished the series and started all over again!
In this first book, we are introduced to Owen, and to his fascinating Nana, who appears ageless and gives him for his birthday on Midsummer Eve a key, a book and a small twig talisman. Thanks to these and to an animal helper, Owen is led into the Wood realm, where he teams up with a boy his own age, Finn, to search the Wood Sath. Owen is taken aback by the many unexpected events and creatures in the wood realm. My favourite was the hedge hag - a hag who gets caught up in a garden hedge and screams abuse and whines all day! Finn's own family have disappeared in a mysterious Void that has appeared and is linked to the mounting ecological disasters in Owen's world (our world) and so as well as befriending Owen, has a personal reason to want all the Sath found and reunited.
This green fantasy gives us a thoroughly good read, steeped in magic, science, natural lore and imagination. Based on the idea of the four classical elements plus the element of Wood, seen here as the Spirit of all the others, the series follows the adventure of a boy of 12, Owen, who travels into the realms of the five elements to collect the sacred Sath - objects that represent the essence of the element. Brought together, these Sath can save the world from ecological catastrophe. Owen teams up with three other young teens and a host of friendly helpers, both human and animal, to defeat the greedy nature-hating Sir Dennis and the master he serves, the Fire Lord, a volcanic villain. On their way they encounter obstacles and tests, friends and foes, moments of fear and moments of triumph.
An important part of the plot centers around Owen's alter ego, Tamus, a young student and initiate who lived millenia before, and whose memories Owen has somehow acquired. Thanks to Tamus's memories, he is able to remember and do things that Owen himself does not know: but this seeming advantage is a double-edged sword, as Tamus's memories contain more than useful tips and skills.
I can't recommend this series enough. It is well-written and powerful, as well as full of adventure and it wears its moral lightly, though firmly. It is one story in five books - they have to be read in order.
