Tales of Goldstone Wood

Author:  Anne Elisabeth Stengl (christian author)

Rating:  5

Summary:  Tales of Goldstone Wood is a series which spans across seven books, and two novellas.  The entire series takes place in one world, across dozens of different points in history, and it all points back to God.  Every single one of the books give great parallels to the spiritual war, between Satan and God.  The first book, Heartless, is an allegory of the marriage between the church and Jesus.  The second book, Veiled Rose, is about a girl who is seen as a monster, and has to hide herself away so that people don't harm her.  The whole book is about the world's view of God, eternal life, and ourselves, compared to how God sees all those things.  Moonblood follows a young man with a past that weighs him down.  He goes on a quest to earn redemption, and instead finds out he can't earn it.  He has to accept it, and forgiveness, from God.

  Starflower is a beautiful display that love does not need words.  Love shines through our actions, and is empowered by Jesus.  Dragonwitch goes hand in hand with Starflower, in that, Starflower displays the importance of silence, and Dragonwitch displays the importance of words.  It also has a great story to show that God uses the weakest people to do the greatest things, so that the testimony to Him is greater.  Shadow Hand is a story about our identity in Christ, and how He sees us.  Golden Daughter examines the reason why bad things happen to good people.  It also promotes empathy, and God's power to heal.

  Goddess Tithe is the first novella in the series, and it is about a cabin boy on a ship doomed for death.  It displays sacrificial love, courage, and faith in Jesus.  Draven's Light examines the differences between hope and despair.  Light and darkness.  Life and death.  Healing and brokenness.  And how all of these things go back to courage through Christ's strength.

           Other:  The parallel to Satan in this is The Dragon.  The Dragon can change between the form of a man and dragon, and his enemy is the Prince of Farthestshore, who is the parallel to Christ.  The Dragon's plan for bringing the destruction of his enemy, is to turn the Prince of Farthestshore's children against him, and make them into his own image- dragons.  He does this, by ruining their lives, and then asking them if they will accept his kiss.  When they do, he kisses their forehead, and they turn into dragons.  Also, The Dragon has a sister, who is meant to represent the world and temptation.  Her name is The Lady.  The Lady makes her prey go mad from selfish desires, and makes them turn on everybody they know and love.  The Dragon and The Lady play games for the people they want to destroy.

           Morals:  I think I did a pretty good explanation of the morals in the summary, but seriously, this series is so good.  It taught me so much, and was one of the first books to have an effect on my personal faith in God.  I love this series so much, for its beauty and deepness, and I recommend this to every single person out there.

           Note:  This is my favorite series of all times!  I highly recommend it to anyone and anything that has the ability to read.

Family, 9-12 years old, fantasy