The Druid (The Dawning of Muirwood Book 1)

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We welcome respectful dialogue related to speculative fiction in literature, games, film, and the wider world. The good thing is that I cut my teeth on that novel and began to hone my instincts and my process: one night a week; one chapter a week; repeat until done. This book has a strong start, it keeps the reader interested and pushes through, in the middle and then it ends without an ellipsis instead of an ending. Muirwood is known for its famous apple orchard and as a premier location for the wealthy to send their youth to learn the secrets of reading and engraving. There are many other characters that are introduced that will also play a big role in this and previous books, some of those didn’t really get the same treatment of development that Eilean did, but the ground work is there for it to happen later in the series.

July 12, 2022: Woke up early to get some reading in, Wheeler’s dialogue and characterization are actually very good.Eilean will quickly find herself doubting everything she thought to be true and facing a path forward that she never expected. He was still half-concealed in the shadows, and she had the sense he’d positioned himself there on purpose. There's a point where she is supposed to become really firm in her resolve to carry out the Medium's will but she never feels very firm at all, in anything. This is a fair choice to make but it meant that the first 2/3 of the story was world building and explanations of the religious and social systems of that world. On your way, girl,” he said, waving her to the door, with a look that suggested their conversation was over.

Since The Druid is a prequel before the Abby it doesn't matter that one hasn't read the prior books in the Muirwood series. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the ending did exactly what it was supposed to do. This book could have been a 4-star affair for me, or even better if there had been a blow-me-away kind of ending. The first two books are decent, but not great and the final book is slowly paced, unimaginative, and it lacks any kind of satisfying climax or ending. It also happens to be the 10-year anniversary of the publication of the original Legends of Muirwood trilogy.The disdain in Llewellyn’s voice stung, and Eilean nearly picked up a clod of earth and threw it at his head.