I couldn't get into this one even though I tried to keep going and got approximately 20+% through. The narrative is well written and descriptive but overly verbose for my taste. The characters were lackluster and not well formed until later when new presentations that were somewhat contradictory were introduced.

Overall, a confusing read. ( )

The road to true adventure is never an easy task. It is filled with misfortune and chance at every turn. Evil lurks in darkened places and those of the light seem to come and go like the wind. A real adventure is filled with both tragedy and love. It pulls its readers into a web of emotional confusion and leaves them drained, yet satisfied. Although adventures tend to live in the minds of youth, they are still sought out by all ages. They are an idea that begins in childhood and blossoms in an elder. This book is about an adventure that takes place in a time where magic and mystery rule the land. It is filled with goblins, knights, and wizards that roam freely. In the forests of this story are fairies of all kind and witches that prefer to harass humanity. This book tells the story of a patroller named Jerek and his companion dog Ash. They are set on a journey that would return them to their old home known as ‘The Hall of the Wood’. On their way to the hall they make the acquaintance of a wizard, knight, and young bard. All are headed in the same direction with caution on their mind. Rather than traveling alone they choose to travel as a group and strike up a rather unusual friendship. As time progresses the group are attacked by goblins, a psychotic witch, and almost by the forest itself that has begun to change. Will the travelers get to the hall? Will they uncover what happened to the previous occupants? Will any of them actually live to the end?

I found this book to be pretty interesting and it was a nice change from what I normally read. I liked how the author incorporated detail into the story, which made certain parts come alive for me. I found the female knight to be fun and something new for me as well. I am not used to seeing authors include women in their tales of knighthood. I also enjoyed the female bard that traveled with the knight. It was refreshing to see how there was no gender stereotypes in this book. However, I did find the book to be a little predictable in the end and it seemed almost rushed. I believe the author had much to say, but somehow limited himself by ending it too soon. I felt that a little more history could have been given about the patrollers and where they originated from. I will admit that this story is the first for me so maybe I am missing something from another book. I honestly enjoyed the book, but feel like it is incomplete. I believe the author is very talented and has a bright future, but possibly could take a second look at the book. I would recommend this story to other readers that are fans of fantasy. I must say a quick thank you too both the author and librarything for giving me a chance to review this book. I greatly appreciate it and had a good time reading it. Keep up the good work author and I believe you have a lot to offer the literature community. ( )

Although interesting, it took me a little while to really get into the book. After a short time though, there was no putting it down. The characters are complex and tend to come alive in your imagination. It is very well written and you have no way of knowing what is going to happen next. I would definitely like to see a continuation of the story. ( )

In The Hall of the Woods, Scott Marlowe shows an admirable skill in world-building. This, however, was really the only strong-point of the book. The plot of the book is fine, and indeed the story is a pleasant diversion from life, but it's not a stellar example of the craft. Indeed, there are some rough spots that leave much to be desired.

I do have to give credit to Marlowe for creating an ensemble of characters in this genre that do not seem to be unbelievably perfect or above those around them. Their weaknesses, however, never really leave the reader in doubt about their chances of success in the end. ( )

I have received a copy of this book courtesy of LibraryThing in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The Hall of the Wood is likable enough though the story leaves a lot to be desired. For one thing, a female knight and her ward were robbed by bandits and got themselves lost in the woods like they were dimwitted but the same female knight was able to fight off two bandits at once in a tavern. I mean, really? If she was skilled at fighting, how could they have been so easily robbed? And if she was a skilled knight, how could she have gotten so easily lost?

The story tends to ramble and I found myself glossing over a lot of the pages just to get to the "meaty" parts of the book. There are also some confusing parts of the story especially near the end as parts of the past and the present collided. It was difficult to make sense of what was truly going on.

However, the book is an okay read if you are waiting for a bus or are on a long trip and just want something to pass the time. ( )