The Bark of the Bog Owl (Wilderking Trilogy, 1)

In several interviews I have heard Jonathan Rogers describe his Wilderking books as: “swampy adventure fiction,” “kind of a retelling of the David story,” and “a place that looks suspiciously like South Georgia.” The Wilderking Trilogy is swampy. It is full of adventure. It is a bit like King David. It might look a lot like South Georgia. But, this trilogy is a lot more than that as well.While the the landscape may be South Georgia, I think it could just as easily be Sherwood Forest if not for the alligators. (In the next book, however, it is all South Georgia swamp.) Because of the elegance of the writing and the creativity of the story, I wasn’t surprised to learn that Rogers’ holds a PhD in seventeenth-century literature from Vanderbilt University. It is clear to me that this living author knows his craft and respects the great writers who came before him. I think it is fair to say that Rogers has something meaningful to contribute to the great canon of children’s literature.Even though there is nothing on the book cover to indicate it, this story is a medieval reimagining of David and Goliath. Once you know that, the already intriguing story becomes magical. Our minds get to play in two worlds: the real world of biblical history and a world of medieval fantasy that provokes wonder and awe. Most authors would not be able to convince me that this is both King David’s story and something else worthy at the same time, but Rogers is inspired. Our knowledge of David, his God, and his story allows us to know Aidan well before Aidan knows himself. When the story opens, Aidan “felt himself to be the person he had always hoped he was: not a shepherd boy who wished he were a soldier, but a soldier who happened to be playing the part of a shepherd boy.”In this first book of three books, we meet twelve year old Aidan Errolson, the sixth son of a great and worthy noble of Corenwald. Aidan’s small island nation was founded on a dream of freedom, free worship of the one true God, and a love for wholesome living. Corenwald, a bit like early America, was settled by pilgrims, freedom fighters, and adventurers.When fear of God left the land,To be replaced by fear of man;When Corenwalders free and trueEnslave themselves and others too,When mercy and justice disappear,When life is cheap and gold is dear,When freedom’s flame has burned to emberAnd Corenwalders can’t rememberWhat are truths and what are lies,Then will the Wilderking arise.Reminiscent of 1 Samuel 16:6-13, the second chapter of Bark of the Bog Owl introduces us to the Corenwald prophet Bayard The Truthspeaker. When Bayard arrives at Longleaf Manor, Errol greets the prophet with profound respect and offers him welcome. Bayard explains his task and asks to see Errol’s sons. As each of Aidan’s strong and capable brothers are rejected by Bayard, the brothers grow incredulous. When Bayard acknowledges Aidan as the prophesied Wilderking, Errol’s skepticism turns into anger. Despite his sincere respect for the Lord’s messenger, Errol is deeply loyal to King Darrow and will not allow any seeds of treachery to be planted in his home.“Though he was a shepherd boy, Aidan’s was the heart of a warrior.”Before Bayard leaves, he and Aidan have a private conversation in which Aidan confesses his anxiety about this prophecy. Bayard explains to Aidan that he should do as he has always done, “live the life that unfolds before you. Love goodness more than you fear evil.” Bayard encourages Aidan to remain loyal to the king. He insists that Aidan continue being a good shepherd. He admonishes Aidan to let life unfold naturally and, when called upon, to respond to all things with courage, faith, and love.“You will fight one day for Corenwald – and sooner than you think. You will fight because you love Corenwald, because you love the freedom to live and worship as you see fit, because you love your family and your fellow soldiers. But you must never fight because you love the battle. You must never love the battle.”When Corenwald was founded, it was a place of refuge. A new world. A land consecrated to the one true God. The first Corenwalders left their homeland of Pryth in defiance against evil rulers who worshipped gold instead of God. Unwilling to see their power and authority challenged, the Prythen armies attacked Corenwald many times in the hopes of conquering them and stomping out freedom everywhere.“Our very existence is an act of defiance against the Prythen Empire. Four times they’ve invaded this island. And four times the stout men of Corenwald sent them home in disgrace… they’ve swallowed up a whole continent, but people who have a taste for freedom aren’t easily conquered.”Errol, was one of the four and twenty nobles who supported King Darrow in battle and in court. Like Saul, however, Darrow is growing forgetful.“We overcame because the One God fought on our behalf – the God who asks only that we act justly, love mercy, walk humbly… In our comfort, we have forgotten that virtue is hard. In our wealth, we have forgotten that freedom is expensive.”When King Darrow remembers what it is to be a Corenwalder, he goes to war again with Pryth. But, his heart is not in it. The Prythens have a giant, and like Goliath, Greidawl is willing to fight one man in exchange for the freedom of an entire people. For weeks, no one is willing to meet the giant in the field. Like David, Aidan is sent by his father to check on his brothers at the front. When Aidan arrives at the camp, he is astonished at the dejected army and the cowardly king.“‘But isn’t this a kind of death?’ Aidan’s terror at the sight of Greidawl had given way to indignation. He was ashamed at the cowardice of his brothers and countrymen. ‘You die every day you hear that beast insult our armies, mock our King, and blaspheme the One God. You die everyday you submit to a slavery that has been imposed on you without a fight.”While we know how this situation resolves itself, I can assure you that Rogers makes the reading worthwhile. His description of the next twenty-four hours, Aidan’s conversations with key characters, and the actual battle scene are all very entertaining.Before Aidan arrived at the camp, however, Rogers sent him deep into the swamp. What Aidan finds there, or rather who he discovers, is a sample of pretty fantastic storytelling. Drawing from what he knows, Rogers created a race of people who sound like Southerners, live in the swamps, and would probably make Flannery O’Connor belly laugh. The Feechies have a rich culture and tradition, and their race adds a deeply interesting layer to this story.When Aidan defeats the giant, things do not resolve automatically. Prythens have no honor. And so, the defeat of Greidawl is just the first act in a 3 part symphony of war. The cunning Prythens have some military advantages that are a complete shock to the Corenwalders. The need to rethink their battle plan allows for another fascinating twist in this story.Oh, the miners brave of Greasy Cave,They did not think it oddTo make their way beneath the clayWhere human foot has never trod.Fol de rol de rol de fol de rol de rolDe fol de rol de fiddely fol de rol.Oh, the miners brave of Greasy Cave,Come out the other side.They braved the gloom, they challenged doom.They made an end to Prythen pride.Fol de rol de rol de fol de rol de rolDe fol de rol de fiddely fol de rol.One of the things that I most appreciate about this series of stories is how vividly Rogers has drawn the landscape of Corenwald. This island is a place of astounding beauty. A little bit like Tolkien’s Middle Earth, the medieval cities are familiar, the pastoral farms feel like the Shire, the lush swamp and river areas remind you of a hot and sticky August camping trip, the battlefield seems to be right out of Arthurian legend, and the underground mines had me looking for goblins and Curdie. While Rogers probably drew this landscape from the gorgeous examples he lives with in Georgia, the beauty and complexity of the land are palpable to all of us, thanks to his elegant descriptions.This story is high adventure, has complex heroes, is written beautifully, contains songs and poetry, and is steeped in biblical wisdom. We are reading this series aloud as a family. My children are 6, almost 8, and 10. There is nothing in this story that is inappropriate for young children. If being read independently, however, the language and sentence structure is sufficiently complex to make this most suitable for confident readers. Warning: you may end up with some good natured Feechie brawls and little boys who simply must learn how to tree-walk.

Three cheers for Jonathan Rogers and Broadman and Holman.Where to begin my praise for this book?First of all there is a boy who is all boy--rough and tumble and longing for adventure. This is a boy who calls to our innermost beings, urging us to be good and noble and true without being stodgy and stiff and stuck-up. Aidan delights us with his humility, his appetite for fun, his courage, and his steadfast devotion to God and King.Add to the mix a wild feechie boy--I won't even try to describe him because I can't do him justice. But you are sorely missing out if you don't buy this book and get acquainted with Dobro Turtlebane.The pace never stills, the story never lags, and the children never stop begging for "just one more" chapter when you read it aloud.And the children's plea is mine, also. "More, please, Mr. Rogers." I want to go back to the swamps and do some fishing and feasting. I want to follow Aidan to the caves as he flees from his king. I look forward to an honorable, deep love between Aidan and the king's son (I'm thinking Smike and Nicholas Nickleby).I can't wait to see where this talented writer takes us next. What relationships will be forged, what sacrifices will be made, what honorable service will be rendered, all while we are romping through Aidan's world and laughing with him and loving him?Not only was the story enthralling and the prose superb, the book came out in hardback with a well-thought-out cover design. Good for Broadman and Holman. The paper quality, the printing, and the pictures were still substandard but those are minor irritations considering the huge leap that this book makes in the Christian publishing industry.If you or someone you know loves fantasy, buy this book. You will not be disappointed. Like Harry Potter, this one is going to be loved by adults as well as children.And, no, I've never met the author and I don't work for Broadman and Holman. I just cannot contain my joy at seeing this kind of quality from Christian publishers. Hurray, hurray, hurray. Or perhaps that should read: Haawwweeee!

We used this as our summer read-aloud. It short and easy to read. The kids were invested in the characters from the first chapter. They cheered on the heros and despised the antagonists. It's a book where the characters feel like friends and you can't wait to see what happens next. My 11 year old son was disappointed when the story was over. Once he realized it was a trilogy, he demanded we purchase, and get started on, the 2nd book.

We own the paperbacks as well as the audiobook, but I would highly recommend listening to this on audio as a family. The author, who also narrates the recording, adds so much personality and life to the story when he reads it. We've listened to a lot of audiobooks on long road trips over the years and never has one captured the hearts of everyone in the family, including my husband. Great writing, adventure, laughs, truth-seeking and honorable main characters and a story that moves at a perfect pace. I really don't understand why this isn't at the very top of all kids' book lists. Do yourself a favor and just listen to it! We've listened to it several times and still love it!

We will read this as a family very very soon. Though a simple retelling of an old story, this book gives personality, life, and depth to the story of David.

This is a great book for children emphasizing values, encouraging one to stand by the virtues ,all wrapped in a fantasy world.

Fantastic story! My 10 year old said this series is one of his all time favourites and plays “feetchie” with his friends.

I was looking for a book collection on the line of the Chronicles of Narnia for my 9yrs. old daughter (she is an avid reader) and this is just perfect. She loved it and has read the whole collection.

This is a great book for kids and families! Our kids are 11 and 13 and they really enjoyed it. Cool to see the similarities with the story of David from the Bible (even though this was a fictional story).We are looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

This book might be King David meets King Arthur meets Little House on the Prairie. With one major exception: this book has zero female characters. Exciting and intense, but not too fast paced. Lots of heart. Something I’ll gladly pass on to my 7 year old to read. ...I will be curious to see what the women are like when they come in, in future books...