Witches' Forest

Duan Surk, the hero of WITCHES' FOREST, is not at all happy. He's nothing more than a 16-year old adventurer, stuck as a piddly Level 2. His companion is a flying lizard (of course with a golden head of hair) named Check. Duan is starving, stumbling through a forest...yes, the Witches' Forest, which is the domain of two wild and crazy ladies with a vast collection of monsters to do their whim. The two end up finding Olba, the big, burly and uber-handsome warrior who has to come to the rescue on more than one occasion. Olba wants to steal the witches' treasure. Princess Agnis, yet another encountered adventurer, has a major problem with the witches. Olba agrees to help her --- for a price --- and Duan just refuses to be left alone, mostly because he knows he'd never survive. And it's all downhill from there. "Why Being Lost In The Forest Sucks." This is the title of the first chapter. Perhaps when opening the book, it would have done better to roll with it. Instead of a straightforward adventure fantasy or the standard epic tale, WITCHES' FOREST is really no more than a role-playing game or Yu-Gi-Oh card game gone awry and put down on paper. Longtime readers of standard fantasy will cringe at the thought of characters referring to themselves as "Level 2" or any other such obvious game jargon. What works when taking up the adventure of Duan is a shift in interpretation. Instead of taking those things as sub-par writing and translation, the book completely sings when you turn it into a piece of satire. When viewed as a mock-up of the fantasy gaming genre, WITCHES' FOREST becomes a lighthearted romp that will have you chuckling. Our heroes, for lack of a better term, are complete morons. And the witches aren't much brighter. Where else will you find a grand adventurer getting locked in a bathroom? Should you choose to undertake this journey, be sure to leave all designs on epic grandeur at the door. Put on your bunny slippers, make some cocoa, and chuckle as a handful of dim bulbs endeavor to make the world brighter. --- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

Sixteen-year-old Duan Sark is an adventurer; it's all he's ever wanted to be. He would dream about it when he was stuck in bed through his sickly childhood. They let him in the Adventurer's Club, even though he failed the physical test, because he was smart and he had desire. Now it's a year later and he can't seem to get past Level 2, the army seems to have deserted him, he's lost in the forest, and he's starving. His only friend is Check, a baby grinia (sort of like a mini-dragon). Things start to look up for Duan when he encounters Olba, an experienced adventurer and fighter. The last thing Olba wants is a tag-along, but it's looking like he doesn't have much choice. Life gets even more interesting when the two guys run into Agnis, a beautiful seventeen-year-old witch, and her snow leopard K'Nock. Agnis has attitude, a short temper, and an odd habit of fainting. Conveniently, if not happily, Olba's quest and Agnis' mission coincide. The strange group set out to find the witches' castle, in the enchanted forest which is designed to get them lost. Before they can get to the witches, though, they have to get past some crazy obstacles. Not the least of which are themselves. This is a great fantasy adventure that is fun, exciting, and laugh out loud funny. It's written in a way that you can almost see it happening in front of you, like a movie. The characters are real and entertaining, even the small ones. There's even a Mini-Pocket Monster Encyclopedia at the end, complete with pictures. A great book all around, and perfect for transitioning from Manga to novels. Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

Psst, Yu-Gi-Oh fans, get your nose out of those cards. I've got a book for you! You see, this sixteen-year-old Level 2 adventurer named Duan Surk has become lost in this forest where two crazy and colorful witches rule with their demented monsters. Fortunately, Duan has his pet grinia (a flying lizard with a golden mop of hair) along with him and the two eventually meet up with Olba, a strapping hunk of a guy, who by the way has to save Duan's scrawny butt quite a few times. Within no time, Duan, Check the grinia, and Olba meet up with the fiery Princess Agnis and her snow leopard (a big furry white cat). The one thing these three people have in common is that they are all adventurers. But Duan's got inferiority issues. He's a low level adventurer; even Agnis, not an adventurer for long, has a higher scored adventure card than Duan, and Olba's reached such a high a level, Duan worships the man. Since Agnis has a beef with the witches and Olba's on a mission to steal their treasure, Olba agrees to work with the princess, but for a price, and of course Duan wants to go wherever Olba goes. Battling monsters all the way, our young heroes finally make it to the witches' mansion. But, once there, Agnis gets locked in the bathroom, and the boneheads are prowling.... The moment I opened Witches' Forest and saw the first chapter's title, I knew I would love this book. And that title was "Why Being Lost in the Forest Sucks." And, heck yeah, I loved this book. Like the chapter titles, the story bounces along with a light-hearted, good-natured spunk. It's a spunk that makes for a charming atmosphere and will give you a grin long after you've finished the book. I'm still grinning! Where else can you find a book where the heroes and the villains come off as complete dorkwads? Duan's next adventure will take place in The Two-Headed Wizard (to be released next spring). Hmm...I wonder what else is in store for our boy hero. Grade: A+ reviewed by Sherryl King-Wilds [...].