The Woodcutter

By: Kate Danley

Narrated by: Sarah Coomes

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Deep within the Wood, a young woman lies dead. Not a mark on her body. No trace of her murderer. Only her chipped glass slippers hint at her identity.

The Woodcutter, keeper of the peace between the Twelve Kingdoms of Man and the Realm of the Faerie, must find the maiden’s killer before others share her fate. Guided by the wind and aided by three charmed axes won from the River God, the Woodcutter begins his hunt, searching for clues in the whispering dominions of the enchanted unknown.

But quickly he finds that one murdered maiden is not the only nefarious mystery afoot: one of Odin’s hellhounds has escaped, a pixie-dust drug trade runs rampant, and more young girls go missing. Looming in the shadows is a malevolent, power-hungry queen, and she will stop at nothing to destroy the Twelve Kingdoms and annihilate the Royal Fae…unless the Woodcutter can outmaneuver her and save the gentle souls of the Wood.

©2012 Kate Danley (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

SARAH COOMES is AMAZING

What did you like best about this story?

Sarah Coomes.

What does Sarah Coomes bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her pauses, anguished tones, she made the Woodcutter seem like a real man not a country dolt.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did.

a fairytale story for adults

a very unique take on classic fairytales all combined into one world. perfect for adults or teens.

Great reading, decent story.

My feelings about this books are a bit mixed. First and foremost, the reader is incredibly talented! I give her credit for most of the enjoyment I found in this tale. As for the story itself, it has its ups and downs. The style is quite poetic and expressive -- very beautiful prose. The beginning sets the tone for a dark, gritty, mature rehashing of familiar fairytales that I found captivating. Unfortunately, that tone was not upheld throughout the story. The bulk of the book is written in classic fairytale style, which feels far more childish than what the introduction sets the listener up for. This, in conjunction with poor pacing, injures an otherwise brilliant concept. The author succeeds in creating an intricate, intriguing world of magic and lore. However, this lore isn't revealed until several chapters in, leaving the listener in utter confusion for some of the best parts of the story. The author then drags the Woodcutter through a series of diversions strung together by a very loose connection with the overarching plot, side missions that draw on for far too long and that are often solved by an overabundance of deus ex machina in a world where magic apparently has no rules or restrictions. Sometimes, the story felt like it would never end. I lost interest half way through. The only thing that drew me back, and saved this book from a worse rating from me, was the beautiful ending, which was as well-written as the beginning.

All in all, this was a decent read. I wish the story was better executed, but at least the reader kept things interesting. I'd recommend this book, but only with a fair warning: it isn't what it seems from the start.

Fairytales Retold in Clever Detail

I absolutely LOVE this book! Admittedly, I am a sucker for the most brutal fairytales and folk stories, but this retelling is truly clever and takes the stories in a new direction. We all know the Woodcutter from our childhood stories; however, you don't know him like this!

enjoyable story well performed

I enjoyed the book, its the type of book I like with fantasy and magic. I do feel like the author tried to cram too many fairy tales in at once, left some things a bit muddled for me. so while I feel it was enjoyable certain things could have been edited to reduce the amount of stories present.

Fantastical

Kate Danley is a remarkable voice actor and really draws you into the story with her various voices and well portrayed emotions. I loved reading this book along with the audio. It was amazing.

Always in Time

So, many familiar characters told in a light to shed upon our current crises. Well done.

over all a fun listen

The way fairy tales show up in this story was cute... It was a rambling story and full of people so you needed to keep your mind on the story or you would get lost.

ReaderCutter

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

if you don't fancy yourself a critic ... and like the idea of hearing fairy tales again...then a clever rambling story combined with a terrific narrator made this a favorite listen ... and not at all ironically, great to fall asleep to !

Who was your favorite character and why?

the narrator

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no

Amazing!

Riveting story and amazing performance! They best narrating I've heard yet! And what a fun take on the classics!