No Clock in the Forest
Rating: * * * *
In the tradition of the Narnia Chronicles, No Clock in the Forest is the best-written novel in the English language since Mark Helprin’s Winter’s Tale. Set in a vividly-depicted Pacific Northwest, William, followed by Lance and Gwen, become lost on hikes in the mountains and find the wilderness about them strangely changed, wilder, and full of unsuspected magic. The Muses dwell here, as do the fair folk and talking marmots. An ancient struggle between good and evil is coming to a head.
Prof. Willis paints with his prose and wields historical and Arthurian allusions with a deftness not seen since Milton. The adult reader will enjoy insights that may be over-looked by the juvenile, who will nonetheless love this book.
– Review on Amazon.com
Paul Willis possesses an uncanny ability to chart the dangers that lie within us.
– Jeanne Murray Walker
It might just be because I haven’t had much experience in the Christian fantasy realm (except, of course, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien) but No Clock in the Forest was surprisingly entertaining and fantastical, written in the style of past Christian fantasy writers. Everything, from setting to character to stylistic writing, is done with symbolism and meaning – all of it is not overbearing in the least.
The speaking marmots, the evil Lady Lira, the ice axe rising from the water in the hand of a beautiful woman – all of it works perfectly to bring Willis’ story to teeming life. It would be amiss, though, to compare Willis’ story with that of C. S. Lewis’. The Chronicles of Narnia had a uniquely magical touch to it through its encompassing involvement of wondrous children. Willis has no real children involved in his story, no innocent beings exploring a magically new world. Willis’ story, instead, is grounded in adults and realism, in a world where the fantastical and the painfully realistic meld together into what is.
If you are at all interested in Christian fantasy or even want to check out a novel that’s written with the imagery and imagination of C. S. Lewis yet reads incredibly easily, you’ll definitely want to check out No Clock in the Forest.
Recommended.
& ElizabethC
The Jane Austen Book Club was the most surprising book out of this batch. While I love Pride & Prejudice, the rest of Austen’s books just terrified me – I thoroughly disliked Emma the few times I read it, but Fowler makes me want to go back and have another go. I think I might even like Fowler’s book so much that I’m going to watch the movie version. [And what I didn’t notice from my cover of the book (different from the version here) was that Emily Blunt is in the movie. Huh. She plays Prudie, which would be very interesting to see. Prudie’s parallel book was Mansfield Park, if that gives you any hints about what her character’s like.] Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones, commented, “If I could eat this book, I would.” My sentiments exactly.
OutCast: The Un-Magician was a soothing read, welcome between some of the harsher, more realistic novels of the week. Timothy was actually an interesting, likeable character, though I suppose a bit more character development could have been welcome. I’ve ordered the second in this series, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Timothy grows along with the books and whether things continue to be as uniquely grasping as the first installment turned out to be.
Most interesting of the books was The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, which pleasantly turned out to be much more than I expected. Most surprising of them was The Book of the City of Ladies because of its awesome subject matter – praise for women in light of men’s historical abuse of them in their writings. I seriously haven’t read anything like it before and it’s so very inspiring to read these all the stories of heroic, intelligent, amazing historical women. And most comforting was, of course, Animorphs, because I really, really, really loved the books as a kid. And I loved Tobias. And Rachel. It’s seriously the best trip down memory lane, and I’m discovering all over again why it was such a memorable series for me. I obviously haven’t been able to keep that commitment of just 5 of the books per week, but…they are so addicting.
rooms in the palace, and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly’s Dust, and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and she develops magical powers she can’t control. Her life’s at stake again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear!
long ago. Although she has gained her freedom, she can’t help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways, and her newfound friends and relatives don’t think it’s for the better. Despite the turmoil, she’s eager to start her magical training. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia’s throne for a lost prince, and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians. If that wasn’t bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with her new enemies.
will corrupt her, the Council debates her fate. Yelena, though is trying to keep Sitia and Ixia from going to war. In the middle of political wrangling, Yelena receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by Ferde, the Soulstealer who murdered eleven girls and has escaped from prison with Cahil Ixia’s help. Cahil believes if he joins with the new Daviian Clan, he will have enough support to regain the Ixian throne. Testing the limit of her skills, Yelena becomes embroiled in the desperate fight to stop Ferde and the Daviian Clan from siphoning enough power to unleash a Fire Warper on the world. That would be worst than war between the northern and southern lands. Especially since, of all the powers Yelena possesses, she couldn’t set fire to a candle wick if her life depended on it. And there is more at stake than just her life.
shows up and asks her to come away with him, she readily agrees. The bear takes Rose to a distant castle, where each night she is confronted with a mystery. In solving that mystery, she finds love, discovers her purpose, and realizes her travels have only just begun.
marriage her father has planned for her. On her wedding day, she impulsively flees to the vast, empty marshes outside the city walls, where she meets a young man named Abram, son of a tribe of outsiders. Drawn to this exotic stranger, Sarah spends one night with him and reluctantly returns to her father’s house. But on her return, she secretly drinks a poisonous potion that will make her barren and thus unfit for marriage.
no clock in the forest by paul j. willis | the probable future by alice hoffman | stones from the river by ursula hegi | the file on devlin by catherine gaskin | the jane austen book club by karen joy fowler | hush, little baby by katharine davies
ancestral home on the starkly beautiful Newfoundland coast, where a rich cast of local characters all play a part in Quoyle’s struggle to reclaim his life. As three generations of his family cobble up new lives, Quoyle confronts his private demons – and the unpredictable forces of nature and society – and begins to see the possibility of love without pain or misery.
Book 1 – Magic Steps: In Emelan, Sandry finds a rare dance mage who is unwilling to accept his power due to family heritage and must convince him to train his magic, at the same time helping her great-uncle to solve the puzzling mystery of a series of clan murders.
Book 2 – Street Magic: In Chammur, Briar finds a street girl with magical rock powers. But in a land of gangs, no mage is safe. Evvy is tracked down by a dangerous gang called the Vipers, and Briar must balance his new respectable life with his old street life while stopping the gangs.
Book 3 – Cold Fire: In Namorn, Daja finds twin mages, each specializing in a different housework power. Daja, fortunately, does not have to teach them their powers, just how to sit straight long enough to concentrate on meditation. But when you put a hyperactive girl and a shy one together, nothing works. On top of all this, Daja must stop an insane arsonist from wiping out the city.
Book 4 – Shatterglass: In Tharios, Tris meets a glass mage with a dangerous power: lightning. A twenty-year-old man just as stubborn as Tris, Kethlun won’t accept Tris or any of her teachings. But when Kethlun’s closest friends and a whole occupation is suddenly attacked, Keth and Tris must work together in a land where no tracking is possible.
are deemed sorceresses, when Renaissance France is torn by ruthless political intrigues, and all are held in thrall to the sinister ambitions of Queen Catherine de Medici. Then a wounded stranger arrives on Faire Isle, bearing a secret the Dark Queen will do everything in her power to possess. The only person Ariane can turn to is the comte de Renard, a nobleman with fiery determination and a past as mysterious as his own unusual gifts.
e x t e n s i v e | r e a d i n g 