Escape from Wolfhaven Castle (The Impossible Quest #1) by Kate Forsyth

Title: Escape from Wolfhaven Castle (The Impossible Quest #1)

Author: Kate Forsyth

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 1st September 2014

Format: Paperback

Pages: 185

Price: $14.99

Synopsis: Tell your lord to beware, the wolves smell danger in the wind…’

Wolfhaven Castle has been attacked, and only four escape capture… Tom, trained to scrub pots, not fight; Elanor, the lord’s daughter; Sebastian, a knight in training; and Quinn, the witch’s apprentice. Somehow, if they are to save their people, these unlikely heroes must find four magical beasts from legend. But first, they have to make it out of the castle alive…

~*~

Wolfhaven is for now, peaceful. Lord Wolfgang rules over the land from Wolfhaven. Yet whilst out collecting for the kitchens, Tom is given a warning by a wild man about coming danger. When he gives the warning in the lead up to a big dinner, he is ignored. It is only a few weeks later, when the castle is attacked, that Tom is believed. He manages to escape the castle, along with Quinn, the witch’s apprentice, Sebastian, a knight-in-training and Elanor, the daughter of Lord Wolfgang.

Together, they must awaken the four sleeping heroes they are told about by Arwen and find a way to save Wolfhaven from invaders and captors, who appear to have been planning this for a while are seeking to gain control of the entire realm.

Kate Forsyth has created a magical world of adventure, mystery and quests – a backbone of many of her novels for adults and children, and each quest takes a different shape. Here, four young heroes, aged around twelve to thirteen, must journey across a dangerous land with dangerous people after them to save Elanor’s home. Arwen has gifted each member of the Wolfhaven Four a magical item to help them on their journey, where they will need to work together – which Quinn, Tom and Elanor seem willing to do, yet Sebastian at first is uncertain, though I am sure he will come around eventually.

I loved that each character had their own distinct background and personality that will evolve across the series and contribute to what is to come and the forthcoming quest. The story has a good pace, and keeps the interest of the reader in Kate’s familiar and delightful lyrical style that flows like a river through each of her books, dipping when it needs to for moments of calm or peace, or leading towards cliff-hangers that lead into the next chapter, part or next book, and The Impossible Quest is no exception, and is filled with excitement.

It is good for all ages, and can be read alone, or with someone, and pulls together four very different heroes from different backgrounds and skills to go on this quest. As I continue to read the series, I am eager to see where they go, and how the characters develop across the series. Like many of Kate’s stories, she has crafted this in a genius way and knows when to reveal something, and when to hold it back. It is the mark of a master storyteller when a novel or series has such strengths that it has readers coming back again and again to uncover new things or to just enjoy the story again. Kate Forsyth is one of my go-to authors for any time, and I love everything she creates.