{"id":2240,"date":"2009-08-19T01:12:36","date_gmt":"2009-08-19T06:12:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=2240"},"modified":"2009-08-18T23:14:46","modified_gmt":"2009-08-19T04:14:46","slug":"north-or-be-eaten-by-andrew-peterson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=2240","title":{"rendered":"North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n
Andrew Peterson<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

North! Or Be Eaten<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

WaterBrook Press (August 18, 2009)<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Andrew Peterson is the author of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and The Ballad of Matthew\u2019s Begats. He\u2019s also the critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter and recording artist of ten albums, including Resurrection Letters II. He and his wife, Jamie, live with their two sons and one daughter in The Warren near Nashville, Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s websites:<\/p>\n

andrew-peterson.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The Rabbit Room<\/a><\/p>\n

The Wingfeather Saga Online<\/a><\/p>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $13.99
\nPaperback: 352 pages
\nPublisher: WaterBrook Press (August 18, 2009)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 1400073871
\nISBN-13: 978-1400073870<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Lone Fendril<\/p>\n

TOOOOTHY COW!\u201d bellowed Podo as he whacked a stick against the nearest glipwood tree. The old pirate\u2019s eyes blazed, and he stood at the base of the tree like a ship\u2019s captain at the mast. \u201cToothy cow! Quick! Into the tree house!\u201d<\/p>\n

Not far away, an arrow whizzed through some hanging moss and thudded into a plank of wood decorated with a charcoal drawing of a snarling Fang. The arrow protruded from the Fang\u2019s mouth, the shaft still vibrating from the impact. Tink lowered his bow, squinted to see if he had hit the target, and completely ignored his grandfather.<\/p>\n

\u201cTOOOOOTHY\u2014oy! That\u2019s a fine shot, lad\u2014COW!\u201d<\/p>\n

Podo whacked the tree as Nia hurried up the rope ladder that led to the trapdoor in the floor of Peet the Sock Man\u2019s tree house. A sock-covered hand reached down and pulled Nia up through the opening.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Artham,\u201d she said, still holding his hand. She looked him in the eye and raised her chin, waiting for him to answer.<\/p>\n

Peet the Sock Man, whose real name was Artham P. Wingfeather, looked back at her and gulped. One of his eyes twitched. He looked like he wanted to flee, as he always did when she called him by his first name, but Nia didn\u2019t let go of his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cY-y-you\u2019re welcome\u2026Nia.\u201d Every word was an effort, especially her name, but he sounded less crazy than he used to be. Only a week earlier, the mention of the name<\/p>\n

\u201cArtham\u201d sent him into a frenzy\u2014he would scream, shimmy down the rope ladder, and disappear into the forest for hours. Nia released his hand and peered down through the opening in the floor at her father, who still banged on the tree and bellowed about the impending onslaught of toothy cows.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Tink!\u201d Janner said.<\/p>\n

A quiver of arrows rattled under one arm as he ran toward Leeli, who sat astride her dog, Nugget. Nugget, whose horselike size made him as dangerous as any toothy cow in the forest, panted and wagged his tail. Tink reluctantly dropped his bow and followed, eying the forest for signs of toothy cows. The brothers helped a wide-eyed Leeli down from her dog, and the three of them rushed to the ladder.<\/p>\n

\u201cCOWS, COWS, COWS!\u201d Podo howled. Janner followed Tink and Leeli up the ladder. When they were all safely inside, Podo heaved himself through the opening and latched the trapdoor shut.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot bad,\u201d Podo said, looking pleased with himself. \u201cJanner, next time you\u2019ll want to move yer brother and sister along a little faster. Had there been a real cow upon us, ye might not have had time to get \u2019em to the ladder before them slobbery teeth started tearin\u2019 yer tender flesh\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa, really,\u201d Nia said.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014and rippin\u2019 it from yer bones,\u201d he continued. \u201cIf Tink\u2019s too stubborn to drop what he\u2019s doin\u2019, Janner, it falls to you to find a way to persuade him, you hear?\u201d Janner\u2019s cheeks burned, and he fought the urge to defend himself. The toothy cow drills had been a daily occurrence since their arrival at Peet\u2019s tree house, and the children had gradually stopped shrieking with panic whenever Podo\u2019s hollers disturbed the otherwise quiet wood.<\/p>\n

Since Janner had learned he was a Throne Warden, he had tried to take his responsibility to protect the king seriously. His mother\u2019s stories about Peet\u2019s dashing reputation as a Throne Warden in Anniera made Janner proud of the ancient tradition of which he was a part.1 The trouble was that he was supposed to protect his younger brother, Tink, who happened to be the High King. It wasn\u2019t that Janner was jealous; he had no wish to rule anything. But sometimes it felt odd that his skinny, reckless brother was, of all things, a king, much less the king of the fabled Shining Isle of Anniera.<\/p>\n

Janner stared out the window at the forest as Podo droned on, telling him about his responsibility to protect his brother, about the many dangers of Glipwood Forest, about what Janner should have done differently during this most recent cow drill. Janner missed his home. In the days after they fled the town of Glipwood and arrived at Peet\u2019s castle, Janner\u2019s sense of adventure was wide awake. He thrilled at the thought of the long journey to the Ice Prairies, so excited he could scarcely sleep.<\/p>\n

1. In Anniera the second born, not the first, is heir to the throne. The eldest child is a Throne Warden, charged with the honor and responsibility of protecting the king above all others. Though this creates much confusion among ordinary children who one day discover that they are in fact the royal family living in exile (see On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness), for ages the Annierans found it to be a good system. The king was never without a protector, and the Throne Warden held a place of great honor in the kingdom.<\/p>\n

When he did sleep, he dreamed of wide sweeps of snow under stars so sharp and<\/p>\n

bright they would draw blood at a touch.<\/p>\n

But weeks had passed\u2014he didn\u2019t know how many\u2014and his sense of adventure was fast asleep. He missed the rhythm of life at the cottage. He missed the hot meals, the slow change of the land as the seasons turned, and the family of birds that nested in the crook above the door where he, Tink, and Leeli would inspect the tiny blue eggs each morning and each night, then the chicks, and then one day they would look in sad wonder at the empty nest and ask themselves where the birds had gone. But those days had passed away as sure as the summer, and whether he liked it or not, home was no longer the cottage. It wasn\u2019t Peet\u2019s tree house, either. He wasn\u2019t sure he had a home anymore.<\/p>\n

Podo kept talking, and Janner felt again that hot frustration in his chest when told things he already knew. But he held his tongue. Grownups couldn\u2019t help it. Podo and his mother would hammer a lesson into his twelve-year-old head until he felt beaten silly, and there was no point fighting it. He sensed Podo\u2019s rant coming to an end and forced himself to listen.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026this is a dangerous place, this forest, and many a man has been gobbled up by some critter because he weren\u2019t paying close enough attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Janner said as respectfully as possible. Podo grinned at him and winked, and Janner smiled back in spite of himself. It occurred to him that Podo knew exactly what he\u2019d been thinking.<\/p>\n

Podo turned to Tink. \u201cA truly fine shot, boy, and the drawing of the Fang on that board is fine work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Grandpa,\u201d Tink said. His stomach growled. \u201cWhen can we eat breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, lad,\u201d Podo said. He lowered his bushy eyebrows and leveled a formidable glare at Tink. \u201cWhen yer brother tells ye to come, you drop what yer doin\u2019 like it\u2019s on fire.\u201d Tink gulped. \u201cYou follow that boy over the cliffs and into the Dark Sea if he tells you to. Yer the High King, which means ye\u2019ve got to start thinkin\u2019 of more than yerself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Janner\u2019s irritation drained away, as did the color in Tink\u2019s face. He liked not being the only one in trouble, though he felt a little ashamed at the pleasure he took in watching Tink squirm.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Tink said. Podo stared at him so long that he repeated, \u201cYes sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou okay, lass?\u201d Podo turned with a smile to Leeli. She nodded and pushed some of her wavy hair behind one ear. \u201cGrandpa, when are we leaving?\u201d<\/p>\n

All eyes in the tree house looked at her with surprise. The family had spent weeks in relative peace in the forest, but that unspoken question had grown more and more difficult to avoid as the days passed. They knew they couldn\u2019t stay forever. Gnag the Nameless and the Fangs of Dang still terrorized the land of Skree, and the shadow they cast covered more of Aerwiar with every passing day. It was only a matter of time before that shadow fell again on the Igibys.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to leave soon,\u201d Nia said, looking in the direction of Glipwood. \u201cWhen the leaves fall, we\u2019ll be exposed, won\u2019t we, Artham?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peet jumped a little at his name and rubbed the back of his head with one hand for a moment before he spoke. \u201cCold winter comes, trees go bare, the bridges are easy to see, yes. We should grobably po\u2014probably go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the Ice Prairies?\u201d asked Janner.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d said Nia. \u201cThe Fangs don\u2019t like the cold weather. We\u2019ve all seen how much slower they move in the winter, even here. Hopefully in a place as frozen as the Ice Prairies, the Fangs will be scarce.\u201d<\/p>\n

Podo grunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what you think, and it\u2019s not one of our options,\u201d Nia said flatly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does Grandpa think?\u201d Tink asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s between your grandfather and me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does he think?\u201d Janner pressed, realizing he sounded more like a grownup than usual.<\/p>\n

Nia looked at Janner, trying to decide if she should give him an answer. She had kept so many secrets from the children for so long that it was plain to Janner she still found it difficult to be open with them. But things were different now. Janner knew who he was, who his father was, and had a vague idea what was at stake. He had even noticed his input mattered to his mother and grandfather. Being a Throne Warden\u2014 or at least knowing he was a Throne Warden\u2014had changed the way they regarded him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Nia said, still not sure how much to say.<\/p>\n

Podo decided for her. \u201cI think we need to do more than get to the Ice Prairies and lie low like a family of bumpy digtoads, waitin\u2019 fer things to happen to us. If Oskar was right about there bein\u2019 a whole colony of folks up north what don\u2019t like livin\u2019 under the boot of the Fangs, and if he\u2019s right about them wantin\u2019 to fight, then they don\u2019t need us to gird up and send these Fangs back to Dang with their tails on fire. I say the jewels need to find a ship and go home.\u201d He turned to his daughter. \u201cThink of it, lass! You could sail back across the Dark Sea to Anniera\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean \u2018you\u2019?\u201d Tink asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019,\u201d Podo said with a wave of his hand. \u201cNia, you could go home. Think of it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing left for us there,\u201d Nia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine! Forget Anniera. What about the Hollows? You ain\u2019t seen the Green Hollows in ten years, and for all you know, the Fangs haven\u2019t even set foot there! Yer ma\u2019s family might still be there, thinkin\u2019 you died with the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nia closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. Peet and the children stared at the floor. Janner hadn\u2019t thought about the fact that he might have distant family living in the hills of the Green Hollows across the sea. He agreed with his mother that it seemed foolish to try to make such a journey. First they had to get past the Fangs in Torrboro, then north, over the Stony Mountains to the Ice Prairies. Now Podo was talking about crossing the ocean? Janner wasn\u2019t used to thinking of the world in such terms.<\/p>\n

Nia opened her eyes and spoke. \u201cPapa, there\u2019s nothing for us to do now but find our way north. We don\u2019t need to go across the sea. We don\u2019t need to go back to Anniera. We don\u2019t need to go to the Green Hollows. We need to go north, away from the Fangs. That\u2019s all. Let\u2019s get these children safely to the prairies, and we\u2019ll finish this discussion then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Podo sighed. \u201cAye, lass. Gettin\u2019 there will cause enough trouble of its own.\u201d He fixed an eye on Peet, who stood on his head in the corner. \u201cI suppose you\u2019ll be comin\u2019 with us, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peet gasped and tumbled to the floor, then leapt to his feet and saluted Podo. Leeli giggled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAye sir,\u201d he said, mimicking Podo\u2019s raspy growl. \u201cI\u2019m ready to go when the Featherwigs are ready. Even know how to get to the Icy Prairies. Been there before, long time ago\u2014not much to see but ice and prairies and ice all white and blinding and cold. It\u2019s very cold there. Icy.\u201d Peet took a deep, happy breath and clapped his socked hands together. \u201cAll right! We\u2019re off !\u201d<\/p>\n

He flipped open the trapdoor and leapt through the opening before Podo or the Igibys could stop him. The children hurried to the trapdoor and watched him slide down the rope ladder and march away in a northward direction. From the crook in the giant root system of the tree where he usually slept, Nugget perked up his big, floppy ears without lifting his head from his paws and watched Peet disappear into the forest.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll come back when he realizes we aren\u2019t with him,\u201d Leeli said with a smile. She and Peet spent hours together either reading stories or with him dancing about with great swoops of his socked hands while she played her whistleharp. Leeli\u2019s presence seemed to have a medicinal effect on Peet. When they were together, his jitters ceased, his eyes stopped shifting, and his voice took on a deeper, less strained quality.<\/p>\n

The strong and pleasant sound of it helped Janner believe his mother\u2019s stories about Artham P. Wingfeather\u2019s exploits in Anniera before the Great War. The only negative aspect of Leeli and Peet\u2019s friendship was that it made Podo jealous. Before Peet the Sock Man entered their lives, Podo and Leeli shared a special bond, partly because each of them had only one working leg and partly because of the ancient affection that exists between grandfathers and granddaughters. Nia once told Janner that it was also partly because Leeli looked a lot like her grandmother Wendolyn.<\/p>\n

While the children watched Peet march away, a quick shadow passed over the tree house, followed by a high, pleasant sound, like the ting of a massive bell struck by a tiny hammer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lone fendril,\u201d 2 said Leeli. \u201cTomorrow is the first day of autumn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa,\u201d said Nia.<\/p>\n

\u201cEh?\u201d Podo glared out the window in the direction Peet had gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s time we left,\u201d Nia said.<\/p>\n

Tink and Janner looked at each other and grinned. All homesickness vanished. After weeks of waiting, adventure was upon them.<\/p>\n

2. In Aerwiar, the official last day of summer is heralded by the passing of the lone fendril, a giant golden bird whose wingspan casts entire towns into a thrilling flicker of shade as it circles the planet in a long, ascending spiral. When it reaches the northern pole of Aerwiar, it hibernates until spring, then reverses its journey.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37,8,32,48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-books","category-fantasy","category-youth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2240"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2274,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2240\/revisions\/2274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}