Spirit of the Wood (Green Rider)

by Kristen Britain

This short novel set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Green Rider series tells the backstory of fan-favorite character Laren Mapstone

Perfect for longtime Green Rider fans eager for more of the world or new readers discovering the realm of Sacoridia for the first time, this action-packed, feminist fantasy is a must-read for lovers of the genre.

After years of leading the battle against the vicious Darrow Raiders, Lieutenant-Rider Laren Mapstone has built a fortress around herself to conceal her emotions and the deep scars she carries. When she is made mentor to Tavin Bankside, a Green Rider trainee on his first message errand, her cold and brooding exterior quickly earns her the moniker the “Ice Lady.”

Only after Laren is severely wounded in an attack on the North Road by a gang of bandits—including some former Darrow Raiders with vengeance on their minds—do the fortress walls fall. Even as they seek refuge from danger in a Rider waystation, Tavin’s natural empathic gift leaves him vulnerable to the assault of the lieutenant’s emotions. Tavin must save Lieutenant Mapstone’s life and master his empathic gift before it destroys them both.

However, an ancient power lurks deep within the Green Cloak, and its aid or hindrance could mean survival for the Riders or the downfall of Sacoridia and all the free lands.

• ISBN10: 0756418712
• ISBN13: 9780756418717
• Publish Date: 7 November 2023
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: DAW Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 208
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780756418717

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Spirit of the Wood is a short novel length book in the Green Rider series by Kristen Britain. Released 7th Nov 2023 by Astra on their DAW imprint, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Distributed by Penguin Random House in the USA. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

This is a prequel/backstory for the Lauren Mapstone character in the main series. As always, the author does a masterful job with characterization, and the characters really live and breathe. Oddly, Lauren spends most of the book near death, fighting her own internal trauma, and has very little power to act, which doesn't really square with the idea of a strong feminist story. 

As a tribute to the author's talent with atmospheric prose, there's a surprising amount of tension and threat in the plot, especially given that this is a prequel of a character who readers *know* is alive in the main series, almost 20 years in the future. 

Four stars. It doesn't work as well as a standalone, and will likely appeal most to fans of the extant series. Still, it's well written (as always), engaging, and worthwhile.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.