The Battle of Marvel Wood – Jim Bates

Published By: Impspired
Pages: 147
Released On: 14/07/2023

When Zylan and his band of poachers invade the realm and start hunting unicorns, gamekeeper Yonell and his twelve-year-old daughter Ayla are on the alert to protect them. However, in a skirmish with two of Zylan’s men, Yonell is captured along with Snowflake, the youngest unicorn in the family. The prisoners are strapped to horses and taken by Zylan and his band to their stronghold deep in the mountains to meet their fate.

Ayla is bereft, but Hollendur, the matriarchal leader of the unicorns who is also Snowflake’s mother, will have nothing with the young girl feeling sorry for herself. She implores Ayla to join her, her husband Anon, and the rest of the unicorn family in pursuit of the poachers by telling her that it is the only way to save her father. Ayla snaps out of her depression and readily agrees.

Meanwhile, Yonell has befriended Zylan’s son Arronde, a kind-hearted young man who loves animals and is aghast at the evil ways of his bully father. Together they care for the frightened Snowflake and a bond forms between all three of them.

When Anon sees that the poachers are heading for the mountains, he concocts a plan. But will Ayla and the band of unicorns be in time to save Yonell and Snowflake? They must hurry to Marvel Wood to confront the thieves before it is too late.

*****

Thanks to Jim for sending me a copy of his novella in return for an honest review. I did explain to him that I might not get to it straight away because I had a long TBR list, but at 147 pages, it’s the perfect in-between read. Long enough to get stuck into, but short enough not to feel too drawn out.

It’s a short book, but for me, it shows the importance of magic and fairy tales and storytelling, of friendship and family, love and respect and kindness to animals and those different from ourselves. It also shows what can happen when power is in the wrong hands.

Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I don’t think I am. That is exactly what this herd of unicorns represents for me. It’s a battle of perseverance, a fight between good and evil, about how far you’d go to save your kin.

My sweet spot with a book is about 350 pages. Too much below and I can’t get involved or feel connected, too long and I get bored. And yet my favourite book of all time – A Christmas Carol – is a novella at around 100 pages. Which is the exception to my rule. And I’d say this is too. It gets straight in, you know who and what you’re dealing with within the first two chapters, what’s at risk and there’s no faffing. You’re straight into the action.

I don’t know who it is aimed at, age wise, but my instinct is young adults, teens maybe. It’s clear and simple and easy to read for younger readers, but has enough heart for older children or adults to enjoy and appreciate.

There’s little time to explore the characters in much depth but I didn’t feel short changed. Whether hero or villain or unicorn, they’re all clearly their own character with their own likes and dislikes, wants and hatreds. You see how they all work off each other, and I like that he has anthropomorphised the unicorns so they become equal to the human characters. It works really well.