Product Description

In this astonishing final part of Steve Augarde's captivating trilogy, past and present are connected and the interwoven threads lead to an astonishing series of revelations. Midge's discovery of the hidden tribes is like a dream to her now, their existence all but forgotten - but then a voice calls out to her in the winter darkness. The Various have returned, and their desperation has made them all the more dangerous. They must travel to Elysse or perish. The only way that Midge can help the little people is by tracing the whereabouts of her great-great-aunt Celandine. But Celandine must be long dead, surely? A story of danger and magic, friendships and betrayals, this is fantasy writing at its very best.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #168750 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 512 pages

From the Inside Flap
Our time has almost come, and we must leave this world and travel to Elysse. If we stay longer we shall perish . . .

Life is changing for Midge, and she has little time to think about the extraordinary events of last summer. Her discovery of the hidden tribes is like a dream to her now, their existence all but forgotten.

But the voice that calls out to her in the winter darkness one night is real enough and the hand that comes rapping against her bedroom window cannot be ignored. This no dream. The Various have returned, and their desperation has made them all the more dangerous . . .

The only way that Midge can help the little people is by tracing the whereabouts of her great-great-aunt Celandine. But Celandine must be long dead, surely?

In this final part of Steve Augarde's enthralling trilogy, we see how the past and present are connected, the interwoven threads drawing the reader on towards an astonishing series of revelations. A story of danger and magic, friendships and betrayals, this is fantasy writing at it's very best.

From the Back Cover
Our time has almost come, and we must leave this world and travel to Elysse. If we stay longer we shall perish . . .
Life is changing for Midge, and she has little time to think about the extraordinary events of last summer. Her discovery of the hidden tribes is like a dream to her now, their existence all but forgotten.
But the voice that calls out to her in the winter darkness one night is real enough and the hand that comes rapping against her bedroom window cannot be ignored. This no dream. The Various have returned, and their desperation has made them all the more dangerous . . .
The only way that Midge can help the little people is by tracing the whereabouts of her great-great-aunt Celandine. But Celandine must be long dead, surely?
In this final part of Steve Augarde's enthralling trilogy, we see how the past and present are connected, the interwoven threads drawing the reader on towards an astonishing series of revelations. A story of danger and magic, friendships and betrayals, this is fantasy writing at its very best.

About the Author
Steve Augarde was born in Birmingham, but spent most of his life in the West Country, working as an illustrator, paper-engineer, and semi-pro jazz musician. He has written and illustrated over 70 picture books for younger children, and has produced the paper-engineering for many pop-up books, including those by other artists - as well as providing the artwork and music for two animated BBC television series. Steve is married with two daughters and lives in Yorkshire.

Customer Reviews

Awesome!
The final adventure in this awesome trilogy about the Various, a tribe of little people who live in a hidden woodland. In order to return safely home they are in urgent need of Celandine. But no one knows where she is or even if she is still alive. They call on Midge to try and find her and the missing Orbis that will help them return to their real home. Celandine had been given the Orbis so that it could be hidden from the Ickri, an aggressive tribe of little people who were intent on ruling over all the tribes, but all of this happened 90 years ago. All of their hopes for survival are on Midge being able to find Celadine and ultimately reunite them with their Orbis. Only then will the Various be able to continue their travels to their homeland. Will Midge be able to find Celandine? Will she still have the Orbis? Read the book and find out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

A must for all readers
Well, I'd better say it right from the start - I became a fan of Mr. Augarde's once I had read "The Various". In an age of "bigger is better", it was refreshing to read such a delicately crafted, intimate story, but one that kept me up all night waiting to see what would happen next. "Celandine" followed a couple of years later, and did NOT disappoint! Part fairy story, part "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", it had me laughing and crying in turns. And now, with the publication of "Winter Wood", Steve has beautifully brought the two "worlds" - the world of Midge and the world of Celandine - together.

What a beautifully written book. I was captivated by the humanity of the characters, and like most of the other reviewers, was sad to see the trilogy end. It seems obvious that Mr. Augarde knew where he was going with the story right from the first book, and the glimpses that Midge has of Celandine (and vice versa) are finally explained in this third book. We also learn the destinies and histories of some of the most beloved characters from the first two books: Maven the Green, Scurl (remember him?) and, of course, Little-Marten & Henty. Please, Mr. Augarde, tell us this is not the last we'll hear of Little-Marten & Henty!!

But this is more than simply a children's story: like all great writers, Steve has created a world that will appeal to adults as well, for Augarde's world is a world of love and betrayal, of power struggles and sacrifices - and, perhaps most importantly, of hope. In short, it is a world very much like our own, and we see ourselves in many of the Various.

If you've exhausted all the hyped children's books of the last decade, why not give "The Various Trilogy" a try? You'll be glad you did.

Winter Wood - the finale
Steve Augarde's Winter Wood is the third and final part of his highly acclaimed Touchstone Trilogy. Nearly four and a half years after the publication of The Various, this book answers all the questions raised in the first two books....and more besides.

The book returns to Midge at Mill Farm whose experiences with The Various seem a distant memory to her now. It gathers pace from the beginning as The Various finally decide that they must leave the world of the Gorji and return to Elysse. But to do this, they need to bring together the Touchstone, currently in their possession and the Orbis, which was given to Celandine for safe keeping many years before. The tapping on Midge's bedroom window in the night heralds the start of her contact with The Various once more. They need her help and they are risking everything to get it.

Midge has to trace her great aunt Celandine and find the Orbis. We are swept along with her as revelation follows disappointment, follows discovery, follows adventure, follows triumph and the Orbis is finally reunited with the Touchstone.

Remember Maven the Green? Remember Scurl? Winter Wood races to it's conclusion, tugging at the reader's memory as everything drops into place and old faces return in a new and revealing light. Events in the earlier books weave together with events in Winter Wood and by the end of the book, the picture is complete.

Is this really the last we will hear of The Various? The epilogue leaves it open, but only one person knows for sure!

This is an excellent trilogy and a must for readers of all ages.