This is a prequel to the green rider series. The book takes place during Laren Mapstone’s early career. It gives many Easter eggs for readers of the green rider series. The story is engaging and feels comforting like visiting an old friend since you know the world and something about the characters. There are also some illustrations of the characters which is a nice touch in the book. As a stand alone it might work as an introduction to the series to give new readers an introduction to the key players and the world. It certainly doesn’t hook as well as the first book but is a good length.

I've been reading the Green Rider series since it came out and I was so thrilled to finally get more of Captain Laren Mapstone's story!

That being said, this was kind of a letdown. Yes, Laren was in the story, but I thought it would be from her point of view for the most part and that the bulk of it would be about her time fighting the Darrow Raiders and her lost love. The story takes place at the end of those events for the most part and it mainly focused on the Green Rider she has accompanying her on the road.

The story itself wasn't bad, and you do learn a bit more about Laren. However, the story isn't what was I expecting and I wanted more from it.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for providing me with this review copy!

Is there anything better than catching up with old friends and learning more about the experiences that shaped them? Spirit of the Wood offers a cozy return to the magical world of the Green Rider series, which is honestly probably one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. This novella takes place before the events of the first book in the series, and takes readers along for the ride of the early years of Colonel Laren Mapstone’s Green Rider career.

Spirit of the Wood showcases Kristen Britain’s unfailing ability to make charmingly eccentric characters and chilling villains. The eponymous wood in question is the returning Green Cloak forest, which has mysterious powers and has played a role in many of the events of the other novels in the series. I feel like the series has really only scratched the surface of the mysteries of the magic in the world and it was thrilling to get another glimpse of one of those enigmas.

“‘Laren Mapstone has some fight left in her,’ Abram said quietly. ‘But it is not endless, which is why you must go to the hermit first thing in the morning.’”

I was most excited about reading about Laren Mapstone before she became the leader of the Green Riders and close advisor to King Zachary. I was a bit disappointed that she wasn’t more of the focus of the novella. While she is a main character, the narrator of the novella is Tavin, a newbie Green Rider who is on his first mission with Laren when she is attacked and gravely wounded. As a result of this injury, Laren spends the majority of The Spirit of the Wood out of commission—unconscious or delirious with fever or just unable to function much.

Admittedly, I did end up liking Tavin a lot and found his personal and Rider abilities interesting. I was also obviously a fan of his loyal and spirited Rider horse, Goose. There are also appearances from other characters known to fans of the series, like the Forester, and Mapstone’s horse, Bluebird, and references to future events and appearances that will whet the appetite of previous and new readers alike. I also really enjoyed seeing the illustrations of the characters and events in Spirit of the Wood, which will be familiar to readers of The Dream Gatherer.

The only thing I did not truly care for in Spirit of the Wood was that future events of the series were somewhat retconned to be affected by the events of the novel. These were not huge changes, but I felt like it affected my view of how the events played out in retrospect. For instance, Laren Mapstone is given hints of Karigan’s arrival and importance « Hide Spoiler and now I have to think that her choices during those events were influenced by the warnings she was given and not just by her own personal choices and agency. I wasn’t the biggest fan of that narrative decision, as I feel like it cheapened a lot of Laren’s personal qualities, and at the same time, her journey in this book to become the leader she is meant to be. How is it indicative of her personal character struggle to overcome if she needs someone to share his glimpse into the future to influence her decisions?

I really don’t even think this character would have shared those insights in the first place, as he fully believed in Laren’s abilities and character. But on the flip side, this development and its impact on future events is, at least for now, easily ignored by readers who, like myself, didn’t really care for its implications. Even if I wasn’t quite taken with these minute details of the ending, the conclusion itself actually made me feel emotional and I found myself choking up upon reading it.

“Sometimes, as gentle and kind as we try to be, even as we celebrate the spirit of the wood and the life within, there is a time that one must go to battle for a greater good.”

I truly love all of the characters and the world of the Green Rider series. Though I am really anxious to return to the present events of the series once more, Spirit of the Wood was a truly satisfying and endearing return to the series, effortlessly displaying author Britain’s one-of-a-kind charm, wit, as well as the hallmarks of the series—intelligent and fiercely loyal horses, forests with plenty of secrets, strong heroines, the power of friendship, and sometimes peculiar magics. I will continue to scoop up any future entries of the series as soon as humanly possible and will be picking up a physical copy of this novella to go with the rest of my Green Rider series.

“The Spirit of the Wood” is a lovely story. Going into this novella, I had no previous knowledge about the Green Rider series or its characters. When I realized it was a prequel I was hesitant to continue reading because I didn’t want to be confused or bored.
That said, the author did a fabulous job of introducing me into the world of the Green Riders. In just a few pages, I was attached to Tavin, and I greatly enjoyed getting to know him as he explores his abilities and discovered his purpose. Reading “the Spirit of the Wood” was cozy and heartwarming - despite some moments of conflict.
The novella was well written and painted the picture of a beautiful world where man and nature live in harmony. I look forward to diving into the rest of the series.

I received this ARC from NetGalley. Thank you to the publishers.

Recommended book which is well-written and will be enoyable fans of the author. Enoyable book and will look forward to more.

I can't believe I've never came across the Green Rider Series and now thanks to this book I am highly intrigued!

I really enjoyed this book! It's as much fantasy as it is philosophical - It kind of reminds me of "Princess Mononoke" in the way that the book teaches you to learn and respect from nature??? XD I'm not doing this book justice by my review but I honestly cannot describe how much I enjoyed this book, not just because of the plot and character growth or the lore, but the author's message in nature and morality seeping through making me respect the author the more I progressed in this novella.

The characters are so human/realistic I love them. I love how real their emotions are, and that makes me able to like them and feel connected to them. The plot moves smoothly, and there's meaning in each encounter/event, and you can see how the characters have changed and learnt more about themselves and the world that surrounds them at the end. The lore is simple/basic and is explained as you progress - although it may also be due to this being a novella there wasn't much lore dump. The writing is easy to follow and creates images easily in my mind.

Looking forward to collecting this book when it's out!

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley (thank you!), and this is my honest review.

DAW thank you so much for the ARC via NetGalley!

😭

This is an amazing look into Mapstone's past, considering where we left her at the end of the last full length novel. What's really amazing is how the author left herself so many potential jumping off points throughout the series, and she seemed to know the perfect one to take this time.

T. Bankside became so much more than just a name in a dusty logbook and Britain got to once again explore her love for the forest.

The glimpses of alternate futures are 😳 Sometimes I wonder if Kristen Britain should have just gone for full-out Grimdark. She enjoys hard outcomes and making characters suffer.

And, F'ryan Coblebay riding away at the end! The novella takes us right up to the start of everything 💔💔

I don't want to share too many details but the novella really packs a punch for existing fans!

(I'll have to come back and update my links once I learn when you want them posted)

My thanks to NetGalley for the advance Kindle copy to review. I really enjoyed this short novel, set in Sacoridia, the world in which Kristen Britain's Green Rider series is set. No, it's not the long-awaited conclusion to that series. But it was a nice look at an event that helped to shape one of the main characters in it. And I will take anything I can get when it comes to one of my favorite series. It is well written, although if you haven't read any of the other books, I wouldn't recommend reading this one. There are references to people and events that a reader might not be aware of otherwise.

As a passionate Green Rider fan, I was thrilled to see Spirit of the Wood come into the world. Laren Mapstone is one of my favorite secondary characters in the series, and it was lovely to see her many layers shine through this window into her past.
To me, this felt a bit more focused on Tavin, who I also grew very fond of, than Laren, though it's clear that this event in her life was critical to her later path where we originally met her.
Spirit of the Wood has all the charm, magic, humor, and tension that make Kristen Britain's work so engrossing. This was a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher. Spirit of the Wood gives us a glimpse into Lieutenant-rider Mapstone’s life after the battle with the Darrow Raiders and before we meet her in the Green Rider series. It also lets us find out about a character that is only mentioned in the series, Tavin Bankside. It was fun learning about this time period in Mapstone’s life as well as who Tavin Bankside was.

Sprit of the Wood is a novella that focuses on Laren Mapstone, who we haven't spent a lot of one on one time with in the previous novels in the Green Rider Series. I love the chance to explore some of her backstory and learn more about her and maybe what motivates her. I'm trying to avoid spoilers here, but we do learn some things that are relevant in the current time where the rest of the series takes place, so I'm very curious to see how the things that were revealed in the novella impact the story. I've been reading this series for over 20 years, so I'm always eager for the next book in the series, but this has thrown some extra mystery in that I'm interested in seeing play out! Overall a great addition to the series and I would love to see more backstory about some of the characters in this world!

This feels like a love letter to fans of of The Green Rider series.

I absolutely adored the first three books, the first especially, and Spirit of the Woods took me back to that wondrous joy of being swept up in an immersive, fantastical yet real feeling world. I loved getting to witness some of Lauren's past. I am now eager to do a reread in preparation for the series finale.

This is a review of an ARC from NetGalley.

For some reason I didn't realize that this was in the middle of a series, however, I felt the author was skillful enough that I wasn't confused about what was going on. It felt a little slow, despite being a novella. Some of the ideas about the semi-sentient forest are unique, but I just didn't feel very attached to either of the main characters.

Although this is not the anxiously awaited final novel of the Green Rider saga, Spirit of the Wood is an excellent way to mark the series’ 25th anniversary. It’s also likely not what you’d expect from the blurb, but I really like the way Kristen Britain approached this.

A prequel to the series, this tells the tale of Laren Mapstone and her Rider trainee, Tavin Bankside. Wounded in an attack by bandits who recognize her from her battle against the Darrow Raiders, Laren spends much of the novella unconscious, trapped in dark memories of that battle and its tragic aftermath. It’s Tavin who drives the narrative here, but he does so by immersing us deeper in the magic and mythology of Sacoridia.

Surprisingly, for a prequel novella where we know Laren has to survive, given her role in the saga, there’s a genuine sense of danger and tension. I found myself worried for her in a way I hadn’t expected, fully invested as much in her mental/spiritual battle as Tavin’s physical one to keep them alive against ex-Raiders looking for vengeance. The fact that his Rider gift is perfectly suited to aiding her recovery might seem opportunistic, but when you see how it can also be misused, you have to appreciate how Britain uses the two characters to illuminate their struggles.

Spirit of the Wood feels like a Green Rider novella in every sense, a familiar visit to a favorite place for readers as we await the Karigan’s next adventure, and a fitting introduction for new readers who will hopefully be motivated to keep reading.

Lieutenant Laren Mapstone has taken her trainee Green Rider, Tavin Bankside, on what should be an easy, routine mission - deliver a message from the crown to a forester and then return with the answer. But things go awry when the duo are attacked by bandits, some from a group Laren is responsible for destroying. With Laren badly injured they narrowly escape the bandits as Tavin discovers his Green Rider power and kills the bandits. As the two take refuge in a hidden way station Laren is tormented by both her physical injuries and the emotional turmoil she has never dealt with over the death of her lover at the hands of the bandits. Aided by a mysterious hermit and the forester they had been sent to meet both Laren and Tavin learn how to deal with the pain from their pasts.
Just before the pandemic I read The Dream Gatherer by Ms Britain and knew I wanted to read more about the world and characters she created. With everything going on at that time it slipped my mind until I saw this book offered for review. The synopsis is correct that it is a good place for a new reader to find out about the world and its people. The worldbuilding is engaging and the characters are interesting. I want to know more about these people and their land and this time I will not be distracted by real world events. Recommended

This was a super creative, immersive, and captivating story with incredible world building and characters. The plot execution was enjoyable and I immediately fell in love.

Another wonderful tale from the world of Green Riders. I loved getting to read more about Lauren Mapstone and meet new and old characters from the green cloak. The illustrations by the author were also incredible!

I am the first to admit that I have a love-hate relationship with this series. I loved the first three books, then intensely disliked the next couple because of the direction they went in. It then seemed as if the series was righting itself. I still haven't read Winterlight - haven't managed to snag a copy yet and the fact that the audio isn't available in UK doesn't help - but anyway, I love Laren Mapstone so I dived into this novella. This was damn near everything I wanted it to be, giving us Laren's backstory and filling in details. No spoilers but this really is worth the read.