Wren's War [Hardcover]

Sherwood Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1995 | Age Level: 9 and up

Wren and her friends, Connor and Tyron, assist Princess Teressa through civil war and assassination attempts and through enchantments, transformations, and other magicks that change their kingdom forever. By the author of Wren's Quest.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8?In this third book about the indomitable and imaginative apprentice magician and her friends, magic, determination, loyalty, and hard work help them save the kingdom of Meldrith. In Wren to the Rescue (Harcourt, 1990), she began to discover her magical talent and used it to rescue Tess, the Crown Princess of Meldrith, from the wicked sorcerer Andreus. Now Andreus has returned for revenge and conquest. This is really Tess's war, as she finds herself unexpectedly commanding an army and ruling a kingdom after her parents' death at the hands of the invaders. Wren, Tyron (heir to the Court Magician), and Prince Connor (who has links to a magic older than any of them understand) all come to Tess's aid in fighting the enemy as well as the unrest within the kingdom. This is a coming-of-age experience for all four characters. Although the humor of the previous books bubbles up occasionally, these are serious times for Meldrith and its inhabitants. As in the earlier titles, the action and narrative shift among the protagonists as they spread out in different directions and on different missions. The trouble starts immediately and mounts rapidly; fans of the first two novels will follow this story raptly to its satisfying, tantalizing conclusion. The war is won, but personal battles and discoveries loom ahead. There's still a lot to learn about these interesting and emphatic characters. One hopes that another installment will be forthcoming!?Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Sequel to Wren to the Rescue (1990) and Wren's Quest (1993), this novel combines fantasy and adventure in a story laden with intrigue, power, war, and magic. Although Wren's name appears in the title, the story focuses just as much on Teressa, who struggles to understand herself and control her destiny. Princess Teressa, relieved that her state visit to the northern provinces is over, returns home to the castle only to see her parents brutally murdered. As opposing sides seek to gain control of her kingdom, she chooses to act as ruler rather than become a pawn in her enemies' game. Meanwhile, her old friends Wren, Tyron, and Connor use their magic, courage, and insight for the good of the princess and her people. Readers will enjoy the fast-paced plot, but the novel's greatest strength is the subtle portrayal of its characters. As Teressa, Wren, Tyron, and Connor mature, they become more interesting and their relationships more complex. Wren fans will be happy to note that the ending promises more adventures in a series that keeps getting better. Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 210 pages
• Publisher: Jane Yolen Books; 1st edition (March 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152009779
• ISBN-13: 978-0152009779
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #565,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever Witty Plot; I want MORE, March 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wren's War (Hardcover)

The first books I read by Sherwood Smith was COURT DUEL, then CROWN DUEL, then WREN's WAR. I must say, no other author writes such tricky plots with clever and delightfully written story. I like the sentences, they were written very differently from the average author, making it interesting.

WREN TO THE RESCUE is out of print now, so you have to buy this book and WREN's QUEST before you run out of time! I wish I hadn't waited, now I'm one book short.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wren Books..., March 18, 2005

By 

Lyra Parry - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wren's War (Wren Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

Hopefully it isn't just a quartet =P

Anyway, this series is simply fantastic! A friend recommended it to me, so it bought it, all three of them. Guess what? I finished all of them on the same day. And no, I don't usually finish multiple books in one day. I absolutely love her writing style, it's not difficult to read, and extremely lively and interesting. I have no idea why hardly anyone knows of her books, they are simply fantastic! As for the books, I especially loved the ending to Wren's War ;)

ps. Does anyone know of any good Wren fanfiction out there? I can't find any, FanFiction.Net has very little. Thanks.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wren Quartet, actually., November 24, 2003

By 

Charmaine (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wren's War (Hardcover)

Hello! Got good news to tell you, Wren Journeymage is coming up in 2005 or somewhere around there. Just heard it myself! I am happy as anything.

Anyway. Wren's War was fantastic. I like it that Sherwood Smith didn't focus the whole thing with Wren as the heroine all the time. She gave Wren's friends a chance to shine as well. Yup. You HAVE to read this.