BRBC week 42: Across the chasm

Have you ever been on a mountain gondola? I have—just a little one, nothing so grand or lonesome as this. When we reached the top, we clambered on rocks and fed nuts to some tiny, thwap-like creatures—chipmunks, I think they were called? An odd name. They reached up and put their little fingers on ours as they took the nuts from our hands. On the way down, the blanketing trees, still and silent and small as models, rose up to welcome us back to the earth.

“Janner, wake up,” Kalmar said.Janner sat up with a jerk. Kalmar pointed out the window at the breaking dawn. They couldn’t see the sun behind the mountains, but it painted the high clouds in the east in pinks and fair yellows. In the west lay a misty flatness that looked like the Dark Sea at dusk back in Glipwood. But it wasn’t the sea. It was the barren desert of the Woes of Shreve.The gondola was reaching its terminus. The mountainside was rocky and snowless, and Janner noticed that he wasn’t as cold as he had been all night. The chain that carried them stretched down toward a tiny cluster of buildings. ...As Janner studied the settlement, trying to judge the distance, he saw something that took his breath away. The buildings and the little platform where the gondola would come to rest were on the far side of a yawning chasm.The gondola lumbered forward, lurched over another pole, and swung the boys out over a rift in the earth so deep that it seemed to swallow the sunlight. It stretched away on either side as far as they could see, as if the mountains had decided one day to detach themselves from the rest of the continent. The chain drooped across it for several hundred yards, connecting to another platform on the other side. Birds—hawks and falcons and at least one rare gryfendril—wheeled in the empty air below them like fish swimming in the deep.
Discussion: Would you have been brave enough to be the first to ride the gondola across the chasm?What was your favorite part of the story to read this week?If you've finished reading the series and would like to help us with a project, click here!

Calling all Chroniclers!

Dear Wingfeather Scholars and  Appreciators of the Strange, Neat, and/or Yummy, Chris Wall and I have a grand adventure for you! There are things in the works behind the scenes at Shining Isle Productions... and while we aren't quite ready for a wide reveal yet, you can help us with something very important.When translating a story from a book (which relies a lot on your own imagination, no matter how descriptive the writing is) to a visual medium (like a graphic novel or an animated adaptation on screen), some aspects of storytelling change. One thing we're looking at is how to drop little clues into the early parts of the story which prepare viewers for big realizations later. Another thing we're looking at is what events are happening at the same time, but in different locations. Knowing these things helps the animators tell a stronger story, and it helps us ratchet up the suspense—like the last minute of the short film, where the scene cuts from the Igibys sitting down to dinner, to Gnorm, and then to—well, if you haven't seen it yet, no spoilers. ;-) [But you can watch here!]Ferreting all this stuff out promises, in the words of Jennifer Trafton, "Glory! Heroism! Adventure!" And a whole lot of nerdery, which is one of my favorite things. :-) So come on up to the Historical Archives section of the Great Library. I've reserved us a dusty corner where we can surround ourselves with books, tea, large lengths of parchment, and perhaps some dried plumyums (no juiciness near the books, please! But snacks are important in any historical endeavor).Warning! This project will be super spoilery, since we'll be talking about everything in the series at once. Please only dive in if you've read all the books! I would hate for you to discover things out of order; that's so discouraging. If you haven't read the books yet but want to help, then, in the words of Jinto Qweb, "Hurry! Reading is fun!" We'll be working on this for awhile, and you can join us as soon as you're done. :-)And now: Onward! to the Archives and Victory!

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 71-73 (and the following interlude) in The Warden and the Wolf King. Join us on Friday for an excerpt and discussion! And meanwhile, do join us in the forum—there are lots of fun conversations happening, no matter where you're at in the books!

BRBC week 41: And the time after that

I think that Janner found himself, too.

They raced down the torch-lit corridor with the sound of chaos fading behind them. When they reached the end of the corridor it split into three passageways. The one on the right led to a stair and they bounded up, two steps at a time.“I thought I lost you,” Janner said as they climbed.“I thought I lost me, too,” Kalmar said, “until you said your name. It brought me back. I attacked you, didn’t I?”“Yeah.”“I’m sorry.”“I forgive you,” Janner said. “And I forgive you for the next time, too, and the time after that."
Discussion: What power does forgiveness have? What does it cost? Can it cost too much? Is it worth it if the other person doesn't change? (Discuss here or in the forum)What songs do you sing when you need a weapon? (Discuss here or in the forum)What was your favorite passage this week?

Costume roundup

Hey Featherheads! Did you do any dressing up last week? I love seeing the Wingfeather costumes that pop up every year. Here are a few:Aren't these so fun? Thanks to both of you for sending them in! I know there have been others posted online as well. Andrew and I love seeing your artistry. :-)

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 62-70 in The Warden and the Wolf King. Come back on Friday for an excerpt and discussion! And meanwhile, we'll see you in the forum. :-)

BRBC week 40: Laughter in the Deeps

What a wonder, that old terror can be turned to new strength. Who could expect such a thing? Praise the Maker.

Hand in hand, the Wingfeather boys made their way deeper into the cave, the light behind them fading to nothing the way Oood’s breath had faded the night before. ...Kalmar led them on for what felt like an eternity before he stopped. “I can’t see. I just realized it.”“What do you mean you just realized it?”“I’ve been smelling my way, and I can kind of hear where the tunnel goes. I just closed my eyes and realized that everything’s totally dark now.”Knowing that neither of them could see almost unhinged Janner. He had begun to feel like the mountain was pressing down on him, crushing the part of his mind that knew light and shape until he was forever blind. He needed to light the lantern before he went mad. When he let go of Kalmar’s hand he realized he had been squeezing it for a while now. But with nothing to hold onto he lost all sense of place and felt like he was falling. He staggered and caught himself against the wall. It was cold and damp, like the wall of the tunnel under Anklejelly Manor.Janner chuckled.“What is it? Why are you laughing?”“I was just thinking about Anklejelly Manor. The ghost of Brimney Stupe. Aaaaaaaaaaah.” Janner snorted with laughter. “We were so scared that day!”“The hungry ghost of Brimney Stupe awaits your BONES to swallow,” Kalmar said, and now he was laughing too. “Remember how fast we ran home?”“You were screaming like a little girl!” Janner wheezed and doubled over. It felt good to laugh, no matter how insane it seemed in their situation. As he leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, he wiped his eyes and saw a million colors. It was a comforting illusion. “That was the most afraid I’d ever been. And now we’re in the Deeps of Throg, and neither of us can see a thing. If the ghost of Brimney Stupe showed up, I’d give him a hug.”It was, perhaps, the first time laughter had sounded in the Deeps of Throg, and when it had passed the brothers were braver for it.
Discussion: Have you ever experienced a reversal like this, where something you thought you couldn't handle turned out to be what helped you handle something else?Do you enjoy scary stories? What do you like about them? What are your favorites?Do you agree with Podo or Leeli about the dragons?What passage stood out to you this week?Andrew on tour: By the time this post is up, Andrew will have already finished one UK show, but there are four more! If you live anywhere near one, I know he'd love to see you. Check out his music page for details and tickets!

Andrew in the UK

Andrew's headed off to England and Wales this week! Is he coming anywhere near you?https://www.instagram.com/p/BpaRItxFxui/?taken-by=andrewpetersonmusicYou can check out his music site for more details and ticket information!

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 55-61 (including the preceding interlude) from The Warden and the Wolf King. Check back on Friday for an excerpt, and to share one of your own!Costume call! If you, your siblings, your friends, your dog, or your kids are dressing up as characters from the Saga this week, you can email us photos (or tag Andrew on social media) to be featured on the site next week! Find Andrew's email on the Art By You page.

BRBC week 39: A painful hope

"It awakens the hope that our story is not over." How strange that a thing can hurt and heal at the same time.

Hours passed. Janner, Kalmar, and Oood trudged up and up, deeper into the forest and higher into the foothills. Sometime before the sun set, the trees opened into a little clearing.“Look,” Janner said, pointing at the snowy teeth of the Killridge Mountains towering overhead. They were terrifying—razor sharp and impossibly tall.“So that’s where we’re going,” Kalmar said.“Throg,” Oood rumbled.The cloven moved on without a glance at the mountains. As they walked, more and more of the wild creatures joined them until the forest teemed with twisted limbs and lumpy faces. At first they were noisy, snarling and threatening so that the boys drew their swords and pressed against Oood. But when they saw Janner, the cloven either ran away or fell in line, seeming to understand somehow where they were going. Those who stayed limped and lurched through the trees, whispering to one another. All Janner heard were the words, “Boy” and “Anniera.” Many of the cloven wept as they walked.It got colder and more difficult to breathe, reminding Janner of his journey through the Stony Mountains with Maraly Weaver. The wind stirred the treetops, causing the icy stars to flicker overhead.
Discussion: What gives you hope?Got any more troll poetry to share? ;-)What passage spoke to you this week?

Flykten mot Isvidderna!

Fun news, Featherheads! North! Or Be Eaten is now available in SWEDISH. Said a reviewer for the Swedish edition of On the Edge, ”En skatt för både barn och vuxna!”Check out this gorgeous cover.https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo1Ar2aB-gf/?taken-by=librisforlagEscape to the Glaciers, as the title now reads, joins The Darkness over Aerwiar in anticipation of book three. I'm not yet sure how to order copies from the United States, but your librarian is on the case. (You can order here from over thirty other countries, including Canada and Australia.)

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 50-54 of The Warden and the Wolf King. Come back on Friday for an excerpt and discussion! Meanwhile, we'll see you in the forum. :-)

The stories are true.