Customer Reviews
A must for all readers - By: Canuck Baritone, 31 May 2008 
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, & did NOT disappoint! Part fairy story, part "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", it had me laughing & cryingin turns. And now, with the publication of "Winter Wood", Steve has beautifully brought the two "worlds" - the world of Midge & the world of Celandine - together.
What a beautifully written book. I was captivated by the humanity of the characters, & 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, & the glimpses that Midge has of Celandine (and vice versa) are finally explainedin this third book. We also learn the destinies & 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 & betrayal, of power struggles & sacrifices - and, perhaps most importantly, of hope. In short, it is a world very much like our own, & we see ourselvesin 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.
Timeless Classic - By: B. Bartlett, 30 Apr 2008 Steve Augarde's trilogy, beginning with The Various & now complete after this years publication of Winter Wood, is a must for every child's collection of 'Most Loved Books'. No spoliers here though....just buy them all. You'll be reading them to your own kids, & to their kids too.
Fantasy at its best... - By: C. Shields, 18 Apr 2008 Just finished reading this, the final part of the trilogy, & I have to say that it didn't take so long to get through the 500 or so pages - such was the need to know what happened next. I found myself helplessly transported into a bleak but wondrous Somerset countryside, & also into the magical forest home of the little people - so much so that I could hear, smell, taste, & feel everthing. With more twists thanin a packet of pasta spirals, & with all the loose ends from the first two books being cleverly knotted together, Steve Augarde has produced a masterpiece.
Winter Wood - the finale - By: D. S. Hitchcock, 01 Mar 2008 Steve Augarde's Winter Wood is the third & final part of his highly acclaimed Touchstone Trilogy. Nearly four & a half years after the publication of The Various, this book answers all the questions raisedin 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 & return to Elysse. But to do this, they need to bring together the Touchstone, currentlyin their possession & the Orbis, which was given to Celandine for safe keeping many years before. The tapping on Midge's bedroom windowin the night heralds the start of her contact with The Various once more. They need her help & they are risking everything to get it.
Midge has to trace her great aunt Celandine & find the Orbis. We are swept along with her as revelation follows disappointment, follows discovery, follows adventure, follows triumph & 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 & old faces returnin a new & revealing light. Eventsin the earlier books weave together with eventsin Winter Wood & 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 & a must for readers of all ages.
A great read whatever your age - By: J. Rogers, 22 Feb 2008 A fitting end to an excellent trilogy, well done to Steve. If you enjoyed Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials I think you'll enjoy this one. Would make a great film too!
