The Eye of the Warlock, P.W. Catanese

Rudi had a feeling that something was wrong as soon as he returned from the village. The little girls were nowhere in sight. "Elsebeth? Lucie?" he called. But neither of them answered. A warm, prickly feeling swept across the back of his neck.


This story is a sort of continuation of the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel. Rudi lives in the same cottage that Hansel and Gretel lived in with Lucie and Elsebeth, two little girls, and a cruel aunt and kind-hearted but weak uncle. When a stranger asks for Rudi's help to find Hansel's treasure, Rudi sees a way out of his miserable life for himself and the girls. But he and the stranger discover that evil has come to the forest. And then Lucie and Elsebeth are stolen by a warlock. The ransom price is that the warlock wants Hansel. It sounded like an interesting plot, and I enjoyed parts of the story, but the characters felt odd and unrealistic. Rudi has big problems, and so does Hansel. Also, the action goes a bit too fast for my taste. It did have its moments, though. Just not my style of fantasy.

Read The Eye of the Warlock:

• if you like fantasy
• if you like adventure
• if you like expanded versions of old fairytales

241 pages.

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!