A Fable of Wood and Strings

The Puppetmaster Duology, #1

by

L.T. Getty

Imaginative and action-packed young adult fantasy.

A Fable of Wood and Strings is the first book in author L.T. Getty’s new Puppetmaster Duology and is an imaginative tale of what happens when an evil puppeteer comes to the small village of Stagmil. Lily and her young twin siblings, Seth and Tiffany, are targeted by a beautiful stranger who stumbles into their town when the men are away hunting an injured wyvern that has been attacking their livestock. The stranger, a monster behind a magical mask, lures the children of the village into the woods and them into marionettes with spider silk as strings. Lily and Seth, with the help of a mysterious village outcast and other magical beings, must work together to save Tiffany and the other children before it’s too late. 

The author’s world-building is extensive and detailed as the story unfolds. Lily is a kind and considerate daughter who longs for more than her life in Stagmil, and her parents depend on her so much to help not only their family but the village as well. Seth and Tiffany are fun as a typical bratty younger brother and sister. They are relatable characters and easy to get behind and root for. I thought the adult villagers were a pretty sorry lot to Lily as a whole. They were demanding and ungrateful, using and abusing Lily verbally. She’s way more forgiving than I would have been in her shoes. 

The plot was by far one of the more creative ones I’ve encountered, with vividly frightening monsters, magical foxes, and a wise sword master in Zin. The characters are definitely put through the wringer, and this is just book one! 

With its engaging and relatable characters and imaginative plot, I recommend A FABLE OF WOOD AND STRINGS to young adult fantasy readers.

For this and other book reviews, visit my blog, Boys' Mom Reads!