The Three Feathers: The Magnificent Journey of Joshua Aylong
Stefan Bolz
Synopsis "The Three Feathers: The Magnificent Journey of Joshua Aylong"
JANE ERIKSON: "Bolz's writing belongs in the rare, ethereal air of The Greats; including Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Hesse. Read this powerful journey of true and brave friends who communicate through thoughts, then just wait and see... It will profoundly influence your life in a deeply moving, positive and personal way. Bolz's imagination is limitless; his symbolism and imagery - impeccable! The Three Feathers is amazing and awe-inspiring... an outstanding and captivating read! Bolz's future is bright!" THE INDIE BOOK REVIEW: "Mr. Bolz has woven a hypnotic tale where friendship and love can overcome the most devastating of enemies -- doubt in yourself. This is a book for all ages. There is danger, yes, and doubt and sadness and loss. But lessons cannot be learned without them, am I right? This book is marvelously innocent and thought-provoking all at the same time. Tired of the jaded and worn out modern fantasy tale? I enthusiastically encourage you to pick up this enchanting fable and rediscover the innocent joy of childhood and the magical wonder of life in this simple yet wonderfully complex story. Joshua and his friends will make you a believer, I promise." KIRKUS REVIEW: Bolz's debut novel follows one brave adventurer; never mind that he's a rooster who can barely fly. Joshua is a proud rooster with bright red tail feathers who lives to protect his coop of hens. But one day, Joshua has vivid dreams that simply leave him wanting more than his formerly uneventful and fulfilling life. So he flies the coop in search of adventure, purpose and the three mysterious feathers that he sees in his dream. Along the way, he meets Grey, a loyal wolf searching the world over for freedom from the pain of his past. Grey and Joshua become fast friends, and soon they welcome another companion into their fold-Krieg, the former warrior horse. In a way, all three are searching for something: Joshua for his life's purpose, Grey for reprieve from unspeakable loss and Krieg for peace at last. The three brave rabid-hyena attacks; rescue a beautiful, mythical creature from centuries of imprisonment; explore a magical city of light and travel far, wide and deep to complete this mission. The choice of featuring a rooster as a protagonist initially seems off-putting, but the righteous, humble Joshua is a likable hero. In some ways, the tale follows a traditional coming-of-age format, and while the typical life journey doesn't involve a killer vulture or an army of spiders risen from the dead, everyone's got formidable obstacles. Bolz's writing style is crisp and to the point, and the dialogue between the characters-whether spoken or internal (all three animals can speak telepathically)-flows well. A fantastical, appealing blend of barnyard and Hogwarts. PATRICIA HYLAND: ... [The Three Feathers] is certainly not your average fairy tale. To me it is a fable destined to be ranked with the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and Watership Down. At first I struggled for words to describe what I felt after reading The Three Feathers. Here are just a few of the words that came to mind as I started to grasp what I had just encountered in Stefan Bolz's writing: spellbinding, gripping, poignant, tender, scary, enveloping, ripe with insights for everyone, compelling parallels, graphic imagery, fanciful character development, perfectly paced, clever beyond words, takes the reader from the depths to the heights, and back more than once."
