The Great Tree

A Christmas Fable

By Able Barrett

Bonus points: The Last Dog Publications, 2021

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 42

Via: Author Request

We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimber: Someone is a Super Star. No, really. All you have to do is open this sweet little novella and turn to the Dedication page. See?

Remind you of anyone?

In case you’re wondering – and even if you’re not – this isn’t really a photo of Yours Truly.  Naw. 

It’s actually a photo “In Loving memory of Demerri,” the author’s “Dear Departed Rescued Dog” and “The Best German Shephard I Ever Knew & Loved.”

 

Probably a cousin. So when it comes to The Great Tree, I’m kinda biased. In a canine sort of way, if ya know what I mean. Here’s the 4-1-1 on this Christmas novella:

Setting

In the long ago of ancient pre-Christmas times, Andrew and his dog, Jenny, are desperately seeking for his long lost brother, Nicholas. Andrew is trying to find his brother and get him home to see their very sick mother one last time before she dies. The two were separated at a young age when Nicholas was stolen by the Prince of Darkness.

The Great Tree sits next to a castle on a mountain top in the heart of the kingdom of a wicked sorcerer. This kingdom is protected by the evil Charnelghoul and his band of wolves, led by the Great Black Wolf. A small town sits at the base of the mountain. It’s the setting for an adventure story “that changed Christmas forever.”

Plenty

There are plenty of sorcerers and goblins, wild animals, and acts of heroism along the way in this engaging tale of good vs. evil and the magic of Christmas.

This is a charming fable with a new twist on the season. Keep in mind that a fable is relatively brief. So there’s not a lot of time to flesh out a complicated plot or draw larger-than-life characters. That is the case with The Great Tree. But the prose is rich and vibrant. The pacing is nimble, with plenty of action.

This novella would benefit from another proofread. For example, the Great Black Wolf clamps “her jaws on the Sorcerer’s arm” on page 29. But on page 30, Nicholas “jumps on his (the Black Wolf’s) back, and so on. 

These are minor issues and do not detract from the story overall, which is a winsome seasonal read sure to brighten your holidays. Weighing in at just over 42 pages, you can finish it in under an hour.

A different kind of a Christmas fable, The Great Tree is a sweet and endearing story that will appeal to readers both young and old. (We won’t be rating this book. Rating a “fable” just seems weird. So we’ll leave that up to you.)

Bonus

Bonus points: All profits from the sale of this book go to The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary “for the rescue of dogs, cats, and horses.” So I’d buy like, a TON if I were you. Now would be good.

About the Author

Able Barrett is former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney and U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime Strike Force Prosecutor. He is an avid animal lover and dedicated to the ethical treatment of all animals.  The Last Road Dog Animal Sanctuary  rescues dogs, cats, and horses The Last Road Dog is an Approved 501 (c)(3) Animal Public Welfare Charity.

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