The Silver Stag Review

The Silver Stag
Christine Schulze

Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: February 26, 2010
Series: The Gailean Quartet (#4)
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: Paperback, 196 pages
Source: Author (ebook)
Rating: 4/5 (Avg 4.5/5)

She had never seen a forest as green as the Wood. It seemed ironic. The apparent life and vitality flowing from the lush green woods mocking all those entered in the past, never to return again. Chrysillee would not be one of those though. She was on a quest, a mission she would sooner die than leave unfulfilled, a journey she was willing to die for to fulfill, if need be. The sunlight filtering through the trees emitted a glittering, golden-green light. The Wood smelled thick with sweet, succulent magic that lured her forward yet made her sleepy. She stumbled on. The peddler warned of the legendary dangers of the Wood. She must not allow herself to give in... Suddenly, she stopped, listening. She heard it. The music. The sprightly call of the fiddle. She carefully made her way towards it, lured by its enchanting, lively strain. The melody awakened her sleepy spirit and body, spurred her slow steps into a quick walk, then a run, and then- She stopped as she emerged into a clearing where a girl danced on feet light as feathers, fingers weaving and skipping across the fiddle as delicately yet boldly as a spider spins her web. Both feet and hands moved deftly, skillfully, swiftly. Her white-gold hair twirled about her like beams of sunlight as did the full folds of her white-gold dress. Everything shimmered and glowed as she wove in and out of the green-gold beams of light streaming through the trees like the grand pillars of a princess' inner sanctum. Her eyes were closed but suddenly she opened them as if sensing Chrysillee's presence. A striking, sapphire blue. The girl smiled, still dancing, still playing, her feet not missing a beat, her hands not faltering on a single note, her eyes sparkling in a playful yet powerful sort of way. As Chrysillee continued to watch, she knew her quest would indeed not be in vain, for she found the Siren of the Wood, the Sunlit Wind Whisperer. Or maybe she found Chrysillee.

Ahh, the fourth and final installment in Christine Schulze's Gailean Quartet series - which I have to say was a fascinating journey from the very beginning until, here, the end. The Silver Stag is a little different from its predecessors, as it follows more with Chrysillee along with her godmother Gail and her daughter Rory. In the past books, we're concentrating more on Rory herself as well as David and Sascha - who, by the way, are all still in the book and still have wonderful roles.

The characters are obviously a big part of this book and I absolutely fell in love with each and every one of them. I can't say that I had a favorite because they were all so swell in their own ways, each bringing something new and interesting to the table - so to speak. There's also a fun array of species in the book, including vampires and faeries. I think what was more interesting to read about and completely unique was the introduction of the Wind Whisperers - which, believe me, you'll just have to read about to understand better. I think their introduction into the story really made it 'pop' in the way that makes you look at a book as one that stands out from the crowd of expected and ordinary.

Although a little on the short side, The Silver Stag is a great read that makes up for its quantity by its unbelievable quality with an incredible storyline and characters that you get to know well and fall in love with. The ending is a bit bittersweet, yet somehow completely suitable for this book. This book, along with the rest of the Gailean Quartet, is definitely a recommended read for pretty much everyone out there.


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