Into the Heartless Wood

By: Joanna Ruth Meyer

Narrated by: Tara Novie, Ethan James Lynch

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths.

Deep in the wood lives a witch queen and her eight tree siren daughters. For centuries, they have harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow their ever reaching kingdom of ash, birch, and oak. 

Owen Merrick lives at the edge of the forest, mapping the stars for the king in his father’s observatory. For years, he has resisted venturing over the garden wall, until one day he must enter the woods to find his missing sister. But one of the witch’s tree siren daughters, Seren, decides to save his life instead of end it. Now, no matter how hard he tries, he can’t stop thinking about her - the birch-bright hue of her skin and the way violets bloom in her hair. Every night, he goes into the wood to meet her, and their love for each other grows. 

But when the constellations shift, the stars foretell an inevitable war between the witch queen and the king. With Seren compelled to fight for her mother, and Owen forced to join the king’s army, they are plunged into the heart of a conflict that seemingly no one can win and that might destroy both their kingdoms forever.

©2021 Joanna Ruth Meyer (P)2021 Insatiable Press

Storytelling at its finest

Joanna Ruth Meyer is a talented word-weaver, and this story is wonderful all on its own. "Into the Heartless Wood" is an imaginative, spellbinding tale filled with well-rounded characters and vivid scenery for the mind's eye to explore. (Plus, Meyer does an excellent job of blending the fantastical with the scholastical; her elegant diction is a pleasure to read and/or hear.)

Tara Novie and Ethan James Lynch bring Meyer's characters to life (and death) in all the best ways; though I usually prefer the written word for my fiction, it was an unexpected pleasure when Novie and Lynch yanked me headlong into the world Meyer created. The voice acting switches back and forth between multiple characters, which was organic and fun to listen to. Novie + Lynch have great synergy together. Great work!

I won't spoil the plot, but you won't be able to take this story out of your earholes once you get started...

A charming, well-told fantasy tale

"Into the Heartless Wood" is a delightful fairy-tale. There are many familiar fantasy tropes here—the woods, sprites, spirits, Queens vs. Kings, forbidden romance—but they never feel tired. Meyer does her best to inject life into each trope and deliver a rich, unique experience. She mostly succeeds.

Despite some minor flaws, like the repetitiveness and sometimes poor use of alternate narration, "Into the Heartless Wood" proves to be a solid, engaging read.

Tara Novie heartfully voices Seren/the Monster, and Ethan James Lynch provides the voice of Owen. Lynch's accent is over-done at times but mostly hits the mark. Novie has a soothing, pleasant tambor and is delightful to listen to. A solid narrator.

Overall, recommended. It is more than the sum of its parts.