The Gad Nail (Gad the Zig Book 2) by Anthony Spaeth

The Gad Nail by Anthony Spaeth
Narrator: Derek Murray
Series: Gad the Zig #2
Published by Self Published / Indie on 29 August 2018
Length: 18 mins
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: Audiobook
Source: Author, Submitted

Rating Report
Story (Plot)
Performance
Production Quality
Attention Holding
Overall:

If you read Howl of the Lambergoon and wondered, "How was Gad created? And where? And why? And how did he come to have such a funny-looking hat?" The Gad Nail answers all those questions and then some. Follow Gad, the magical servant, across the Isle of Mull into The Fenodrees' Woods. There he finds Queen Fair, whose justice demands his death. A poisoned dart. A poisonous beetle. And a fire set to commemorate his death. The Gad Nail follows Howl of the Lambergoon, an award-winning children's poem.

"Spaeth’s playful quatrains and debut illustrator Stawska’s vivid artwork make for a delightful children’s story. . . A whimsical tale of loss and triumph that should be enjoyed by adults and children alike." -- Kirkus Reviews

"The gorgeous artwork throughout reminds one of video graphics onscreen or in graphic novels."
--The US Review of Books

"Highly recommended for its lovely drawings and original, unique turn of events, Howl of the Lambergoon is a powerful, enjoyable read many adults will find involving."--Midwest Book Review

Magic, monsters, fenodrees and a queen whose mission to protect them--The Gad Nail is a tale of empathy and adventure.

©2018 Anthony Spaeth (P)2018 Anthony Spaeth

ABR received this audiobook for free from the Author, Submitted in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the audiobook or the content of our review.

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Note: While this is Book 2, it works just fine as a stand-alone story.

Mank the Potter seems to have a lonely life so he creates a boy out of clay with an iron nail embedded in his chest. Using a bit of magic, the boy comes to life. Mank is very pleased with his work and immediately sends the boy out with a wheelbarrow to fetch a meal.

And I had to wonder what kind of meal this boy, named Gad, could find in the wilds that surround the potter’s hut. Snails were what he hunted, but, alas, he found none. Spying a turtle, he followed it into the forbidden woods and that’s where the true adventure starts.

Gnomes, and fairies, and fake turtle, oh, my! It’s such a creative story told in such a beautiful way. Some lines rhyme, making it easy to predict what the next line will be. I think this combination of unexpected events and the rhyming make it perfect for both kids and adults.

In the end, a grudge is addressed and peace is made. Gad does more than simply fetch forest food in this story. Yay Gad!

The Narration: Derek Murray gives an impressive performance. I quite enjoyed his narration for Howl of the Lambergoon (Gad the Zig book 1) and was very happy to see he has continued the series. His light Scottish accent really adds to the tale. His pacing is perfect, catching that rhyming pattern with finesse. There were no technical issues with this recording.

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