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Guardians of Ga'Hoole #12
The Golden Tree
Soren and the Band are back. Coryn has retrieved the ember and it seems a golden age is dawning at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. But all that is golden in not necessarily good. Soren, Twilight, Gylfie, and Digger face their biggest challenge yet as the young king, haunted by suspicion that haggish blood flows in his veins, hunts for the truth. His wanderings imperil himself and the good guardians who travel with him.
Meanwhile, back at the tree, the influence of the ember is strong- and strange. The tree changes, as do the guardians left to govern in the young king's absence. Otulissa objects to the strange new ways, and her outspokenness puts her in grave danger. Someone must get word to Soren and the Band. But who?
Meanwhile, back at the tree, the influence of the ember is strong- and strange. The tree changes, as do the guardians left to govern in the young king's absence. Otulissa objects to the strange new ways, and her outspokenness puts her in grave danger. Someone must get word to Soren and the Band. But who?
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2007
About the author
Kathryn Lasky
225 books2,140 followersKathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series.
She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Massachusetts.
Book 15, The War of the Ember, is currently the last book in the Ga'Hoole series. The Rise of a Legend is the 16th book but is a prequel to the series. Lasky has also written Guide Book To The Great Tree and Lost Tales Of Ga'Hoole which are companion books.
She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Massachusetts.
Book 15, The War of the Ember, is currently the last book in the Ga'Hoole series. The Rise of a Legend is the 16th book but is a prequel to the series. Lasky has also written Guide Book To The Great Tree and Lost Tales Of Ga'Hoole which are companion books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
December 21, 2022
A little sobering up after the high of the preceding three books, most being the laying of the premise for further action, with subtle moral undertones.
July 5, 2023
You’ve really gone and hooted this one up, haven’t you Kathryn? What in the frinkin frink did I just read? You know it’s very ambitious to turn your central body of owls from the most learned and advanced culture into a bunch of cultists all in 150 pages, but by Glaux, she’s done it!
Also my favorite part was like when an owl was like “you know what? I need to go on a diet cuz I’m just such a fat old bird lol”
Also the climatic battle being like two paragraphs long
That’s ok, though! We’ve still got 4 more and we can really turn this owly train wreck around! Hoot hoot!
Also my favorite part was like when an owl was like “you know what? I need to go on a diet cuz I’m just such a fat old bird lol”
Also the climatic battle being like two paragraphs long
That’s ok, though! We’ve still got 4 more and we can really turn this owly train wreck around! Hoot hoot!
October 24, 2018
I cannot believe this book about owls was secretly about religious extremism
January 23, 2011
Book 12, The Golden Tree may as well be the best book of the whole series, although 15 books is stretching my interest.
After the mid-mini series of the Legends Triology the Band finally makes a comeback, and Coryn is getting used to being King. Soren's chicks also hatch, though I was disappointed there wasn't much about them in The Golden Tree.
Coryn and the Band go on a journey to discover whether Nyra is really a hagsfiend, and if Coryn's blood is tainted due to his evil heritage, but end up finding out something totally different and possibly even more dangerous. A dark secret from the past is unearthed, and is in Nyra's clutches. Coryn and the Band need to stop Nyra before it's too late, and an important, beloved character nearly dies (i'm not revealing the name, it'll spoil all the fun), and another character does die. I was practically on the edge of my seat with excitement!
Meanwhile, in Coryn's absence, Otulissa is left to deal with the annoying Whiskered Screech Owl, Gemma, and Elyan the Great Gray Owl. Both have become obsessed with the Ember of Hoole, and many Guardians start to follow them. Eventually, even Otulissa is powerless to stop them, and the Guardians' only hope of alerting Coryn lies in one of the most unlikely of owls.
A character mentioned in Book 1, Bess the Boreal Owl, Grimble's favorite daughter, reappears as the Keeper of the Palace of Mists in The Golden Tree. However, Bess, like Soren's daughters, Pellimore, and Eglantine, also has no dialogue, except for flashbacks.
One of the book's greatest surprises was Madame Plonk's amazing personality transformation, from a spoiled, fat old singer to a warrior gadfeather. There are also hints at new romances, and a brand-new owl kingdom.
After the mid-mini series of the Legends Triology the Band finally makes a comeback, and Coryn is getting used to being King. Soren's chicks also hatch, though I was disappointed there wasn't much about them in The Golden Tree.
Coryn and the Band go on a journey to discover whether Nyra is really a hagsfiend, and if Coryn's blood is tainted due to his evil heritage, but end up finding out something totally different and possibly even more dangerous. A dark secret from the past is unearthed, and is in Nyra's clutches. Coryn and the Band need to stop Nyra before it's too late, and an important, beloved character nearly dies (i'm not revealing the name, it'll spoil all the fun), and another character does die. I was practically on the edge of my seat with excitement!
Meanwhile, in Coryn's absence, Otulissa is left to deal with the annoying Whiskered Screech Owl, Gemma, and Elyan the Great Gray Owl. Both have become obsessed with the Ember of Hoole, and many Guardians start to follow them. Eventually, even Otulissa is powerless to stop them, and the Guardians' only hope of alerting Coryn lies in one of the most unlikely of owls.
A character mentioned in Book 1, Bess the Boreal Owl, Grimble's favorite daughter, reappears as the Keeper of the Palace of Mists in The Golden Tree. However, Bess, like Soren's daughters, Pellimore, and Eglantine, also has no dialogue, except for flashbacks.
One of the book's greatest surprises was Madame Plonk's amazing personality transformation, from a spoiled, fat old singer to a warrior gadfeather. There are also hints at new romances, and a brand-new owl kingdom.
February 8, 2013
Well, I think this is the point that Guardians of Ga'Hoole and I part ways, at least for quite some time. I told myself I was going to finish out this terrible, terrible series, but... nope, can't do it. Maybe someday in the far off future I'll be able to force myself to slog through the rest of this nonsense, but for the meantime, I have far too many other things--significantly more enjoyable, less aggravating things--to be doing with my time.
January 13, 2024
The Golden tree picks back up with our heroes, and brings with it a slew of serious issues from the owl's past. This book did a great job of bringing about several catastrophes while also providing a logical way to end them, as well as a mystery to continue on into further books. One of the stronger books in the series.
November 25, 2019
A lot of Interesting things happened in this book and it told a lot about some of the characters and also talked about the Ember of Hoole. I definitely would recommend this book to others.
February 27, 2023
Nachdem die letzten drei Bücher von den alten Legenden handelten, war Der Zauber genau das worauf ich gewartet hatte. Endlich ging die Geschichte rund um die Viererbande weiter.
April 24, 2024
a great lesson when it comes to worshiping idols. This showed how dangerous idol worshiping can be to ones one mind.
February 7, 2020
This was a good book i read it in one day
March 3, 2017
My personal opinion on this book is that it had a interesting and just plot, it just didn't seem there was to much action within the story. What I mean by that is some scenes never got to intreging, the vibe of the story still stayed the same. That's the only flaw really I have to say about the story. Something I have learned from this book is too stand up for your own opinion and too do whats right. If you love adventurous books involving animals then this series is for you. I would love to reread this series again but there are more other books that i now wish to read. Who knows maybe I will reread some of the books. I also hope as well for someone new to the series to take a interest in thses amazing series.
May 27, 2015
Coyron wanted his retrieval of the ember to bring about a great time for owl kind. But the Ember transfixed the minds of the guardians and they started to worship it. So Coyron put a stop to that by eliminating all of the ceremonies for the ember and restored the guardians to their former glory. Then Coyron makes a decision that will provide a long-term solution for the storage of the ember so that never happens again. The Golden Tree is about friendship, nobility, and determination.
October 6, 2018
As much as I adore this series, I feel like the story really died out with the original arc. The whole Coryn setting, and whatever the setting was in this book, is confusing, not well-developed, and just seems like filler more than anything. It was an okay book, but it wasn't a great book.
April 27, 2019
A good parable about creating false gods and the misuse of power.
April 15, 2021
3,5*
FR
J'étais très heureuse de pouvoir retrouvé mes personnages préférés après trois tomes que je n'ai pas aimé (et qui aurait dû être un spin-off et pas intégré dans la saga principale, mais ça, c'est un autre sujet !).
Pour moi, depuis que Coryn est arrivé dans la trame de l'histoire, j'ai l'impression que j'ai perdu un peu de l'intérêt que j'avais pour cette saga.
J'ai assez bien aimé, mais ça reste une lecture "moyenne" et c'est dommage, car j'aimais énormément.
Je continuerai, bien sur, mais voilà. J'espère juste pouvoir me replonger dedans avec plus de plaisir !
ENG
I was very happy to find my favorite characters after three books that I did not like (and which should have been a spin-off and not integrated into the main saga, but that is another subject !) .
For me, since Coryn got into the story line, I feel like I've lost some of the interest I had in this saga.
I liked it quite well, but it's still an "average" reading and that's a shame, because I liked it a lot.
I will continue, of course, but... I just hope I can dive back into it with more pleasure !
FR
J'étais très heureuse de pouvoir retrouvé mes personnages préférés après trois tomes que je n'ai pas aimé (et qui aurait dû être un spin-off et pas intégré dans la saga principale, mais ça, c'est un autre sujet !).
Pour moi, depuis que Coryn est arrivé dans la trame de l'histoire, j'ai l'impression que j'ai perdu un peu de l'intérêt que j'avais pour cette saga.
J'ai assez bien aimé, mais ça reste une lecture "moyenne" et c'est dommage, car j'aimais énormément.
Je continuerai, bien sur, mais voilà. J'espère juste pouvoir me replonger dedans avec plus de plaisir !
ENG
I was very happy to find my favorite characters after three books that I did not like (and which should have been a spin-off and not integrated into the main saga, but that is another subject !) .
For me, since Coryn got into the story line, I feel like I've lost some of the interest I had in this saga.
I liked it quite well, but it's still an "average" reading and that's a shame, because I liked it a lot.
I will continue, of course, but... I just hope I can dive back into it with more pleasure !
April 10, 2023
A couple of contradictions occurred within this book, the first one being about the gender of the mystic rabbit. In book 8 on page 142, it is quoted “The name ‘Fengo’ had shown up in the web that the rabbit was reading, and she had told Coryn.” ‘She’ referring to the rabbit.
But then in book 12 on page 34, it is quoted that “he had no name.” ‘He’ referring to the rabbit.
So is the rabbit a boy or a girl?
The other contradiction has to do with teeth. In book one, Sorens father “….explained that they were something that owls didn’t have, but most other animals did.”
But then in book 12 on page 165, Nyra is described with battle claws being held in her teeth.
We literally learnt in the first book that owls did not have teeth.
But then in book 12 on page 34, it is quoted that “he had no name.” ‘He’ referring to the rabbit.
So is the rabbit a boy or a girl?
The other contradiction has to do with teeth. In book one, Sorens father “….explained that they were something that owls didn’t have, but most other animals did.”
But then in book 12 on page 165, Nyra is described with battle claws being held in her teeth.
We literally learnt in the first book that owls did not have teeth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2020
I knew I was gonna like this one!...
This series just keeps getting better and better.
Can't wait to read the next book.
**SPOILERS**
So many good twists! Definitely didn't see the band of friends discovering vyrwolves!
The GGE was creepy... No one should have treated the Ember like a god or something to be worshiped... I thought the Ember was controlling them.
When the Ember's powers come to Coryn when he needed help in battle was incredible!
I hope they can defeat Nyra...
This series just keeps getting better and better.
Can't wait to read the next book.
**SPOILERS**
So many good twists! Definitely didn't see the band of friends discovering vyrwolves!
The GGE was creepy... No one should have treated the Ember like a god or something to be worshiped... I thought the Ember was controlling them.
When the Ember's powers come to Coryn when he needed help in battle was incredible!
I hope they can defeat Nyra...
May 31, 2021
Did-did they seriously just make wolves into werewolves? Like. Hmmm like make the wolves..wolfier? Such logic. Barely veiled parables about how power, fear, and religion can make a dangerous mix which I feel insult the average 12 year olds intelligence. I know this is a kids book and I’m not saying it was bad. I just think this series should have ended after the main plot, or even after the second plot.
December 17, 2021
The tree is golden, the ember is guarded when the king leaves. Maybe too well. The owls have made many more rules. There is a jail in the tree! They praise the ember like a god. Meanwhile, there is a fight in the beyond. Twilight nearly dies. The king goes back to the tree and fixes it. This book is amazing!
April 6, 2022
My son loved these! He read them in about 3rd grade. I didn't share his love, but then I'm an adult and I experienced the story from a totally different point of view (I mean, fighting owls??! It was hard for me to get into.) I was willing to let him read whatever it took to get him to reading fluently and I was just happy to see him immersed in a book.
May 20, 2018
My favorite part was when Coryn got everyone in the great tree to start acting normal again after they started to act like the others. My least favorite part was when Otulissa and Primrose were imprisoned in the great tree.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2020
these books play fast and loose with both time and geography; a bold choice for a book with a map in the front. I know, there are talking owls, why should I care that an relatively short cave system starts in one kindow and ends in another kingdom that doesn't even border the first kingdom?
June 12, 2020
I read this series as a young teen with my Mom. I remember loving the story, the information about the owls, the conflict between good and evil, the adventure! They were great books to read as a family.
March 19, 2018
I love these little books so much. Every one of them is a 5 star read and I highly recommend the entire series. Lasky is a genius.
September 26, 2018
twiglight almost died
January 13, 2019
Much better than the last book, and now that the Band is back together (hello, puns), I’m looking forward to the last few books in this series more than ever.
3.75/5 stars
3.75/5 stars
March 8, 2020
Fascinating take on how power corrupts. A good read, but lacking in the exciting aspects.
March 12, 2020
Love this series as a adult , it's a guilty pleasure of sorts. With that s addition and the past two it's only gotten better. Had I read this as a younger person I would be obsessed. Well done K.L.
May 1, 2020
otulissa: what a queen
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews