Rip Van Winkle and the Pumpkin Lantern

By: Seth Adam Smith

Narrated by: Trista Shaye

Young Rip Van Winkle never shies away from adventure, but when he sneaks into a graveyard, he finds himself at the center of an unimaginable dilemma. The ghost of Boston's first settler reveals disturbing news about the fate of the city he so loves and tasks him with saving the city.

But before the harrowing quest begins, the young would-be hero finds himself the target of not one, but two active threats. If he can outsmart and outrun a vengeful witch and the undead corpse who will stop at nothing to capture him, he'll next have to reconcile his own feelings about his place in this desperate battle.

With a secretive preacher, a know-it-all raven, and a magical lantern at his side, Rip knows it's only a matter of time before his journey will come to a tragic end...unless he learns to trust his instincts and trust those around him.

From the best-selling, award-winning author Seth Adam Smith comes Rip Van Winkle and the Pumpkin Lantern, a fantasy novel influenced by the writings of Nathanial Hawthorne, Lloyd Alexander, and C. S. Lewis. Loaded with humor, action, suspense, and fascinating American history, this is a poignant fable about faith, family, and the power of life over death.

©2015 Fire Fish Media (P)2022 Fire Fish Media

How to encapsulate this book?

I'm really not sure how to put my thoughts into words on this one.

This book is a perfect atmospheric read for October, with All Hallows Eve playing a big role in the plot. It also feels like a deeply Christian book, with a lot of spiritual truth woven into the story, although I don't see it labled as such anywhere. It is there for those with eyes to see. It's a story about faith, family, grief, redemption, and light overcoming darkness.

The setting is fascinating! It's a hidden world fantasy against a backdrop of 1700s America, with some mythology references, which was really fun and unique. There was a satisfying ending, but it left things open for future books, and I would love to see more of this world and these characters in the future!

The narration was done by one of my favorite narrators, which was so cool! She does all the voices, and it was so fun to listen to!