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Children of the Wise Oak Paperback – June 28, 2016

by Oliver J Tooley (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 140 ratings
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As Blyth approaches manhood in the Celtic village which is all the world he has ever known, all he wants is a quiet life. When his father returns from distant lands, events force him and his brothers to flee from home. Guided by Gwenn, a powerful mage, their journey leads them across a continent and face to face with the might of the Roman Republic. First in the “Wise Oak” series.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Wise Oak
  2. Print length
    264 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 28, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5.06 x 0.66 x 7.81 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1911438026
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1911438021
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

I began this book as a children's adventure for my kids. But it didn't come together, and years went by with no work being done on it. Eight years later, two of them are adults now, and the book has grown up a little too. So while it is suitable for teenage readers, it is not simply a children's book, and I would recommend parents of pre-teens read it first if their youngsters are upset by bloodshed and death because there is a bit of that.I would place it (purely in terms of  the youngest age it would be suitable for) somewhere between Harry Potter and Game of Thrones. I make no claims as to its comparability to either of those, in terms of literary quality or style. Having said that, I think this would appeal to many who enjoyed those books, as well as anyone who likes the Legends of King Arthur, Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, and Tolkien. 

From the Back Cover

As Blyth approaches manhood in the Celtic village which is all the world he has ever known, all he wants is a quiet life. When his father returns from distant lands, events force him and his brothers to flee from home. Guided by Gwenn, a powerful mage, their journey leads them across a continent and face to face with the might of the Roman Republic. First in the "Wise Oak" series.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Blue Poppy Publishing (June 28, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1911438026
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1911438021
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.06 x 0.66 x 7.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 140 ratings

About the author

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Oliver J. Tooley

Oliver J. Tooley

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Oliver hated writing at school. Come to think of it, he wasn't that keen on history, languages, or anything else much.

So nobody is more surprised than he is at having written a novel set in history, and dabbling in linguistics.

Genealogical research led him to begin writing an online biography of his grandfather Frank Kingdon-Ward; an explorer who wrote 25 published books. That project is currently undergoing major revision, but it did lead to Oliver's first paid writing commission.

A 1,200 word biography of Frank for The Great Explorers (Thames and Hudson)

Oliver's first self published book was "Time Tunnel to Londinium" which he first published on Blurb before creating a Kindle edition and then Createspace.

There are now four "Time Tunnel" books, the remainder being "Londinium Revisited", "Time Tunnel at the Seaside" and "Time Tunnel to West Leighton"

All these are published under the pen name "Olli Tooley" because they are aimed at younger readers than the Wise Oak series.

Children of the Wise Oak took around eight years from conception to realisation, however most of that time was inactivity due to self doubt. The sequel Women of the Wise Oak is coming along at a rather better pace, although good reviews of "Children" would no doubt spur on the creative process. (ha ha)

Oliver lives in Devon with his wife and four children. Among other things, he writes, argues with everyone on social media, and presents radio shows on community radio. (The Voice - North Devon)

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
140 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Croitiene ganMoryn
5.0 out of 5 stars Children of the Wise Oak
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2018
Verified Purchase
This is a great historical fiction story. Characters are well developed, it's well written (few typos, etc) and easy to read. I love reading about the Celts in the Iron Age and Mr. Tooley does a wonderful job as a story teller.

A family is reunited only to be torn apart by devious political dealings. The 3 sons flee to their newly-found paternal grandfather who begins their training in the magical arts and leads them to embark on a path to train with the mysterious Deru-Weidi in Pretan and Gaul. Their mother and sister had already begun their journey to alert the tribal chiefs of the encroaching Romans.

The story develops as the family and friends progress in their travels and come face to face with Roman authority.

I can't wait to read the next book! Thank you Mr. Tooley and Amazon!
3 people found this helpful
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Barbara T. Ryan
4.0 out of 5 stars The writing is simplistic (good) and easy to follow
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2017
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The writing is simplistic (good) and easy to follow. The plot is somewhat unbelievable: I would have been happier with less fantasy in relation to the Celtic abilities (animal transformations, dragons et al) and more emphasis on how the Celts implemented their beliefs in real time. Granted, this might not have provided as much drama, but would be more educational. Yes, there is much latitude in interpreting Celtic myths and I can't deny the author his take. I enjoyed the tale and will probably pass this book on to my 12 y/o grandson gladly.
3 people found this helpful
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Wanda W.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Storyteller's Story
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2019
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I have a special affinity for druid/pagan stories. This one did not disappoint. The characters were interesting and the story was a great beginning to what I hope to be a great series. The main characters, both male and female were strong and even though the 3 brothers were young they show the potential to be strong and confident. I especially like that a big part of their training was memorizing their cultural history, and who doesn't like magic that can change one into an animal!?
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The beginning of the Roman invasion
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2020
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Told from the point of view of 3 young Celtics, this is the story of the beginning of the Roman invasion. Magic & mysticism surround the telling of the story. It starts out a little slow & not quite sure where we are, but picks up speed & leaves you wanting to know what happens next. I will definitely read the next book.
One person found this helpful
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jzk
3.0 out of 5 stars Ollie, fire your editor
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2022
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This story has the beginnings of a good story but the grammar and sentence structure grates on my brain. Please do find a better editor. I will read on with hope.
One person found this helpful
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Char
4.0 out of 5 stars Ancient History
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2020
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I enjoyed this book. It reminded me of ancient tales of history and stories of old. The characters were very interesting as were the travels and places.
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Martin Johnston
5.0 out of 5 stars Exuberant
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2018
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Having a small Welsh,Scottish,German heritage, it seamed that I had some connection to the story. And when I finished the authors explanation of the book made perfect sense. I am mostly a free book reader, BUT I am buying the next one!
2 people found this helpful
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WMurphy
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2020
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A great blend of fiction and Celtic history. The story flowed smoothly. A fantastic read. Pick up your own copy.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Vicki-Author
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in Canada on March 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
The word 'awesome' has become trivialized and virtually meaningless of late, but I use it sincerely; I really am in awe of this writer.
Particularly for the enormous amount of research he must have done to authenticate to details of the people, locations, and the story.
In addition, it is so refreshing to discover a writer knows how to use the English language properly so that I could refrain from tearing my hair out over the dreadful mayhem so many independent writers make of it. I might have have given 5 stars for that alone
The characters all have unique, well-defined characteristics and the plot is excellent with a good balance of personal problems, mishaps, and adventures.
Although I received a free copy of this novel for an honest revue, I am pulling no punches here.
When does the next episode come out?
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R J DOCKETT
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good Story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed Children of the Wise Oak, there has been a lot of research done to get the setting and actions of the characters right, and the story has the feel of the times. There is a fair bit of what we would call magic but its inclusion doesn’t jar, it feels as natural as breathing for the characters and because of that fits into the tale perfectly.
And the tale itself is a good one, coming of age, preserving your culture against a potential threat, banding together for the common good, all these themes are well explored.
And if you get a bit stuck on the names and places, there’s a useful glossary at the back.
This is the first volume of a proposed series; the next one is eagerly awaited here, I’ll certainly be getting a copy.
4 people found this helpful
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Lacigam
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed
Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2018
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Huge fan of History, ancient history... Druids, all the old Gods, so i really enjoyed reading this book - a mixture of history and fantasy, it is perfect as an introduction to what i hope will be a trilogy. AS a previous reviewer said, the characters are compelling and can be irritating at times.. but hey... no one is perfect :P Would recommend this to Tweens, teens and adults
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Eric Klingenberg
4.0 out of 5 stars A great historical story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2017
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A lot of positive things can be said about this book. The story is great and the characters likable if somewhat confused in places. The setting is 2nd to none the author has obviously done his research and no one could criticize his historical knowledge. For me the book fell down a bit with writing style. This is very much a personal opinion and others may have loved this. For me there was far too much telling of the plot rather than showing. I like my stories and characters to unfold before my eye, not be told every aspect at break neck speed.
Don’t let that put you off I would recommend it and will be buying the next installment.
3 people found this helpful
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Janet
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully written coming of age story for readers old and young
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2018
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This is a beautifully written 'coming of age' story. The book cleverly blends historical fiction and fantasy, giving it a wide appeal. As an historian, I appreciated the depth and accuracy of the research. The reader can appreciate Celtic Britain as it is brought to life in an understated way. As a writer, I appreciated the use of language and the way that the story flowed. This is volume one of a series. Children of the Wise Oak was satisfyingly complete in itself, yet it made me keen to read the subsequent volumes. As an 'old adult' I would encourage readers of more mature years not to be put off by the suggestion that this is a book that it is aimed at younger readers.
3 people found this helpful
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