On his Website, Dixon reveals that he was admonished by a reviewer for not being bloody enough for a 10-year-old and feels he must "spell things out a bit." He says, "I love bloody stories, don't get me wrong. So many children's books are about the battle between good and evil . . . It's what makes these books exciting. Still, I wondered if it was possible to write a series of books . . . about characters who choose not fight, without being accused by a grown-up of being too boring for children. Is it possible to depict courage without hacking off an arm with a sword? . . .

"The Feathered Cloak had at its center the battle or non-battle that I described above. It portrays the events that lead up to it, some mystical and others every day, and it tries to imagine a reason why the cards fell the way they did. It had a lot to do with a bloodthirsty warrior getting his symbol of battle transformed before his eyes into a symbol of peace. The book was also about the wishes, and dreams, and feelings of a young girl."

The heroine of The feathered Cloak is 11-year-old Freya, who lives near the village of Trondheim in northern Norway in 933 AD. With her goatherd father and her little brother, Rolf, her only friends, she has a happy, carefree childhood, playing in the forests and enjoying the animals. He black hair and dark skin are unusual among the fair people of Norway, and village children shun her. At age 11, everything changes. Her brother grows into a giant, a nine-year-old oaf who is impossible to play with, her father grows weary, depressed and 'wandery'. The skies are cloudy all day and the snow never leaves. Freya becomes lonely, bad-tempered and rude.

One day, while stomping around in her snowy, sunless forest on her awkward snowshoes, Freya sees a little man trap a new falcon for the King of Norway, Erik Bloodaxe. She decides that she can do the same and thus become a favorite of the King.

It is said that the snow and endless, dreary grey skies came when the ridiculous Erik ascended to the throne of Norway. He is a cruel and ruthless ruler and falconry is his sport. On learning that the Trondheims in the north have crowned his kind brother King, the enraged Erik rips the feathers from his elderly falcon's back like a soiled coat. He then send the nearly naked bird, without his "feathered cloak" off with a servant to his brother, with a challenge to do battle for the throne of Norway. The falcon escapes.

The determined Freya manages to capture the pitiful, old falcon. His name is Morton, and Freya can speak his language. The two develop a remarkable friendship and are off to retrieve Morton's feathers from the wicked King Erik Bloodaxe.

Morton is probably the most engaging old bird you'll ever meet. He is truly magnificent and dignified in spite of his plight. His intelligence, wisdom and wit have a wonderful influence on Freya. He helps her to understand her father, brother and absent mother. As she matures under Morton's guidance, the growth of her character is impressive. Her heritage and final destiny are hinted at throughout the tale.

The kindly narrator of The Feathered Cloak is an intriguing character. He is writing more or less in the present day, yet has no need for history books for he was there at all the events in the story. He ha a wonderful sense of humor and must be over one thousand years old.

This first book in The Trilogy of the Tree gives the reader an interesting glimpse into Viking lore and legend. It is told in traditional folk style—a time, long, long ago, ice and snow, Viking wars, evil kings, courageous deeds, etc. We meet winged Valkyries and the race of the giants. The unique setting enhances the tale. Events reveal the author's world view, as he binds myth and legend into an enchanting story for young readers.

The Feathered Cloak is labeled a 'young adult' book, The protagonists Freya and Rolf are 11 and nine years old. It seems more appropriate for the nine to 14 age group, if they can handle a bit of heavy philosophy. It's definitely worth the effort to meet Morton and Freya.

By J. M. Smith

The second book in Sean Dixon's trilogy picks up where The Feathered Cloak left off. It is Norway, 934 AD, a confusing time for all. There is a new Christian King and the people are unsure of their old Viking gods.

The hero, Freya's brother Rolf, is a shy, gullible nine-year-old. He has grown into a monosyllabic, clumsy giant, who wishes he could be more like Freya. She is getting all of their father's attention. Rolf feels lonely, ignored and jealous. The he meets Rat-a-Task, a manipulative, young squirrel who wants to fill an important position in a faraway place. He needs a giant to take him there and protect him. Cunningly, he tells Rolf that Freya will soon desert him. Flattery impresses and deceit wins out, so Rolf agrees to go on this mysterious journey.

They are actually searching for the beautiful and vast Tree-of-the-World, where the gods used to live until it fell. Now it has started to grow again, and Rat-a-Task hopes to deliver messages up and down the tree between gods when they return to live there. The squirrel needs help from Rolf to find an army of giants to protect the precious tree from enemies, who might chop it down.

In his adventures with Rat-a-Task, Rolf meets up with an array of interesting characters: a band of Viking warriors, who are Erik Bloodaxe's children, a talking leaf, Egil the Poet, an enigmatic dragon-like tree creature, etc. His shy, lonely character grows throughout this tale, as he searches for friends and develops courage.

The Winter Drey is more slowly paced than The Feathered Claok and, at times, seems a little contrived. Rolf is not as great a hero as Freya is a heroine. Other characters do not approach the depth of Morton, the falcon, or even Erik Bloodaxe. Still, young readers may find it exciting, as it is about a giant and, being a sequel, some of the players are already known to them. The shy or lonely may identify with big, gentle Rolf in his effort to find a good friend and gain self-confidence.

Although the publisher labels The Winter Drey for 'young adults', it does seem more appropriate for nine to 12-year-olds.