Farlaine in the Winglands is the sixth volume in the Farlaine the Goblin series. For those not in the know, Farlaine is a tree goblin, and he’s wandering all of the lands in his fantasy world home looking for a forest so that he can devote the rest of his life to caring for it. Joining him in his quest are the shrub that facilitates his nature magic, Ehrenwort, and the automaton (called a tink) Drowsy, who absorbs and stores light.
In this volume, Farlaine and his companions find themselves in the Winglands, a realm in the clouds where beings grow wings as long as they’re not touching the ground. The specifics of the metaphysics of this land play a large role in the plot, as with many of the Farlaine stories, and we see how they can be both a hindrance and an advantage to Farlaine and friends. We also see Farlaine grow in power as he seemingly finds a forest to tend to – but can he keep it for long when an old enemy shows up, this time with wings, to destroy the three of them?
I really enjoy all of the Farlaine volumes (by cartoonist Pug Grumble and published by Studio Farlaine), and this volume is no exception. We get to explore a new fantastic, light, and whimsical realm with new physical laws each time. The implications of these laws are vast, and it’s easy to fall in love with the virtuous Farlaine and his companions. The quest to find a forest is a noble one, and you really want the tiny goblin to win. He gets closer to his goal than ever in this volume, and his power levels are greater than ever, so he can stop running from every threat for once. It’s refreshing to finally see this underdog be able to fight back, but he still has a difficult road ahead of him. The best part about this volume is that, like all the other Farlaine volumes, it’s completely self-contained, so anyone can pick it up and enjoy Farlaine’s adventures, which are perfectly suitable for kids of all ages.
I recommend picking up Farlaine in the Winglands for the kid in your life, especially if that kid is you. You can pick up the first five volumes of Farlaine’s quest at http://www.farlaine.com/, with Farlaine in the Winglands also being available as of March 28th. With volume seven and more on the way, you’ll want to start reading Farlaine now so you can be excited every time a new one comes out, just like I am.