Dev’s Story Forge

Fantasy Animation Fans! Check out the trailer for the new Season of “Wolf King”, based on the “Wereworld” series by Curtis Jobling. Whether you’re a fan of the books or an enjoyer of original animation projects, I highly recommend this series. The first Season is currently available to watch on Netflix.

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 0

Dev’s Story Forge

Forge Review: The Wingfeather Saga (Book Series)

Do you enjoy epic, well built fantasy worlds like that of “Lord of the Rings” or “Avatar the Last Airbender”? Or witty unserious humour like that of “The Princess Bride”? Do you think there is a lack of unique magic systems and disability representation in Fantasy especially? Well, Andrew Peterson’s “The Wingfeather Saga” may just be the book series you’ve been looking for. 

“The Wingfeather Saga” is a family fantasy series written by singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson. The series has four main books first published from 2008 and 2014. These books are: “On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness”; “North! Or be Eaten”; “The Monster in the Hollows”; and “The Warden and the Wolf King”. It is available through just about anywhere to buy books, including Amazon. It is also currently being made into an animated series on Angel Studios (which I will be reviewing separately). 

The story follows three children, Janner, Kalmar (also known as Tink), and Leeli and their family as they discover their secret family history and battle the ruthless Fangs of Dang and their master, Gnag the Nameless. The family dynamics and sibling relationships are incredibly relatable and realistic. And, unlike many fantasy families, the family of “Wingfeather Saga” stays together. The only times that they separate is when it is necessary for the plot or specific development of individual characters. 

The world of Aerwiar, in which the series is set, is a vibrant place filled with a variety of quirky beasts like those of “Dungeons and Dragons”. The same goes for the place names. Where many fantasy stories have place names which are often too serious, Peterson decided to have his place names be more creative, and uniquely memorable. Additionally, the magic system of the series utilizes music, art and writing as its main power sources. 

Peterson is also not shy about putting unique twists on typical fantasy tropes such as the Child Ruler, the Big Bad and the Warrior Race. The same goes for how he writes his characters. Neither his male or female characters completely adhere to traditional masculine or feminine stereotypes. So it feels modern while avoiding the overused  Hollywood cultural norms (including those prevalent in current media). This is especially true of the representation of disability in the character Leeli, whose character arc does not revolve around her disability or overcoming it. 

Finally, “The Wingfeather Saga” has a great deal of heart. Though it presents many Christian themes,  it is  a series that can be enjoyed by Non Christians as well. Specifically its ultimate message of hope and rebuilding from what has been lost, which given the state of the world, is extremely relevant. 

These are my overall thoughts on the series. You can read my reviews of each individual book on Goodreads.

Book One: www.goodreads.com/review/show/5284487538
Book Two: www.goodreads.com/review/show/7063008829
Book Three: www.goodreads.com/review/show/7063008874
Book Four: www.goodreads.com/review/show/7063008943

#wingfeathersaga

3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

Dev’s Story Forge

Forge Review: The Legend of Korra

Did you love the world and characters of “Avatar: The Last Airbender”? Do you like shows that present different political ideologies, while exploring the roles of tradition and change? And maybe you like a protagonist who has a slower evolution rather than an abrupt 180 development. If you are interested in all of these things, Nickelodeon’s “Legend of Korra” may just be the series for you. 

Set 70 years from the original “Avatar” timeline, the show follows Aang’s successor Korra through a rapidly progressing new world and the challenges that come with her role as the Avatar. Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the series first aired on April 14th, 2012 on Nickelodeon. Though it faced several production challenges, the series ran for four seasons. It is currently available to stream on Paramount Plus. 

Perhaps one of the most underrated shows, “Legend of Korra” combines the heart and extensive worldbuilding of the original “Avatar” with more mature themes and concepts in order to be a story that is both a sequel and a standalone story. Much like “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, there is a mix of well written male and female characters of multiple different ages. Though a handful of these characters have limited screen time, most of them have interesting arcs. Additionally, the show builds on the world of the original with changes in technology and styles of bending, exploring how the new ways of doing things clash with more traditional modes. For instance, the first season sees Korra clash with her mentor over Bending being used in sports. The later three seasons also include some social commentary in both the plot and characters. 

Speaking of characters, Korra’s character arc is one of slow progression rather than rapid changes. Throughout the Seasons, we see Korra grow slowly through her interactions with both her allies and enemies, showing that change of character does not happen overnight, but needs constant growth in order to stick. Book four sees Korra face a more internal conflict in a brilliant depiction of trauma recovery.  

Lastly, “Legend of Korra” explores different political ideologies, albeit simplified, and what happens when they are taken too far. Each of Korra’s villains is an extremist of their respective political position and the show points at the positive potential of each one. (It even points out flaws in the North American democratic system, represented by Korra’s home base, Republic City.) In conclusion, “Legend of Korra” is both an excellent sequel and an epic story about finding one’s identity in the midst of a rapidly changing world of expectations. A message that speaks volumes no matter your background. 

5 months ago | [YT] | 1

Dev’s Story Forge

‪@WingfeatherSaga‬ just released a teaser for the upcoming third Season. Thought I’d share as I am a fan of the series 👍🏼

7 months ago | [YT] | 2

Dev’s Story Forge

Forge Review: The Dragon Prince

Do you enjoy fantasy stories with interesting magic systems, well-crafted worlds and cool creatures? Are you annoyed with stories that explore the topic of revenge without truly looking into the complexities of it? Do you enjoy reading stories that explore the positive and negative consequences of decisions? Netflix’s “The Dragon Prince” may be the show for you. 

Created by Aron Ehasz and Justin Richmond, “The Dragon Prince” is a Netflix Original Series that first aired in 2019. Currently, the show has seven seasons (an incredible feat for an animated fantasy series) with the potential for more. The show centres around human step brothers Callum and Ezran, former Elf Assassin Rayla and the titular character and their quest to restore unity between the human kingdoms and the magical land of Xadia, ruled by Elves and Dragons. In their path to peace stand revenge-driven villains from both sides. 

Although the series appropriately frames acts of vengeance- especially those of violent nature- as negative, it does not shy away from the often multifaceted motivations behind such choices. The lines of right and wrong, light and dark, are made relatively clear but not without a good amount of nuance. For instance certain characters choose to use dark magic but only in order to protect their friends. 

Speaking of characters, the series features a diverse cast of well-written male and female characters, including characters with disabilities. The villains are given just as much nuance as the heroes and the populations are not all light-skinned characters either. In fact, the world itself is complex with rich details of the world’s dragon, human and Elven cultures. The latter is actually six different cultural groups whose rituals and traditions are woven into the plot when it’s important for the story. 

Finally, the story explores themes of breaking generational trauma and letting go of the past while also carrying forward the good things that come from it. The character conflicts are framed in a way that makes neither side particularly right or wrong. And the overall messages of finding hope in one another even amidst the worst conflicts are uplifting and encouraging, especially given all the recent world events. If you’re looking for something with “Lord of the Rings” level worldbuilding, great characters and nuanced storytelling, I highly recommend “The Dragon Prince” 🐉🔮⚔️

#Thedragonprince #Giveusthesaga #greenlightarc3 #storytelling

8 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 2

Dev’s Story Forge

Forge Review ⚒️🔥🪶
“Hilda and Twig: Hide From the Rain”
By Luke Pearson

I just read the latest addition to Luke Person's “Hilda” series. And, it was wonderful ♥️ Not only do we get to hear what Twig the Deerfox is really thinking when he adventures with Hilda; but there was also a heartwarming lesson for him about his role in Hilda's life. A simple yet poignant story. I highly recommend it, especially if you love cozy stories with interesting lore woven into them.
I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday

#hildatheseries #twighilda

9 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 4

Dev’s Story Forge

With all the bad news surrounding Animation and the world, it’s important to share around good news too. And, I’m sharing this, because I’m a huge fan of “The Dragon Prince”.
Netflix quietly released this amazing trailer for the upcoming Seventh Season, which I’m hoping won’t be the last ⭐️

#thedragonprince #TDP #ContinueTheSaga #standwithanimation

10 months ago | [YT] | 1

Dev’s Story Forge

With the Animation Rally tonight, I wanted to do my part and get a post out about Animation. As an amateur writer I like to take inspiration from a variety of places, including Animation. With that said, here are the top 5 Reasons I like watching Animated Shows: 

1 The Writing is unusually better: Due to the time it takes to create animation, the writing has to be good in order for viewers to stay engaged. Having watched a mix of both live action and animated shows, I can honestly say that the writing is for the most part, more consistent in quality than live action shows. 
2 Interesting characters: Adding on to my above point, not only are animated characters interesting design-wise, but they tend to have more consistency than live action characters in terms of personality traits and decision making. 
3 The limitless visual potential: There are things that animation can do visually that live action and even CGI simply cannot. While both are limited by budget, Animation can achieve visuals closer to what was originally visualized. A great example of this is when a show includes magic. There’s a broader range of how magic can be visually shown. 
4 More variety in storytelling: Oftentimes Animated Series tend to have a variety of styles and genres of storytelling even within single seasons. For example, a heavily comedic episode followed a horror-inspired episode. 
5 Less potential for minor distractions: We’ve all had moments when watching live action films or series where we are distracted by something in the visuals. For instance, finding a film hard to enjoy because of the crappy CGI, or cheap-looking costumes or props. With Animation, there’s less potential for minor details like this to distract from the visual world and the story. 
As with anything, there are always exceptions (*cough* *cough* “Velma”), but overall I’ve found these examples to be true for most Animated shows that I’ve watched, especially in the fantasy and sci-fi genres. I stand in solidarity with the Animation workers who are fighting for better pay and working conditions. Thank you for taking time to read and hey, share this around if you like. #standwithanimation

(Photos: promotional posters from “Hilda” and “The Owl House” properties of Luke Pearson and Dana Terrace respectively)

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1 year ago | [YT] | 1