Kringle by Tony Abbott

I enjoyed reading some of Tony Abbott's other books, so I decided to read Kringle to see how it compared. I was curious to read Abbott's take on Santa Claus.

Kringle has been raised by the old woman, Merwyn, ever since his mother died shortly after giving birth to him. (His father had been killed by the goblins several days before his birth.) Now a young teen, Kringle escapes when the goblins attack the hut he shares with Merwyn. Merwyn isn't so lucky and is captured by the goblins. Kringle then goes on a series of adventures, meeting some elves, some warriors from the North, a priest, and even some magical reindeer, all in an attempt to rescue Merwyn and the children captured by the goblins.

While I enjoyed Kringle's adventures overall, I found the dialogue stilted at times and Kringle's tendency to think aloud drove me crazy. I doubt it's something that will even be noticed by most readers. By setting the legend of Santa Claus into the middle of a fantasy during the Middle Ages, Abbott gives a fresh perspective to the tale. Fans of questing fantasies especially will enjoy Kringle. Satisfactory story, but nothing to make it stand out. I give it a C.