The Woodcutter has no other name – his ancestors were appointed long ago to keep the Wood on the border of the Fae lands and Mortal lands free from the influence of dark magic. One terrible day, he finds a girl in a red hood already dead, and a princess with skin as white as snow nearly mad because she’s been forced to kill a hunter. It was the Woodcutter’s job to prevent these things from happening, but someone is meddling in the Wood, and blocking his power.
This was an interesting amalgamation of fairy tales – the premise is that there are twelve kingdoms ruled by humans with Fae blood, and the Woodcutter was appointed to keep them in line. If he fails, the Fae will come back and wipe out the Mortals, because they don’t believe that Mortals can handle Fae power unchecked. Only the Woodcutter can find out what’s gone wrong, and fix things.
The writing does get a little overwrought by the end, but it’s a still a satisfying read, and a good twist on the fairy tale canon.