THE ELF ON THE SHELF SANTAVERSE

In a tale that harks back some 2,000 years, a young Christian refugee, future preserver of the Christmas Spirit, helps save a land of arctic elves and ice gnomes from a deadly threat.

Wedging in commentary from Fisbee, the original Elf on the Shelf, and borrowing from both Christian and Norse mythologies, Bell ships her newly orphaned 12-year-old and his beloved dog, Barry (who, anachronistically, is a Saint Bernard), from Anatolia to the northern Mountains of Enchantment. After the failure of an ice wall that kept out the evil one-eyed Gangleri and his bird companions, Huginn and Munnin (variously referred to as both ravens and crows), Nicholas and his dog play instrumental roles in guarding the Lumistella Stone. This rechargeable sacred object is a fallen fragment of the Christmas Star, which has the ability to heal the Christmas Spirit—and two mighty foes are desperate to use its powers for ill: the greedy Gangleri and the treacherous, enigmatic Mother Earth, former lovers who were torn apart by their “selfish desires.” In this work, even the countering forces on the side of “truth and love” are militarized—“We fight for Christmas! ATTACK!”—leading to plenty of combat scenes. Some readers will spot the parallels between Gangleri and Odin. This rather flat commercial tie-in may hold appeal for ardent fans of the franchise.

Extends the brand, though in a patchwork way, without giving the spirit of Christmas much beyond lip service.