The Wizard in the Tree stands alone among Alexander's works, the rest of which belong to one of several series, either novels set in the same imaginary worlds, such as the Westmark books and the Prydain Chronicles, or ones with similar styles and objectives, such as the recent novels The Remarkable journey of Prince Jen (1991; see separate entry), The Arkadians (1995; see Volume 9), and The Iron Ring (1997; see Volume 9). These last books, tales of adventure and magic, focus on individual ancient cultures and make use of their value systems. Like most of Alexander's fiction, The Wizard in the Tree uses magic to illuminate ethical values and reflects a respect for the mind of the reader. The characterization is not as strong as in most of his other novels, primarily because The Wizard in the Tree is a long fairy tale, a form that usually features stereotyped characters...