Gr 7 Up-In this first volume in a projected quartet, Croggon has created a world that is both authentic and exotic, welcoming and frightening. When 16-year-old Maerad meets a man named Cadvan, she is catapulted from her life as a slave to an epic destiny. Cadvan is a Bard, one of the magically gifted Starpeople, and he begins to teach her about her own gifts and abilities. He believes her to be the prophesied One who will oppose the Nameless, the dark power working toward the destruction of the Bards and the Balance of the world. As Maerad and Cadvan travel, they join forces with Hem, a mysterious orphan, and learn that the Nameless's influence reaches far into the world of the Bards. Encounters with great mythic figures of their world and threatening evil forces add to the epic flavor of their journey. Maerad's story is presented as a translation of the great epic of a lost civilization, and explanatory appendixes add to this fantasy's realistic feel. Maerad is a strong, bold, and appealing character, and her lack of knowledge about her world provides a framework for Croggan's background explanations. Supporting characters, including the Bards and those who oppose them, are given realistic traits and flaws. While some coincidences in the plot may stretch readers' belief, they are integral to the story. Maerad seems a kindred spirit to Tamora Pierce's Alanna, and her story will find a welcoming audience among readers looking for a challenging and fully realized epic adventure.-Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

A mysterious stranger comes to the miserable mountain outpost where Maerad is a slave and offers to help her escape. She leaves and finds herself in great peril. The adventures that follow revolve around Maerad's true name and her extraordinary magical powers; prophetic signs point to Maerad as the one who will defeat the "Nameless One." As Maerad travels, finding allies and confronting enemies, she discovers her heritage, recovers certain memories, and endeavors to use her powers to help her newfound friends. Most writers of high fantasy are indebted to Tolkien in one way or another, but few incorporate so many elements of his writing and his secondary world into their own: verse within the story; invented history as back matter; and the "Nameless One" or "Dark power," long ago defeated, who rises again to threaten civilization. There are, of course, differences in Croggon's handling of these elements, as well as her choice of a female protagonist. An Australian poet, she makes good use of imagery in her writing. Despite the derivative elements, many fantasy fans will look forward to following Maerad's adventures in the next volumes of this fantasy quartet.

Maerad, sixteen, escapes from slavery and discovers her true name and magical birthright in this first installment of a projected quartet. While the pacing is slow, fans of LeGuin and Tolkien will enjoy the novel's lyrical style and the richly detailed descriptions of the landscapes, inhabitants, culture, and politics of Maerad's world.

A lush, vivid epic fantasy about a slave who becomes pivotal to a vast land's survival. Sixteen-year-old Maerad toils with no hope of freedom or human connection until the day a strange man shows up in the cow byre. Though wounded, he arranges her escape. Cadvan's a Bard, one of the special people in this land who use learning and inborn magical power in the service of good. Maerad's one too, though she never knew it and is ignorant of its workings. Old enemies of the Light are reappearing and Cadvan senses that his discovery of Maerad is no fluke. Evil sweeps the land both blatantly and insidiously as Maerad and Cadvan journey through a grand School and across the wilds, seeking help and clarity and battling foes. Croggon's characters and environmental descriptions glow with a romantic sensibility and resonate beautifully with archetypal connections to Tolkien. Maerad's path to her destiny will be awaited eagerly. (pronunciation key, map, appendices, poems) (Fantasy. 12+)

Sixteen-year-old orphan Maerad leads a miserable life as a slave until the Bard Cadvan rescues her from drudgery. In Annar and the Seven Kingdoms, Bards are the keepers of the Light, born with the Gift of the Speech wherein lies the knowledge and forces of good that help mankind and Nature. Groomed in the Schools, Bards are the forces of Light that combat the Dark's evil power. Traveling together after fleeing the settlement of Gilman's Cot, Cadvan realizes that Maerad is a Bard. Cadvan is journeying to School at Norloch to see his teacher Nelac; he hopes to have Maerad instated as a Bard. Through folktale prophecy, prescient dreams, and an ancient parchment, it becomes evident that Maerad is the Foretold, the Fated One, who will ultimately triumph over the Dark. As Cadvan and Maerad travel through Annar, they are beset by Hulls, wers, and a wight, all minions of the Dark. They also encounter an Elemental spirit and kind residents who help the voyagers on their way. Croggon creates a superb epic fantasy in this first book of the Pellinor series, which is evocative of both the Arthurian legend and The Lord of the Rings trilogy with the added twist of a female protagonist. Compellingly readable, the story offers the reader both richly developed characters and descriptive prose that sparks the imagination. A plentitude of action and plot surprises ensure a riveting read. Unbelievably fine, this book represents fantasy storytelling at its best. This exemplary novel is sure to appeal to all fantasy fans.-Rachelle Bilz.