Product Description

In the classic spirit of epic fantasy comes this glittering saga of a young girl who learns she possesses an uncanny gift — and is destined to use it to save her world from a terrifying evil.

Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child when her family is destroyed in war. She doesn't yet know she has inherited a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the noble School of Pellinor and enables her to see the world as no other can. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true identity and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now, she and her mysterious teacher must embark on a treacherous, uncertain journey through a time and place where the forces of darkness wield an otherworldly terror.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60448 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-14
• Released on: 2006-03-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 528 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780763631628
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Amazon.com Review
Australian poet Alison Croggon brings an eye for sensual detail to this heroic fantasy that follows the genre's familiar formula: A humble person is caught up in extraordinary events and led (or sent) on a journey by a wise figure, only to discover eventually that he/she is destined to save the world in an ultimate confrontation between the powers of good and evil. In this case the young person is sixteen-year-old Maedra, who is rescued from slavery by the Bard Cadvan. They share an exhausting journey toward Innail, one of the Bard schools and strongholds that govern the land, and Maedra grows to trust Cadvan as he reluctantly reveals his magical powers in several ambushes from evil creatures. But under duress she, too, begins to discover that she has a Gift--and more. After she has learned to read, ride a horse, and handle a sword at Innail, they set out on another dangerous trek to the prestigious city of Norloch, where Cadvan hopes to consult with his mentor Nelac to confirm his conviction that Maerad is the One who was Foretold. Many other characters and creatures come into this tale, as well as mystical intimations and dreams, and lavish descriptions of landscape, food, clothes, and room furnishings. In the tradition of Tolkien, a whole history of an ancient language and culture undergirds the story, and Croggon has even provided appendices of that history, a pronunciation guide, and an invented bibliography of her sources. Die-hard fantasy fans who can forgive its slow pace will enjoy this richly imagined story and look forward to its sequel, The Riddle. (ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 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 © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 7-10. 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. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Imaginative and well-written with unfortunate similarities to Tolkien
Alison Croggon is obviously a writer of great talent. I was sucked into her world and held riveted. Her language is lyrical and characterization is very strong. She's obviously put a lot of thought into her world.

Unfortunately for me, some of this was overshadowed by what I felt were unfortunate influences by Tolkien. Of course everyone who writes fantasy is influenced in one way or another by Tolkien. The Hulls didn't bother me as they did another reviewer--they're very obviously human and not nearly as powerful as Ringwraiths. But Ardina's forest hold did smack strongly of Lothlorien, and Cadvan, though I loved his character deeply, was more than a little reminiscent of Aragorn. There are numerous examples of times when, in my opinion, Croggon probably wrote what felt right to her without realizing how similar it was to Tolkien.

Does this mean the book isn't worth reading? By no means. I have read the Lord of the Rings so many times I can recite parts off by memory--there are doubtless many readers who aren't as obsessed with Tolkien as I am, and I am certain that those readers will be unhindered by these similarities. I enjoyed the books thoroughly, and will not hesitate to recommend them to several people I know who read fantasy.

Admittedly, I dislike fantasy stories that purport to be about this world in a long-gone age--that's a personal bias of mine, and for that reason I chose not to read the introduction. I don't think it takes away any of the pleasure of the books. I think Alison Croggon is very talented, and obviously, as a poet, she has a strong command of language. I do wish that there were fewer similarities, but I will point out that the first book bears much more similarity to Tolkien than the second book.

To me it feels as though Croggon became more comfortable with her own voice as she wrote the second book, and drew less heavily on the stories influencing her and more heavily on her own imagination. Definiately a strong addition to the Young Adult fantasy genre, and I look forward to the third book.

The formula for success?
The scenario: An orphaned young protagonist is whisked away from a bleak existence by a mysteriously powerful stranger, introduced to a world of magic and intrigue in which she has by birthright a special place. In addition to her previously undiscovered, unpolished, and innumerable talents that stagger everyone with their power, she also happens to be the Fated One, named in a mysterious prophecy as the hero to bring down a terrible villain so evil he is Nameless.

Sound familiar? It should, as it's impossible to skirt around the fact that The Naming is awash in clichés that evoke shades of every popular young adult fantasy series on the shelf today. But it would be a mistake to write this one off as just another would-be Tolkien-- despite the familiarity of the plot (and yes, a few settings ripped straight from Middle Earth), this particular attempt somehow manages to rise above the ranks of fellow imitators to become the real deal.

Surprisingly well-written (despite an arsenal of adverbs that would make even J.K. Rowling blanch, she said bewilderedly), the narrative is compelling even though one has the distinct feeling they know exactly where this one is headed. It's the characters, however, that drive this one, and though they might not be terribly original, they are nuance, complex, and compelling. Maered is a genuinely fascinating heroine, plucky and sympathetic, troubled and strong. Young girls looking for an inspiring fictional role model need look no further-- this is a girl who could twist Harry Potter into a pretzel, and then make him blush while discussing her menstrual cramps. Girls age twelve and up will most likely enjoy this series immensely.

In summary-- while the books of Pellinor are without question dwarfed among the ranks of fantasy classics, as a young adult fantasy series this one stands out above the rest. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it's series like these that are the reason The Formula works: although you know exactly how this one is going to end, you've become attached enough to the characters to follow them there. I know I will.

It's a story you don't want to miss...
I am a very big Tolkein fan. The style in which Alison writes "The Naming" reminds me in many ways of Tolkein. The Speech is spelt and sounds a lot like the Elven languages in Lord of the Rings, as well as all the poems that tell a story (and don't necessarily rhyme) but say so much in a few words.

However, I do not like Alison's books just because they remind me of Tolkein. They books are strictly Alison. I love them because you can tell they were crafted with thought and by someone who really loves to write.

I don't believe a story like this comes often. The Pellinor series is one of those rare books that come along that you just have to tell someone about, that you just have read over again, that you just have to scribble on your calendar the date the next book comes out and that you feel like you'd just go to pieces if you didn't have the books in your posession.

The imagery is fantastic, yet leaves so much for our imaginations to run. The story is timeless, yet it's one we've never heard before. The characters are endearing, no matter how brooding or tempered they are. The world it is set in is strange and so different from our own, but it feels like home.

I love this book simply because it gave me back the joy of reading and that elation that comes with being part of a wonderful story.