For Alan Garner, the power of Celtic myth is inseparable from the power of magic; as he renews the one he frees the other in a remarkable interpretation that leaves the reader wondering. Colin and Susan are already living in two worlds (introduced in The Weirdstone, established concisely here) when the enterprises of men unlooses the formless, speechless Brolligan, blacker than the blackest night, to join the Morrigan or witch-queen, and when the children's own carelessness releases the Einhariar, the Wild Hunters and their antlered leader Garanhir. Ranged against them are the spirits withdrawn from mankind since the Age of Reason: Cadellin the wizard, Uthecar the dwarf, and Atlendor the elf-lord (whose lios-alfar are retreating from the dirt and foul air of men). To wizards and their High Magic of thoughts and spells, the Old Magic is a hindrance, a power without shape or order; they have tried to destroy it before but it would only sleep. Now it threatens the children, especially Susan because she wears the bracelet of ancient silver, the Mark of Fohla. Susan is almost lost, and Colin is captured, before the Old Magic is dispersed but not destroyed in a harrowing confrontation. The words of the hunters trail behind: "Leave her....It will be. But not yet." This exists on a more mythic plane than William Mayne's Earthfasts; both take simultaneity for granted, but here the interest is primarily in the inhabitants of "the world of magic that lies near and unknown to us as the back of a shadow." In a reluctant afterward, Mr. Garner identifies his sources; he has already transcended them in a story that requires but repays close attention.
Pub Date: Sept. 20, 1967
ISBN: 0152056300
Page Count: 220
Publisher: Walck
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1967
A spectacular return to a magical world.
Following the events of Impossible Creatures (2024), a devoted Guardian teams up with a brave princess to fight her power-hungry uncle and save the Archipelago’s dragons from a strange new threat.
Jacques the dragon summons Christopher Forrester back to the Archipelago from the human world: Dragons are dying, and no one knows why. Meanwhile, on the island of Dousha, Princess Anya’s grandfather, King Halam, has been murdered, and her father accused—though she knows he’s innocent. When Christopher and Anya take refuge on the islet of Glimt, the Berserker Nighthand helps them see how their twin missions to save the dragons and free Anya’s father are connected. They work together to create an antidote for the poison that’s killing the dragons and to keep Anya and her father safe from her murderous uncle. Meanwhile, Nighthand and Irian, the part-nereid ocean scholar, pursue their own important secret mission. Divided into three parts—“Castle,” “Dragons,” and “Revenge”—and containing elements of fairy tales, fantasy, and Shakespeare, this story continues the storyline established in the series opener, yet because it introduces new characters and obstacles, it could also stand alone. Dark-blond Anya (“five feet tall and all of it claws”) is a match for white-presenting Christopher, who, though he still misses Mal, finds that “it made a difference to have someone to move through the world with again. A friend changed the feel of the universe.” Mackenzie’s delicate, otherworldly art adorns the text.
A spectacular return to a magical world. (map, bestiary) (Fantasy. 10-15)Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2025
ISBN: 9780593809907
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
PROFILES
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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