Books set in Indeterminate
Style: Good
Attitude: Take Care
The Edge is the land that borders on the emptiness beyond.
While most fantasy introduces the unusual, this book borders on strange. The myriad of bizarre characters would be bearable if they actually took the story somewhere, but by the end you feel like you’ve been bounced and splattered and sloshed all over the place only to reach an unsatisfactory conclusion. The only underlying (and over-emphasised) “value” is that the main character does the unthinkable… he strays from the path.
Adventure, Fantasy, Magic
Style: Good
Attitude: Some Care Needed → Positive
The family of Húrin falls under the curse of Morgoth and while Turin wanders far and wide, earning a reputation as a fierce fighter, driven by circumstances and his own pride, his sister and mother leave Doriath alone to find him until they encounter the Dragon Glaurung.
A family driven by the curse of an immortal. Passionate loyalty and pride. Unwitting incest between brother and sister. Two suicides in despair.
Adventure, Classic, Fantasy
Style: Weak
Attitude: Unobjectionable
Shiala, Renn and Kherron with an escort of orderlies from the Echorium try to track down the wearer of a mask of Khiz crystal, a channel for the evil power of Lord Frahzin.
Fantasy
Style: Weak
Attitude: Take Care
Old Singer Rialle is missing, and when Kyarra and her mother are taken, too, Second Singer Renn and Singer Kherron follow, believing that their old enemy Frahzin is behind the kidnapping.
Fantasy
Style: Good
Attitude: Take Care
A story of moles keeping their system going against all manner of adversity.
Animal, Fantasy
Style: Good
Attitude: Positive
As a baby Horrendo has a curse put on him by the old Wise woman because she is fed up of the constant fighting and swearing which goes on in the village.
Simple and enjoyable story, painting a picture of how good manners and good cooking can overcome vice and evil.
Adventure, Fantasy, Humorous
Style: Good
Attitude: Unobjectionable
A gang of pirates steals a set of pearls from an otter family, killing all but one of the otters in the process.
Animal, Fantasy
Style: Average
Attitude: Positive
Princesses Meryl and Addie live in the land of Barmarre, which is constantly attacked by Gryphons, Ogres, Spectres and Dragons, and where the plague of the Grey Death kills indiscriminately; Meryl is brave and Addie timid, until Meryl contracts the Grey Death, and Addie sets out to look for a cure.
Fantasy
Style: Average
Attitude: Take Care → Fairly Positive
Sabriel, 18-year-old daughter of the Mage Abhorsen, has to free her father and defeat his enemy before taking on his roles and responsibilities.
Conventional heroic valour and loyalty. Sisterly gentleness of an older girl with younger ones. Brief mention of sexual topics and an overheard sexual encounter. Concepts of necromancy and journeying between Death and Life. Considerable loss of life and gruesome injury in the final battle.
Adventure, Fantasy
Style: Average
Attitude: Unobjectionable
The story is set five years after its predecessor and the city of Aramanth has completely changed.
Adventure, Fantasy
Style: Average
Attitude: Unobjectionable
Because she can talk to the Merlee sea creatures who have the power to grant safe access to ships, Rialle is taken by the Second Singer Toharo when he travels on a diplomatic mission to the mainland Karchlord, a mission which also includes looking out for a rebellious and runaway novice.
Fantasy
Style: Good
Attitude: Positive
Katriona brings home baby Rosie from her trip to see the christening of the new princess.
A modern retelling of an old fairy tale without sacrificing traditional sensibilities. Simple joys of life in a backwater. Uncomplicated friendships and family. Generosity without asking anything in return. Casual reference to divorce.
Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
Style: Good
Attitude: Positive
Clothilde, a 12-year-old in 1921, lives with her family on the coast of America.
Family, Growing-Up
Style: Average
Attitude: Unobjectionable
Three teenagers, Kestrel and Bowman Hath, who are twins and their grubby, seemingly retarded friend, Mumpo, follow a quest to recover the voice of the WindSinger sculpture, protector of their city.
Fantasy
Style: Good
Attitude: Positive
Mildred Hubble, in her first year at Miss Cackle's Academy, must overcome her tendency to mess things up and not disgrace the school when they put on a public broomstick display.
Classic, Magic