Pellinor 02 - The Riddle

The second volume of the Pellinor quartet, this fantasy tells of Maerad the Fated One, a bard whose destiny is to defeat the Nameless One by using the mysterious Treesong. Young Maerad embarks on a long quest to discover more about the Treesong while eluding, fending off, and (usually) escaping the agents of the Dark who pursue her. Sometimes accompanied by allies, sometimes alone, she continues to learn about herself and her magical powers as well as the world she must try to save. Croggon's respect for Tolkien's trilogy shows clearly in the book's conception, structure, and long, appended backstory notes, but the vulnerable heroine, the language, and the vision are all her own. Although the dramatic tension lags a bit in the middle of this lengthy novel, that won't deter series fans or others who long for high fantasy with a young woman in the spotlight.