Description
From the acclaimed writer of Ship of Shadows comes a brand-new fantasy following the magical journey of one girl and her bear.
In a land of ice and stars, where constant troll invasions threaten to shake the moon from the sky, lives a girl with a magical destiny. A girl braver than a Viking, who will one day hold the fate of the North in her hands. That girl is Saga Thorolfsdottir.
But there's just one problem- ever since her parents died wielding powerful runes, Saga has been deathly afraid of magic. She would much rather stay within the safety of her village and play with her pet bear, Bjørn, than pursue any kind of magical destiny.
So when Saga accidentally disturbs a clan of trolls in the mountains, leading to her whole village being taken prisoner, she has to face her fears head on. No amount of rune magic will defeat these monsters, and Saga has only one option - to compete in the Fifth Winter contest, an incredible tournament where only the bravest may enter and only one champion can win. The prize? A horn of magic, powerful enough to rattle the gods themselves . . .
Review
Saga has grown up knowing that a prophecy was told about her when she was a baby. The prophecy says that she will dream magic and hold the fate of the north in her hands. The problem is Saga is terrified of magic after her parents were killed using powerful runes to protect their village. Her grandfather, who she calls Afi, has raised her and she loves him dearly.
When huge trolls attack their village, Saga is the only one who is not taken captive and she vows to rescue them. Saga and her bear Bjorn set off for the Ice Castle Mountain to get help from the sorcerers, but the only way into the castle is to enter the Fifth Winter contest with 50 other competitors - and this means facing magic.
As she gets closer to the mountain she meets two more competitors - Ruvsa, who she learns can talk to animals and Canute, who can transform into a dragon. Together they decide to help each other tackle the challenges they must all face. But all is not as it seems in the Ice Castle, and Saga is not sure that the powerful sorcerers can be trusted, as they all refuse to help her find the villagers. But when she goes snooping and discovers the awful truth, can Saga and her friends save the villagers, and themselves, before it’s too late?
This is a wonderful fantasy story full of magic and myths and all set in the frozen north under the Northern Lights. Saga, Ruvsa and Canute are fantastic characters and the friendship that forms between them is a vital part of the whole story, as is Saga’s love for her grandfather, and her bear Bjorn. It is a story of courage and believing in yourself against all the odds, and how no one is ever too small or too young when you have friends who believe in you and support you. A perfect story for all fantasy lovers aged 10 and up.
