Riddle and the Rune

An enjoyable reworking of the boy on a quest theme, with a character readers first met in Gom on Windy Mountain. Now Stig, Gom's father, dies, and the boy decides to find his mother. Gom leaves his mountain home hurriedly, without supplies or an idea of his destination, but he is soon given a vision of his mother, Harga, who gave him a rune at his birth and then left him. She tells him he must solve a riddle before they can meet. Gom's adventures lead him to both new friends and mortal enemies, and he soon learns that an ancient evil is determined to do anything (even murder) to capture Harga's rune. The climax of The Riddle and the Rune, the first in a projected trilogy, involves a wonderful talking horse that provides Gom with the last clue he needs to solve the riddle. In this new book about the boy, Gom, Chetwin establishes a clear voice as she relates an action-packed fantasy younger readers will enjoy. Ages 10-up. (September)