Quest for the Fallen Star

With the death of her mentor, A'mond, the young elf Chentelle is the sole enchantress in Lone Valley. So when a message from the High Bishop arrives for A'mond, Chentelle accepts it in his place. Following orders, she sets off for the cave of A'stoc, the apprentice of the great wizard A'pon Boemarre, to escort him and his mighty Thunderstaff to the Holy City of Norivika. Along the way, Chentelle is joined by the exiled warrior Sulmar and the mighty fighter Lord Dacius Gemine, also summoned by the Bishop. Haunted by the memory of his experiences in the long-ago Wizards' War, A'stoc is reluctant to join the expedition, but Chentelle convinces him to come along. At Norivika, they learn that recent stories of a star fallen to earth are true. The disparate party must recover the Sphere of Ohnn from its hiding place on the secret island of Kennaru and then use it and the Thunderstaff to destroy the fallen star before the Dark One and his deformed Ill-creatures can use its power to take over the world. This is a by-the-numbers quest novel--but one that makes all the right moves, with plenty of action, magical pyrotechnics and narrow escapes. Fans of epic fantasy are sure to enjoy this grand, fast-paced adventure from Anthony (the Xanth series) and his coauthors, first novelists both. (July)