Canadian author Baird blends an accessible style, typical of her popular young adult novels (The Hidden World
; The Dragon's Egg
), with a rich mythology in this delightful fantasy for adults, the first of a new series. In the ancient history of the almost excessively Earth-like planet of Mera, the world was ruled by the magic-using Elei. When a rain of meteors destroyed their exquisite civilization, the few survivors clung to two prophecies: one of an evil avatar of the dark god Modrian, and one of the Tryna Lia, a young woman who would use the powerful Star Stone to defend against him. Now, hundreds of years later, the last descendents of the Elei believe they have found the Tryna Lia just in time to defeat a cruel tyrant who proclaims himself favored by Modrian, but only a few people know the Star Stone's location: Ana, an old woman who claims to read minds and wield magic; Damion, a priest of the One God Aan who finds his faith troubled by evidence of strange powers and old gods; and Ailia, a young student who loves fairy tales but has a hard time believing that they can come true. The vowel-heavy Elei names are too easily confused or forgotten, but this is a minor flaw. Baird has produced a real winner, sure to please current fans and appeal to many new ones. (Feb. 1)
FYI:
Baird has won the Canadian Children's Book Centre Choice Award.
