Children’s fantasy book series about a quest to recover gems
I really loved this author as a kid and have a vivid memory of reading the first four books in the “Rowan of Rin” series when I had to stay in bed after catching glandular fever when I was 11 years old. This series came out after I had already started high school, so it was a bit young for me, but I recall it being very popular and my partner had a few books in his collection. While helping him to complete it, I found some fantastic editions at the Lifeline Bookfair that have 3D holographic covers. I decided it was finally time to read one for my Short Stack Reading Challenge.
“The Forests of Silence” by Emily Rodda is the first book in the children’s fantasy series “Deltora Quest”. The story begins outlining the lives of two young boys and best friends: Endon and Jarred. When Endon becomes King of Deltora, Jarred is framed for trying to plot his murder. Fleeing from the sheltered life of the King’s castle which is overtaken by the Shadow Lord, Jarred realises that conditions outside the castle walls are dire, and starts a new life as blacksmith in the city of Del. Years later, his son Lief goes on a quest to recover the lost jewels of the king’s belt: the only thing that can defeat the Shadow Lord and save Deltora.
This is an action-packed book that, despite the older teenaged characters, is aimed at a younger audience. The plot is a familiar fantasy storyline with a protagonist tasked to find a magical object to defeat an evil force and save the land. Each book is centred on finding one of the lost gemstones; an enjoyable premise for anyone who likes collecting books because the spine of each book has a space for each gemstone. Rodda has a straightforward way of writing that makes it accessible to kids, and I can see why this was such a popular series.
While I found the beginning of the book setting the scene quite memorable, the rest of it didn’t leave a particularly strong impression on me except right at the end when the enemy is defeated.
A fun, quick read that I think kids would still enjoy over 20 years later.
Tinted Edges 