El Cristal palidece. El Elector ha sido convocado... Este es el mensaje que Perlain, del clan de los Pandellis, acaba de entregar a los habitantes de Rin. Ocho palabras escritas en tinta negra sobre un fino pergamino que remiten a una antigua y oscura profecía. Ahora, el Elector de Rin, acompañado por su primogénito, debe dirigirse al lejano pueblo de Maris, de donde solo llegan historias de serpientes marinas, sangrientas batallas y tormentas infinitas...

Há somente uma pessoa capaz de desvendar o grande enigma que poderá salvar todos da ameaça do inimigo. O povo de Maris depende do Cristal. E o Cristal está se apagando rapidamente. Por isso, os Aldeões de Rin são chamados para ajudar enviando o Nomeador - aquele que decidirá quem vai ser o novo Defensor do Cristal. Só assim Maris ficará livre dos zebakianos. Nesta aventura, Rowan descobrirá muitos segredos a respeito de sua família e de seus antepassados. Mas, mais que tudo, terá que encontrar coragem dentro de si mesmo para salvar sua mãe, seu povo, sua família e amigos queridos. Para cumprir sua missão, Rowan terá que decifrar enigmas e tomar difíceis decisões. Tudo isso antes que o Cristal se apague e o mundo como ele e seus amigos conhecem esteja, então, perdido. Gênero: Infanto - Juvenil

Emily Rodda writes stories that younger children love. Her Deltora Quest series has been read by my daughter and loaned to cousins and friends, all of whom loved it. This book is much in the same vein.

Rowan lives in a land called Rin, but his life is turned upside down when it turns out that his mother is to be called upon to act as the chooser of the next Keeper of The Crystal - a magical crystal that embues knowledge, wisdom and power upon the keeper and keeps the lands safe from dangerous enemies.

The choosing is a dangerous time, for it is known that a failure to choose a new keeper will cause the lands of Maris to fall prey to invaders. The chooser is in great peril and should anything happen to his mother, Rowan is next in line.

Unlike the Deltora Quest books that I have read, this book is not laced with puzzles that the reader can hope to solve - although there is one key puzzle that Rowan must solve, and a nice plot twist at the end.

Children of about 7+ should love this book, but it is not a young adult read. This is not the first of the Rowan series but that will not matter - the story is fully self contained and would work very weel even if not part of a larger series

My four star rating is based on readers of the age group reading this book. I would have to give it fewer for older readers (but they are not teh intended audience). ( )