Book Review: The Naming

The Naming: The First Book of Pellinor by Alison Croggon

SUMMARY: In this first volume in a projected quartet, Croggon has created a world that is both authentic and exotic, welcoming and frightening. When 16-year-old Maerad meets a man named Cadvan, she is catapulted from her life as a slave to an epic destiny. Cadvan is a Bard, one of the magically gifted Starpeople, and he begins to teach her about her own gifts and abilities. He believes her to be the prophesied One who will oppose the Nameless, the dark power working toward the destruction of the Bards and the Balance of the world. As Maerad and Cadvan travel, they join forces with Hem, a mysterious orphan, and learn that the Nameless's influence reaches far into the world of the Bards. Encounters with great mythic figures of their world and threatening evil forces add to the epic flavor of their journey. Maerad seems a kindred spirit to Tamora Pierce's Alanna, and her story will find a welcoming audience among readers looking for a challenging and fully realized epic adventure. (from the School Library Journal review)

OPINION: Marissa has been convincing everyone to read this series, so I jumped on the bandwagon. I'm glad I did! The story is excellently imagined, with complex action and wonderful description. Alison Croggon's background as a poet gives her a command of the language to fully evoke the characters and surroundings of the story. I really loved some of the places Maerad and Cadvan journeyed through, and I hope that the good settings reappear in a future volume! I want to hear more about the Schools and especially Rachida, the mysterious city in the Great Forest. It reminded me of The Chanters of Tremaris series by Kate Constable, as well as books by Tamora Pierce. I can't wait to start The Riddle, the second book in the series!