library binding, 255 pages
English language
Published Jan. 5, 1985 by Scholastic.
Queen Cimorene sends her sixteen-year-old son Daystar into the Enchanted Forest with the only weapon that can combat an evil wizard's magic in an effort to restore the balance of power in the kingdom.
3.75 Not a bad fantasy picaresque for a younger audience and miles ahead of the preceding volume. However, it's doesn't quite reach the heights of Cimorene's first "solo" adventure and there's people marrying again - well it's a fairy tale setting, so I won't complain too much. Pity the series couldn't keep up the level of the second volume throughout, though.
I loved this series, and felt like this book, while it had some issues, was better than the previous one, which was (for me) the weakest of them.
I do think maybe Daystar was too rational and logical to be an actual teenage boy. I still liked him though, even if he felt a little wooden at times. The fire witch was the standout character, imo.
It's not my favorite of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles books, but it's still a great read. Daystar is a bit of a goof, though his lighthearted optimism can be endearing at times. My favorite character in the book has to be the fire-witch Shiara who is hot-tempered, yet very capable and intelligent. It's a great conclusion to the series that marries some familiar elements from the previous books with the fresh perspective of a new cast of characters.
Re-read favorite.
It continues to disappoint me, that Wrede is unable to return to the gender negotiation of the first book. Although a decent fantasy novel, the story and characters are a far cry from the unexpected subversion of the first book.
