October 20, 2006

Valley of the Wolves


By Laura Gallego Garcia
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Dana lives the normal life of a farm girl, working hard in a large family. She has no friends except for a boy just her age named Kai, but he comes to be with her every day. Then one day, she learns that no one can see and hear Kai but her. Kai eventually explains that he exists on another plane and cannot be touched, but that he will always be her friend. Then the Maestro, a powerful magician, finds Dana and takes her away to the Tower in the Valley of the Wolves to train her to become a sorceress. Kai comes with her, but even the Maestro cannot see him. As Dana trains, she finds that she loves learning magic, and she is driven in her studies. But she is frustrated by her growing feelings for the insubstantial Kai. Dana also begins to have visions of a beautiful lady who insists she search for a unicorn in the forest. Then it is revealed to her by Fenris, the elf who is also a magical apprentice, that she is Kin-Shannay--one who is able to bridge the spirit world and our world, and Kai and the lady she has seen are actually ghosts. The plot becomes more sinister, as it is revealed that the Maestro has a hidden agenda, Fenris has a secret that could destroy the others, Kai may not be able to keep his word, and the quest for the unicorn results in Dana making a terrible choice. This is an exciting and quick fantasy story that readers of the genre will thoroughly enjoy. For a more mythological type of story, you can try this author's The Legend of the Wandering King.

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