Emerald Throne (Eaglesmount) [Paperback]

Cherith Baldry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 4, 2001 | Series: Eaglesmount

The Lord Owl's dark power is spreading through the land of Riverbourne. He is planning to seize the ancient emerald throne of the eagle kings - and to guide him there, he has stolen the silver horn which has lain hidden in Watersmeet for centuries...With his companions, the fierce wildcat Flora and the young vixen Kyria, the young pine marten Vair sets off for the legendary seat of the eagles: Eaglesmount They are determined to stop the Lord Owl claiming the throne, whatever the cost to themselves. But as they climb above the lake to the long-closed halls of the great eyne, they realise that the Lord Owl has anticipated their arrival, soaring through the night as they slept fitfully under the stars...Fast-moving, swash-buckling fantasy set in a world of woodland creatures - packed with swordfights, brave deeds and classic adventure!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cherith Baldry lives in Reigate. She used to be a teacher, but gave up teaching three years ago to write full time - and since then has written for many of the best-known series around. Fantasy is her favourite sort of fiction - and the Eaglesmount trilogy is her first work for Macmillan.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Pan Childrens (May 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330483870
• ISBN-13: 978-0330483872
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,278,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Kid's Story with Beautiful, but Inaccurate, Illustrations, December 4, 2011

By 

Anath (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Emerald Throne (Eaglesmount Trilogy) (Hardcover)

I love the fact that a Pine Marten is the main character of this series. Mustelids other than Otters and Badgers rarely get their time in the spotlight. There are also a number of good Foxes.

Each book of this series is short and fun, making them a good series to read at an earlier reading level than more classic Anthropomorphic Animal stories such as Redwall, Watership Down, Wind in the Willows, etc. It is easy to follow, and full of adventure. It would be loads of fun to read out loud to a group.

However it is filled with stereotypical plot devices and tropes. Rats and Weasels are the stupid, brute bad guys as always, though there are a few redeeming instances. There's a prophecy, and the truth is extremely predictable but there was a nice twist. There are strong female characters though the main character is male and the worldview is largely patriarchal, with Monarchy heavily supported. There is a strong theme of friendship, and the main characters are a little too lucky. Of course, the target audience probably won't be familiar with these things yet and will just enjoy the fantasy!

Also there are some nice Illustrations with some minor problems. I loved the fact that the text was interspersed with pictures, and it's great for the intended reading level. The pen and ink drawings were also of fine quality. However the illustrator did not do enough research on the animals they drew, if any. The pine martens are depicted with rodent-like teeth and a squirrellish appearance, and the villain animals can be impossible to distinguish what species they are intended to be. Rats, weasels, and wolves are very different animals, so it should not be possible to confuse them when looking at drawings of them. Pine martens are carnivores, not rodents, and look nothing like squirrels. In fact they actively catch and eat squirrels. I believe that children should be presented with accurate zoological facts and many of the illustrations present false information. As an educator or parent it might be a great learning experience to help an interested child draw these animals correctly and pick out errors.