The Riddle: The Second Book of Pellinor (Pellinor Series) [Paperback]

Alison Croggon (Author)

Book Description

Series: Pellinor Series | Publication Date: July 10, 2007

"Maerad’s tale continues, luminous, desperate, and bold. . . . Brimming with archetypal motifs but freshly splendorous in its own right." — KIRKUS REVIEWS (starred review)

Maerad is a girl with a tragic past, but her powers grow stronger by the day. Now she and her mentor, Cadvan, hunted by both the Light and the Dark, must unravel the Riddle of the Treesong before their kingdom erupts in chaos. The quest leads Maerad over terrifying seas and glacial wilderness, until she is trapped in the icy realm of the seductive Winterking. There, Maerad must confront what she has suspected all along: that she is the greatest riddle of all.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up—Maerad, who was rescued from slavery and became a Bard in Croggon's The Naming (Candlewick, 2005), has her hands full here. Along with her tutor Cadvan, she has been charged with finding the Treesong, a source of power so ancient that nothing but the barest of rumors remain. Their journey is hounded by agents of a treacherous Bard professing to act in the name of the Light and by an enigmatic entity known as the Winterking, an ally of Maerad's adversary, the Nameless One. At the same time, the protagonist struggles to understand the light and darkness within herself. Deep currents of sorrow, loneliness, and love run through this haunting epic fantasy; Maerad's feelings of alienation and self-doubt will resonate with many adolescents. Appendixes help to further flesh out the characters and cultures of Croggon's Edil-Amarandh, an engrossing world that fantasy aficionados will be eager to revisit.—Christi Voth, Parker Library, CO
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

The second volume of the Pellinor quartet, this fantasy tells of Maerad the Fated One, a bard whose destiny is to defeat the Nameless One by using the mysterious Treesong. Young Maerad embarks on a long quest to discover more about the Treesong while eluding, fending off, and (usually) escaping the agents of the Dark who pursue her. Sometimes accompanied by allies, sometimes alone, she continues to learn about herself and her magical powers as well as the world she must try to save. Croggon's respect for Tolkien's trilogy shows clearly in the book's conception, structure, and long, appended backstory notes, but the vulnerable heroine, the language, and the vision are all her own. Although the dramatic tension lags a bit in the middle of this lengthy novel, that won't deter series fans or others who long for high fantasy with a young woman in the spotlight. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (July 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076363414X
• ISBN-13: 978-0763634148
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alison Croggon writes in many genres, including criticism, theatre and prose. She is the author of the acclaimed young adult fantasy quartet, The Books of Pellinor. The first volume, The Gift, was nominated in two categories in the Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction in December 2002 and named one of the Notable Books of 2003 by the Children's Book Council of Australia. The US edition, The Naming, was judged a Top Ten Teen Read of 2005 by the editors of Amazon.com. Her new novel, Black Spring, is due for publication in 2012. In 2009, she was named Geraldine Pascall Critic of the Year for her theatre criticism. She is a prize winning poet, described by the Australian Book Review as "one of the most powerful lyric poets writing today."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Hit, September 6, 2005

By 

Jamie E. Malone "A J.E.M. 4 Reading" (Pa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Riddle (Paperback)

The Naming to The Riddle, Maerad's frantic life is becoming crazier by the minute. The second book of Pellinor gives just as many twists and turns as The Naming. Maerad and her teacher Cadvan seem to become closer, though not even Maerad can ignore her strange powers any longer. And, though these powers could help save the Light, they might not be all good. Maerad begins to fear herself even more. Cadvan and Maerad's realtionship is on the brink. Though, that is not the only thing plagueing Maerad's mind. There is a war starting down South where her brother is staying. Also, Cadvan and Maerad have been given the impossible task of finding the Treesong. If this seems like not enough adventure, then just wait. The very powerful Winterking is hunting them down through his strong army of strange creatures and humans. Will Cadvan and Maerad be able to survive with both of their lives? You'll know once you read The Riddle by Alison Croggen. If you like this book, I hope you are just as excited as I am for the next book of Pellinor, "The Crow".

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still captivating, September 10, 2006

By 

N. Burt "nikkles" (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Riddle: The Second Book of Pellinor (Pellinor Series) (Hardcover)

This book continues the story of The Naming and is just as good. The story moves just a tad slower then the first, but it is sill very interesting and does not lose the reader. The relationships in the book are deepening and stress is causing everyone to grow up. The book is aptly named the riddle as the story is getting more complicated and very little is being resolved. That being said this book does not have one of those killer cliff-hanger ending that drive you crazy. In stead you be sitting on your hands because you miss the characters so much!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Riddle, August 25, 2006

By 

M. Clark - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Riddle: The Second Book of Pellinor (Pellinor Series) (Hardcover)

Quests always seem to involve a hefty main dish of impossible riddles to unravel, with sides of identity questions, irreconcilable loss and unforeseen love. Maerad, the enigmatic heroine of this aptly titled sequel to The Naming, struggles with all of these things. Her relationships with her mentor and teacher Cadvan, Ardina, the Ice King and others play out as the background for some original, suspenseful and fascinating adventures. Maerad's evolution as a powerful mage and and as a powerful young woman was very gripping - I couldn't put the book down, and reread the ending three times!