Grade 7-9–In Landon's first novel, readers are introduced to 18-year-old Syanthe, a shapeshifter confined with the rest of her race to the Carlbine Forest. The king and his priests control the movements of this magical race, and only Syanthe has escaped the tattoo mark on the cheek that identifies them. As her mother and the forest around her sicken from the king's corruption of the land, she is forced to venture out into the human world in search of an herb that will save her people. But can she trust those who are so unlike herself? As Syanthe's journey begins, Landon loses the intensity that drives the first part of the novel. The teen meets with a strange band of traveling tradesmen led by Jerel, a mysterious young man with magic of his own. Unfortunately these tradesmen are not drawn well enough to allow readers to picture them or to understand their true cause. Also, Syanthe's first glimpse of a new land rushes by with only a few small descriptions of the wonders and terrors found in the world outside the forest. Shapeshifter's Quest is an average attempt in an already overcrowded YA fantasy field and an additional purchase for most libraries.–Lisa Marie Williams, Fairfax County Public Library System, Reston, VA
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From Booklist
Gr. 7-10. In the spirit of Tamora Pierce's work, Landon constructs a fantasy world under siege. The world's savior is 18-year-old Syanthe, a shape-shifter who can change from human to animal at will and who learns that she alone can save her race from the destruction of an insidious illness that saps strength from living things. On her journey, Syanthe joins a caravan of disguised warriors who share her goal. Despite an action-packed and highly detailed plot, Landon creates a quiet, spiritual tone, emphasizing Syanthe's physical and emotional connection to nature through many conduits: she can touch the spirit or mind of water, plants, animals, and even insects. Fantasy fans will enjoy this plucky heroine and her richly imagined world where magic abounds. Debbie Carton
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