The Singing by Alison Croggon

The Singing is the fourth book in the series The Book of Pellinor. It is the conclusion I have been waiting for since I read the first three last summer. It did not let me down, which makes me tremendously happy. (I hate it when endings do not live up to the book or series!) As with many endings, however, I was sad to see it, as I truly love the world that has been created, and the characters who live there.
The Book of Pellinor tells the story of Maerad and her brother Hem, how they come to the knowledge that they are fated to save the world. The Nameless One has been spreading his evil over the world, and in The Singing, they come to their only chance to stop him. Getting there is a trial. Book three of this series, The Crow, focuses solely on Hem and his journey - the last we heard of Maerad was in book two. They spend the first half of The Singing simply trying to reach each other, which is nearly impossible in their war-torn world. But of course, as with any good fantasy, the happy ending is there, even if it is different than what you imagined.
Croggon has done a marvelous job in building this world, and I truly love her characters. I think Hem is probably my favorite, along with his crow friend Irc. Maerad is difficult to love, although she is an excellent character - very conflicted and full of life. The supporting characters are also great, making the reader feel as though they are spending time with good friends. This is definitley a fantasy series I would recommend to any lover of the genre.
And on a challenge note - this is my first "S" book for the Read Your Name Challenge.

The Book of Pellinor series by Alison Croggon

This rather lengthy couple of books reminded me of the first books that I read by Tad Williams, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. The Book of Pellinor series is made up of four books, the last of which is not yet out. The first three books are The Naming, The Riddle, and The Crow. The first two books are told from the point of view of Maerad, the third is told from the point of view of her brother, Ham.
Maerad is a young girl who is a slave, although she remembers when she and her mother fled their home, and were sold to the man she now works for. Her mother died soon after they were sold. When she sees through a bard's invisibility spell, the bard Cadvan knows he must take her with him. They flee together, although Maerad knows nothing of the world outside. Cadvan helps her to remember her mother, and they discover that her mother was the first bard of Pellinor, which was destroyed a decade previously. Maerad joins Cadvan as he travels the land, trying to discover if evil has returned to the lands to corrupt the light. During their travels they rescue Ham, an discover that he is Maerad's brother, thought to be dead with her father in the sack of Pellinor.
The Riddle begins after Maerad and Cadvan split from Ham and his guardian, Saliman. Ham is to go south with Saliman while Maerad and Cadvan seek out the treesong. They are following the riddles of prophecy, a prophecy that says Maerad is the chosen one. She doesn't understand what it is she is meant to do, but she does her best to control her growing powers and help save the kingdom. The Crow takes place over the same period of time as The Riddle, only following Ham's adventure's and trials in the south, as he learns what his part is in the fulfillment of the prophecy.
This series is very enjoyable, great for any teens (or adults) who enjoy reading truly epic fantasy. The writing is not difficult to read, and the style is very fluid and engrossing. The characters do not always make the right choices, and their failures are hard to read, but necessary. They grow and learn from their mistakes, and create a bond between reader and character that make the books hard to put down. I am looking forward to reading the final book of the quartet.