(4) 4-6 Lonely almost-twelve-year-old Brit Alfie Bloom's life changes drastically when he suddenly inherits Hexbridge Castle and learns that he possesses time-traveling and magical abilities. These discoveries are thrilling initially, but soon Alfie faces sinister school headmistresses, finds a dangerous sealed door beneath the castle, and encounters a two-headed dragon terrorizing the surrounding village. The plot isn't the freshest, but it's engaging and well paced.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) YA Mythical King Bladud builds a shrine to ancient Bath's healing waters; architect's apprentice Zac is blackmailed into sabotaging the construction of the King's Circus in eighteenth-century Bath; teenager Sulis is in witness protection in modern-day Bath because of a mysterious murder. Though the three stories don't form a satisfying whole, Fisher adeptly uses apt symbolism and oblique connections to eerie effect.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA Maeve, youngest daughter of the High King of Èriu (first-century Ireland), chafes at her lack of influence and her destiny as a prize bride to be awarded to a political ally. A young druid who rescues injured wildlife offers her friendship. Maeve's musings on freedom, her diplomatic banter with suitors, and grounded historical details make this entertaining princess tale stand out.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 Apprentice bard Jack and shield maiden Thorgil (The Sea of Trolls, The Land of the Silver Apples) face a vengeful draugr (sea hag). Farmer mixes in Norse, Celtic, Scottish, Irish, and Pictish lore with British pagan and early Christian history. Fondness for the characters keeps readers happily navigating through the nonstop plot to a conclusion that is both ambiguous and satisfying.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(2) 4-6 In this sequel to The Sea of Trolls, Jack's quest takes him underground to the realms of hobgoblins and elves. His companions at various points include his bratty little sister Lucy and the bloodthirsty shield-maiden Thorgil, as they journey through enchanted lands and among astounding peoples. The mix of deep myth and high humor is handled with assurance.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(1) 4-6 Drawing upon history, Norse and Celtic myth, and Farmer's own abundant imagination, this story is long but engrossing, a "cruel tale with a merry heart" about a Saxon boy and what befell him upon his and his younger sister's capture by marauding Northmen (and, later, trolls). The book is effectively sparing in its use of fantasy elements, but when Farmer pulls out all the stops, she does so with aplomb and assurance.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Richard Cuffari. Equal parts historical fiction, romance, and fantasy, this richly imagined novel is based on the Scottish legend of Tam Lin. The haunting pen-and-ink illustrations of the original edition have been retained in this welcome reissue of a Newbery Honor book.

Reviewer: Terri Schmitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: June, 1974