The Eternal Flame (The Great Tree of Avalon, Book 3)
Grade 7 Up–Barron reaches for some Tolkienesque grandeur in this final installment in this series. He has several plotlines going at once as he picks up the story of Tamwyn, Elli, and Scree. The story moves back and forth among the quests of these three heroes and among the realms of the great tree that is the world of Avalon. Rhita Gawr, the evil sorcerer, is trying to destroy Avalon by finding doors through which his warriors can enter. Tamwyn seeks a path to the very heights of the great tree to understand magic and his own destiny. Elli has to go in the opposite direction, down into the darkness of Shadowroot. Scree must learn how to be a leader in battle. These three plotlines lead to a conclusion that features three cataclysmic battles raging simultaneously. The finale features a brief cameo from Merlin. The writing is sometimes poetic, but sometimes too dense, and the story doesn't stand on its own. It will be best appreciated by those who have been following the trilogy from the beginning, and will have even more meaning for fans of Barron's Merlin saga (Philomel). A substantial appendix includes an Avalon time line and descriptions of all of the characters.–Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.