The Chestnut Soldier (The Magician Trlogy)
Grade 5-7-- This suspenseful fantasy concludes the trilogy begun in Snow Spider (1987) and continued in Orchard of the Crescent Moon (1989, both Dutton). Like the others, it is set in a village in the hills of Wales, with their aura of mystery and danger. Much the strongest of the three books, Soldier draws heavily on the second part of the Mabinogion tales. In the first book, young Gwyn Griffiths was given responsibility for guarding a tiny chestnut-wood horse that contained the restless, angry spirit of Efnisien, the mad dark prince of the old tale. Gwyn is careless with the horse, and the prince's negative energy is inadvertently released. Immediately, it finds its way into the soul of a troubled Welsh soldier visiting in the village. Disturbing events ensue, and Gwyn knows who is responsible. He also knows that he must use his inherited magic powers to recapture it before greater harm is done. He tries several spells but the maleficence proves too strong for him. He calls on his grandmother, and on his friend Nia, the heroine of the second book, and on his ancient uncle Gwydion, the magician of Mabinogion fame. With their help, the spirit is recaptured and peace is restored. Nimmo has skillfully woven the ancient story into the modern one, making it accessible to those who do not know the legend. This satisfying fantasy introduces young readers to the genre, and to other works that draw on the ancient Welsh legends, such as those by Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, and Alan Garner. --Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VTCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.