The Deltora Quest

If you are a fan of magical worlds, dangerous quests and exciting adventures, and after the end of Harry Potter series you are clueless about what to read next, then visit your nearest bookshop and get your hands on Emily Rodda’s Deltora Quest series. There are eight books in the series with great and exciting storylines, which are sure to keep you glued till the last pages are turned. The books are written in simple English and it is quite easy to follow the plot in spite of the strange sounding names of characters and places. In the first book, a 16-year-old boy, Lief sets out on a great quest to find the seven gems of the magic Belt of Deltora. The belt is the only thing that can save the kingdom from the evil Shadow Lord who has invaded the land and made its people his slaves with the help of evil magic and his fearsome Grey Guards. The gems are an amethyst, a topaz, a diamond, a ruby, an opal, lapis lazuli and an emerald and they all have mysterious powers to help their owner. They lie hidden in dark and terrible places throughout the land and are guarded by monstrous creatures. Only when the seven gems have been restored on the belt, the true heir to Deltora’s throne can be found and Shadow Lord defeated. Lief’s companions in his dangerous journey are a former Palace guard named Barda and an orphaned forest girl called Jasmine. In each book the hero and his companions face ugly monsters and defeat evil villains before they recover a stone. They also help those in need and free innocent people from tyranny of the wicked sorcerers. It is quite exciting to read about the dangers they encounter and how they overcome their enemies using their wit, intelligence and courage. Along the way, there are codes to be deciphered and riddles to be solved which make the books a lot of fun to read. So these summer holidays join Lief, Barda and Jasmine as they vanquish the evil forces and the return to Del to find the heir to the kingdom and restore peace to their land. This fantasy series is great for children who love to read about deeds of courage and bravery. To enjoy the series, it is best to read the books in their correct order. The first book in the series is The Forest of Silence, followed by The Lake of Tears, City of the Rats, The Shifting Sands, Dread Mountain, The Maze of the Beast, The Valley of the Lost and Return to Del. PS. If you are wondering what ‘Deltora’ means, look hard at the names of the seven gems and see if you can guess how the quest got its name. Happy reading!

--- Gulrukh Tausif