Wren's Quest

by Sherwood Smith

Overview

Wren thought she was an orphan. After discovering that she might have family, she wants to spend her first vacation from Cantirmoor’s Magic School in finding them. But her quest turns into a far more dangerous adventure than she ever imagined, what with robbers, guardsmen, and an angry sorcerer after her. And when her traveling companion, young prince Connor Shaltar, begins to meddle with magic as well — things get entirely out of hand — meanwhile, back in Cantirmoor, Wren’s best friend, Princess Teressa, is trying to get accustomed to living in court. Not so easy after all those years in an orphanage. Especially when someone is causing trouble in Cantirmoor, not just between courtiers, but magical trouble. And Tyron, her friend, is involved. It takes all four friends to solve this mystery.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940011538704
Publisher:	Book View Cafe
Publication date:	09/19/2011
Series:	Wren Series , #2
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	774,568
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

Sherwood Smith began her publishing career in 1986, writing mostly for young adults and children. To date she’s published over thirty books. The latest was Treason’s Shore, last of the four-book Inda series, with Coronets and Steel scheduled for September 2010. She also writes for young adults, her most popular book being Crown Duel, from Firebirds—the e-book edition of its prequel, Stranger to Command, will be her first offering through Book View Cafe. She’s also written short fiction, and collaborated with several authors, including the Grand Master Andre Norton. One of her books was an Anne Lindbergh Honor Book; she’s twice been a finalist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and once a Nebula finalist. Some of her stories have been reprinted in “best of” anthologies, and her work has been translated into numerous languages.

Sherwood Smith was a teacher for twenty years, working with children from second grade to high school. She specialized in literature, history, and drama. She still does writing workshops at schools, and freelances for Publishers Weekly.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4-8-- This follow-up to Wren to the Rescue (Harcourt, 1990) chronicles the adventures of the apprentice magician and her pals Princess Teressa; Prince Connor, a younger son with no standing in his family; and Tyron, an older magic student. Trouble is afoot from the very first paragraph and it isn't long before Wren and Connor are off on a quest to find what may be left of Wren's family, leaving Teressa and Tyron involved in palace intrigue. With so much material to work with (apprentice magician's, a budding romance, mean and stupid relatives), it is a shame that this book is such a humdrum effort. The characters are so lacking in depth that it is difficult at times to tell who is speaking. The plot speeds along, but it is so full of convenient devices and sketchy detail that there is never any chance for readers to be caught up in the action. Buy this one if there is a demand for the first one; otherwise, turn to Lloyd Alexander's Taran Wanderer (Holt, 1967) for magic and an orphan's quest for family. --Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA

School Library Journal

In this sequel to Wren to the Rescue, Wren takes time out from magician's school to search for clues to her parentage. Traveling with Connor, who discovers his own vast and nearly uncontrollable magic powers along the way, Wren endures hardship and danger in hope of fulfilling her quest. Meanwhile, back at the castle, their friends indulge in intrigue for the good of the realm: Tyron shape-shifts into a dog to spy out a plot against the royal family, and Teressa learns that being a princess requires brains, courage, and subtlety. Still, when kidnapped by a duplicitous courtier, Teressa needs a little help from her friends Wren and Connor, who arrive just in time. The pace can be breathless, but the story's exciting, the good guys are really likable, and the elements of magic are believable within this increasingly well-realized alternative world. Seldom is the second novel in a series better than the first, but Smith develops this story with more clarity and finesse. Handling the separate story threads with assurance and control, she weaves them into a taut and satisfying fantasy. Readers will look forward to the continuing adventures of Wren and her friends.

Carolyn Phelan