Gabriel's mother left - or vanished - a year ago, and while
hiking with his friends he finds a crystal that emits
shimmering light. Risking an ice-topped river to fetch it,
he realises that this is the place where his mother was
last seen. He shows the crystal to his science teacher the
next day, but it appears ordinary. Through a magnifying
glass however, Gabriel sees a white tiger inside....
GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is written in a
teen-speak manner, with even the third-person narrative
saying "Cedric would totally tease them for it." Piper and
her pal Brent come in on a science project and Cedric, who
dislikes them, follows secretly but the four kids and dog
Zigzag fall into the river and through a portal to another
world. The countryside looks nowhere like Willow Creek,
it's summer and a strange creature is ambling around -
quite a large one.
Making for shelter, trying to find Cedric, the three
friends encounter a talking monkey (which talks like Yoda),
poisonous berries and savage gruocks. Zigzag gets bitten
while saving the kids, and next day she starts turning
strange and bites Piper. Valta is a land under threat and
the friends are warned to get home quickly. But a pit trap
lands them in the power of the Empress, guarded by the huge
white tiger. She says that the crystal is a divinity stone,
and Gabriel has to find a second one for her (like
Galadriel, she tells him to be brave, keep the stone secret
and she will come to him when he needs her).
I did find some elements derivative, and the monkey talk
was just annoying. I was concerned that someone who has
fallen into a frozen river isn't urged to get dry, get warm
and get home. The swiftness of access to the Empress is a
feature of childish fantasies - in tales for older readers,
the ruler is generally accessed after layers of waiting
rooms, functionaries, appointments and delays. Children
unequipped to survive a day's hiking are a strange choice
for a quest. But Gabriel's own quest is of course the
search for his mother, and he is determined to take any
chance of finding her. And then there's Cedric... and
shapeshifters... and the gruocks come out each night....
GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA by Shannon Duffy
isn't intended for older teens, but there is plenty of
action and likeable characters to keep young readers
interested.
The first of a new fantasy series, this novel surrounds 12-
year-old Gabriel Stone, who, still reeling from the
disappearance of his mother, discovers a magical crystal
that unlocks a portal into a parallel world—and a secret
that will change his life forever. Before unraveling the
secret, he will face the school bully, have his friendships
tested, and meet evil creatures and not-so-nice humans, all
on his quest to save the dying land of Valta. A magical,
fast-paced story filled with mystery, intrigue, and wonder,
it will take readers on an unforgettable journey and keep
them up, lamp lit, reading well into the night.
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