Deltora Quest is one of the hallmarks of my childhood. I eagerly read and reread each book in the series when the next one came out. When they were all out, I read and reread the series whenever it struck my fancy. Which, quite frankly, was a lot. It's hard not to love them though, they're just typical fantasy and fantasy is my one true genre - no matter what else I read, it's always fantasy I come back to.

Quest stories are the quintessence of classic fantasy. There's nothing like a hero with a quest against evil. In Deltora Quest, the hero is Lief - a sixteen year old boy who wants nothing more than to return peace and happiness to his kingdom. When he is offered the chance to fulfil a promise his father made, he jumps - leaping headfirst into danger to try to make a difference.

The Belt of Deltora is the only thing that can defeat the Shadow Lord who rules but it was broken many years ago, the seven gems scattered across the realm and guarded by only the most evil creations. Lief sets out to find the gems and reunite the belt so that the Prince of Del can claim his throne and push the evil of the Shadow Lord back into the Shadowlands and away from the kingdom. Lief begins his journey with the beggar Barda, an old friend of his parents and former palace guard but it's not long before they're also joined by Jasmine, the wild orphaned girl they meet at their first stop - and her companions Filli (a possum? mouse? type thing?) and Kree, a raven.

Each book follows the trio as they travel the land for the lost gems, weaving a tightly written narrative with lots of action and adventure. Along the way they meet new people both friends and enemies, have to confront their own hopes and fears and figure out and solve many riddles, puzzles and problems to complete their quest.

Wet, tired, travelling only by night and hunted by Ols, the gang make their way down the River Tor looking for a place to cross. But to their shock they come across the rest of the pirates and Dain. They escape with Dain via boat and manage to stumble across Tora while it storms.

In Tora they find a town perfectly untouched by time but devoid of all people. Dain is heartbroken having made plans with his parents to reunite in Tora if alive. I don't really like Dain but I felt sorry for him. He'd been surviving on hope only to be letdown.

Looking around they discover years of form replies from the Kings had left the Torans disillusioned with the royal family and the final betrayal came when the King made a request for sanctuary. But the magic of Tora doesn't allow for change of mind and their vow to always aid the royal family is broken.

They're on their way out of Tora when they come across Doom and Neridah. Not knowing if they're Ols, they make them both enter the tunnel.

As they stepped out into the sunlight, both seemed dazed. Their faces were smooth and strangely still. “So — you are satisfied now, I hope?” Doom said. But the words held no sting, and his eyes looked lost. Groaning, he sat down, his back against the city wall. Neridah, Dain, and the others stared at him in confusion. Wearily, he looked up. “When anger, hatred, and bitterness have left a man who lives by little else, what is there left for him but emptiness?” he asked with a slight smile. “That is why I do not enjoy visiting Tora. I have done so only once before — and that was enough.”
“Who are you, Doom?” asked Lief suddenly. For a moment he thought the man would not answer. Then Doom’s shoulders slumped and his eyes closed, as though he did not have the strength to refuse.
“I do not know who I am,” he said. “I do not know what I have lost, along with my name. My memories begin in the Shadowlands. I was fighting a Vraal in the Shadow Arena. I was injured. Everything before that is darkness.”

Rodda, Emily. The Valley of the Lost (Deltora Quest #7) (pp. 50-51). Scholastic Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Ooh more information about Doom. I've been fascinated with Doom from the beginning and the mystery only deepens the further I read. Although I feel sorry for him too not knowing who he is and all. I like that he's picked himself back up from nothing and set out to defy the Shadow Lord. And that he's been trying to protect Dain. I feel like he has a lot in common with Barda who also has his wayward wards to look after. Another thing I really liked in this bit was Lief using his advantage to find out more. Doom hasn't exactly been forthcoming about why he should be trusted.

Leaving Tora, they venture onwards to the Valley of the Lost, unfortunately having gained a travel companion - Neridah. I didn't like Neridah from the Rithmere games. She's sly and untrustworthy and irritates me. Her use of tears to trick men into her bidding was just annoying. Pretending to be weak, sure, pretending to cry is just a no from me. Although it was amusing that Jasmine dislikes her as well.

“She will not willingly let us go on without her, that is certain,” Jasmine said grimly. “So we have two choices. One, hit her on the head, and run. Or, two, wait until we are sure that she is asleep, then creep away.” She seemed a little disappointed when Lief and Barda chose the second course.

Rodda, Emily. The Valley of the Lost (Deltora Quest #7) (pp. 59-60). Scholastic Inc.. Kindle Edition.

They reach the Valley of the Lost and find that they will have to leave Kree and Filli behind to enter - the mist will kill them. So they enter to find the Guardian - a wizard of sorts who has four beastly companions named Pride, Envy, Greed and Hate and a valley full of lost shadowy people who entered with the hope to defeat the Guardian and retrieve his treasure - the Diamond.

Playing a game of wits, the gang have to guess the Guardian's name using a riddle he's set up. I liked this bit. The reasoning to figure out the clues was enjoyable and kept me entertained. I'm fairly sure I never would have got it on my own but I liked knowing how it was done. They're horrified when the name revealed is Endon. Many years before, Doom had visited the Valley and won the Diamond but he was distraught at the idea the Guardian was the King. Thankfully, he was wrong.

So the Guardian is defeated and they learn his real name is actually Fardeep - the old owner of the Champion Inn in Rithmere. The lost shadowy people are revealed to be the Torans who were trapped there when they broke their vow. And the Diamond is restored to the Belt of Deltora - the final gem needed.



5 stars. ( )

Ok, finally I´ve learned who Doom really is. And now after seven books the Belt of Deltora is finally complete, just waiting for the true heir. ( )

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I loved this book. I enjoyed it more than the last one due to the increase in riddles. The games and riddles within this book were cool and the plot had a good pace. I am very excited for the last book and cannot wait to finish the series. ( )