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Syeira is an orphan who works in the king's
stables. Her "home" is in the stable that's used for the old chargers
and three wild horses. It's by the River Hawkey in the country of Haysele where
the king lives. No one usually comes near these stables because there aren't any
horses that could be of use to them. Her favorite horses are the wild Arva
horses, the blue roan and her two black colts. One day King Ran of Thurkport (a
city in Stormsythe) would be coming to Haysele to purchase new chargers for his
rebellion against the country of Broak. All of the stable hands had to help out
in the main stables, perfecting all of the young horses who were strong enough
for battle. After King Ran left, Syeira went sleepily back to her stable to find
that the colts had been taken by Ran. After a while, the Arva mare trusts Syeira
enough to let her help in the journey to find her colts. Along their journey,
the pair meet a few people who help them get to Thurkport. When they arrive,
however, there is a problem; they are not allowed onto the grounds unless they
have something of value to sell, trade, or are talented in an area of expertise
specialized here. Syeira knew they'd never be able to get in, unless they had
inside help or by transport of the canal. There was another problem; if they
succeeded in entering the city, would they be able to find the colts and get to
freedom? I loved this book! I had trouble putting it down when it was time to go
to sleep! Syeira is a very curious and determined girl, which leads to a
heart-stopping ending.
I'd recommend this book for ages 9 to 15 or to
anyone who has a great fascination for adventure and horses.
~Kayla Aldan, 8th grade, Boardman Center Middle School