The Naming by Allison Croggon

This is the first of four books of Pellinor. When I read this book I couldn’t believe how good it was. I have always been a huge Tolkien fan and this book reminded me of that kind of epic story. The writing was excellent and the story was amazing. I also liked how it was presented as a lost piece of earth’s history rather than on some fantasy world. This book is probably not for everyone. It is intended for a young adult audience and would probably be very difficult for younger readers. In this book, a young slave girl Maerad is rescued by Cadvan, a powerful bard. She then learns that she too has the gift and may be one chosen to save the world from a terrible threat. She must learn all she can about her power, but first she must learn own name.