The Forests of Silence
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| Author | Emily Rodda |
|---|---|
| Original title | The Forest of Silence |
| Cover artist | Marc McBride |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Series | Deltora Quest |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
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Publication date
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2000 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 131 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 46966042 |
| LC Class | CPB Box no. 1858 vol. 31 |
| Followed by | The Lake of Tears |
The Forests of Silence was written by Emily Rodda, and is the first book in the eight-volume Deltora Quest series. It was published in 2000 by Scholastic. It was awarded "Notable Series in Children's Book of the Year Awards 2001: Younger Readers". The book is focused on Lief and his companions in a search for the seven missing gems of Deltora in the Forests of Silence.
The book opens with a boy called Jarred, a friend of Prince Endon. After the death of King Alton and his queen, Endon is proclaimed King in his father's place. To consummate this, a magical steel belt, the Belt of Deltora, is set around Endon's waist. The Belt recognizes Endon as Deltora's rightful king. Jarred goes to the library and learns that the evil Shadow Lord, a Sauron-like intelligence located in the Shadowlands, once tried to seize the land in which is the kingdom of Deltora. Because the people of those days were divided into seven tribes, the Shadow Army soon overwhelmed much of the land. Jarred learned that a blacksmith named Adin gathered the sacred talismans from each tribe and attached them to a chain of steel medallions. The people's trust in Adin, channeled through the gems, was powerful enough to drive back the Shadow Army into its own dark home, the Shadowlands. Adin later became king of the united land called Deltora; yet he never forgot that the Enemy was not destroyed. He therefore never let the Belt out of his sight. With every generation, the Belt was worn less and less, diminishing its effect. The kings and queens also let their power go to the administrative council, diminishing its power.
Jarred, learning of this, urges Endon to put on the Belt and revive the custom of Adin. Before he can explain in detail, Chief Advisor Prandine enters and accuses Jarred of treason. Jarred escapes Prandine and finds that the city has fallen into disrepair, and Deltora has become a virtual dystopia. Jarred then becomes apprentice and successor to Crian the blacksmith, later to marry Crian's granddaughter Anna.
Seven years later, the gems of Deltora were stolen by the Ak-Baba under the Shadow Lord and were scattered throughout the land. This also allowed the Enemy to enter the land. Jarred helps King Endon and Queen Sharn (Endon's pregnant bride) escape the invasion through a secret tunnel.
Sixteen years later, the Shadow Lord tyrannically rules Deltora. A person identified as Jarred's son and apprentice, Lief, has been born during this time. He has been raised to reject the Shadow Lord, but never to show any obvious opposition. On his birthday, Lief's father sends his son, accompanied by a soldier named Barda, to find the lost gems from the Belt and restore them to it.
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