Overview

What happens when the quest finds you, despite your best efforts? A reluctant adventurer sets off on an unexpected journey in this broadly appealing fantasy at once earnest and self-aware, funny and heartfelt, and thoroughly charming. Nell O'Dell yearns for a quiet life tending her garden and caring for her chickens. Unfortunately, her family runs the bustling Crossroads Inn--accommodating all species of patron from fairies to fauns to half-giants, most of them questers on their way to seek glory and fortune. What's more, her parents are retired questers themselves, and everyone assumes that Nell will follow in their footsteps. Then the day comes when a letter arrives from the government, threatening the Inn and all that Nell holds dear, and someone needs to go on a short journey to the capital to take care of it. Nell is the only one available--but that's fine, because it's just a boring business trip, not a quest! Even if she does find herself up against an excitable travel partner, a thief in the night, a stolen treasure, and a mysterious knife . . . Lively black-and-white illustrations by the author embellish this breezy, bighearted adventure that will satisfy both longtime questers and first-time visitors to the genre.

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Reviews

Martin, a noted voice in the eco-fantasy genre, offers a lively, trope-aware adventure that questions the very idea of heroic destiny. . . . A witty fantasy that celebrates ingenuity and subverts prophecy; a strong pick for readers who enjoy genre-bending adventures. --School Library Journal (starred review) Martin's descriptive worldbuilding and extensive knowledge of fantasy quest tropes breathe life into Nell's endearingly ridiculous world. The character development really shines. . . . Humor and heart mix in this fantasy romp about learning to see different perspectives. --Kirkus Reviews Written in a manner that will entice novices to the fantasy genre, the story also has plenty of twists to please those who already appreciate falling into an imaginary world. Martin fills her universe with fantastic creatures and quirky characters who have faults but are full of fun, and readers will happily follow them to the novel's satisfying conclusion. --Booklist

Author Information

Emily B. Martin splits her time between working as a park ranger and as an author and illustrator, resulting in her characteristic eco-fantasy adventures, including A Field Guide to Mermaids, the Outlaw Road duology, and the Creatures of Light trilogy. An avid hiker and explorer, her experiences as a ranger help inform the characters and worlds she creates on paper. Emily B. Martin lives in South Carolina.

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