Rowan of Rin (novel)
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Rowan of Rin is a children's fantasy novel by Australian author Emily Rodda. It is the first book of the Rowan of Rin series.
[edit] Plot summary
The people of Rin awake to find the stream that runs through the village, their sole source of water, running dry. It is up to Rowan of the Bukshah and six other villagers — Val and Ellis the Millers, Bronden the Maker of Furniture, Allun the Baker, Marlie the Weaver and Strong Jonn of the Orchard — to climb the dreaded mountain (where it is rumoured there is a dragon), and find the cause of the problem. To aid them on the quest, the witch Sheba gives the seven a map of the route they must follow, and a prophecy:
Seven hearts the journey make,
Seven ways the hearts will break.
Bravest heart will carry on,
When sleep is death and hope is gone.
Look in the fiery jaws of fear,
And see the answer white and clear.
Throw away all thoughts of home,
For only then your quest is done.
Rowan is forced to join the quest because the map Sheba has provided to them can only be read when he holds it. The companions start their journey by simply climbing up the side of the Mountain. In that time Rowan becomes more aware than ever that Allun and Marlie pity him; Strong Jonn dislikes him; and Bronden, Val, and Ellis despise him.
Soon after they come to a tunnel guarded by huge fearsome spiders, Ellis leaves; he is the first to do so, due to his phobia of spiders. The rest of the climbing group escape through a silken door at the other side. The next big obstacle is a mist of harmful mountain spirits who assume the form and sound of beloved ones dying to lure climbers to their deaths. More importantly, it is a deadly swamp. Rowan is the first there to see an illusion: his dear Star, his favorite of the bukshah herd. Allun sees his mother, Sara. Bronden is the most affected, seeing her dearest and only childhood friend, Minna, the previous herder of the bukshah. She grows wild with fear and flees the party to join Ellis. Val, unable to go on without her twin, leaves also. As they enter the cave, Marlie starts becoming scared for unknown reasons. In the middle of the cave is a pool of water which Allun, as a Traveller, is unable to swim across, because Travellers do not teach their children to swim, but leave it to the Maris.
Later Marlie flees due to her claustrophobia, after almost entering a snare. Jonn and Rowan continue the journey inside a narrow passage, which Jonn begins to grow weak in as he is unable to drink water, due to the narrowness of the passage. If he had fallen asleep there, Jonn would have met his death, but Rowan's encouragement led them both to their final destination at the top. There they meet the terrible ancient Dragon of the Mountain. Rowan finds a sharp bone wedged between the jaws of the Dragon and pulls it out, allowing it to hunt and roar again. It is hungry and pins already weak Jonn to the cave wall with its tail. Rowan flings the compass at the Dragon, causing it to release fire angrily and roar again. The ice melts at the tip, and the secret sweet stream carries Rowan and Jonn home to Rin in minutes. There they are greeted, especially Rowan, as heroes after Jonn tells them of Rowan's bravery.
[edit] Other books in the series
The other books is the Rowan of Rin series include:
Book 2: Rowan and the Travellers
Book 3: Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal
Book 4: Rowan and the Zebak
Book 5: Rowan of the Bukshah
