| Fire Bringer | |
|---|---|
Fire Bringer cover |
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| Author(s) | David Clement-Davies |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young adult, Fantasy |
| Publisher | MacMillan UK (UK) & Puffin Books (US) |
| Publication date | 2000 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 512 (US Paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-330-39010-4 |
Fire Bringer is a young adult fantasy novel by David Clement-Davies published in 1999 in the United Kingdom and 2000 in the United States.
Contents |
This is the story of Rannoch, a red deer born in ancient Scotland. The story begins on the night his father, Brechin, was murdered, and his mother, Eloin, taken by theservant of the Lord of the Herd, Sgorr. But Rannoch is no ordinary deer; he is special, for he bears a white mark on his forehead resembling an oak leaf.
To the Herla, as the deer are called among the world of the animals, this white mark holds great meaning and power. It was stated in a prophecy that the deer who was born with the mark would bring freedom to all Herla in the future, and that the bearer of the oak mark would be a healer and have the ability to communicate with all animals.
The Lord of the Herds, Drail, wants Rannoch killed out of fear of The Prophecy. Drail is tricked and murdered by Sgorr, who has militarized the herd by making the stags sharpen their antlers, training and drilling the young bucks, having them bore each other in the forehead to make permanent scabs, and will take no resistance. He realizes the threat Rannoch poses to his leadership. Rannoch escapes from the herd, accompanied by Bracken, not his real mother, and his companions Thistle, Tain, twins Peppa and Willow, Quiach, Bankfoot and their mothers, and Bhreac, an old doe who promised the herd storyteller to protect Rannoch.
Growing up outside of the herd, he struggles to choose between the life of freedom he now has and the future laid out for him by the prophecy. He knows that he must return, in order to unite the deer, and end Sgorr's reign of terror. He also struggles a lot throughout the book in order to fight the prophecy;he is scared of the sacrifice.
When the Lore is bruised and broken,
Shattered like a blasted tree,
Then shall Herne be justly woken,
Born to set the Herla free.
On his brow a leaf of oaken,
Changeling child shall be his fate.
Understanding words strange spoken,
Chased by anger, fear and hate.
He shall flee o'er hill and heather,
And shall go where no deer can,
Knowing secrets dark to Lera,
Till his need shall summon man.
Air and water, earth and fire,
All shall ease his bitter pain,
Till the elements conspire
To restore the Island Chain.
First the High land grass shall flower,
As he quests through wind and snow,
Then he breaks an ancient power,
And returns to face his woe.
When the lord of lies upbraids him,
Then his wrath shall cloak the sun,
And the Herla's foe shall aid him
To confront the evil one.
Sacrifice shall be his meaning,
He the darkest secrets learn,
Truth of beast and man revealing,
Touching on the heart of Herne
Fawn of moonlight ever after,
So shall all the Herla sing.
For his days shall herald laughter,
Born a healer and a king.
Hehehe.
This book has been compared to the novel Watership Down by Richard Adams, who is also a British author.[1]
(1) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PBX/is_3_36/ai_107124408/
(2) http://umanitoba.ca/cm/vol6/no2/firebringer.html
(3) http://www.rambles.net/clement_firebr02.html