by Robin McKinley
Flap copy description:
Aerin is the only child of the king of Damar, and should be his rightful heir. But she is also the daughter of the witchwoman of the North, who died when she was born, and the Damarians cannot trust her. But Aerin's destiny is greater than her father's people know, for it leads her to battle with Maur, the Black Dragon, and into the wilder Damarian Hills, where she meets the wizard Luthe. It is he who at last tells her the truth about her mother, and he also gives over to her hand the Blue Sword, Gonturan. But such gifts as these bear a great price, a price Aerin only begins to realize when she faces the evil mage, Agsded, who has seized the Hero's Crown, greatest treasure and secret strength of Damar.
My thoughts:
The Hero and the Crown is a beautiful adventure fantasy whose style is reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings. This is no surprise since the author, Robin McKinley, states that J.R.R.Tolkien is one of the authors who most influenced her. In a twist, the protagonist is a beautiful young woman, but gritty and tough nonetheless. This book won the 1985 Newbery Medal Award - I thoroughly enjoyed it. (The Hero and the Crown is the prequel to The Blue Sword.)
