The Burning Bridge
2005
- fiction
- fantasy
- nyt:series_books=2010-06-26
- heroes
- war
- heroes, fiction
- war, fiction
- fantasy fiction
- children's fiction
- adventure and adventurers, fiction
The story
Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom's allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn - the Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush the king's army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord's plans. They have shown great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face of true evil? ---------- **Books in this series** 1. [The Ruins of Gorlan][1] 2. The Burning Bridge 3. [The Icebound Land][3] 4. [Oakleaf Bearers][4] 5. [Sorcerer in the North][5] 6. [The Siege of Macindaw][6] 7. [Erak's Ransom][7] 8. [The Kings of Clonmel][8] 9. [Halt's Peril][9] 10. [The Emperor of Nihon-Ja][10] 11. [The Lost Stories][11] 12. [A New Beginning][12] [1]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL7988545W [3]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL5721971W [4]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL7988552W [5]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15166256W [6]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL5721973W [7]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL5721970W [8]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15416512W [9]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15367649W [10]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL19815687W [11]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL18823189W [12]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17662393W
What it’s like
Brisk, plain-spoken adventure prose with a campfire-and-greenwood feel: mist over high passes, cold mountain air, the creak of tack and the hiss of rain on a tent, with settings that shift from lush forest to bare, wind-scoured ridges. The mood is earnest and energetic, with a steady undercurrent of unease as the quiet of an abandoned town gives way to dread. The rhythm is quick, with short chapters that end on hooks and lean scenes of travel, scouting, and planning punctuated by tense confrontations. Violence is present but not graphic: skirmishes, a few deaths, and a sense of real danger, handled with restraint and little gore. The emotional register is warm and hopeful, centred on two young friends growing into courage and loyalty under pressure. It suits a weekend afternoon, a long train journey, or a reader who wants a clear-eyed, low-cruelty adventure with an earnest heart. It is best for younger readers and for adults who enjoy straightforward medieval fantasy without grim realism.
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