The Summer Tree: The Fionavar Tepestry: Book One

I am a big fan of Canadian writer Guy Gavriel Kay --see reviews for The Lions of al-Rassan and The Last Light of the Sun. I borrowed this trilogy from my even more ardent reader sister-in-law, Joan, and have finally gotten around to reading the first installment. Five Canadian university students, Kim, Jennifer, Paul, Dave and Kevin, are persuaded --with a little help from magic-- to accompany a mage and a dwarf to another world, Fionavar. Thinking they are going for a short visit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the High King on his throne, the five have no notion of the key roles they will play in events to come--one will become the official Seer, another will be touched by the Gods and brought back from death, and a third will be kidnapped as an opening move in a challenge to war. Fionavar has been at relative peace for some decades after a pitched battle between the forces of good and evil. The evil power is Rakoth Magrim, aka the Unraveller, Sathain, or the Hooded One. Through the unified efforts of the various tribes of Fionavar, he was thrown down and imprisoned under the mountain Rangat, although he can never be killed. Touchstones are distributed to the five peoples and should any of them turn from blue to red, Fionavar is warned that Rakoth is trying to regain power. But one of the tribes has betrayed Fionavar, freeing Rakoth, who has flung down the gauntlet.  Rich development of characters, place, peoples, and history are characteristic of Kay's writing. A map and cast of characters in the front material are essential accompaniment to comprehensive reading. Although it takes a bit of time to become fully immersed in this world, it is well worth the investment.