Long ago, the great wizard Merlin planted the seed that would become the peaceful world of Avalon. Now, though, Avalon is suffering from mysterious droughts. Then the very stars begin to lose their light, and it seems that the Lady of the Lake's dire predictions are about to come true. The fate of Avalon now rests with Tamwyn, a wandering wilderness guide; Elli, an apprentice priestess; and Scree, a young eagleman. One of them is the true heir of Merlin, the only person who can save Avalon . . . and one of them is the dreaded child of the Dark Prophecy, fated to destroy it. As in his acclaimed epic The Lost Years of Merlin, T. A. Barron has created a radiant, richly imagined world, full of high adventure and un-forgettable characters. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Barron's (The Lost Year's of Merlin) new entry in his Arthurian mythos explores the legend of Avalon, "the Great Tree [that] stands as a bridge between Earth and heaven, mortal and immortal." The opening scene lays out the novel's central conflict: a pair of kidnappers attempt to take from its branches "an eagleboy," who in the process becomes orphaned; ensuing events lead Merlin to come to the rescue of the eagleboy as well as a human child and its mother. The magician makes veiled mention of a Dark Prophecy and asks the woman to raise the orphan, Scree, alongside her own son, Tamwyn (meaning "Dark Flame"). In the next chapter, 17 years later, the mother is dead, and the boys, separated, search for each other. The author then introduces Elli, also an orphan, who becomes apprenticed to an arrogant priestess deemed "The Chosen One" for her visions of the Lady of the Lake. Readers meet Elli just as the Dark Prophecy is beginning to come true, and Elli must help the priestess find Merlin's true heir in order to save Avalon before the foretold enemy destroys it. At times the narrative repeats itself, in order to telegraph to readers vital information. But the thickening plot and the three key characters-Tamwyn, Scree and Elli-as well as a captivating supporting cast of sprites, fairies and assorted changelings will keep the pages turning. Arthuriana fans will also delight in Barron's bonus revelations, as he ties in identities of the Lady of the Lake and others with Avalon's history. An epilogue hints at a sequel. Ages 10-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 6-9-In this first installment in a new series, Barron reimagines the legendary world of Avalon as a gigantic tree, with a separate realm located on each of its seven roots and stars hanging in the unseen branches far atop its trunk. A crippling drought has brought the realm to the verge of warfare, and 17-year-old Tamwyn and his bickering companions seek the advice of the fabled Lady of the Lake. Tamwyn fears he's the child of the Dark Prophecy, foretold centuries ago as the one who would destroy Avalon, and he wants desperately to change his destiny and save his beloved world. With its mixture of high fantasy and slapstick humor, the tale resembles Barron's "The Lost Years of Merlin" series (Philomel) and Lloyd Alexander's "Chronicles of Prydain" (Holt). Despite loads of goofiness and violence, the plot moves rather slowly through lengthy introductions of the large cast and descriptions of the Great Tree. While the characters and setting are interesting, this is clearly the prologue to a much longer saga: all beginning, with no middle or end. The story will appeal most to devoted fantasy readers, particularly fans of the "Merlin" series, who will recognize details from the earlier books and try to guess how the epics will converge.-Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, VT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 6-12. Barron builds on his popular Lost Years of Merlin saga, creating an elaborate, richly detailed world spread out on the seven roots of the Great Tree of Avalon, which grew from a seed won by Merlin on his journey through a magical mirror. The story begins in Avalon's year 1002, when it appears that the Lady of the Lake's Dark Prophecy is coming true and the only hope of saving Avalon lies in finding Merlin's true heir. The fates of two boys born 17 years earlier and raised as brothers are intrinsically bound to the prophecy: Scree, the orphaned eagleboy charged with guarding Merlin's staff, and Tamwyn, who fears he is the Dark Child destined to destroy Avalon. Liberally laced with humor and wit, the first book in The Great Tree of Avalon series effectively introduces and fleshes out remarkable characters, both human and nonhuman. It also vividly sets the scene through the adventures of various beings who eventually come together in a desperate quest to stop the evil that threatens Avalon and its denizens. Even readers unfamiliar with The Lost Years will relish this fine debut of a promising new fantasy series. --Sally Estes Copyright 2004 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Born Thomas Archibald Barron in 1952, author T. A. Barron grew up in Colorado's "ranch country". He graduated from Princeton University and also attended Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Before writing, Barron had a successful career as a venture capitalist manager in New York City. In 1989, Barron became a full time writer and conservationist. Many of his books incorporate nature and ecological concern into their themes, garnering him two Nautilus Visionary Book Awards in 2005 and 2007. He has also received International Reading Association and American Library Association awards for his works. He resides in Colorado with his wife, Currie and their children. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

A Word from the Author	p. V
Map of Avalon	p. X
Born of a Seed That Beats Like a Heart	p. XIII
The Dark Prophecy	p. XIV
Prologue: One Dark Night	p. 1
Part I
1 Land of Bells	p. 21
2 Banished	p. 30
3 A Pale Hand Beckons	p. 40
4 Hot Wax	p. 47
5 Green with Envy	p. 65
6 A Dead Torch and a Heap of Dung	p. 80
7 The Ballad of Avalon's Birth	p. 90
8 Out of the Shadows	p. 100
9 A Dangerous Journey	p. 114
10 The Staff of Merlin	p. 125
11 Tracks	p. 136
12 Song of the Voyager	p. 145
13 Hands of Blood	p. 157
Part II
14 Baby Brother	p. 165
15 Skunkweed	p. 175
16 Emissaries of the Gods	p. 183
17 Hoofprints	p. 197
18 Absolutely	p. 206
19 The Smell of Resins	p. 217
20 Something Marvelous	p. 220
21 The Child of Krystallus	p. 224
22 Death Trap	p. 239
23 The Rugged Path	p. 244
24 Just Listen	p. 254
25 Shrunkelled and Stingded	p. 260
26 Master of the Skies	p. 267
27 Prosperity	p. 270
28 Illusion	p. 282
Part III
29 The Hand of Greeting	p. 291
30 A Pure Crystal	p. 296
31 The Lady Revealed	p. 308
32 Scree's Plunge	p. 323
33 A Hornet's Nest	p. 328
34 The Mudmakers	p. 334
35 The Secret Spring	p. 343
36 Something Stupid	p. 350
37 Musical Mead	p. 357
38 Death on Wings	p. 367
39 Strange Meetings	p. 376
40 Just the Faintest Heartbeat	p. 385
41 A Gaping Hole	p. 391
42 Water and Fire	p. 400
43 Dark Flame	p. 406
Epilogue: The Encircling Shadow	p. 417
A Brief History of Avalon	p. 421

Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.