From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7-- This suspenseful fantasy concludes the trilogy begun in Snow Spider (1987) and continued in Orchard of the Crescent Moon (1989, both Dutton). Like the others, it is set in a village in the hills of Wales, with their aura of mystery and danger. Much the strongest of the three books, Soldier draws heavily on the second part of the Mabinogion tales. In the first book, young Gwyn Griffiths was given responsibility for guarding a tiny chestnut-wood horse that contained the restless, angry spirit of Efnisien, the mad dark prince of the old tale. Gwyn is careless with the horse, and the prince's negative energy is inadvertently released. Immediately, it finds its way into the soul of a troubled Welsh soldier visiting in the village. Disturbing events ensue, and Gwyn knows who is responsible. He also knows that he must use his inherited magic powers to recapture it before greater harm is done. He tries several spells but the maleficence proves too strong for him. He calls on his grandmother, and on his friend Nia, the heroine of the second book, and on his ancient uncle Gwydion, the magician of Mabinogion fame. With their help, the spirit is recaptured and peace is restored. Nimmo has skillfully woven the ancient story into the modern one, making it accessible to those who do not know the legend. This satisfying fantasy introduces young readers to the genre, and to other works that draw on the ancient Welsh legends, such as those by Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, and Alan Garner. --Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT
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From Kirkus Reviews
Completing the trilogy begun with The Snow Spider (1987), Nimmo again draws on Welsh legend to parallel an ancient tragedy with the trauma of a soldier who has failed to save his men from a disastrous fire in Belfast. Major Evan Llr comes to the small Welsh village to recover from an apparently invisible wound--not his first; long ago, his brother died in a fall from a tree, and those who knew gentle Evan were mystified by his seeming to acquire his more popular but angry brother's personality. Gwyn, boy-magician of the other books, becomes aware that Evan is possessed by the spirit of Efnisien, tormented half-brother of the mighty Bran. Ultimately, Gwyn manages to send Efnisien peacefully on to the Otherworld, thus restoring Evan. The legend is complex; drawing on her now-extensive cast for her modern counterpart, Nimmo attempts, with mixed success, to parallel every detail. The best in this series, Orchard of the Crescent Moon (1989), drew strength from its insightful presentation of the real characters; here, the focus is more on the less convincing magic. Gwyn the boy, tinkering with spells that he only half understands, and Gwyn the mighty magician are not sufficiently melded; moreover, the action--rather than being a contemporary drama illuminated by its heroic prototype--seems forced into the legend's mold, while the promising idea of linking Efnisien with modern battle stress is overburdened with clever but less than fully digested detail. Acceptable, but disappointing. (Fiction. 11-14) --
Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
