From Publishers Weekly
Aimed at a YA audience, Rabe’s fun, galloping romp of a story launches a new fantasy series. In the magical land of Paard-Peran, the horse-like members of the Finest Court, the favorites of the gods of creation, look after the "Fallen Favorites," those few humans deemed worthy of their attention. Kalantha and her brother, Meven, are wards of Bishop DeNogaret, a high-ranking priest who’s been caring for them since their parents’ death. The teenage pair are of royal blood, though they’ve been brought up as commoners who have no contact with their uncle the king. Now that their cousin, the heir, is marrying, they are invited to the wedding. Traveling with them on their first-ever long journey is a Finest Court shepherd, who helps the two very green youths through some harrowing trials and teaches them to follow their instincts to survive. While the plot at times stumbles into improbability, Rabe (Redemption and other titles in the Dragonlance series) deftly puts some beguiling twists on the guardian-angel theme. The rearing steed on the jacket will signal young horse lovers that this is a book for them.
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From Booklist
*Starred Review* Ages earlier, the Creators had discovered that humanity wasn't perfect. So they established the Finest Court, a race of moral, sentient horses that names shepherds to secretly guide and guard the Fallen Favorites. Young Gallant-Stallion has just been appointed a shepherd, but before he learns who his charge is to be, his mentor dies in the violent massacre of the prince's wedding party. Gallant-Stallion manages to escape, carrying 13-year-old Meven and Meven's younger sister, Kalantha. The death of the prince means that Meven, whom Gallant-Stallion now believes is his charge, is the new prince, and the fate of the land lies with Meven because the king is mortally ill. Since Gallant-Stallion and his sudden charges know that the assassins, directed by an evil avian mastermind, are tracking them, the three youngsters hide out in the mountains for more than a year. Rabe's unusual, multilayered story is a fantasy thriller filled with twists, surprises, and truly evil, Machiavellian characters and also a richly depicted coming-of-age tale as the two young, well-characterized humans and the young stallion struggle to stay alive.
Sally EstesCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
