The Fields and the Hills (Journey, Once Begun, Bk 1) - Hardcover

Bakken, Harald

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395593972 ISBN 13: 9780395593974

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1992

Synopsis

Considered a witch for his extraordinary powers of sight and hearing, thirteen-year-old Weyr sets off on his own and is drawn into the lives of the Agari, a people feared and hated by Weyr's own Tamish village.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-- Weyr, an orphan, becomes aware of his unusual powers when he overhears elders of the village discussing his fate a half mile away from his hut. Knowing he is unwanted and will be used as a slave, the boy escapes on his own, working in fields as a day laborer until he meets up with a party of gypsy-type travelers. These people are Agari, held in contempt and suspicion by the Tam, the other major ethnic group of the country. Weyr discovers them to be warm and loving people, especially after he saves one of the children from a snakebite and makes friends with the son of their leader. Traveling with them, he learns that he has skills as a performer and a singer, but he is caught up in intrigue when Tamish zealots kidnap him and his friend. Weyr's extended sight and hearing help the boys escape their captors while wondering about the prejudice and hatred that led to their capture. Bakken gives readers a fully realized fantasy world, similar to Lloyd Alexander's Westmark (Dutton, 1981) with its political machinations and warring factions. Rich in detail and characterization, this first novel promises a sequel. The unfortunately bland title is offset by an especially attractive cover design by David Wiesner. --Connie C. Rockman, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly

Riveting high fantasy in the legendary style of Lloyd Alexander and Ursula Le Guin marks this series opener. With "a reputation as a solitary" in his village, 13-year-old Weyr has the gift to see and hear faraway events as though they were happening right before him. When the lad's grandmother dies, he escapes adoption by a cruel villager and heads all alone to the famed, distant city of Domn. Encountering a band of actors, Weyr discovers his true talents and the warmth of a family life he has never known. Political intrigue follows when he befriends Kamlar, a boy his own age who is the son of a man called the Instrument. Such dramatic events as a kidnapping and an impending political upheaval, combined with Bakken's richly textured prose, create a particularly satisfying read. Fans of the genre will appreciate the involving storyline and vibrant characters, as well as the many coined words understood only in the context of the story. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0395593972
• ISBN 13: 9780395593974
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 228