Laura Gallego García
Laura Gallego García was born near Valencia in 1977, and is one of the new
voices in Spanish literature for children and younger readers. She began to
write at the age of eleven and made her literary debut at the age of 21 with the
mediaeval novel »Finis Mundi« (1999) which went on to win the Premio el Barco de
Vapor in 1998. Since that time she has produced more than 15 novels, children’s
books and picture books which have been published in the USA, Great Britain,
Brazil, Korea and France as well as in other countries. In tandem to developing
her talent as a writer, the best-selling author studied Spanish Language and
Literature, alongside preparing for a doctorate. Gallego García’s texts are
characterised by a symbiosis of history, fantasy, fairytale and magical realism.
Her stories revolve not only around break-up, responsibility, loss, solitude and
the potential for self-determination, but also around the realities of the lives
of her young readers: first love,
friendship and the search for one’s own path in life. »I believe that my
books should raise more questions than they provide answers to, as I am unable
to answer these questions myself. If my books have some type of message, it is
to provide an invitation for reflection.«2004 saw the publication of »Memorias de Idhún. La Resistencia« (t: Memories of Idhún. The resistance) which was the first part of a fantasy-saga trilogy about the distant magical land of Idhún and the exciting struggle of a small group of courageous rebels against the reign of terror imposed by the black magician Ashran. Against a backdrop featuring extraordinary magical creatures such as »Ayshels Baculus«, a magic wand, and dragons, unicorns and elves the author develops an emotive story of love, friendship, hatred and the search for identity carried out by the young heroes Jack, Victoria and the charismatic warrior Alsan. »El Mundo« commented that »the reader is absorbed into a veritable tempest of adventure, where Laura Gallego García once again displays her storyteller’s imagination«. In the style of Tolkien the author creates a whole topography, inventing planets, regions and peoples, and describing a unique flora and fauna. The second part of the Idhún trilogy »Tríada« (2005; t: Triad) was published in Germany in April 2007. The final volume of the trilogy is called »Panteón« (t: Pantheon), and was published in Spain in the autumn of 2006. »El valle de los lobos« (2000; Eng. »The Valley of the Wolves«, 2006) is the first part of a further trilogy published in Spain under the title »Crónicas de la Torre« (t: Chronicles of the tower). The volume presents the strangely gifted Dana, her invisible friend Kai, the elf Fenris and the dwarf chef Maritta, who all meet in the tower of a dangerous »master«.
Laura Gallego García has been awarded numerous prizes, including – for the second time – the Premio el Barco de Vapor (2001) for the novel »La leyenda del Rey Errante« (2002; Eng. »The Legend of the Wandering King«, 2005), which also received a commendation in the ALA Notable Children’s Book List (2005). The author lives near Valencia.
Books:
Finis Mundi
Summary:In 997 the monk Cluniac Michel, following the revelations of Bernard of Thuringia hermit whereby the end of the world is coming, looking to save humanity by invoking the Spirit of Time, for which you must find the three axes underpinning the Wheel of Time using Mattius, the minstrel. The novel ends in 1000.
Chronicles of the tower
1.Valley of the WolvesSummary:
It is the story of a girl, Dana, who lives on a farm and has a friend named Kai. The problem is that Kai is invisible to all but Dana, and she can not even play (if you can but it is a touch strange). Not knowing yet if Kai is real or not, Dana is required by the Master, a mysterious man, to go with him to his home: the Tower, in the remote Valley of the Wolves. When they get there, Dana discovers with surprise that the Tower is actually a school of magic ... a bit strange, since only two students: one's own Dana and Fenris, an elf enigmatic and secretive. Dana began to study there, and soon realizes that there is some kind of curse on the Valley of the Wolves, related to something that happened in the Tower long ago, and that everyone has secrets to hide: both Fenris as the Master has a dark past, Maritta, the dwarf who works in the kitchens, is more than what appears, and to Kai, the bosom friend of Dana, knows more about what it says.2.The Curse of the Master.
Summary:
In this book continues the adventures of Dana and Kai. Which begins with the rescue of Salamandra, by Fenris and Jonah, one of the new apprentices who are in the torre.Tambien there are more students and Morderek and Conrad. She explained that she has magic, and that lead to a place where you will learn to use it. Fenris puts Salamandra name that has a special power to fire. When they reach the tower, Maritta discover that the cook dwarf the tower, has died. Everyone is very sad. Salamander meets Dana, the lady of the tower, Morderek, a strange boy who is studying there and Conrad, another lanky apprentice. Jonah is also a learner.Salamander spends a year studying at the tower. On his first anniversary in the tower, morning notified all students to come down to the meeting room. There they were informed that a new student coming to the tower. Her name was Princess nawin and the elves. With her come-Mae Shi, an Archmage who was Master of nawin. When they were telling the students, Dana strange thing happened. He stared back something to the boys, and flew up to his office to inform them of unfinished things. Salamander, went and saw worried that Dana was talking to someone invisible to the calling Kai. The heard of a curse and it would be something worse than death. Fenris suddenly appeared and discovered. I let her sleep in her room and went to talk to Dana. There, she explained that Kai had turned the world of murtos to say that the curse of the Master above should be met. According to Kai would be something worse than death.
Shi-Mae came to the tower with Nawin. The Archmage Fenris knew something, and tells Dana that would be a trial period. From one day to another Dana disappears and students of the tower began to investigate.
In their research, find a mirror in an abandoned room Elvish. This mirror serves as a liaison with the World of the Dead, also called the Other Side. Through him get to know that Shi-Mae, the owner, is in talks with the Master to help you meet your revenge. But before we assimilate this information, devise a plan to rescue Dana, opening an interdimensional doorway to the Shadow Labyrinth. In so doing, are doing just what the new Lady of the Tower wants, that all are enclosed with Dana in the maze, including nawin, which Shi-Mae, betraying planned from the beginning to usurp the throne of Kingdom of the Elves. But though the play goes wrong and the new Lady of the Tower is locked too.
Once all have gathered in the maze and rescued Dana, appears a spectrum of dragon embodies the Master and fighting with all his strength to beat his former apprentice. But, working against the spectrum all have a good chance of winning. In an attempt to defeat his enemy, calling for a gold dragon but is defeated. There is only one way to beat, so Kai is introduced into the body of the dragon, which retrieves a living from their presence, to defeat the spectrum forever. But this fight is not victimless, in this case, the elf-Mae Shi falls defeated by the Master. Suddenly the door opens out of the Shadow Labyrinth. All up the spine of Kai, now in the form of dragon and escape in time. Morderek While I was in the Tower with the cook repelling the wolf, grab the magic wand-Mae Shi and get the power of the Archmage.
3.The call of the dead
Summary:One day, Saevin, discovers she has magical powers. Then her father decides to take a magical tower, owned Dana, the lady of the tower, always accompanied by his faithful friend Kai.
Dana, perceived that something bad will happen. So going to visit the oracle says that this was right, something bad would happen, those who were living humans, the air will bring a tragedy, the owners of the fire will burn in their own flames ...
Among those options, it involved many of his friends, and to avoid this, decides to fight the forces of the future ... Did you get?
4.Fenris, the elf
This delivery is considered the last or first.
Summary:One night the werewolves attack the walls of the kingdom of the elves. During the battle two sentries are a group of werewolves are separated, moved by curiosity, follow them and find they want to enter the kingdom of the elves by an unprotected part of the wall that was behind the river. The werewolves, to be discovered, join a battle in which only a robust man-wolf, black and with an ear game, manages to survive, though, before going Eilai attacks, biting her arm. Fortunately, the wizard informs you that she will not have consequences, but the creature that lives inside it could suffer from them. A Anthor gives you the ability to choose whether the child is born .. Putting in place of his wife decides to survive.
The legend of the Wandering King.
Summary:It takes as the desert scenery and a series of imaginary kingdoms Bedouins. Recreates the society of the desert kingdoms and his love for poetry, as the novel begins with a series of contests Casida, the poetry of men of the desert, and is written in a poetic.
Memoirs of Idhún
Memoirs of Idhún I: The Resistance
Summary:The day came in Idhún Astral Conjunction of the three suns and three moons, the Necromancer Ashran seized power on this planet. In Limbhad, a warrior and a mage Idhún exiles have formed the Resistance, to which also belong Jack and Victoria, two teenagers born on Earth. The group's goal is to end the reign of the winged serpents, but Kirtash, a young and ruthless murderer, Ashran sent to Earth, it will not allow ...
Memoirs of Idhún II.Ttriad
Summary:Members of the Resistance have finally reached Idhún, willing to do to fulfill the prophecy. But all is not as simple as that. Will you be taking the role players in the destiny foretold by the oracles? Resistance Can trust their new ally? How will Idhún received after fifteen years of absence? What will the next move and sheks Ashran? Idhún memories. Triad is the second part of the Resistance, the novel that was beginning to Memories Idhún. If you enjoyed the adventures of Jack, Victoria and Kirtash not miss the continuation of the first book and the beginning of his journey through the world of Idhún.
Memoirs of Idhún III: Pantheon
Summary:The picture has changed completely in Idhún. After the Battle of Awa, who survived the sheks have fled to the mountains to recover from the blow received (except for a small group led by Ziessel, who crossed the dimensional gate to Earth). Ashran the Necromancer has died and the Tower of Drackwen has been in ruins. In Kazlunn Tower, the last unicorn dying.After his horn was removed, Victoria is on the verge of death. However, just picking up, and goes to Earth to live Kirtash in his attic in New York and protected from all dangers they face. Jack stays in Idhún to investigate a series of strange events taking place on the planet: a mysterious series of earthquakes have been forced into exile giant Nanhai, heading south, a tornado devastated the region of Celestia, a tidal wave crashed into the coasts of the kingdom of Nanetten ... They soon realize that the gods have come to Idhún, and are destroying everything in its path. Its mission is to find the seventh, the essence of body Ashran fled the Necromancer and now housed in the fairy Gerde.
Meanwhile, the fairy tries to create a parallel world where they can Idhún live sheks. Kirtash is working with her, which makes many doubt their loyalty. In addition, Alsan is rescued from its self-imposed exile, and after allying with Gaedalu, the Venerable Mother of the Church of the Three Moons, try to regain the throne of Vanissar. The problem is that to control your bestial part uses a Venerable Mother gift, a bracelet with the strange stone Erea temperament makes it increasingly intransigent, irascible, and repressing the supernatural in his animal nature. Victoria is pregnant and has a child who poneen Name Erik, son of Jack.Tras the battle known as the 7 gods, Jack, Victoria, Erik and Cristian (which is not very often at home) move as a Celestia family, hidden as the new army of dragons is in search of the last Idhún shek. In the end, Jack, Victoria and Erik are forced back to earth, born as Eva (daughter of shek Ashran granddaughter) and wait there, meet with Cristian.
Wings of fire
Summary:Ahriel, a female angel, is a member of the court of Queen Marla Karishia. It was sent by his superiors to the young queen would not deviate from the path. However, Ahriel failure in his mission and is betrayed by his protege. Unable to fly and without any protection or assistance, is banished to Gorlian prison, a prison without bars, since its sterility, its storms and the monsters that inhabit it, make a world uninhabitable. There, the surviving criminals killing and stealing what little they have to each other. Despite all odds, Ahriel survives largely thanks to a human, Bran, who learn to see the world differently.
Black wings
Summary:
Ahriel has regained his freedom after what happened in the previous book and gotten his revenge, but there's something to do. After going to be accountable to their peers in the Cloud City, is preparing to resume the search for the magical prison Gorlian to recover what he left behind to escape, being determined to do anything to get it. but this step.
Where trees sing
The novel deals with Viana, only daughter of the Duke of Rocagrís Corven. She and her fiancé marry Castelmar Robian of spring. But in the winter solstice holiday, a surly Ranger, Wolf, advised the king of the invasion of barbarians from the steppes ... The Duke (father of Viana) and Robian leave for war, and a maid as Viana can not do anything but stay and wait. Or perhaps, hear stories of the Great Forest ... where trees sing.
The watch collector extraordinary
The story begins when Jonathan and his family visit a clock museum, owned by a mysterious and charismatic Marquis. When they enter what Marquis called the Hall of Extraordinary Watches, despite the warnings, the stepmother of Jonathan plays one of them and his soul is trapped inside. The Marquis tells Jonathan that only twelve hours before the clock devour the soul of his stepmother, and only watch the fabulous save Deveraux achieved. Deveraux The clock is somewhere in the Old City which stands across the river, so Jonathan embarks on a desperate search that will take you to the extraordinary Hidden City, the other side of the Old City, where he meets astonishing beings and will unveil its mysteries and learn the rules if you want to get out alive ...
