AustLit

The kingdom of Deltora is turned upside down when the King and Queen both die mysteriously and their young son, Endon, is given the Belt of Deltora and pronounced kind. Endon's best friend, the orphaned Jarred, then discovers a plot to strike at the royal household from within! Before he can warn his new kind, Jarred is accused of murder and barely escapes the castle with his life, but this does not stop the intrepid warrior from pledging his allegiance to Endon and the Kingdom of Deltora. Now, with the nefarious Shadow Lord's army preparing for invasion, Deltora has never needed Jarred more– will he answer the call?

Lief is a cheeky sixteen-year-old ruffian in the fallen wasteland of the city of Del, once home to the great Kingdom of Deltora. Sixteen years ago, his father, Jarred, pledged an oath to the true King of Deltora to return the seven gems and restore peace to the land. Unable to complete the quest himself, he has striven for years to prepare his son for the journey of a lifetime.

Now, to break the oppressive rule of the Shadow King and his Grey Guards, Lief must undertake his father’s quest with his comrade Barda, and gather the gems from the grip of evil. Will he answer the call? (Source: Kodansha/Random House)

"The topaz in hand, our heroes set off for the Lake of Tears in search of the next gem. Despite Jasmine's warnings, Lief and Barda insist on marching straight through the territory of the evil sorceress Thaegan. The witch's minions are ready and waiting to make Lief and Barda regret their decision...." (Source: Kodansha Comics)

"Will Lief, Barda, and Jasmine be able to defeat the evil sorceress Thaegan and her 13 monster children? The adventures and misadventures of our heroic trio continue as they try to find the seven missing gems of Deltora, braving dangers and guardians every step of the way!" (Source: Google Books)

Soldeen has finally agreed to give Lief and his companions the ruby, but before they can claim it, the sorceress Thaegan arrives to avenge her children. To defeat her, all the heroes must do is shed one drop of her blood, but it's not as easy as it seems.

"Having narrowly escaped from Noradz, Lief and company continue their quest to the City of the Rats. True to its name, the city is swarming with rodents, and our heroes must spend an entire night fighting for their lives before they even get close to the city’s true danger. " (Source: Google Books)

"Determined not to give in to the threats of an unknown enemy, Lief and his companions resolve to fight in the Rithmere Games, where they come up against the mysterious Doom. He warns them that winners of the Games are never seen again, but can his word be trusted?" (Source: Kodansha)

"After being swallowed by a sandstorm, Lief wakes up to find himself at home, surrounded by loved ones. They assure him his quest is over, and he's free to rest. When they insist he give them the Belt of Deltora, Lief realizes that something is terribly wrong." (Source: Kodansha)

Lief, Barda, and Jasmine arrive at Dread Mountain in search of the fifth gem. They are attacked by a vicious monster called a Vraal as soon as they begin their ascent up the mountain. Face to face with the ferocious beast, and surrounded by giant thorns, the heroes have nowhere to run.

"Two gems remain before the Belt of Deltora is complete. Lief and his companions face their most dangerous trials yet in the Maze of the Beast and the Valley of the Lost. And even if they succeed, it will all mean nothing if they can't find the heir to Deltora." (Source: Kodansha)