Young Rowan of Rin leads a fairly peaceful life with his family. One day, however, this peace is shattered by the dramatic, desperate arrival of one of the enigmatic waterfolk of Maris. He brings a message. “The Crystal dims. The Chooser is summoned.” With those seven words, Rowan’s life is uprooted, as his mother is called to attend to an ancient duty held by the members of their family. They must journey to Maris. She must bond with the great Crystal which protects the clans there, and Choose the new Keeper, before the Crystal’s light dims forever and they fall to evil forces.

It should be an easy assignment. There’s only three to choose from, right? Wrong. In the thousand years Rowan’s family has held this duty, very few Choosers have come home intact. It seems Maris politics can be quite literally cutthroat. Rowan rightly fears for his mother’s safety as he accompanies her. For if she falls to misfortune, accidental or otherwise, he’ll be the one called in her place.

As the Crystal dims and the ceremony of the Choosing begins, Rowan’s mother indeed falls, victim of a slow-acting poison. Rowan must take her place, and choose between the three candidates, each representing a clan of the Maris. Rowan has other plans in mind. He learns of an antidote to the poison coursing through his mother’s body, and essentially blackmails the three Candidates – Asha of Umbray, Seaborn of Fisk, and Doss of Pandellis – into accompanying him on a quest for said antidote’s mysterious ingredients. They’ve no choice, for the Crystal’s time is as limited as Rowan’s mother’s remaining life, and only Rowan may complete the ceremony.

Thus, they journey to the sacred Island. There, they’ll fend off violent birds, flesh-eating fish, and the deadly Great Serpent in their quest for the antidote. They’ll work as a team, and exert themselves to the utmost. In the end, though, only one of the three will be Chosen as the Keeper, and Rowan will be the one to decide. All the while wondering who poisoned his mother, who felt threatened enough to do such a thing. The answer will surprise and shock everyone. In the end, traditions will be shattered, and the Maris will fend off a brutal, treacherous attack… but will it all be in time to save the Crystal’s power, or Rowan’s mother?

This is a light version of the typical quest fantasy, pitting our heroes against their own fears and weaknesses as much as against any true obstacles. Entertaining and lively, Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal doesn’t let up on plot or action until the end. While this is part of a series (four books and counting) it can be read independently of the rest. Try this one out on young readers needing a Harry Potter fix.