The Blue Sword Newbery Honor Roll

When Harry Crewe becomes an orphan, she has to leave her home country to move to Damar since her older brother is there. Damar is a country of deserts and mountains whose native inhabitants are very secretive and don't want much to do with the new settlers who are colonizing the more easily accessible parts of the country. When Korlath, the King of the native people, first sees Harry, his intuition tells him that she is more than she seems and will be important to him and his people. He kidnaps her and takes her with him to the desert. It soon becomes clear that she is destined to carry the blue sword and that she has the power to save the people of Damar from a great danger... This is another one of Robin McKinley's award-winning novels that can be read by young adults, but are just as enjoyable for an older audience. There is fantasy, adventure, a very tender and moving romance, an unusual heroine, a great plot and a wonderful world. I can't praise this book highly enough. It should also be mentioned that it is connected to 'The Hero and the Crown', a prequel to this story, in which we meet some of the characters from the novel for the first time and which is set in Damar at the time when it was a great kingdom. I'd definitely recommend both books without any reservations.