Rhodri Falcon has lived his 11 years in happiness with his mother and father, a master falconer. But as unrest in the lands sends his father, Owen, to fight in the wars, Rhodri has to take up the responsiblities of the man of the house, much to his disappointment. Over the next few years, Rhodri is haunted by a fourtune he heard at a fair and one day, he ventures into the forest against his parents wishes, where he comes upon a blind hermit named Tantallon. Tantallon guides him in the ways of magic and shows him the Telling Pool, a place where Rhodri sees what's happening to his father. When Rhodri discovers that his father has been enchanted by a witch namd Homeira, it's up to him to find the fabled sword Excalibur, the sword once held by King Arthur himself, to break the curse. On his journey, Rhodri discovers secrets about his family history. It's up to Rhodri to use his wits carefully before he gets enchanted too.
I really liked the Telling Pool. I took a while to get into the story; the beginning was a bit slow, but necessary to tie into the story. I'm fascinated with stories relating to King Arthur and Guenviere, so I enjoyed that aspect of the novel. The story was also cleverly set during the Third Crusade, and it's hard to find novels set at the time period. Being a fan of historical fiction, I really liked this new time. The magical element of the novel was fun as well. Clement-Davies did a good job of mixing history, old legends, magic, and even a bit of romance. I'd recommend this novel to anyone.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 19
Reviewer City, State and Country: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
