is taken by Guannette birds (Agyllians) to the highest mountain where they teach her body to heal itself. The leader, Atthis, who spoke to her earlier in Maruman's mind, reminds her of her quest, and the existence of the Destroyer who is destined to try and use the weaponmachines. After taking months to heal, Elspeth is returned to the wintery highlands where Gahltha awaits her to take her back to Obernewtyn. There Elspeth sees a ruin, destroyed by a firestorm, and a soldierguard camp set up nearby with Rushton and others captive inside. She meets Daffyd, who reveals that the ruins are a vision caused by Dragon to fool soldierguards, who soon flee in fear of catching a deadly disease. The others, who had presumed her dead, are mystified and overjoyed at her arrival, particularly Rushton. Reception Critical Overall, The Farseekers has been very positively received. The Library Journal states that it "blends graceful storytelling with appealing characters", and Publishers Weekly indicates that there are "engaging characters, pacing and plots" and that it is "better than its predecessor". Liz Manning of the Youth Services Book Review feels "the plot is exciting, filled with twists and turns and unexpected pitfalls". Kirkus Reviews describes it as "competently wrought but earnest and familiar" as a young-adult novel. Review Stream states the book is "darker than the last" and "a cautionary tale to encourage [environmental] awareness". Marie Soriano of the National Center for the Study of Children's Literature feels it is a "well-written page turner" but that is misses the intricate character development present in Obernewtyn which had emotionally endeared the character to the reader. Some state that the wash of new information is sometimes overwhelming. Awards and nominations In 1991, The Farseekers was an Honour Book for "Book of the Year for Older Readers" in the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards. Publication history Single Book Publications: Combined Volumes: Foreign language publications In 2009, a Portuguese edition was published in Portugal by Bertrand Editora entitled ' Elspeth - Os Libertadores do Pensamento ' (translated by Ana Neto). This roughly translate to 'Elspeth - The Liberators of Thought'. Audiobooks In 1991, the Royal Blind Society (NSW) produced an audio recording of The Farseekers on cassette, narrated by Christine Jeffery. References External links 1990 Australian novels 1990 science fiction novels Australian science fiction novels Australian fantasy novels Australian young adult novels Science fantasy novels Obernewtyn