content: I've been a bibliophile since I was about six years old, and this is the first and only book that I have ever thrown onto the floor in disgust. From the poor orphaned farm boy who gets swept up into an exciting adventure, to the completely predictable dragons, dwarves and elves, to the Star Wars-esque evil empire and resitance movement, to the appearance of the white bearded wizardly mentor (tm), it seems as if every single stale fantasy cliche gets trotted out and pressed into service. This is a book composed of stock characters and overused plot points in an entirely typical and unimaginative pseudo-medieval fantasy setting. Anyone looking for a good YA fantasy novel would probably be better off with something by Diana Wynne Jones, Garth Nix, Tamora Pierce, Phillip Pullman, J.K. Rowling, Holly Black, Monica Furlong, Susan Cooper, or any of the many other writers out there who have come up with vastly better books for younger fantasy fans.