Power of Three

There are three very different races living on and under the Moor, who share a language but little else - the magical People, the aquatic Dorig, and the Giants, who turn out to be humans. The focus of the story is on Adara, one of the People, and her children Ayna, Gair and Ceri, each of whom is special: Ayna and Ceri because of their magical gifts and Gair because he is 'ordinary'. Adara's brother kills one of the Dorig and steals its accursed golden collar, setting in motion a series of events that threaten the Moor itself. Only by negotiation between all three peoples can the environment be saved for everyone. The moral nature of this tale is clear as the various groups discover that force will not bring salvation. Gair's latent gift turns out to be the most important and his gesture of friendship and sacrifice finally brings the adults to their senses. In this book, first published in 1976, Diana Wynne Jones has created a microworld with parallels to some of today's issues: her emphasis on peace and collaboration will always be relevant. Her child characters have their own believable problems, with themselves and their relatives as well as with their enemies. The book presents humans alongside other 'peoples' and shows that our perception of our own kind is very subjective. The flavour of the writing, names and the accursed gold collar give it a Celtic flavour and show the fantasy rooted in aspects of a real past. Ages 10+ (Kirkus UK)