Inquisitive twelve-year-old Alexa Daley is spending another summer in the walled town of Bridewell. This year, she is set on solving the mystery of what lies beyond the walls. Legend says the walls were built to keep out an unnamed evil that lurks in the forests and The Dark Hills. But what exactly is it that the townspeople are so afraid of? As Alexa begins to unravel the truth, pushing beyond the protective barrier she's lived behind all her life, she discovers a strange and ancient enchantment -- and exposes a danger that could destroy everything she holds dear.

Amazon.com Review
Elyon is a land of dark hills, enchanted forests, and great walls that connect and encircle the cities of Lathbury, Turlock, Lunenburg, and Bridewell like spokes in a wagon wheel. On her annual summer trips to Bridewell with her father, the mayor of Lathbury, Alexa Daley spends much of her time dreaming of escape. Having lived within the walls all of her 12 years, she wants nothing more than to explore the uncharted wilderness beyond. But, the walls are heavily guarded, and frightening legends suggest that forests and hills are no place for a child--especially a young girl. When a mysterious conversation and an unfortunate accident put Alexa within reach of a way outside the wall, she must decide--heed the warnings of her elders, or satisfy her curiosity and unravel the mysteries of Elyon.

Told from the perspective of its smart, brave, and adventurous heroine, The Dark Hills Divide invites readers on a spectacular and mysterious quest that will appeal to boys, girls, and fans of both fiction and fantasy. Patrick Carman is a natural storyteller, and his delightful debut is full of mysterious plots, hidden passageways, and all manner of dastardly, hilarious, and noble characters. Perfect for fans of J.K. Rowling, Philip Pullman, and Cornelia Funke, The Dark Hills Divide is so compulsively readable that kids (and their parents) will be clamoring for the second book in the proposed trilogy, Beyond the Valley of Thorns, due in 2005. --Daphne Durham

Amazon.com Exclusive Content
Welcome to the Land of Elyon: Meet the Characters

Alexa Daley
The daughter of the mayor of Lathbury, Alexa is a curious, strong-willed, courageous twelve-year-old who acquires a stone of great power, and investigates and uncovers a terrible secret.

Yipes
The mysterious little man (not more than 2 feet tall) of the old mountain who befriends Alexa Daley on her journey outside the wall. Yipes introduces her to Darius, setting her on an amazing adventure.
Darius
An enormous wolf with a mysterious past, Darius is tasked with escorting Alexa to a meeting in the forest, and taking her to the dark tunnel where a secret is revealed.

Pervis Kotcher
Pervis, the crafty head of the guards in Bridewell, protects the city from the evil dangers he is convinced lurk outside the walls. He is a man with many secrets, great ambition, and a strong dislike for Alexa.

Sam and Pepper
Sam and Pepper live in the library, and curl up with Alexa while she reads and naps in her favorite chair. Alexa soon learns that these cuddly cats are not what they seem--they hide secrets of their own.

Thomas Warvold
The architect and founder of the walled cities, Warvold was an adventerous wanderer who traveled far and wide in the Land of Elyon.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 93 reviews)

Makes me want to read the next book

I'm glad I came late to this series. I can go right on to the next book and I plan to do so tonight.

The story begins with a wagon race that makes you feel the reality of the very item that is the core of the story. The tight enclosure within which the race transpires sets the stage for an unfolding truth: we don't always see the full impact of the decisions we make. As the animals later reveal, human decisions had a real impact on them.

The book can be read in less than two hours by a fast reader and will give you the picture you need to gain an interest in the Land of Elyon. With little effort, the author helps you understand the ancient legacy of this world and hints at future revelations that you can't wait to discover.

As an adult reader of children and young adult fiction, I found the book engaging and open to any metaphorical interpretation you desire. There were certainly no overtones of Christianity in spite of the use of an Old Testament Hebrew name for God (Elyon). The author's use of real world gods' names made the book even more interesting. Some may have a problem with the author's use of a Hindu god as the "bad guy", but anyone who had not heard of this god would never have known that the name used was that of a god.

If you have not read the book, do not read about Hindu gods before reading it. It would definitely be a bit of a spoiler. I knew the name and, therefore, was fairly certain that I knew the bad guy earlier than the author's intended revelation; however, the book was still enjoyable even with my level of certainty in prediction. I was continually thinking, "Is the author tricking me with this?" NOTE: Nothing I've said here will be any more of a spoiler to anyone who knows the name to which I refer (without naming it) than the reading of the book in sequence would be.

I've read a few dozen children's fiction books over the past two years (we read them as a family) and this book rates very high for me.
November 09, 2008

Fantasy that goes beyond just being cutesy.

So I pretty much just spend years and years avoiding this book upon the shelves.However, I have learned that this is not the little girl silly book it appears. Upon reading it, I discovered this to be a brilliant fantasy (though still at a perfect level for young readers) that is well-told and well-crafted.The story revolves around Alexa, a spunky little girl who lives within several walled cities. Being the little sprite she is, she is desperate to escape the walls, thus leading her into the middle of a frightening conspiracy.The best part of this book is simply Carman's writing style. He takes on the voice of a little girl with ease, making her fun, likeable, and very real. His word choice is careful and very often brought a smile to my face. It's simply great writing.Carman also feels for the land of Elyon. Like so many other fantasy writers, he has made a place that might as well be real.I can't wait to read the rest of these.
August 12, 2008

Great Beginning

Famous Children's author Madeliene L'Engle once stated that writing children's literature was harder than writing for adults because children ask more questions; children just do not accept what an author writes the way most adults will. Her statements have always stuck with me and since doing a children's literature course a few years back, I have continued to read children's and teen fiction regularly. Usually I look for books that have a lot of buzz about them, have then been nominated for a Newbury, or Mr. Christie, American Library Association or here in Canada a Governor General's Literary Award (more commonly know as the GG's.). If so I try to pick it up and give it a read. Because of that I tend to browse the children's and teen sections at Chapters when I happen to be in a store.

The cover of this book captured my attention and almost compelled me to purchase it. The representation of our Heroine Alexa is a very striking image. I purchased this book when it came out nearly 2 years ago and yet only just recently picked it up to read. I now regret that I did not read it sooner. In part, I hesitated reading the book because the cover art was so powerful and cast such a spell upon me, I feared the text not living up to the story I had begin to build in my imagination. Those fears were unfounded.

The Story is set in a walled kingdom. A Kingdom built like 3 spokes on a wheel. Alexa is from Lathbury, the south western spoke, from the hub of Bridewell. This walled Kingdom was built by the Warvold after his extensive travels in the wild mysterious world. He built walls around the central town of Bridewell, and walled roads out to the three surrounding towns of Lunenburg, Turlock and Lathbury. Yet upon the eve of his death, he hints to Alexa that the walls, once thought to be the salvation of the towns and their civilization, he now considers to be a mistake. Alexa begins an adventure shortly after the Warvold's death that will affect her and this kingdom for time to come.

Yet the Warvold's death has caused a society once stable and thriving to start to spin out of control. Alexa sneaks outside the wall and meets a dwarf and a talking wolf and is summoned to a council, the severity and importance of which not even the participants can realize. Can Alexa fufill a calling upon her life that the Warvold foresaw and that some others are trying to help happen and others wish to thwart?

This is one of those great books, originally written for children, that can captivate an audience of any age. Carman has an extremely mature voice and he writes in a manner of a master wordsmith. Carman only conceived of this series in his mid thirties; it is an extremely well- rounded and crafted world - a pleasure to visit, and I plan to re-enter the land of Elyon again and again.

(First Published in Imprint 2008-02-22.)
February 23, 2008

Awesome Beginning

I really liked it!

I have to disagree with the previous review. I really liked this book, and actually, the whole series. There was mystery, action, adventure... All the great things you don't always find in childrens books.
February 04, 2008

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