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The Gift (Alison Croggon novel)
Encyclopedia
The Gift is 2002 fantasy novel by Alison Croggon
. It is the first in her Pellinor
quartet.
in trade paperback format. In 2004 it was released in the United Kingdom by Walker Books
and in 2005 it was released under the title of The Naming in hardback format by Candlewick Press
in the United States. The Gift was a short-list nominee in both the 2002 Aurealis Award for best fantasy novel
and the best horror novel
but lost to Sean Williams' The Storm Weaver and the Sand
and A. L. McCann
's The White Body of Evening
respectively.
, in "Gilman's Cot" as a slave, where she has been for many years, with few memories of her former life, her mother having died several years before. She is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great mystics known as 'Bards', who reveals to her that she, like him, possesses "the Gift" shared by all of these, by which she is able to command nature
to do her will. Cadvan soon discovers that her mother was the leader of the First Circle of the destroyed School of Pellinor, of whom it was previously assumed that there were no survivors. Knowing this, Cadvan decides to help her escape, believing that it might not be by means of random chance
that he came upon the only known survivor of Pellinor.
When Cadvan finds that Maerad's Gift is unusually powerful for one never formally taught, he begins to suspect of her more significance than he had before. He takes her to the School of Innail, to make the presence of a survivor from Pellinor known and to make Maerad a Minor Bard of Pellinor. During their time there, Maerad obtains knowledge of a long-forgotten prophecy
concerning the 'Foretold One' who will defeat the Nameless One. This Nameless One is a corrupt political leader, formerly called Sharma, who discarded his own true name
in order to become immortal. Twice has he attempted to conquer the land of Edil-Amarandh, and he has twice been vanquished. His last bid for power
is the one in which the Foretold One, Elednor, will defeat him, leaving him dead or helpless forever. Maerad's own history
, being coincident with that of the Foretold One, implies that she is Elednor, although Maerad does not immediately embrace the idea.
After their brief but enjoyed stay at Innail, Cadvan takes Maerad across the country of Annar to the school
of Norloch, intending to have her instated as a full Bard and given her Name, and also to see his old teacher Nelac. En route, they discover that the Nameless One's corrupt Bards, the Hulls, are roaming freely, so that non-users of magic are terrified and terrorized; that Maerad is descended on her mother Milana's side from Lady Ardina, a faerie creature, in the book called an Elidhu, who still lives in the forest
as monarch
of a Lothlórien-like settlement; and that Maerad has a younger brother, called Hem or Cai, who like her is an inheritor of the Gift.
When Maerad and Cadvan, who has become her tutor, reach Norloch, they discover that corruption has penetrated even here, in that the First Bard Enkir has fallen under Sharma's influence. He is revealed as the one who had Pellinor destroyed and who sold Maerad into slavery
. Largely as a result of this, and partly on account of his own misogyny
, Enkir refuses to admit that Maerad is the Foretold One, or even to let her be instated as a Bard.
Therefore, Cadvan and Nelac invoke an archaic ritual called the Way of the White
Flame, by which Maerad is anointed a full Bard. Her Name, at this point, is revealed to be that of the Foretold One; Elednor, which means "Fire Lily".
Driven out by their enemy's hostility, Cadvan and Maerad flee to the island of Thorold, while Hem is sent southward for safety with Saliman, one of Cadvan's childhood friend who was also taught by Nelac.
Alison Croggon
Alison Croggon is a contemporary Australian poet, playwright, fantasy novelist, and librettist.-Life:Born in the Transvaal, South Africa, Alison Croggon's family moved to England before settling in Australia, first in Ballarat then Melbourne. She has worked as a journalist for the Sydney Morning...
. It is the first in her Pellinor
Pellinor
Pellinor is a fantasy series by Australian author Alison Croggon, spanning four books, the last of which was released in June 2008 in Australia, September 2008 in the UK and March 2009 in the USA....
quartet.
Background
The Gift was first published in Australia on 1 October 2002 by Penguin BooksPenguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
in trade paperback format. In 2004 it was released in the United Kingdom by Walker Books
Walker Books
Walker Books is an independent British publisher of children's books, founded in 1978 by Sebastian Walker.The success of their Where's Wally? series enabled them to expand into the American market, starting a sister company called Candlewick Press in 1991.Amelia Edwards, co-founder of Walker Books,...
and in 2005 it was released under the title of The Naming in hardback format by Candlewick Press
Candlewick Press
Candlewick Press, established in 1991 and located in Somerville, Massachusetts, is the American division of the British publisher Walker Books Ltd....
in the United States. The Gift was a short-list nominee in both the 2002 Aurealis Award for best fantasy novel
Aurealis Award for best fantasy novel
The Aurealis Awards are presented annually by the Australia-based Chimaera Publications and SpecFaction NSW to published works in order to "recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy, horror writers"...
and the best horror novel
Aurealis Award for best horror novel
The Aurealis Awards are presented annually by the Australia-based Chimaera Publications and SpecFaction NSW to published works in order to "recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy, horror writers"...
but lost to Sean Williams' The Storm Weaver and the Sand
The Storm Weaver and the Sand
The Storm Weaver and the Sand is a 2002 fantasy novel by Sean Williams. It follows the second book in the series, The Sky Warden & the Sun, with Sal and Shilly finding shelter with the Stone Mages only to be betrayed and put forward for judgement by the Sky Wardens.-Background:The Storm Weaver and...
and A. L. McCann
A. L. McCann
-Biography:McCann lives in Victoria and holds both an MA from the University of Melbourne and a PhD from Cornell University. His academic work has won him awards and fellowships. McCann has also published works in topics such as politics and history. He is a lecturer at the Melbourne University's...
's The White Body of Evening
The White Body of Evening
The White Body of Evening is a 2002 horror novel by A. L. McCann. It is set in late 19th century Melbourne where a family is facing a degenerating marriage and the children exposed to the city's possibilities.-Background:...
respectively.
Plot summary
The Gift (also published as The Naming) begins with MaeradMaerad
Maerad is the principal character of the first two books of Pellinor: The Gift / The Naming, and The Riddle by the fantasy writer Alison Croggon.-The Gift / The Naming:For several years, Maerad and her mother lived at Gilman's Cot as slaves...
, in "Gilman's Cot" as a slave, where she has been for many years, with few memories of her former life, her mother having died several years before. She is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great mystics known as 'Bards', who reveals to her that she, like him, possesses "the Gift" shared by all of these, by which she is able to command nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
to do her will. Cadvan soon discovers that her mother was the leader of the First Circle of the destroyed School of Pellinor, of whom it was previously assumed that there were no survivors. Knowing this, Cadvan decides to help her escape, believing that it might not be by means of random chance
Randomness
Randomness has somewhat differing meanings as used in various fields. It also has common meanings which are connected to the notion of predictability of events....
that he came upon the only known survivor of Pellinor.
When Cadvan finds that Maerad's Gift is unusually powerful for one never formally taught, he begins to suspect of her more significance than he had before. He takes her to the School of Innail, to make the presence of a survivor from Pellinor known and to make Maerad a Minor Bard of Pellinor. During their time there, Maerad obtains knowledge of a long-forgotten prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
concerning the 'Foretold One' who will defeat the Nameless One. This Nameless One is a corrupt political leader, formerly called Sharma, who discarded his own true name
True name
A true name is a name of a thing or being that expresses, or is somehow identical with, its true nature. The notion that language, or some specific sacred language, refers to things by their true names has been central to philosophical and grammatical study as well as various traditions of magic,...
in order to become immortal. Twice has he attempted to conquer the land of Edil-Amarandh, and he has twice been vanquished. His last bid for power
Power (sociology)
Power is a measurement of an entity's ability to control its environment, including the behavior of other entities. The term authority is often used for power perceived as legitimate by the social structure. Power can be seen as evil or unjust, but the exercise of power is accepted as endemic to...
is the one in which the Foretold One, Elednor, will defeat him, leaving him dead or helpless forever. Maerad's own history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, being coincident with that of the Foretold One, implies that she is Elednor, although Maerad does not immediately embrace the idea.
After their brief but enjoyed stay at Innail, Cadvan takes Maerad across the country of Annar to the school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
of Norloch, intending to have her instated as a full Bard and given her Name, and also to see his old teacher Nelac. En route, they discover that the Nameless One's corrupt Bards, the Hulls, are roaming freely, so that non-users of magic are terrified and terrorized; that Maerad is descended on her mother Milana's side from Lady Ardina, a faerie creature, in the book called an Elidhu, who still lives in the forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
as monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of a Lothlórien-like settlement; and that Maerad has a younger brother, called Hem or Cai, who like her is an inheritor of the Gift.
When Maerad and Cadvan, who has become her tutor, reach Norloch, they discover that corruption has penetrated even here, in that the First Bard Enkir has fallen under Sharma's influence. He is revealed as the one who had Pellinor destroyed and who sold Maerad into slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. Largely as a result of this, and partly on account of his own misogyny
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
, Enkir refuses to admit that Maerad is the Foretold One, or even to let her be instated as a Bard.
Therefore, Cadvan and Nelac invoke an archaic ritual called the Way of the White
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
Flame, by which Maerad is anointed a full Bard. Her Name, at this point, is revealed to be that of the Foretold One; Elednor, which means "Fire Lily".
Driven out by their enemy's hostility, Cadvan and Maerad flee to the island of Thorold, while Hem is sent southward for safety with Saliman, one of Cadvan's childhood friend who was also taught by Nelac.