This has been on my shelf since I was the target demographic, and now that I'm 24 I finally decided to pick it up. Take all this with a grain of I'm not 12 anymore. It was a slow start, but once they finally got around to the journey it was a fun quick read. Torak needs a little more character development, he seems stoic and not much else, whereas Renn has aspirations that may contradict her calling and it strong willed in the faces of the men in her life. I guess 2000s middle grade books really love the Chosen One trope, I've read so many with ~prophecies~ it's almost a given, though not always a downer.

My earliest favorite book. I grew up with each book release and have revisited the series dozens of times. It doesn't grow old, I always find something new, something I didn't notice the time before. An enthralling, adventurous, series of quests that take the main three characters (Torak, Wolf, and Renn) through challenges, victories, and defeats that shape them and their world. A beautiful touch of magical realism, ancient knowledge, and elaborate world building. Strong characters that must come together create a profound connection through struggle.