Fields and Hills Bki CL

Riveting high fantasy in the legendary style of Lloyd Alexander and Ursula Le Guin marks this series opener. With ``a reputation as a solitary'' in his village, 13-year-old Weyr has the gift to see and hear faraway events as though they were happening right before him. When the lad's grandmother dies, he escapes adoption by a cruel villager and heads all alone to the famed, distant city of Domn. Encountering a band of actors, Weyr discovers his true talents and the warmth of a family life he has never known. Political intrigue follows when he befriends Kamlar, a boy his own age who is the son of a man called the Instrument. Such dramatic events as a kidnapping and an impending political upheaval, combined with Bakken's richly textured prose, create a particularly satisfying read. Fans of the genre will appreciate the involving storyline and vibrant characters, as well as the many coined words understood only in the context of the story. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)