The Sister of the South

Dragons of Deltora #4

by Emily Rodda, Marc McBride (Illustrator)

The amazing conclusion to the DRAGONS OF DELTORA series, full of action, adventure, and magic.

Lief, Barda, and Jasmine have defeated three of the four Sisters left by the evil Shadow Lord to weaken and ultimately defeat Deltora. But now they face their biggest challenge yet -- the Sister of the South, whose power is the most dangerous yet.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Young Adult, Middle Grade

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Emily Rodda (real name Jennifer Rowe) was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1973 with an MA (Hons) in English Literature. Moving into a publishing career, first as a book editor, and finally as a publisher at Angus & Robertson, Rodda's first book was published in 1984.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider this series (Deltora Quest, Deltora Shadowlands, Dragons of Deltora) to be THE defining book series of my childhood. Moreso even than Harry Potter, as blasphemous as that is to admit for someone of my generation.

Lief, Barda, and Jasmine were my constant companions through middle school. The books, though about 200 pages each and written for a fifth-grade audience with a plot to match, taught me some of the most valuable life skills I know: how to pay attention, how to problem solve, how to keep calm, and how to kick ass (WWJD - What Would Jasmine Do.)

Ending it so perfectly with the climatic events of Sister of the South was both lovely and rather bittersweet.

[Sara Kamjou · Rating 5 out of 5]

دانستن نام واقعی هر کس باعث می‌شود که بر صاحب آن نام نفوذ داشته باشی.
...
ماجراجویی‌ها و غافلگیری‌های جلد آخر خیلی بیشتر بود.
لذت بردم بسی. مخصوصا از اینکه نقش اژدهاها خیلی پررنگ‌تر بود.

[Zahra Labbafan · Rating 4 out of 5]

آخر داستان رو واقعا دوست داشتم
خیلی خوب مجموعه رو تمام‌کرد
در کل از سه مجموعه راضیم
اینکه این کتاب از همون فصل اول بدون هیچ فوت وقتی پر از اتفاق بود و همه اتفاقات کتاب تو دو روز افتاد و کشش خوبی داشت قشنگ بود
اینکه نشون داد ارباب سایه‌ها که از همون جلد یک در جستجوی دلتورا به زیرکی و زرنگیش اشاره می‌شد واقعا زیرک بود و نقشه در نقشه داشت
نقشه آخرش رو واقعا دوست داشتم و خوب از بین بردن این نقشه به منطقی‌ترین شکل ممکن انجام شد
ارزش یک مجموعه مقدار زیادیش به پایان اون بستگی داره و این مجموعه ختم کلام عالی بود برای سه مجموعه درجستجوی دلتورا
سرزمین سایه ها
و اژدهایان دلتورا

جز استیون که شخصیت محبوبم بود جیمز کتابدار رو هم دوست داشتم
و تک تک اژدهایان باحال بودند
راضیم از خوندن این مجموعه با اینکه می‌دونم اگر در دوران نوجوانی میخوندم خیلی بیشتر لذت میبردم

[Alexander Draganov · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sister of the South e връх на епичното фентъзи, събран в 224 страници, с които Емили Рода показва, че мащабен сюжет може да се развихри и без авторът да изпадне в логорея. Читателят чувства отчаянието на Лийф, докато младежът опитва да спаси тези, които обича срещу все по-отвратителните и безмилостни врагове, усеща омразното докосване на пазителя, който се разлива като слуз към всеки дръзнал да се изправи срещу злия му господар, долавя безпокойството на главния герой, дори когато нещата изглежда, че привидно вървят добре. Финалът на книгата е повече от епичен, като Емили Рода разгръща един от най-страшните сценарии за апокалипсиса в детска книга и затвърждава впечатленията ми, че Повелителя на сенките е най-отблъскващият фентъзи антагонист, който съм срещал някога.

Цялото ми ревю може да прочетете на линка:
https://citadelata.com/the-sister-of-...

[Harumichi Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan dengan ini terpuaskanlah salah satu puzzle masa remajaku. What an epic ending of the series of grand adventures. Ketegangan dalam plot twist bertumpuk yang disusun bagai lapisan boneka matryoshka bikin capek. Capek, tapi puas banget.

Aku sangat menikmati cara berpikir Lief yang terus berjalan seperti detektif. Pesona Deltora bukan sekadar kekuatan sihirnya, tapi justru karena para tokoh utamanya benar-benar mengerahkan segenap jiwa-raga dan otak untuk menyelesaikan berbagai teka-teki berkabut dan tantangan maut yang mewarnai petualangan mereka. Mereka punya kekuatan sihir, tapi sangat terbatas, dan karena itu pembaca diajak merasakan perjuangan dan pertarungan mereka secara manual, dengan tangan, kaki, otot, dan tentu saja otak.

Tinggal melengkapi beberapa buku seperti Secrets of Deltora, Tales of Deltora, The Lands of Dragon, dan seri-seri lain yang setingnya sama seperti Rowan of Rin series, Three Doors series, dan Star of Deltora series, maka kenyanglah aku.



Lalu bagaimana dengan sang Raja Bayangan? Enggak diceritakan kalau dia terbunuh, cuma terasing. Apa dia bakal dibahas di seri-seri Deltora yang lain?

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

هیچ وقت یادم نمیره اون روزی که خواهرم برام اولین کتاب دلتورا، جنگل های سکوت، رو خرید. با بی میلی کتاب رو باز کردم ولی بعد از چند ثانیه شیفتش شدم. امروز بالاخره اخرین کتاب از ۱۵ کتاب دلتورا رو تموم کردم و بدون شک میتونم بگم که یکی از بهترین سری کتاب های دنیاست. واقعا خوشحالم که فرصت داشتم با این داستان خارقالعاده اشنا بشم و از خواهرم از صمیم قلب برای معرفی کتاب های دلتورا تشکر میکنم😊

[Emma Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the greatest ending to a series that ever was.

It's hard to explain my love for this series. Deltora Quest is funny, endearing and smart. All of Rodda's riddles kept me on my toes and thinking. I love most of the characters, and the one's that I don't love, I can appreciate. Everyone seemed to have their own story, no one was overlooked, everything was important.

In this, the final book of the entire series, it's hard not to dive in head first. Everything came to close brilliantly. It's the type of ending that you don't normally see, and certainly the type I wish I did see more of. All the loose ends were tied up, but still left to the imagination.

This book had multiple climaxes, and the first, last battle was epic. It was like the entire series was leading up to this moment (and I suppose in way, it was) and Rodda pulled out all the stop. It was far more life-and-death risky than the other battles.

All the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat, despite having read the series at least twice before (I forget details). I can't remember how mind blown I was the first time I finished the series, but I'm sure my mind imploded. The Shadow Lord's final curse certainly lived up to expectation.

I was obviously crying by the end, but it was that final paragraph that had me blubbering like the little baby. It perfectly wrapped up the entire series, not just Lief's story as the main character. It's the kind of ending that you appreciate more if you read the series in one giant block, but would probably punch me in the gut even if it took me ten years to read the series. It's sadness mixed with happiness, so you can't be sure what emotion is actually making you cry, but you don't really care and you don't even mind that you're crying.

If it wasn't obvious, Emily Rodda is definitely one of my favourite children's authors (I've haven't read any of her adult stuff, and even if I had I'd probably think of them as having different authors because of the fake names). There's definitely something in this series for everyone. And even if you're like me and struggle through the very first chapter to the point of quitting, don't give up on this series. Wait a couple of years, because this is a story that will stay with you forever, even if you don't realise it. It'll make you think and put wonder in your life.

It may seem like a complicated fantasy series, but the real message is to never give up and always believe in yourself, no matter how deadly the enemy. And I think that's a great message for all kids, and their parents too.

[Anahita Solot · Rating 5 out of 5]

چه پایان نفس‌گیری. واقعا عالی بود. پونزده جلد خیلی خیلی خوبی رو تجربه کردم. پایان بسیار مناسبی برای مجموعه نوشته شده. به همه پیشنهاد می‌کنم که کل مجموعه رو کامل بخونند و لذت ببرند.

[Innayah ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

obsessed

[July · Rating 5 out of 5]

The satisfying conclusion of the entire 3-part Deltora Quest series. Although Deltora books are simply written, they are cleverly so, making them enjoyable reads for people of all ages. Complex issues are presented in an easy-to-understand manner, and important life lessons are woven into the plot, which itself has many twists and turns. Each rereading brings up a new detail I hadn't noticed before, and makes me wholeheartedly appreciate Emily Rodda's genius and creativity ever the more.

For example, the Toran Plague, which now rings eerily in the current world climate. Calling a disease by its presumed location of origin only encourages hatred and distrust, which is exactly what ill-intentioned parties want. They want to divide the people and sow seeds of discord, fear, and paranoia to further their aims, not caring about those they hurt in the process. The guardian of the Sister of the South encouraged this prejudice to grow and fester so that the whole of Deltora would turn against Torans, much like how in real life, Asians have become the target of atrocious hate crimes. Does life imitate art, or does art imitate life? In any case, it's astounding that this issue is being presented in a children's book so bare and raw, without any flighty excuses for such behavior. And the heroes are shown both sides of the argument, before deciding to put this aside, and focus on solving the plague itself, uniting all in their mission, as that is what is truly more important. For as with any other nation, Deltora can only stand if united as one, and divided, it will fall. There's even a brief argument about wearing masks here, which made me mentally shake my head at myself for missing this tidbit before, but now particularly stands out to me.

In contrast to other children's books where the hero achieves an unmistakable and unambiguous victory over his foe by its conclusion, Lief knows all too well he has only won multiple battles in an unwinnable war against the Shadow Lord, for the enemy is wicked and sly, and to it, a thousand years is but a blink of an eye. This may be the end of Lief's adventures, but the threat of the Shadow Lord will always remain, long after Lief is dead and gone. And that somber message is the last line of this book, reminding readers that there are many things in this fragile life of ours that are beyond our control, and to never become complacent, even when everything is going well, because it can all too easily be snatched away from you by your enemies.

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars in the world. This book is incredible, threads from the previous books you didnt even know were loose are tied up neatly, characters old and new make one final appearance and as always its action packed until the last paragraph.

This is probably my favourite book in the whole series. Lief, Barda and Jasmine have all grown so much and i love love love the dragons. I cant decide which is my favourite so i think its a tie between the topaz and amethyst dragons. That final scene - Dragon Night - is breathtaking. The Shadow Lord is my favourite villain of all time. Consumed by evil everything he does is for the sake of being evil. Theres no motivation outside of being greedy and power hungry. And i love it. Hes a constant terrible threat and i love that he can only be defeated, not destroyed. Hes a truly masterful villain.

You know a series has a special place in your heart when you feel sad to have finished it yet look forward to the inevitable time in the future you'll pick it back up again. Until then, farewell Deltora

[DivaDiane SM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very satisfying ending to a very long series of increasingly dark installments on a quest from despair to light. Sounds paradoxical. There was always a bit of horror mixed in with the quest from the start, but with each series the books got more complex and darker and darker with more and more horrible things happening and less time spent on the good. My son was genuinely disturbed a few times.

My son also figured out how the final triumph would happen!

This is perhaps better for slightly older children than my son (8) - say, 10/11, so starting the series with Deltora Quest at age 8 or 9 would be best.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eindelijk, na lange jaren, heb ik deze serie uit mijn jeugd compleet en uitgelezen. Dit laatste boek was zo intens dat ik het in 1 avond heb uitgelezen en ik durf te zeggen dat het het beste boek is van de hele serie.

Deze serie heeft mij een liefde voor fantasy gegeven en dit weer herleven en eindelijk af kunnen sluiten voelt raar, maar goed.

Tijd om de brainrot door te zetten en de serie in het Engels te gaan verzamelen, de anime te kijken, dat soort dingen

[♡☆Fatima☆♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ I've been holding out writing this review because I don't wanna say goodbye. It's officially over🥹 all my favourite people having their happy ending, and it was just perfect!!! Maybe in 10 years' time, I'll reread this entire universe again, or when I completely have forgotten everything. I adore these these so much🥰🥰🥰

This was such a roller-coaster of emotions. If I was a citizen in Deltora and the king kept on telling it's people it's the plague, not its poison times a thousand I will simply parish to whatever this disease that's been going around. Make up your mind!! Every minute, it's "ITS THE PLAGUE, COVER YOUR FACE! NO WAIT, IT'S POISON, WE'RE SAFE BUT DON'T EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING, TAKE OFF THE MASK...... NVM ITS 100% THE PLAGUE!! SIR, PLEASEEEEE WHICH ONE I CAN'T TAKE IT😭😭😭

Nonetheless, this was sooooo good. Shit was intense every page. I wasn't ready to let go of any more of my favourite character if they started dropping dead. This plague/poison is touching NO ONE OKAY😭 we've been through enough in the trenches. The ending was just how I wanted. I would read it a thousand times over. They deserve this after everything they've been through 🥹🥹🥹

Now, if you will excuse me, I'll be lying in bed, trying to think what's next

[Tristan Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

forgot how goated this last book is, how genuinely bleak it is, how it strongly resolves plot conveniences, and genuinely delivers a near perfect conclusion

[Mishell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skvělé zakončení velmi zdařilé série (či trojsérie?)

[Pádraic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bizarrely, not the first time during the pandemic I've re-engaged with a story from my younger days and have, in the interim, completely forgotten that a pandemic is a major plot point. Characters wearing masks, keeping their distance, and having to put up with dickheads and their conspiracy theories that prey on fear and ignorance and mistrust. But this is, fundamentally, a Deltora book, and so events can be resolved by the puzzling out of clues and ancient mysteries, and gathering a group of diverse supportive friends around you.

The 'plague' sequence is harrowing enough, as is the seemingly unbeatable guardian, as is the constant spirals of confusion and deceit and fear and hatreds old and new, as is the by-now expected but no less distressing descent into the Sister's lair. At one level, much of this book bears similarity to, say, the bits in Isle of Illusion where it cuts from the trio's adventures to the various scheming plots being unveiled back in Del, except this time the trio and indeed pretty much all characters are in Del for those scheming plots. The tension is masterfully executed.

On top of all that, as a bonus, we have the climax, the pieces coming together in the centre to foil the Shadow Lord's final plan. Which is glorious, a far larger action setpiece than we usually get from Deltora Quest, the aerial battle that's always been possible since the concept of dragons was introduced, and by god it delivers. The dragons function as avatars of the land, all that multicoloured burning rage tearing these evil creatures, these faint shadows of themselves, out of the sky. It's a helluva scene, and it's also very satisfying, nearly literally like the pieces of a jigsaw coming together.

On top of all that, as another bonus, we have the conclusion. The end of the story. Fifteen books and a reread I've been dragging out since July. I could have powered through multiple books per day, but I wanted it to last. I wanted to be able to remember each one as an individual story and yet be able to connect them all together as well. I've done that, and I still don't want it to be over. But it's the ending these characters deserve, after the long journeys they've been on, and maybe in another decade, if we're all still here, I might have forgotten enough of it to be able to go on all those journeys with them all over again.

[Jelena ✨️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It came to him that his family was cursed—cursed by the wonder that was the Belt of Deltora. The Belt had weighed down generation after generation of kings and queens unworthy of its power.
And suddenly Lief was almost glad that now he would never marry Jasmine, that they would never have a child to wear the Belt in his place.
Any child of mine would come into the world only to suffer struggle, sorrow, fear and failure, he thought. Like me. Like my father. Better—far better—never to have been born." so sad :(

"You have returned to me, king of Deltora.
Yes, Lief answered.
You have brought the female with you, the one with the beautiful hair that is the colour of the night.
‘Yes,’ Lief said aloud. His hand tightened on Jasmine’s.
Almost, the dragon seemed to smile."

"The dragon roared, and a plume of golden re engulfed the dimming Sister of the South. The false gem shone dully in the blaze, then glowed red as a hot coal. Its song became a whine. The red deepened to scarlet and then to a dull brown.
The dragon hissed. And this time the narrow jet of flame that shot from its mouth was white hot. The Sister began to shrivel.
The heat was so intense that again Lief had to turn away. But always he kept his left hand on the dragon’s scales, and his right hand on the topaz.
He heard the Sister’s whining song rise, rise, and then—stop.
The silence was dizzying.
Slowly, Lief opened his eyes. Where the Sister of the South had been, there was just a tiny heap of white ash, already scattering in the breeze."

"He gripped Jasmine’s hand more tightly. That small, rough hand had become a lifeline for him, a link to what was real, what was true."

"‘You do not know what it is to be utterly alone, Lief,’ he (Doom) said. ‘You do not know the agony of having all you love torn from
you. You have never felt the rage, the pain, the white-hot desire for revenge that burns from within until all that remains is dark despair, a yawning emptiness craving to be filled.’"

"'I am sure that by the end she (Paff) had convinced Josef that I was working secretly for the Enemy.’
‘I considered that myself, Doom,’ Jasmine said calmly.
‘Indeed?’ Doom said, raising an eyebrow. ‘And why was that?’
‘Lief said the guardian of the south was subtle, quick thinking, and very clever,’ Jasmine answered, shrugging. ‘That sounded more like you than anyone else in the palace.’
‘Why, thank you,’ Doom said drily." ‘Also …’ Jasmine checked the points o on her ngers. ‘You have been in the Shadowlands. You are proud and ruthless. You mix with strange people. You are awake all hours of the night. You were one of the few to see Sharn the night she fell ill—’
‘Why, plainly Pa went to my room that rst night and put poison in my lip balm while I was still downstairs!’ exclaimed Sharn, very shocked. ‘Doom was the one who realised the cream was poisoned, when he brought the royal emeralds and amethysts to my chamber. He was the one who saved me!’
‘And me,’ Zeean put in. ‘Jasmine, how could you think such a thing of your father?’
Jasmine shrugged again. ‘Doom is not an ordinary father,’ she said.
‘Very true,’ said Doom. ‘And you are no ordinary daughter, I am happy to say. If I had been in your place, I would have thought exactly as you did. We are more alike than we realised, it seems.’ He grinned broadly, and Jasmine’s tired face broke into an answering smile." father-daughter moment :)

"And at last the dragons were so close together that the tips of their wings were touching. Together they roared, and the colours of their res mingled in a rainbow blaze. And when that last, great re had died, nothing remained of the Shadow Lord’s terror but a vast circle of blackened ash.
In the centre of the dark circle the dragons hovered, as if unwilling to end the moment. Diamond, emerald, lapis-lazuli, topaz, opal, ruby and amethyst, they joined to relish their triumph, grieve for what had been lost, and look to the future.
And all who looked upon that scene were swept by a great wave of joy and wonder. For they saw that the shining wings of the dragons were like the gems of the Belt of Deltora, blazing in the sky."

"One bright morning the following spring, when Deltora was filled with blossom, when bees were drunk with nectar and birds filled the air with song, Jasmine put on a green silk dress, threaded flowers in her hair, and went out to meet Lief on the palace hill.
Hand in hand they were married there, before a crowd the like of which Del had never seen. Barda stood beside Lief. Marilen stood beside Jasmine. Sharn and Doom looked on, and remembered.
Lindal was watching, with a laughing, dancing crowd from Broome. Gla-Thon was there from Dread Mountain, with old Fa-Glin, Pi-Ban who had shared the companions’ adventure in the Shadowlands, and the gentle Kin, Ailsa, Bruna, Merin and Prin.
There were Torans in their hundreds, Zeean at their head, silken robes uttering like butterflies.
Manus and the people of Raladin were present, their utes filling the air with gladness. Fardeep the hermit, now once again master of the Games Inn of Rithmere, clapped his hands and sang with Orwen and Joanna, games champions of the Mere. Gers and a troop of Jalis stood proudly with Hellena, Claw and Brianne, Resistance ghters of the Shadowlands.
All the men and women of the old Resistance were present. All the freed prisoners from the Shadowlands were there. And Zerry, magician’s apprentice of the Masked Ones, now chief assistant to the new palace stable master, and wearing his first new suit of clothes for the celebration, made sure that Honey, Bella and Swift saw everything that passed.
Every friend the companions had made on their travels was present to wish them well, from Tira of Noradz to Steven and Queen Bee of the Plains, from Bede and Mariette of Shadowgate to Nanion and Ethena of D’Or.
Even Tom the shopkeeper had taken a holiday in honour of the great event, and appeared in dusty nery with his sister Ava on his arm.
And the dragons Veritas, Forta, Hopian, Honora, Fortuna, Fidelis and Joyeu circled in the sky above.
But for Lief and Jasmine it was as if they were quite alone, for both of them were gaining the dearest wish of their hearts."

"And sometimes Doom, home from one of his many journeys and silently watching the twins at play, would remember two other boys running through the palace gardens, long ago. And he would smile."

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming to the end of a series you really love can be devastating. But, that's not why I was crying as I read the final pages. I was crying because after fifteen wonderful books, 2440 pages (if anyone's counting), and countless sleepless nights, these books managed to achieve the perfect ending. I found the endings of Return to Del and The Shadowlands to be excellent, but they both paled in comparison to the ending of this one. Everything I could possibly have asked for happened. Everything. And it was perfect. I'm not even mad that the series is over. Ms. Rodda left no loose ends, so I have nothing to be sad about. There are no regrets, no "what if's". Just a perfectly satisfying ending.

[Sol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very satisfied with this ending as a kid, and I think it still holds up. The paranoid tone of the first half was quintessentially Deltoran, and the second helping of despair after the task seemed completed was delicious. Of course, the scenario of failure was too dark for me to believe even as a kid that it was actually in the cards, but things like Lief's guilt over misinterpreting Josef's fevered warnings were delicious.

An important aspect of the Deltora feeling was always the weird creatures, and dragons are the most overplayed, least weird fantasy creature of all time. This series thankfully didn't focus on them a great deal, but I also like the way Rodda depicted them. She combines the idea of dragons as intelligent beings and dangerous predators. They can think and reason, but also see humans the way we see mice, yet they're not evil a la Smaug. She also tries to give the dragons distinct personalities, though given their limited page time they mostly end up being either helpful or unhelpful (the lapis dragon's pushiness being an exception).

As a kid I didn't catch the bit at the very end that the dragons can reproduce parthenogenetically, which is a reference to the first Rowan of Rin book, which Rodda later connected explicitly to Deltora with the recent Star of Deltora series. This tendency of authors to try to link all their works can sometimes be exhausting and cringeworthy (CLAMP), or subtle and rewarding (Olaf Stapledon), and it remains to be seen which Rodda ends up being, but this aside was subtle and nostalgic enough for me to give it a pass.

The foreshadowing of the twists ranged from decent to great. Paff being the guardian was the only possible candidate. She was introduced in Dragon's Nest, then repeatedly mentioned without getting any actual character focus. The only other real candidate during the events of this book was Doom, which though it had some aspects that made sense, would've been a hack move overall. While he had opportunity and conceivably motive, he'd been demonstrably loyal so many times, it wouldn't have made any sense for him to turn traitor now, as opposed to all those times he had the complete run of the castle and only Sharn and Josef to push back on him (though my brother and I joked that he'd purposefully filled the Deltoran Resistance with fractious idiots).

The Shadow Lord's contingency plan, on the other hand, was great. I noticed on this reread that Barda asks rhetorically at the beginning of Dragon's Nest why the Shadow Lord made the Noradzeers move out of Hira rather than enslaving them where they were, and we find out exactly why three books later. I thought I caught another mention during Shadowgate but couldn't locate it. Barda's puzzle box was also very cute. Then the tale of the four sisters, which adds the idea that the Shadow Lord is so ancient, that his youthful exploits when he was human have since unknowingly passed into Deltoran mythology. It's a first rate fantasy idea. The whole thing blew my mind as a kid with the layers Rodda put into it, and I think she deserves some credit for it.

The Dragons series as a whole achieved a good balance between introducing new things and recalling the old. This ran the gamut from returning plot devices like the dreaming water and Doran's soulstone, to exploring the implied eastern tip of Deltora missing from the map in the first series, to featuring the only monster from the Deltora Book of Monsters that did not appear in the first two series. The whole thing manages to feel fresh while also being very much Deltora (except for the ghost ship). Returning characters like Manus and Steven are balanced out by additions like Lindal and the Masked Ones. Personally I would have liked to have Tira (the girl from Noradz) or Claw (the mutated man from Shadowlands) appear before the very final scene, but I can't possibly call that a real defect of the book. That final scene pulled out the stops in that regard. Do you remember who Fardeep or Nanion were? The ending was very saccharine, but hell, they earned it.

If I could have one wish granted for this series, it would be to more deeply explore the relationship between Jasmine and Doom. Their situation is so strange, being estranged almost Jasmine's entire life, and completely changed as people since they last knew each other. But since they're both highly independent and practical, Jasmine holds nothing against Doom. They don't seem to have any drive to get to know each other any more deeply than as comrades, but they deeply trust and respect one another. It would've been very easy to write their relationship as extremely strained or awkward, but Rodda instead goes for this odd dynamic, where despite their incidental contact as close confidants of Lief, they're more comfortable keeping things as they are than trying to force some kind of father/daughter bond.

Definitely way more interesting than the thin layer of romance this and the Shadowlands series had. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with it, but its not like there was much choice. Rodda unusually had almost every character but Lief and Jasmine be much older than them. I think the only other female characters around their age were Tira and Neridah, and the only male one was uh...Dain? Maybe Zerry counts? I wonder if this was a product of the series' being targeted towards boys? Rodda was clearly inserting more romance into these latter two series than the original, yet it was so little that as a kid I didn't notice it at all. Kind of puzzling.

I read Secrets of Deltora as a kid, but I never read the second half of Tales of Deltora, or the two Deltora related series Rodda wrote after this, so I'm interested in seeing what reading her material without the veil of nostalgia is like.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

they were travaling and then 2 of them fell down and were stuck in a boat that would kill them if they did not do a puzzle and then they took some gold to pay the price then they swam to shore and then got recued by their friends and went looking for the sister of the south.

that doing new things might be weird and you should do fun things and try to face your fear and to be confident in yourself

the reson I rated this 4 stars is because it was good but some things could have changed and I enjoy this type of books and want to continue the book series because it was 4 stars is just that it was so good I read it over and over again and did not want to go to bed so I recomend this book to those who like mideval and magic type of books so I hope you like the book as much as I did.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

So bitter-sweet to finally finish all three of these series. They were my favorite as a kid but I had never finished the lot. Even though the three were separate stories and journeys, this book did perfectly to complete the tale. The creativeness of the plot twists in every book along the way would leave me thinking "how did she come up with that!?". I can't wait to re-read them all again and again. Thanks for the memories ❤️

[a*s*h · Rating 5 out of 5]

talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, im crying

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

High rating due to these books getting me sucked into fantasy as a kid

[Ruth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book wraps up Lief, Barda, and Jasmine as adventures in a very satisfying way.

[Jessica Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these books when I was in grade 6-7 and absolutely loved them. I’ve bought the 21st anniversary editions and will be doing another read through. They are fantastic books.

[Brittney Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: 5 stars
Date: 9/19/23 – 9/21/23

Note: This is the 4th book in Dragons of Deltora and the 15th and final book in the overarching Deltora series so this will not be an in-depth review.

I have been reading a lot of classic epic fantasy and science fiction, and I decided that I wanted a little bit of a “break” so I picked up The Sister of the South, book 4 in the Dragons of Deltora arc and the 15th and final book in the overarching Deltora series. This book is intended for young readers just getting into chapter books and is an amazing series to start children with if you want them to develop a love for fantasy as it is one of the earliest books I remember reading in the genre. I have been re-reading them over the last few years to try and make my Goodreads an accurate representation of my reading preferences so it gives me good recommendations, and they also make great “break” books.

This series tells the story of a kingdom called Deltora, once a beautiful, unique, thriving country filled with many different creatures and peoples, protected by magic and ruled by a benevolent and loved royal family. However, the Shadow Lord, a sorcerer from a neighboring kingdom grew jealous of Deltora’s abundance and launched a multi-layered plan to conquer the kingdom and destroy its wonder. He was thought to be successful until a young blacksmith’s son discovers a family secret and sets out on a quest of epic proportions that just might save his world. As I stated previously, this book is perfect to introduce young readers to the fantasy genre as it has many of troupes that more versed readers will recognize but demonstrated in a much more approachable way. Also, it has lots of puzzles and riddles included in the narrative with cool formatting, which will engage young readers and keep them reading.

Another of the things I think this series does amazing and that I want to highlight is the themes that it introduces to young readers. In this volume and at multiple points in this series, we explore censoring and inflammatory “media”, and with how our world is going, this is a great concept to introduce to kids and educators and parents can use the feelings that this series sparks in that regard to open conversions about this topic. It also delves into environmentalism and why we should protect our natural resources as well as the cycle of history and how we should learn from our mistakes to not perpetuate the horrors of the past. Finally, it discusses leadership and what makes a good leader and what it means to lead. All in all, if your young reader is ready to be challenged with more complex narratives, but you still want to have some literary weight, this may be a good series to try.

However, when it comes to my own personal experience, this book and series gave me exactly what I wanted from it: nostalgia and a “break” from some of the harder and more complex books I’ve been reading. I think the narrative is actually unique and fun and I really liked how as the series went on, the books slowly got more complex (It aged up with its readers, which is something all good middle grade series should do). I think it holds up as an adult, albeit in a different way than it did as a child, and I will be keeping it on my forever shelves, re-reading it again in the future, and passing it on to my children if I end up having any. 5 stars!!!!!!!!

[Alina the Goblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw man, I'm so sad. It's like my childhood self has just waved good-bye to me after for visiting for awhile. Though luckily, there are three more Deltora companion books to read after (one albeit a dragon drawing book but I will gladly take advantage of that one's excellent dragon art techniques).

Anyway, onto actually talking about Deltora's final installment. While I don't rate this one as highly in the quartet (The Masked Ones and Isle of the Dead earn those placements), I think Rodda is able to remarkably tie all the strings together and end the damn thing with a fantastic dragon night battle, what more could you want? And I think it's a cute detail that this inspires one of the biggest festivals of the year, Dragon Night. What I would give to read a short story based around a Dragon Night celebration, I don't know. Alas, while the completion of the series is satisfying, the entirety of this final book itself is just too depressing with the Toran Plague nonesense and all the back and forth with the people of Del. Also on another ending note, don't you think it's funny that Lief and Jasmine name their kids after their dead parents (Anna, Jarred, & Endon) much in the same fashion as the Harry Potter ending? Which, I might add, ended only three years later. So I'm blaming Deltora for that silly & mind-boggling trope.

Side note, can we please get some short stories involving Doom's travel adventures? He sets out on all this big trips at the conclusion of the series and Rodda hints he's trying to uncover truths on bringing back the dragon population.

Turns out, for eager Deltora beavers, the companion books are not the only linked stories. Rodda announced in 2015 through the new Star of Deltora series that her other works, Rowan of Rin, the Three Doors, and the new Star of Deltora books all take place in the same world as Lief, Jasmine, and Barda's! So it turns out, my childhood nostalgia trip is not quite over ;)

[Jennifer Wagemans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het einde (voordat we in de toekomst gaan kijken), vind ik gaaf, maar de bewaker van dit deel vond ik vreemd en een tegenvaller. Ik kon me er niet echt een voorstelling bij maken en het had een upgrade van een van de andere bewakers moeten zijn, maar dat kwam helemaal niet zo over. Het voelt als iets dat bedacht is door een kind en niet gedetailleerd is uitgewerkt. Hoe die bewaker het beschermen van de laatste Zuster aanpakte daarentegen, vond ik wel weer origineel en interessant. Net als de manier van aanvallen overigens. Het is een zeer intelligente dit keer.

Gaaf ook dat het verhaal nog lang niet klaar was na de ontmoeting met de laatste Zuster. Het waren een aantal verwarrende maar onverwachtse wendingen. Er worden veel antwoorden gegeven op vragen waar je al sinds Deltora 1 mee zou kunnen zitten en alle puzzelstukjes vallen op hun plaats. Dit deel was voor mij iets te veel intrige en te weinig avontuur, maar het boek bleef tot op de laatste bladzijdes spannend. Ik weet nog niet helemaal wat ik voel bij de uitvoering van de vier Zusters tho. Ik had het denk ik leuker gevonden als ze allemaal hetzelfde waren geweest. Nu waren ze apart én samen niet zo indrukwekkend.

Dan, de toekomst, die viel me echt tegen. Veel clichés en achteraf besef ik dat er erg weinig diversiteit in deze boekenreeks zit (maar ja, 2003, wat wil je). Jammer dat we de relatie tussen Jasmine en Jord nooit hebben zien opbloeien of dat we ze ook maar een keer hebben 'zien' zoenen. Dat maakt het einde allemaal een beetje gehaast, ongeloofwaardig en vreemd. Ik kan me niet voorstellen dat Jasmine ineens niet meer terug hoeft naar het bos en prima in en rondom het paleis wil verblijven... De laatste paar bladzijdes hadden voor mij dan ook niet gehoeven, behalve Doem die op zoek gaat naar eieren. Dat is een mooie opening voor meer Deltora ;)

[Jessica Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4 star, and a fitting end to the Deltora Quest universe. I truly admire how well Emily Rodda does endings, it seems to be a lost art among series writers.

The pacing of this novel was better than in other Deltora quest books. I understand the books are aimed at middle school age readers, so the shorter length and rapid pacing makes sense. However, I enjoy them more when the tale is long enough for a series of additional complexities and surprises to unfold. The gradual increase in complexity across Deltora Quest 1-3 was subtly and skilfully done, so that as readers advance through the books and increase their reading skills, they aren’t overwhelmed from the outset but are also kept engaged.

The twists in this novel kept me guessing until the very end. The way that Lief draws on the strength, loyalty, and skills of each of his friends’ and allies from his earlier journeys is lovely to read. I’ve always adored how Emily Rodda shares the message that as different as people can be, there’s a place and need for every one of us.

The additional element of using psychological warfare to weaken and divide the Deltoran’s and threaten the future of Deltora, was fascinating and hinted at more mature topics. When I first read this book as a child, it started to open my mind to the idea that suspicion and fear of each other is one of the most powerful dangers.

Finally, I love love love the role the dragons of Deltora played in this book. Their role in the future and past of Deltora is finally revealed, and the depth of their connection to the land. Glorious. I also admire how despite relatively short ‘book’ time, each dragon has a distinct personality. Rodda is great at conveying personality by using actions rather than relying on excessive speech.