SOLVED. Children/YA fantasy quest with Norse and Arthurian Legend elements. [s]

[Danielle]

The book was available in Canada, was a hardcover and featured cover art in washed out colours, with a sword down the center that divides one side of a girl's face and one side of a boy's face. Their images are a classic headshot framing, from just below the collar bone. Both of them are blond and pale eyed (Norse-like is the effect I believe they were going for) and possibly early adolescent. They are wearing tunics and/or cowled capes. There may be a crow on the cover as well, and possibly a tower or boat in the background. Otherwise there's pale sky behind them.

I read this in elementary school in the mid to late 1990s, and the copy was not more than ten years old. It is likely aimed for 12 - 16 year olds.

The following details are as close as I can recall them, so if something doesn't match exactly a book that comes to your mind, I'd still very much like to hear your suggestions!

The story features both a boy and girl, and starts in a forest. There is a crow that is watching/following them. I believe that the girl is of this world (which is not earth but is somehow related to it), and the boy *might* be from earth. The girl is wearing a floor length cape with a hood, and may be a witch or magic caster of some kind.

The boy is tasked with finding (returning?) a sword, and the girl assists him. Along the way, they are kidnapped by trolls that take them on to a Viking style boat. I also seem to recall that they were trying to make their way to a tower, and that there may have been a Lady In The Lake like character or scene. There was also a scene that was in a very cold place, like a tundra environment or frozen lake.

That is all that I can remember, besides my overall memory of being very impressed and enthralled with it. It was fairly dark for a book for pre-teens and I haven't come across anything like it since.

I have gone through this group's bookshelves for children and teens and it doesn't appear to be there. (I don't think it's We Are Tam.)

Thanks for your help!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Danielle, are you still looking for this?

[Lisa]

Maybe The Sword of Aradel

[Lisa]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I...

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Danielle, are you still looking for this?"

No response in 2+ years. Moving to Abandoned.

[Danielle]

Hello, sorry, I didn't see the previous comments. Sadly it is not the Sword of Ardel as it is set almost entirely in this odd Norse/Arthurian world. I am still on the hunt for this book....

[Rosa]

Probably not The Sea of Trolls? There's a crow, a boy, and a girl, and it's set in Viking times.

[Kelly]

Out of the Dark, by Welwyn Wilton Katz.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Out of the Dark for the click, and the cover is for Kelly's suggestion.

[Danielle]

Kelly and Ann - THAT'S IT! OH MY GOD! I'M SO HAPPY!

Thank you so much! I love this story and I can't wait to re-read it. You are my heroes!

[Kelly]

Danielle wrote: "Kelly and Ann - THAT'S IT! OH MY GOD!

I’m so glad! I knew exactly which book you were talking about, but it took me a bit to remember how to spell the author’s name. 😊