Author(s): Sherryl Jordan

NZ Senior Fiction

An acclaimed classic by multi-award winning author Sherryl Jordan, this epic fantasy is brought back for a 25th anniversary! Born into a dark world trapped forever in icy winter, Elsha is a child of the Quelled, a branded people doomed to mine firestones to warm the ruling class, the Chosen. But Elsha has visions and an uncommon strength of spirit. Condemned to death on her 16th birthday for defiance, Elsha is saved when she is called to be Handmaiden to the Firelord - the most powerful being in her world, the only one with the gift of divining firestones. Viewed with distrust by the Chosen who now surround her, she has a bitter fight ahead to strive for a better world for her people.

PUBLICATION JULY 2019

Our Review:

New Zealand writer Sherryl Jordan’s elated, transcendent novel for young adults, Winter of Fire, was first released in 1992 - the same year we opened so it must have been one of the first books we sold! A quarter-century later, fans’ pestering has paid off and it’s back in print.
We don't think we can do this book more justice than this fantastic fan article by Catherine Woulfe for the Spinoff, Rejoice! The best book in the world is being republished today, so we will simply recommend you read it. In it, Colin Roy of Fiordland College recommends it as a class text and Dr Susan Wardell, lecturer in social anthropology at the University of Otago, explains how Winter of Fire has influenced her life.