Many years have passed since Queen Thirrin and her allies defended the Icemark against a brutal invasion. But now General Bellorum is back, along with his bloodthirsty spawn--twin sons even more vicious than him. Thirrin and Oskan also have a family: two girls and three boys. But darkness lurks within the House of Lindenshield: Medea, the couple's cold-hearted fifteen-year-old daughter, is just coming into her magical powers, and she may be the downfall of the kingdom. It's up to her brother, Charlemagne, crippled by polio as a child, to return from exile and rescue the land he loves.<p>RAVE REVIEWS FOR THE CRY OF THE ICEMARK:<p> *Winner of the Ottakars Prize for Best New Children's Novel<p><p>FROM LIBRARIANS!<p>"Thirrin's vibrant story will be pounced upon and eagerly consumed."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books<p><p>"Offers ample rewards. Hill's affection for his characters...will prove infectious."--Booklist<p><p>FROM BOOKSELLERS!<p>"This novel belongs on the shelf beside other classic fantasies such as the Narnia books...and The Lord of the Rings."--Susan Walker, Executive Director of the Midwest Booksellers Association<p><p>"Prepare to be blown away..."--Christopher Stroth, Books Inc.<p><p>FROM KIDS!<p>"So convincing that it seemed as if Stuart Hill were a medieval war veteran."--Paul, NYC 5th grader<p> <p>"A truly great book!...you can picture every bit of it."--Jonah's Picks, Publisher's Lunch<p><p>FROM MAJOR AUTHORS!<p>"Fantastic fun...a supremely satisfying read...deserves to be called a page-turner."--Philip Ardagh<p><p>"Unforgettable scenes and characters."--Cornelia Funke<p> <p>FROM THE U.K.!<p>"An adventure on an epic scale."--The Times of London<p><p>"[Stuart Hill] is tipped to be the next big thing in children's fiction."--The Independent