Deltora Quest facts for kids

Deltora Quest is an exciting series of fantasy books written by Emily Rodda. It tells the story of three brave friends who go on an amazing adventure to defeat the evil Shadow Lord. There are 15 books in total, split into three main series: the first series, Deltora Quest, has eight books; the second, Deltora Shadowlands, has three books; and the third, Dragons of Deltora, has four books.

Meet the Heroes of Deltora

Lief: The Future King

Lief is a brave young man who grew up thinking he was a blacksmith's son. His parents, King Endon and Queen Sharn, had to hide their true identities to keep him safe after the Shadow Lord took over. On his 16th birthday, Lief began the dangerous Deltora Quest. His mission was to find the seven lost gems of Deltora. Later, he discovered he was the rightful heir to the throne and became the King of Deltora. In the end, he marries Jasmine and they have three children.

Barda: The Loyal Protector

Barda is a strong and wise man with a beard. Before the Shadow Lord's invasion, he was a guard at the royal palace. After his mother was killed, he escaped and became friends with Lief's parents. For sixteen years, he pretended to be a beggar, secretly watching over Lief. He joined Lief on his quest to find the seven gems for the Belt of Deltora. Barda is a loyal friend and a powerful fighter. At the end of the last series, he marries Linden of Broome.

Jasmine: The Wild Spirit

Jasmine grew up in the wild Forests of Silence. Her parents, Jarred and Anna, were taken away by the Shadow Lord's guards when she was seven. She learned to survive on her own, with only her animal friends, Kree and Filli, for company. Jasmine met Lief and Barda in the Forests of Silence and helped them find the first jewel, the topaz. Her mother's spirit later told her to join Lief and Barda on their quest. Jasmine is quick, clever, and very brave. She marries Lief at the end of the third series, and they have three children together.

Kree: The Faithful Raven

Kree is a clever raven who became Jasmine's best friend. His own parents were harmed by a powerful sorceress named Thaegan, so he fled to the Forests of Silence. Kree is very protective of Jasmine. He flew ahead of the group on all three quests, warning them of dangers. Kree later became an important messenger bird for the Palace.

Filli: The Furry Friend

Filli is a small, furry grey creature that Jasmine found in the Forests of Silence. Like Kree, Filli loves Jasmine very much and is always by her side. He joined Lief, Barda, and Jasmine on all their adventures, offering comfort and sometimes surprising help.

Veritas: The Truthful Dragon

Veritas is a powerful amethyst dragon. He is known for always telling the truth. Veritas played a key role in helping to defeat one of the Shadow Lord's evil creatures, the Sister of the West. He also helped raise a baby Diamond Dragon named Forta.

Deltora Quest 1: The Journey Begins

Forests of Silence: Finding the Topaz

The first book in the series, Forests of Silence, starts by explaining how the Shadow Lord took over Deltora. Then, the story focuses on Lief's adventure. On his 16th birthday, Lief leaves his home in the city of Del to begin the Deltora Quest. He is joined by Barda. In the dangerous Forests of Silence, Lief is almost defeated by a creature called Wenn. Luckily, Jasmine saves him. Together, they face many challenges and eventually find the first precious gem, the topaz, from a monster named Gorl. This is just the beginning of their quest to find all seven gems and save Deltora!