‘Towers—like flame. A candle in darkness. A black wind.’

Roland Watson wasn’t expecting to see things like that when he kicked a football into a condemned church; but once inside, he is taken from the slums of Manchester to the ruins of a magical kingdom. And only he can bring back the light to Elidor. With his brothers and sister, Roland has to solve ancient riddles and brave dark forces to save the mythical land. But he has to prevent those same forces destroying their own world, too. Brilliantly mixing myths and fantasy with spare and acute reality, Alan Garner’s third novel secured his place at the forefront of children’s writing, his work also appealing greatly to adult readers.