The Keeping Place: Obernewtyn Chronicles: Book Four

One clue is lost in the past, forcing Elspeth to travel the Dreamtrails, stalked by a terrifying winged beast, with the cat, Maruman, as her guide and guardian. Only there can she learn more of the Beforetimer Misfits and their enemy, Govamen. Gradually Elspeth realises that her quest is intimately linked to the Misfits' refuge Obernewtyn - its past and its future Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company.

Read more Read less. Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest. The Obernewtyn Chronicles, Book 4. Free with day Audible trial. Dragon herself remains in a comatose state and is unable to be reached mentally by the healers. Her strong aura causes all around her in Obernewtyn to experience nightmares. Rushton, Master of Obernewtyn and Elspeth's betrothed, is kidnapped while returning from a meeting with the rebels in Sutrium. The Misfits receive a letter disclosing that Rushton will lose his life if the Misfits do not join the rebellion.

They immediately believe that a rebel has kidnapped their Master as Rushton had refused letting the Misfits join the rebellion. With Rushton missing, and under Elspeth's command, the Misfits join the rebellion, offering limited aid. However, they are betrayed by the Misfit-hating rebel, Malik in a decoy scheme involving soldierguards, leading to significant loss of life for beasts, Misfits and soldierguards alike.

This bloodshed would have been greater if it weren't for Swallow, a pureblood gypsy recently appointed as D'rekta, 'King' of the Twentyfamily gypsies. On the east coast of the land, the rebellion is successful without trouble from the Landfolk. The west coast, however, remains occupied by the Council after a traitor spreads news of the rebellion to the Herder Faction. The Misfits had not been able to identify the traitor, most likely because he or she wore a demon band, a tainted band made by the Herders to ward off evil that also blocks Misfits' mental probes.

While freeing prisoners in one of the abandoned Herder cloisters in Sutrium, the Misfits find Rushton. While not physically harmed, he is heavily drugged and suffering from delirium and convulsions. Isobelle Carmody not only transports readers entirely into the realms which she portrays but also enables them to share the deep emotions of the characters whom she portrays, which is one of the central reasons I have fallen for the Obernewtyn Chronicals. The only negative though I cannot bring myself to fully justify the use of such a strong term element associated with this book is the extensive interlaced web of characters to whom readers have been previously introduced and are called upon to recall.

While such an issue may not restrict the reading pleasure of those who are previously acquainted with the series, it may do so to those who are previously unfamiliar with the the extended Obernewtyn family. Despite this "short-coming", ultimately The Keeping Place is a heart-wrenching novel and, in my opinion at least, the best of the series so far. Mar 28, Liz rated it liked it. I want to give this four stars NOW, but I can't. The first two parts of the story could easily have been just one part - this book fell into the trap that a lot of fantasy books fall into.

The first part of the book just followed Elspeth around in her daily nothings with a few dreams related to the plot thrown in. The build up to their moon fair went on and on and on! It really tried my patience. But part three - it was great! The rebellion had a lot happening at a decent pace i I want to give this four stars NOW, but I can't. The rebellion had a lot happening at a decent pace it probably could have been stretched out a bit more even.

I don't want to say too much more about that though as any discussion would probably contain spoilers. A major problem I had with the book though: He was barely in it at all - so much so that when view spoiler [ he was kidnapped I didn't really care so much - he went from being gone to being gone hide spoiler ]. I had grown to like him in the other books though we didn't see much of him there either but I just sort of forgot about him here, he just wasn't around enough.

I give it three and a half. Nov 15, Mel rated it it was amazing. Okay, I remembered this book much more than I thought I did- which I don't necessarily consider a good thing! Oh my poor heart.

The Keeping Place

I said in my review of Ashling that it's the book that seems to set everything into place. Well, this book throws a whole bunch of information at you while you scramble to try piece everything together, while at he same time try to follow along with all your favourite characters.

The end of this book has a tinge of desperation to it, which -for me, anyway- leaves me aching to read the next one. I've often struggled trying to describe these books to people. There's SO MUCH going on, and while you can break it down to just Elspeths 'main quest' as such, in doing so you miss the opportunity to express just how wonderful these characters are, and just how beautiful, and sorrowful, and compassionate this story really is. I love this series. I've received notification that the last book will be in my hands in days.

Two pretty huge books to go. I can do this Nov 03, Dr. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I think that Carmody could have sped everything up a little bit without losing any of the tension. The bits about the diving were really cool and i'm excited to learn more about the red queen. But it was super obvious that Dragonwas the Red Queen or at least her daughter. I wanted to slap Elspeth on the head by the end of the novel. Telling me they are in love isn't the same as showing a loving interaction between them.

Jul 30, Neill Smith rated it it was amazing. In the fourth book of the Obernewtyn Chronicles Elspeth assumes the responsibility of the Master of Obernewtyn when Rushton must leave to negotiate a deal with the rebels in the fight with the Herder Faction and the Council. Oct 02, Peta Tron rated it liked it.

The Keeping Place: Obernewtyn Chronicles: Book Four: Isobelle Carmody: Bloomsbury Children's Books

I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. Nov 21, Allyce Cameron rated it it was amazing. As good as ever, maybe a little more heartbreaking because I know what's coming On to the next one. Sep 17, Cari rated it it was amazing. I'm really starting to get in to this series now! Jul 01, Maggie rated it it was amazing. Book 4 was great!!! I love this series On to book 5: This book, the fourth installment of the Obernewtyn Chronicles, tells the tale of Elspeth as she is left in charge of Obernewtyn while her beloved, Rushton, goes to the lowlands to talk with the rebels.

While she waits for Rushton, waits for the call of her destiny to destroy the Beforetimer, she runs the great hidden safehaven of the Misfits and waits for Dragon to wake from her slumber. But Dragon's slumber is affecting the dreams of the Misfits and a Dragon attacks Elspeth on the Dreamtrails This book, the fourth installment of the Obernewtyn Chronicles, tells the tale of Elspeth as she is left in charge of Obernewtyn while her beloved, Rushton, goes to the lowlands to talk with the rebels.

But Dragon's slumber is affecting the dreams of the Misfits and a Dragon attacks Elspeth on the Dreamtrails - the one place she believes she can find the signs she must locate for her destined path. Then a kidnapping forces the Misfits to join the rebellion though they'd just decided it was no longer what they wanted. And, icing on the cake, the leader of the future teller guild says that she has seen a great disaster in but a few weeks time.

This book is almost twice the size of the previous and certainly twice the size of the first two , but let me tell you, it's not packed with fluff. I also loved the addition of the underwater technoguilders, basically scuba diving to check out underground buildings. The characters are becoming more numerous and every now and again I'll mix someone up if they have a similar name. Not too frequently yet, but those more minor characters who pop up occasionally and both have names starting with 'M' or some such.

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However the more prominent cast are all clearly drawn and fun to hang around. In particular I loved Miryum and Straaka's interactions in this book - though I really wish I'd been able to see more of their actual interactions which lead to her final action in his regard being vague to avoid spoilers sorry ;p. As I've said before, Carmody does not go easy on her characters, expect plenty of blows. A few of the twists were a little obvious to me and OMG, how did it take Elspeth this long to figure out the Ariel in your dreams is the real frigging Ariel? I mean I get that in reality you might take a little while to cotton on to it, but you know about the dreamtrails, you know you're being guarded, and Ariel is showing up in his older form which you've never frigging seen.

Then again, Elspeth has been established as being dense on occasions re: With the rebellion, adventures on the dream trails, and underwater, and the final adventure with the dragon this book is action packed and emotive.

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Fans of the series are already in, I know, but this is a book you wouldn't want to miss anyway. As a small sign-off note, I'm worried about Maruman. I will cry my frigging eyes out when he dies, you know it.

Aug 10, Bree T rated it really liked it Shelves: After the Battlegames, the Misfits have retreated back to Obernewtyn. After all, any number of things could have delayed him on his way back to Obernewtyn. Elspeth and several others travel to Sutrium to meet with the Rebel leaders and find out what they want.

She also has her own tasks to undertake that are related to her quest to destroy the weaponmachines from the Beforetime and also her sleep has been disturbed for some time, the culprit being the young girl Dragon, who lies in a coma, a coma that Elspeth had to put her in in order to save her. Here the Destroyer looks for her and she must avoid that danger in order to continue on her quest.

Here she must find the signs left to her by a Beforetimer who foresaw her and Elspeth is again guided by the Agyllian birds who speak to her through Maruman or through her dreams. I know Elspeth is preoccupied with both who has Rushton and also her task as the Seeker but I was surprised just how much it seemed to surprise the Misfits that Malik and his band of rebels betrayed them. Even though some of the other Rebel leaders accept the Misfits and even welcome the assistance they can give them for example the Rebels know there is a traitor somewhere, feeding information to the Herders and they want the Misfits to attempt to find these traitors using their abilities but Malik has never harboured anything other than outright loathing and disdain for any of them.

I never much liked Matthew after Obernewtyn, especially for his cruelty to Dragon but in re-reading I find that his story interests me greatly and I really want to be reunited with him in the final novel, The Red Queen and see what lies in store for him and Dragon when they return her to the land of her people. I always spend a lot of time thinking about things after I finish these books, little bits and pieces and clues that the book has divulged.

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Elspeth thinks he is. I have a couple of guesses for who I think the Destroyer might be and I tend to go back and forth between them. Mar 09, Renee rated it it was ok. So far my least favourite book in the series. It's sweet, but all emotion and no brain. Elspeth's character development is like this dog. A good deal of the time I spent reading this book involved many "great thinking, Elspeth. Thanks for finally catching up with everyone else, you dolt. Ariel is the destroyer?! But my dreams can't be real! Even though I and everyone else have insane mystical powers, these dreams of So far my least favourite book in the series.

Even though I and everyone else have insane mystical powers, these dreams of him can't possibly be true!