Tremada is a delight to read. The story is exciting and dramatic; the resolution of the plot works well; and the descriptive passages are powerful and atmospheric, especially those involving the Song. Tremada also raises issues such as tolerance, acceptance, and responsibility without ever becoming didactic. But although the story gets going quickly, there are a few isolated instances early on where the dialogue seems unnatural, as if the reader needs to be told things, with this information being uttered by characters rather than included as part of the third-person narration. Nonetheless, this problem is only fleeting and disappears as the reader is swept into the story. It was disappointing to see proofreading errors (albeit only a handful). But, taken as a whole, Tremada is an impressive and absorbing novel that will be enjoyed most by readers between the ages of nine and twelve.

The quest involving Garth Nix’s young hero Arthur Penhaligon also entails travelling away from our world. Drowned Wednesday (Allen & Unwin, $14.95 pb, 366 pp) is the third book in Nix’s ‘The Keys to the Kingdom’ series and is just as inventive and captivating as its predecessors, Mister Monday (2003) and Grim Tuesday (2004).

Drowned Wednesday opens with a tale of the Border Sea and the House. Once again, Nix skilfully gives enough details of the world of the House to entice readers new to the series, without providing redundant information for readers familiar with the earlier texts. Recovering in hospital after breaking his leg, Arthur is swept out of our world (along with his friend Leaf) by a giant wave and soon finds himself adrift on the Border Sea. Arthur and Leaf have become separated, and Arthur tries to find his friend, realising that he must also search for Drowned Wednesday and for the Third Part of the Will. Not only is the process of seeking Drowned Wednesday dangerous, but there is also a risk of being eaten by Wednesday herself, since she generally appears as a giant whale. Arthur’s quest brings him into contact with intriguing characters such as the sorcerer Doctor Scamandros, the Raised Rats and the terrifying pirate Feverfew. Several characters from the previous books in the series appear in Drowned Wednesday, but the novel easily stands alone. Full of energy and originality, with humour and sadness, Drowned Wednesday combines an ingenious plot – be prepared for a twist at the end – with meticulous detail and expert characterisation. It will appeal most to readers aged twelve and upwards.

Isobelle Carmody’s Angel Fever (Lothian, $14.95 pb, 152 pp) belongs to the ‘Quentaris Chronicles’. The main connection between the books in the series is the city of Quentaris, but each book stands by itself. Carmody’s novel initially focuses on Eely, who is considered by those around her to be simple-minded, but whose life begins to change when she saves a magnificent, winged man who has arrived from another world into the rift caves near Quentaris.

The winged man turns out to be Prince Nonaerom, heir to Cloudlands, who was violently attacked while visiting Landfall City. Cloudlands and Landfall City are nurtured by power from the mysterious wingstone, but the stone has been behaving strangely and tension is rising between the inhabitants of Cloudlands and those of Landfall City. Prince Nonaerom has responsibility for the wingstone, which thrives on beauty, and he is horrified when it appears to be lost.

Finding the wingstone is the main quest in Angel Fever, and it is told from the perspectives of several characters, whose lives are irrevocably changed through their search for the stone. Angel Fever is a profound and beautiful book with an aura of myth and a touch of romance, superbly blended with a healthy dose of earthy practicality.

Margo Lanagan’s Treasure Hunters of Quentaris (Lothian, $14.95 pb, 150 pp) is another in the ‘Quentaris Chronicles’, and is equally well written. Treasure Hunters of Quentaris is different in mood from Angel Fever and will appeal particularly to readers who like fast-moving and dangerous adventures stories.

The Doro family is renowned for its courage, its sense of adventure, and its yearning for glory. Like many of their family before them, Lord Eustachio Doro and his sister Lady Attranta have embarked on a quest for treasure, but they already know they are far too different to travel together. Attranta seeks prestige, power, and admiration, whereas Eustachio’s priorities lie elsewhere. With the inexperienced guide Tikko and the elderly donkey Violet, it seems that Eustachio’s search for treasure will be very different from that of his sister, who has set off on her journey with pomp and grandeur. However, Attranta and Eustachio meet up in an exotic world reached through the rift caves near Quentaris – a world that contains both promise and danger.

Treasure Hunters of Quentaris is engrossing, thought-provoking and satisfying, with wonderful characters, lively drama, and moments of humour. Despite their relative brevity in comparison to many other works in the fantasy genre, Treasure Hunters of Quentaris and Angel Fever are immensely rewarding and should provide great enjoyment for new and established fantasy fans alike, especially those aged between ten and sixteen.