Guardians of Ga'Hoole

Soren is born in the forest of Tyto, a tranquil kingdom where the Barn Owls dwell. But evil lurks in the owl world, evil that threatens to change Soren's life forever. Soren is captured and taken to a dark and forbidding canyon where there is a mysterious school. It's called an orphanage, but Soren believes it's something far worse. He and his new friend, the clever and scrappy Gylfie, find out that the orphanage is actually a training camp. Soren and Gylfie know that the only way out is up. To escape, they will need to do something these fledglings have never done before-fly. And so begins a magical journey. Along the way, Soren and Gylfie meet Twilight and Digger. The four owls band together to seek the truth, be reunited with their families, and protect the owl world from unimaginable danger.

The second book in this enchanting series continues this classic hero mythology about the battle between good and evil and chronicles Soren's quest for nobility. It began as a dream, a quest for the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, a mythic place where each night an order of owls rises to perform noble deeds. There Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger hope to find inspiration to fight the evil that dwells in the owl kingdom. The journey is long and harrowing. When Soren and his friends finally arrive at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, they will be tested in ways they never dreamed of and face challenges they never imagined. If they can learn from their leaders and from one another, they will soon become true Ga'Hoolian owls: honest and brave, wise and true.

Ever since Soren was kidnapped and taken to the St. Aegolius School for Orphaned Owls, he has longed to see his sister, Eglantine, again. Now Eglantine is back is Soren's life, but she's been through an ordeal too terrible for words. Deep within Soren's gizzard, something more powerful than knowledge tells him there's a connection between these mysterious events. In order to rescue Ezylryb, Soren must embark upon a perilous quest. It will bring him face-to-face with a force more dangerous than anything the rulers of St. Aggie's could have devised-and a truth that threatens to destroy the owl kingdom.

Soren's beloved mentor, Ezylryb, is finally back at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. But all is not well. There's a war between good and evil in the owl kingdom. On one side is a group led by Soren's fearsome brother, Kludd, who wears a terrifying metal mask to cover his battle-scarred face. On the other side are the owls of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, who must fight to protect their legendary tree from Kludd's attacks. Soren, his friends, and the other owls at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree enter into fierce combat against Kludd's forces. They win a major battle, but warfare is not over yet. "Fantasy lovers will enjoy the action in this fourth title in the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series…The complex storyline interweaves episodes of battle and adventure with lighter moments, while highlighting the devastating effects of prejudice and censorship…the novel offers an enthralling science fantasy, which takes full advantage of the author's vast knowledge regarding the different species of owls. Her semi-scientific speculation on the effects of magnetism on an owl's sense of direction adds authenticity and depth to the fantasy…the story is easily readable, and the fast-paced action will leave fantasy lovers clamoring for more." "Kathryn Lasky captivates us with the gripping and terrifying events that fill the lives of these extraordinary owls…Spiced with a sprinkling of mythology, mysticism and wonderful characterizations, The Siege is an excellent continuation of a unique series." "The story's fast pace, menacing bad guys, and flashes of humor make this a good choice for reluctant readers, while the underlying message about the power of legends provides a unifying element and gives strong appeal for fantasy fans."

In the midst of war, Soren's sister, Eglantine, unwittingly becomes a spy for Kludd, leader of the Pure Ones, a group of evil owls. She is brainwashed by an owl sent by the Pure Ones to infiltrate the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. Her odd behavior eventually attracts attention, and Soren and his friends vow to find out what has happened. They ultimately learn of her brainwashing and help her reverse the effects. Kludd continues to battle against the Guardians of Ga'Hoole for control of their tree. In the end, Kludd and his forces are defeated, but his conflict with Soren is not yet over. With its fascinating look at the owl kingdom and its messages about courage and loyalty, this is a great series for families to listen to together.

Soren and his band are sent to the mysterious Northern Kingdoms to gather allies and learn the art of war in preparation for the coming cataclysmic battle against the sinister Pure Ones. Meanwhile, in the Southern Kingdoms, St. Aggie's has fallen to the Pure Ones, and they are using its resources to plan a final invasion of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. With the future of all Owldom in the balance, the parliament of Ga'Hoole must decide whether or not to join forces with the brutal Skench and Spoorn and the scattered remnants of St. Aggie's who remain faithful to them. The coming conflagration will demand wisdom, bravery, and sacrifice from all the owls of the great tree and, from Soren and the band, nothing less than heroism. "Pamela Garelick has created a rich collection of voices and gives a spirited narration." "Fantasy buffs will be entranced by this final installment that shows the value of courage, wisdom, and [the] importance of home." "The book culminates in another epic battle…The Burning continues to examine the questions of conscience broached in the previous books." "This moving good-versus-evil tale is sure to please fans of this exceptional series…New characters and unexpected twists in the plot make The Burning a gripping story."

Beneath a shadowed moon in a cloud-streaked sky, the sacred orb splits and a hatchling is born. It is Nyroc, son of Kludd, fallen leader of the Pure Ones, and his evil mate, Nyra. Born from evil, trained to evil, Nyroc is destined to fulfill his father's terrible plan: the oppression of all owldom under the vicious talons of the Pure Ones. But doubt grows in Nyroc's heart, fed by strange, forbidden legends of a great tree far away where noble owls live in peace. Soon a light begins to grow in Nyroc's heart, nourished by friendship. A day is nearing when Nyroc must choose to fulfill his destiny or to defy it. It will be a day of blood and terror.

Nyroc has exiled himself from the wicked Pure Ones. He flies alone, feared and despised by those who know him as Kludd's son, hunted by those whose despotism he has rejected, and haunted by ghostly creatures conjured by Nyra to lure him back to the Pure Ones. He yearns for a place he only half believes in-the great tree-and an uncle who might be a true father to him-the near-mythic Soren. Yet he cannot approach the tree while the rumor of evil still clings to him. To prove his worth, Nyroc will fly to Beyond the Beyond to seek the legendary Relic as a talisman of his own.

The Guardians of Ga'Hoole series is full of magic and charm-and great for girls and boys alike. This is the first book in the fantastic prequel trilogy. It is a time of Legends and a time of chaos, warlords vie for power and marauding outlaws roam the land, and an ancient malevolence that will threaten the very existence of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree has been loosed from the past. With his dying breath, Ezylryb tells Soren and Coryn to read the legends of Ga'Hoole hidden in his private library. There they find a world of treachery and magic in which a young king and queen struggle to keep peace while Grank, their most loyal friend and supporter, studies embers and flames in a distant land. Then a desperate plea comes from the king, and Grank rushes to the aid of his noble friends. "Pamela Garelick embraces the roles of the many owls in the ninth volume of Lasky's popular fantasy series...Garelick neatly balances the stories' tempos...[and] masterfully portrays the array of owls as well as the unique natures of the wolf who guides Grank's scientific discoveries."

A tale of chaos, betrayal, and nachtmagen unfolds in the second of three ancient legends. It is no idle history, for hidden in its pages are the truths about the great promise-and great danger-that lie just ahead for the Guardians. And so Soren, Coryn, and the members of the Band read on: A grizzled collier will tend a young prince in exile. An owl who would be monk will don battle claws. A mother who is also a queen will raise an army. And under the shower of embers in the shadow of the Sacred Volcanoes, a king will be born-or die. Grank raises the hatchling deep in a forest far from owls that would kill the royal chick, Hoole, to end the kingly line. His mother comes to visit, in disguise, and soon departs again. Not even the chick must know his mother's true identity-it would give him away as Hrath's heir. Sent by an evil warlord, a hagsfiend attempts to lure young Hoole away when he first learns to fly. Grank realizes that the same evil forces that killed Hrath are after Hoole, and they know where he is. To keep him safe, Grank brings him to Beyond the Beyond, a strange land of fiery volcanoes in a barren, icy landscape.

The eleventh title in the New York Times bestselling Guardians of Ga'Hoole series brings Hoole to kingship and the legends to fulfillment, signaling a return to the adventures of Coryn, Soren, and the Band. In this next adventure, Hoole reclaims the throne of his father and goes on to wage a war against the forces of chaos, greed, and oppression led by the powerful warlord-tyrants. Grank, the first collier, uses his skills with fire and metals to forge weapons for battle. With great trepidation, Hoole uses the power of the ember in the final, decisive battle and wins. At the dawn of a new era of peace, Hoole searches for the ideal place to establish not a kingdom but an order of free owls-and finds the Great Tree.

Coryn, Soren, and the Band preside over a new golden age of the Great Tree under the subtle influence of the ember. All seems well, but beneath the prosperity of peace, Coryn is tortured by the suspicion that his evil mother, Nyra, is a hagsfiend and that his own blood carries the haggish taint. He wanders afar, searching for the truth from hagsfiends themselves-putting the Great Tree in danger.

The adventure continues! In a land no owl knew existed, Soren, Coryn, and the Guardians find danger, knowledge, and new allies. Coryn and the Band have returned to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree and restored order. With the ember safely hidden away, the tree shakes off its gaudy golden glow and recovers its natural majesty. Meanwhile, deep in the Palace of Mists, Bess finds an ancient map fragment that reveals that there are not five owl kingdoms-as has been thought since time immemorial-but six. Coryn and the Chaw of Chaws set off to find this unknown land and, in a landscape of perpetual winter, discover a monastery of serene, learned owls, the likes of which no one has ever seen before.

This box set contains the first three books by Kathryn Lasky, which are the basis of the animated movie, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. The Capture, Book One. Soren is born in the forest of Tyto, a tranquil kingdom where the Barn Owls dwell. But evil lurks in the owl world, and Soren is captured and imprisoned in a dark canyon where there is a mysterious school. It's called an orphanage, but Soren believes it's something far worse. He and his new friend, the clever and scrappy Gylfie, know that the only way out is up. To escape, they will need to do something these fledglings have never done before-fly. And so begins a magical journey. Along the way, Soren and Gylfie meet Twilight and Digger. The four owls band together to seek the truth, be reunited with their families, and protect the owl world from a great danger. The Journey, Book Two. It began as a dream, a quest for the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, a mythic place where an order of owls rises each night to perform noble deeds. There, Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger hope to find inspiration to fight the evil that dwells in the owl kingdom. The journey is long and harrowing. When Soren and his friends finally arrive at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, they face challenges they never imagined. If they can learn from their leaders and from one another, they will become true Ga'Hoolian owls: honest and brave, wise and true. The Rescue, Book Three. Ever since Soren was kidnapped, he has longed to see his sister, Eglantine. Now, Eglantine is back is Soren's life, but she's been through an ordeal too terrible for words. At the same time, Soren's mentor, Ezylryb, has mysteriously disappeared and may be in danger. Something deep within Soren tells him there is a connection between these mysterious events. To rescue Ezylryb, Soren must face a force more dangerous than anything that even the evil rulers of the owl orphanage could have devised.