by Thom Jones
First published 2012
Derek and Deanna Hughes climb the frigid slopes of Mount Drasius with their companions Tobungus and Zorell. The mountain splits between ice and fire, with lava streams heating one face while brutal cold grips the other. The twins need to reach the cold side, where an ancient temple may hide the fourth moonstone they desperately seek. Local kangaroos join their quest, hurling snowballs as weapons in the frozen wasteland surrounding the sacred structure. Eldrack threatens to crush the siblings with overwhelming magical force that seems impossible to counter. Derek's own powers appear too weak to match this enemy until an unexpected source gives him new strength. A simple pair of sweaty socks becomes the key that amplifies his magic when hope seems lost. The twins must claim the moonstone before Eldrack destroys them both.
Genres: fiction, science-fiction, adventure, fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family, quest
Setting: Mount Drasius, Tarook
Period: ancient
148 pages · Paperback · Peekaboo Pepper Books
Content warnings: violence