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Booktalking Colorado Full Record:
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Title: |
Firegold |
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Author: |
Calhoun, Dia |
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Date Published: |
1999 |
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Genre: |
Fantasy |
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Grade Level: |
6 - 12 |
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Booktalker: |
Sam Marsh |
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Booktalk:
Jonathon’s blue eyes set him apart. Only the dreaded Dalriada’s had blue eyes. He was different. Things were said about him…and his mother. Hints, disparagements. Loony-blue they called him. For everyone knew that the Dalriada’s were all crazy, and that those with blue eyes would become so eventually. That’s what everyone said. Except his folks of course…they told him it was a bunch of hogwash and to ignore it. But, they never talked about or explained it to him.
His mother Karena was different too. A great cook, and comely, she was a different sort of woman. She did things other women wouldn’t think of doing. Some of it the townspeople knew about, some they didn’t. Like the fact that she could shoot an arrow as well as any man. That she could go alone into the Red Mountains of the Dalriada and return none the worse. Rumor had spread about her too.
Jonathon was different, and difference was bad.
Then, it came time for Brian, Jonathon’s dad, to travel to the Red Mountains once again. Once again, his mother argued that Jonathon was too young to go. But, this time was different. This time, his father didn’t return and didn’t return. Finally, Karena couldn’t take it anymore, and set off to find him alone. Jonathon was left with their old friend “Uncle Wilford” to run the farm and keep the neighbors from finding out that his mother was in the wilds on her own.
Finally, just as Jonathon had decided to set out on his own, his father returned. With him was a fiery, untrained colt. One of the Dalriada colts that he had caught for Jonathon which was why it had taken him so long to return. It was hard to capture a Dalriada horse at any time, and this one was special, as they found out when Jonathon’s mother returned a bit later.
One look at the colt, blood bay with stripes of gold flashing in his black mane and tail, and “Rhohar,” she screamed, “Are you mad Brian? You can’t keep him! He has not consented. Your father stole him Jonathon.” But Jonathon’s father was unrelenting and the colt stayed. Until the winter day when Jonathon and Karena were alone at the farm and heard the pounding of hooves and saw the Dalriadas riding toward them.
“Its too late!” cried his mother. “Oh, Jonathon, Rhohar means King.” She shoved him into a hollow between two bales of hay and told him to stay quiet. Then she was gone. Jonathon moved the bales so he could see as much as possible. He saw half of the Dalriadas herding the colt toward the gate while the other half rode towards his mother. Her lips moved, but he couldn’t hear the words. Jonathon saw the bowman draw the arrow. He heard the release of the arrow as he struggled his way out of the bales. He watched the flight as it flew towards his mother. He heard the THUD as it pierced its connected with its target.
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