I've been wallowing in nostalgia. No, I haven't read 'High King' before, but reading it over the last few days has reminded me of how much I used to enjoy writers like Anne McCaffrey and Ursula Le Guin. Much fantasy writing nowadays has become dark and difficult and relentlessly adult in tone, a style which isn't to everyone's taste, so it's good to know that there are still fantasy novels being written that don't lead to nightmares; still tales of nobility and imagination, where evil can be fought and good prevail without the reader feeling queasy along the way. 'High King' will leave you feeling more positive about everything. You'll put down the book, and somehow the sun will be shining that little bit brighter outside. You'll have your faith in human nature restored. You'll remember what it was like to be a teenager and to be growing up and having to take on adult responsibilities. You'll remember loss, and how you dealt with it. You'll remember first love, and the subtle joys of realising that a friend from your childhood is changing into something more. This is that rare thing; an all ages book. I can imagine a twelve year old reading it and being absolutely caught up in the story, just as much as an oldie like myself.