"Listen then, and I ll tell you again of the Battle of the Rock. But none of your usual wriggling, or I ll stop before I ve begun . . . Halli loves the old stories from when the valley was a wild and dangerous place when the twelve legendary heroes, led by his ancestor Svein, stood together to defeat the ancient enemy, the bloodthirsty Trows. Halli longs for adventure but it seems these days the most dangerous thing in the valley is boredom. He tries to liven things up by taunting his siblings and playing practical jokes. But when one of his jokes goes too far reawakening an old blood feud Halli finds himself on a hero s quest after all. Along the way he meets a ruthless thief, a murderous rival, and a girl who may just be as fearless as he is. Halli may be about to make his own last stand and discover the truth about the legends, about his family, and about himself Jonathan Stroud has created an epic saga with a funny, unique spin, and an unforgettable anti-hero."
