Torrie and the Firebird — K.V. Johansen

Torrie's back for more excitement.

The irrepressible Old Thing who narrated Torrie and the Pirate Queen returns in another amazing adventure. With spunky young captain Anna again at the helm, the (former) pirate ship Shrike sets sail for Keastipol, grandest of the city-states on the Great Southern Continent.

Our heroes have hardly set foot on shore before they encounter a boy fleeing an angry mob. Anna and Torrie rescue Kokako and embark on a dangerous quest to clear his name by finding the true thief of the Oyon -- a giant gem revered by the continent's inhabitants.

Their journey takes them through forest and desert where they face challenges both natural and supernatural: crocodiles, sand-goblins, and ...emus? On top of all this, Torrie and Anna must struggle with Kokako's would-be heroism and the unexpected appearance of a mysterious sorcerer. Torrie begins to there's more to both the Oyon and their unknown enemy than anybody realizes.

In the end, it takes all their efforts to defeat the sorcerer, prove Kokako's innocence, and uncover the mystery of the mythical Firebird, a magical being thought only to exist in legend.