Deltora Quest (manga)

Deltora Quest, aside from being the name of the fantasy series by Emily Rodda, is the name of a Japanese manga series adaptation of the original book series. It is loosely based on the first and original Deltora Quest series, about Lief, Barda and Jasmine's quest and journey around the land of Deltora, to collect the gems for the Belt of Deltora and free the land from the tyranny of the evil Shadow Lord. The manga was adapted from Emily Rodda's original story by Makoto Niwano, and originally published in a BonBon Comic (Kodansha) magazine but when BonBon closed down, it was replaced with TV Manga Heroes, which was ran by Kodansha as well. It has since then been printed into actual books. The series is 10 volumes in length, and is loosely based on Emily Rodda's original storyline in the first Deltora Quest series. The character designs for the animes are based on the manga.

On July 26, 2011 the first four volumes in the series were released in English by Kodansha Comics. The remaining six volumes have since come out in English as well.

Plot
The series begin telling the story of Jarred and Endon. It is told how they lived together as best friends in the Palace of Del, and how they grew up there as the king's chief advisor Prandine fooled the royal family, as the other advisors before him had done, working secretly for the evil Shadow Lord. They had all been Grade 3 Ols, and servants and spies of the Shadow Lord. It is also told how the land of Deltora and the Palace fell into the hands of the Shadow Lord from the Shadowlands, who used his seven fearsome Ak-Baba birds to break the Belt of Deltora and steal the gems from it, flying them to some of the most fearsome and dangerous places in Deltora, and hide them there.

A boy named Lief, his companion Barda and a wild orphan girl who they fonund in the Forests of Silence, Jasmine, set on a journey and quest around Deltora to find the gems and free the land from the tyranny of the Shadow Lord, but that is easier said than done. They meet many unforeseen challenges on their way, that ordinary people would not stand a chance against. And fearsome monsters, foes, great allies, and friends and formidable enemies, and villains on their quest to rid the land of the evil, and to find the heir to the throne.

English translation
The manga series were released in English, July 26, 2011 by Kodansha Comics.

Volumes

 * The Belt of Deltora (published as Deltora Quest 1 in English)
 * The Forests of Silence (published as Deltora Quest 2 in English)
 * Nij and Doj (published as Deltora Quest 3 in English)
 * The Lake of Tears (published as Deltora Quest 4 in English)
 * Noradz (published as Deltora Quest 5 in English)
 * City of the Rats (published as Deltora Quest 6 in English)
 * The Rithmere Games (published as Deltora Quest 7 in English)
 * The Shifting Sands (published as Deltora Quest 8 in English)
 * Dread Mountain (published as Deltora Quest 9 in English)
 * The Last Stand (published as Deltora Quest 10 in English)

option book

 * Deltora BOX(デルトラBOX):This book contains the first episode of the manga version, two additional episodes and a starter pack of the card game. It was released in Japan by Kodansha in 2007.