A bird destined to be a hero will take hold of the sword at the fifth full moon three years from then and rescue the warring world.

Hungrias the Second, Ancient Wing (or king) of the archaeopteryxes, sends Sir Maldeor, his top knights, and his son, Prince Phaethon, to a tribe of doves, who have the orange Leasorn Gem.

The mission fails, as a monstrous four-winged bird/reptile creature attacks and eats Phaethon, who was in possession of the orange gem.

Wind-Voice breaks Winger out, is attacked by an archaeopteryx guard, and is brought to Hungrias, where he is put over a spit to cook for supper.

On the spit, after he faints from the heat and is brought to Yin Soul's realm, Wind-Voice escapes and meets Fisher, a battle scarred crane, in a tribe in the surrounding swamp, as well as Winger.

Winger and Fleydur manage to escape with the gem, but Stormac is mortally wounded and is later found by a group of parrots, who heal him with the use of there green leasorn.

Maldeor is revealed to be Yin Soul's apprentice and had wing chopped off and then exiled by Hungrias for losing Prince Phaethon.

Along the way Fleydur reveals that he is actually a prince exiled from his home of Sword Mountain because of his belief that music can bring joy and healing to the world.

The clues on the Leasorn Gems disappear and the day that Wind-Voice became Swordbird is made a holiday called the Bright Moon Festival.

The book has received mostly positive reviews, Laura Ruttig, Children's Literature said "Birds form the unusual topic of this quest novel, which begins with a prophecy that foretells the coming of a great hero.

Robyn Gioia, School Library Journal said "In this good-versus-evil story, a prequel to Swordbird (HarperCollins, 2007), readers see a legend taking shape as evil forces attempt to conquer the inhabitants of a bird world.

Scattered in unknown regions of the world lay strategically placed Leasorn gems that hold clues to where the hero's sword waits.

Fleydur, eagle prince of the Skythunder tribe, Stormac the mynah, and Ewingerale the woodpecker all play pivotal roles as companions to 013-Unidentified, a dovelike bird trapped as a slave.

The tightly crafted story line is nicely executed, but the most important element, and one that truly touches the heart, is the underlying theme of love."

and by Sarah Sawtelle, Kidsreads said "SWORD QUEST is a thrilling adventure brimming with equal amounts of suspense and hope.