Silvercloak tells the five that he has come to our world to bring back five guests, as part of the celebration of the 50th year of the reign of High King Ailell of Brennin.

After some debate, the students – Kevin Laine, Paul Schafer, Dave Martyniuk, Kimberly Ford, and Jennifer Lowell – agree to accompany Silvercloak and the dwarf Matt Sören (Loren's "source", the person whose strength he draws on to perform his magic).

Kim, Paul, Jennifer and Kevin discover that Brennin is in the midst of a crippling drought, brought on by the High King's unwillingness to offer himself on the Summer Tree as a sacrifice to Mörnir.

When Kim awakens the next morning, she has not only the power of a seer (which was born in her), but also all of Ysanne's deep knowledge of Fionavar to help her interpret what she sees.

Diarmuid has a double purpose: to prove the existence of a way across the Saeral River, and to seduce the King of Cathal's daughter, the lovely but fiercely independent Sharra.

Jennifer and Jaelle, High Priestess of Dana, overhear a children's game in which Leila, a young girl, calls a boy named Finn to "take the Longest Road."

By now it is evident to all concerned that significant events are afoot, and when Mount Rangat explodes in a dramatic hand of fire reaching across the sky, there can be no doubt.

The trees of the Wood bear a centuries-long grudge over the death of Lisen, their beautiful forest spirit who bound herself as source to Amairgen, the First Mage, and who killed herself when he died.

The council resumes but a sudden blinding headache bursts upon Kim, and in a heartbreaking vision she sees Jennifer in Starkadh, being raped and tortured by Maugrim.

Dave Langford reviewed The Summer Tree for White Dwarf #72, and stated that "There are outcrops of High Style, balanced by wit, humanity and such unlikely denizens of fantasy as hangovers.

"[1] Sci-fi and fantasy blog Keeping the Door praised The Summer Tree in its 2009 review as a "delightful little gem of fantasy literature", saying: "Readers who love Ursula K. Le Guin’s deceptively simple style — which surprises due to the complexity of meaning and expression of human emotions beneath the surface — will find much to like in Kay’s prose.