The Stone Key: The Obernewtyn Chronicles 6by Isobelle CarmodyI refuse to write this review. If I write this review it will mean I have finished reading all 6 of the available books in the Obernewtyn series and it will be over. OVER! And I just can't have that. I have been so deeply immersed in the world of Obernewtyn that I don't want to face the world we live in, or even, in another book.The good news is that book blogger Rhiannon got to meet the author (along with Justine Larbalestier) at an event in Australia AND Isobelle Carmody said that the 7th book - The Sending - will be out in 2010. I am hoping for the early side of 2010 and that it also comes out in North America at the same time and we won't have to wait until 2011! (This has happened to me before with Kate Forsyth's Witches of Eileannan series. I didn't want to wait TWO years for the final book to come out here so I had a friend pick it up for me in Australia and I paid for shipping. Heh. Keep this in mind, Rhiannon. *innocent look*)But, back to the review I refuse to write...[NOTE: So I got that far on Tuesday the 25th and was so exhausted I had to stop and now it's 5 days later and I'm going to try again.]Elspeth has made it to the West Coast, the same West Coast that has been blocked off  by the Council and Faction and Herders, etc. The Misfits who had been trapped there are living in the ruins where Dragon was discovered a few years ago. Dragon, who appears to be missing again, I guess because she's dropped off the grid story-wise. Elspeth makes some stupid decisions once more and ends up on a Herder ship trying to sneak onto Herder Isle and the North land. Again she is alone and rescued at the last second by Misfits who just seem to show up.Now, don't get me wrong, I don't find the stories repetitive or anything, but I am slightly frustrated by Elspeth's decisions that only SHE could do something and not ask for help. Ok, sure, so the prophecy she's following dictates that she can't tell anyone that she is The Seeker and she seems to have people tell her to go off on her own a lot, but I still don't think she should be deciding that she shouldn't discuss the options with others. Afterall, others are punished for making their own fool decisions as well. And inevitably she will be captured, possibly tortured and on the verge of death before someone miraculously appears to get her out of trouble. For someone who should be in her early 20s (?) by this point, I think she behaves rather immaturely.And you know what I keep thinking through all of this? In one book there is a dog named Darga, who was always with Jik and Elspeth thinks the dog was also killed in the firestorms along with Jik, though she is told through dreams that he survived and would be back to aid her in her quest. And yet, I think 3 books have passed and there is still no Darga. And I don't know WHY I am so keen on having this dog reappear, but I am. It's one of the niggly parts of the story that has stayed with me.I'm also looking forward to more Dragon discoveries and you know, possibly having her return to the story. It's obvious she has a huge role to play for the end of the story.I've got 2 more books to long for now and I hope I remember all that happened in the first 6 by the time they are published. They are heavy reads and I don't think I would be able to reread them all again before reading the new ones!The Obernewtyn Chronicles

1. Obernewtyn
2. The Farseekers
3. Ashling
4. The Keeping Place
5. Wavesong
6. The Stone Key
7. The Sending - early 2010?? I hope!
8. The Red Queen - NO CLUE!