The story has a nice blend of magic and adventure. Dylan and
his ancestors have been chosen (cursed?) to defend the royal family of
Calinore, even though the king’s soul is trapped in a journal and the rest of
the royal family are mice. Drucilla is the main antagonist, as the dark
sorceress uses her powerful magic to spread evil. Flying gorillas, three-foot-long
spiders, and subservient humans make up her army and obey her out of fear, not
loyalty. Dylan is supported by witches, pirates, and common folk hoping to get
out from under Drucilla’s tyranny. Dylan’s most powerful ally is a
fire-breathing dragon that he rescued from prison in the previous book.
Drucilla’s evilness is a highlight of the story. She’s the
most powerful character and uses her narcissistic, wicked personality to
inflict terror on everyone she encounters. She plans to marry the current king,
King Mordrid, who’s an equally despicable person. His adoration for Drucilla
blinds him to the mocking, disrespectful way she treats him. Drucilla also
controls an army of crows that act as spies and aerial weapons against the
story’s heroes. Maybe it’s her feelings of superiority and overconfidence that
keep her from realizing the flaws in her evil plans. Treating her followers
with cruelty and malevolence can only spell problems in the future.
One unusual aspect of the story is that Dylan is assisted by
his father, as most middle-grade books find the young hero going on quests with
friends, not parents. Dylan’s father was the previous chosen one until Dylan
received an amulet on his birthday. The White Witch joins the plot in the
book’s second half, and she provides answers to questions readers might have. She
also possesses the magical powers needed to end the curse on the Calinore king
and his family. From the previous book, readers will remember that the king’s
soul was trapped in a journal when he was murdered by Drucilla. Readers will
know the conflict with Drucilla is over once the king becomes a breathing human
once again.
What didn’t work as well:
References are made to events from the previous book, and readers
new to the series may not fully understand them. The easy remedy is to read the
first book. Also, the resolution seems to drag on unnecessarily. It answers
questions readers might have about how things turn out, but then it creates new
ones that linger.
The final verdict:
The Amazon listing indicates this book is for ages twelve and up,
but there’s absolutely no reason why younger readers can’t enjoy it too. It
might be read independently, but I recommend you read The Quest for Calinore
first. It’s an exciting adventure with a wonderful blend of action, magic, and
drama. I recommend you try it for yourself.
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