Warrior (Dragons of Starlight) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0310718376

Price: USD 9.99
83 used & new available from USD 1.99

The black egg has hatched and the dragon prince has emerged. Long-told prophecies of doom strike fear in the enslaved humans. Jason and Koren race to the Northlands in search of help, but the Starlighter seems irrevocably connected to the dragon prince and must decide if returning to him and his chains will prove to be the best for her people. Elyssa and Wallace still battle for the slaves’ freedom, uncovering mysterious history along the way; and Tibalt and Randall, back on Major Four, are confronted with problems of their own. Jason is tested, Koren is conflicted, and the struggle for truth grows harder. One thing is clear: the stakes are raising and time is running short.

The second book in Bryan Davis’ Dragons of Starlight series, Warrior, delves deeper into the established story and throws in some pretty surprising plot twists while it’s at it. I had to concentrate to keep track of all the characters and plot lines, but the book is certainly worthwhile and does an excellent job of keeping things interesting while setting up for the third book, Diviner.

Third Starlighter (Tales of Starlight) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899578853

Price: USD 14.99
42 used & new available from USD 8.93

Starting where Masters and Slayers left off, Third Starlighter continues the story of Adrian and Marcelle as they try to free the slaves from the dragon planet. Marcelle’s back on Major Four, the human planet, trying to raise an army to help Adrian. Meanwhile, Adrian has his hands full on the dragon planet with new discoveries and mysteries. It all adds up to one wild ride, so fasten your seatbelt!

You can’t get away from the fact that this book is great. I had a fantastic time reading it, getting to know the characters better, and having little aha moments everywhere as the story unfolded. Once I finished Third Starlighter, I roamed the house, muttering about plot points yet to be resolved and wondering out loud how Bryan Davis thinks he can wrap it all up in one more book. That is my only reservation here, and it’s probably unfounded. Do not miss this series.

Dragons of the Watch: A Novel (Paperback)
by Donita K. Paul
ISBN: 1400073413

Price: USD 10.98
50 used & new available from USD 6.40

Though a well-educated tumanhofer, Ellicinderpart is just a farm girl with a goat named Tak for her best friend. When opportunity arises to visit the capitol for an upcoming royal wedding, she’s eager to take the special trip — but a sudden turn of events makes her journey a little too special. Trapped in an enchanted, over-sized city, populated only by an obscure old urohm and a horde of brutal, vicious children, Ellie’s first concern is simply that of survival. But it turns out she’s not the only tumanhofer to have fallen into this unique set of circumstances — she meets Bealomondore, a well-known and elite artist, who’s been trapped there for months now. Despite her initial distrust, the two must work together to unravel the mystery and ultimately discover how perseverance and love can bring restoration.

I always anticipate Donita K. Paul’s new releases. This, the final book of the Chiril Chronicles, takes a slightly different direction than its predecessors, but as far as adventure, humor, and truth goes, Dragons of the Watch definitely fulfills the established style of the author. If you’ve enjoyed her other books, you won’t want to miss this heart-warming conclusion.

Song of the Ovulum (Children of the Bard) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899578802

Price: USD 10.94
49 used & new available from USD 8.45

This is the story of what happened to the characters from Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire fifteen years after those series ended. Bonnie and Ashley, both anthrozils (humans with dragon traits) have been imprisoned for fear of dragon sympathies. Bonnie and Billy’s twin children have been placed in foster care with no knowledge of their dragon heritage. Walter (Ashley’s husband) is free and trying to break his friends out. But he’s going to need the help of both anthrozil children to pull it off. Add to that a parallel backstory beginning back at Noah’s flood, and you’ve got one wild ride of a sequel. Buckle up.

When I first heard about Bryan Davis’ plans to continue the Dragons in Our Midst books, I was skeptical. The eight-book saga spanned the dimensions, carrying a deep and gripping plot to a satisfying conclusion. Why continue? Well, I shouldn’t have doubted. This may not be the best of the Dragons saga (though it is one of the better ones), but it lays the groundwork for much more to come. I cannot wait to see where this story goes in the future books. Consider my hat held onto.

Dragons of the Valley: A Novel (Paperback)
by Donita K. Paul
ISBN: 1400073405

Price: USD 10.98
76 used & new available from USD 3.53

No sooner have Tipper and her companions put down the threat of uprising—and reunited her father’s three statues—than war begins to threaten the land of Chiril. Men from the country of Baardack have begun to subtly invade, one of the most prominent being a strange, sentient hunter called the Grawl. The three statues, carved from one of the world’s corner stones, must not fall into the enemy’s hands. Bealomondore, a tumanhofer, is one of those responsible for transporting the statues to a safer place. An artist at heart, he must learn to put down his paintbrush and take up his sword to defend Chiril against this new threat.

In some ways this story seemed to feel a little bit different from some of the other books by Mrs. Paul. It isn’t my favorite of hers, but I definitely enjoy it. Truth is woven into the story, and the characters you’ve gotten to know from The Vanishing Sculptor (plus some new ones) have their opportunities to shine. There’s also some great humor involving Fenworth and his kimen companion, the reluctant hero artist, and Lady Peg’s mind as a weapon in itself against the enemy. The final book in the trilogy is scheduled to come out in October!

The Sword in the Stars(Book1) in The Dark Sea Annals Series (Paperback)
by Wayne Thomas Batson
ISBN: 0899578772

Price: USD 14.99
63 used & new available from USD 4.47

Alastair Coldhollow, a man with a dreadful past of evil deeds, has become a follower of First One. He believes he is the Caller, a prophesied person who will call forth the also-prophesied Halfainin. But when everything lines up and nothing happens, Alastair is faced with doubt and struggles to maintain his faith while getting used to disappointment in the midst of an oncoming war.

That’s an oversimplified synopsis. This book has so much going on, it’s hard to boil it down. It explores some very compelling themes without quite coming to a conclusion, leaving the door open for answers in later books. Wayne Thomas Batson started writing fantasy worlds in his The Door Within series, and this huge world tops that handily. There’s much more depth and detail to drink in here, though I do wish he’d describe things a little bit more, and I also found myself begging for a map more than once. My one real gripe is that I found the description of some of the fighting to be a bit much, but overall I had a great time with this one and I can’t wait for more.

Pyramid of the Ancients: A Novel about the Origin of Civilizations (Origins Trilogy) (Paperback)
by Keith Robinson
ISBN: 0984061134

Price: USD 11.66
25 used & new available from USD 5.00

A group of archeologists makes an astounding discovery when they unearth a pyramid with writings inside in a language nobody has ever seen before. Rebecca (from Logic’s End) and her husband Jeffery are among the team of scientists set to study the pyramid. But when they discover it has strange powers, and then accidentally turn it on during an emergency, the team is in for a wild ride through time and space that will challenge what they believe about the origin of civilizations.

The job of a reviewer is a difficult one. I often enjoy a book’s plot and characters, while at the same time I am put off by the writing style. Such is the case with Pyramid of the Ancients. Although I found the story itself to be excellent, fast-paced, and well thought out, I had problems with the writing style that refused to pick a point-of-view character and stay there. Also, a couple of chapters of unmasked exposition had me wishing that the characters would quit talking so the story could start again. That aside, this one has a great story, and the final book in the Origins Trilogy ought to be a humdinger.

East (Paperback)
by Edith Pattou
ISBN: 0152052216

Price: USD 8.95
164 used & new available from USD 0.10

Nymah Rose has been trying her whole life to live up to her mother’s expectations as a replacement for Rose’s dead sister. A frustrating life, to be sure. Then, when her hope is weakest, the impossible happens. A talking polar bear offers to help her family out of poverty if Rose will come with him. After much debate, Rose agrees and sets off into a perilous adventure of mystery, danger, and enemy trolls.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. (Particularly once I got towards the end and suddenly recognized the plot as one of my favorite myths.) There was more superstition in the book than I’m usually comfortable with, but it’s portrayed as being a bad idea. The characters are well written, the plot moves nicely, and the settings are quite vivid. A great read if you’re looking for a medium-length book with an interesting plot. Be warned, though, it is a little hard to put down once you’ve started.

Masters & Slayers (Tales of Starlight, Book 1) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899578845

Price: USD 10.17
62 used & new available from USD 6.25

Adrian Masters is chosen by a secret society known as the Underground Gateway to find a portal to a dragon planet. According to legend, dragons from this planet captured and enslaved humans many years ago. Adrian believes the legend is true and will stop at nothing to free the slaves. Meanwhile, his friend Marcelle discovers a plot by the government to kill Adrian before he can complete his mission. Together, Adrian and Marcelle must thwart both dragons and humans if they plan to survive on the dragon planet.

Masters and Slayers is supposed to be a companion book to Bryan Davis’ earlier teen novel Starlighter. It succeeds smashingly in that respect, but goes deeper and stands on its own. Readers of both books will find connections everywhere. Those who have yet to experience Starlighter will enjoy a rich fantasy world peopled by many mysteriously deep characters. Regardless of category, both sets of readers will be sent frantically scrambling to Amazon.com to check the release date of the sequel.

The Magic City (Paperback)
by Edith Nesbit
ISBN: 8132052773

Price: $1.20
6 used & new available from USD 1.20

Phillip is bored one day in his stepfather’s mansion, so he builds an enormous city out of anything that comes to hand. To his great surprise that night, he shrinks down (or the city gets bigger) and finds himself in a realm containing every city he’s ever built. Through various magical rules, his stepsister Lucy joins him in the city, and they set out on a quest to perform seven tasks and fulfill an ancient prophecy of a coming deliverer who will be king. But their progress is hindered at every turn by the Pretenderette, who wants to claim the throne for herself.

The Magic City is signature Nesbit. How else do you describe her delightful style and humor? The story world is cleverly put together in a way that leaves you guessing about what will come next, but it makes perfect sense once Nesbit explains. I only took off half a star because the main character is bratty enough in the first couple chapters to make you think it’s not going to be any good. Keep reading! This one has made it onto my list of favorite Nesbit books.

(And as a side note, The Magic City inspired Edward Eager’s Knight’s Castle, which makes it great fun to compare the two and see where Eager plays off of Nesbit in his unique take on this concept.)