The Dragon of Trelian

Very good story. Well written. Good characters that are likable. Lots of action. If there has to be another dragon book, this is a good one. ( )

despite the adventure and the magic of Calen the apprentice mage, this might be a hard sell to guys as there is much drama and romance from Meg the princess ( )

The Dragon of Trelian focuses on a mage's apprentice named Calen and a princess named Meg. The dragon is less central to the story than I would have liked, but that will probably shift as the series continues. In this novel, Knudsen has created an incredible, complex fantasy world that people of all ages will love to delve into. I had my doubts at the beginning, but the characters are so easy to relate to and I was immediately sucked into their world.

The plot had some issues for me, but I really loved the characters and their relationship with each other. Both Meg and Calen are fantastically well-rounded, and I could see both boys and girls loving this story because of the dual points of view. Once the action and adventure got started (it did take a very long time for it to start), the pace really picked up and I was hooked. The black winged creatures (shown on cover) are described in horrific detail, which I loved -- a good fantasy isn't complete without at least one frightening creature.

What I didn't like, and what seems to be a problem for a lot of middle grade works, is that a lot of conflicts are resolved within a few pages of being introduced. There are some problems that take longer, but for the most part, a seemingly huge obstacle is thrown in the characters' way, and then it magically disappears within moments. This makes it really frustrating when they can't figure out an obvious solution to a problem that takes them chapters to solve. Yes, it's middle grade and should be less complex, but I like it when the characters are pushed and have to work for a happy ending.

Despite that, however, I found this to be a charming fantasy with incredibly lovable characters. I can't wait to see what the next books have in store, and I've already added the sequel to my to-read list.

*I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.* ( )

When apprentice mage Calen and Princess Meglynne encounter each other (both hiding from their respective responsibilities), a fast friendship is formed. Both children were lonely and isolated by their positions, and they soon find themselves sharing secrets. Meg has a big secret -- she discovered a young dragon in the woods near the castle, and she has been hiding it in a cave ever since. In fact, Meg and the dragon Jakl have formed a magical bond. They are, in fact, linked for life, whether they meant to be or not. Calen resolves to help keep Meg's secret, and he begins to research the dragon linkage in hopes of helping her manage it. Even bigger than this dragon-size problem, however, is the plot of an evil mage who is plotting war and murder. When Calen and Meg stumble upon this plot, their lives are in danger -- and they are the only ones who can sound the alarm and stop the plot from wreaking havoc in Meg's family and her kingdom.

This is a fun fantasy read -- though I found myself enjoying it a little less as a reread than I did at first. Perhaps that's because it's not highly original, as far as the plot goes. I like the characters, and I think Meg's conflicted feelings about her link with Jakl are particularly well-done. Some of the secondary characters (Meg's parents, for instance) are a bit flat, while others (Serek, the mage Calen is apprenticed to, in particular) are intriguing. It's a good solid read, and I'd recommend it to fans of middle-grade fantasy, especially those who like the Dragon Slippers books by Jessica Day George and A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine. ( )

This was an average book, nothing to make it stand out in my mind. We have the standard plot of warring kingdoms marrying a son and a daughter to end the war. We have someone who does not want to see the war end, concoting an evil plot, and two teenagers discovering the plot and trying to solve it. There were elements that should have made it stand out, like the dragon, but they didn't succeed. Since dragon is in the title I thought he would be a large part of the story. It wasn't. That was one of the main reasons I picked up the book, but we brush over the bond Jakl and Meg have and he really is only featured as transportation and a tiny part at the end. A lot of the magic is only touched on, we never find out what caused Calen and Meg to get transported far away. Calen and Meg are the only characters that are fleshed out at all, Meg's sisters and parents, and Calen's master are all just figures that are not explained. I was left wondering about Calen's master, why was he so aloof? Then right at the end another bad guy is introduced and the story itself says only the battle is won, not the war. They know the bad guys will show up again. I, however, will not be picking up the next story. ( )