3 out of 4 stars
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Zelspar and the Magicians is Book 3 in the Sci-Fi Fantasy series Legend of the Dragon Child. It’s a classic tale of good against evil.While this book can be read as a stand-alone, it is advisable to read the series in chronological order. Zelspar, the white dragon and his friends, Master Magician Perthorn and Apprentice Kiel prepare to battle the wicked sorcerer, Flegmorr, who wants to dominate Urthe’s inhabitants. He's bolstered in his quest for power by Glik, an imp from the Netherworld. Here begins the story that Naomi, A Teller of Tales, reads to the village children.
Wise and battle-hardened Zelspar gains valuable allies in Pravietis, the sea dragon, who shows him visions of the future and the Wolf Gods Sigrunn and Tyrianua, imbue Zelspar with powerful magic. They also provide the means to outwit and defeat Flegmorr. When the heroes return home, the Dragon Ancestor tells Zelspar that a time is coming when dragons would be reviled, attacked and killed. The trio must therefore discover and prepare a place where they would be forever protected.
Today, dragons conceal their presence and can only fly at night with their caretakers, the Tellers of Tales. Naomi, shares Zelspar's story to arouse the children's imaginations and make them believe in magic again. However, it's urgent that Naomi, her bonded dragon Yuri and her new Apprentice decipher Zelspar's clues to discover the home he created a lifetime ago. Author Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait has woven an enchanting story about the quest for freedom and the peace it brings.
I enjoy stories about dragons and quests! Throw in some time travel, magicians, heroic battles and alternative worlds to produce an entertaining story. There are three quests in the book but the one for freedom strikes home! Flying free, shining your true colours and glorying in who you are, is compelling.
The descriptions of the children's awe and scepticism about these mythical creatures are quite realistic. The author builds up the mystery so well that I was surprised to discover that dragons not only exist but that they're so close to us (no spoilers). The story works.
What I enjoyed least were the typographical errors and excessive punctuation that clearly indicate a need for professional editing. The book's lack of depth was also disappointing. I didn't feel the dragons or their power. I know nothing but their names, colours and crests. No character dragon, human or fairy is fully fleshed out. They stay as words on the page. It feels as though the author forgot she was describing dragons and mentioned more than once "He lifted his arms...". However, these inconsistencies do not detract from the story. I look forward to Book 4.
It’s a perfect bedtime story for children 7 and up as there are no gory details whatsoever. The few scary bits (shrinking the black sorcerer) can be left out by the parent reader. Young adults and all lovers of Sci-Fi fantasy would equally enjoy this book. No profanity was noted. I give it a 3 out of 4 stars.
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Zelspar and the Magicians
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