Lashlor Leaflin is an unlikely wizard whose potential keeps growing. Ordered by the King of Ends to undo a curse set upon the Queen, he must travel to the Mountains of Eclador to seek out an old flame called Rune who may be able to help. However, none who venture to the mountains ever return…

The first book was all about wizards, and accusations of Lashlor’s magical incompetence. Dark Creature is more concerned with magical curses and consequences; mostly with hilarious results. For most of it Lashlor has a rational fear of having his face turned into something rotten because of a past threat made by Rune.

The foray into the mountains certainly piqued my interest, which is where a ‘magical dilemma’ is introduced. I thought the puzzle tested the imagination, and its inclusion was welcome. Reading on, learning about Lashlor’s character and his humorous exchanges with Rune were very enjoyable. King Lanaran’s empty threats of enforcing his authority and dealing with blatant disobedience were pleasant aspects that made his character grow in tandem with the others.

There was something secretive about Lashlor’s character from the beginning of the first book and I was a bit disappointed I didn’t learn what it was in this one… But the main criticism I have is also a strong point: I thought that the end results of the main magical problems were slightly predictable, perhaps because the focus was on the means. However, on that note the complex and fulfilling magic solutions to these problems were always composed of many elements; evidence of well-thought out rules.

Overall the wizarding elements in Dark Creature strongly remind me of Harry Potter. The magical -medieval setting reminded me of the Shrek films: ‘realised he was hopping from foot to foot and stopped, his face heating’. If you are a fan of the above or you want a highly enjoyable fantasy adventure that keeps a smile on your face then look no further!