Wilkinshire

by Brenda Hasse

Though few in the medieval kingdom of Wilkinshire have seen the legendary dragon known as Bogotah, many fear him. Stories passed down for generations tell of his capability to breathe fire, spread deadly disease, and consume livestock and people to appease his insatiable appetite. Even so, Bogotah upholds his duty to guard the kingdom and his treasured secret. After the assassination of their lord, the residents of Wilkinshire line the muddy street to meet their new rulers. Appointed to reconstruct the battered kingdom, Lord Philip and his wife, Lady Rachelle, are in disbelief at the magnitude of their undertaking as poverty-stricken citizens greet them with rotted teeth, filthy clothing, and pathetic living conditions. As the lord and lady settle into their new residence, Lord Philip is confronted with the peasants' belief that Bogotah is to blame for Wilkinshire's misfortunes. In order to put the citizen's superstitions to rest, he must discover who is responsible for the kingdom's bad luck. Meanwhile, Lord Thaddeus of Lancaster, an evil soul consumed by greed, waits for the opportune moment to claim Wilkinshire for himself. Spurred on by a voracious desire to obtain the legendary Treasure of Wilkinshire, he will stop at nothing to obtain it. Only time will reveal the fate of the kingdom and of the spectacular treasure hidden somewhere within its walls.

188 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2003

About the author

Brenda is a multi-award-winning author who writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her primary genres are young adult historical romance and young adult romantic suspense. She has also written second-chance romance, metaphysical/visionary, and picture books for children. In nonfiction, she published a biography of a young woman who was human trafficked and a pair of books about the history and hauntings of her hometown of Fenton, Michigan. She shares her knowledge of writing and publishing at an annual writers' conference. Brenda loves chocolate, coffee, and cats, especially her two rescue cats, Petey and Max.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book some time ago and, although it is a long time since I was a young adult (the intended age range for this novel) I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is, to re-use a well-worn word, a page-turner. The personalities of the characters, even the fairly minor ones, are well drawn, and the descriptions and dialogue put into their mouths differentiate them very well. There is enough description to make the scenes in which the action is set visible to the reader's eye, but not so much that the story is bogged down with unnecessary detail.This is a good point, in that it lets the reader do the pleasant job of filling in the details for himself. The story moves along at a pace appropriate to the action being described. Enough is said in the synopsis to give the potential readers what they are in for; all I will say that if you like a good story well told, and want to mingle for a while with believable characters and share their world and their adventures, this is the book for you.