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The Dragon King #1
In the Hall of the Dragon King
A kingdom hangs in the balance as Quentin begins his quest. Carrying a sealed message from the Dragon King, Quentin and his outlaw companion, Theido, plunge headlong into a fantastic odyssey that leads them throughout Mensandor. Danger lurks at every turn: from the brutal terrain to deadly encounters with both humans and creatures of unknown origins. As their quest progresses, Prince Jaspin schemes to secure the crown for himself, and an evil sorcerer concocts a monstrous plan for power. In an effort to save the kingdom and fulfill his destiny, Quentin must travel through strange lands filled with brave knights, striking maidens, a mysterious hermit, and a gigantic deadly serpent. And then, his true journey is only just beginning. Brimming with adventure, battles, and danger, Stephen R. Lawhead’s timeless epic will satisfy listeners of all ages.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1982
174 people are currently reading
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About the author
Stephen R. Lawhead
101 books2,744 followersStephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium, Patrick, and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion.
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlawhead...
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlawhead...
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
June 12, 2009
Its not that I disliked this book so much as I got to about page 120 and thought, "life is too short and there are too many other good books to read for me to waste my time reading something this lame."
April 18, 2010
I will admit right off the bat that I am not the target audience for this novel -- I don't generally read YA (though I'm not convinced this was originally conceived as a YA novel); I don't like quest fantasy OR Arthurian fantasy OR Christian fiction; and a coming-of-age story has to be pretty potent for me to be at all interested. Still, I like to keep my opinions of these genres honest, so I occasionally sample them (well, except for the Christian fiction part, but I didn't know this was so Christian when I bought it).
I gave it a hundred pages, or about a quarter of the way through, and then I was done. WAY too much telling instead of showing (actually, I can't think of a single scene -- the story was all exposition), and the part that really bugged me was that the whole world-view was far too simplistic -- the evil characters were evil because they were evil, and (reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons) they even seem to think of themselves as evil. This would not be a problem if they were off-screen (in other words, if it was only the "good" characters thinking of the bad guys as evil); but their machinations are shown every couple pages, and I just had to roll my eyes as they cackled maniacally.
Lawhead probably isn't the worst writer I've ever read -- which is why I've given him two stars instead of one -- but in addition to the storytelling through exposition limitation he also demonstrated to me that he doesn't really grasp the mechanics of viewpoint and how to manipulate it. So all in all, I was happy to give this one up and move on to something better.
I gave it a hundred pages, or about a quarter of the way through, and then I was done. WAY too much telling instead of showing (actually, I can't think of a single scene -- the story was all exposition), and the part that really bugged me was that the whole world-view was far too simplistic -- the evil characters were evil because they were evil, and (reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons) they even seem to think of themselves as evil. This would not be a problem if they were off-screen (in other words, if it was only the "good" characters thinking of the bad guys as evil); but their machinations are shown every couple pages, and I just had to roll my eyes as they cackled maniacally.
Lawhead probably isn't the worst writer I've ever read -- which is why I've given him two stars instead of one -- but in addition to the storytelling through exposition limitation he also demonstrated to me that he doesn't really grasp the mechanics of viewpoint and how to manipulate it. So all in all, I was happy to give this one up and move on to something better.
January 16, 2021
Quentin is sent on a quest to send a message to the Queen after a dying knight comes to the temple where he is an acolyte to on a Wintery night. Will he succeed and help save the Kingdom from darkness? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good and great first installment of this trilogy. If you love epic fantasy novels, be sure to check this book out for yourself at your local library and wherever books and ebooks are sold.
This was a pretty good and great first installment of this trilogy. If you love epic fantasy novels, be sure to check this book out for yourself at your local library and wherever books and ebooks are sold.
March 19, 2024
3.5⭐️
High fantasy
When a dying stranger shows up at a church with a letter for the Queen, a young man raised by priests, volunteers for the ominous quest of delivering said letter.
With sooooo much potential, I’m a little sad it wasn’t a 5 star. I just felt that I couldn’t connect to the story the way I wanted to…perhaps if I reread it at a later date;maybe it’s just a timing thing
Language: 1 a
High fantasy
When a dying stranger shows up at a church with a letter for the Queen, a young man raised by priests, volunteers for the ominous quest of delivering said letter.
With sooooo much potential, I’m a little sad it wasn’t a 5 star. I just felt that I couldn’t connect to the story the way I wanted to…perhaps if I reread it at a later date;maybe it’s just a timing thing
Language: 1 a
December 6, 2022
4.5 stars
One of the cleanest fantasy works after Narnia I've ever read and that's a compliment
I've put off reading this book for rather cynical books with more grimier and darker settings and characters in general. But I leafed through it when I was in the mood for a not so edgy and cynical story or rather was getting tired of it. If you asked me whether the book done it's job I'll say 'It done it's job pretty rather well.
First the premise, Quentin our protagonist is an acolyte in the temple of some sorts at the beginning of the tale, on a winter night a injured comes into the temple in plea of delivering a message and the task of taking the message will be taken by Quentin. There starts our heroes journey through the land hoarding companions, finding friends saving queens and fighting evils. The story is told in a linear way so there's no confusion with the timelines
The description used to tell of the land was decent in my opinion it does it's job of conveying the ambience of the land, which is similar to medieval english setting we see commonly in fantasy which I have no qualms about because I love it and can't get enough it.
This is a really clean fantasy by that way I'm not meaning a setting where there is minimal cursing and slight mentions of whores and brothels. The land here has no whores or brothels and the people residing here are traditional people with no perverse thoughts and such sooo... I'll say this is a sparkilingly clean fantasy; some people hate it, some don't mind; me personally, I adore it.
The characters in this tale are very likeable atleast the good guys, and the bad guys...... well they are bad guy, there is no gray area here your either good or bad and it was totally okay for me, There's meeting and splitting of companions and re-uniting with them I like that moments when they unite so I pointed it right now. There are bound to some characters your bound to like more, me personally I liked the queen and our protagonist. Quentin is a naive and honourable kid which you'll instantly feel endearing and root for certainly some people will find it tropy but naive and honourable protagonist are my favorite mold, so getting it out there.
I can't say this is YA novel it certainly don't have that YA feel to it. It is fairly fast paced and you swift through it in a evening, no sweat and people looking wanting to take a break from the cynical fantasy works that has been put forth nowadays can give it a try and probably love it
One of the cleanest fantasy works after Narnia I've ever read and that's a compliment
The feel of the book is like morning dews in a sunny morning with a feel of fresh air across your face
and thinking of joyful things
I've put off reading this book for rather cynical books with more grimier and darker settings and characters in general. But I leafed through it when I was in the mood for a not so edgy and cynical story or rather was getting tired of it. If you asked me whether the book done it's job I'll say 'It done it's job pretty rather well.
“Do not be afraid, my lady," soothed Durwin. " he is not so terrible that he cannot be faced. Evil always misrepresents itself.”
First the premise, Quentin our protagonist is an acolyte in the temple of some sorts at the beginning of the tale, on a winter night a injured comes into the temple in plea of delivering a message and the task of taking the message will be taken by Quentin. There starts our heroes journey through the land hoarding companions, finding friends saving queens and fighting evils. The story is told in a linear way so there's no confusion with the timelines
The description used to tell of the land was decent in my opinion it does it's job of conveying the ambience of the land, which is similar to medieval english setting we see commonly in fantasy which I have no qualms about because I love it and can't get enough it.
“The snow lay deep and undisturbed beneath the silver light of a dawning sky.”
This is a really clean fantasy by that way I'm not meaning a setting where there is minimal cursing and slight mentions of whores and brothels. The land here has no whores or brothels and the people residing here are traditional people with no perverse thoughts and such sooo... I'll say this is a sparkilingly clean fantasy; some people hate it, some don't mind; me personally, I adore it.
The characters in this tale are very likeable atleast the good guys, and the bad guys...... well they are bad guy, there is no gray area here your either good or bad and it was totally okay for me, There's meeting and splitting of companions and re-uniting with them I like that moments when they unite so I pointed it right now. There are bound to some characters your bound to like more, me personally I liked the queen and our protagonist. Quentin is a naive and honourable kid which you'll instantly feel endearing and root for certainly some people will find it tropy but naive and honourable protagonist are my favorite mold, so getting it out there.
I can't say this is YA novel it certainly don't have that YA feel to it. It is fairly fast paced and you swift through it in a evening, no sweat and people looking wanting to take a break from the cynical fantasy works that has been put forth nowadays can give it a try and probably love it
March 5, 2021
Good, fun, clean fiction. Don't expect Tolkien or C.S.Lewis here, it's a different vein of writing. I don't agree with some of Lawhead's underlying theology in the book, but it's a story. I am grateful for the Christian values present. Didn't realize until later that this is Lawhead's first major story? I am interested to see how his writing changes and improves in later works.
June 17, 2009
Untried but willing, a youth is called upon to rescue a magically-imprisoned king, in a land where the worship of pagan gods vies with that of the One True. In many respects (basic plot, characters, and setting), this is a fairly typical coming-of-age fantasy, though well-written; it was one of evangelical author Lawhead's earlier works, and doesn't fully reflect the real flowering of his talent that would develop as he honed his craft. What distinguishes it from the pack, even at this early stage, though, is his subtle infusion of a Christian world-view into the story.
July 5, 2013
I loved this book. Here's the plot line: A kingdom hangs in the balance as a young boy answers the call of duty and heads out on a fantastic quest. Many twists and turns.
November 24, 2009
In a post-Tolkien world, there seem to be an abundance of fantasy books that should never have been written. This is one of them. This is an overly-predictable, orphan-turned-hero, good-vs-evil story, the kind which is best read before Christmas, after which (hopefully) you will have better stuff to read. Quentin, a young orphan acolyte at a temple in the woods, becomes the hero of the story after volunteering for a dangerous mission to save the missing King Eskevar. (The logic here bothers me: why was this king missing for 15 years when it only takes a few days to sail to evil Nimrood's castle?) Together with the typical band of heroes, he journeys to the other side of the world to save the day. Along the way, he picks up Toli, with whom he shares a Robinson Crusoe-Friday relationship, and converts to a fantasy-based version of Christianity. Completing the package is Durwin (Gandalf), Queen Aline (Arwen), and Theido (who, surprisingly, doesn't have a LOTR equivalent). This is a great book to read on an icy day when the power is out and you're tired of doing homework. Other than that, skip it. There's better stuff out there.
February 6, 2017
The reading of this book was like tasting the Christmas cookies of my late grandmother - it brought me back to childhood, when fantasy was all about heroic quests, noble deeds and battle between Good and Evil. It is ideal for fans of series like "The Chronicles of Narnia" or "The Belgariad", tired of the cynicism of the genre today.
You can read a detailed review, but in Bulgarian, here:
http://citadelata.com/in-the-hall-of-...
You can read a detailed review, but in Bulgarian, here:
http://citadelata.com/in-the-hall-of-...
January 27, 2023
Really great read for 15-18years old who love fantasy. For everyone else it's still a fun time. I definitely will continue the series and can't wait to read some of his Adult level fantasy.
We follow a young exacolyte on a dangerous quest to free the king. He must fight off dark forces and seek the one true God
We follow a young exacolyte on a dangerous quest to free the king. He must fight off dark forces and seek the one true God
July 20, 2017
Chato. Personagens esteriotipadas. Primeiro livro que pousei no chão de um restaurante sem me preocupar se o pisava sem querer... Irritou-me. O enredo é superficial, aliás, tudo parece TÃO superficial. Não sei como fez sucesso. Só cheguei à página 100, mas já estou encalhada lá há 1 ano. Desisto. A vida é demasiado curta para desperdiçar tempo a ler livros destes.
June 25, 2024
Thoroughly satisfied after this fantasy epic :D
I was surprised at how easily I picked it up and how hard it was to put down. (surprised simply because I thought, it being such a long book, it was going to be enjoyed in small chunks here and there)
It’s a masterful good ol’ fantasy tale, reminiscent perhaps of A Letter for the King and Narnia; I love the allegorical elements here. It just adds so much depth to a fantasy.
Its more a story-driven tale than a character driven one, which I find can be just as enjoyable if one is ready to appreciate it ;) (not meaning, of course, that it doesn’t have very good characters)
Looking forward to the sequel!
I was surprised at how easily I picked it up and how hard it was to put down. (surprised simply because I thought, it being such a long book, it was going to be enjoyed in small chunks here and there)
It’s a masterful good ol’ fantasy tale, reminiscent perhaps of A Letter for the King and Narnia; I love the allegorical elements here. It just adds so much depth to a fantasy.
Its more a story-driven tale than a character driven one, which I find can be just as enjoyable if one is ready to appreciate it ;) (not meaning, of course, that it doesn’t have very good characters)
Looking forward to the sequel!
December 16, 2016
I like some of Lawhead's other books, but this was just too much for me... Full of cliche fantasy tropes, flat characters, purple prose, and overblown dialog. Oh, and ALL "tell", never any "show", so the whole thing is exposition that then awkwardly tells you the characters feelings in bland fact-expository-statements or the horrid use of adverb-verb descriptions of actions to lazily tell you the characters motivations without actually having to show it through dialog or description of the character's inner voice.
The evil characters are over the top evil: apparently you can't wear red or black in this universe and not end up cackling (yes, he uses the word cackling, and only ever for evil characters) and twirling your moustache with some plan to take over the world or groveling before those who want to take over the world while secretly planning to backstab them yourself. And the good characters are undeniably good: the main character runs into two strangers early in his quest and despite accidentally revealing critical information about a secret he was sworn to tell no one about, he quickly reassures himself that their "kindly features and aspect" that gave him a good feeling on meeting them (probably because they weren't wearing red and black, aka "Crimson and sable") mean they can't be bad... And the darnedest thing is that he's right! Even though the one actually is an "outlaw" even, he's basically Robin Hood, so he's totally trustworthy and honorable about the whole thing... Oh, and the evil characters are automatically ugly and the good characters handsome, and of course the Queen is especially beautiful... Lawhead can't even describe the characters finding her after a shipwreck without referring to "spotting a glimpse of a shapely foot".
I could go on, but it really doesn't justify more than that... If you're alright with cliche fantasy in the trademark Lawhead style, you'll enjoy this; I'll give it that much towards a second star, but if you're looking for something that isn't just a longer bawdlerized mother goose fairy tale (with no non-human characters and Lawhead's awkwardly shoehorning God in, which I'd otherwise applaud if it wasn't so awkward it makes Ted Dekker look like C.S. Lewis), then you'll want to skip this.
The evil characters are over the top evil: apparently you can't wear red or black in this universe and not end up cackling (yes, he uses the word cackling, and only ever for evil characters) and twirling your moustache with some plan to take over the world or groveling before those who want to take over the world while secretly planning to backstab them yourself. And the good characters are undeniably good: the main character runs into two strangers early in his quest and despite accidentally revealing critical information about a secret he was sworn to tell no one about, he quickly reassures himself that their "kindly features and aspect" that gave him a good feeling on meeting them (probably because they weren't wearing red and black, aka "Crimson and sable") mean they can't be bad... And the darnedest thing is that he's right! Even though the one actually is an "outlaw" even, he's basically Robin Hood, so he's totally trustworthy and honorable about the whole thing... Oh, and the evil characters are automatically ugly and the good characters handsome, and of course the Queen is especially beautiful... Lawhead can't even describe the characters finding her after a shipwreck without referring to "spotting a glimpse of a shapely foot".
I could go on, but it really doesn't justify more than that... If you're alright with cliche fantasy in the trademark Lawhead style, you'll enjoy this; I'll give it that much towards a second star, but if you're looking for something that isn't just a longer bawdlerized mother goose fairy tale (with no non-human characters and Lawhead's awkwardly shoehorning God in, which I'd otherwise applaud if it wasn't so awkward it makes Ted Dekker look like C.S. Lewis), then you'll want to skip this.
Read
July 27, 2011** spoiler alert ** This book featured "clunky" writing and a rather heavy-handed religious subtext, but in spite of those issues, I enjoyed the story of Quentin and his comrades in their quest to find and free the Dragon King.
What I liked: The Jher, especially Toli, who accompanies Quentin and becomes both his servant and friend. The city of Dekra and the caretakers who are restoring it. Durwin, ex-priest, ex-sorcerer (who still has a few tricks up his sleeve), ever-seeking enlightenment and peace.
What I disliked: The Queen was a bit too unqueenly for me--she adapted to her circumstances marvelously well, but that was unrealistic, even for fantasy. And the revelation at the end, that Bria is her daughter, the Princess--totally unbelievable. She never once worried for her safety, nor did anyone else, yet she was left in the castle with Nimrood. I can't believe he would not have used her as a pawn in this power game. (OK, Lawhead never says that Bria is the Eskevar & Alinea's daughter, but she is a Princess of the realm, which would imply that.)
What I liked: The Jher, especially Toli, who accompanies Quentin and becomes both his servant and friend. The city of Dekra and the caretakers who are restoring it. Durwin, ex-priest, ex-sorcerer (who still has a few tricks up his sleeve), ever-seeking enlightenment and peace.
What I disliked: The Queen was a bit too unqueenly for me--she adapted to her circumstances marvelously well, but that was unrealistic, even for fantasy. And the revelation at the end, that Bria is her daughter, the Princess--totally unbelievable. She never once worried for her safety, nor did anyone else, yet she was left in the castle with Nimrood. I can't believe he would not have used her as a pawn in this power game. (OK, Lawhead never says that Bria is the Eskevar & Alinea's daughter, but she is a Princess of the realm, which would imply that.)
November 25, 2007
I liked it, because it had some strong Christian themes I identified with.
April 19, 2020
Very good read!! I think I wanted more action but there was no shortage of adventure!
January 17, 2024
Once I learned that the novel’s target audience is YA, my experience was tainted…
Nonetheless, I found the book to be very well written.. Stephen Lawhead always never writes a boring story. The plot felt very LOTR inspired (dead/undead knights, evil wizards, the humble hero, etc). Honestly, if I had read this as a younger person it would have been rated much higher… The only downside is that the story felt predicable and the villains felt very one-note. Overall though, a fun read.
Nonetheless, I found the book to be very well written.. Stephen Lawhead always never writes a boring story. The plot felt very LOTR inspired (dead/undead knights, evil wizards, the humble hero, etc). Honestly, if I had read this as a younger person it would have been rated much higher… The only downside is that the story felt predicable and the villains felt very one-note. Overall though, a fun read.
Read
January 25, 2024This book was written nearly 20 years before I was born, so I must grant that the mores of the writing world (especially in the fantasy genre) were worlds different than those familiar to me today. I can sense a sort of split identity between the narrative fantasy of Tolkien and the involved fantasy of modern authors. It may serve me to read more works from this era before giving a star rating.
For now, I will only say that he strikes me as a sort of pre-Sanderson, which is a compliment, but which had the unfortunate effect of making me wish I were reading Stormlight instead.
For now, I will only say that he strikes me as a sort of pre-Sanderson, which is a compliment, but which had the unfortunate effect of making me wish I were reading Stormlight instead.
December 6, 2022
IN THE HALL OF THE DRAGON KING is the first book in Stephen Lawhead's Dragon King trilogy. The fantasy plot moves along well, typical medieval character development with youthful heroes defending the good King and Queen from the sinister, sorcerer villain and corrupt ruler. A King Arthur style novel filled with suspense, faith, and action. Interesting enough to continue with the trilogy.
February 23, 2022
The beginning reminded me of Pillars of the Earth.
Liked the magic in it healing and that to be blessed need only to ask.
Hoping this trilogy will be good reading. As I often found out that fiction is just boring lies.
Liked the magic in it healing and that to be blessed need only to ask.
Hoping this trilogy will be good reading. As I often found out that fiction is just boring lies.
March 13, 2025
I enjoyed this adventure and look forward to the second one. I will not spoil anything but this journey took me on an adventure where I didn't see what was coming. Overall a great story.
October 6, 2023
3.5 stars
January 16, 2019
This was the first fantasy series I ever read back in high school. In my opinion a must own for anyone that is a fantasy fan!
December 11, 2020
I adored this series as a girl. In middle school at some point we were assigned to read this book for summer reading, and I loved it so much I begged my parents for the sequels for Christmas. They delivered, and all of our copies are well loved. This series holds a special place in my heart, but how well does it stand up objectively?
I wish I could give half-stars; I’d give this one a 3.5 if I could. Let’s start with the good. The prose at the beginning felt a bit clunky, as if it was trying to hard to imitate Tolkien or the medieval writers of Arthurian legend, but it smooths and settles into a consistent voice and style as the story goes on. Quentin is an interesting albeit predictable character, but his learning and growth are believable and engaging. Toli is certainly the most interesting character of all of them: quick, resourceful, clever, loyal to a fault. The others are fun to follow as well, though they fit a little too nicely into some fantasy tropes that these days would be considered overused. The world building is solid, with different places, topographies, and cultures that play into the plot well.
There isn’t much in this book that is glaringly bad. Nimrood is an annoying, cackling villain, and I never found out exactly WHY he wants to take over the world. He just...does. There’s no motivation. Even Satan himself has motivation: his jealousy of God and desire to be Him and wreaking havoc on the world in a revenge-fueled hissy-fit. Nimrood’s lack of motivation and incessant cackling fits got old quickly, especially when they were written into the dialogue directly. He wasn’t nearly as scary as I remembered.
Most of this falls solidly into, well, average territory. The plot is predictable, but that isn’t the end of the world. The Christian allegory is quite heavy-handed, though as a believer myself I certainly appreciate what Lawhead was trying to do. He just didn’t do it with the finesse of Lewis or the subtle symbolism of Tolkien. Miracles and divine intervention at the last minute are beautiful in real life, but they don’t often work well in fiction...unless you’re Lewis or Tolkien. Those are the only times I’ve seen it work well. They didn’t work terribly well here and felt a bit contrived at times. Characters besides Quentin and Toli are pretty basic fantasy archetypes: Theido your Robin Hood/Gwaine/Aragorn-ish type, Durwin the hermit/retired wizard and mentor, Alinea the Queen and the only female really in the book at all. Thankfully she’s done well; kind and gentle while also courageous, but she is a bit one-dimensional. More women are introduced as the series continues, which is a plus, but even one more woman that has more than a handful of lines would have been nice.
I remember enjoying the next two books even more than this one as a kid, and I’m still quite excited to move through the series as an adult. I still love this series dearly. I remember how much I loved it at 12/13 years old (this was what I was reading instead of Twilight). I definitely look forward to passing it on to my children if I have them. Now, onto The Warlords of Nin!
I wish I could give half-stars; I’d give this one a 3.5 if I could. Let’s start with the good. The prose at the beginning felt a bit clunky, as if it was trying to hard to imitate Tolkien or the medieval writers of Arthurian legend, but it smooths and settles into a consistent voice and style as the story goes on. Quentin is an interesting albeit predictable character, but his learning and growth are believable and engaging. Toli is certainly the most interesting character of all of them: quick, resourceful, clever, loyal to a fault. The others are fun to follow as well, though they fit a little too nicely into some fantasy tropes that these days would be considered overused. The world building is solid, with different places, topographies, and cultures that play into the plot well.
There isn’t much in this book that is glaringly bad. Nimrood is an annoying, cackling villain, and I never found out exactly WHY he wants to take over the world. He just...does. There’s no motivation. Even Satan himself has motivation: his jealousy of God and desire to be Him and wreaking havoc on the world in a revenge-fueled hissy-fit. Nimrood’s lack of motivation and incessant cackling fits got old quickly, especially when they were written into the dialogue directly. He wasn’t nearly as scary as I remembered.
Most of this falls solidly into, well, average territory. The plot is predictable, but that isn’t the end of the world. The Christian allegory is quite heavy-handed, though as a believer myself I certainly appreciate what Lawhead was trying to do. He just didn’t do it with the finesse of Lewis or the subtle symbolism of Tolkien. Miracles and divine intervention at the last minute are beautiful in real life, but they don’t often work well in fiction...unless you’re Lewis or Tolkien. Those are the only times I’ve seen it work well. They didn’t work terribly well here and felt a bit contrived at times. Characters besides Quentin and Toli are pretty basic fantasy archetypes: Theido your Robin Hood/Gwaine/Aragorn-ish type, Durwin the hermit/retired wizard and mentor, Alinea the Queen and the only female really in the book at all. Thankfully she’s done well; kind and gentle while also courageous, but she is a bit one-dimensional. More women are introduced as the series continues, which is a plus, but even one more woman that has more than a handful of lines would have been nice.
I remember enjoying the next two books even more than this one as a kid, and I’m still quite excited to move through the series as an adult. I still love this series dearly. I remember how much I loved it at 12/13 years old (this was what I was reading instead of Twilight). I definitely look forward to passing it on to my children if I have them. Now, onto The Warlords of Nin!
September 11, 2018
This is the first of a series but tells a fairly complete story. There is only one loose end, OK maybe two, even if it is a major one.
I have read many of Lawhead's books and would consider myself a fan, but this was a disappointment. I noticed elsewhere that this is one of his early works and it showed. The plot is not at all complicated - kingdom in peril, quest to rescue the king, huge battle. Those elements would be fine, but I didn't think there was anything exciting to set them off. The one possible surprise at the end was obvious the moment it was set up early in the book.
Quentin is the hero. Is he a messiah? Honestly I don't know; we'll see. Yet Quentin shows plenty of insecurities and he has a long way to grow. Other major characters have the qualities you would expect including the mysterious Durwin.
This book is an allegory of sorts relating to Christianity, although it is not yet clear if there is a figure in the role of Messiah/Son of God. But as I alluded to above, there could be hints that Quentin might fill this role. Maybe he is more like a prophet something like David, the King of Israel. (But I am getting way ahead of the continuing story and I am strictly speculating.) At times it is a little preachy especially in terms of emphasizing that there is One God. It does not emphasize evangelizing.
One of the areas I thought Lawhead was clumsy with is the development of consistent limitations on magic and miracles. He does highlight that magic has a price. Nimrood has no apparent limitations on his magical abilities and there is no price apparent. He is even able to animate the dead. He appears to be either omnipresent or omniscient since he seems to know everything that's going on at times, but then there are things he misses. At times it appears he can kill in a number of magical ways like lightning bolts, but then he doesn't follow through. Likewise with the One God. He miraculously rescues Quentin a couple of times early on, but then he seems to step back and let things happen. Early on, there is talk that a believer should do nothing in his own power but trust the One God, but then at the end, everyone, including Quentin, is pretty much doing things on their own.
Mature themes: other than war battles limited to medieval technology plus magic, there are no mature themes. Other than the queen, there are no major characters who are female and thus there is no romance. The queen is a fairly strong female. I liked the fact that there are plenty of threats of sadistic actions like torture, but very little description of it actually happening. It seems like all the fantasy these days requires descriptions of villains doing sadistic things.
Not quite 3 stars. Call it 2.7
I have read many of Lawhead's books and would consider myself a fan, but this was a disappointment. I noticed elsewhere that this is one of his early works and it showed. The plot is not at all complicated - kingdom in peril, quest to rescue the king, huge battle. Those elements would be fine, but I didn't think there was anything exciting to set them off. The one possible surprise at the end was obvious the moment it was set up early in the book.
Quentin is the hero. Is he a messiah? Honestly I don't know; we'll see. Yet Quentin shows plenty of insecurities and he has a long way to grow. Other major characters have the qualities you would expect including the mysterious Durwin.
This book is an allegory of sorts relating to Christianity, although it is not yet clear if there is a figure in the role of Messiah/Son of God. But as I alluded to above, there could be hints that Quentin might fill this role. Maybe he is more like a prophet something like David, the King of Israel. (But I am getting way ahead of the continuing story and I am strictly speculating.) At times it is a little preachy especially in terms of emphasizing that there is One God. It does not emphasize evangelizing.
One of the areas I thought Lawhead was clumsy with is the development of consistent limitations on magic and miracles. He does highlight that magic has a price. Nimrood has no apparent limitations on his magical abilities and there is no price apparent. He is even able to animate the dead. He appears to be either omnipresent or omniscient since he seems to know everything that's going on at times, but then there are things he misses. At times it appears he can kill in a number of magical ways like lightning bolts, but then he doesn't follow through. Likewise with the One God. He miraculously rescues Quentin a couple of times early on, but then he seems to step back and let things happen. Early on, there is talk that a believer should do nothing in his own power but trust the One God, but then at the end, everyone, including Quentin, is pretty much doing things on their own.
Mature themes: other than war battles limited to medieval technology plus magic, there are no mature themes. Other than the queen, there are no major characters who are female and thus there is no romance. The queen is a fairly strong female. I liked the fact that there are plenty of threats of sadistic actions like torture, but very little description of it actually happening. It seems like all the fantasy these days requires descriptions of villains doing sadistic things.
Not quite 3 stars. Call it 2.7
January 1, 2010
Já há algum tempo que tinha vontade de experimentar um livro do escritor americano Stephen Lawhead, que se notabilizou no campo da fantasia e ficção científica e, mais recentemente, na ficção histórica. Na Casa do Rei Dragão é o primeiro volume dos três que compõem A Saga do Dragão, e foi o seu livro de estreia (curiosamente publicado no ano em que nasci). O próximo volume é Os Guerreiros de Nin.
Na Casa do Rei Dragão é um livro que segue as linhas tradicionais de um livro de fantasia, em que está presente a eterna luta do bem contra o mal; um jovem protagonista inocente e destinado a grandes feitos que, face às agruras da vida real, vai ganhando maturidade; um feiticeiro maléfico que pretende conquistar o mundo; um grupo de amigos, cada qual com as suas habilidades, que o tenta desfeitear. É uma história simples, com algum world-building interessante (especialmente com a introdução do povo nómada Jher) e com personagens lineares, no sentido em que ou são boas ou são más. Nada contra o facto, que até é normal para o tipo de público a que me parece dirigir-se (e daí estar inserido nesta colecção). O livro tem ainda uma componente religiosa bastante vincada, e a personagem principal chega mesmo a ser alvo de uma aparição.
Estamos perante um bom livro de aventuras, destinado claramente a um público mais jovem e que poderá não satisfazer por completo leitores mais adultos e que já leram muita coisa no campo da fantasia, sob pena de se ficar um pouco com a sensação de déjavu – foi isso que me aconteceu. Apesar disso, recomendo este livro a leitores mais jovens ou aos que estão a descobrir o género fantástico; penso que é um bom ponto de partida.
Na Casa do Rei Dragão é um livro que segue as linhas tradicionais de um livro de fantasia, em que está presente a eterna luta do bem contra o mal; um jovem protagonista inocente e destinado a grandes feitos que, face às agruras da vida real, vai ganhando maturidade; um feiticeiro maléfico que pretende conquistar o mundo; um grupo de amigos, cada qual com as suas habilidades, que o tenta desfeitear. É uma história simples, com algum world-building interessante (especialmente com a introdução do povo nómada Jher) e com personagens lineares, no sentido em que ou são boas ou são más. Nada contra o facto, que até é normal para o tipo de público a que me parece dirigir-se (e daí estar inserido nesta colecção). O livro tem ainda uma componente religiosa bastante vincada, e a personagem principal chega mesmo a ser alvo de uma aparição.
Estamos perante um bom livro de aventuras, destinado claramente a um público mais jovem e que poderá não satisfazer por completo leitores mais adultos e que já leram muita coisa no campo da fantasia, sob pena de se ficar um pouco com a sensação de déjavu – foi isso que me aconteceu. Apesar disso, recomendo este livro a leitores mais jovens ou aos que estão a descobrir o género fantástico; penso que é um bom ponto de partida.
December 20, 2014
Words that describe this book: amazing, epic, awesome, great, epic, wonderful. Did I forget to say epic? Because EPIC.
In the Hall of the Dragon king is one of the very best books ever. It has everything I could possibly hope for in a story: adventure, battles, great characters, quests, a bit of romance, and a grand plot. And it's medieval fantasy. And it's just plain awesomeness. In other words: I LOVE THIS BOOK.
This book also contains one of my very favorite casts of characters. Quentin is a good, very likeable hero; Theido is really awesome and cool; Durwin is a nice mentor; Trenn is rash and lovable; Ronsard is also awesome and cool; Queen Alinea is kind and good. And then there's Toli. TOLI. <3 Toli is my absolute favorite character in this book. In fact he's one of my all time favorites. :D
Some things are a bit creepy but they're meant to be, so hey, I don't think any less of this great book for the creepy parts.
I really enjoy reading this book over and over again. No matter how meany times I read it, it's just as awesome. If not more so. I'm not even that much of a re-reader, but I never get tired of rereading this book.
If you love medieval fantasy, a fun adventure, a cool Christian story, or just want to read something awesome, this is the book for you.
In the Hall of the Dragon king is one of the very best books ever. It has everything I could possibly hope for in a story: adventure, battles, great characters, quests, a bit of romance, and a grand plot. And it's medieval fantasy. And it's just plain awesomeness. In other words: I LOVE THIS BOOK.
This book also contains one of my very favorite casts of characters. Quentin is a good, very likeable hero; Theido is really awesome and cool; Durwin is a nice mentor; Trenn is rash and lovable; Ronsard is also awesome and cool; Queen Alinea is kind and good. And then there's Toli. TOLI. <3 Toli is my absolute favorite character in this book. In fact he's one of my all time favorites. :D
Some things are a bit creepy but they're meant to be, so hey, I don't think any less of this great book for the creepy parts.
I really enjoy reading this book over and over again. No matter how meany times I read it, it's just as awesome. If not more so. I'm not even that much of a re-reader, but I never get tired of rereading this book.
If you love medieval fantasy, a fun adventure, a cool Christian story, or just want to read something awesome, this is the book for you.
July 6, 2009
This book featured "clunky" writing and a rather heavy-handed religious subtext, but in spite of those issues, I enjoyed the story of Quentin and his comrades in their quest to find and free the Dragon King.
What I liked: The Jher, especially Toli, who accompanies Quentin and becomes both his servant and friend. The city of Dekra and the caretakers who are restoring it. Durwin, ex-priest, ex-sorcerer (who still has a few tricks up his sleeve), ever-seeking enlightenment and peace.
What I disliked: The Queen was a bit too unqueenly for me--she adapted to her circumstances marvelously well, but that was unrealistic, even for fantasy. And the revelation at the end, that Bria is her daughter, the Princess--totally unbelievable. She never once worried for her safety, nor did anyone else, yet she was left in the castle with Nimrood. I can't believe he would not have used her as a pawn in this power game. (OK, Lawhead never says that Bria is the Eskevar & Alinea's daughter, but she is a Princess of the realm, which would imply that.)
I liked the story well enough that I will definitely read the rest of the Dragon King trilogy.
What I liked: The Jher, especially Toli, who accompanies Quentin and becomes both his servant and friend. The city of Dekra and the caretakers who are restoring it. Durwin, ex-priest, ex-sorcerer (who still has a few tricks up his sleeve), ever-seeking enlightenment and peace.
What I disliked: The Queen was a bit too unqueenly for me--she adapted to her circumstances marvelously well, but that was unrealistic, even for fantasy. And the revelation at the end, that Bria is her daughter, the Princess--totally unbelievable. She never once worried for her safety, nor did anyone else, yet she was left in the castle with Nimrood. I can't believe he would not have used her as a pawn in this power game. (OK, Lawhead never says that Bria is the Eskevar & Alinea's daughter, but she is a Princess of the realm, which would imply that.)
I liked the story well enough that I will definitely read the rest of the Dragon King trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2017
I’m a big fan of Lawhead’s Science Fiction books, and so had big expectations for In the Hall of the Dragon King. While it started out pretty good, I found it bogged down often throughout. So much so that I nearly put it aside to finish another day. But I committed to reading it so I trudged through to the end. There were some good scenes that captured my interest, but there were many others that had my attention drifting. This book has a similar flavor to The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, but without the complexity of plot development. It’s also written with a Christian perspective. One which will have many Christians nodding their heads in agreement, but non-Christians my roll their eyes and accuse Lawhead of being preachy. Either way, this story did not meet my expectations. That’s not to say it’s bad, in fact, for the right audience it may very well be a hit. As for me I just didn’t feel engaged and drawn in.
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