Dragonmaster

Dragonfire #3

by Karleen Bradford

Norl, the boy who saved Dahl the King from the dragon Caulda, has grown under the tutelage of Catryn, the Seer of Taun. The Elders have proclaimed that he will be the Bringer of Light and will rid their world of the last of the dragons. But Norl has trouble believing them. He has no magic and is haunted by his promise to Caulda, which saved Dahl and Catryn from the dragon’s “I will come back to you if you spare them!”   Leaving Catryn’s side, Norl goes to meet his fate. Along the way, he encounters a strange girl, the last of the half-dragon, half-human dragonlings that were once the peacekeepers of Taun. He discovers that a dying Caulda has no plans to kill him―instead, she commands Norl to watch over her newly hatched child! As the terrifying shadow of evil falls again across Taun, humans, dragons and dragonlings must find the trust they need to stand together.   Karleen Bradford returns to a world of magic and danger in this glorious sequel to Dragonfire and Whisperings of Magic . Fast-paced and exciting, with themes of discovery and redemption, Dragonmaster is a thrilling tale about believing in yourself and trusting in others.

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2009

Reviews

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this final book of the Taun series, another three years have passed while Norl tries to open himself to his magic. However, he has been unable to do so; therefore, feeling like a failure, he slips out of the Domain and sets off to reach Caulda, the last dragon, to whom he has promised to return when the time was right. However, to his surprise, Caulda does not seek to kill him – instead, she seeks to have him raise her child, as she is dying. To make matters worse, evil is once again rising in Taun – and this time it is worse than ever. The waters turn black and poisonous; the skies turn black and the air becomes heavy; people are dying. Catryn is trapped in the Domain, and Dahl cannot leave Daunus; it is up to Norl to save the world this time. Will he be able to find the strength – and the magic – to fulfill his destiny? Or will evil destroy Taun this time?

This final book of the series was a satisfying ending, fraught with danger and magic and new friendships. Catryn has grown up, and is no longer full of herself. While Norl is somewhat annoying at first with his self-pity, he quickly grows into himself and becomes what he was meant to be. We learn more about dragons, and some more about the Sele – although we still don’t know for sure what their purpose is. The inclusion of Hhana is an interesting one - I liked her character, even if she was a bit difficult at times. Highly recommended – not just this book, but the series as a whole. Re-discover it, if it is an old favorite – or introduce yourself and your children or nieces and nephews, etc. to it.