When the appearance of a magical creature threatens the Great Heroes of Elter, the hero's greatest fan, Kien Aiyo, a young child, attempts to "save" them. But little does Kien know that his efforts accidentally attracted the attentions of a power hungry prince who inadvertently drags the boy into a fruitless quest. Along the way, young Kien learns things that make him not only question his love for his Heroes, but also what it means to be good or evil.
This is a fine book about dragons, wizards, and little boys growing up to see the world as neither good nor bad, but often a giant blur of gray. The story is pretty fast paced and fairly full of action. The boy comes into his own wizardry and teacher almost by accident in the middle of turmoil as the three countries become embroiled in a world war. He learns from the "good wizard" and from the "bad wizard" as well. While the bad wizard needs him for survival.