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Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere
Dirk is a budding boy wizard who hatched as a dragon and has a ring that turns him back into one. For his summer vacation, he's leaving Roman Britannia on a secret journey to tell the dragon who raised him she's free from a curse.
He doesn't realize he's being tracked by his worst enemy, the sorceress who abducted him as a baby and blames him for her husband's death. Treacherous Ethelda thinks Dirk has her fiendishly powerful wand and she'll do anything to get it back. The Roman Army wants the Wand of the Black Sphere, too, worried Ethelda will use it against them, and they're looking for Dirk, the last one seen with it. But Dirk's halfway around the world dealing with monsters and magic they couldn't imagine.
Packed with intrigue and humor, this final book in the illustrated Dragon Lad trilogy joins The Thirteenth Egg and Tale of the Talisman for spectacular storytelling.
He doesn't realize he's being tracked by his worst enemy, the sorceress who abducted him as a baby and blames him for her husband's death. Treacherous Ethelda thinks Dirk has her fiendishly powerful wand and she'll do anything to get it back. The Roman Army wants the Wand of the Black Sphere, too, worried Ethelda will use it against them, and they're looking for Dirk, the last one seen with it. But Dirk's halfway around the world dealing with monsters and magic they couldn't imagine.
Packed with intrigue and humor, this final book in the illustrated Dragon Lad trilogy joins The Thirteenth Egg and Tale of the Talisman for spectacular storytelling.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2019
1 person want to read
About the author
J.C. Stevens
3 books3 followersJ. C. Stevens began writing fiction, nonfiction and poetry at age five. The author's first and favorite stories were about ghosts, witches and other spooky creatures. As an adult, Stevens served as a newspaper reporter, editor and teacher.
"Dragon Lad: The Thirteenth Egg," the first book in the Dragon Lad trilogy, debuted in 2015. The second book in the trilogy, "Dragon Lad: Tale of the Talisman," appeared in 2017. The third and final book, "Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere," was published in 2019. Stevens lives in Southern California. To learn more, visit http://www.dragonseggbooks.com.
"Dragon Lad: The Thirteenth Egg," the first book in the Dragon Lad trilogy, debuted in 2015. The second book in the trilogy, "Dragon Lad: Tale of the Talisman," appeared in 2017. The third and final book, "Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere," was published in 2019. Stevens lives in Southern California. To learn more, visit http://www.dragonseggbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 16, 2021
I liked the book. Its great for middle schoolers and has all the elements to make it a fun read for 13 yr olds. I've not read the first 2.parts to this trilogy and its really recommended that one follows the story in right order. Part 1 and 2 deal.with Dirk our hero hatching from.a dragon's egg and his journey to find his human parents. The time period is set during the Roman period and there are references to Nero and Christ's crucification.
The descriptions of the town and its archaeology, as well as the bathing houses commonly found during that period is really well done. Its a very informative book and capsulates life in Roman period well- their agriculture, travel, making weapons and their army life. It also talks about evils of indiscriminate killing of animals amd.to.look after our forests.
This story takes off from Dirk finding and adjusting to his real human parents. He wants to take final journey to.meet his dragon.mother and pass on a message to her. Making new friendships, helping out others and just live cohesively in peace with each other is a very important message here. I loved the lesson taught to Dirk, First start with words , then magic and finally if all fails resort to using weapons.
The characters are all well etched out and likeable. I would definitely recommend this series to kids upto.14 yrs.
Recommend: 👍
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The descriptions of the town and its archaeology, as well as the bathing houses commonly found during that period is really well done. Its a very informative book and capsulates life in Roman period well- their agriculture, travel, making weapons and their army life. It also talks about evils of indiscriminate killing of animals amd.to.look after our forests.
This story takes off from Dirk finding and adjusting to his real human parents. He wants to take final journey to.meet his dragon.mother and pass on a message to her. Making new friendships, helping out others and just live cohesively in peace with each other is a very important message here. I loved the lesson taught to Dirk, First start with words , then magic and finally if all fails resort to using weapons.
The characters are all well etched out and likeable. I would definitely recommend this series to kids upto.14 yrs.
Recommend: 👍
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 7, 2021
Stevens introduces an absorbing fantasy world of dragons, humans, witches, and wizards, taking his young protagonist on many nail-biting adventures in this impressive middle grade fantasy series, the three-part Dragon Lad trilogy.
In the debut installment, the small-bird size young dragon, Dorg discovers a shocking truth about his own identity: he may not be a dragon at all. He hatched small because of a curse. Coming to terms with this new revelation is not easy for Dorg, leaving him eager to search for his birth family, and his transformation to a human boy complicates the things further.
The second installment continues Dorg’s story, who as a boy is known as Dirk. Trying to locate his birth family in the Roman-ruled Britannia, Dirk sets on a horrendous journey.
The third installment sees Dirk surrounded by enemies, with Treacherous Ethelda determined to settle her old scores and the Roman army in search of the magical black sphere.
Steven’s dragons are fully realized characters, with emotions, aspirations, loyalty, and inner struggles. Adorable and sometimes frustrating, Dirk is an entirely believable character. It’s impossible for the reader not to root for him. Dirk’s longing for the parents and siblings he never knew are conveyed with authenticity. Beldor and Ydda are absolutely adorable. The villains are thoroughly sinister and intimidating. Stevens focuses on each character in relation to Dorg, and because of that, other characters may not appear fully realized. Yet each of them undergoes an alteration.
The history of Romans, their ways of life, and the geopolitics of the time period are smoothly woven into the adventure plot. Stevens’s world is a robustly diverse one, and he continues to develop it throughout all the three instalments, fleshing out the historical relationship between dragons and humans. Along the way, he explores serious issues of identity, self-discovery, family bond, friendship, children’s need to fit in, and what it means to be humane in a manner that is both honest and accessible.
The setting is authentic—from the springs at Aquae Sulis as a healing place and resort to ancient dragon caves—every place comes alive. The accompanied illustrations are pleasing to eyes and bring both the story and the characters to life. Filled with action and adventure, the story entertains from start to finish.
Middle graders who like their fantasy seasoned with feisty characters and nonstop action won’t want to put it down.
In the debut installment, the small-bird size young dragon, Dorg discovers a shocking truth about his own identity: he may not be a dragon at all. He hatched small because of a curse. Coming to terms with this new revelation is not easy for Dorg, leaving him eager to search for his birth family, and his transformation to a human boy complicates the things further.
The second installment continues Dorg’s story, who as a boy is known as Dirk. Trying to locate his birth family in the Roman-ruled Britannia, Dirk sets on a horrendous journey.
The third installment sees Dirk surrounded by enemies, with Treacherous Ethelda determined to settle her old scores and the Roman army in search of the magical black sphere.
Steven’s dragons are fully realized characters, with emotions, aspirations, loyalty, and inner struggles. Adorable and sometimes frustrating, Dirk is an entirely believable character. It’s impossible for the reader not to root for him. Dirk’s longing for the parents and siblings he never knew are conveyed with authenticity. Beldor and Ydda are absolutely adorable. The villains are thoroughly sinister and intimidating. Stevens focuses on each character in relation to Dorg, and because of that, other characters may not appear fully realized. Yet each of them undergoes an alteration.
The history of Romans, their ways of life, and the geopolitics of the time period are smoothly woven into the adventure plot. Stevens’s world is a robustly diverse one, and he continues to develop it throughout all the three instalments, fleshing out the historical relationship between dragons and humans. Along the way, he explores serious issues of identity, self-discovery, family bond, friendship, children’s need to fit in, and what it means to be humane in a manner that is both honest and accessible.
The setting is authentic—from the springs at Aquae Sulis as a healing place and resort to ancient dragon caves—every place comes alive. The accompanied illustrations are pleasing to eyes and bring both the story and the characters to life. Filled with action and adventure, the story entertains from start to finish.
Middle graders who like their fantasy seasoned with feisty characters and nonstop action won’t want to put it down.
January 29, 2021
🧙 💍 🐉 Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere by J.C. Stevens 🐉💍🧙
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Dirk is a budding boy wizard who hatched as a dragon and has a ring that turns him back into one. For his summer vacation, he's leaving Roman Britannia on a secret journey to tell the dragon who raised him she's free from a curse.
He doesn't realize he's being tracked by his worst enemy, the sorceress who abducted him as a baby and blames him for her husband's death. Treacherous Ethelda thinks Dirk has her fiendishly powerful wand and she'll do anything to get it back.
The Roman Army wants the Wand of the Black Sphere, too, worried Ethelda will use it against them, and they're looking for Dirk, the last one seen with it. But Dirk's halfway around the world dealing with monsters and magic they couldn't imagine.
_______________________________________________
I really loved this story and where it ended. It was such a magical ride and a great concept. I didn’t read any of the other books in the series (this being book III) and I had no problem following along. I think maybe the other two would’ve added more background and I would’ve understood Dirk better, but I didn’t mind reading this first.
Dirk is such a great character and the concept of this story was so magical. I had a really fun and enjoyable time with this story that I finished it in one sitting. It was so interesting and amazing. I really did like and enjoy this. Also, I was super intrigued and hooked from the beginning that I would definitely recommend this if you’re into and want a magical experience. Full with wizards, dragons, monsters, and so much more. Literally the magic never stops and I really enjoyed that. This is a middle grade novel, but I personally didn’t mind it. I really enjoy Harry Potter and this story gave me bits and pieces of it. It sometimes reminded me from it and that really means a lot. I would highly suggest this if you want a fast, enjoyable, and magical read.
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Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
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**I received a copy of this magical book for an honest review. So, thank you NetGalley, J.C. Stevens, and Dragon’s Egg Books**
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Dirk is a budding boy wizard who hatched as a dragon and has a ring that turns him back into one. For his summer vacation, he's leaving Roman Britannia on a secret journey to tell the dragon who raised him she's free from a curse.
He doesn't realize he's being tracked by his worst enemy, the sorceress who abducted him as a baby and blames him for her husband's death. Treacherous Ethelda thinks Dirk has her fiendishly powerful wand and she'll do anything to get it back.
The Roman Army wants the Wand of the Black Sphere, too, worried Ethelda will use it against them, and they're looking for Dirk, the last one seen with it. But Dirk's halfway around the world dealing with monsters and magic they couldn't imagine.
_______________________________________________
I really loved this story and where it ended. It was such a magical ride and a great concept. I didn’t read any of the other books in the series (this being book III) and I had no problem following along. I think maybe the other two would’ve added more background and I would’ve understood Dirk better, but I didn’t mind reading this first.
Dirk is such a great character and the concept of this story was so magical. I had a really fun and enjoyable time with this story that I finished it in one sitting. It was so interesting and amazing. I really did like and enjoy this. Also, I was super intrigued and hooked from the beginning that I would definitely recommend this if you’re into and want a magical experience. Full with wizards, dragons, monsters, and so much more. Literally the magic never stops and I really enjoyed that. This is a middle grade novel, but I personally didn’t mind it. I really enjoy Harry Potter and this story gave me bits and pieces of it. It sometimes reminded me from it and that really means a lot. I would highly suggest this if you want a fast, enjoyable, and magical read.
____________________________________________
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
____________________________________________
**I received a copy of this magical book for an honest review. So, thank you NetGalley, J.C. Stevens, and Dragon’s Egg Books**
February 9, 2021
Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere is the third book in J.C. Stevens’ Dragon Lad series. This book gives young readers a story following a young boy by the name of Dirk as he makes his way back to the dragon mother who hatched him from an egg when he was cursed into being a dragon, to let her know that he is okay and has returned to being a human boy. His journey reunites him with old friends, and a danger that stalks his path in a quest for revenge for a past “wrong.” This story has illustrations scattered throughout to further capture and engage readers into this storyline.
Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere is an engaging story about young Dirk and how he learns things about not just himself, but his family as well. He’s glad to be back home, but he’s not thrilled about some of the things he’s having to deal with (i.e. shearing a sheep who doesn’t like him.) I have to admit that I like how young Dirk struggles with a variety of small situations usually surrounding animals that he manages to offend in some manner. Briefly I was curious as to what dangers that he would be facing in this story, but the author soon points that out in the form of an old familiar character holding a grudge and seeking revenge.
If you have read the previous books in this series then this book really is an enjoyable addition. The author does give readers a small synopsis in bits and pieces in the first chapter of this story, but I’d recommend that you have read the previous books recently so that the storyline is fresh in your head. I enjoyed how the storyline flows and overall it is well written and age appropriate for younger readers.
So, I am choosing to rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I like how the illustrations are scattered throughout the story at strategic places to further engage readers.
Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere is an engaging story about young Dirk and how he learns things about not just himself, but his family as well. He’s glad to be back home, but he’s not thrilled about some of the things he’s having to deal with (i.e. shearing a sheep who doesn’t like him.) I have to admit that I like how young Dirk struggles with a variety of small situations usually surrounding animals that he manages to offend in some manner. Briefly I was curious as to what dangers that he would be facing in this story, but the author soon points that out in the form of an old familiar character holding a grudge and seeking revenge.
If you have read the previous books in this series then this book really is an enjoyable addition. The author does give readers a small synopsis in bits and pieces in the first chapter of this story, but I’d recommend that you have read the previous books recently so that the storyline is fresh in your head. I enjoyed how the storyline flows and overall it is well written and age appropriate for younger readers.
So, I am choosing to rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I like how the illustrations are scattered throughout the story at strategic places to further engage readers.
February 24, 2021
I love the entire story. So much so, that I want to read the rest of the series. Dirk gets his ring so he can control his dragon form. Then he flies off to see Beldor and Ydda on his way to see his dragon mother. When he flies back, his mother joins him but when they get to Hibernia, they are caught by the little folk. The sorceress Ethelda is there, enchanting the little folk to do her bidding so they put Dirk on trial for supposed wrongs to Ethelda. So fun, this is a great book for middle schoolers. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews