The Prince and the Blight

The Dream Keeper Saga #2

by Kathryn Butler

It's been a month since 12-year-old Lily McKinley was whisked away to the Somnium Realm to rescue her father, and although she's overjoyed to have him home, she can't leave the magical world behind. The glowing stone pendant that transported her is now bringing strange creatures to life against her will, with her paper m�ch� pterodactyl and even scrambled eggs suddenly moving about on their own. Lily tries to pretend that everything is normal, but when her friend Cedric the dragon appears to tell her that an illness has taken over the kingdom, troubling questions haunt her. Where is Prince Pax? If he can save the Somnium Realm like he did before, why won't he stop the blight? Lily and her friends must return to Castle Iridyll to find out.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Christian Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Audiobook, Christian

336 pages, Paperback

Published August 2, 2022

About the author

Kathryn Butler (MD, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons) is a trauma surgeon turned author and homeschooling mom. Her books Between Life and Death: A Gospel-Centered Guide on End-of-Life Medical Care, and Glimmers of Grace: A Doctor's Reflections on Faith, Suffering, and the Goodness of God, reflect upon faith and medicine. She is also the author of The Dream Keeper Saga, a middle grade adventure series with Christian themes. She lives in the woods of Massachusetts, where she loves to read stories with her kids, explore the outdoors, and chase dragons from her kitchen.

Reviews

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why does this book have to end on a cliff hanger? Now I have to wait for the third book to come out later this year😅.

Anyways, I really enjoyed this book. This is the second book in the DreamKeeper Saga. If you like Chronicles of Narnia I think you would really enjoy this series. A fantastical realm that is made of our dreams and nightmares, strangers who become friends through an adventure, and quirky characters. I can't wait to read the third book.

[Lovely Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This one was a lot more convoluted than the first one and had me a bit bored

[Linda Galella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Altho’ this is book 2 in “The Dream Keeper Saga”, “The Prince and the Blight”, by Kathryn Butler can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone novel. She deftly provides enough details from the first adventure in the Realm so that first time readers won’t be left wondering about past events. It’s not done by way of a giant info dump but naturally and usually during conversations between characters.

One reviewer made comment about too much Christian content but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This story is moral, for sure. There’s good against evil but that exists in most fantasy stories. It’s slightly allegorical but far less than say “The Pilgrim’s Progress” which is absolutely Christian literature. The most direct religious item I could find was a character named Pax. Most people, especially kids, won’t recognize the Latin derivative for “peace” to Prince Pax - Prince of Peace - Jesus; yes, allegorical yet tells the truth about him as the ultimate protagonist with preaching.

Starting with the first sentence: “This stuff is like ogre slobber.” I was hooked and so will you and your kids be. It will be a struggle to find a place to stop unless you use chapters as an hard fast break point; didn’t work for me. Excellent world building, appropriate use of humor, edge of your seat adventure, tension, magic and best of all characters you’ll remember for a good long time. Can you say top hat wearing rabbit that speaks French with an attitude?

All things considered, I hope this series continues for many great adventures to come📚

[Luke Rasmussen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and rich in the Gospel. Read it with my oldest and she is hooked!

[Maggie Allyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be one the same "favorite" level as Narnia and the Wingfeather Saga for me. Such a beautiful, moving, action-packed book!

[Addy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keisha is awesome! All the arguments she has with Adam are hilarious.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my kids and they liked it even more than the first book in the series. They followed along well with the allegories to the gospel story. They wanted to keep reading! My 6 year old found Felipe, the French rabbit, very entertaining. We can’t wait to read the next book!

[Racquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this even more than book1!

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily is happy to have her father back, but she also misses her friends in the Somnium Realm. She wishes they were here to help her with the weird things happening with her broken Keeper stone, like occasionally her imagination brings things to life in the real world...thus the paper pterodactyl she's currently struggling with, and the French-speaking rabbit, animated scrambled eggs, and other creatures hiding in her treehouse. It's getting out of control, and Lily's pretty sure the new girl at school, Keisha, saw one. So it is kind of a relief when Cedric shows up and tells her that she's needed in the Somnium Realm to help figure out a cure to a plague that is ravaging both the people and the places she came to care for. With Adam, all the strange creations, and the curious Keisha in tow, Lily is off to see if she can use her abilities to help stop a plague.

A return to the Somnium Realm sees Lily, Adam, and Cedric meeting old and new friends and acquaintances. Things are pretty dire, and the plague is affecting not only the living but even buildings and the land. This 2nd fantasy portal/quest adventure in the Somnium Realm includes a few more Christian allegorical bits than the last (and a scene with heavy nods to a certain scene in Narnia the end of this when Pax sacrifices himself reminded me a lot of the scene with Lucy, Susan, and Aslan before his death) but they are still done very artfully and don't come across as preachy or anything. I liked the addition of Keisha to the cast of characters, and her ability discovered in the Somnium Realm was quite interesting. We get to learn a bit more about Cedric's back story, which was also interesting. There's more exploration of parts of the Somnium Realm locations which expands the world building in natural ways, and Lily's accidental creations provide some needed comic relief. This feels a bit more serious than the first book as it looks at pain and suffering in a fantasy realm (echoing very real questions about why pain and suffering happen in the real world), but is still overall a fun fantasy adventure that explores some deeper themes with tact, allows the imagination to take flight, and sees some important character growth. I'm quite impressed by the quality of writing in this series. Butler does a good job of balancing an overarching plot, world building, and character building so well. It may be the best middle grade fantasy with Christian elements I've seen since Narnia. I can see it having just as broad of an appeal. Highly recommended.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. People are seriously ill and even dying from the plague. One character Lily really cares for succumbs to the plague. Beloved locations are also crumbling to bits. Magic is able to help places, but not the people so much. There are many perilous situations and the evil Eymah is back, trying to get in Lily's head, but there is hope from a certain unicorn.

[Annalise Kraines · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about this series. Compared to a LOT of the other Christian kid lit I've read, this is great, but compared to all the kid lit I've read, this just falls short a bit. Somehow the allegory in this book was even more heavy handed and more Narnia-y than the first one. The worldbuilding continued to be a confusing mix of playful and somber, and the plot moved at a confusing pace. I really enjoyed Barth-- he felt very Paul to me.

[Graci Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did this book have to end on a cliff hanger😩
But I am so excited for the third book!!!😆

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

First sentence: This stuff is like ogre slobber. Lily screwed up her face at the paper-mache paste dripping from her brush and cast a doubtful glance at the mess of newsprint that slouched on the art bench before her.

The Prince and the Blight is the sequel to The Dragon and Stone. In the first book, readers met Lily McKinley, our protagonist, and were swept up and away to a fantasy world. A blend of characters--both human and fantastical--teamed up to conquer evil and 'save' the realm. At the end of the first book, the human characters returned to the 'real' world and the others were left to rebuild their world... It's been a month of our time, but several decades in the fantasy world, and the [fantasy] world needs saving once again. This time it seems even more pervasive and deadly dangerous. This evil blight is spreading and spreading fast--soon they'll be nothing left to save. But can Lily and friends (a few new characters are introduced including Keisha and Barth) save the world again????

Pax, the Prince of the land, is a unicorn. He made a few appearances in the first book--enough to be the ultimate hero--but it's been decades since he was last seen. Pax isn't completely and totally forgotten, but, he's not really foremost or first in anyone's thoughts--or hearts or minds. Lily is learning that all things are possible with Pax, but, she has to place all her faith in Pax. In other words, she has to live every moment as if Pax were in the room with her. She has to believe that Pax is still very much a present help in ALL situations no matter how dangerous.

This one is children's fantasy. If it feels super familiar--that's intentional. It is meant to have all the exact same feels as The Chronicles of Narnia and the like. It does read in some ways like fan fiction for Narnia. There's slight differences to be sure. Lions and unicorns are completely different, right?

I am not sure the same-ness is a bad thing however. Not really. If you think of the target audience and how predictability and familiarity and wanting to know what to expect exactly is just an all too real growing stage. Readers do tend to want a book "like" or "exactly like" one they've just read and loved.

For Christian parents, this fantasy novel is along the same lines as the Chronicles of Narnia series. Some spiritual truths--mainly in regards to Pax and Lily--blended into fantasy. There is magic--light and dark.

I liked the first book. I did. I was pleasantly surprised. I was disappointed with the second book. Don't get me wrong there are a few scenes that are definitely the best of the series. (A few scenes with aha significance and grand meaning.) But I couldn't help wishing that there was one book, one story that managed to have it all.

I also did NOT like the ending at all. I thought the ending was just wrong.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

It became clear to me early on with reading The Prince and the Blight that it is similar to The Chronicles of Narnia. Similar in that it involves human children being transported to another world populated by magical and mythical creatures, and similar in that it is a Christian allegory. One would be hard-pressed to argue that the lion Aslan of Narnia and the unicorn Pax of the Realm do not inhabit similar roles.

I will admit, while I enjoyed The Prince and the Blight, for the most part, I am not much of a fan of overt Christian themes in works. Luckily, they don't really crop up until halfway through the novel and only become really overt at the end.

Ignoring the Christian themes, I did enjoy The Prince and the Blight. However, two scenes gave me pause.

The first is the introduction of Adam. While I have not read the previous book in The Dream Keeper Saga, it is obvious that Adam is a returning character. However, his introduction does not set up his relationship with Lily well. I initially mistook him for Lily's brother but as the scene went on, became clearer that he has no familial relations with her. Even with that cleared up, the end of his introduction still had me confused as to his exact relation to Lily. Is he her friend? Acquaintance? Schoolmate?

The second scene is two-thirds of the way through. It is mentioned throughout the book that Pax destroyed the soothstones at the end of the previous book, with the sliver that Lily has being the only one to remain. Except, when the characters are discussing a person from the previous book who has disappeared during the timeskip, the Realm characters mentioned having only found her soothstone and that it remains where it was found. After mentioning this, they continue acting as though Lily's is the last one. They don't mention it was powerless or cursed or anything, so as far as I know, there is a second soothstone out there that the characters are ignoring even though they are powerful artifacts.

Also, there is some implied ship teasing between Lily and Adam near the end. I'm sorry, but no, I don't find them a good match for each other if that is the case. Friends, sure! Love interests, no.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.50⭐️

Overall good book!

Trigger warning: demon shroud, dark sorceress, warlock monster, magical crystals

Pet peeves:
1. It’s been 40 years since they met (in magical time) and Cedric has been looking for Lily for “months” but they are in such a rush, they simply cannot go on a five minute walk to tell her mom that she’s going to disappear for weeks/months/years… again.
2. Her Dad helped in the past therefore could logically help in the future, but they don’t have time for a five minute walk to go get him… after forty years and several months.
3. Lily created creatures and left for a few months… and came back to find her children had been tortured for 40 years and were rotting bags of flesh. That’s… that’s, like, SUPER horrific. It made my skin crawl.
4. They transport to a magical world of an evil ice sorceress who kills the Jesus-Unicorn while they have their hands in His mane.
5. In the first book, aside from the main girl character, there are dozens of male characters and two women characters. The two women characters are catty and bratty and hate each other and one is the traitor.
In this book there are two main girl characters, tons of guy characters, and!… a betrayer woman character and a dark sorceress. Just kinda made me a little uncomfortable, ya know?
6. A little girl brought a strange man home with her, which worked out fine in fiction.
7. Cliffhanger ending

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prince and The Blight is a children’s Christian action and adventure novel by Kathryn Butler. The Prince and The Blight is installment #2 in The Dreamkeeper Saga.

Wow, all I can say is wow! This series just keeps getting better. The series is recommended for grades 3-7, but anyone who enjoys adventure will love it. It’s easy enough for a third-grader but also an in-depth allegory.

The Prince and The Blight meet up with Lily McKinley and the Realm, from installment #1. The book doesn’t reiterate what was said in installment #1, so you’ll want to read the series in order so you’ll get the full grasp of the series. I believe installment #2 can be read as a standalone but you surely want to read all the books in the series. I read all of installment #2 in two sittings.

Kathryn Butler will be an auto-watch author for me. I eagerly anticipate installment #3. I give The Prince and The Blight 5*/5*.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

[Margaux St. Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even more fast-paced than the first book, Butler’s characters experience more personal growth as they try to get to the source of the mysterious Blight. We also explore new corners of the Somnium Realm, and are introduced to more characters (good, bad and ugly). As with the first book, some elements may be uncomfortable for younger children (e.g., hearing voices, a villain with white eyes). I commend Butler for avoiding dark, disturbing and gory content, and while she does include evil characters, she keeps it to a minimum and focuses on the hopeful and victorious message that good prevails.

Christian themes are even stronger in this book than in the first. We see multiple biblical parallels, some obvious and some more subtle. With more being revealed about certain characters, there are deeper messages threaded throughout the book, adding a beautiful light to the story. Kids may recognize that characters must learn to forgive themselves for past mistakes, overcome pride, and work together as a team.

An exciting sequel to The Dragon and the Stone, leaving many ends loose and question marks dangling, kids will devour this adventurous tale.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a book I would enjoy reading again at some point and one my child is anticipating me buying after recently reading the first book in the series.

While I feel the focus of this book is a little less on character development and more on expanding the world and preparing for future books. The story line is a little slower paced than the first book, but it still contains a unique adventure interspersed with moments that touch the heart. Maybe even more potent as an adult reading with more experience.

I have to admit, I think Glorf is one of my favorite 3rdary characters, limited appearances though he has. The imagination and creativity that went into writing this book allows reading to not just have a good story but to be fun to read as well.

One of my favorite quotes, which is even more powerful when read in context is:
“We all have a role to play, whether we choose it or not.”
-Ch 16

5 stars: Absolutely adored, and if I borrowed it would buy.
4 stars: Really enjoyed, would re-read if I get the chance
3 stars: Glad I read, but probably a one time read because my TBR list is long.

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, 2.5 * rounding up. Both books have been enjoyable in their own right (I especially like Lily's creativity coming to life)... The drawback is that they have both felt like a Narnia rehash and I can't help seeing Aslan underneath Pax's unicorn body (though the unicorn makes me think of Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quintet).

The thing I like the most is the characters and how they work together. I'd like to have seen more time fleshing Adam out in this book, he felt tacked on rather than really part of the adventure. However, the themes of forgiveness, faith (in the One who does not disappoint), and community in this book were good. I also appreciated the dimension given to Barth and the sharing of his backstory. I'm waiting for something truly bad to happen and not be undone... Something all humans have to come to terms with if they live long enough.

I'll see how the next book goes... Hopefully it's less quest-y and more how to live in the dailiness of life.

[Grace J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this series but I will have to content myself with merely liking it.

To be fair, I enjoyed this book more than the first. However, I was really hoping the author would take advantage of the fascinating premise to do some memorable world building. Alas, the author instead relies on one of my least favorite tropes, which is to use rapid fire action sequences to keep the audience engaged rather than a captivating world, plot, or characters. And that actually has the opposite effect, because after the 10th near-death experience I'm having a hard time believing that THIS time the characters might actually die.

I think I would have enjoyed this series more as a kid, and I'd definitely recommend it as a clean and fun book with good themes. But as an adult I was disappointed by the missed opportunities. Maybe it gets better in later books, but the library doesn't have the audiobooks so maybe I'll never know :)

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. What a beautiful continuation to this Christian middle grade fantasy story. The ending has bumped this up to a 5-star read for me with a direct Christian allegorical reference to Jesus and his death on the cross, His resurrection, His ultimate love for us and He is always with us, even when you can’t see Him. Just an amazing second book in the series.

I loved this book even better than book 1. Just something about the ending in this really spoke to me and if I was reading this to my son when he is older, I could see how I could directly correlate Prince Pax and everything said about him to Jesus and His love for us.

Again, we have some major Narnia and Middle Earth vibes and I am so here for it!

In this continuation, we have 12 year old Lily McKinley’s story continuing on as they return to Somnium Realm. Cedric the dragon returns and Lily, Adam and a new friend Keisha go back to the realm after finding out a mysterious “blight” or “sickness” has taken over the Kingdom and threatens to destroy everything in its path. Lily and her friends embark on the journey to save the kingdom, find Prince Pax and all the answers to their questions.

This kept me on the edge of my seat and I can’t wait for another book in the series to come out! Such an adventure story and love the biblical themes and direct parallels. I highly recommend this!

Thank you to Crossway and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy to honestly read and review. I can’t wait to talk about this on my YouTube channel! I plan to purchase a physical copy for my home, I love this so much!

[Andie Dole · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was dreadful. The only characters that aren't flat are the French rabbit and Cedric's angry wife, and they have very small roles in the story.
Lily is plagued by guilt and anxiety over everything. She doesn't comprehend anything anyone says and has to repeat what they say back to her in question form 3 times to finally get it, and then she still doesn't listen. But it's not the kind of bravery that that makes a hero, it just makes her seem like a disobedient kid who thinks she knows better even if it screws everything up. And then she has to be comforted for a prolonged period of time. Repeat that over and over, and there's the book. The end.

My kids enjoyed this, so there is that, but it isn't for me, their narrator.

[Emma James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this series by a Christian book influencer on Instagram, and was intrigued. I read the first one and liked it well enough, but felt that it didn't have as many Biblical concepts as I thought it might. This second book however had a lot more Biblical concepts that make it very obvious! I enjoyed this adventure more than the first, it had a lot more weight. I think this story maybe had too many places involved in the timeline, at least listening to the audiobook I couldn't quite keep up with where they were supposed to be sometimes. Overall a great story, would recommend and I'm looking forward to the next book.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve year old Lily McKinley's story continues. After rescuing her father from the Somnium Realm, Lily longs to return. So when Cedric the dragon reappears, she's anxious to go back. But Cedric carries grave news: a mysterious illness has overtaken the kingdom and is threatening to destroy everything. But what of the powerful Prince Pax? Where has he disappeared to and why is he not stepping in to save everyone? Lily has many questions and must return to Castle Iridyll to find the answers. In this sequel to The Dragon and the Stone, Kathryn Butler takes us back to her beloved characters and mixes fantasy with biblical concepts, creating an exciting middle school read.

After reading the first book in this series, I was so excited to see the author writing a sequel. Butler keeps the story engaging and exciting, for both my 10 year old and for me. We both loved it. The story is sweeping, the characters are a realistic mix of integrity and flaws, and the plot carries the reader in an epic battle of good vs evil. This series is proving to an adventurous journey through magical lands with complex characters and deeply biblical themes. We're loving these books that are reminiscent of the Green Ember series with elements of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Great read!

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Christie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

We (me and my 3 kids) enjoyed this book much more than the first one! This one was better plotted so we could thoroughly enjoy the excellent writing because we felt like something was happening. There were a few nice spiritual parallels that weren't overbearing, and most scenes and characters felt necessary in this second installment.

I did take one star off because I felt like there was a LOT at the beginning of the book that was unnecessary and the author could have gotten to the point a lot better without the cliche school taunting.

[Ashley Chabrecek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great work of literature in honor of our Creator and Savior. I love Jesus and I love literature. Giving glory to Jesus, through literature, has a special place in my heart. Any small short comings this series has in literary quality are more than made up for by the light these books shine on Jesus. If you are looking for a Christian fantasy series to read with your children, this is a great one.

[Falon Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. My daughter insisted I read it! I like how fast paced it is although I do wish there was a little more at times to help me attach to characters. The whole idea of this world of dreams really grabs my attention. I love that it’s pulling from obvious biblical themes, it does tend to be a little preachy for my taste but for the young audience it’s intended for I think the author did well. I look forward to continuing the series and discussing this book with my tween!

[Sammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️. Much better than the first book of the series! It solidified itself as a recommendation I'd give to young readers. I still am not quite jiving with unicorn Jesus and instead picture him as Aslan, however, I much more enjoyed the faster pace of this book and the more layered approach to solving their quest compared to the first in which I felt that it was, "Problem. Poof. Magical creature to the rescue. Another problem. Poof. Magical creature to the rescue," and so on.

[Brian Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s book 2…
Lily finds herself with her friends back in the Realm but it’s no longer the beautiful place she left.
All around her everything is dying, but why? They all must embark on a journey into the unknown to find a cure for the Blight. Can they succeed?
It’s a kids book age range I think is 10-12? I found it very entertaining reading.

[Kaitlin Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 5 stars is not for myself as adult, who found this mid grade fantasy kind of boring until the end (for myself I’d give it a 3), but for my kids who will have full freedom to read this series when they are old enough. I have listened to the 1st and 2nd books in this series now and will not continue myself, but know that this series is safe and Christian!

[Kenneth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fully the first half of the book consists of three children whining about innocuous complaints. The second half of the book is so overtly an allegory of the Christian gospel that the plot falls apart to support the underlying allegorical message.