The Dragon of Trelian - Review
The Dragon of Trelian - Review
Calen, a mage's apprentice makes fast friends with the spunky princess Meg, one of the daughters of the King of Trelian. She considers her new friend immediately trustworthy, and shares a brilliant secret with him. The two share adventures and dangers. This story about kingdoms and castles, mages and princess, secrets and friendships will entertain you with its fairy tale like feel.
First off, because the story co-stars a mage's apprentice, there is the practice of magic, including divination. So beware this content if you prefer the books for your children to be free of this.
I liked the way the friendship of the two children developed, and how the were very faithful to one another. Now the book is called the Dragon of Trelian, so where does he come in? He's next. Meg found the dragon (her little secret to Calen), whom she named Jakl, and she develops this special bond with him. Calen helps Meg learn about the dragon through research in the library. The link between Meg and Jackl is a powerful one, especially when Meg opens herself to the dragon. Here is an excerpt where Meg debates fully embracing the link to her dragon:
Jakl was depending on her. He needed her, and she kept trying to shut him out. She had to find a way to live with the link. To embrace it, as Calen had said. To live fully in the reality of her situation instead of clinging to a past that was already beyond her reach. She owed it to herself and to her dragon. Her dragon, she thought again. Jakl had claimed her as his own from the beginning. It was time for her to claim him in return. "All right," she said softly, let me go.And so she links to the dragon and instead of being overpowered by him she finds their identity together to be a pleasant experience.
This was an interesting, different sort of book, but I do think it meandered at times. I found the middle to require patience to get through, but worth the investment of time as this is a big book (400+ pages).
What I didn't like was the vengeful spirit Meg possessed throughout the book (which did change somewhat by the ending). She desires at one point to plunge a knife deeply into her enemy's throat. Yikes! That is quite a wish for a young princess. But, instead of me spoiling some of the plot points you'll have to read to discover why a young girl could possess such strong emotions.
Overall, the Dragon of Trelian was an enjoyable read and the author pulls the story together nicely from beginning, to middle to a satisfying conclusion.
Here are the other bloggers on this book tour: A Christian Worldview of Fiction, Abby the Librarian, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Homeschool Book Buzz, KidzBookBuzz.com, Novel Teen, Reading is My Superpower, Reading to Know, Small World Reads, The 160 Acrewoods, Through a Child’s Eyes, Through the Looking Glass Reviews
I have an entry on my blog about the workbooks today that will give you a little more information. http://booksandboys.blogspot.com
Max Elliot Anderson
Links to this post
- dragon of trelian wrap-up
- dragon of trelian it's over. i hate to say it, but it's time to bid a fond farewell meg and calen, the kids from the dragon of trelian. i hope the ms. knudsen is cracking on the sequel so we can meet up with these friends again soon. ...
- dragon of trelian ~ blog tour day two
- day two of the dragon of trelian tour! here are more great posts~. reviews at: becky's book review; abby the librarian; cafe of dreams; dolce bellezza; homeschool book buzz; small world reads; 160 acre woods; through a child's eyes ...
- blog tour, day 2
- the dragon of trelian blog tour continues! (edited since this morning to include interviews/reviews posted during the day) new interviews: becky's book reviews reading is my superpower through the looking glass new reviews: ...
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