Dragonspell by Donita K. Paul Published by: Water Brook Press (2004) 334 pages Rating: 8/10 Buy it Now:    Also by Donita K. Paul: Dragonquest Dragonknight Dragonfire Dragonlight

I love dragons. Doesn't everyone?

Okay, maybe not. But dragons have always been a staple of fiction, especially fantasy... which I suppose could easily be defined by the existence of a dragon...

Anyway, I was quite delighted to read Donita K. Paul's new book, Dragonspell. The cover advertises it as "A Fantastic Journey of Discovery for All Ages." That's the publisher's way of saying, "this book is good for younger readers, but it's also good for adults." I guess that causes marketing problems. I hope no adults avoid it because of that "all ages" label, because the marketing phrase is quite right. This book is good for all ages (well... to a point, I suppose. My five-year-old daughter might not understand it very well). The reading level of this story is probably just above the Chronicles of Narnia, but not as "adult" as The Lord of the Rings, for example.

Dragonspell is the story of a young slave-girl named Kale. When she finds a dragon's egg, the villagers send her to The Hall, to become a servant to Paladin. Along the way, her journey is side-tracked by other servants of Paladin, who need Kale's help. A meech dragon (it's explained, trust me) egg has been stolen by the evil wizard Risto. Kale is the only one who can find it. Along the way, they are joined by other allies, encounter danger and adventure, and learn more about their relationship to the Creator of all things.

There are many ingredients here that are borrowed from previous fantasies, of course. Each of Kale's companions fits into the usual "diverse band of adventurers" that are a staple of the genre. But it's the way that Donita Paul puts them together and mixes them up that makes this an excellent read. The quest for a special item is the usual type of adventure, but the ending might just surprise you.

While danger and evil are real and present throughout the story, a light humor pervades it as well. The absent-minded friendly wizard has been done before, but my favorite element is easily the fainting baby dragon. Hilarious.

The spiritual aspect is also handled quite well. We could all learn a lesson about guarding our thoughts from the teaching Kale receives on resisting Risto's mind-talk. The pure joy of being a servant of Jesus, realizing who He is, and that He loves us individually is portrayed in a wonderful way.

If you enjoy traditional fantasy stories within a well-crafted world, this is for you. Recommended.