  | Three tasks for a dragon Author: Colfer, Eoin | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
Studious Prince Lir is next in line to become the Wolfhound King, but he can't ride a horse, lift a sword, or summon the fabled wolfhounds. So his stepmother decrees that her own son will inherit the crown instead, sending Lir away on a seemingly impossible--and assuredly fatal--quest: to rescue the maiden Cethlenn from the once-fearsome dragon Lasvarg. However, neither prince nor dragon has bargained on the dark magic that manipulates them both -- and it may be left to the maiden herself to save them all.
| Illustrator: | Lynch, P.J. |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (08/01/23)
Booklist (+) (12/01/23)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/10/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 08/08/2023 *Starred Review* Prince Lir ought to become king of Lagin after his father’s death. Instead, due to his duplicitous stepbrother, he finds himself exiled for from his beloved kingdom. Lir would much rather be thinking, learning, and inventing than be king, but he’s distraught by the prospect of leaving home. Another option arises to lift his banishment—rescue a young woman, Cethlenn, from the clutches of the dragon Lasvarg, who can no longer fly or breathe fire (though he does his best to keep that information under wraps). Undaunted, Lir offers the dragon an ancient traditional arrangement: Lir will complete three tasks for Lasvarg in exchange for the prisoner and safe return to Lagin. Though the dragon is confident he’ll eventually gulp Lir down, both Lasvarg and Cethlenn are intrigued by the earnest young man, and uneasy alliances form. But for how long? It’s a fabulous fairy tale with a standout style that feels pleasingly traditional and yet terrifically fresh, and the well-drawn characters often subvert classic genre expectations. The elegant text is sonorous and suspenseful, always with the feeling of a twinkle in its eye, and every page is splendidly illustrated, with the text set on top of soft, full-bleed artwork and the word blocks contoured to the handsome pencil drawings that surround. A wonderfully classic fairy tale that still surprises and delights. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
