Saturday, December 12, 2020

Review of The Darkness Within (A Dragon's Spell, book 4)

 The Darkness Within (A Dragon’s Spell, book 4)

Author: Abby Arthur

Publisher: Abby Arthur

Publication Date: December 2020

    In this fourth and final short story in a four-story series, the three royal siblings of Jasikx and the adopted son of the dragon who controls them are sent on a mission together. Twins Tarrek and Albree, their sister Sheva, and their accomplice Zi are a powerful four. But faced with two enemy dragons, a highly trained samurai, and the samurai’s family, they find themselves desperately struggling just to survive, let alone acquire the samurai target the dragon sent them after.

    Albree is the archetype perfect teenage boy - with bravery, looks, charm, and wit to spare. Fortunately, his potentially annoying perfection is leavened with comedic sarcasm. Quietly intelligent, cheeky in the way that comes with being the older twin, and thoughtfully solemn at points, Tarrek is Albree’s well-matched counterpart. Sheva, cheeky sister and eager fighter, brings humor to match Tarrek’s seriousness and power and prowess to battle. Zi  - a sassy, skilled, unlikely partner to the royal trio - is an entertainer out of battle and a fierce, levelheaded opponent when he needs to complete a mission. The convergence of all four characters in this, the fourth and final installment, brings the collection to a climactic end anticipatory of the next volume. I would recommend this short story to middle grade fantasy readers looking for a familiar type of kingdom - one with heroes bound to save people, but also needing to fight their own demons.


D. K. Nuray, age 14


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