Hello. This will be the new home for over 800 book reviews that I have written between 1997 and the end of 2010. They used to be found at http://www.deadtreesreview.com/, but that site will be discontinued.

My newer reviews will be found at http://www.deadtreesreview.blogspot.com/.








Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Hero and the Crown

The Hero and The Crown, Robin McKinley, Ace Books, 1984

This is the fantasy story of Aerin, daughter of a king, whose mother, who died in childbirth, was said to be a witch from the feared North.

Aerin grows up, fulfilling everyone's lack of expectations of her. One day, while nursing back to health the king's injured war horse, she finds an ancient book of dragon lore. After much trial and error, she recreates an old recipe for an ointment that repels dragonfire, and after teaching herself fighting on horseback, she takes care of some small dragons harassing a nearby village (without telling her father).

She gets quite a reputation as a dragon killer, also killing the Dragon of Dragons, an adventure that nearly kills her.

Recovering at the castle, one night Aerin rides off to find this man who speaks to her in her dreams. She becomes not exactly mortal, and brings back the Great Crown, lost for generations, just in time to prevent the destruction of the castle by the Northerners.

This is an engrossing, well-done story. It's a great book to introduce young people to fantasy, and even for veteran readers, it's recommended.
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