KING'S DRAGON
By Kate Elliott

Reviewed by Eoghann Irving

Just finished reading this recently.  Its billed as volume one of the
"Crown Of Stars", a series of unspecified length.  Its 591 pages and
cost me a whopping £6.99.  Thats approximately $11.00.  I discovered
recently that it would be cheaper for me to buy an import of the
American print of a British book than to buy the British version. :-(

There are a lot of very familiar elements to this book.  We have a
young lad who never knew his parents.  A young girl who is being
hunted by something or someone.  Its got Elves.  But its not quite what 
it seems.  For a start the Dragon of the title is not what you think it 
is.

The starting points may be cliches, but Kate Elliott does some
interesting and original things with them.  The background of the book
is heavily based on Christian Europe.  Religion is very important in
this world, and also very believable.

Its not just that though.  The characters are complex.  Having
finished book one I still am not clear exactly who are the good guys
and who are the bad guys.  In fact I don't even know what the good
guys or the bad guys are trying to do yet.  Its rather refreshing I
must say.

The character from which this novel's title is taken actually plays a
fairly small part in this book.  I'm not sure if his part will be
bigger in book two, which also appears to be named after him.
 
One admirable trait the author has is a happiness to do beastly things
to her characters.  Several meet grizzly ends.  Those who don't
actually die tend to suffer in other ways.

So, a solid fantasy book.  I'm all ready for part two...

8/10