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UK Amazon

This is the second book in the Shadow of the Dragon series. I have not read the first book, but after reading the second book I will be keeping my eyes open for the first book, Shadow of the Dragon (Book One Kira).

Here’s the breakdown:

Hook/Setting: The opening picks up where the first book left off and I think that the setting is described very well, I can picture the various scenes in my head without trouble.

Character(s): This story focus on Kira’s youngest sister, Elspeth. I like Elspeth, she is a kind girl who wants things to be fair and just. She loves animals and has a unique controlling ability over them and they try to rescue her when she is in trouble. There is a variety of characters new and old in this story that bring the story along nicely.

Events/Plots: The plot is original and interesting. There is suspense and mystery throughout the story and secrets are revealed. This book is easy to get into.

Reader Excitability/Overall Presentation: I would recommend this book to those who have read the first book and to people who enjoy stories with dragons, animals, and people who never lose hope.
Review by N.C., 15-yrs old, BiblioReads.com

Ms O’Hearn has done it again in this brilliant sequel to her debut novel. It’s a real page turner full of adventure, mystery and magic with more than a few twists and turns and I loved the wicked twins.
Keep it up, I thoroughly enjoted it!
By: Rosie Goodwin

This book was asked for by my granddaughter as she had read the first one. According to her it is an excellent read for her age group (13).
By: Jean Barclay

US Amazon

Shadow of the Dragon has a little bit of everything, romance, mystery, adventure, and more. Kira and Elspeth are the main characters that are leading a rebellion to abolish an unfair law. During their adventure, they visit the future, past, and back to the present following a prophecy. This is a interesting book and every page leaves you wanting more. With an unexpected ending, this book is wonderful to read!

Shadow of the Dragon caught my attention from page one! I can honestly say I didn’t want to put it down. The main characters (Kira and Elspeth) really are exciting and make the story all the better. The author, Kate O’Hearn, really excelled on this story. The story is not only original and exciting, but it also presents a unexpected twist. This book left me wanting more, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone.

Reviewed by a young adult student reviewer
Flamingnet Book Reviews
Teen books reviewed by teen reviewers

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal Grade 5–8—In book one, Kira and Elspeth’s sister, Kahrin, is sent to a prison for murderers and unmarried women, and the two girls make their way to Rogue Mountain, home to a group of friendly dragons and a wizard named Paradon, to rescue her. Now, the sisters and their dragon friends attempt to travel three seasons into the future in order to defeat the evil monarch and abolish his dreadful laws. However, Paradon’s spell goes awry and causes Kira and Kahrin to get sent 3000 seasons into the future while Elspeth goes the same number of seasons into the past. When they reach their destinations, they’re attacked and the dragons are seriously injured and exhausted from the flight. Separated from one another and far from home, Kira, Kahrin, and Elspeth now face their most difficult tasks yet. Can they return to their time and defeat Lord Dorcon and King Arden? Set in a kingdom ruled by a law that restricts the freedom of unmarried women, the author does a great job of creating an action-packed adventure filled with suspense and even a little romance. The characters are well developed, and the plot is fast-paced and entertaining. Although this book can be read as a stand-alone, children will get more out of it if they’re familiar with Shadow of the Dragon (Kane/Miller, 2009).—Kira Moody, Hunter Public Library, West Valley City, UT

Elspeth
Review by Loralei Haylock of Bookbag www.thebookbag.co.uk

After avoiding Lord Dorcon through part one of Shadow of the Dragon, Kira’s nemesis finally caught up with her at Paradon’s castle. The wizard used his magic to protect her, sending her through time to escape Dorcon and his Dragon Knights. But Paradon’s spells have a habit of going wrong. He meant to send Kira and her family three seasons into the future but actually sent Kira, Dane and Shanks-spar three thousand seasons forwards, and Elspeth and her fox, Onnie, three thousand seasons backwards. They are safe from the evil Lord Dorcon, but in these strange worlds there are new, worse dangers to face.

As Elspeth waits for years for her family to find her, honing her magical ability to talk to animals, Kira and the others face terrifying metal machines that fly in the air like dragons, only more deadly. A very old Paradon has been waiting for them all this time, and brings them to the safety of his mountain, but the dragons are badly injured. They have to find a way back before the soldiers of this new world reach them, not just for Elspeth, but to fulfill the prophecy and bring down the tyrannical King Arden.

The concluding part of O’Hearn’s Shadow of the Dragon story is every bit as fast paced and exciting as the first. Taking the fantasy into a modern day world similar to our own was an interesting twist, and the book maintains the good moral values the first promoted.

Time travel is a difficult thing to do without tying yourself in knots, and I’m fairly sure that there was a flaw in Elspeth. It bugged me for a few chapters that the future Kira arrives in is horrible as a result of the prophecy going unfulfilled, but if she goes back in time and fulfils it, that world won’t exist and Paradon would have no need to wait there to send her back… But that’s me, I’m a stickler for time travel paradoxes, I doubt the average eight year old is going to sweat the finer details.

Elspeth is a really fun fantasy adventure with enough twists and surprises to keep things fresh. Great characters, good comedy, action, adventure and dragons. What more could a young fantasy fan ask for? A very satisfying conclusion to Shadow of the Dragon.