Book Review: Dragonstar

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[5 stars]

Dragonstar Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Barbara Hambly
Class/Genre: Fantasy Dragons
Series: DragonsBane # 3
Del Rey, Jun 2002, $24.95, 292 pp.

Dragonslayer Lord John Aversin waits death for the hideous crime of trafficking with demons though his cause was noble and honorable. Still, his fate may seem helpless, but John tries to figure out a way to escape his incarceration before the executioner completes the task of killing him. Perhaps at one time his beloved Jenny Waynest could have saved him through her magic, but she lost that when he chose humanity, specifically her husband, in a previous battle.

The Demon Queen Aohila visits John in his cell informing the condemned man that his spouse Jenny is dying from the poisoned arrows of the gnomes. The dragon comes next and takes John away from certain death even as war between the armies of hell and humanity explodes. Will John find and save his Jenny and if so will they finally comprehend friend from foe in a realm in which magic makes it impossible to delineate who will amiably dine with you while plotting to kill you?

Though a fine recap opens the exciting epic fantasy DRAGONSTAR, to fully savor the tale the audience needs to read previous novels in the series (see DRAGONSBANE, DRAGONSHADOW and KNIGHT OF THE DEMON QUEEN). The story line continues the adventures of John and Jenny yet retain consistency through these two heroes. The action packed story line provides closure to previous threads while containing the belief that good and evil depends on the relationship between the transmitter and the receiver. Barbara Hambly has another winner that will more than satisfy her fans.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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