The Hero and the Crown (Damar #2)
Summary:
Aerin is an outcast in her own father’s court, daughter of the foreign woman who, it was rumored, was a witch, and enchanted the king to marry her.
She makes friends with her father’s lame, retired warhorse, Talat, and discovers an old, overlooked, and dangerously imprecise recipe for dragon-fire-proof ointment in a dusty corner of her father’s library. Two years, many canter circles to the left to strengthen Talat’s weak leg, and many burnt twigs (and a few fingers) secretly experimenting with the ointment recipe later, Aerin is present when someone comes from an outlying village to report a marauding dragon to the king. Aerin slips off alone to fetch her horse, her sword, and her fireproof ointment . . .
But modern dragons, while formidable opponents fully capable of killing a human being, are small and accounted vermin. There is no honor in killing dragons. The great dragons are a tale out of ancient history.
That is, until the day that the king is riding out at the head of an army. A weary man on an exhausted horse staggers into the courtyard where the king’s troop is assembled: “The Black Dragon has come . . . Maur, who has not been seen for generations, the last of the great dragons, great as a mountain. Maur has awakened.” (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
McKinley is a book that I’ve had recommended to me repeatedly, but had never gotten around to reading. It is hard to believe that this was written in the 80’s because there are so many strong feminist themes throughout the novel that “feel” modern. I absolutely love how Aerin goes from a struggling princess trying to find her way to an empowered and strong woman in her own right. The showdown with Maur is just the beginning and there is so much more. Had I read it when I was younger, I think this would have been a full five-star read.
I definitely will be going on to read “The Blue Sword” when I want a solid fantasy read to pick up and am looking forward to finding out what Aerin develops into as an adult. When many fantasy books don’t stand the test of time, this is definitely one that does.
Note: Despite being listed as the “second” book, this is the prequel to “The Blue Sword”.
Warning: Contains some violence.
Rating: 4 stars!
Who should read it? Fantasy fans looking for an unconventional hero who is challenged in many ways!
Want to read the whole series?
The Blue Sword (Damar #1)