Sunday, August 1, 2010

Secret of the Dragon's Claw-Derek Hart

Secret of the Dragon's Claw
Derek Hart
iUniverse, Apr 2010, $16.95
ISBN: 9781450224239

In wintry 1941, Hitler’s air force is bombing England as the Americans enter the war due to the Pearl Harbor attack. A trio of fourteen years old buddies (Gavin Kane, Emily Scott, and Bunty Digby) are friends with eccentric dragon Sir Thaddeus Osbert, who knows his human allies have a specially destiny.

In Germany, Himmler has a black dragon that he uses on missions against the allies. He also uses the dark arcane arts egged on by an invisible apparition to open a rift between worlds. Himmler makes a pact with the dark witch Agnes Olmorri, who once fought against King Arthur. She journeys to England to cause havoc from within. Meanwhile former powerful wizard Lanken Rune is helpless except for his new allies, a sugar addicted dragon and three teens, as he lost his staff Elizabeth and his skills. Yet in his true form takes on Agnes while the Nazis come ever closer to blitzing England.

Adults and young readers will appreciate the third spellbinding Secret of the Dragon World War II fantasy (see Secret of the Dragon’s Breath and Secret of the Dragon’s Eye). Sir Thaddeus is great unique character determined to protect England though the Dragon’s Council forbids his interference. Lanken has learned the hard way Lord Acton’s theory that that power corrupts as he is freed from a lengthy imprisonment while the three teens find out what their destinies are. Derek Hart continues his deep urban historical fantasy saga rooted in the impact of the war on North Cornwall.

Harriet Klausner

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