Title: The Land of Twydell and the Dragon Egg
Author: Daisy Bourne
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
ISBN: 978-1-5246-361-7
Pages: 112
Genre: Fantasy/ Juvenile Fiction
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent
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Pacific Book Review
Daisy Bourne’s exciting Tales of Avalon Series continues with The Land of Twydell and the Dragon Egg. This sequel continues the saga of Merlin and King Arthur. The Land of Twydell tells the story of Merlin adjusting to life in their new homeland of Avalon. He goes to visit neighboring Twydell, and is shocked to see a long line of weary looking people leaving the capital. Merlin discovers that the town is being attacked by a pair of angry dragons. He offers to help the Twydellers. At first the King of Twydell is wary of the strange looking man riding on a broomstick, but when Merlin demonstrates his magical powers, the king welcomes the wizard’s help.
Merlin visits the dragons, Ajax and Blitzen, in their lair and finds out that someone has stolen their precious egg. Dragons rarely lay eggs but once in a lifetime. The dragons blame the Twydellers for the theft but Merlin successfully begs them to give him time to find their egg before attacking the capital again.
Merlin sets out to visit the Forbidden Forest – a place where Twydellers fear to tread. He hopes that the inhabitants of the Forbidden Forest will help him find the answers he seeks. Merlin befriends the witches and the soothsayer who live in the forest and they help him in his quest to find the missing egg and bring peace to Twydell again.
The Land of Twydell is an engaging story that readers will enjoy whether they are followers of the series or first-time readers. Merlin is a courageous character who puts his life at risk to find Blitzen’s egg. Female characters are especially well-rounded, like Helen-Joy, the wise soothsayer, and even the coven of witches in the novel. The witches in the novel are not one-dimensional monsters, but intriguing helpful women, a welcome change from other fantasy novels. Even the dragon characters have sympathetic qualities, with Ajax and Blitzen being concerned parents who are searching for their baby egg.
Bourne’s writing packs a lot of action in such a short novel. The Land of Twydell is fast- paced and the dialogue is compelling throughout the novel. The allegory about Merlin and the dragons trying to bring peace between the neighboring countries of Avalon and Twydell is also an excellent lesson for readers told in an entertaining way.
The Land of Twydell would be perfect for readers who are fans of Lord of the Rings or other fantasy novels about odysseys and journeys. Young adult readers may be the target audience, but readers of all ages will love this novel. For parents who want to give their kids a PG-rated version of Game of Thrones or other popular fantasy novels, The Land of Twydell would be an excellent reading selection. The novel would also be an ideal choice for readers of fantasy novels about sorcery, like Harry Potter.
The Land of Twydell and the Dragon Egg continues the sweeping saga of the Tales of Avalon. Daisy Bourne has written a novel that will leave readers ready to continue the series and escape to Twydell for adventure.