Vivid descriptions and mystical beings combine in an adventure for the young and the young at heart. 12 year old Erec must complete a series of competitions while searching for his missing mother and rescuing her. He encounters many creatures and humans along the way. At each new encounter he learns more about who he is inside as well as more about the inhabitants of the mythical world he has stumbled into on the search for his mother. This is a wonderful story for children about believing in yourself and the value we all have; it also touches on the theme of who can we trust when we are in a tough situation. In one of the story circumstances Erec is faced with a creature who lies to him using Erec’s fears and insecurities to paralyze him. This delays Erec from completing a task he was about and he can only hope that his last ditch effort to escape the creature is successful and his ultimate purpose in that quest is not a lost cause. While this is a little too mystical a story for my tastes, Ms. Kingsley writes at a level that her target readers can relate to without talking down to the adults who might pick up this book. Her allusions to classic literature and mythology keep the more literate readers involved and interested without making the younger readers or those unfamiliar with mythology and classic literature feel like they are missing out on anything. Even I, an avid reader, likely missed some of the allusions but it did not detract from the story as the characters and places are brought to life in such a way that they are able to stand on their own. The allusions merely bring another facet and a deeper background to the story for those versed in the literature from which they are drawn. Will Erec succeed in his quest for his mother, can and will she be rescued and how will he fare in the competitions he is facing? What does he learn about himself through his experiences in this adventure and what universal lessons does this story hold for the reader? Read Erec Rex: The Dragon’s Eye for answers to these and many other questions as well as for a fun, mystical adventure of a story.
Learn more about the author at her website by clicking on the picture. You can also check out her blog and excerpts from the books at the Erec Rex website. The Dragon’s Eye can be purchased by clicking on the bookcover above and Book 2: The Monsters of Otherness can be purchased here. Check back soon for a review of Book 2.
