Review: A great story for a gift to those who like fantasy literature.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 3, 2013
DRAGON KILLER by ROB MAYTo hold my attention, a good fantasy story must have three important elements: A protagonist with whom I can identify, a quest worth persuading, and an interesting setting that can hold my interest. An author often finds his task somewhat like a performer at a carnival sideshow, trying to juggle all of the story elements without dropping a single one of them. Many fantasy authors are infected with what has been labeled as ‘world-builder disease,’ where they spend chapter after chapter creating the setting at the expense of all of the other elements that make a good story. Getting it just right is somewhat like herding cats in a mouse-infested forest. Rob May has struck a middle path where story and setting complement each other.The Dragon Killer moves at a good pace throughout the story, and this is one of its strong points. If you wanted to contemplate the vast mysteries of the universe, you would probably be reading thick religious tomes or books written by philosophers. The author is apt at describing the situation, and lets you ‘see’ the important elements without bogging everything down. In the Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien spends an astonishing amount of time meticulously sorting his way through the most mundane details without really getting anywhere. Rob May allows us to see, hear, and experience his world without making us sigh or move to a different chair.I found the characters especially interesting. Too many of the heroes in fantasy stories are young men, so it is refreshing to have a young woman, Kalina Moonheart, who is equal to the task. I have always felt that crafting a suitable villain is the most difficult task of any story. Making us like him or her gives the story added depth, and complicates the action in a pleasing way. Gron Darklaw is not a cliché as happens all too often in stories of this type. You are going to find yourself rooting for him on a few occasions as you learn more about his motivation.It would be easy to create a spoiler by going too deep into the story, so I will leave the details to those who are more talented at bobbing and weaving. If you have a friend or family member who likes adventure stories of this type, put this book on your gift list. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I think you will too.The author gave me a gift copy of his book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.