DRAGON SPEAR

This third installment in the series about Creel that began with Dragon Slippers (2007) and followed with Dragon Flight (2008) continues as the alliance between humans and dragons develops. Luka’s father, the king, has exiled the dragons from his land, but they are happily ensconced in the Far Isles—until a foreign group of dragons kidnaps their queen, Velika, whose eggs are almost ready to be laid. Characters such as Creel’s brother Hagen step to the fore while many that will be familiar from past books stay more offstage, with the clear assumption that most readers will be familiar with this world. The clash is between good and misguided for the most part, but evil lurks and there is a strong element of danger and threat to both humans and dragons. Creel is her usual strong-minded self, driven by her love of her dragon friends, and as she and Luka inch forward toward their wedding, her elaborate gown and the womanly art of sewing provide counterpoint to the more serious kidnapping. A tasty snack for dragon lovers. (Fiction. 8-12)