Moredun, P.R. The dragon conspiracy.

MOREDBN, P.R. The dragon conspiracy. (The world of Eldaterra, vol. 1.) HarperCollins. 290p. 006-076665-4. $799. JS

To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, July 2005: James Kinghorn is walking the beach in England and comes across a white marble arch. Tempted by the pillars and the desire to escape his studies, James slips through the Sea Arch and finds himself in the world of Eldaterra. He is taken in by twin brothers, dwarves, and their dog, who talks. They have been waiting for him and the group journeys to meet the rulers of Eldaterra, Sibelius and Lady Orlania. The journey is filled with traps and dangers, but also with friends and support, like the bear Baranor. The story of James's journey in 1910 is contrasted with the murders of young women in 1895. Chief Inspector Corrick is trying to track down a killer, one who leaves his victims horribly mutilated. As the novel continues the two stories merge into one. Dragons have found their way through the same portal from Eldaterra to the human world. Disguised in human form, they have persuaded the Germans to go to war against the English. At stake is the opportunity to rule this world, having fled their own. Sir Phillip Kinghorn, James's father, is drawn into the plot through his role in Military Intelligence. In a climactic fight with the dragons, James and his father, along with the twin dwarves, seek to stop the start of a war. At the novel's conclusion, prophesies are told, a magical gift is given to Sibelius and a gun is lost in the Eldaterra woods. The plot is involved, the villains are vicious, and the hint of reality gives this opening novel of the series the feel of a legend. Janis Flint-Ferguson, Assoc. Prof., English, Gordon College, Wenham, MA

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.