Prince Rashko sees himself as the only person in his family with any sort of sense. His parents and older brother are good natured, generous, peace-loving people for sure, but when it comes to defending themselves against any sort of evil, well… Thus, it comes as not much of a surprise to Prince Rashko that when the shady-looking Baron Temny and his men camp outside the castle walls, his parents are MIA (lured away by a false fairy invitation), and his brother opens up the castle gates and invites the Baron in. With the help of some friends, and the example of his ancestor Pavol, Rashko sets out defeat the evil that threatens his family and kingdom.When you read a lot of fantasy, sometimes it all starts to run together. It takes something unique in the tone, story, or characters to make a book stand out. With this book, it was the subtle humor that set it apart from the pack. Even though the situation is serious, Bruchach manages to slip in some funny dialogue and slapstick moments that convey a unique mood.I also loved the “folktale” feel of the story, and the slight bit of ambiguity about how much some of the characters really know. (Not enough ambiguity to be dissatisfying, but enough to make the reader feel a bit clever.)Although I would term this a pretty “fluffy” book, my rating reflects the enjoyable experience it was to read. I found it to be perfectly relaxing, plus it put a smile on my face. I was thinking about who I would recommend this book too…the closest books in similarity I can think of are the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede (dragons, humor). So, fantasy fans who are looking for a bit of a lighter read might enjoy this one. I've always enjoyed Joseph Bruchac's picture books so I thought I'd try this chapter book on for size. Also it was recommended by one of our shorter (read younger) patrons, so why not? This book was in an interesting format with chapters switching back and forth between time periods. The requisite fantasy quest was there as well as some magical peolpe and animals. I was a little disappointed by the lack of personality of the dragon itself but all in all it was a fun read.
What do You think about Dragon Castle (2011)?
Fun, interesting fantasy in an area of the world that I've hardly read anything about. I enjoyed it.
—Jordan
YA but well told story with the importance of plans and using advice of others
—Kyle
