SHADOW OF THE DRAGON

Paradon meant to send Kira, Elspeth and their assorted siblings and dragons into the near future to save them from evil Lord Dorcon. Unluckily, the spell-challenged wizard has transported them to the far future instead—except for Elspeth, who, with her dragon, Harmony, and fox, Onnie, lands in the distant past. All must come together before they can set about fulfilling the prophecy that will end King Arden’s reign and, with it, the hated First Law that forbids girls to read or consort with dragons and requires them to marry by age 13. While her companions and dragons contend with helicopters in a dystopian future, Elspeth lives on an isolated mountain. Aided by Elan, a sympathetic wizard, she comes into her powers and forms a tighter bond with Onnie, who is not what he seems. Engaging, fast-paced and suspenseful, this successor to the less-accomplished Book 1: Kira (2009) bucks the disappointing-sequels trend. Characters here are more complex and the plot less predictable. The result is an exciting read and a good entry-level introduction to high fantasy. (Fantasy. 10 & up)