Title: Heart of the Dragon: The Warrior Prophecy

Author: Stephen Paul

Genre: Fantasy

In Heart of the Dragon: The Warrior Prophecy, the Hensleap family is torn apart during a war against terrorizing dragons and blood-thirsty, hairy humanoids. Once the greatest soldier in the King’s army, Gareth Hensleap, is now a single father of ten children. Desperate to reunite his family, he finds himself picking up the sword he thought he put down for good. But the longer the family is separated, the more Gareth fears he can’t save them all on his own.

Xirdneh’s soul is as black as his scales and as cold as his heart. The power-hungry dragon will do anything to get his revenge on an old enemy, Palisar. But Xirdneh wants more than just revenge– he wants immortality. He’s sure Palisar is hiding somewhere in the mountains among the humans, and he will wipe out the entire human race if it lets him find out where.

The Hensleap family and Xirdneh star in the main storylines of the novel and the two intertwine seamlessly. The hefty novel’s transitions between characters, settings, and plotlines are smooth and immersive. The descriptions are sensory and will transport readers; specifically, the mesmerizing descriptions about the mythical creatures are filled with color and texture, making the glittering scales and stones come to life.

There is an abundance of characters in the novel, and each take on different roles that keep the story constantly changing and flowing–some are the heroes, some are the victims, others are the comedic relief, but they all balance each other out to make the novel diverse, entertaining, and adventurous.

Developed and complex, the characters share plenty of tender moments in their times of weakness. The most passionate and affecting scenes in the novel are those where the Hensleap family desperately long for one another’s comfort and strength. These vulnerable moments between courageous characters will melt readers’ hearts.

Paul’s villains are evil through-and-through, and though it’s fun to see the novel’s heroes rise to their greatest potential, it’s perhaps even more fun to see the villains grow from petty to malicious. The villains heighten the story’s drama and unpredictability.

The novel’s battle scenes are some of the most exciting and intricate. The battles’ pacing shifts often, from fast, to steady, to nearly slow-motion. This dynamic set-up makes the battles’ action thrilling, while still allowing space for emotional moments in the chaos.

The fantasy world in the novel is large and detailed. With so many characters spread out and traveling to many different places in the region, it would have been helpful to have a visual representation, such as a map, of all the locations. A map would be a fun addition to use to follow along the expansive journey the family and other characters take.

A high fantasy beast of a novel, Heart of the Dragon: The Warrior Prophecy is as action-packed as it is emotional. Mythical creatures and bloody battles center this exciting, adrenaline-pumping novel. Paul’s story of love, faith, and power embraces the complexities of a high fantasy novel to create a cast of characters and a whimsical world that are striking, versatile, and unique. With a dramatic, irresistibly exciting cliffhanger as its finale, readers will be eager to read what happens next.

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.