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The Dragon Of Despair by Jane Lindsjold
01/03/2004 . Source: Donna Jones 
pub: TOR. 670 page hardback. Price: $27.95 (US), $38.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-30259-4. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.tor.com
'The Dragon Of Despair' is the last in Jane Linskold's fantasy trilogy about a
young woman who was saved from catastrophe by a pack of wolves and raised as their
own.
These are no ordinary wolves, they are a vital element of the creatures that are
the Royal Beasts. The story finds Firekeeper/Lady Blysse recruited to find out
the plans of the evil sorceress Melina Shield. She has caused terrible uproar
before and Firekeeper knows how dangerous she can be. Melina's marriage to the
ruler in a foreign land brings possible huge consequences, for this land has far
more liberal attitudes to magic.
Simultaneously, settlers - much like the ones that Firekeeper's parents were a
part - have come and taken over an area close to where the Royal Beasts dwell.
Unease over their presence causes some serious disagreements among the wolves
especially and Firekeeper has the sinking feeling that war will break out between
the humans, that her roots are borne from and the wolves that are her adoptive
family.
Melina has actually found out that a legend that repeats over and over in stories
that children read and revered myths that librarians guard like the book Gestapo
has some basis in truth. She sees a great potential in a dragon that has been
bound to the land and the water. The dragon of despair could be the power she
ultimately strives to achieve over her enemies. You wouldn't know it from reading
that synopsis that I had real trouble understanding what had gone on previous
to this book. The fact is, this cannot really be seen as a stand-alone book in
any shape or form.
The background is so inundated with words for the sake of words that it is hard
to see the wood for the trees. Do you like olive oil? Good because that's what
you feel as if you are wading through when you read this book. The first two hundred
pages or so revolves around finding out exactly what the countrymen believe and
heard through gossip about Melina's actions. This is the politically driven fantasy
I had heard about? Apparently so.
The gossip is repeated so often that you want to shake the story to move it along.
The style of writing is very poor. The grammar is unreservedly bad. For an example,
Firekeeper shows her true self through an act of pure altruism and the character
comments about it as "with such thoughtless thoughtfulness". Okay and there are
four words out of six hundred and seventy pages worth, I rest my case m'lord!
I think it is down to the style that the overall book is confusing. Each character
generally has two names, even some place names have a dual identity, making it
even harder to catch up on what has happened.
There is a family tree at the front of the book, but it gives only one name out
of the two, giving more confusion for the reader. There is also a map but what
this adds to the story was beyond me. Aside from that, the names of people and
places are just so cliché, they leave a lot to be desired. The characters are
two dimensional, Edlin/Lord Kestrel is made out to be a bit of a toff so he adds
'what', 'good show' and 'I say' to the end of nearly every comment. A stereotype
which is just downright overdone. Individual characters seem fuzzy and ill-defined.
You cannot really read it without asking who is speaking. Princess Sapphire, Prince
Shad and King Tedric in a conversation merge into one as a result. The story is
limp. While the overall premise of the trilogy is one that has great scope and
should work very well, it hasn't been utilised in this volume.
Unfortunately, Linskold's research is blatantly showing when there are interactions
between wolf and woman, it feels contrived and over-explained. If the wolf acts
submissively you are told that he is, rather than the expressions being matched
to the actions.
Maybe not as much thought and time went into this one as may have been allowed
for the first two in the series. If that is the case then it is a damn shame that
such an encouraging premise wasn't used to its full potential. I was really let
down by this book.
For anyone who has read the previous ones and enjoyed them, by all means, go ahead
and have a read.
Donna Jones
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