Deltora 3: Dragon's Nest - Emily Rodda

 Sometimes you just want some smooth, light reading in your night shifts, and then the young reader fantasy series of Deltora is a perfect get to.

 

Because these are actually far better then a simple children's book.

 

Deltora 3 is well, the third series in the Deltora series of books, and picks up after the events of the previous ones.  After the crystal that was used by the Shadow Lord to communicate with his henchmen, Lief discovers a map.  The famine and plague that is currently ravaging the lands of Deltora are actually the result of the magical poisoning by 4 beasts from the myths, the Four Sisters.  They can only be killed by the thought extinct Dragons, but Doran the Dragonlover had convinced seven of them, one of each territory, to go into hibernation until they would be needed.

 

Lief and his companions set out to the Dragon's Nest, the most eastern point in Deltora, and discover a Capricorn called Rolf, who had been captured by the Garnous.  The Capricorn lands where destroyed by the Dragons when they stole their eggs, but Rolf claims one is still left of those.  They meet the now awakened Topaz dragon, Fidelis, the same one from the older series where he was still asleep as they travelled to the underworld.  He refuses to join them as a pact was forged amongst the hibernating dragons to not enter each others lands.

 

They travel on and reach Broome, a city build where the Capricorn land of Capra used to be, meeting the warrior woman Lindal.  She guides them to the Dragon's Nest where they meet the Sister of the East.  Rolf reveals himself to be her guardian, and a servant of the Shadow Lord who promised him power and the rule of the East.  However, he is killed by the newly awakened Ruby dragon Joyeu, who also destroys the Sister.

 

So, not a bad book at all to start the series with, and if I find some more volumes left or right I'll definitly be picking those up.