Sign of the Shapeshifter

(Knights of the Silver Dragon - Book 3)

A Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Novel
by
Dale Donovan

&

Linda Johns

Mirror Stone, October 2004, 180 pp.
ISBN: 0-7869-3220-1

Genre: Young Reader
Subgenre: Fantasy
Reviewed: 12/4/2004

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

Read Part of the Book

Standing in the Fountain in the Main Square

The bugbear cried out and jumped back, but it didn't escape the cascading wall of water.

Kellach nodded. "When you threw your water skin on the bugbear, I realized that fear of water was that creature's one weakness. And then I remembered the spell. Zendric thought it would take me all week to get it.

"You just said that." Driskoll rolled his eyes.

But Kellach grinned smugly. "Pretty good, huh? I guess I work best under pressure." Kellach crossed his arms and leaned against the statue of a man with one arm.

"So what are we going to do now?" Driskoll asked. "It doesn't look like that thing is going to leave anytime soon."

The bugbear was still circling the pool and glaring angrily at the three kids.

Moyra shrugged. "Eventually it'll get bored." Her eyes lit up. "Or maybe we just get it to run away." Moyra swept the surface of the pool and sent another wave crashing over the bugbear. The creature muttered something in Goblin and stepped farther back.

Driskoll laughed and quickly joined in the fun. With each splash, the bugbear retreated farther. Soon Driskoll and Moyra were as wet as the bugbear and laughing hysterically.

"This is great!" Driskoll shouted. "All we have to do is splash it until it runs away. Right, Kellach?"

There was no answer.

"Kellach?"

Driskoll looked back to where Kellach had been leaning against the statue. A small circle of swirling ripples marked the spot where he once stood.

But Kellach was gone.

Review

In Curston, a crime spree has been rocking the city. People are getting robbed, shops are catching on fire, and there is nothing that the watch can do about it. Moyra and Driskoll soon witness Kellach's and Driskoll's father, Torin, beating up the new cleric, Latislav. The cleric had just stopped the recent fire, and Torin was upset that the cleric had put out the fire that he had set. But Torin was not acting like himself. Soon , the citizens hear of this heinous crime and have Torin arrested. The Knights of the Silver Dragon know that Torin cannot be guilty of these crimes, even thought they saw him do it. When Moyra runs into herself, or at least someone that looks exactly like herself, they know that something is very wrong in Curston and only the Knights of the Silver Dragon can solve the mystery by returning once again to the Dungeons of Doom.

Sign of the Shapeshifter is the third book in the Knights of the Silver Dragon series and is written by Dale Donovan and Linda Johns. It is a young adult fantasy story that takes place in the Dungeon & Dragons universe and is intended for readers ages 9 and up. This story has the following main characters: Kellach - a 14-year old male teenage wizard's apprentice, Driskoll - Kellach's 12-year old brother who wants to learn to fight with a sword, and Moyra - a 13-year old female who has always lived the life of a thief. Together, they are the Knights of the Silver Dragon.

So far, this is the best book of the Knights of the Silver Dragon series. Something about this book really had me gobbling up pages. I have always loved shapeshifters, and this one is really nasty! I was also happy that the kids returned to the Dungeon of Doom, as this is a Dungeons & Dragons book and deep, dark, dank dungeons have always thrilled me. Sign of the Shapeshifter moves along at a very fast pace and does not disappoint. Dale Donovan and Linda Johns have written and excellent addition to the Knights of the Silver Dragon series that all young adult lovers of fantasy will thoroughly enjoy. This series is only getting better and better. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book by Denise R. Graham, Eye of Fortune.

I rated this book a 9 out of 10.