The Dragon Prophecies

Reviewed by Richard Bist for Reader Views (07/2024)

5* - A Search for Knowledge, Balance, and Dragons

In M.T. Meiklejohn’s “The Dragon Prophecies,” elemental magic and powerful dreams weave together to take the reader on a journey of knowledge, mystery, and restoration. When the last of the Knowledge Dragons disappeared eons ago, it plunged the land into a period of darkness. Now Cassandra, a young woman with the power to use the Song of Stones, embarks on a quest to restore balance. To do so, they must find the Dragon Prophecies and perform certain tasks in order to reach their goal. The path isn’t easy, but they find assistance in unlikely places and begin to unravel the mystery as to why the dragons disappeared and what must be done to bring them back into the world.

Many fantasy stories follow specific tropes. It’s simply part of the genre. The key to an engaging fantasy story is how those tropes are addressed. Meiklejohn does a great job of doing something different with the magic in her novel by making it focus on nature and elements. The only way to initiate the return of the missing Knowledge Dragons is to bring together the five Energy Wielders. The protagonist, Cassandra, can hear the Song of Stones, which allows her to use sand, ores, and crystals to create sculptures of power. A young man named Finlay can speak with animals. They also have the ability to speak with one another telepathically.

There’s so much to unravel with this, the first book in The Return of the Dragons series, as it covers so much ground and moves quickly. That’s one of the things I appreciated about this story. There isn’t much time to catch your breath as you follow Cassandra and her companions in their quest. Every few pages there is another obstacle, another brush with danger, and another mystery for them to solve before they can move on to the next phase of their quest.

The narrative is written in a way that I think will appeal more to younger readers. It’s a coming-of-age story at its heart. The younger characters are learning about themselves, and their abilities, and discovering love and friendship. There is also a sweetness to the story that I enjoyed. The young characters sincerely want to do the right thing. They see someone - or something - in trouble and they want to help.

Meiklejohn’s “The Dragon Prophecies” is an excellent beginning to what looks to be an exciting series. The world-building is slow and methodical, the characters unique and compelling, and the path they must take is winding and mysterious. These are all traits of good storytelling. This is highly recommended for lovers of coming-of-age fantasy and, of course, dragons.