THE SWORD OF CALANDRA

Rating:
Summary: This is a great book!
Review: I love this book and I would like to read more of Susan's stuff that is in the series.

Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable read!
Review: Picks up where "The Ring of Allaire" left off. Now that Tristan has arrived in Crogen, he must secure the throne with a coronation ceremony that includes the former king's sword...which of course is nowhere to be found! This is a well done tale, taking what could be a hackneyed, overused plot line and making it unique and interesting. Tristan, while somewhat inept, is a likeable hero, and the story seems fresh even now in 1998, despite it having been published in 1985.

Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable read!
Review: Picks up where "The Ring of Allaire" left off. Now that Tristan has arrived in Crogen, he must secure the throne with a coronation ceremony that includes the former king's sword...which of course is nowhere to be found! This is a well done tale, taking what could be a hackneyed, overused plot line and making it unique and interesting. Tristan, while somewhat inept, is a likeable hero, and the story seems fresh even now in 1998, despite it having been published in 1985.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Fantasy Adventure!
Review: Tristan had succeeded where hundreds of other heroes and wizards has failed - he woke the lovely sleeping princess, found the tenth ring, and discovered that he was the rightful heir to the throne of Calandra. Unfortunately, Tristan didn't get to ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. There were many nobles who disputed Tristan's right to the throne and were willing to wage war to get rid of him once and for all so they could go back to their petty squabbling over who would be king. Also, in order to actually be able to sit on the throne, Tristan needed the sword of Calandra, or his crowning would also mean his death. Too bad the sword disappeared into myth and legend centuries before...

In desperation, Tristan returns to the wizard's city of Kovelir to seek out Crewzel, a fortune teller to see if she could read anything more from her magical cards. But Tristan was bitterly disappointed to discover that Crewzel had disappeared without a trace, even her beloved son did not know where she was. Knowing full well that Crewzel would never go anywhere without her son, Tristan set out to find her while continuing his wizard's apprenticeship and searching the library for any references to the sword of Calandra. But time was running out and Tristan knew that he had to gamble the future of the kingdom on one desperate attempt - to forge a new sword, a sword that would mean Tristan's death or victory...

The Sword of Calandra picks up where The Ring of Allaire ended, with Tristan and Elisena desperately fighting the evil forces of Nimir, the winter king. Unlike most second books in a trilogy, this book actually had a purpose and a mystery to solve and it was another fun adventure to take with familiar characters. I simply loved Dexter's characters and enjoyed seeing familiar faces and discovering what happened to secondary characters that were left behind in the Ring of Allaire. Dexter presents a simple quest in a unique and memorable fashion and her bumbling hero, Tristan, always manages to make it through his challenges, despite his lack of confidence in himself. I highly recommend this whole series, but you could read this book on its own and understand everything that is happening. Fantasy fans should definitely check out Susan Dexter's writings - she is a real hidden treasure!