Karleen Bradford: Tales of Taun

The Tales of Taun, by Karleen Bradford

Dragonfire
Whisperings of Magic

"Bradford has created an intriguing fantasy world that comes alive in the pages of both Dragonfire and Whisperings of Magic and woven a suspenseful and satisfyingly rich story."
Jeffrey Canton, Books in Canada, July 2001

DRAGONFIRE
Harper/Collins Canada Ltd., 1997.

We meet him as a nameless stable boy. His only friend is Catryn, the servant girl, and even she doesn't know who he truly is. He is Dahl, the King of Taun, a once-beautiful land now on the brink of destruction. Hidden on earth since his birth, Dahl knows that the Usurper has stolen his rightful place on the throne of Taun and that he must someday rescue his homeland. But when the time comes, Dahl is plagued by doubt: Can he do it? Does he have the courage to fight the Usurper? And what about Catryn who, despite his warnings, has slipped through time and space to be with him?

"The sword fights and encounters with dragons that mark Dahl's struggle towards reclaiming his throne are only part of this story. At a deeper level, Dragonfire is powered by Dahl's relationship with what Carl Jung called the shadow: that darker, unknown side of oneself that must be met and embraced if true growth is to occur. Dahl's final battle with The Usurper is one of the most thrilling encounters with the shadow in children's literature." (Maclean's Magazine, November 1997)

"Karleen Bradford's latest novel draws upon medieval cosmology, Jungian psychology, and classic adventure-suspense to produce an intelligent and entertaining fantasy for young readers. The hero of this quest romance is 17-year-old Dahl, an orphan who has lived as a stable-boy for most of his life but harbours a secret, nobler identity. The heroine is Catryn, who is crucial to Dahl's quest, not as the traditional damsel in distress but as his helper and psychological counterpart...

"The action in this novel is enough in itself to sustain the interest of readers. However, what really distinguishes this book is its theme--or more precisely, the coalescence of its structure and theme...In keeping with tradition, the hero's goal is individuation, but here the process is divided into two stages that develop the theme of self-acceptance. In the first stage, Dahl learns to acknowledge his fear and to act in spite of it. The second stage demands a more difficult acceptance: Dahl must embrace his shadow side, the evil that is as essential to his identity as the good.

"Bradford...writes with vigour and exactitude. The vocabulary, which is remarkable for its range and quality, creates a sense of the medieval grotesque." (Quill & Quire, December, 1977)

It has been three years since the two friends last met. Dahl has done much since then, is no longer the nameless boy called from his hiding place on earth to defend his homeland against the Usurper. He is now, rightfully and proudly, the King of Taun, a confident and sure ruler who has grown into his kingship and brought hard-won peace and prosperity to his realm. But Catryn, too, has grown and changed in the last years. Once merely a spirited servant girl, she is today the Seer of Taun, a shapeshifter whose alternate bodies are cats and who is possessed of extraordinary powers of magic. She is also the messenger of devastating news: the peace Dahl fought so hard to win for Taun is crumbling, stealthily unravelled by a dark force once thought vanquished.

Only Catryn knows how very real this danger is. And only Catryn can lead this battle. But has she learned enough? Will Dahl put aside his crown and follow her? And, her worst fear: are she and Dahl strong enough, even together, to win over the evil again?

The Tales of Taun, by Karleen Bradford

Dragonfire Whisperings of Magic

Dragonfire
Whisperings of Magic