King

January 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-In this final installment of the series, Kira continues her quest to collect the lost treasures, unite the seven kingdoms, fulfill the ancient prophecy, and, in so doing, defeat the evil forces invading their lands. Along the way, she also confronts her romantic feelings for her friend and would-be suitor Jaewon, saves her cousin the crown prince of Hansong from an evil dragon, and battles armies of demons. This is a fast-paced fantasy/adventure novel, with a realistic portrayal of teenage insecurity and romance. Kira is a likable underdog and the relationships within her extended family develop in a way that bring depth to what could otherwise be just another action tale. Early romantic encounters between Kira and Jaewon could give teens the mistaken idea that "no" does not always mean "no," but the message of empowerment and finding one's inner strength come across even stronger. Overall, this is a fulfilling end to an action-packed trilogy with characters that readers will be sad to let go.-Sunnie Lovelace, Wallingford Public Library, CT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2015
In the conclusion to the Prophecy trilogy, Kira must decide if she can fully embrace her destiny as the Dragon Musado. A malevolent dragon has abducted Kira's royal cousin, Taejo, and given her just 10 days to exchange the two magical treasures in her possession for Taejo's life (Warrior, 2013). Making the trade isn't an option: Kira needs the treasures to defeat the Yamato invaders and their demon lord, and she needs Taejo to survive to become king. So Kira and Jaewon race to rescue Taejo and claim the third and final treasure before the final battle. Though the story starts slowly-Kira and Jaewon's journey has more awkward flirting than fight scenes-it offers readers plenty of action by the end. However, reading the novel is rather like watching another person clear the levels of a video game en route to a showdown with the final boss: It's hard to feel much emotional investment in the outcome. Old friends and enemies return, but they don't make much of an impression thanks to their flat characterization. In addition, the colloquial dialogue continues to feel too contemporary for a story set in an alternate feudal Korea. It takes a skilled stylist to pull off such a fusion, and Oh's attempt unfortunately falls short. This finale is recommended only for completists. (map, glossary) (Fantasy. 13-16)

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