Book review of "The Dragon War Relic" by Berin L. Stephens

My first introduction to Berin L. Stephens’s works was his book “Time Gangsters.” I thoroughly enjoyed that book and looked forward to reading more from him. I had several books I had committed to reading before I was able to read “The Dragon War Relic”—but it was worth the wait.

Despite the ominous title, this book is really lighthearted. Yes, there are interesting characters and engaging storylines, but the humor is the strength of this book. I laughed time and again at the many sci-fi and fantasy references through the book. Some are more obvious than others, but when I came across some of the more subtle ones, I loved it. Now that I think about it, I’m sure I missed a few because they are so prevalent in the book.

The premise may seem familiar: a boy is given a powerful item from a stranger, and thereby he is thrust into an adventure. I personally like these kind of stories, though they can get repetitive at times. However, that isn’t the case with “The Dragon War Relic.” Stephens takes the premise and turns it on its side.

The book has a great story, but it never takes itself too seriously. I thing I really enjoyed was how the book twisted near the end. I thought I had it pegged on what was going on, but there was a nice twist that I thought was brilliant. And no, I’m not going to spoil it for you.

Who would like this book? It’s a safe, clean read for middle school children and up. Although the book has a male lead character, I believe either gender would enjoy it.

Now excuse me while I go do the Havoc Stomp.

For more on Berin L. Stephens, click here.

To order the book, click here.