Zarkora: The Fyrelit Tragedy by Nicholas Lochel and Alison Lochel

Lothian, 2015. ISBN 9780734416421
(Age: 10+) Recommended. The Fyrelit Tragedy is the first in the four-book Zarkora series. This book is written by a brother and sister team who write well together. The beginning pages of the book are overly peppered with adjectives, however the story settles in to be a well told and captivating read. There is a charming mix of the fantasy elements such as sailing boats and swords and steampunk elements such as machines that use fuel.
The main characters, Neleik and Ervine inhabit a fantasy land of dragons, ogres, princesses and quests. Their sister, Skye, is kidnapped in mysterious circumstances and so begins their quest to rescue her. They must venture into lands they have never known before and call upon the kindness of strangers to help them on their way.
The story is action packed and has all the elements a young fantasy reader could wish for - intrepid heroes, truly evil villains, loyal friends, magic swords and just a hint of romance. The challenges and riddles within the story are interesting and have the reader puzzling to solve them before the answer is revealed.
Linda Guthrie