When my husband, Chad, and I were first dating, we discovered that one thing we had in common was a love for Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series — books about a strange land, interesting people, and most importantly: dragons. Neither one of us reads a ton of fantasy, but I suppose we both have a soft spot in our hearts for a good dragon book.

Recently, Chad’s enjoyed the DragonKeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul — engaging and humorous books (featuring dragons, of course) with a Christian worldview. When I was offered a copy of Paul’s newest book — The Vanishing Sculptor — Chad agreed to be my volunteer reader and reviewer. Though dragons don’t play a key role in this book, Chad still really enjoyed it and—

But wait, let’s do first things first.

The Vanishing Sculptor

by Donita K. Paul

From the publisher:

Return to the world of the dragon keepers, where the fate of three missing statues will determine the fate of the world. Tipper, a young emerlindian woman, has been responsible for the upkeep of her family’s estate since her sculptor father disappeared several years ago. To make ends meet, she’s been forced to sell off the artwork he left behind. When at last her father returns, accompanied by two strangers from a distant land, Tipper discovers that her actions have unbalanced the foundation of her world, as well as her father’s life, and she must act quickly to undo the threat. But how can she save her father and the world on her own? The task is too huge for one person, so she gathers the help of some unlikely companions—including her guardian, the giant parrot Beccaroon, the wizard Fenworth, and his librarian Librettowit—and sets out on a quest, eventually witnessing the loving care and miraculous resources of Wulder.

Join new characters and old friends on a journey into a fantasy that inhabits the same world as the DragonKeeper Chronicles, but in a different country and an earlier time, where the people know little of Wulder and nothing of Paladin.

Chad’s thoughts:

I enjoy Donita Paul’s style – her stories are fun, amusing in parts, but also reasonably exciting. They keep me turning pages, wondering how everything will work out. There’s a genuine story in every one and I think she writes decent characters — I’m always curious to see exactly how they will turn out.

The Vanishing Sculptor will be familiar to anyone who’s read the DragonKeeper Chronicles. It’s the same world, with the same types of people/beings. (And if you liked the bog wizard, Fenworth, and his trusty librarian, Librettowit, they’re back, which I was happy to see!) Just a different time and different country. But even if you haven’t read any of Paul’s other books, you’d be fine just starting with this one — it stands alone well.

As with the dragon books, The Vanishing Sculptor revolves around a quest the main characters must undertake.

I certainly enjoyed this book, as an adult, but I’d also recommend it for kids. It’s easily accessible for kids 12 and up, and also for younger kids who are good readers (personally, I think C. — who’s 10 — should give these books a try; he’d really enjoy them).

Basically, I recommend The Vanishing Sculptor (and the DragonKeeper Chronicles, too) to anyone who appreciates a good fantasy adventure where the good guys are genuinely good…and good triumphs in the end.

P.S. — Thanks, Chad, for sharing your impressions of The Vanishing Sculptor!