The Broken Dragon-Irene Radford

The Broken Dragon Irene Radford DAW, Jan 7 2014, $7.99 ISBN: 9780756409159 Teen twins Lily and Valeria are opposites due to their respective magic skills; yet inseparable as halves together they make a whole. Lively Lily lacks any magical talent but is an accomplished healer; non-vivacious Val is a great mage but is always sickly as usage drains a person. With the support of his mate Brevelan the witch, Senior Magician and Chancellor of the University of Magicians Jaylor insists his daughter Val learns to care for herself; as he has separate missions for his daughters. Jaylor also explains adversaries plan a coup d’état that threatens the reign of King Darville and their adopted son Glenndon, heir to the throne (see The Silent Dragon). Da assigns Val as keeper to control Lady Ariiell’s magic while the pair heads to the home of the latter’s father and to report any strangeness in Lord Laisac’s household. Lily will become companion to Lord Jemmarc’s wife ailing Lady Graciella while escorting her from Coronnan City to Castle Saria’s fresh sea air. However, a magically-generated super storm leaves the country in peril from a raging talented magician with the only hope to prevent the pandemic catastrophe rests with the separated sisters uniting with each other and others. The second Children of the Dragon Nimbus is an exciting coming of age quest fantasy as the twins must find themselves while on separate adventures yet also need each other in the immediate fight. The fully developed with differing skills and personalities siblings are terrific as they keep their respective subplot focused. Fans of the original Dragon Nimbus saga (see The Glass Dragon, The Perfect Princess, The Loneliest Magician and The Wizard's Treasure) will appreciate Irene Radford’s entertaining next generation series. Harriet Klausner