In the Hall of the Dragon King is the first book of The Dragon King Trilogy, by Stephen R. Lawhead.  This is a fantasy novel set in a medieval era.  The story revolves around a young religious acolyte named Quentin.  Quentin resides with elder priests in a temple.  One day, the priests are alarmed by the unexpected appearance of a knight who appears to be mortally wounded.  The mysterious man informs the priests that he is carrying an urgent message for the queen.  The elder priests had made sacred vows never to leave the temple, so Quentin volunteers to deliver the message.

Quentin had spent most of his life inside the walls of the temple, so he was not accustomed to the outside world.  He encounters many dangers as he attempts to deliver the sealed message to the queen.  Unbeknownst to Quentin, evil and mystical forces are conspiring against the king.  Quentin will need great courage to accomplish his perilous task.

This book is filled with action and adventure.  Quentin faces dark magic and dangerous creatures in this ancient world.  Many intriguing characters are introduced along the way during this epic quest, including a powerful necromancer.  Quentin demonstrates bravery and heroism as the story unfolds, and as he struggles to overcome evil.

I enjoyed this book very much.  The characters are well-developed, and the story is rich with imagery.  I was impressed by the imaginative world created by the author, and I was excited to read the other two books in the trilogy.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy adventure novels.

-Oliver H.

In the Hall of the Dragon King by Stephen R. Lawhead is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.