I read another dragon book, and I bet no one is surprised.

In Three Tasks for a Dragon, Prince Lir hasn’t particularly distinguished himself in his kingdom. He’s meek, isn’t a fighter, and can’t command the wolfhounds that his royal predecessors have been able to in the past. So his stepmother convinces him to prove himself by rescuing a maiden from a dragon on a distant island. So off Lir goes, and when he arrives, he finds a young woman named Cethlenn working for the great dragon Lasvarg. Lir speaks with Lasvarg, who agrees that if Lir completes three tasks for him, he will let Cethlenn go free. But the longer Lir stays, the more he realizes that not all is as he believed—about dragons, about his kingdom, and about himself.

This is such a lovely story! It reads like an old-fashioned fairytale, and plays with a lot of those tropes. After all, it’s about a prince facing a dragon to save a damsel in distress. However, the dragon is far from the fire-breathing beast (having lost his ability to do so, and having acquired a wine habit instead), and the damsel isn’t really in distress (finding working for Lasvarg to be far preferable to her previous life as an orphan on the streets). I enjoyed the ways this subverts expectations.

The magic and lore in this book is very cool, too. The concept of people with magical powers being the ones who rule is one we’ve heard before (and perhaps isn’t always the best way to decide who should be in charge, but anyway), but again, Colfer plays with this concept and turns it on its head. He allows for someone who wouldn’t usually get to command this magic (if this were a more traditional fairytale) to get the chance to do so. Also, intertwined with this magic are wolfhounds, and they are very good dogs. My favorite characters, of course.

Well, my favorite characters besides the dragon. Because (not shockingly at all) I loved Lasvarg. He’s cantankerous and stern, but also with a secretly kind heart. I really enjoyed watching him change and grow throughout the story, as he gets to know Lir and Cethlenn as friends, rather than as puny humans beneath his notice. The friendship between all three of these characters is fantastic.

I think the final act of this book wasn’t quite what I wanted, as it’s quite a shift from the previous events of the story, but it’s also a satisfying way to wrap up the plot, so I see why Colfer did it. There’s also some decent action and some wonderful character moments.

Oh, and I have to talk about the illustrations! This entire book is filled with so much gorgeous art by P. J. Lynch, who is incredibly talented. His work really adds to the magical atmosphere of the story, and I adore every single page.

In the end, Three Tasks for a Dragon by Eoin Colfer is a delightful story. It could easily be read in one sitting, as it’s barely one hundred (very illustrated) pages, but honestly, this is meant to be savored. It would be a delightful story to read aloud. The characters are full of life, the dialogue is excellent, the atmosphere is full of magic and medieval-like settings. The themes of friendship and love, of becoming the best version of oneself, and of fighting for what is right are excellently portrayed. And wow, I cannot get over how spectacular the art is! This is a book that will appeal to kids as well as adults, and I highly recommend it.