Essence Within by Caleb Wright

A bit like reading a mash up of Saturday morning anime, book two in The Odyssey of the Dragolitha offers a different kind of reading experience.

The four remaining members of the Dragolitha have spent the time between the first and second books training, and are now better versed with their powers. Tatsuo is also pregnant, causing Khu to worry as she continues to fight.

Former team member turned enemy, Incindia, is back from the dead and seeking to destroy the Dragolitha, and possibly the rest of the world.

Also returning is big bad, Xirow, and his even bigger, badder boss, Ramathule, who likes destroying universes for breakfast and has space worm pets capable of breaking up planets.

If that isn’t enough action for one book, the Dragolitha are also summoned by Nilvori, prince of an alien race, to kill the giant Trilobites that ate his home world.

It’s just another Tuesday when you’re a half dragon warrior.

What can I say about this book? There are some interesting ideas and characters. I particular liked Fugi, a shaman with selective mutism who rides around on her spirit bonded giant wolf, Lycidas. There is also plenty of action, double crossing and magical battles. Lots of fantasy goodness.

Unfortunately, the story craft is what severely lets down The Odyssey of the Dragolitha. Mostly written in dialogue, there is practically no description to set the scene or help orientate the reader to the characters and what is going on. Because of this, the character motivations and arcs are nonexistent. I often got lost in the large cast of characters with unusual names without any kind of physical or verbal characteristics that set them apart from one another.

Despite this, there is a certain fun in reading this book.

I award Essence Within…