Three Thieves Book Four: The King’s Dragon

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Three Thieves Book Four: The King’s Dragon
Three Thieves Book Four The King's Dragon graphic novel review
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  • North American Publisher / ISBN: Kids Can Press - 978-1-554537-79-2
  • Volume No.: 4
  • Release date: 2014
  • UPC: 9781554537792
  • Contains adult content?: no
  • Does this pass the Bechdel test?: no
  • Positive minority portrayal?: no

In the fourth book of Scott Chantler’s Three Thieves series our attention turns to Captain Drake of the King’s Dragons. The Dragons are elite knights that swear an oath to serve the crown of North Huntington and although little seen in The Captive Prince, from the start Captain Drake has figured large in Three Thieves. He is clearly generous, heroic and idealistic but also mysterious and gruff, and pursues our heroine Dessa with undiluted persistence, even if nothing was actually stolen from the Queen’s treasure.

In The King’s Dragon, Captain Drake and fellow Dragon Phineas are on the trail of Dessa, Finn and Topper. Earlier, King Victor of Medoria used his hunting raptor to throw Dessa off balance as she fled across the roofs of Florin, and when she lost her balance and fell, she broke her leg upon landing. Captain Drake surmises Dessa would seek assistance at the closest healing centre run by the Podhu Healers. Committed to healing all and rising above politics, the Podhu Healers give shelter to all who seek recovery, and are reluctant to help Captain Drake and Phineas with their inquiries.

While Captain Drake and Phineas harass the Healers for any information on our fugitives, we learn more about Captain Drake’s past with black and white flashbacks. We see him when he was young, idealistic, chivalrous and sworn to assist orphans and widows, and his recruitment into the Dragons after saving King Roderick’s life on the battlefield during the last war against Lothar. The other Dragons are not so impressed with Drake. Fraynir is more senior and orders Drake around, and Chamberlain Greyfalcon clearly has his own agenda, using his authority to task the Dragons on nefarious errands, but Captain Drake won’t just follow orders. He starts to question what is going on out of concern for the King. One night, Captain Drake is left alone at the Castle, defending the King and Princess Magda against assassins clad as entertainers, drawn to look very much like the Three Stooges, but far more sinister.

Of the four books in this series to date, this is by far the most dark and introspective volume. Captain Drake is slowly losing his youthful idealism as it becomes unclear who around him is friend and who is foe. As they search for Dessa, Captain Drake turns to Dragon Phineas and says “You’re young, Phineas, and still eager to see the good in people. I’m glad for that.” The series only benefits from this journey into Captain Drake’s past. There is much to like about Drake, yet he is also rather aggressive and on the verge of cynicism. Which way will he turn?

Despite this character introspection, the hunt continues as Chantler’s illustrations, narrative and action keep things moving without pause. We don’t learn much about Dragon Freynir, but he is clearly up to no good. Captain Drake is a Dragon, but maybe he’s not quite the enemy? Now that we know more about him, we are rooting for him to come around as Dessa escapes just beyond his reach. Pirates of the Silver Coast is next.

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