Handbook for Dragon Slayers

When kidnapped Princess Matilda is rescued by her maidservant and the handsome Parzival, the three set off to slay a dragon. Their first attempt is a disaster; future excursions start to give them a more nuanced view of the dangerous beasts. Taking Arthurian legends as her conventions, Haskell imparts medieval flavor through setting and attitude alone, keeping the language refreshingly light and modern.

With her lame foot, Princess Matilda likes nothing better than sitting and copying books -- preferably in a nice scriptorium, where there aren't endless interruptions. So when her cousin Ivo kidnaps her in order to seize control of her family's land, her rescue at the hands of the handsome Parzival and her maidservant Judith is the perfect excuse to head for the nearest cloister. But Parz, who was dismissed in disgrace from his training with Sir Kunibert, wants to slay a dragon first to restore his place and reputation; tomboy Judith agrees; and Matilda is taken with the idea of writing a Handbook for Dragon Slayers. Their first attempt at dragon-slaying is a disaster. Future excursions start to give the adventurers a more nuanced view of the dangerous beasts, even as events tumble the threesome, sometimes humorously, sometimes grimly, toward older-but-wiser status. Taking Arthurian legends as her conventions, Haskell imparts medieval flavor through setting and attitude alone, keeping the language refreshingly light and modern. A haphazard, almost accidental progression of episodes builds smoothly to a lively and cohesive plot arc that will keep readers enthralled, particularly as Matilda transforms from passive copyist to active writer and leader -- and in the process refashioning her handbook into one for dragon protectors. anita l. burkam