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Dragonbards #3
The Dragonbards
The Dragonbards Trilogy, Book Three
Prince Tebriel and his dragonbard companions prepare to fight a fierce battle against the dark forces that threaten their world
Prince Tebriel and his dragonbard companions prepare to fight a fierce battle against the dark forces that threaten their world
249 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1988
6 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Shirley Rousseau Murphy
62 books518 followersShirley Rousseau Murphy is the author of over 40 books, including 24 novels for adults, the Dragonbards Trilogy and more for young adults, and many books for children. She is best known for her Joe Grey cat mystery series, consisting of 21 novels, the last of which was published when she was over 90. Now retired, she enjoys hearing from readers who write to her at her website www.srmurphy.com, where the reading order of the books in that series can be found.
Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. After attending the San Francisco Art institute she worked as an interior designer, and later exhibited paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows. "When my husband Pat and I moved to Panama for a four-year tour in his position with the U. S . Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write," she says. Later they lived in Oregon, then Georgia, before moving to California, where she now enjoys the sea and views of the Carmel hills.
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Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. After attending the San Francisco Art institute she worked as an interior designer, and later exhibited paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows. "When my husband Pat and I moved to Panama for a four-year tour in his position with the U. S . Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write," she says. Later they lived in Oregon, then Georgia, before moving to California, where she now enjoys the sea and views of the Carmel hills.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 7, 2019
I'm not a fan of main characters getting all broody/possessed/becoming a jerk because the bad guy wants them to be. It's not much fun to read.
I liked the first book of this series the best. The talking creatures were very lovable and the otters especially so. Books 2 and 3 didn't have many talking creatures and they suffered for that.
I liked the first book of this series the best. The talking creatures were very lovable and the otters especially so. Books 2 and 3 didn't have many talking creatures and they suffered for that.
November 1, 2017
This was another series that my library had only the first 2 books, so I read this book, the final book in the trilogy, much later than the first two. Consequently, the fact that only a few days pass between the events of The Ivory Lyre and The Dragonbards, and indeed, all of the events in the the second two books took place in at most two weeks.
Spoilers below.
There are scenes I remember vividly from childhood. Teb's torture, the owls harrying him back into consciousness, the scene in Sharden foretold by Thakkur. This was the first book I read that dealt with drugs and drug addition.
What I didn't remember is that the other bards were linked to his thoughts when he was being tortured, and felt it with him. I think the description of the torture as experienced through the thoughts of the other bards rather than directly through his experience was a good choice because we, as readers, would experience it in the same way. I didn't realize that the torture lasted only one utterly terrible night, though the effects lasted much longer.
I also thought that the description of Teb's shame, self-pity, and bewilderment during that period felt very natural, as did the other bard's struggle to reach him.
The defeat of the Dark was appropriately not without loss. The cleaning out of its castles seemed too quick, as did Teb's healing. As a child, that was wonderful, but as an adult, I still worry about Teb after the last chapter, and know that both he and Tirror will take longer to heal.
Spoilers below.
There are scenes I remember vividly from childhood. Teb's torture, the owls harrying him back into consciousness, the scene in Sharden foretold by Thakkur. This was the first book I read that dealt with drugs and drug addition.
What I didn't remember is that the other bards were linked to his thoughts when he was being tortured, and felt it with him. I think the description of the torture as experienced through the thoughts of the other bards rather than directly through his experience was a good choice because we, as readers, would experience it in the same way. I didn't realize that the torture lasted only one utterly terrible night, though the effects lasted much longer.
I also thought that the description of Teb's shame, self-pity, and bewilderment during that period felt very natural, as did the other bard's struggle to reach him.
The defeat of the Dark was appropriately not without loss. The cleaning out of its castles seemed too quick, as did Teb's healing. As a child, that was wonderful, but as an adult, I still worry about Teb after the last chapter, and know that both he and Tirror will take longer to heal.
November 30, 2017
Third and final chapter of the Dragonbards trilogy, and it came to a satisfying conclusion.
Now there is a small army of bards and dragons: Tebriel and Seastrider, Camery and Nightraider, Colewolf and Starpounder and Kiri and Windcaller (not bonded, but they travel together until they find their matches). They find a new clutch of dragons d add Rockdrumlin, Firemont, Snowblitz, Bluepiper and Iceflower to their ranks. Young Marshy bonds with Iceflower immediately, and when they rescue two child bards, Aven and Darba, from captivity, Aven and Bluepiper bond as well. Firemont takes Darba into his care until she finds her dragon and now the army is prepared for final battle.
In rescuing Aven, Darba and dozens of other slave children, Teb is captured and tortured by Quazelzeg in an attempt to sway him to the dark. He finds himself fighting the drugs he was given and the conditioning Quazilzeg tried to instill to make him submit.
The bards and dragons fight off attack after attack from the dark forces. Meanwhile, Teb and Camery's mother, Queen Meriden, is in other worlds with her dragon Dawncloud fighting the dark from her end. Can they connect in time to defeat Quazelzeg once and for all? Will all of them survive the final conflict? Only the Graven Light knows.
It was a satisfying end to the trilogy.
Now there is a small army of bards and dragons: Tebriel and Seastrider, Camery and Nightraider, Colewolf and Starpounder and Kiri and Windcaller (not bonded, but they travel together until they find their matches). They find a new clutch of dragons d add Rockdrumlin, Firemont, Snowblitz, Bluepiper and Iceflower to their ranks. Young Marshy bonds with Iceflower immediately, and when they rescue two child bards, Aven and Darba, from captivity, Aven and Bluepiper bond as well. Firemont takes Darba into his care until she finds her dragon and now the army is prepared for final battle.
In rescuing Aven, Darba and dozens of other slave children, Teb is captured and tortured by Quazelzeg in an attempt to sway him to the dark. He finds himself fighting the drugs he was given and the conditioning Quazilzeg tried to instill to make him submit.
The bards and dragons fight off attack after attack from the dark forces. Meanwhile, Teb and Camery's mother, Queen Meriden, is in other worlds with her dragon Dawncloud fighting the dark from her end. Can they connect in time to defeat Quazelzeg once and for all? Will all of them survive the final conflict? Only the Graven Light knows.
It was a satisfying end to the trilogy.
October 6, 2025
A satisfying ending to the trilogy.
This one really delves into the drug-abuse allegory stuff, particularly revolving around withdrawal. It was an interesting direction to take the story in, and gave much-needed internal conflict to Teb after the mass amount of external conflicts being thrown into the fray since The Ivory Lyre.
I’m not big on omniscient/head-hopping writing, and found it a bit jarring when the POV would shift between characters mid-paragraph. Specifically the sudden shifts to the villain, Quazelzeg’s, perspective. Especially after the first two books made POV shifts clear with scene and/or chapter breaks.
This one really delves into the drug-abuse allegory stuff, particularly revolving around withdrawal. It was an interesting direction to take the story in, and gave much-needed internal conflict to Teb after the mass amount of external conflicts being thrown into the fray since The Ivory Lyre.
I’m not big on omniscient/head-hopping writing, and found it a bit jarring when the POV would shift between characters mid-paragraph. Specifically the sudden shifts to the villain, Quazelzeg’s, perspective. Especially after the first two books made POV shifts clear with scene and/or chapter breaks.
January 16, 2021
A favorite series from childhood: amazing 3 of 3
October 28, 2014
It's the last book in this trilogy and the only one I own. Hm. Evil goes on being evil, good is rather too good until it has what felt like a fake struggle with wanting to be bad... It's hard to know what to say. This whole series, but this book in particular, really felt like it was just the condensed draft of something that should've been much longer. The main character gets tortured, which is glossed over, and irritatingly, the effects of this are also glossed over. He wasn't having problems, until it was convenient that he be searching his soul, etc. Not enough character development. And there was a very annoying certainty in the innate goodness of some people, when the book otherwise seemed to suggest humankind was poised between good and evil. Well, given that I got it at a library book shop it was probably worth what I paid for it. I think I might be better off sticking with the cat mysteries by this author, since her fantasy strikes me as rather lacking. Neutral.
May 29, 2013
The conclusion of the dragonbard series. I think I will still always love Nightpool the best because it had such an impression on me and I searched for it for so long. The dragons and bards in these stories are powerful because they can sing wonderful songs to help people remember who they are and shun darkness and go towards the light. This is a great idea but what I wish, was that in all of the 3 books that there was at least some sample of one of the songs. That would have been so beautiful to read. I am just so thrilled that I found these books again after so long.
June 6, 2015
My favorite of the three. Adventure, angst, magic, happiness, it was all good for me. The otters return, the characters I liked returned, the villain got his comeuppance (which I am a little confused by), and it ended on a satisfying note.
Well done! I finished this in one day, I was so looking to see what happened next.
Well done! I finished this in one day, I was so looking to see what happened next.
March 31, 2011
Fast-paced trilogy, wonderfully rich imagery, classic hero's journey
October 4, 2009
Maybe I would have liked it better if I'd read the first two in the series first.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews