“He will apologize, or I’ll give him a lesson in swordplay he will not like at all.”― Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown

This is the second of two books in the Damar series. The Blue Sword was published first, but The Hero and the Crown is actually a prequel, so many people prefer to read it first and The Blue Sword second. In this book, Aerin, the only child of Arlbeth, King of Damar, embarks on a journey to kill a dragon when her father and his heir leave to try and prevent war. Although successful in killing the dragon, Aerin is badly injured but when she recovers, she is ready to take her place fighting for her kingdom. This Newbery Award winner is an intricate and well imagined book that is considered one of the classic fantasy books of all time.

Content Advisory: misogyny, death, violence

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