This book gives the backstory of Darkstalker, the bad guy of the Jade Mountain series. Since it is kind of a prequel, the ending is already known. But it was still interesting to read how Clearsight and Fathom try to keep Darkstalker good and why Darkstalker turns out the way he does. The relationships in the book are well described.

It was rather grimmer than the other books in the series though. When Darkstalker goes rogue Clearsight has to choose between her love for Darkstalker and the wellbeing of other dragons. She can see all possible futures and while in most of them Darkstalker is totally evil, she also sees a few where there is hope of his redemption. So not an easy choice for her. ( )

This is a kids book about talking teenage dragons who are friends with each other.

It also might be the best investigation of precognition in fiction I've seen.

How do you write a compelling plot when your protagonists can see the future? It's HARD. This author pulls it off. You know how sometimes you get the sense reading something that the writer is just smart? I would probably put this one near the top.

It's a classical tragedy (see, since they know what's coming, so do you - the only question is how). It's a sympathetic portrayal of a true villian and how he does bad things despite not really wanting to, or seeing himself as a bad guy. (hey, hamartia! hello high-school lit course! nice to see you alive and well after all these years!)

It is absolutely worth reading if you think you can stomach talking teenage dragons.

(also, despite the other books in this series being reasonably late-middle grade, I would say this is more middle-school and up age. The precocious 8 year old I borrowed it from didn't like it when she liked the other books, but is growing into it) ( )

I can only see this book as the result of Sutherland going "Oh goodness, the Star Wars prequels sucked, I bet I can do better." No one, not even Sutherland, can convince me otherwise.

For what its worth, she succeeded.

This book, unlike others in the franchise, alternates between multiple character viewpoints and locations. I thought this was well done and the times in which the perspectives overlapped was particularly interesting, seeing the different 'takes' of the same event. It also highlighted the disconnect between each character in actuality versus how they were perceived by the others, and how those perceptions differed (e.g., how Clearsight perceived Fathom vs. how Darkstalker did).

I know the book is titled Darkstalker, but he is the least interesting element in the book. I compared him to Anakin in the prequels and the comparison is apt. A powerful, vengeful young man that starts out as impulsive and selfish, and continues to be impulsive, manipulative, and selfish even after falling in love and getting a mentor, both of whom try to steer him towards goodness. The difference is the book really isn't about Darkstalker falling the way the prequels tried to portray an already-fallen character's fall. Its about Clearsight and her quest to save someone that might not be savable. Clearsight is the hero and main character of the book, and she and Fathom are the ones with arcs, not Darkstalker. Darkstalker does absolutely no development, and we learn nothing new about him here.

The relationships in this are portrayed really well. Artic and Foeslayer are the quintessential married couple on the cusp of a tumultuous and bitter divorce (but are sticking it out 'for the kids'). Like, it made me uncomfortable reading their fights, it was so true to real life. The relationship between Clearsight and Darkstalker is also fabulous - particularly when contrasted against Fathom and Indigo. In that light, you see the SeaWings have a relationship built on sacrifice and dedication, whereas Clearsight and Darkstalker, on co-dependence and obligation. Darkstalker needs and wants Clearsight to challenge him (which is why the complacent faux-Clearsights he makes don't satisfy him), but he also loathes it and resents her for it.

My issues with the book mainly revolve around the pacing. It is supposed to cover multiple years while they are at school, but feels like only a few short weeks. Its very rushed, like it is trying to hit the major beats/plot points as quickly as possible. I would have liked to have a bit more time to flesh out how the relationships grew between them. Its very much a "Hello, nice to meet you, we're besties now." I would also have liked more information that was new. The story unfolds pretty much exactly as we've already heard it in the main series. Seeing some more places where legend and reality went separate ways would have been great. ( )

In this book, there are three protagonists who have different strengths and struggle with their own individual problems. Darkstalker, a NightWing, was born with the powers of mind reading and foresight, as well as animus power, meaning he could enchant objects. Clearsight, a NightWing, was born with the power of foresight as well, although a much stronger version. Fathom, a SeaWing, was also born with animus power. The story begins after Foeslayer of the NightWings and Prince Arctic of the IceWings meet and fall in love, and then the story jumps to when their son Darkstalker hatches under three full moons. He decided not to share the three moons’ power with his sister, and he realizes his father Arctic could be turning evil. Clearsight is very worried about the future, and she spent her first two years of her life in the library, writing down prophecies and possible futures. Fathom grew up best friends with Indigo, who he finds out he actually loves, and when he takes the animus test and joins his grandfather Albatross in building the Summer Palace, he enchants a carved octopus to become Indigo’s pet. However, at the Sea Kingdom, two SkyWings come to the Island Palace to discuss about SeaWing shore villages when Albatross starts a massacre at the palace. After killing Albatross, Fathom swears he will never use his animus magic again or have dragonets, and is accompanied by Indigo and two other guards to convince Darkstalker not to use his animus power either. At the NightWing Kingdom, Darkstalker gives a scroll his animus power to convince Clearsight he will not become evil with his animus powers. Clearsight also embarks on a small adventure with her best friend Listener to free pet scavengers and find IceWings planning a secret attack on the Night Kingdom. As Clearsight is appointed Head Seer in the queen’s court, Darkstalker plans to kill the queen, but his mother is soon threatened. Warned by her visions, Clearsight manages to tell Darkstalker his mother was in danger, but it was too late - Foeslayer had been captured, and most likely killed, by the IceWings. However, Darkstalker hides it well, and enchants his scales to be invincible without anyone else knowing. This leads to a party held by the queen that Darkstalker, Clearsight, and Fathom joined where Darkstalker’s sister Whiteout meets her future husband Thoughtful, and an assassin tries to kill Darkstalker but fails because of his scales and is killed by one of Fathom’s guards. After this happens, Darkstalker grabs his scroll to kill the queen who had sent the assassin, but is stopped by Clearsight and finds out his sister is being led to the Ice Kingdom by his father. Enraged, Darkstalker brings his friends with him to hunt down his father, then flies back to the Night Kingdom with his father enchanted to do everything Darkstalker orders. They are then brought to a stage in the middle of the kingdom, with all the NightWings in sight, where Arctic dies a gruesome death from his own talons. Shocked, Clearsight and Fathom decide to give Darkstalker a bracelet enchanted to make him sleep forever - and at the tallest mountain on the continent, Clearsight puts the bracelet on him and he falls asleep forever.

This book was an enjoyable read because it took me through an adventure full of realistic problems and solutions. When Darkstalker hatched, I could feel the tense emotions shared between him and his parents, and I understood why Arctic and his son felt the disgust and bitter feelings towards each other. I loved how Whiteout’s character was made, with colorful thoughts and a beautiful autistic taste in art and speech. I am entranced ny Fathom and Indigo’s relationship, and heartbroken when they are split up. I enjoyed reading about the lives of dragons with mind reading powers, foresight powers, and enchanting powers. Tui T. Sutherland has led me through adventures full of laughter, such as when Blob came to life, suspense, when Clearsight and Listener freed the scavengers, and tears, when the SeaWing Massacre occurred at the Island Palace. In my opinion, this book was a story that gave me great pleasure after reading and I would love to read it again. ( )

Really wish she would do more legends books. ( )