Fantasy at its finest is found in this gripping read, where the spooky village of Wichaunt and The Glimme, a land of dragons ‘beyond the veil’ are vividly brought to life. Finn and Lori are brave and resourceful and learn to appreciate their family relationships. Teller is the complex, brave hero who nevertheless abandoned his son. The Housekeeper is a magical woman with an amazing secret. The villainous Bravo tricks them all with his subterfuge. Each phase of the quest is written to maximise suspense and excitement. Traditional themes of good versus evil, family relationships and letting your talent shine emerge effortlessly from the story. The relationship between the author and illustrator is obvious as the beautifully-written descriptive prose, with some verse interspersed, is complemented with vivid, appealing illustrations and the two build together to produce a magnificent text. The extent of the detail and the breathtaking beauty of the illustrations are definite stand outs. It is very unusual that the illustrations are produced before the written text and this has added to the novel’s appeal.