The Eyes of the Dragon

I got The Eyes of the Dragon for Christmas when I was 11. It was one of ten or twelve books that I got that year; books were always my favorite present.

This book was actually written by Stephen King, which surprised me once I was old enough to read his other books. I remember hearing that he wrote it for his daughter Naomi when she was about 13. It's one of the most exciting books I read as a kid.

I have probably read The Eyes of the Dragon thirty times in my life. The first time I finished reading it, I turned it over and read it again from the beginning. It's a story about a king and his two sons, the eldest of which is to be king when the father dies. And it's a story about the evil magician who plots against the king and the kindgom for no other reason than the wicked joy of bringing despair to the world. This magician, Flagg, poisons the king, frames the older boy for the crime, and sets the befuddled younger son on the throne and through him begins to wreak havoc on the land.

I'm not sure what it is about this book that I love so much. The characters, the story, the words themselves--of course all are compelling. But there's something more in a book that can be re-read thirty times. Now when I read it, I notice the little turns of phrase that are Stephen King's specialty; I'm sure that's part of what draws me back to it again and again.