Offspring (The Sword of the Dragon)

Praise for
Offspring:

“I was swept away by Scott Appleton’s engaging tale. He has achieved the rare feat of creating strong, unique characters who follow their own path instead of trying to recreate old legends. Many books claim to be ‘in the tradition of Lewis and Tolkien,’ but Appleton has earned that distinction by blazing his own path in modern fantasy. I look forward to more books by this original author.”

—
Julie Dick
(age 19 from Wisconsin)

“I was overjoyed to be given the opportunity of reading
Swords of the Six
in pre-release. Then I read
Offspring
electronically and tore through it just as fast if not faster than any other compelling book I’ve read. I was completely engrossed in all aspects of the story, from Oganna’s young childhood on up to the tough trials she has to face. Of the whole book, one thing I couldn’t get enough of, the Megatraths! So intuitive and natural. Scott Appleton is fantastic in his storyworld blending and his aptitude to create trends, not follow them.
Offspring
is chock full of awesome storytelling completely free of typical fantasy cliches. I followed the book breathless to the end when it. … oh man. I can’t ruin it for you all. I have one caution for readers… do NOT pick up this book if you intend on getting anything done in the next 12 hours. It’s dangerous.”

—
Leighton Hajicek
(Missouri)

“As the next book in the series started by
Swords of the Six
,
Offspring
, by Scott Appleton, delivers another action-filled story. Containing huge battles, lonely vigils, incredibly imaginative creatures, and the forces of light and darkness clashing in a tangible way,
Offspring
is a welcome addition to the fantasy genre.”

—
Sam Jenne
(age 17 from Oregon)

“Scott Appleton truly writes from the heart. The story he has created is wonderfully magnificent. The beautiful spiritual themes woven throughout blessed me. I cried with the characters and rejoiced with them and felt like I was there with them every
step of their journey. Forewarning: this story is not a story for the faint of heart, but is a story of the heart.”

—
Ryan Paige Howard
(California)

“What drew me into
Offspring
is how it’s not at all like our world in appearance, but in an allegorical sense it is like our world in every way. Few authors can write like Scott Appleton. … This book took me into the world of
Offspring
and I finished it in just one weekend. It has some of everything: adventure, humor, suspense, and a little bit of romance.”

—
Josh Ryner
(age 12)

“Appleton weaves an exciting story with an imaginative world, unforgettable characters, and a suspenseful plot. I found myself lost in the story and did not want to put it down. A definite keeper and a solid follow-up to
Swords of the Six
!”

—
Joseph Ely
(age 15 from North Carolina)

“Oddly, the only fantasy books I really seem to find in bookstores are the Narnia books by C. S. Lewis. If you’re over the age of 17, and are looking for a more mature Christian fantasy novel, then check out Scott Appleton. The characters in
Offspring
are deep. … it was as if the author actually interviewed his characters as he was writing the novel; kind of reminded me of old friends sitting next to you and telling you their story. The plot of this novel is a lot more intricate than the first novel. The story is bigger and more epic in scope—a hybrid style between the action-packed cinematic writing of R. A. Salvatore, and the morality of J. R. R. Tolkien. Perfect for sitting in the living room after a hard day at work. The story may be Christian, but it would appeal to anyone who loves a great fantasy book well told.

—
Jake Scholl
(age 19 from Idaho)

“Scott Appleton tells stories like no other. And
Offspring
is a tale of wonder that will keep readers daydreaming about its imaginative characters, creatures, storyworld, and mystery long after they close the book.”

—
Jill Williamson
, Christy Award-winning author of
By Darkness Hid

Offspring

Volume 2 in
The Sword of the Dragon
^®series

Copyright © 2011 by Scott Appleton
Published by Living Ink Books, an imprint of
AMG Publishers, Inc.
6815 Shallowford Rd.
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in printed reviews, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (printed, written, photocopied, visual electronic, audio, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.