Prince Perryn loves nothing more than studying ancient scrolls - but his father wants a bold warrior for a son, a warrior who could defeat the dragon threatening the kingdom. He has nothing but contempt for nerdy Perryn. But Perryn believes the scrolls may hold the key to defeating the dragon. He finds an ancient prophecy, and sets off to find the bard, the unicorn, and the magic sword described in the old writings, hoping to fulfill the prophecy and prove his worth to his father by saving the kingdom himself. However, none of the foretold elements turns out to be quite what Perryn expected - as the bard needs to be gotten out of the local lock-up, the unicorn is a prissy wuss, and the magic sword is about as fearsome as a senile old veteran endlessly telling war stories. In the end, Perryn has to learn that perhaps he will never convince his father of his worth - but he can become confident of it for himself. A rather obviously teen-oriented fantasy, with its coming-of-age themes, but well-written and entertaining.

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