The Curse of the Thrax by Mark Murphy is a coming of age, fantasy story that revolves around Jaykriss, the fourteen-year-old son of the late great war chief Glyndich of Goodsword. Jaykriss lost his father while he was fighting a gigantic dragon, the thrax, and his mother who is in mourning, is sad and distant. School does not particularly interest him and, except for his growing admiration for Sola and friendship with Marda, life in Godswood, a small village in the forest, is hard. The priests in the nearby fortress of Priestbain rule the village, and are allied with the powerful Dark King. Together with the trouble-making half-human mutants, and the dangerous thrax, the scheming priests make life for the villagers uncomfortable. Jaykriss, however, wants to prove that he is his father’s son, and in a routine hunting trip with Marda something happens that will change their lives and that of the villagers forever.

The Curse of the Thrax is an interesting story filled with action, adventure, and fantasy. Mark Murphy is a master story teller who is able to weave together the lives of his novel’s characters effortlessly and gracefully. This is a narrative that is filled with countless twists and turns, but it is surprisingly an easy read. As the adventures of Jaykriss and Marda unfold, the reader gets to meet a number of interesting characters that enhances the plot. It is to the credit of the author’s descriptive writing style that his characters are well-developed and three-dimensional. What sets it apart from other fantasy novels, however, is the simplicity of its tone and diction so that it does not read like other fantasy novels. Indeed, after reading The Curse of the Thrax, I almost believed that there really is such a place as the village of Goodsword, where courage and valor prevail, and that Jaykriss is a real character in human history. This is a book I highly recommend to readers of all ages!

The Curse of the Thrax by Mark Murphy is set in both a fantastical and futuristic world, fantastical because there are dragons and other mythical creatures, and futuristic because it is set many years after war and plague ravaged the planet Earth. But our hero, fourteen-year-old Jaykriss knows nothing of that; he's just trying to help his mother after his father's untimely death by a Thrax, a fierce dragon-like creature. Nor does he know that he's part of a bigger prophecy until one day he and his friend stumble upon a secret alcove hidden behind a waterfall. Zamarcus, the man living there, tells him about his true purpose and destiny and how the Dark King, the ominously named ruler of the land, suppresses information and innovations of the past in an effort to wield total control over his subjects. The first step in one boy's journey to greatness, The Curse of the Thrax is filled with a light dose of Orson Scott Card and a full dose of epic fantasy.

It's not too hard to guess what religious story The Curse of the Thrax is modeled after, but even so The Curse of the Thrax makes for an interesting and engaging read. Young Jaykriss has a pretty good head on his shoulders and you can tell that his parents brought him up well because he and the other characters are always talking about morals, free will, and making the right choices. And while they'll severely maim their enemies, they refuse to kill anybody and may even befriend them.

Some aspects of the story I could see coming a mile away but most of it was very innovative and unique. I could easily see The Curse of the Thrax becoming a TV series. My only beef was that Sola, who seemed like such an interesting and cool character in the beginning, was mostly relegated to Background-Girlfriend by the time she appeared again in the end. But since The Curse of the Thrax appears to be a series maybe Murphy will have her join in on their next adventure.

The Curse of the Thrax by Mark Murphy is the first book of the Bloodsword Trilogy. Jaykriss is a normal teenager living in Godswood, a tiny village near ancient Priestbain. This small village is home to the Godswood priests. Jaykriss' warrior father had died fighting a dragon and in that process lost the treasured heirloom of the family, the Bloodsword. Godswood village is not such a happy village. It is threatened by Thrax, the dragon who was supposed to be extinct. The twist in the story happens when Jaykriss and his best friend are chased by Thrax on their hunting trip. They hide in a cave where they meet a hermit who tells them the world is not as good as they think it is. Now it is up to Jaykriss to attack the Thrax, recover the Bloodsword, and save his family and mankind. Will he succeed in recovering the Bloodsword and saving the human race?

The book is a typical fantasy and adventure story with a lot of thrills and action. The plot is intriguing with several sub-plots which the author has woven into the main plot with expertise. All characters have been portrayed well to keeping in mind the powerful portrayal of Jaykriss. The language is crisp and laced with some excellent imagery. Fantasy themed stories always evoke a lot of curiosity while reading and it is also a display of the author's creative mind. The story is fast paced, keeping readers glued to the story, and the ending is unexpected.