Customer Reviews

The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree

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4 star:		(2)
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I don't generally read fantasy fiction but I'm so glad that I took a leap of faith with The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree. It was extremely worth it. This book grabbed my attention as I immediately became lost in a world of mythical creatures--witches, werewolves, vampires, elves and a dragon. Each character more vivid than the next. Each scene as if I stood in it myself. The faces of the characters as clear as someone standing next to me. The heat of the dragon's breath filled the room with each page I turned. Every battle felt as if I was there as I experienced sadness, hope, fear and anxiety along with the characters. I was afraid to put the book down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. There were so many twists and turns that left me guessing I read fervently to the end.

Jake Patel's mother was dying of cancer. He is angry but hopeful. His dad has pretty much accepted the fact that his precious wife is going to die. Like we all do at least once in life, Jake makes a bargain with the universe to spare his mother's life regardless of who has to die in her place. Jake refuses to lose hope as he thinks his father has. Jake's classmate, Jenny, is an untrained witch who comes to his aid in his efforts to save his mother's life. As a result of her help, Jake's transported to Tiramonde which is a world he isn't familiar with or even expected to see.

Upon his arrival to Tiramonde, he is guided by a young witch, Ureth, who informs him that the only thing to save his mother's life is for him to grab fruit from the dendragon tree. The only problem is that the legend says removing the fruit will release the dragon, Kildraig, who protects the tree. Easy, huh?

David, Jake's father, wakes up to find Jake is gone. He leaves is ailing wife to search for him with the help of Jake's friend, Jenny. However, he ends up being transported to Tiramonde as well. He doesn't immediately find Jake. He has to venture on a dangerous journey to meet his son. However, Jake is then faced with the task of deciding which of his two parents will survive.

What I liked about this story is that it focuses on something we are afraid to discuss--death and loss. Jake never loses hope and does what every child wishes they could do when dealing with a sick parent. When you truly love someone whether its a child, parent or partner, we suggest we will go to the end of the earth for them and that's exactly what Jake did for his mother and his father for him. Cancer kills many people and this book is a great read for those dealing with that issue or have done so previously. Love does conquer all and Jake's experience is a clear reflection of such. He never loses hope!

This story is colorful and exciting. There is definitely a need for a sequel. The basic principles of love, honesty, and truth meet vengeance, power and dishonesty as the two worlds collide. The ending will completely surprise you. The lengths that Jake and David go will make the reader question how far they'd actually go to save the life of a loved one. Me, I would fight until the end for those I love unless of course its a dragon I have to go up against. What about you?

Well done, Mr. Deepan, and thank you for donating partial proceeds from your book to Breast Cancer Research...

The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree by Paul H. Deepan has very vivid characters and an engaging plot. The story is full of adventure and sprinkled with wisdom throughout the pages. The main character struggles with the imminent death of his Mother and is determined to do all he possibly can to save her. The story brings the reader into another world, transported by magic, into a land populated with colorful characters that are not human, yet have personality and heart. The story presents the dilemma of choices and possible consequences. The main character is challenged to act in the face of fear and rely on intuition and insight. This story is well written, the author brings the reader into the minds and hearts of the main characters and moves you emotionally. The characters must act on faith and make choices based on what they love and value.

Read as metaphor, The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree speaks to our own internal struggles to save what we love and cherish even if it means allowing events to unfold that could be viewed as catastrophic. It encourages the reader to have faith in their knowing and to trust the unfolding of possibilities, allowing existing structures and forms to collapse as part of the process to open to something more expansive and more evolved. This is a healing story, a story of adventure and the quest for peace, for the integration of all aspects of our nature: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

While my taste drifts towards Alice Munro and Margaret Atwood I have to admit I truly enjoyed this story. Lots of twists and turns to keep you up way past when you said you would turn off the light. It is the authenticity of the characters that was the true joy. I look forward to the next book by this author.

The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree brings a troubled Jake Patel into the realm of fantasy in a quest to save his mother and, ultimately, to bond with his father. There are some marvelous characters and creatures in this book - including my personal favorite, Ureth the witch. I'll be more considerate of any witches I meet in the future!

However, what makes FOTDT unique among fantasies is the author's faithful characterization of Jake as a teenaged boy. He may learn skills and acquire powers, but we are always aware that he is seventeen and subject to the angst and the passions of the age. Caring about Jake as a young man and not a superhero adds texture to this very exciting tale.

I hope somebody is working on a screenplay!

What a wonderful fantasy fiction novel! The scenes were so vivid, and the characters were intriguing. The storyline kept me enthralled until the end. I cannot wait for the sequel.

Kudos to the author for his brilliant mind and imagination. Please do not keep us waiting long for your next book.

Fantasy novels are not my genre, but I love to read local authors, and this book turned out to be a page turner for me. There were no dull moments in this rich story, and the ending was unexpected, which I loved. I agree with other reviewers: a sequel would be welcome. This is a very well written, imaginative tale of good versus evil; and though the characters include witches and a dragon in a parallel universe, it was a pleasure to read, no matter what my preferred genre. This book would be an excellent choice for a club wanting to break out of routine to discuss life, death, and spirituality without getting sad and morose.

I rarely read fantasy fiction but I went out on a limb. This book grabbed me early on and had that "what happened next?" quality that had me reading long after the time I should have been asleep. I fell in love with the world and the people and mythic creatures who live there. The sequel can't come fast enough!

Great read!! This is a sweeping tale of fantasy and purpose, as well as a "coming of age" story. Loved the subtle humor and the very real characters. I can't wait for the sequel, as the characters have stayed with me long after finishing the book.

ramrjamr@comcast.net

My literary tastes are rather eclectic and I enjoy a wide range of genres. My only pre-requisite is, a well written, compelling story with interesting characters. Paul Deepan succeeds and exceeds all expectations in his first offering, "The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree". The plot is immensely satisfying and it proceeds at a lightning fast pace. It contains all the elements of a standard fantasy novel, yet has its own unique flavor and feel. The characters are well developed and draw you into their lives. The hero's such as Jake Patel, David and the witch Ureth, while being flawed are still heroic and likable. You truly care about them and their fate. They are pitted against a landscape of nightmarish creatures such as dragons, werewolves and vampires. Yet, the most despicable character in the book is a man, the Duke. With out going into specifics on his horrific deeds, lets just say, by the end of the story you hope there is a special place in hell for him.

Despite the abundance of blood and gore and truly heart breaking loss, Mr. Deepan still manages to incorporate a healthy dose of humor into his tale. Much of that humor occurs in the interaction and conversations between the characters. In fact, one of the most satisfyng elements of the story is the dialog. It's obvious that much care was taken to make it sound authentic. The characters talk like real people talk and it never sounds awkward or forced.

I highly recommend, "The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree". My only caveat is that, upon finishing the book, you will have to, like myself, impatiently wait for Mr. Deepan to crawl back into his lonely writers room and complete the sequel!

Jake Patel is a 17 year old whose biggest heartache is that his mother is dying of cancer, it has been very difficult for him to accept it to the point that he is even willing to trade his life for hers.

Also, Jake and his dad do not get along, in fact he despises his father for easily accepting his mothers predicament, or so that's what he thinks. There was even an incident when Jake found his dad kissing his workmate which made him hate his father even more. Deep inside he knew that David did not mean for things to happen, he just really wanted to pass his anger to someone else. After a huge argument at home and with the help of his classmate Jenny, Jake is transported to another dimension where he meets a witch who is knowledgeable, powerful but not yet the coven leader, Ureth who guides him in his journey. The story becomes more interesting when David, Jake's father follows him and there are several twist and turns. Towards the end Jake had a tough decision to make - which parent should he choose? Ultimately, I think the decision was finalized for Jake.

The story talks about a difficult topic - death and making choices but it is told in a world of fantasy with witches, vampires, wolves, creatures, a life giving tree and a dragon. Initially I felt that this was a young adult novel but as the story progressed it was truly more of a general fantasy genre. The author created a magnificent alternate world and several surpises that I did not see coming. The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree was the story of Jake told in the point of view of David and in the end it also was David's story. There were several scenes that were unexpected that I really enjoyed. This is an enchanting, fascinating novel and also, the author Paul Deepan is generously donating part of the proceeds of the book purchase to cancer research.