Donald Samson

The Dragon, the Blade and the Thread: Book Three of the Star Trilogy Donald Samson

Frustrated by the king's expectation to follow in his footsteps, Prince Corin prefers sewing to sword fighting and finds it tedious to daily tend to the Luck Dragon. To make matters worse, he is annoyed that his cousin Elinor has the eagerness and talent for skills at arms which he lacks. One day, by a stroke of luck, Elinor uncovers a plot to overthrow the crown, led by the commander of the city's garrison. The Queen, on the other hand, is certain that the greater danger is an enigmatic marketplace magician, whom she suspects is a master of the black arts and the cause of their Luck Dragon's baffling illness. When their lives and the destiny of the kingdom are at stake, Corin must choose either to trust this mysterious old man or heed the warnings of his parents. He needs to call on all of the Luck Dragon's deepest teachings if he is to survive and remain true to himself.

The Dragon, the Blade and the Thread received a bronze medal for Young Adult Fantasy from the 2011 Moonbeam Children Book Awards.
The Dragon, the Blade and the Thread is a 2012 finalist for the Colorado Book Award in Young Adult Fiction
The Dragon, the Blade and the Thread is a finalist for the Benjamin Franklin award for young readers (8-12 years).
The Dragon, the Blade and the Thread is a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award.