Whether you are young or young-at-heart, Wings of Fire Legends: Darkstalker is a captivating read from cover to cover.
A complete tale in one volume with a bittersweet end that leaves no room for guesswork, this story takes place in the long-distant past of Pyrrhia, and closely follows the events leading up to the birth, and young life of Darkstalker, one of the most powerful dragons who ever lived, before his inevitable return in the 'Jade Mountain Prophecy' arc of the regular Wings of Fire book series (books 6 - 10). This story also captures the young life of another crucially important dragon to the lore and ever-expanding universe of WoF, Clearsight, whose influence is keystone in Wings of Fire's third arc, 'The Lost Continent Prophecy' (books 11 - 15). Because of its far-reaching impact on the lore, 'Wings of Fire Legends: Darkstalker' is often considered to be one of the most important books in the entire series.
Despite its Lexend measure of 750L and the target demographic being ages 10 ~ 15, WoF Legends: Darkstalker does not leave older readers behind, or bored by its use of the English language - it's still a rather captivating and enjoyable read despite your age. It will also educate its reader with subtle, and less-than-subtle clues on how to identify a narcissist, along with the shady tactics they use, including wit, cleverness, praise, ultimatums, deception, and lies. Darkstalker is as charming as he is manipulative and destructive in the relationships he cultivates around him, and once you're able to see him for what he is, his red flags become painfully obvious. Even knowing that, Darkstalker, the character himself, is still a huge fan-favourite. He's a wonderful example of an antagonist that is not quite black and white – he does perform non-selfish acts in amongst all the other actions he takes to raise himself up the ranks of power and notoriety.
Although this particular volume takes place well over 2000 years ago in Pyrrhia's distant past, the events that occur within will greatly affect the future. For people curious to dip their toes into the WoF universe and not knowing where to begin, this edition is the one I most recommend, because it will give readers plenty of insight if they eventually move onto the main series.
TL;DR – A fantastic read for all ages. Features a charismatic villain that you will either adore, or admire despite all his selfishness. Go read it – you will not be disappointed!
