Stephen King, "The Eyes of The Dragon'

The Eyes of the Dragon  by Stephen King takes place in the realm of Delain (which, I have since found out, is located within In-World from The Dark Tower series). This beautiful and poetic tale is told from the perspective of a narrator who speaks as if he were an old friend, frequently adding his own commentary on characters' motivations and the like; just as an uncle would.

King Roland is a middle-aged king who marries late in life and finds a wife who is both young and intellegent.  The Royal Wizard Flagg, Roland's advisor, attempts to assassinate Queen Sasha because he dislikes her good influence. He finally succeeds in forcing the Queen's maid to kill the queen while she was giving birth to Thomas, her second child. As time passes, Peter, the older brother, grows older and he begins to show a great deal of his mother's common sense and intelligence. Flagg realizes that the Crown Prince is a far greater threat to his position as royal wizard than was Sasha. Therefore Flagg has King Roland poisoned and Peter framed for the murder.

Twelve-year-old Thomas witnesses the murder through the glass eyes of the mounted head of King Roland's greatest trophy, the dragon which he once killed in an act of incredible bravery. After a brief trial, Peter is judged to be guilty, and he is locked up in the enormous tower called the Needle in the center of the city. His younger, weaker brother Thomas is then crowned King, although he is only twelve years old. Due to his youth, inexperience, and fear of both his own precarious position and Flagg, Thomas allows Flagg to become the defacto ruler, earning the hatred of the people in the process.

This story is told in a lyrical, old-fashioned way that is reminiscent of the way the great fairy-tales were told in my childhood.  King's prose is poetic and beautiful; it draws you in to his world and paints a vivid picture of the events that unfold before you.  If you have never read a Stephen King novel because you 'don't read horror' then this is the novel for you.  In my opinion it is his finest work, and it was the first novel I ever read of his.  I highly recommend this book!