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Devon introduces readers to a tree with vines growing in four directions, each at least a thousand yards long. The tree produces fruit to heal the sick and enhance knowledge. The Dragon King senses the sounds and colors of the tree's roots because he has synesthesia. The tree communicates with other trees underground through its root systems which the Dragon King can hear and understand. The tree keeps the animal species from dominating and killing each other, and without it, all the species would be mortal. This is why the Dragon King guards it.
The sacred tree has giant snakes with names drawn from ancient myths, such as Tiamat (the primordial Babylonian goddess of the sea) and Naga—a semi-divine, half-human, and half cobra entity in Hinduism. The Dragon King delivers an apple from this tree to a woman suffering in childbirth named Lilith, who is married to Adama. Lilith has a second son, and jealousy ensues. This myth unfolds with a few twists, such as a fairytale wedding featuring small-winged creatures and a talking elephant.
Devon's tale casts a spell, capturing elements from ancient mythology that are allegorically relevant for modern times. The book will likely cause readers to never see trees the same way again. The author writes beautifully, creatively intertwining world myths and combining science and fantasy. He deftly and poetically depicts how power corrupts, as the innocent conversations between the Dragon King and the Tree of Life turn the dragon into thinking of himself as a savior and then as a deity himself. Devon skillfully induces the reader to suspend disbelief, enter the mind of the dragon, and follow along as a remarkable fable unfurls.
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