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oneheart's review
4.0
I never really understood what the plot was, but I was also in good company since it felt like the characters didn't know it either. They made mistakes and those mistakes felt genuine. It's a great read if you don't mind being confused.
the_fabric_of_words's review
5.0
This book features a boy with a loyal dragon who has to save him (cool!). Sam's master wizard dies, and he has to find a new one. It's an older style of writing, and hard to understand and follow at points, but fans of dragon fantasies will enjoy it.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.strikingly.com/
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.strikingly.com/
the_dragon_starback's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is an excellent book. One of my favourites, ever, actually. But no one else likes it. There are a couple reasons for this. First, the intended audience for this book is unclear. While the main characters are 12-years-old, the writing style and parts of the content are not suitable for most children. Second, and most importantly, is the complex way the story is told, which involves many perspective changes/combinations, unclear dialogue tags, and various things left unsaid but understood.
I think it is a misunderstood book. In the acknowledgements, Toby Forward thanks Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, and Ursula K. Le Guin for what they did for fantasy, and I see this series as a part of that lineage. It strikes many of the same notes as the Earthsea series, and the writing style seems similar to some of Alan Garner’s works. In many ways I believe this series is behind it’s time, or was the end of an era. It is best for readers of the above writers, not those of today’s greatly talented but very different writers of children’s fantasy.
But I love this book because it is about people trying to mend the world, very slowly, contending against not just bad people but also weak people and those who aren’t brave enough to be good. It’s about shelters, and doing the work that needs to be done, and following ancient ways when the old ones have gone sour.
So I love this book very much indeed.
Quotes:
“Why do things get bad?” she asked.
“So they can get better again.”
“You should have seen [the library] then,” he said. “It was a market garden of magic. Everything you could want grew here. And it was tended and cared for, nurtured and nourished. Busy, but never loud; full of life, but never out of order. Look at it now.”
“That’s the terrible thing,” he said. “Frosty isn’t really bad. But he’s weak, and bad people are making him do bad things.”
“I don’t think I’m staying here,” said Sam.
Tim looked away from him.
“I wish you would,” he said.
“It’s not the right place.”
“I know. Have you made up your mind?”
“[Sam] won’t ever wake up,” said Tremmort. Sam agreed that was the best and turned his heart inward to the longer silence.”
I think it is a misunderstood book. In the acknowledgements, Toby Forward thanks Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, and Ursula K. Le Guin for what they did for fantasy, and I see this series as a part of that lineage. It strikes many of the same notes as the Earthsea series, and the writing style seems similar to some of Alan Garner’s works. In many ways I believe this series is behind it’s time, or was the end of an era. It is best for readers of the above writers, not those of today’s greatly talented but very different writers of children’s fantasy.
But I love this book because it is about people trying to mend the world, very slowly, contending against not just bad people but also weak people and those who aren’t brave enough to be good. It’s about shelters, and doing the work that needs to be done, and following ancient ways when the old ones have gone sour.
So I love this book very much indeed.
Quotes:
“Why do things get bad?” she asked.
“So they can get better again.”
“You should have seen [the library] then,” he said. “It was a market garden of magic. Everything you could want grew here. And it was tended and cared for, nurtured and nourished. Busy, but never loud; full of life, but never out of order. Look at it now.”
“That’s the terrible thing,” he said. “Frosty isn’t really bad. But he’s weak, and bad people are making him do bad things.”
“I don’t think I’m staying here,” said Sam.
Tim looked away from him.
“I wish you would,” he said.
“It’s not the right place.”
“I know. Have you made up your mind?”
“[Sam] won’t ever wake up,” said Tremmort. Sam agreed that was the best and turned his heart inward to the longer silence.”
sauvageloup's review
not entirely sure this is the right one (added 2021 from library receipt)
purplespecslms's review
2.0
Not impressed. Book meandered all over, but left out a lot of explanation.
saphirablue's review against another edition
3.0
First I was very exited about the book because: Dragons! but, it didn't hold up. Way too little about the dragon, too confusing (time jumps and changes of POVs without warning, talking about things that haven't been explained before and so on), too difficult to follow and so on. :(
oliviacornwell's review
2.0
Full review here: http://oliviasinkspots.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-review-dragonborn-toby-forward.html
The story idea is charming, the world and worldbuilding are charming. But the execution of the plot was poorly done, I think. The tension and conflict didn't seem to rise like it should, and when it should have been at its peak, it fizzled out and the point that should have had tension was flat. There wasn't very much conflict, either. A lot of travel and some tension as to whether or not a character would live. It was disappointing. I never got answers to the questions that should have been answered quite possibly near the start of the book.
The dialogue was odd. Sometimes conversation would be rather random, or someone would ask a question and get no answer because the other person started talking about something else. It was confusing and almost frustrating at times.
The magic system in this book was fascinating. I like how magic almost seems to be its own character. Use it wrong, it'll come back to bite you. Neglected, it'll be weak and fairly useless. Don't use magic to make life easy or quick. Use it for the best things.
Besides the magic and the worldbuilding, the main character, Sam, and the villainess, Ash, are both rather well done. Sam's innocence gives him a sense of charm, and he grows and develops as things happen to him. Ash is an incredibly creepy villain. She's probably very much insane, and her character and circumstances make her creepy.
The story idea is charming, the world and worldbuilding are charming. But the execution of the plot was poorly done, I think. The tension and conflict didn't seem to rise like it should, and when it should have been at its peak, it fizzled out and the point that should have had tension was flat. There wasn't very much conflict, either. A lot of travel and some tension as to whether or not a character would live. It was disappointing. I never got answers to the questions that should have been answered quite possibly near the start of the book.
The dialogue was odd. Sometimes conversation would be rather random, or someone would ask a question and get no answer because the other person started talking about something else. It was confusing and almost frustrating at times.
The magic system in this book was fascinating. I like how magic almost seems to be its own character. Use it wrong, it'll come back to bite you. Neglected, it'll be weak and fairly useless. Don't use magic to make life easy or quick. Use it for the best things.
Besides the magic and the worldbuilding, the main character, Sam, and the villainess, Ash, are both rather well done. Sam's innocence gives him a sense of charm, and he grows and develops as things happen to him. Ash is an incredibly creepy villain. She's probably very much insane, and her character and circumstances make her creepy.
nightwing's review
1.0
Thought it was too confusing and the flashbacks to the dead Wizard threw me for a loop. The dialogue felt clunky and almost robotic at times.
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