dragon book

Book Review: Dragon and Herdsman

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Dragon and Herdsman by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Herdsman (Dragonback, #4)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4.5 out of 5 stars

In this fourth book of the series, Jack and Draycos visit a distant planet with their friend, Alison Kayna. They discover a herd of creatures called Phooka that appear similar to K’da like Draycos. However, the creatures are insentient, unintelligent, slow, and behave like animals with no language. Draycos wonders if his people, the K’da, could have evolved from this lower animal form. He questions what that could mean for his species in the future.
The mercenaries from the Malison Ring track Jack and Draycos to the planet, forcing them all to flee into the dense forest. Jack must herd the Phooka through miles of dangerous terrain to save them from being slaughtered by the mercenaries.

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Book Review: The Wizard in the Wood

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The Wizard in the Wood by Louie Stowell

The Wizard in the Wood (The Dragon in the Library, #3)
by Louie Stowell

4 out of 5 stars

Kit, Josh, and Alita are privileged to witness the birth of a new baby dragon along with their new school library! But dark wizards are sneaking around the new library, and it is up to Kit to protect the baby dragon. Josh and Alita want to help too, but Kit is the one with the magical abilities. She tries to take on all the responsibility, but finds that it is too much for her to handle alone.

I loved this book from start to finish! The characters, the plot, the world-building, the magic; everything is wonderful! The writing style is absolutely hilarious! There are so many cute bits of dialogue and funny scenes that had me laughing.

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Book Review: Dragon and Slave

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Dragon and Slave by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Slave (Dragonback, #3)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Jack and his friend/symbiont Draycos are looking for information about who attacked Draycos’ people. They try to infiltrate a mercenary compound by posing as slaves, certain that they will be able to escape later. However, things take a nasty turn when Jack becomes a slave for real, and is sent to work in the fields with the other slaves.

The plot is full of non-stop action, and I was very interested in the world-building of the planet Brum-a-dum. Jack and Draycos meet so many different types of aliens, and they are all really imaginative and memorable! I love the writing style, the characters, the plot twists, and everything!

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Book Review: Dragon and Soldier

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Dragon and Soldier by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Soldier (Dragonback, #2)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Jack and Draycos are searching for information from a mercenary group, so Jack joins the group as an indentured soldier, hoping to sneak into their computer systems. After only ten days of training, Jack and his fellow teen soldiers are sent into battle. Things appear to be safe enough on the edges of the war and Jack is given sentry duty, but betrayal and danger are lurking in the shadows. Only Draycos, a poet warrior of the K’da, can help Jack to escape!

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Book Review: Dragon and Thief

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Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn

Dragon and Thief (Dragonback, #1)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

I was really surprised by this book! I was expecting your typical dragon story, but this is completely different from anything I’ve ever read about. It’s half dragon-fantasy, part science-fiction space wars, part murder mystery, with a smattering of corporate espionage.
The writing is fast-paced and perfectly crafted. Difficult to put down once you’ve started reading.

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Book Review: The Last Mapmaker

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The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

The Last Mapmaker
by Christina Soontornvat (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Sai pretends to be from a wealthy family in order to get an apprenticeship with a mapmaker. She hides that her father is a criminal, and uses her skills as a forger to help the mapmaker copy maps and documents. When the mapmaker goes on a sea voyage to explore new regions of the world, Sai is eager to leave her past behind and start a new life. There are tales of dragons and dangerous seas in the South, but the riches and rewards could be immense.

I loved this story! It’s so exciting as they travel further and further from Sai’s home, and the people on board the ship begin to divide into groups with very different goals. Both the adventure and the emotional journey have a lot of tension and suspense. There are so many great twists in the plot!

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Book Review: Dragon Rain

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Dragon Rain by Vonnie Winslow Crist

Dragon Rain
by Vonnie Winslow Crist (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

Each short story in this collection features dragons; some benevolent, some dangerous, and all of them mysterious and magical. There are dragons with mystical powers. Some dragons will bargain with humans, exchanging magic for goods. Baby dragons just out of the egg need protection. Dragons in captivity will exact their revenge. And there are some dragons who are looking for their soulmate.

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Book Review: Be the Dragon

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Be the Dragon by Catherine J. Manning

Be the Dragon: 9 Keys to Unlocking Your Inner Magic: Roar with Confidence and Slay Your Fears with Quizzes, Quests, and More!
by Catherine J. Manning
5 out of 5 stars

Go on a journey of discovery to find out what kind of dragon you are! This book has short stories about dragons who demonstrate some character trait of bravery, kindness, patience, or friendship to teach the reader how to be a real dragon in your own life.

There are several quizzes throughout the book so that you can find out what type of dragon you are, what type of roar you have, what dragon power is your biggest strength, and what problem-solving style you use best. You can do activities and crafts to complete a quest and build your creativity.

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Book Review: The Dragon in the Library

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The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell

The Dragon in the Library
by Louie Stowell, Davide Ortu (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Kit doesn’t like to read. She can’t sit still. She would much rather be climbing trees or playing with matches or other dangerous things. Her friends, Alita and Josh, convince her to visit the library with them. Kit discovers magical properties within the books that propel her and her friends into a wizarding adventure.

I loved this book from start to finish! The characters, the plot, the world-building, the magic; everything is wonderful!

I liked that the plot is simple and straightforward, but has a few little surprises that keep the story fresh and exciting. The writing style is absolutely hilarious! There are so many cute bits of dialogue and funny scenes that had me laughing.

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Book Review: The Griffin’s Feather

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The Griffin's Feather by Cornelia Funke
The Griffin’s Feather 
by Cornelia Funke (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Firedrake is back! Along with dragon rider, Ben, and the incorrigible Scottish brownie, Sorrel, the whole gang is off on an adventure, with new friends and some new enemies too. They are trying to acquire a rare griffin feather, the only magical way to save a nest of baby Pegasus eggs. Ben worries that this adventure might be too dangerous for Firedrake, since the griffins have a history of warfare with the dragons. It will take fierce courage and loyalty to bring them through this magical adventure together!

I love this author’s writing! The plot is imaginative, full of dry humor and magic. There are wild and wondrous settings all over the world, full of fascinating creatures, both mythical and real.

The main characters (Firedrake, Ben, Sorrell, Twigleg, and Barnabas Greenbloom) are magnificently written, with backstories, deep motivations and fears, and hidden longings that push them forward in the story, shaping their decisions and interactions with others.

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