Dragon's Keep

Book Description

Far away on Wilde Island, Princess Rosalind is born with a dragon claw where her ring finger should be. To hide the secret, the Queen forces her to wear gloves at all times until a cure can be found, so Rosalind can fulfill the prophecy to restore the family to their rightful throne.

But Rosalind’s flaw cannot be separated from her fate. When she is carried off by the dragon, everything she thought she knew falls apart. The dragon sees beauty in her talon where her mother saw only shame, and Rosalind finally understands what her mother has truly denied her.

Carey has written a stunning portrayal of the complex relationship between a mother and daughter in a lyrical novel sure to thrill readers who love fantasy—and those who don’t.

Customer Reviews:

Well written Adventure story.......2007-08-26

A well written YA book. It was not dumbed down like some YA books are, the writing was smooth and kept the reader interested in the lead character.
The book tells a story of a princess, the 21st decendent of Queen Evaine, King Arthur's younger sister. The family was banished to the island when the Queen married a men that her father did not approve. The legend was that the 21st Queen will bring peace and honour back to the name of Pendragon.

Our heroine is the princess and only she and her mother know of her terrible secret. The poor girl has a Dragon's claw for her ring finger. Her mother keeps it hidden at all times under golden gloves, and goes to great lengths that the secret is never discovered. When the princess meets the female dragon, and later the dragon is killed, she is kidnapped by the dragon's mate to care for the pips (baby Dragons)
The dragon's see beauty where her mother only saw shame, and it is at the end of the story that the dragons give her the gift of Peace between Human and Dragon.
The adventures are exciting and the book should be recomended to any young Dragon Lover.

Absolutely a great book..........2007-07-18

We gave this book to our 13 year old daughter for her birthday this year. Her words when I asked how it was were, "The most awesome book ever!" This is coming from an avid reader... she breezed through this 302 page book in just three days. Right now she is reading the Bartimaeus Trilogy, but says she would like to read more by this author in the near future.

Fantastic read for young adult.......2007-07-18

In this young adult fantasy, Rosalind's fate was written in the stars, read by Merlin, some 600 years before she was born. Rosalind's ancestor, Evaine, was the younger sister of King Arthur. Evaine married an outlaw, was banished to Wilde Island, and erased from family history.

Three things are said of the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island; "She shall redeem the name Pendragon. End war with the wave of her hand. And restore the glory of Wilde Island."

The way her mother sees it, with England in the midst of civil war Rosalind will marry Prince Henry, future king of England, thereby fulfilling all aspects of the prophecy. But what if Rosalind and Henry don't get along? Not that they've even heard from the Queen of England, though they assume she is aware of the prophecy. Then there's Rosalind's ring finger. It's a dragon's claw. So far she and her mother have hidden it behind golden gloves, but that won't work forever. They MUST find a cure soon--a cure that is hard to find when potential healers aren't told what the exact problem is.

When an envoy from England comes to Wilde Island, things start looking up a little, especially after they slay the dragon that has been harassing the Island forever. What should be one of the most triumphant moments in their history turns horrifying when the dragon's mate returns to punish the people, and takes a special interest in Rosalind. Before long, Rosalind's life will never be the same, and it doesn't look like the prophecy could ever be fulfilled.

There is so much more to this book! So many more levels and layers to the story! Rosalind may be a Princess with a dragon's claw in a faraway time and place, but her relationship with her mother is something you could see in anyone's life. Her desire to be normal and accepted are the same things every teenager experiences. So while the circumstances aren't something we experience everyday, the people in them, and their reactions to them, are completely realistic and relatable.

Armchair Interviews says: Part fairy tale, part mythology, part legend, all around fantastic!

Dragon's Keep a keeper.......2007-06-29

"What a great story. The ending is unexpected." I am quoting the words of one of my 5th grade students. He requested this book as his prize for reading 200 books this year. He could not stop talking about the story. Based on his response I would recommend this book for young adults.

NOT BAD.......2007-06-09

THIS IS A GOOD BOOK AND I READ IT IN TWO DAYS, BUT IT'S MORE OR LESS LIKE ROSALIND'S DIARY AND I FIND THOSE KINDS OF BOOKS DULL. THERE NOT MUCH ROMANCE IN THIS (IF YOU HAVE READ DRAGON LOVERS YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE NOT READ DRAGON LOVERS YET READ THIS BOOK FIRST THEN DRAGON LOVERS). THERE'S NOT MUCH EXCITEMENT UNTILL THE LAST THREE CHAPTERS AND THERE'S NO VILLAN UNTILL THE LAST FOUR. AND F.Y.I. THE DRAGON CUTS HIS EGGS FROM HIS MATES STOMACH THEN TAKES THEM HOME.

Average customer rating:

good story
Left Wanting More
Not bad for a romance novel.
The Dragon Lord's Daughters
One of the Worst

The Dragon Lord's Daughters
Bertrice Small
Manufacturer: Kensington
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1575668572
Release Date: 2004-02-01

Customer Reviews:

good story.......2006-06-16

this is a good story.it begins by telling how Merin Pendragon came to be, by a young lady named lynior whom arthur got pregnant. she is hidden away, and she and arthur never see each other again. It does'nt go into specifics how far ahead that lynior came from so i'm guessing that she is probably a great great great grandmother to merin and his children. Averil, is the eldest, although she is illegitemate, she is very beautiful, and she wishes to marry a powerful lord, but she gets kidnapped, by rhys fitzhugh a young poor bailiif trying to better his situation. Averil and rhys end up falling in love by the end.
Maia is merin's legitemate daughter who falls in love with a man who remains faceless in her dreams. Even after they are married, maia and emrys (maia's husband) have a hard time being together, because emrys's mother is the jealous and immortal lady of the lake. Maia goes through some tests to prove to the lady of the lake that she is worthy off her son.Junia I have not read about yet, but this is an engrossing read from start to finish

Left Wanting More.......2005-09-07

I really did enjoy the book, and I liked how it was split into sections for each daughter. The rape scene didnt bother me as much as it bothered other readers, mainly because it is so factual. I rather enjoyed the book. The only thing that I didnt like about the book was that the girls' stories seemed to be cut so short. By the time she got to Junia, it seemed the shortest. I was really wanting to know more about how Averil faired out. I guess I just didnt feel like the closing of each girls story was enough. I think it is a book worth reading though.

Not bad for a romance novel........2004-11-09

When I purchased this book, I had no idea who Beatrice Small was, or what type of book she normally writes. I grabbed it because of the story summary on the cover. The book tells the tale of 3 young women who all descend directly from the bloodline of King Arthur. The girls Averil, Maia, and Junia each have different mothers and the same father. Each is described as unique in appearance and as each of them prepare to marry they face their own unique circumstances. Averil is kidnapped by a young man looking to find a wife with a land dowery; Maia (and here the King Arthur bit came more into play) falls in love with a faceless man in her dreams - refusing all others and chosing to wait for the day he rides through the gates; and Junia who falls in love with a man from a family feuding with the Pendragons for over a century. Each story line is interesting and the book reads fast and keeps your attention. However, despite the lean toward historical fiction - and in the case of Maia, the definate sci-fi tilt to the story, this is definately a romance novel. I must admit that I found the ending a bit sugar coated and some of the love scenes and wording to be more "lonely housewife" than I would have preferred. There is one rape scene that I could have lived without and I was not thrilled that the woman in question continued to "love" the rapist - I think there is no place for any such suggestion in any type of literature, but that's a personal belief - you decide for yourself. If you want a tale about King Arthur - this is NOT it. If you want a decent, enjoyable read - it's not a bad choice. Knowing now that Ms. Small writes romance novels (despite any efforts at an historical twist) I would assume this is the only book of her's I shall read...but it wasn't a bad choice, just a bit predictable perhaps.

The Dragon Lord's Daughters.......2004-08-17

Another fabulous read from Beatrice Small. Three daughters, descended from the mystical King Arthur are of a marrigable age. Their father allows them to choose their own husbands (for the most part) for love as well as politcal. The adventures they must go through in order to be married will keep you hooked from daughter to daughter.

One of the Worst.......2004-08-07

I love all kinds of books, and I have been reading romance novels for about 15 years now, and I can honestly say this was one of the worst I have ever read. The writing is so bad, I had to post something. She actually writes at one point that he looks at her "unquestioningly," and then he asks her a question. What is that? And I found a few mistakes in the book which should have been caught in the editing process. Don't waste your time or your money on this book. There are so many other great romance writers out there!

Daughters Of The Dragon: Samurai Bullets TPB (Daughters of the Dragon)

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
The beginning of an Era...
Daughters Of The Dragon
Daughters Of The Dragon/Samurai Bullets
Daughters of the Dragon

Daughters Of The Dragon: Samurai Bullets TPB (Daughters of the Dragon)
Justin Gray , Jimmy Palmiotti , and Khari Evans
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785119442

Book Description

Bounty hunters Misty Knight and Colleen Wing star in this sexy action thriller, the latest project from writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti - an entertaining mix of gritty action, biting comedy and sharp visuals provided by talented newcomer Khari Evans. When four less-than "super" villains - Whirlwind, 8-Ball, Humbug and Freezer Burn - skip bail and team up to rob the penthouse apartment of a wealthy publisher, they get more than they bargained for. Misty Knight and Colleen Wing are on the case. Unfortunately, so are a host of villains and assassins looking to recover what was stolen. Collects Daughters of the Dragon #1-6.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Gray and Palmiotti do a fine job here, as they bring back, and, of course, sex up a bit Misty Knight and Colleen Wing.

Some 70s homage action, and some pretty low rent superheroes and villains combine to make this a whole lot of fun.

A bit of a light spot in all that 90s scowling Civil War stuff.

The beginning of an Era..........2007-06-28

In 1986, Marvel published a mini series called "Longshot" and introduced fandom to the incredible talents of a soon-to-be superstar artist, named Arthur Adams.

In 2006, history is repeated in "Daughters of the Dragon: Samurai Bullets" as Marvel showcases the incredible talent of artist Khari Evans, who is quickly becoming a fan favorite artist due to his devastatingly awesome drawing style and gorgeous ladies.

Don't miss out on this 5 star TPB!

Daughters Of The Dragon.......2007-01-05

glad to see it collected...and for all of you who enjoy these characters. hey, i think its fun. lol

JIMMY

Daughters Of The Dragon/Samurai Bullets.......2006-12-15

In comic books, limbo doesn't exist anymore. Every character you can think of has been brought back. You don't have to know Spider-Man or The Avengers or The X-Men to be allowed in the Marvel Universe anymore. You just have to come back Cool. Like Misty Knight and Colleen Wing.
I had only recently probed the Daughters' origins as collected in The Essential Iron Fist, when the DOD mini-series--now collected as this Samurai Bullets graphic novel--came into existence. No longer are the duo in the capable hands of people like Chris Claremont, John Byrne, or the incomparable Marshall Rogers (hey, sue me, Rogers redesigned the coolest dude ever--Deadshot...but I digress into a Villains United review or a Batman: Strange Apparitions review. Sorry). But if Claremont has lost touch with Knight & Wing, that's okay, we've got Gray, Palmiotti and Evans making us say "move over, Elektra". And except for a few nitpicks, Samurai Bullets is terrific stuff.
Contrary to other opinion, no one steals the show--not from these ladies. Certainly not Freezer Burn (be serious!). Colleen is still as tough as ever; she used to slash up Angar, now she slashes up Razorfist (though even thirty years later the actual slash is still artfully concealed, out of concern for the faint-of-heart, I guess). Misty is still touchy about her missing arm (compensating, apparently, with Big Hair, which, ironically, was not present in the seventies!), and she still has a thing for Iron Fist, whose appearance in this story could have been dropped. But if Iron Fist is wasted here, shorter drop-bys by the likes of the Punisher, Tony Stark, Orka, the Rhino, the Trapster--and most especially the Mole Man, who gets the best line of the book--really make this an unpredictable romp. Where else do you see the Hand kill a cockroach, or the Jester keep his yap shut and just brawl, I ask you!
Hmmm. If there is a show stealer, she's Ricadonna, scheming, Daughter-smacking villainess extraordinaire. Hmmm, I'm thinking Rosamund Pike as Ricadonna for the film, so she can be breakout star of the year all over again. Speaking of breakout stars, Khari Evans's art is eye-snatching all through, but some of the fight scenes do appear a bit wonky or awkward, with combatants in motion (ie. flying through the air) in artful ways that don't always deliver a clear pay-off (ie. let's see more of someone actually klunking someone else, rather than just the acrobatics). Motion not always fluid enough, IMO. But that's okay!--Everyone looks great, especially the ladies!
Total fun, without Spider-Man. Though his name gets dropped a lot. So does Blizzard's, once, in a backhanded kind of way. (No more Freezer Burn, PLEASE!--give me back Blizzard. I liked Blizzard.)

Daughters of the Dragon.......2006-11-17

What a great job Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have done in updating the near forgotten Marvel characters Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. It's a rip-roaring adventure with plenty of grit, action and adventure, all with tongue firmly placed in cheek. It's fun to see Misty and Colleen go up against an established Marvel villain such as Rhino, but Gray and Palmiotti really ratchet up the fun with the main villains Whirlwind, 8-Ball, Humbug and Freezer Burn. They practically steal the show.

For those who can remember and enjoy the great 70s exploitation films such as FOXXY BROWN and SWITCHBLADE SISTERS, you'll get a real kick out of this. Similar to what they did with JONAH HEX, Gray and Palmiotti have revived great characters from the past in a truly grand manner.

The art by Khari Evans is excellent and Christina Strain's colors are outstanding.

This book has something for everyone, and if you liked DANGER GIRL, you'll love this.

Daughter of the Dragon (MechWarrior: Dark Age #16)

Average customer rating:

Robert Jordan?
Not bad, not good
Slow action
Good story, more adult themes
So how does this book stack up for this long-time BattleTech fan?

Daughter of the Dragon (MechWarrior: Dark Age #16)
Ilsa J. Bick
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0451460340

Book Description

Katana Tormark's family was disgraced by a traitor. To regain her clan's honor, she challenges House Kurita's right to rule the Combine. Undermining their authority, Katana is pushing them into a conflict with the Republic they don't want. But Warlord Mitsura Sakamoto has his own desire to rule, and and he's not going to let Katana stand in his way.

Customer Reviews:

Robert Jordan?.......2007-06-25

I thought I was reading a Robert Jordan novel the way the story line jumps around. Too bad it wasn't as well written as Robert's novels.

Not bad, not good.......2007-04-03

Some decent story advancement, but overall was far too concerned with side stories, and Ms. Bick seems overly indulgent with blood, gore, and sex, not necessarily in that order. More convoluted than the average Mechwarrior - Dark Age novel, and not in a good way.

Slow action.......2006-08-29

Is missing a lot ao actiom. But the drama and plots are running hot.

Good story, more adult themes.......2006-02-26

A good book to add to the BattleTech/Mechwarrior book collection. Sometimes the book introduces too many characters but has a good amount of action, drama, and politics. Not recommended for young readers (gore/ light sexual themes), but it was nice to see the more "adult" themes in the series, that we all know is there, but isn't always written about. Id say the second best book of the new Dark Age novels only behind "Ghost War".

So how does this book stack up for this long-time BattleTech fan?.......2006-01-27

Alright... You've read the reviews so you know the pros and cons of this novel. You've also read some plot pointers, so there's no need to reiterate that. So how does this book really stack up in the BattleTech universe? Is it the greatest thing since Stackpole, or is it festering dog vomit?

Neither.

This book isn't fluff and it isn't a fast-food happy meal tie in. Nor is it a J-Pop ADHD Anime super-robo-girly-boy commercial. This is fiction set in the far future dealing with the darker side of geo-politics, assassination, humanity, and all the black, white, and gray territory that lies between. And as a franchise, the BattleTech universe has always concentrated on that side of human struggle. (Unless you count alien talking birds who use axes, but we won't go into that today...)

This book deals with a microcosm of that struggle and it details it in a graphic, adult manner. Punches are not pulled---and they shouldn't be. If fan-boys want to embrace a world in which death and destruction is the norm, then they must also be prepared to visit the not-so-pleasant aspects of warfare. This is what this novel is all about: Gritty, messy, complicated---all on street level. (I will mention the cries of censorship or an M rating is ridiculous, as there have been much more graphic depictions of violence and death written in the pages of past 'Tech novels.)

So what's the bottom line?

The bottom line is a solid B. This fiction isn't high brow mind food, nor will anyone be knocking on the author's door nominating her for the next Poet Laureate. But then again, that was never what the BattleTech universe was about. In the context of which it was written, _Daughter of the Dragon_ manages to successfully convey and carry the overall theme of the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe, and more importantly, it helps to expand it. It's not perfect, but it's entertaining. And really, that's all that matters. If you're a BattleTech fan, it's worth your time to check out.

The Seadragon's Daughter (Dragon Delasangre)

Average customer rating:

Very well done
A most revealing third entry in the Delasangre series
The Seadragon's Daughter (Dragon Delasangre)
Fantasy dolphins
He does it again!

The Seadragon's Daughter (Dragon Delasangre)
Alan F. Troop
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451460073

Book Description

Peter DelaSangre now enjoys a peaceful existence with his family on a private island retreat just off the coast of Miami. Then he receives an unexpected visitor named Lorrel, a member of a sea-dwelling dragon race who will force Peter to face his bloodline's secret past-revelations that may separate Peter from his family forever.

Customer Reviews:

Very well done.......2006-10-12

This series just keeps getting better. The twists and turns in this one left me wanting even more. The characters are rich and sympathetic. Troop does an excellent job of making them feel very real. Very entertaining and well written!

A most revealing third entry in the Delasangre series.......2006-03-11

One cannot help but draw comparisons between Alan F. Troop and Anne Rice (well, early Anne Rice, anyway) because, in a sense, Troop has done for dragons what Rice did for vampires - recreating them in a rich, original, truly fascinating fashion. The Seadragon's Daughter is the third entry in the Dragon Delasangre series, and it greatly adds to the history and mythology that Troop is developing for the creatures who refer to themselves as People of the Blood. Now we discover that there are actually four very different species of dragons in the world, and they don't always play well together.

All Peter Delasangre, a successful Miami businessman in his human changeling form, wants is to spend as much time as possible with his new wife (who was not an easy catch, as anyone who read Dragon Moon will know) and children, enjoy the luxuries and seclusion of his private island estate, stretch his wings in true dragon fashion, and - every now and again - enjoy the succulent pleasures of human flesh. A rare steak is tasty, but nothing beats the taste of live human-kabob. As usual, though, life just isn't that simple for Peter. A string of missing boaters and islanders in the areas has brought a lot of unwanted attention to his island paradise, as rumors on the mainland begin to point a finger of suspicion at the wealthy Delasangre. Peter's innocent - he's always careful about preying on solitary victims far away from his island - but that doesn't keep prying eyes away.

Peter has bigger problems on the horizon, though. A mysterious young female begins appearing on the island; not only will the seemingly innocent Lorrel place quit a strain on the Delasangres' marriage, she threatens to take Peter away from his family forever. He's as surprised as anyone to discover that Lorrel is a member of the Pelks, a sea-dwelling race of dragons thought to be extinct. The race is indeed dwindling, though - and faces extinction if it can't infuse its society with some fresh dragon blood. That's where Peter comes in, as he's poisoned and transported to the sea-dwelling dragons' underworld kingdom (where he will learn some surprising things about the history of his family and of his entire race). Without the antidote to the poison, it looks like he will never see home again. Then Peter learns that his wife and children are in danger - and that changes everything. There will be blood in the water before this drama ends, as no Delasangre gives up without one heck of a fight.

Despite the moral ambiguity (from a human perspective) of the People of the Blood, Peter Delasangre's story is in many ways a very human one. Sure, he takes great delight in eating people, but Peter Delasangre is every bit of a family man who will do anything to defend those he loves - even if it means sacrificing his own life in the process. Alan F. Troop seems to improve with every novel, and the introduction of no less than three new dragon races adds a surprising amount of depth to a series that could have begun drifting toward stagnancy by this point at the hands of a lesser writer - and, just as importantly, it promises truly great things for the future of the Dragon Delasangre series.

The Seadragon's Daughter (Dragon Delasangre).......2006-01-15

awsome read

Fantasy dolphins.......2005-05-02

In many ways, the book lives up to its amazing predecessors, The Dragon Delasangre and Dragon Moon. Troop writes about dolphins, however, as if he heard the word somewhere but never got any details.

Dolphins are not nearly so effective with their teeth as Troop portrays them. In packs they can kill large sharks, but they do it by ramming the fish senseless. If they could easily attack with their teeth, they wouldn't do it that way. On each fighting pass, a dolphin has just ONE chance to use his teeth, and he has no other weapons -- unless you count his ability to stun small fish with his sonar.

Peter, with his powerful hind legs, sharp claws, and far more maneuverable neck, jaws, and teeth, could easily tear apart a dolphin twice his own weight, and there wouldn't be any such. Pit the dragon against a killer whale, yes, but a dolphin? I don't think so.

The book really left me wondering where all the DANGEROUS fish were hiding; sharks and barracudas, for instance. In fact, the story makes more sense if all the dolphins were replaced by sharks -- except that sharks aren't intelligent enough.

I often wondered, too, how a dragon eats a human in mid-air without choking on the clothing!

He does it again!.......2005-02-14

If you have read the first 2 novels in the series (Dragon Delasangre and Dragon Moon) you will have come to love and hate Henri Delasangre. Knowing I would get my hands on a great story, I feared the expected turn-off to the main characters as had happened in the first two novels. It was that, "you hate it so much you have to read it" kind of feeling. But an all new cast is presented in this novel bringing with them a fresh start and a new story; and the possibility for many new and exciting stories to come. Alan F. Troop is a good writer. His novels are filled with excitement and action. It is the quick and easy-reading entertainment that draws me to the Delasangre books, not the love of the characters...which can be somewhat refreshing, I think. Take a break from those heavy tear-jerkers, and the books that leave you speechless and dumbfounded. Give these books a chance, they are very fun!

Average customer rating:

A Failed Effort
"Bitch of a view, ain't it," said the gargoyle.
I loved this book!!! But it is not for kids!
I'm asking my library to pull this off the shelves
Bleak, cynical, disjointed, disappointing novel

The Iron Dragon's Daughter
Michael Swanwick
Manufacturer: Avon Books (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0380972336

Customer Reviews:

A Failed Effort.......2007-09-14

Not being a frequent reader of SF/Fantasy, I don't have many yard sticks to compare this novel to. Having said that, this atypical SF/fantasy novel simply doesn't do it for me. I have read the author's Stations of the Tide and was not impressed with it either but that's another story. I've no problems with the nihilistic nature, the bleak tone, or the lack of heroic quality of the protagonist, Jane. I'm generally not avert to pornographic description in a novel, but here it simply doesn't do anything useful to the storyline nor is it titillating in the least bit. It is not a difficult read as mentioned by others, just boring. The beginning where Jane toils in the dragon factory starts well enough but it goes precipitously downhill quickly once the narrative switches to the high school setting. The denouement, which I shall not spoiled, is pretty obvious to me from the high school storyline.

The novel reads very much like the equivalent of an Afternoon Special of a young girl's journey to womanhood, only rated NC-17, and inhibited by aliens and fantastic creatures. The mix of technology and magic is very intriguing but it is cursorily introduced and barely explored. Unfortunately, the author didn't build a fully realized alien society or bother to explain any of the new words and terminology, but the events and objects are so transparently of our world that he didn't need to explain them. In another word, the author doesn't so much as transport readers to another world (which is a hallmark of great SF/fantasy) as simply substituting strange or made-up words for something in our own world. The characters eat pizza, go to the mall, snort drugs, etc. The effects are mundane and banal. I understand that great SF/fantasy fictions are supposed to illuminate real world conditions but the executions here are not clever or interesting enough to make the alien tableau meaningful or even necessary.

The thing is, novels not being a visual medium, the set up needs to be very well established so readers can continue to see the alien world in their minds' eye. If not, then everything reverts back to the equivalent objects of our world and all the wonderment is gone. Sadly, this is what the novel fails to achieve: a sense of wonderment, not to mention a misfired attempt to tell a prosaic coming-of-age story.

"Bitch of a view, ain't it," said the gargoyle........2007-07-22

As he showed so expertly in _Jack Faust,_ industrialism and medievalism are two sides of the same rusty coin. Jane is a mortal changeling, kidnapped by the powers of a very unpleasant version of Faerie to be a "breeder," producing half-elf pilots for the iron dragons. Until she's old enough for that, though, she's put to work in a dragon factory, working twelve hours a day and living a dreary, dangerous existence with other children, none of whom are human. But that's just the beginning of her life, which will take her through a sort-of high school and then to the university in The Gray City, and which will turn on her talents as a thief, her carefully nurtured cold-bloodedness, her discovery of sex, and especially on her relationship with a slightly insane rogue dragon. While it's common enough for female authors to create thoroughly believable male protagonists, the reverse, for some reason, is much less often the case. Swanwick, however, does a first-rate job with Jane and with the supporting cast that haunts her life. A bleak, disturbing, and mind-grabbing book you will reread periodically -- I guarantee it.

I loved this book!!! But it is not for kids!.......2007-06-10

I aquired this book by accident, and started reading it- Wow! It is dark, complex, ispired, and rough. It is not a book for kids, and I get the feeling that somehow it ws promoted that way, thus all the negative reviews below FrOM KIDS! it does not deserve the low star rating it has. If you are looking for an engrossing, bizarre, imaginative, fast pacedand fun sci-fi escapist read, check this out.

I'm asking my library to pull this off the shelves.......2007-03-13

Here's a sampling from "The Iron Dragon's Daughter"

"Behind the bar was an enormous glass tank, lit by harsh fluorescents, where the rest of the club was bathed in red and purple. A horse was drowning in the tank. Legs churning up clouds of bubbles. Eyes bloodshot and wild, it craned it's neck to lift agonized nostrils above the thrashing surface. The music was slow and romantic, but just loud enough that the horse struggled in silence."

That is obscene. It made me physically ill to where I was sweating and sick my stomach. And we wonder why violence and abuse are becoming excepted/excusable behaviors. This sort of stuff, imo, doesn't help.

Swanwick ought to be ashamed of himself for even having such thoughts let alone putting them in a book where 70% of its readers will be kids.
What's a kid, or anyone for that matter, suppose to make of that bar w/ drowning horse scene? What's MS trying to say? That hey! slowly KILLING an innocent creature is COOL entertainment. All it said to me was just how much of a sick SOB Swanwick is.

Everybody in this book uses the "F" word along with every other foul word you can think of, copiously. The higher the page# the higher the "F" count.
I don't care what you're trying to do with a story, foul language will destroy, not enhance it. Just like in real life, foul language demeans and destroys. That's what it's all about.

In class one day Jane's teacher ("fat old Grunt") "Thrust his hand between her legs and snatched up at her crotch. The class convulsed with mirth, all of them braying, snorting, snickering, laughing as if they had never seen him pull this joke before."
Huh?

This is the rudest, crudest, foulest sci/fi fantasy book I've ever read. AND to top it all off .. THERE IS NO STORY! There is no rhyme nor reason.

Whether Swanwick likes it or not, as an author of mostly kid read books he has, imo, some moral and social responsibility. He dropped the ball here.

I've never given censorship a thought until this book. But I'm asking my library to pull it off our shelves. I admit, I don't want anyone, especially kids, to read this book. It's pure ugly evil. It shats on you. It's an insult to your intelligence.

Of course Swanwick is laughing all the way to the bank.

Bleak, cynical, disjointed, disappointing novel.......2006-07-30

The concept of a faerie realm where technology and magic exist side-by-side is an intriguing one. I've read some of Swanwick's short fiction and found it enjoyable enough, so on a friend's recommendation I gave this novel a try.

It failed for me on many different levels. In tone, the novel is unremittingly cynical and bleak. Swanwick depicts a thoroughly corrupt fey society with no apparent redeeming qualities. It is a dark mirror of modern western society with the grunge dial turned up to eleven, cyberpunk with pixies and dragons. Unfortunately Swanwick does not convey any sense of how or why this mish-mash of sorcery and science came to be or is supposed to work. There aren't any apparent ground-rules governing what technology works and what does not. Along the same lines, there aren't many clear principles of magic outlined either.

Even the structure of faerie society is inscrutable. You don't get a glimpse into WHY the powers that be are acting as they do, no sense of a guiding principle other than simple but pervasive corruption and cruelty for the sake of cruelty. Just when a rule or a law is presented it is shown that it means nothing. I could relate to this if those in charge were at least clever in their manipulations and observations. But they're simply opaque.

I have no idea of what is NOT supposed to be possible in this setting, no sense of the boundaries that might limit character's choices and thus make their decisions more meaningful. Most of those characters seem to make their choices based on one of two driving motivations--they are either supernaturally doomed to a certain fate or they are greedy, grasping bastards. The amoral main character often drifts about, guided only by a fate that seems largely out of her conscious control. She seems to break free at the end, but that's unclear as well. Even the sex lacks empathy--most of it is literally a mechanical ritual, and much of that has a dirty feel to it. Not the dirtiness of pornography so much as the sensation of finding a used condom in a wastebasket.

The result is that this world resembles a chaotic stage peopled with caricature after caricature of creatures from fantasy and folklore dressed in leather jackets and snorting magical drugs until one form or another of deus ex machina emerges from off stage (again literally, the Iron Dragon itself) to shove the plot along. It is surrealist more than it is either science fiction or fantasy. In fact, it reads more like an attack on certain types of heroic fantasy.

I was going to call this novel undisciplined, but I get the feeling that all of these choices were made very deliberately by the author in service to an ultimate goal that honestly, as a reader, I could not understand. I can accept a story that sacrifices sympathetic characters to explore a milleu in detail, or a story driven by character that has limited plot, or even a suspenseful plot filled with twists and turns that gives little of plot or setting. But a story that seems to strive to be disorienting is beyond me.

A Dragon Child: Reflections of a Daughter of Annam in America

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A Dragon Child: Reflections of a Daughter of Annam in America
Lucy Nguyen-Hong-Nhiem
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595328393

Book Description

A Dragon Child: Reflections of a Daughter of Annam in America is the story of a Vietnamese Catholic raised within the structure of the French colonial system. Her upbringing was somewhat privileged as the daughter of a provincial administrator in the central highlands of Vietnam. As a child, and later as a young woman, she embraced French culture and aspired to French ideals. She was educated at a French boarding school for the children of the elite. Subsequently she received a degree in French teaching from the University of Saigon and became a lycee teacher and administrator.

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In 1975, she left on one of the last military planes accompanied by her four children and entered a new life as a refugee in the U.S. She ultimately resettled in Western Massachusetts. She then went back to school and obtained her Ph.D. in Francophone literature. After seeing to her children

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Exciting Story

An original spin on an old story

Do not cross a dragon, unless it's Lathwi

Timeless Tales 5 stars review

Daughter of Dragons

Daughter of Dragons
Kathleen H. Nelson
Manufacturer: Dragon Moon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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The Dragon Reborn

Shadow Shadow

Heretic Sun

Winter's Orphans (The Shadow Fae Trilogy)

Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 1)

ASIN: 189694406X
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Book Description

Sacrificed as a young virgin, Lathwi is instead raised by the dragon Taziem. Thrust cruelly back into the world of man, Lathwi is confronted with evil, a nasty sorcerer named Malcolm Blackheart and a demented demon, determined to take over the world. Lathwi must gather the dragons of her past to save her future and earn her own dragon wings.

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As a child, Lathwi is outcast by her own people for her magical abilities. Instead of being eaten by the dragon to which she has been sacrificed, Lathwi becomes the protege of the intellectual Taziem. As an adult, Lathwi is banished from her foster mother's nest and forced to seek her fortune in the world of men. This quest brings her face to face with sorcery; a master of swords; and an ancient evil from Dragonkind's past. The fate of the world hinges on her. Will she survive? Will the world?

Customer Reviews:

Exciting Story.......2006-12-22

I loved the way Miss Nelson writes. The story is paced well enough so the reader never quite loses interest in the slower places. Very intriguing idea and well done. Would reccomend for anyone who likes dragons.

An original spin on an old story.......2006-08-05

What would Mowgli have been like if he had been a woman, and was raised by dragons instead of wolves?

Although the "girl raised by dragons" story has been used elsewhere (see "Elvenbane", by Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey) Nelson's story takes an original spin on the "feral child" genre. If you have read "Elvenbane" it would be very interesting to compare the two. (personally, I like "Daughter of Dragons" better, because I feel the dragon/human culture clash is better represented). This book definitely goes on my favorites list.

Do not cross a dragon, unless it's Lathwi.......2004-10-12

This book was an unexpected treat. While I am not very familiar with the brand of fantasy novels dealing with dragon lore, I suspect the book has some plot twists that are not that common for its genre. To some extent, Lathwi is the adult version of a female Mowgli. Sent away by her dragonic mother to gain experience and perfect her knowledge, Lathwi finds herself entangled unwittingly in sorcerous affairs involving an old dragonic nemesis. During the ensuing conflict, she learns a lot more about magic and being human than what she bargained for.

So far so good. Except that Lathwi is not your typical maiden in awe of finally discovering her humanity. Lathwi is a six-foot two-hundred pound mountain of a woman with the heart of a dragon, the appetites of a thief, and with a righteous impatience with civilization, romantic doggerels and metaphorical meanings. (Along those lines, a scene involving a male character who tries to explain to her what men and women could do naked in the water, and in the process take advantage of her lack of knowledge on the topic, is particularly hilarious -- and quite painful for the guy, serves him right!). I thought the interaction among characters was nicely done: the clash between the dragonic code of honor and the human obsession with apparently meaningless rules was sometimes funny, sometimes touching, but never boring.

Although the plot is perfectly contained and doesn't leave the reader hanging, this is not the end of the story. I found the sequel to be at least as good as this first book. Just in this isolated instance, let's hear it for 'more of the same' :)

Timeless Tales 5 stars review.......2003-09-29

by Vikky Bertling

Because of her magical abilities, Lathwi has been outcast by her village and sacrificed to a dragon. Fate, however, has something else in store for her, instead of being eaten; she is adopted and raised as a dragon. Later, as a woman, Lathwi is forced to leave her mother's cave and sets out into the world to find her fortune. As she follows her quest, Lathwi becomes a sorceress' apprentice, in the strangest world of all, a human city. She also learns that an ancient evil is trying to rise again to overcome the dragons.

In this marvelous novel we follow Lathwi's travels as she learns what it is to be human, yet strives to maintain her dragon identity. Lathwi's attitude towards humans and things that doesn't concern her is funny and infuriating at the same time! Kathleen Nelson has created a strong and intriguing female character in a primarily male dominated genre.

While the action is, at times, a bit graphic, it is always captivating. This was a wonderfully written novel that I was hard pressed to ever put down. I will definitely be looking towards the sequel as my next read.

Daughter of Dragons.......2003-09-27

A dragon lovers keeper cannot put down once start reading. Riveting . Makes one cheer when good conquers evil.

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The Sound of Dragon's Feet
Aliki Zei
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Egged on
Fantasy and Adventure!
Awesome
Falcons Egg
Falcon finds a mysterious egg and wants to keep it.

Falcon's Egg (Yearling Book)
Luli Gray
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0440412471
Release Date: 1997-08-11

Book Description

Eleven-year-old Falcon has just found a mysterious egg in Central Park--a dragon's egg, though she doesn't know it yet. And when the egg hatches, magic will hatch with it. Falcon will begin to see her hectic life and eccentric family in a different and altogether more joyous way. After all, when magic comes into someone's life, it comes for a reason.

Customer Reviews:

Egged on.......2004-11-15

Well-written fantasy books work on several different levels. You have your fantastical elements on the one hand and your down-to-earth heartfelt story on the other. Your fantasy must be rooted in basic human problems that we all deal with (or at least can sympathize towards). In "Falcon's Egg" the fantastical elements are firmly in place. Magic heated eggs? Check. Mythological creature from another time and place? Check. The basic human groundings are there too. Impossible matriarch figure? Check. Kid who doesn't have any friends in school? Check. So you'd think that the simple addition of one element to another would yield the ideal story. It doesn't quite work that way. Sure, "Falcon's Egg" is a fine telling of a magical tale. It's all well and good for what it is. But there's something lacking in this tale. Though a nicely written book with plummy plotting and choice characters, it is merely good. It is not exemplary.

Falcon's life is not ideal. Living with her immature and irresponsible mother and taking care of her baby brother almost on her own, she has to navigate daily through an existence of the usual kid woes. Falcon's parents divorced years ago and since then she's not seen much of her father. She has a fairly strong base of family friends, of course. There's Ardene, an adult who lives upstairs and is always happy to have Falcon over for tea. And there's Aunt Emily who has lived for an incredibly long time but is still close to her eleven-year-old great-niece. But when Falcon finds hot red egg nestled in the long grasses of Central Park, she knows she's on to something big. Soon the egg becomes a large part of Falcon's life. She tells her friends about it and soon everyone watches entranced as the scarlet sphere reveals a small equally scarlet dragon. Falcon grows deeply attached to her little ward, but a time soon comes when she must accept that Egg (as she has christened the beast) must live its own life someday.

I was initially a little shocked at the incompetence of Falcon's mother at the start. A flighty children's book illustrator, she rivals only Saffy's mum in, "Saffy's Angel" for most-negligent-but-idly-interested-mother-in-a-work-of-fiction award. Missy (as Falcon calls her) is prone to completely ignoring her children when she gets paid work, constantly giving them money to purchase take-out food and letting them wander hither and thither through dark dangerous New York. Falcon, fortunately, is a capable human being but prone to utter self-hatred when she forgets to watch her little brother for even a second. Missy feels no such guilt. She's a kind of adolescent herself who takes a lot more interest in playing dress up with her children than asking Falcon how she feels or how her day went at school. There's not much of a resolution to this storyline by the end of the book either. This struck me as honest, but odd.

As for the character of Falcon herself, she's fine. A loner who isn't particularly good at making friends with people her own age, Falcon (understandably) creates an unhealthy bond with her little Egg. It's only when the dragon makes it perfectly clear that it is not a pet or a dear companion that Falcon is able to let go of her discovery. Falcon is most sympathetic when she's dealing with her simpering mother. She's less likable when she starts making unreasonable dragon-related demands. But this is a believable reaction on her own part. And through it all you feel sorry for her. You feel sorry for the choices she's had to make. And you fell kind of bad that not much has been resolved by the end of the book. I would have thought author Luli Gray would have given us some kind of awakening or understanding at the story's close. No such understanding is forthcoming.

Just the same, for any kid who has ever dreamed of someday finding something extraordinary in an ordinary place, this book's perfect. In plot it bears some passing resemblance to the now remarkably popular, "Eragon" by Christopher Paolini, but is meant for a younger reading group. For pure wish-fulfillment, "Falcon's Egg" delivers. It's not the most satisfying fantasy out there for kids, but it's definitely interesting enough and well-written enough to garner a fair amount of attention. Recommended with slight reservations.

Fantasy and Adventure!.......2003-01-26

This book is about a girl named Falcon who finds an egg in Central Park. She brings it to her neighbour, Arlene Taylor, who takes care of the egg. Falcon's Aunt Emily finnds out soon enough and tells her friend, an ornithologist, to find out what is inside.They form a secret society, "The Friends of Egg." When the egg hatches, the creature inside is a dragon! Is it hard to keep a dragon without your mother discovering it?
Read "Falcon's Egg" to find out!

Awesome.......2002-12-04

Falcons Egg was great.It was a fantastic book. Even though it was easy. the book took place in England.Ive always liked England personally. I reccomend this book to you because this book is a adventure story. And I think other kids should read this book too.

Falcons Egg.......2002-11-19

I really didn't like the book that much because. For one it went slow the writer didnt give a good discription because I couldint really see the character in my head. Some of the chapters were really long it didn't give any breaks at all. So next time im not going to pick a book called the Falcons Egg.
The worst part in the book was in the biggining. They didn't discribe any really good details of where they were at I didn't know if they were outside. Or inside. The only time I really knew they were outside is when they were talking about were they got the egg. That's the only time I knew through most of the book.
The thing the author did really good was when they were discribing the setting. Just this once, It was in the forest. They were tring to the egg back to the mother. And the conflict, the writer did a pretty good job on that. It was funny when they were fighting. About people that wanted to keep the egg and the other people that wanted to give it back so it wouldn't die.

Falcon finds a mysterious egg and wants to keep it........1998-06-29

This is a great story about a girl who finds an egg in Central Park and takes it to a friend's house and keeps it hoping it will hatch. When it does hatch it turns out to be a DRAGON!!! She wants to keep the dragon but it turns out to be very difficult to keep a pet dragon. I am 9 years old and my brother is 11 and we both liked the book a lot.

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