Dragon Rider

Amazon.co.uk
It's a fantasy, it's long, and it's got dragons in it. Dragon Rider is bound to be another hit book from Cornelia Funke! Ever since the popularity of bestselling fantasies The Thief Lord and Inkheart went global a few years ago, legions of fans have demanded more books from the German author than she can reasonably hope to write each year. So, re-discovering this hefty, earlier novel from 1997 was a logical development--and her keenest readers will devour it as before.

Aimed at slightly younger readers than her previous novels, despite its massive five hundred pages, Dragon Rider is about a brave young dragon called Firedrake who embarks upon a dangerous journey to the Rim of Heaven in the Himalayas--a magical place where silver dragons can rest easy, free from the threat of destruction by mankind and their only hope of sanctuary. The key to its location is a map rendered by a rat who is a master cartographer.

Firedrake is joined on his quest by Ben, an orphaned boy, and Sorrell--a wise-cracking Brownie that is an odd, but ingenious, grumpy kind of fairy. Their journey is not a straightforward one by any means. Created by an alchemist called Petrosius Henbane in 1424, Nettlebrand (a malevolent creature covered in impenetrable gold plates) is their biggest threat--he is intent on destroying them. Nettlebrand is aided by Twigleg, a homunculus who has stowed away in Ben's bag and who is feeding reports on their progress back to his master.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
The bestselling author of Inkheart and The Thief Lord serves up an adventurous novel for middle-graders about a team of bravehearts seeking a mysterious lair of ancient dragons. Keeping up the epic, magical atmosphere that makes her older books so appealing to fans, Cornelia Funke tells the nail-biting tale of Firedrake, a silver dragon who leads a mission to locate the Rim of Heaven, in response to the threat posed by humans who are scheming to flood the valley where his clan of dragons currently lives. Soon, accompanied by a brownie named Sorrel and an orphan boy named Ben, Firedrake begins the expedition toward the Rim of Heaven with only scant information to go on. Readers quickly learn that the group is being pursued by a golden, manmade dragon named Nettlebrand -- a destroyer of other dragons -- who turns up throughout the story, using water to transport himself and aided by a homunculus who spies on Firedrake while pretending to be an ally. Funke provides audiences much to chew on with her cast of friendly and dastardly characters, signature multi-stranded story lines, and heart-pounding climax, making sure to keep the action coming and audiences constantly guessing what will happen next. At over 500 pages, the book shouldn't be a problem for her fans -- or lovers of Harry Potter, for that matter. A fantastic, high-flying journey that's pure proof that Funke knows her storytelling. Matt Warner

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Another magical story from the bestselling author of The Thief Lord and Inkheart

When their peaceful valley is threatened with danger, Firedrake, a silver-skinned dragon, and his sidekick, Sorrel, set off to find the mythical Rim of Heaven -- the only place in the world where dragons can be safe forever. Along the way they meet an orphaned boy named Ben who volunteers to be their navigator and quickly becomes their friend. But when they learn that an evil dragon hunter is on their trail, their quest quickly turns into a battle for survival. As the adventure draws to a breathtaking close, it soon becomes clear that one person's fate will decide the destiny of them all.

Once again, master storyteller Cornelia Funke casts an enchanting spell, creating an exciting, heartwarming, and ultimately trimphant tale about the power of belief and the true meaning of home.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

This fantasy that established Funke's (Inkheart) reputation as a gifted storyteller in her native Germany (available for the first time in the U.S.), is sure to appeal to her many American fans. When humans encroach upon his home valley, Firedrake, a young silver dragon, sets off to find the Rim of Heaven, a legendary haven in the mountains. But evil Nettlebrand, a human-made hunter of silver dragons, is spying on him, hoping Firedrake will lead him to even more delicious treats. The creature, referred to as the Golden One, resembles a huge dragon, but he is covered in cold, hard gold scales and cannot fly; however, he can magically appear in any body of water. During his journey, Firedrake is joined by a feisty brownie, a homunculus (who initially spied for Nettlebrand) and Ben, an orphan who may be the dragon rider foretold in an ancient prophecy. Readers will delight in the creatures that turn up in this extended quest. The elves, dwarves and a thousand-eyed djinni (a kindly professor of archaeology and his friends also aid the travelers in piecing together clues) help contribute to a rich lore (all enchanted creatures have red eyes, for example, and dragon-fire will reveal their true natures). While readers may have trouble keeping track of all the plot's strands as they soar through this story, they will no doubt find themselves drawn in by the lively characters and their often hilarious banter, as well as the nonstop obstacles they encounter before the inevitable face-off with Nettlebrand. Ages 8-12. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Dragons are fascinating creatures and many stories and myths feature these sometimes benevolent and sometimes fearsome creatures. Funke gives us a likeable dragon in Firedrake. He is young, as far as dragons go, but he is willing to risk everything to find the mystical dragon home called The Rim of Heaven and save his kin. The main cast of characters includes Ben, a human orphan who becomes a dragon rider, Sorrel a smart-mouth always complaining Brownie, and Twigleg a homunculus. Twigleg was the slave of Nettlebrand—a horrible fabricated dragon whose whole raison d'etre is to hunt down and kill dragons and anything else that happens to get in its way. Other interesting characters include a dwarf named Gravelbeard and several helpful humans including Professor Greenbloom and his daughter, Zubeida, a dragon expert, and an entire community of Tibetan lamas. Through many arduous months and ordeals, the travelers finally reach the end of their quest. It is not, however, as they had expected, but the final chapter brings it all to a tidy and happy ending for all involved. Nettlebrand, the invincible is finally brought to a just end. Funke's story is not short, but it moves quickly and once they are into it, kids will keep the pages flipping. Also, it is nice to have a happy ending. 2004, Scholastic, Ages 8 to 12.

VOYA - Anita Beaman

Although not as uniquely charming as Inkheart (The Chicken House/Scholastic, 2003/VOYA December 2003), this latest adventure story of "a boy, a dragon, and a quest" will thoroughly satisfy Funke's North American fans. After hiding in rural Scotland for years, a community of dragons finds itself threatened by the incursion of man. Warned of their impending doom but frightened, the dragons refuse to act. Only one, Firedrake, and Sorrel, his Brownie companion, strike out in search of the Rim of Heaven, a haven for dragons remembered only vaguely by the oldest among them. The pair soon finds an unlikely but helpful companion in Ben, a homeless boy. Threatened by ancient predators and assisted by sympathetic scholars and other mythical creatures, the trio triumphantly locates a new haven for the dragons and discover Ben's destiny as the Dragon Rider. The plot is rich, but characters sometimes lack development. The dragon Firedrake is sympathetically drawn, but Sorrel's and Ben's characters are less complete. Sorrel's dialogue is often choppy, and readers learn nothing of Ben's past despite his lack of family or home. Still the novel is engaging and suspenseful and will be read and enjoyed by fans of Funke and fantasy. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004, The Chicken House/Scholastic, 528p., Ages 12 to 18.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Young Firedrake is the only dragon to heed a warning from his colony's senior resident: return to the hidden city at the Rim of Heaven, or suffer imminent discovery and destruction by humans. Accompanied by a feisty Scottish brownie, an orphaned boy who becomes his dragon rider, and a large group of other supporters, Firedrake fulfills an ancient prophecy and safely returns to his ancestral home. Occasional black-and-white illustrations show many of the book's more exotic characters, a plus for young readers who may not know the folklore from which the creatures are drawn. The omniscient point of view follows each member of this ensemble at length, providing the tale with humor and action but also preventing the main characters from fully developing. The company survives encounters with a basilisk, a djinni, a roc, and a sea serpent, as well as an ongoing threat from Nettlebrand, a malevolent being intent on destroying them. Although each of these confrontations is interesting, the sheer number of episodes, the lack of strong central characters, and Nettlebrand's blustering inability to actually hurt anyone make for a story with much less dramatic tension than Funke's outstanding novels, The Thief Lord (2002) and Inkheart (2003, both Scholastic). A well-known author will assure the book's popularity, but the overlong plot is forgettable.-Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, VT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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