Buried Fire

Book Description
Deep in the English countryside, the unearthing of an ancient Celtic cross awakens an imprisoned dragon and unleashes a smoldering evil. Less than a mile away, 13-year-old Michael McIntyre falls asleep on a lush green hill, and wakes up with frightening and sinister new abilities. Michael possesses the four gifts of the dragon-and he's not the only one, nor is he the most powerful. The others, whose identities will be slowly revealed, offer Michael powers beyond his wildest dreams if he will keep their secret safe. Now he must choose: give up these astonishing but devastating new abilities and help his family and friends banish the evil that lies beneath their fragile earth, or join the others in their crusade to protect their gifts and set the dragon free - a choice that may well destroy everyone Michael loves. Those with power will stop at nothing to keep its secret, while those without it need Michael's protection to survive. Buried Fire combines elements of fantasy and mythology in a spellbinding tale of good versus evil.


Buy from Amazon     Compare Prices

Fans of the genre of fantasy will enjoy this story. In fact, once they start reading it, they probably will not be able to put it down. The descriptions make the story so real they allow the reader to envision every scene. The third paragraph begins, "In the darkness, nothing stirs. The dragon lies as still and silent as a graveyard skull." The setting is an English countryside where a boy named Michael has four gifts bestowed upon him by the dragon. As the story progresses, he learns that others also were given gifts. These gifts make him face and deal with a great conflict within himself. Will he keep secrets he has learned from others that will free the dragon, or will he help his family try to destroy the evil that lurks beneath the earth. A page-turner with an English accent—Stroud uses words like "walkabout" and "parcels"—the adventure is absorbing and the author does an outstanding job of keeping the reader guessing. Great for school and classroom libraries, and would make a perfect gift for a fantasy buff. 2004 (orig. 1999), Miramax Books, Ages 9 to 12.


Buy from Barnes & Noble     Compare Prices