Dragon Rider
by Cornelia Funke
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Book Summary Information
Author: Cornelia FunkeTranslator: Anthea Bell
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-09-01
ISBN: 0439456959
Number of pages: 528
Publisher: The Chicken House
Book Reviews of Dragon Rider
Book Review: QofA#30
Summary: 5 Stars
Join Ben, a homeless boy looking for adventure; Sorrel, a mushroom loving, forest brownie; and Firedrake, a silver dragon in Cornelia Funke's Dragon Rider. This is an epic adventure where they search for a mythical place where dragons can roam freely! Together they embark on a journey, where they meat odd creatures, powerful monsters, friends, they would have never imagined and a hidden destiny that changes everything. Little do they know that an evil dragon is hunting them and one of their friends is the evil one's spy. Soar with them on their adventure to mysterious islands and beautiful mountains. Firedrake and Sorrel are chosen to go and search for the Rim of Heaven, a place where no humans can find them. On there way they must travel to a city and speak to Gilbert Graytail, a rat who makes maps. When they arrive Sorrel hears a person looming behind them. Ben appears and assists Sorrel to the rat. But on their way back humans are standing around. Firedrake and they barely escape the humans. Firedrake and Sorrel allow Ben to join them on their journey to the Rim of Heaven. The three of must travel at night but hide at day. Through their journey black raven follow them and Sorrel knows immediately that something was wrong. On one of their pit stops they meat mountain dwarfs who keep them company. On that same mountain lives the evil Nettlebrand who soon finds out about their adventure. Nettle brand had hunted dragons until they all disappeared and now he is after to find them again. Can they defeat such a powerful monster? Will they make it to the mythical place? Join them on a great fantasy adventure to find out!
This book is a fantasy/ epic adventure that turns into a mystery along the way. The gang travels to mountain dwarf's mountains, mysterious islands, sea serpent's seas, a Monastery and large cities. The mountains are where mountain dwarves dig for gold, silver and precious stones. The islands have scary monsters and mysterious foot prints. In the sea live two sea serpents that assist the others on their journey. The Monastery is where they go to learn about all of the dragons' pasts and the hidden destiny. Finally the gang travels to cities where they meet interesting creatures. During this story, an evil monster that hunts dragons follows them to find all the other dragons that are hiding and eat them until they all are extinct. His faithful raven spies report to the evil one along with his other spy and armor cleaner, Twigleg. When Twigleg starts to follow Ben and the others a new armor cleaner is found. Sorrel, Firedrake and Ben must find a way to defeat him before it is too late.
Ben is a young boy who has no parents and lives in a broken down building. His clothes are ripped and he sleeps behind cans, but when Sorrel and Firedrake find him his whole life changes.
Firedrake is a silver dragon who takes the opportunity to travel across the world and find a place called the Rim of Heaven. He is strong and very protective.
Sorrel is a forest brownie who loves mushrooms. At first he gives Ben a horrible time because brownies are very stubborn. Through the trip he learns to respect and like Ben.
The author had such a good way of identifying the different characters and explaining them. For example, she always described the different colors or textures like Firedrake's scales or Nettlebrand's armor. For example, "Ah, the scale!" cried the professor, clapping a hand to his brow. "Of course-
The golden scale...?" (pg. 190). Cornelia, also moved quickly and did not hang on one event like in chapter 53, when Nettlebrand turned to a frog and it only took one and a half pages (pgs 490 and 491).. As well as that she also had a sense of humor in the novel. Like this "In my opinion it's a mutant monkey," said a man with a big nose and a receding chin (pg. 111). Also, Twigleg, a character, is drawn with a huge nose. The author uses many details in his writing to explain how, when, and what is happening. He also used similes like "Nettlebrand's armor laying a huge pool of gold, looking like a cast-off snake skin (pg 489). He also used metaphors, one was "Nothing but tin, that creature. Like one of those human's machines, right?" she tapped the gold, which was still warm. "Sounds hollow." (pg 489).
I think that kids who believe and are interested in mythical creatures could really get into this book. Fourth to seventh grader would enjoy this book, but anyone older would probably find it quite boring. Anyone younger would not understand it or would just become bored because they are younger. A book that would compare to it by the same author would be Thief Lord or Inkheart because they both are adventures and fantasy. Along with that both novels have mythical things in them. One comparison that is not by the same author is Dragon Quest. This book is an adventure with many mythical creatures like dragons or wizards. One last book is Eragon because this novel has magic, power and a whole new exciting dragon adventure. What makes Dragon rider different is that of the many different kinds of mythical creatures. In Eragon there are not forest brownies. The one main difference is that all the books have different plots and problems. Dragon quest is about people searching for Merlin, the wizard's, powers. Dragon Rider is explaining the adventure of three characters searching for the Rim of Heaven.
I read the book like there was no tomorrow. It was so great and interesting I could not put down the book. I read it very quickly but while so I was also enjoying it with every passing second. I guarantee that if you like these kinds of books you will not want to put it down! Especially the part where Ben is about to ask a mythical beast a question and if it was asked before that person would become the beast's slave. "Sorrel narrowed her eyes. Firedrake held his breath, and Twigleg began shaking all over. But Ben, heart thumping, waited for the djinn's answer (pg 215). My feelings for this book would be that is was so interesting to learn about the different magical creatures, places, and people. For example I had never heard of a basilisk before. "There's been a basilisk here!" he whispered, looking horrified. "Oh merciful heavens!" (pg 133). I felt that after the first two chapters you can start getting into it. My rating for this book would be five stars with two thumbs up.
Dragon Rider is a wonderful book that lets kids enjoy what they are reading. As soon as you start this book you will be trapped in the magical world of dragons if you ever get the opportunity to read this, do not hesitate.
Summary of Dragon Rider
Published before THE THIEF LORD in Germany, DRAGON RIDER established Cornelia Funke as a bestselling and critically acclaimed author. Now, this fantastical epic has come to America!
Firedrake, a young dragon, receives a frightening warning one night: Humans are planning to destroy the valley in which he lives! All the dragons must flee. Their only refuge is a place above the clouds called the Rim of Heaven --- which may not even exist. Firedrake boldly volunteers to go ahead first. As he embarks on his journey, he meets Ben, a runaway boy. Together, the boy & dragon make their way toward the Rim of Heaven, all the while running a step ahead of Nettlebrand, a monster who will stop at nothing to hunt down Firedrake. Their quest will truly become an adventure like no other.
Firedrake, a young dragon, receives a frightening warning one night: Humans are planning to destroy the valley in which he lives! All the dragons must flee. Their only refuge is a place above the clouds called the Rim of Heaven --- which may not even exist. Firedrake boldly volunteers to go ahead first. As he embarks on his journey, he meets Ben, a runaway boy. Together, the boy & dragon make their way toward the Rim of Heaven, all the while running a step ahead of Nettlebrand, a monster who will stop at nothing to hunt down Firedrake. Their quest will truly become an adventure like no other.
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.
Their exciting encounters are many... It is easy to forgive the narrative's excessive length when readers are gorging on such a wonderfully inventive and readable story from an author who has her readers in the palm of her hand on every page. (Age 9 and over) --John McLay
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