Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
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Book Reviews of Dragon Rider
Book Review: Get ready for the ride of a lifetime!
Summary: 5 Stars
Sorrel and Firedrake have loved their home since the day they settled in. Sorrel, a mythical creature known as a Brownie, which resembles a cat - standing on two legs, that is - has plenty of mushrooms at hand, and spends her days stuffing her face with them, and bickering with a pint-sized rat called Rat - or Rosa, whichever you prefer. Firedrake, on the other hand, a silver dragon with eyes that shine in the dark, is just content being surrounded by his friends and family - a wide array of dragons whom have been his companions for years. The mythical beings couldn't be happier. That is, until Rat informs them of a conversation she has overheard. A conversation that involves building new homes and stores right where the dragons are residing. Sorrel is quick to dismiss Rat's story. But Firedrake seems convinced that Rat is telling the truth. Especially when she informs everyone that noisy, rolling monsters, known as tractors, are heading their way, and will certainly upend the dragons, as well as their lodgings. While Firedrake is reluctant to leave his beloved home behind, he feels that it is up to him to locate the Rim of the World, a faraway land where it is rumored that a colony of dragons reside, free from all fear of habitation by human beings. Sorrel, a close friend of Firedrake's refuses to let the dragon take to the sky without her, and together, they set off to discover a whole new land, complete with new friends. But before they've gotten far, they find themselves in the midst of a booming city, with noisy vehicles, and shuffling feet surrounding them. The two friends are confused and alone. Until they meet Ben. Ben is a young, orphaned boy who lives on the streets in a condemned building, with no parents to speak of. Lonely, and looking for a friend or two, Ben takes both Firedrake and Sorrel under his wing, and shows them the ropes of the big city - assisting them in concealing themselves from passersby, and meeting up with a pint-sized mapmaker with directions to the Rim of the World. Things already seem hectic and fairly frightening to Sorrel and Firedrake, and their true journey has not yet even begun. When they decide that it's time to leave for their true quest, Firedrake - quite thankful to the young Ben - asks the orphan to accompany them on their journey through hills, valleys, and waterways. Ben is overjoyed at the prospect of taking part in an adventure, and, compass, pocketknife, and map in tow, boards Firedrake, with the disgruntled Sorrel at his side. While Sorrel is grumpy by their new charge, she does her best to tolerate Ben, and before they know it, the three friends find themselves encountering fantastic creatures of all shapes and sizes. But not everything is pleasant during their journey. An evil villain known as Nettlebrand, or the Golden One, has spotted them, and is determined to follow them on their journey, in an attempt to locate the rest of the silver dragons, and destroy them one by one. What Nettlebrand doesn't know, is that Firedrake, Ben, and Sorrel share a familiar bond with one another. One that will help them fulfill their secret destiny, and change the dragon world forever as we know it.
After reading THE THIEF LORD some time ago, and INKHEART a few years after that, Cornelia Funke has snagged herself a place in my "favorite authors" list. With DRAGON RIDER, she has managed to become even more of a marvel, in my eyes. Funke's imagination runs wild within the pages of DRAGON RIDER. The tales she speaks of, and the characters she introduces on each and every page are magnificent; while the tiny black and white sketch drawings that she penned herself bring the story to life. Ben is an exhilarating character, whose bravery in the face of danger is enticing; while his camaraderie with creatures of all shapes and sizes - both mythical and common - is thrilling. Ben's determination to help Sorrel and Firedrake on their quest is wonderful; and the playful banter he shares with the oft-times angry Sorrel is quite enjoyable. Firedrake is tame as far as dragons go. While many other authors depict dragons as being wild, and free-spirited, with a penchant for spitting flames at every turn; Funke paints Firedrake as a companionable, caring, soft-spoken friend, who is protective of his journey-mates, and has his mind set on finding a new habitat for his colony to reside. He is lovable, and kind, and truly makes dragons seem like kittens. Firedrake's friendship with Sorrel is quite humorous, for he is so kind, and quiet; while Sorrel is extremely outspoken, overbearing, and demanding. Even with her "attitude" problem, however, Sorrel is an important character, as she often creates conflict that works to add different dynamics to the novel, as a whole. The fact that Funke introduced the idea of dragons living off of moonlight is a refreshing twist on an old subject; while her inclusion of many trouble-makers - from pixies to elves, and everything in-between really lends an extra dimension to the story. It was also nice to see Funke's introduction of human characters - aside from Ben - such as Professor Barnabas Greenbloom, and Zubeida Ghalib, a dracologist, as it sort of leveled off the playing field, and illustrated how mythical creatures and human beings can get along with one another, and co-exist in a peaceful society. Get ready for the ride of a lifetime!
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Book Review: It's an excellent read for everyone
Summary: 5 Stars
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS . . .
TITLE: Dragon Rider
AUTHOR: Cornelia Funke
PLOT: With the help of a young boy named Ben and a furry animal (brownie) named Sorrel, Firedrake the dragon must find The Rim of Heaven, a new home for him and the other dragons, after discovering that human beings are going to flood their original home. On their way to the Rim of Heaven, not only do Firedrake, Sorrel, and Ben meet fascinating creatures in variable shapes and sizes, they also discover a prophecy that would change their lives for all eternity.
Plot is very compelling. The first chapter is filled with wonder and intrigue, perfect for grabbing full attention of readers. Almost every adventurous segment, such as the Giant Roc and the Sea Serpent, kept me up all night waiting to see if our protagonists were going to make it out alive or have a tragedy on their hands. It's enjoyable to see that the main characters travel to many different countries (such as China, Egypt, and Pakistan) instead of just one. The dragon prophecy seems a bit clichéd, but Cornelia Funke gives it some uniqueness by making it Oriental instead of European. Funke also shows both sides of the ways of the dragon. Instead of being fearsome creatures, as they are imagined in Europe, dragons bring good luck according to Oriental tradition. Having both views collide is a highly provocative approach for a children's fantasy. The action sequence right before the climax is sure to have kids afraid to turn the next page. The ending is a typically happy one, not to say that it is dreadfully typical. It's a near-perfect ending for such a suspenseful fantasy novel.
CHARACTERS: Only a few characters are clichéd (the dwarves and the fairies), and the rest are superbly three-dimensional. Twigleg the manikin is not your ordinary villainous spy. He starts to care for Ben when he really shouldn't. The Graytail rats are very likeable as they bring out some light-hearted humor. Sorrel can be an irritant when either having an argument with Twigleg or discovering fresh mushrooms during her flight, but she is still a good advisor for Ben who is sometimes unaware of some things. The main villain, Nettlebrand, the Golden One, isn't as frightening as other known villains such as, say, Scar from "The Lion King" or Yu-Baba from Miyazaki's "Spirited Away". He is, however, a villain who doesn't completely give up on reaching his goals. He is a bit ignorant sometimes (a good example would be when he confronts the sandmen in the desert), but moreover, he is a very good antagonist. Professor Greenbloom and his family are the brains in this story; they have a sophisticated knowledge of ancient history and mythology. And most important of all, they care about everybody whom they meet (except for Nettlebrand). It's hard to tell how old Ben really is (is he nine or twelve years old?) but with that aside, the boy is strongly likeable as an ordinary human being. Also, during his adventures, he doesn't start to see himself as a magnificent hero, he sees himself as someone who is caught in the dragons' situation and decides to help them solve all their problems. But he still does develop character, however. He gains more courage as he and the other protagonists confront the djinn, the Roc and its infant, and finally, Nettlebrand.
PACING: When reading this book, it's highly possible that time will fly by when being completely immersed in this fantasy novel. Many parts never drag, but the beginning does seem a bit rushed.
THE WRITING ITSELF: The writing is simplistic, but not too simplistic. Kids will understand what is going on as will adults. A very few unrecognizable nouns and adjectives will be present, so a dictionary might be helpful. Funke doesn't use the word "said" too many times, which is a good thing. The tension throughout the book is very high: characters in danger lead to uncertain solutions. Imagery is easy to encode here: the landscapes and the characters and the conflicts are, without a doubt, easy to visualize in the head, thanks to the vivid, though not overly detailed, illustrations.
OVERALL: This is an excellent read not only for kids and young adults, but for everyone else as well. I give this book an A.
Book Review: Excellent adventure for its intended age group
Summary: 5 Stars
While reading this book I forced myself into the mind of a fourth grader, and when you're thirty-eight year old, that can be difficult. What helped me was remembering the books that I was reading at the time, and what stuck out the most was Baum's Oz series. I read and reread and re-reread and re-re-reread all fourteen of the Oz books so many times that my mother actually told me to stop checking them out of the library. But I couldn't help myself. In my opinion, there was nothing better, nothing that evoked the sense of amazement and wonder that Baum's books did.
Fixed on that, I found myself in a perfect position to read and enjoy this book. And I enjoyed it tremendously. In fact, I have a difficult time believing that anyone within the age range that this book was intended for, and who likes fantasy, would not like it because it has all of the elements of magic that a children's fantasy needs. I'm quite certain that if this book had been around when I finished with the Oz books that I would have eaten this up as quickly as I had consumed Baum's works, and perhaps even read, re-read - OK, you get the picture.
It contains so-called "fabulous" creatures, and defines them in unique and appealing ways: dragons who require moonlight for energy and don't ravage villages for food (all but one of them, at any rate); mountain dwarves whose powers lie within their hats and who can smell silver or gold; brownies who practically obsess over the eating and cultivation of mushrooms and for whom spit has magical properties; a homunculus created by a fourteenth century alchemist who speaks 93 languages (what else would you do if you were 700 years old other than spend most of that time learning); talking rats; and many more. Every one that you meet has its stereotype redefined with at least a tiny tweak so that it doesn't seem as if you are merely reading a book about creatures who already know. I think tweaking the stereotypical definitions was a terrific idea.
Then there's the quest itself. The dragons are being displaced from their home. One of them, Firedrake, offers to leave and search for the legendary Rim of Heavens where other dragons are rumored to live, and which is rumored to be beautiful beyond metaphor. To get there, the questers receive a map from a rat, who is a master cartographer, and this map is included (partially) in the book itself as a full color foldout which gives the book an added appeal.
The adventures of the questers, the questions of loyalties that arise, the manner in which issues of morality are handled all make for exciting reading. Not to mention their pursuer, who is also a dragon but of a very different kind than Firedrake. The writing of that particular character was deftly done, and that in itself is an achievement. It isn't often that the "lead" antagonist can be put on every page and not cause the story to lose any of its immediacy.
My only wish is that a little more time had been given to describing these fabulous creatures. When I think of a dragon, I immediately (like many adults who read fantasy) think of Smaug, from Tolkien's masterpiece The Hobbit. Or of any number of films and books where the dragon is so much bigger than humans. I didn't really get a grasp of how large this dragon was (or wasn't) until I was deep into the book. Since the author went against stereotypes (for example, who would have thought that a brownie looked similar to a cat?), I think this was an essential piece that was missing.
In any event, that's the worst I can say for this. Reading this strictly as an adult, I would give this three and half, maybe four stars. But reading it as a fourth, fifth, or sixth grader, I can't give it any less than 5. It is truly an excellent book for this age group. If you're a parent teetering on whether or not to buy it, do so. You won't be disappointed.
One other thing: this book was only published here in America now because of the success of Eragon. It was first published in Germany in 1997 - before even Harry Potter hit the stands. Don't blame the author for copying, as she most certainly is not. Her publisher merely thought that a book about a dragon and a rider would sell particularly well in today's "climate", and they were right.
Book Review: One of the best books that I have ever read!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a book about a dragon and a stubborn brownie who wants to find a place that is called the "Rim of Heaven", so that the humans that they expect to destroy their valley won't exterminate them. They soon meet a boy named Ben, and then the real story begins. The beginning of this story takes place in the upper region of the United Kingdom, a snowy valley in Scotland. As the story progresses, the main characters move southeast, and have no permanent setting. A quote from the book:
"All was still in the valley of the dragons. Mist had drifted in from the sea nearby and was clinging to the mountains. Birds twittered uncertainly in the foggy damp, and clouds hid the sun.
"A rat came scuttling down the slope, fell head over heels, tumbled down the moss-covered rocks, and picked herself up again.
"'Didn't I say so?' she muttered crossly to herself. 'Didn't I tell them?'
"Snuffling, she raised her pointy nose, listened, and headed toward a group of crooked fir trees at the foor of the highest mountain.
"'I knew before winter,' murmered the rat. 'Oh, yes, I knew before winter, I could smell them coming, but they wouldn't believe me, no, not them! They feel safe here. Safe! Huh! Really!'"
There are quite a few main characters, such as:
Firedrake, the young dragon who thinks he can save them all,
Sorrel, a quite hard-headed brownie (cat-like forest fairies) who loves to nibble on mushrooms,
and Ben, the boy who soon joins them on their journey and seems to be fond of all fabulous (mythical) creatures.
This is a fantasy/fiction book, and people who have read books such as The Inheritance Trilogy by Christopher Paolini or other books by this author, such as Inkheart and The Thief Lord, will love this charismatic tale, because they will encounter all that they have faced before, and much, much more. What's different about this book from others is that it takes place in olden times, when everyone still spoke Old English. This olden language will capture the reader's attention, and flows with the rest of the story.
Cornelia Funke really showed her dedication in the writing of this captivating book by adding many realistic details, such as "The mountains' dark shapes emerged through the morning mist, with their rocky summits touching the sky" and "For a few moments the camels stood there, breathing hard, while their masters' sandy robes billowed in the breeze". This is related to the enchanting story, Eragon, in which Christopher Paolini also adds many realistic details.
The problem arises when the legendary Golden One, a dragon hunter, finds out that there are many more dragons still left in the world. He orders all of his spies, such as the ravens and the will-o'-the-wisps out to look for them. Nobody can escape the wrath of his rampaging gold-plated body, which is as cold as ice and never turns any warmer in the hot sun. Each of these polished scales, which shine in even the darkest places, are immune to dragon fire. Who will be able to stop him?
I think that this book is the one of the best books that I have ever read, and when I first read it, I was entranced by all of the details and wonderful characters. I started reading it, and then I could not put the book down. I even brought it to the dining table when I ate. Bite, read, swallow, bite, read...
I hope my review sparked your interest into reading this wondrous and particularly fantastic tale.
Book Review: Dragon Rider
Summary: 5 Stars
Have you ever ridden a dragon? Probably not, but this does happen to a boy named Ben in Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. The story begins as humans invade the territory of some of the last dragons left on the Earth. Firedrake, one of these dragons, tries to convince the other dragons to fly with him to the rim of heaven, a mysterious place suppose to be a refuge to dragons. There are two problems with that plan though. First, the rim of heaven isn't on any map and no one is quite sure if it even exists. The only hint was that it's in the largest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas. The second problem is that even if they could find it, it would be on the other side of the world. Nevertheless, Firedrake leaves with his friend, Sorrel, a brownie (which is a fictional catlike animal) who is obsessed with mushrooms, to find the ring of heaven. Along the way Ben and a little artificial human named Twigleg join their crew. The group gets help from a mouse, a professor, a thousand eyed djinn, andaree all the while getting chased by an man-made dragon that had traits no normal dragon had, and nearly wiped out all of the dragons before. The Golden One, Nettlebrand.
Ben, a dynamic main character, one of the protagonist of the book, is very forgiving. He is an orphan that met Sorrel and Firedrake at a dock. Later in the book, it turns out that Ben is destined to become the Dragon Rider who will defeat Nettlebrand and save the dragons who have been in hiding from him, according to a legend from the original Dragon Rider. Ben finds real, true friends along this journey and changes from being the orphan who lives on the docks to the real Dragon Rider. Twigleg, a little artificial human, whose creator also created Nettlebrand, was a servent of Nettlebrand, his armor cleaner, at least until he met Ben. Twigleg was suppose to spy for Nettlebrand but as Ben becomes more and more Twigleg's friend, he summons enough courage to betray Nettlebrand and help the Dragon Rider find the rim of heaven. Sorrel, the brownie, didn't trust Twigleg and nearly killed him when they found out he had been a spy for their hunter. Sorrel doesn't give her trust to many people and loves to eat mushrooms. She stays this way through this book, as both as an antagonist (carelessly getting Firedrake and Ben lost) and a protagonist (helping to fight against Nettlebrand). She is like a cat, and has perfect aim and used it several times in the book. Brownie'spit is a special substance that annoyingly can stick onto about anything for a rather long time. In the end, her spit ends up playing a large role in a major event. All of these characters that have been mentioned actually all play a large role in this event.
I really enjoyed reading Dragon Rider and bet you will too. The elements of this story include adventure, friendship, betrayal, and above all, courage. It has a happy mood. Nothing excruciatingly sad happens, which might stop the reader from reading a book. You might disagree, but I recall reading a book where one of the main characters died so I stopped reading the series altogether. It was a little bit of a twist when you find out Twigleg would betray Nettlebrand, but you read about his feelings about his old master and could guess it would happen. It goes to show that a person who was one of the villain's spies could actually be a good person. Cornelia Funke writes another page-turning fantasy book centered around adventure and some humor, with Dragon Rider.