DRAGON RIDER follows the tale of Firedrake, a young dragon who sets off on a quest to find the acclaimed Rim of Heaven after learning that his home–and all the dragons that live in it–are in grave danger of a man-induced flood that will destroy their riparian home. Along the way, he will be joined by London orphan Ben and Sorrel the brownie on this journey, but must make haste, as Nettlebrand–a monster with the intention of dragon murder–and his trusted assistant Twigleg are hot on their trail. Firedrake, Ben and Sorrel will meet basilisks, dwarves, monks and many other characters in their quest to avenge all silver dragons.
FUNKE DELIVERS a satisfactory fantasy novel in DRAGON RIDER, and while her later works on the Inkworld Trilogy (Inkheart, Inkspell, Inkdeath) truly made her a staple among middle-grade fantasy fiction, there is no doubt that Funke has found her niche in the world of novel writing. With charmingly-described descriptions of nature and a lovable bond between human and dragon, DRAGON RIDER will truly mark itself among one of my favourite novels of 2018.
THE IMAGES sprinkled throughout the novel only added greatly to its success as a children’s book, with a perfect blend of fantasy and friendship, DRAGON RIDER has certainly solidified Funke’s writing, as she perfectly weaves characters, descriptions and plots together to create a fantastic novel.
I WAS eager to pick up this book when I saw it on the shelves in Squishy Minnie, as I am a dragon lover who has spent many a day poring over Christopher Paolini’s ERAGON, and I will say that DRAGON RIDER failed to fully show itself as a fantasy novel, as I felt as though it could be set today when considering the descriptions given of London in the first few chapters. ERAGON succeeded in capturing me in a world that is entirely different to the one I experience on a daily basis.
Scythe is a dystopian young adult novel by Neal Shusterman, and it tells the tale of a futuristic society in which all forms of death have been eradicated, and the only way a human can die is by being ‘gleaned’, a word which is synonymous with murder. However, only a few selection of trained individuals–known …
The Wishing Spell follows twin siblings Alex and Conner Bailey, who grew up with fairy tales read to them by their grandmother. But when Alex and Conner are magically transported inside their grandmother’s fairy tale treasury, they will be thrust into a world where all their fairy tale characters are extremely real. The two will …
Angel Mage–written by Australian high fantasy laureate Garth Nix–introduces readers to the city of Ystara, a land in which angels, demons, musketeers and magicians all live among one another. Throughout the land, skilled individuals enchant and produce icons, which have the power to summon specific angels to aid with daily tasks and civil battles with …
In ‘Again, but Better’, a college student and creatively-driven Shane enrols in a university in the United Kingdom to fulfil her dreams of becoming a writer. Previously a medical student at a university in America, she makes the move unbeknownst to her parents, who have insisted she pursue a career in medicine for vicarious reasons. …
Dragonkeeper is the first in an enchanting book series created by Carole Wilkinson. The first novel follows Ping, a slave to a ruthless master who begins a strong friendship with a captive dragon. Together, the two of them are able to escape the master and journey to Ocean, a distant land far from the ancient …
In 1984, one of modern literature’s most celebrated works, readers are introduced to Winston Smith, who lives in a dystopian society in which everything–from actions, movements, careers, and, even in some cases, thoughts–are monitored and recorded tirelessly. In this society, all individuals are governed by organisations who mandate conformity and allegiance, and who will cause …
Book Review – Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
FUNKE DELIVERS a satisfactory fantasy novel in DRAGON RIDER, and while her later works on the Inkworld Trilogy (Inkheart, Inkspell, Inkdeath) truly made her a staple among middle-grade fantasy fiction, there is no doubt that Funke has found her niche in the world of novel writing. With charmingly-described descriptions of nature and a lovable bond between human and dragon, DRAGON RIDER will truly mark itself among one of my favourite novels of 2018.
THE IMAGES sprinkled throughout the novel only added greatly to its success as a children’s book, with a perfect blend of fantasy and friendship, DRAGON RIDER has certainly solidified Funke’s writing, as she perfectly weaves characters, descriptions and plots together to create a fantastic novel.
I WAS eager to pick up this book when I saw it on the shelves in Squishy Minnie, as I am a dragon lover who has spent many a day poring over Christopher Paolini’s ERAGON, and I will say that DRAGON RIDER failed to fully show itself as a fantasy novel, as I felt as though it could be set today when considering the descriptions given of London in the first few chapters. ERAGON succeeded in capturing me in a world that is entirely different to the one I experience on a daily basis.
Aside from this, I truly did enjoy DRAGON RIDER.
RATING: 9/10
Writing: 9.5/10
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Recommended For: dragon apologists (like me).
Related Posts
Book Review – Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Scythe is a dystopian young adult novel by Neal Shusterman, and it tells the tale of a futuristic society in which all forms of death have been eradicated, and the only way a human can die is by being ‘gleaned’, a word which is synonymous with murder. However, only a few selection of trained individuals–known …
Book Review – The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
The Wishing Spell follows twin siblings Alex and Conner Bailey, who grew up with fairy tales read to them by their grandmother. But when Alex and Conner are magically transported inside their grandmother’s fairy tale treasury, they will be thrust into a world where all their fairy tale characters are extremely real. The two will …
Book Review – Angel Mage by Garth Nix
Angel Mage–written by Australian high fantasy laureate Garth Nix–introduces readers to the city of Ystara, a land in which angels, demons, musketeers and magicians all live among one another. Throughout the land, skilled individuals enchant and produce icons, which have the power to summon specific angels to aid with daily tasks and civil battles with …
Book Review – Again, but Better by Christine Riccio
In ‘Again, but Better’, a college student and creatively-driven Shane enrols in a university in the United Kingdom to fulfil her dreams of becoming a writer. Previously a medical student at a university in America, she makes the move unbeknownst to her parents, who have insisted she pursue a career in medicine for vicarious reasons. …
Book Review – Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson
Dragonkeeper is the first in an enchanting book series created by Carole Wilkinson. The first novel follows Ping, a slave to a ruthless master who begins a strong friendship with a captive dragon. Together, the two of them are able to escape the master and journey to Ocean, a distant land far from the ancient …
Book Review – 1984 by George Orwell
In 1984, one of modern literature’s most celebrated works, readers are introduced to Winston Smith, who lives in a dystopian society in which everything–from actions, movements, careers, and, even in some cases, thoughts–are monitored and recorded tirelessly. In this society, all individuals are governed by organisations who mandate conformity and allegiance, and who will cause …