Written by the wife of Mike Carey...might be interesting to compare styles/influences.

The Coming of Dragons was a book about two kids surviving a ship wreck and meeting only to find special gifts they have and build a tight friendship. This was an action and comedy a great book for any kid. ( )

Dragons have terrorised our legends for centuries, and are fast becoming one of the most popular elements of children’s fantasy novels. So what better place to set The Coming of Dragons than historic England – the very place where the legends originated? The story takes place near the English coast in the 9th century, (as far as I can discern,) which makes a refreshing change from the fantasy genre’s many fictional lands. Lake shows us that tales of magic and mayhem work just as well in our own world as they do in any other, right from the very first page.

The Coming of Dragons certainly opens with a bang. There is virtually no orientation – instead we are thrown straight onto a sinking ship in the middle of a violent storm, and all the background information comes in pieces as the novel progresses. After the first few chapters, we begin to recognise all the signs of a textbook fantasy. The main characters are two youngsters with magic powers who occasionally have future-foretelling dreams, pitted against the King’s evil advisor and his pet raven. The characters are basic and a little clichéd – (the wise-old man, the enigmatic, roaming traveller) – and Edmund and Elspeth, despite coming from different backgrounds, are practically behavioural clones. There are no real criticisms to be made of this book – nothing is substantially disappointing about it – but the number of excellent fantasy novels on the market is always increasing, and The Coming of Dragons simply lacks the brilliance to distinguish itself from the rest.

Despite these failings, however, the novel is still an enjoyable read, particularly in the first and last few chapters, where Lake displays her full skill at writing fast-paced action scenes. The actual writing style is very readable, and flows well throughout the novel. The description is efficient and effective, and the dialogue lively and interesting.

Because The Coming of Dragons is the first in a series, the real test of its quality is: ‘Would I read the sequel?’ After consideration, the answer is ‘Yes, I think I would.’ It wouldn’t be at the top of my list, but I would read it. It may not be the next Eragon, but I’m sure it will be enjoyed by many young readers.

Part one of a trilogy dealing with ancient dark gods and dragons. Adequate but not a page turner. ( )

http://www.sfreader.com/read_review.asp?ID=968 ( )