The 2nd book was just as enjoyable as the first. I typically have a few books going at a time, but this series is what I want to read/listen to most. ( )

I didn’t find this quite as good as the first one, but I’m willing to continue... The five young dragons who are supposed to fulfill a prophecy and end the dragon war, are on their way into the undersea kingdom of the Seawings tribe. This book is narrated by Tsunami, who feels certain that her mother the Seawing queen will gladly welcome her home. Of course it doesn’t go smoothly. Tsunami can’t communicate well with the other Seawing dragons. Everyone is suspicious of her companions, because some of them are from rival tribes. The customs and manners of the palace dragons are unfamiliar, and Tsunami quickly gets separated from her friends. She tries to fit in and please her mother, but something’s not quite right. The story quickly dives into a mess of court intrigue and a long-standing murder mystery. I have to say the ending reveal was quite clever. I was getting a tad tiresome of it all by that point, though. Some things were totally unexpected and made me laugh, other plot twists I saw coming from far off.

It still bugged me a bit that the dragons talk a lot like people but oh well. And there continues to be random sudden violence. Again, didn’t bother me in this story about dragons in warring tribes, but kind of surprising seeing that the books are aimed at kids? at least the bright covers make you think so. One of the dragonets discovers she had unknowingly killed her own father in the past, and has to deal with that horrible guilt. There’s also flippant, casual mention of suicide that makes me uncomfortable. I did like how Tsunami showed some character development through the story. She starts off very brash and headstrong, but by the end has learned to curb some of her impulsiveness and take her friends’ opinions more into consideration. Sadly the other characters felt a little flat to me- but I suppose it makes sense that a story narrated by an adolescent would be completely wrapped up in that one individual. In the end, the hidden palace is attacked and our five dragonets barely escape with their lives. They do make it out, leaving the sea kingdom a bit wiser- and with an unexpected new companion. ( )

It is now time for Tsunami to find her family. When the dragonets do, it is not what was expected. Now Tsunami has to save her friends but also her family. What she decides to do takes a lot of courage.

I enjoyed this book. I like getting to know the dragonets and how they find out what family really is. The story kept me interested. The plots and intrigues going on keep me riveted. I cannot wait to read book 3. ( )

{Second of 13: Wings of Fire series. Children’s, fantasy} (2012)

This second book follows the ‘dragonets of destiny’ as they search for their families and try to work out how they’re going to fulfill the prophecy and bring an end to the dragon war. Having been taken from their families as eggs and brought up in isolation in an underground cave, the five dragonets are discovering the difference between reality and the scrolls they’ve been taught from. They’ve all dreamed of being reunited with their families but will the reality live up to the dream?

This time it’s Tsunami the Seawing’s turn to find her family and discover how they feel about her, how much she doesn’t know about her tribe’s culture, how it will affect her relationship with the other dragonets and how she feels about the Seawings. And they meet Blister, the second of the Sandwing queens around whom the dragon war is being fought.

I feel the writing has improved from the first book including the characterisation (Glory the Rainwing, for instance, is starting to get a bit irritating). The dragons are more dragon-like than in the first book for the most part except for having pots in the kitchen (considering they eat the majority of their food raw). There are still a few niggles; the constant use of the word ‘talons’ as a substitute for ‘hands’ instead of ‘finger/ nail/ claw’ for instance (and the dragons have all acquired ‘snouts’ which is ... accurate but unromantic).

This would work well for the 8-12 age group but there is violence and killing. There is a description of a dragon being electrocuted at one point and a scene with dragons dying in battle.

... body slipped over the edge into the electric eel moat.
... A blinding flash of blue sizzled up the cascading waterfall. Tsunami jumped back, and all five dragonets huddled close in the center of the island. The water in the moat churned and seethed around the spot where (the dragon) had disappeared. Thick green tails thrashed through the bubbles and sparks flew as if several bolts of lightning were striking at once.
... Slowly the flashes calmed down until only an occasional zap appeared in the wall.
And then they all stopped. The waterfall was quiet, and so was the moat.
Tsunami could see the eels, still clustered around a large, dark shape at the bottom of the pool. But their frenzy had subsided, and she guessed she was lucky she couldn’t see any details of what they were doing now.

3.5*** ( )

I am enjoying the series. War makes one become its true raw self. ( )