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Enchanted Forest Chronicles #2
Searching for Dragons
Kidnap a dragon? How daring!
How stupid
Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, is back--but where is Kazul the dragon? That's what Cimorene is determined to find out.
Luckily--or perhaps not-so-luckily--she's got help: Mendenbar, the not-very-kingly King of the Enchanted Forest, has joined her in her quest. So with the aid of a broken-down magic carpet, a leaky magical sword, and a few buckets of soapy lemon water, they set off across the Enchanted Forest to tackle the dragon-napping and save the King of the Dragons.
How stupid
Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, is back--but where is Kazul the dragon? That's what Cimorene is determined to find out.
Luckily--or perhaps not-so-luckily--she's got help: Mendenbar, the not-very-kingly King of the Enchanted Forest, has joined her in her quest. So with the aid of a broken-down magic carpet, a leaky magical sword, and a few buckets of soapy lemon water, they set off across the Enchanted Forest to tackle the dragon-napping and save the King of the Dragons.
242 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 1991
497 people are currently reading
10828 people want to read
About the author
Patricia C. Wrede
67 books4,001 followersPatricia Collins Wrede was born in Chicago, Illinois and is the eldest of five children. She started writing in seventh grade. She attended Carleton College in Minnesota, where she majored in Biology and managed to avoid taking any English courses at all. She began work on her first novel, Shadow Magic, just after graduating from college in 1974. She finished it five years later and started her second book at once, having become permanently hooked on writing by this time.
Patricia received her M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1977.
She worked for several years as a financial analyst and accountant, first with the Minnesota Hospital Association, then with B. Dalton Booksellers, and finally at the Dayton Hudson Corporation headquarters.
Patricia finished her first novel in late 1978. In January, 1980, Pamela Dean, Emma Bull, Will Shetterly, Steven Brust, Nate Bucklin, and Patricia Wrede -- all, at that point, hopeful but unpublished -- formed the writer's group that later became known as "The Scribblies." Several years later, they were joined by Kara Dalkey. In April of 1980, Patricia's first novel sold to Ace Books. It came out at last in 1982, which is the year she met Lillian Stewart Carl (who introduced her to Lois McMaster Bujold by mail).
In 1985, shortly before the publication of her fifth book, she left the world of the gainfully employed to try winging it on her own.
Her interests include sewing, embroidery, desultory attempts at gardening, chocolate, not mowing the lawn, High Tea, and, of course, reading.
She is a vegetarian, and currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her cat Karma. She has no children.
Patricia received her M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1977.
She worked for several years as a financial analyst and accountant, first with the Minnesota Hospital Association, then with B. Dalton Booksellers, and finally at the Dayton Hudson Corporation headquarters.
Patricia finished her first novel in late 1978. In January, 1980, Pamela Dean, Emma Bull, Will Shetterly, Steven Brust, Nate Bucklin, and Patricia Wrede -- all, at that point, hopeful but unpublished -- formed the writer's group that later became known as "The Scribblies." Several years later, they were joined by Kara Dalkey. In April of 1980, Patricia's first novel sold to Ace Books. It came out at last in 1982, which is the year she met Lillian Stewart Carl (who introduced her to Lois McMaster Bujold by mail).
In 1985, shortly before the publication of her fifth book, she left the world of the gainfully employed to try winging it on her own.
Her interests include sewing, embroidery, desultory attempts at gardening, chocolate, not mowing the lawn, High Tea, and, of course, reading.
She is a vegetarian, and currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her cat Karma. She has no children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,504 reviews
August 4, 2016
I haven't ever properly reviewed this series, but just let it be known that it's the greatest series about dragons of all time, and I mean better than my books, better than anything. I think more than anyone else, Wrede's writing in this series is my biggest influence.
March 11, 2017
Searching For Dragons, really?
I think in the whole book there was only one dragon.
MY FEELINGS
I was burning with excitement after reading its first book. BUT ugh! This book extinguished every flare of excitement and left me damped. As you know wet things don't catch fire rapidly. Hehehe... I think that was the worst comparison ever made. I don't know how it came in my mind.
Back to the point, this was not the book I was expecting from the author of Dealing With Dragons. beginning was almost similar to first book's beginning with different circumstances..
Be alert! Don't open any spoiler if you are looking forward to read this book or if you don't want any revelation. Otherwise, you can read this review.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Mendanber
Bio
--- He is the king of Enchanted Forest.
My feelings
--- He was very appealing for me. I love this character BUT
Cimorene
Bio
Chief Cook and Librarian to Kazul (King of Dragons).
My feelings
I adore this character
Telemain
Bio
He is a magician. He loves to study different methods or types of magic.
My Feelings
He was a good character. I liked him but he was over curious I think.
OVERVIEW
One day, Mendanber go for a walk in Enchanted Forest and he runs across a part of Forest which has become dead. There is no magic in its air(as Enchanted Forest is full of magic which float through its air). He finds some dragon's scales in that part. He consults this problem with Morwen (a witch who lives in the Forest) who suggests him to visit Kazul because she can tell him whose dragon those scales are. When he gets to the Kazul's cave he comes to know that Kazul is missing. So Cimorene and Mendaber find her.
THINGS I LIKED
Indeed, this book didn't satisfy me but there were some things I liked:
Enchanted Forest
I liked this very much. We came to know very much about this forest in this book Like:
Mendanber
I liked how he casted spells in the Forest. I also liked his magical sword except for one thing (see next section).
Writing Style & Dialogues = Awesome! Just as in its first book.
Wizards
I liked them as villains except for one thing (see next section).
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
To be honest, I didn't like how they saved Kazul.
According to facts I mentioned above I would give:
* 3.2 Dull Stars *
I think its first book was far better than this. This book hadn't something which could grip me except for MAGIC! I loved it. That's why I gave this slightly above 3 stars. Excluding magic my rating is 2.5 stars because this book wasn't that bad to give 2 stars.
I really hope its 3rd book will be better than this. It should be!
Please point out my mistakes and my misunderstandings about this book. I would be happy to see that!
Thanks for your attention!
I think in the whole book there was only one dragon.
MY FEELINGS
I was burning with excitement after reading its first book. BUT ugh! This book extinguished every flare of excitement and left me damped. As you know wet things don't catch fire rapidly. Hehehe... I think that was the worst comparison ever made. I don't know how it came in my mind.
Back to the point, this was not the book I was expecting from the author of Dealing With Dragons. beginning was almost similar to first book's beginning with different circumstances..
Be alert! Don't open any spoiler if you are looking forward to read this book or if you don't want any revelation. Otherwise, you can read this review.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Mendanber
Bio
--- He is the king of Enchanted Forest.
My feelings
--- He was very appealing for me. I love this character BUT
Cimorene
Bio
Chief Cook and Librarian to Kazul (King of Dragons).
My feelings
I adore this character
Telemain
Bio
He is a magician. He loves to study different methods or types of magic.
My Feelings
He was a good character. I liked him but he was over curious I think.
OVERVIEW
One day, Mendanber go for a walk in Enchanted Forest and he runs across a part of Forest which has become dead. There is no magic in its air(as Enchanted Forest is full of magic which float through its air). He finds some dragon's scales in that part. He consults this problem with Morwen (a witch who lives in the Forest) who suggests him to visit Kazul because she can tell him whose dragon those scales are. When he gets to the Kazul's cave he comes to know that Kazul is missing. So Cimorene and Mendaber find her.
THINGS I LIKED
Indeed, this book didn't satisfy me but there were some things I liked:
Enchanted Forest
I liked this very much. We came to know very much about this forest in this book Like:
Mendanber
I liked how he casted spells in the Forest. I also liked his magical sword except for one thing (see next section).
Writing Style & Dialogues = Awesome! Just as in its first book.
Wizards
I liked them as villains except for one thing (see next section).
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
To be honest, I didn't like how they saved Kazul.
According to facts I mentioned above I would give:
* 3.2 Dull Stars *
I think its first book was far better than this. This book hadn't something which could grip me except for MAGIC! I loved it. That's why I gave this slightly above 3 stars. Excluding magic my rating is 2.5 stars because this book wasn't that bad to give 2 stars.
I really hope its 3rd book will be better than this. It should be!
Please point out my mistakes and my misunderstandings about this book. I would be happy to see that!
Thanks for your attention!
July 1, 2008
Patricia C. Wrede has been one of my favorite authors for her witty, original use of common fantasy themes. This is the 2nd book of her 4 book series, and is one of my favorites. This book is a great read for all ages, with laugh out loud humor.
Violence: mild g-rated violence with melting wizards, and fighting rock-snakes.
Language: Mendenbar takes the Lord's name in vain about 3 times, but that is all, the rest is "he cursed under his breath," etc.
Sexual themes: G-rated pressure for Mendenbar to get married, and innocent attraction between him and someone else.
Age recommendation: All ages (Any age old enough to understand and enjoy it).
Violence: mild g-rated violence with melting wizards, and fighting rock-snakes.
Language: Mendenbar takes the Lord's name in vain about 3 times, but that is all, the rest is "he cursed under his breath," etc.
Sexual themes: G-rated pressure for Mendenbar to get married, and innocent attraction between him and someone else.
Age recommendation: All ages (Any age old enough to understand and enjoy it).
January 19, 2022
How can I even begin to describe my love for this book and the whole series? This book is about The King of the Enchanted Forest, Mendanbar, who hates princesses. When he's out for a walk he runs into a burnt a magic-stripped section of the Enchanted Forest. Worried that it might be dragons burning down his forest he goes to visit the King of the Dragons, Kazul. To his dismay he discovers that she has a princess. Princess Cimorene to be exact. But Kazul is missing. Together Mendanbar and Cimorene set out on a quest to try and find her.
This book is full of dozens of mentions of fairytales. Mostly fairytales that have been turned on their heads. Such as all the boys who show up "every three months, regular as clockwork" at the giant's castle and "they're always named Jack". Or the dwarf who spins gold into straw but can never get anyone to guess his name so he always has to keep their children even though he doesn't want them. He even legally changed his name so it would be easier for people to guess it.
The king's and princess's adventure is full of danger, surprises and hilarity. This book also introduces some of my favorite characters from the series. Such as a technical magician and a grouchy gargoyle. The characters from this book are memorable and usually bring a new twist on a well loved fairytale.
I first discovered this book when I was 11. I had already read and loved the first book in the series. And then not having found this book I picked up the fourth book. Needless to say, when I found out that there were two more books in between the two that I had read, I was overcome with joy. I got this book on hold on the at my library. And I loved it. I wasn't disappointed at all. This book fits perfectly into the rest of the series. Since the first time I found this book I loved it. Since then I have read this book at least 20 times. And I will continue to read it (along with the rest of the books in the series) every year.
When I was 12 I made a deal with my brother that if he read some of my books that I would read some of his. He read the whole series and afterwards he told me that this was he favorite one.
The writing sucks me in every time. It is a quick read. But it's worth it. I would recommend this book to people who love and know fairytales.
This book got, gets, and will continue to get 5/5 stars from me.
Side Notes: This is my third favorite book from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles.
This book wasn't written second. It was written (along with books 1 and 3) as a prequel to book 4, Talking to Dragons.
This book is written in 3rd person but through Mendanbar's eyes. The only thoughts you see in the book are Mendanbars's and you only see what he sees. But it still refers to Mendanbar as "he". Having this book from his perspective is something that I love about this book. This way you can see his reactions to Cimorene and the way he changes towards her. It's very cute.
This book is full of dozens of mentions of fairytales. Mostly fairytales that have been turned on their heads. Such as all the boys who show up "every three months, regular as clockwork" at the giant's castle and "they're always named Jack". Or the dwarf who spins gold into straw but can never get anyone to guess his name so he always has to keep their children even though he doesn't want them. He even legally changed his name so it would be easier for people to guess it.
The king's and princess's adventure is full of danger, surprises and hilarity. This book also introduces some of my favorite characters from the series. Such as a technical magician and a grouchy gargoyle. The characters from this book are memorable and usually bring a new twist on a well loved fairytale.
I first discovered this book when I was 11. I had already read and loved the first book in the series. And then not having found this book I picked up the fourth book. Needless to say, when I found out that there were two more books in between the two that I had read, I was overcome with joy. I got this book on hold on the at my library. And I loved it. I wasn't disappointed at all. This book fits perfectly into the rest of the series. Since the first time I found this book I loved it. Since then I have read this book at least 20 times. And I will continue to read it (along with the rest of the books in the series) every year.
When I was 12 I made a deal with my brother that if he read some of my books that I would read some of his. He read the whole series and afterwards he told me that this was he favorite one.
The writing sucks me in every time. It is a quick read. But it's worth it. I would recommend this book to people who love and know fairytales.
This book got, gets, and will continue to get 5/5 stars from me.
Side Notes: This is my third favorite book from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles.
This book wasn't written second. It was written (along with books 1 and 3) as a prequel to book 4, Talking to Dragons.
This book is written in 3rd person but through Mendanbar's eyes. The only thoughts you see in the book are Mendanbars's and you only see what he sees. But it still refers to Mendanbar as "he". Having this book from his perspective is something that I love about this book. This way you can see his reactions to Cimorene and the way he changes towards her. It's very cute.
May 15, 2012
Lord, I love these books so much. Searching for Dragons follows the adventures of Cimorene, but is told from the point of view of Mendanbar, the King of the Enchanted Forest. Mendanbar is as unconventional as Cimorene, and just as subject to being nagged about the proper way to do things. The change of perspective is nice, and also enables the reader to see exactly how charming Cimorene is from the outside.
One of the things I appreciate about Wrede is the fact that, while her characters bemoan the silliness of princesses, they cast aspersions on the silliness of princes just as often. Additionally, Wrede makes sure to throw in some allusions to the social circumstances that make princesses act silly. Silly princesses are a common trope, but books that give comparable time to silly princes and discuss the impact of societal expectations on the way women act are rare. Honestly, especially considering the fact that these are children’s books, Wrede does an excellent job with delving into social constructs of gender.
My favourite witch, Morwen, also makes an appearance in this book (along with her horde of cats). Seriously, one day I hope to become Morwen. She is fantastic. Ballimore and Dobbilan the giants are completely charming, bickering domestically about the necessity of grinding to bones of Englishmen into bread. The cast of characters in this book is larger than in Dealing with Dragons, but each new character is completely captivating in his or her own right. No one seems superfluous or out of place.
—
Rating: 5 Dragons.
Favourite Quote (Erm, really Favourite Scene for this one. Sorry.): “Just inside the door, the giant stopped and sniffed the air. Then he sneezed once, scowled ferociously, and said in a voice that shook the torches in their brackets:
‘Fee, fie, foe, fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he alive or be he dead,
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.’
Ballimore shook her head. “Nonsense, dear. It’s just Princess Cimorene and the King of the Enchanted Forest.’
‘And neither of us is English,’ Cimorene added.
The giant squinted down at her. ‘Are you sure about that?’
‘Positive,’ Mendanbar said.
‘Well—’ the giant sniffed again, experimentally, then lowered his club with a sigh. ‘That’s all right, then. I wasn’t in the mood for more work tonight, anyway. Sorry about the mistake. It must be this cold in my head.’”
Recommend: Yes, of course. I don’t think it even needs to be said at this point.
One of the things I appreciate about Wrede is the fact that, while her characters bemoan the silliness of princesses, they cast aspersions on the silliness of princes just as often. Additionally, Wrede makes sure to throw in some allusions to the social circumstances that make princesses act silly. Silly princesses are a common trope, but books that give comparable time to silly princes and discuss the impact of societal expectations on the way women act are rare. Honestly, especially considering the fact that these are children’s books, Wrede does an excellent job with delving into social constructs of gender.
My favourite witch, Morwen, also makes an appearance in this book (along with her horde of cats). Seriously, one day I hope to become Morwen. She is fantastic. Ballimore and Dobbilan the giants are completely charming, bickering domestically about the necessity of grinding to bones of Englishmen into bread. The cast of characters in this book is larger than in Dealing with Dragons, but each new character is completely captivating in his or her own right. No one seems superfluous or out of place.
—
Rating: 5 Dragons.
Favourite Quote (Erm, really Favourite Scene for this one. Sorry.): “Just inside the door, the giant stopped and sniffed the air. Then he sneezed once, scowled ferociously, and said in a voice that shook the torches in their brackets:
‘Fee, fie, foe, fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he alive or be he dead,
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.’
Ballimore shook her head. “Nonsense, dear. It’s just Princess Cimorene and the King of the Enchanted Forest.’
‘And neither of us is English,’ Cimorene added.
The giant squinted down at her. ‘Are you sure about that?’
‘Positive,’ Mendanbar said.
‘Well—’ the giant sniffed again, experimentally, then lowered his club with a sigh. ‘That’s all right, then. I wasn’t in the mood for more work tonight, anyway. Sorry about the mistake. It must be this cold in my head.’”
Recommend: Yes, of course. I don’t think it even needs to be said at this point.
December 14, 2022
2022 Review
I mean, Mendanbar. While I love the independence and girl power of the first book, this is the one I re-read most frequently.
2017 Review
Slow re-read over the past few weeks. A charming story with the ever un-traditional and amazing Cimorene, the wise Morwen, intellectual Telemain, and sweet Mendanbar. I really love them all.
Am I officially getting old? Mendanbar is practically a baby, just 20!
I mean, Mendanbar. While I love the independence and girl power of the first book, this is the one I re-read most frequently.
2017 Review
Slow re-read over the past few weeks. A charming story with the ever un-traditional and amazing Cimorene, the wise Morwen, intellectual Telemain, and sweet Mendanbar. I really love them all.
Am I officially getting old? Mendanbar is practically a baby, just 20!
November 2, 2016
A very entertaining read. Wrede treats old fairy tales in such a creative and innovative way. So refreshing!
Read
June 17, 2023Reread of a childhood favorite!
December 28, 2021
Not quite as good as the first, but still a fast and entertaining read. I'm likely to read on in the series, but not right away. 3.5 stars, rounded up. And the book entertained this far-from-young adult!
March 12, 2017
Enjoying rereading this series. I didn't like this one as much as the first but I still found it a lot of fun.
August 27, 2015
4.5-ish. Really enjoyed this a lot - even more than the first one!
March 30, 2022
Not quite as fun or interesting as the first book. This had fun characters but the story itself was less so. The final part of the book seemed to go on far too long.
December 27, 2017
There are many things I like about Enchanted Forest Chronicles and obviously the characters are the main reason, but having read this series 4 times now I still really love the magic system of the forest.
It's nothing new really, it's just so cool to me - the way King does his spells. When I read this book for the first time I thought that all of those threads and knots of magic were the coolest thing ever. Still do.
“I'm sorry. I'm used to people objecting to things because they think I can't do them or shouldn't do them. It didn't occur to me that you might have a real reason.”
Cimorene is still one of my all time favorite female characters. In my eyes she is the original "not like other girls" girl, or in this case - princess. But in her case she is actually different without being pretentious or weird about it.
And as far as male characters go, Mendabar is awesome - he's grouchy, he's intelligent, he's a gentleman and he's easy going. He's also impishly awkward. How's that for a King?
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It's nothing new really, it's just so cool to me - the way King does his spells. When I read this book for the first time I thought that all of those threads and knots of magic were the coolest thing ever. Still do.
“I'm sorry. I'm used to people objecting to things because they think I can't do them or shouldn't do them. It didn't occur to me that you might have a real reason.”
Cimorene is still one of my all time favorite female characters. In my eyes she is the original "not like other girls" girl, or in this case - princess. But in her case she is actually different without being pretentious or weird about it.
And as far as male characters go, Mendabar is awesome - he's grouchy, he's intelligent, he's a gentleman and he's easy going. He's also impishly awkward. How's that for a King?
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
October 28, 2015
Searching for Dragons introduces a new character, Mendenbar, who is the king of the Enchanted Forest. Mendenbar stumbles across burnt spots in his forest and a bunch of dragon scales in the area. On the way to figuring out the story behind everything, he meets Morwen and Cimorene. This installment had Cimorene taking a back seat so we didn't get to see much of her witty and clever side which was a shame. Mendenbar was definitely the 'main' character in this one. I didn't find him all that likeable but he had a lot to discover about his kingdom and magic and he expanded the plot outside Kazul's cave, which I guess is a plus. The book continues to break stereotypes (who said a magic carpet ride had to be glamorous?) and quite a few buckets of soapy lemon water make appearances in this fun sequel to Dealing with Dragons.
November 22, 2023
This book has talking dragons, stubborn princesses, and magic-wielding kings, I simply HAD to give it five stars. It’s as cute and wholesome as can be!!
July 4, 2021
Continuing in the same style of a fairy tale that turns fairy tale tropes on their head, Searching for Dragons is the second book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. This sequel does exactly what I was hoping for. It takes what we already know of the Enchanted Forest and builds upon it. Only this time the story is told entirely from Mendanbar's point of view.
Dead zones have started appearing in the Enchanted Forrest and Kazul, King of the Dragons, has gone missing. Mendanbar, King of the Enchanted Forest, and Cimorene are determined to figure out what's going on.
Mendanbar is a decent protagonist. He's young and feeling a tad overwhelmed with running a kingdom so jumps at the chance to start his investigation if only so he can relax a little from his other kingly duties. The journey Mendanbar and Cimorene go on is rather convoluted and they meet some interesting characters along the way. I found it funny how they pointed out common sense solutions to some typical fairy tale problems, like the giant who is fed up with "Jacks" always stealing from him on a regular schedule.
"They always do the same thing - come in, ask for a meal, hide, and then run off with a harp or a bag full of money the minute I fall asleep," Dobbilan said. "And they're always named Jack. Always. We've lived in this castle for twenty years, and every three months, regular as clockwork, one of those boys shows up, and there's never been a Tom, Dick, or Harry among 'em. Just Jacks. The English have no imagination."
Their solution to his problem is quite practical. Mendenbar and Cimorene end up working well together.
While just as charming and fun as Dealing with Dragons, I found myself missing Cimorene as the main pov character. This, of course, sets a trend. I wonder whose point of view the third book will be from.
Dead zones have started appearing in the Enchanted Forrest and Kazul, King of the Dragons, has gone missing. Mendanbar, King of the Enchanted Forest, and Cimorene are determined to figure out what's going on.
Mendanbar is a decent protagonist. He's young and feeling a tad overwhelmed with running a kingdom so jumps at the chance to start his investigation if only so he can relax a little from his other kingly duties. The journey Mendanbar and Cimorene go on is rather convoluted and they meet some interesting characters along the way. I found it funny how they pointed out common sense solutions to some typical fairy tale problems, like the giant who is fed up with "Jacks" always stealing from him on a regular schedule.
"They always do the same thing - come in, ask for a meal, hide, and then run off with a harp or a bag full of money the minute I fall asleep," Dobbilan said. "And they're always named Jack. Always. We've lived in this castle for twenty years, and every three months, regular as clockwork, one of those boys shows up, and there's never been a Tom, Dick, or Harry among 'em. Just Jacks. The English have no imagination."
Their solution to his problem is quite practical. Mendenbar and Cimorene end up working well together.
While just as charming and fun as Dealing with Dragons, I found myself missing Cimorene as the main pov character. This, of course, sets a trend. I wonder whose point of view the third book will be from.
December 12, 2016
Mendanbar, king of the Enchanted Forest, Cimorene, princess of dragon Kazul, a sword that leaks magic, and a faulty magic carpet must travel to find the missing King of the Dragons. They must find her before her dragon-nappers do something devastating to Cimorene's friend.
Plot
Searching for Dragons should actually be called “Searching for Dragon” (singular) because it’s Kazul, King of the Dragons, who is missing. Mendanbar, the king of the Enchanted Forest that was never mentioned in the first book, teams up with Cimorene, our “unconventional” princess to find and rescue Kazul. All in all, it’s a pretty dull plot.
Mendanbar and Cimorene spend the majority of the book bumbling around and meeting seemingly irrelevant characters who gain a purpose near the end. Mendanbar has a deus-ex-machina sword that literally magics him and Cimorene out of any problem they stumble across, and this leads to a story that lacks any tension, which further extends to a climax that fizzles out.
There are so many unsubtle attempts at foreshadowing it makes my teeth hurt. Searching for Dragons is so much more predictable than Dealing with Dragons was, and that’s saying something. What little plot is there is extremely boring and lacks any excitement.
I haven’t read the other two books in the series yet, but I’ll bet money that this book could easily be skipped.
Writing
Despite what should have been a more action-y book, Wrede writes the exact same way she did in the first one. There’s no tension, excitement, sense of adventure, or anything like that. This books is also a lot less funny than the first one, which probably has to deal with the lack of Kazul for the majority of the book. She was the only funny thing in Dealing with Dragons.
It seems like Wrede was trying to use repetition as humor this time around, but it was only annoying. Especially the “joke” where Mendanbar would translate Telemain’s technical talk into layman’s terms. That “joke” got real old, real fast. There are more “jokes” similar to that, and they are all just as unfunny.
Characters
Mendanbar is the main character this time around. He’s dull, boring, and more than a bit unlikeable. He spends the first half of the book talking down on princesses for being silly and stupid, then after meeting Cimorene, he bashes them some more to elevate her. Newsflash to authors, tearing down one group of women to uplift another does not make that second group seem better in the slightest. There was nothing interesting about Mendanbar, and this especially goes for his magic. He has no struggles and breezes through everything because he’s king of the Enchanted Forest.
And, oh, Cimorene. What has this book done to you? Even though I didn’t think Cimorene was anything special in Dealing with Dragons, she was still an alright character. Searching for Dragons took her character and sucked all of the good parts of her out. That previously smart princess? Well, now she’s a moron that constantly has to be told by Mendanbar what something means. That level-headed princess? Is now irrational enough to not consider the consequences of just waltzing into the Enchanted Forest. Cimorene’s character was nerfed to make Mendanbar seem like a better character.
Everybody else are background tools used purely to further the plot. They are barely characters on their own.
Things I Liked
The only thing I liked was when there was an actual explanation on the differences between magicians and wizards. There are a lot of books that have different groups of magic-users, and yet never bother to explain what makes one group differ from another.
Things I Didn't Like
I disliked a whole lot of things, as evidenced by my one-star rating. Where to start?
First off, the “romance” between Mendanbar and Cimorene. When Mendanbar first mentioned not wanting to marry some vapid princess, I knew he and Cimorene would get together because she was “different”. If Mendanbar wasn’t such an unobservant jerk, he’d realize a lot of princesses put on an airheaded act because that’s what society dictates. Besides that, there is no actual romance between these two. They are acquaintances at best for the majority of the book. There is no romantic tension, or any tension at all. I can’t even see these two as being friends! And all of a sudden, in the last two chapters, the book passively tells us Mendanbar wants to put his arm around Cimorene while walking. Romance of the century, y’all. In the last chapter Mendanbar says he loves her and Cimorene reciprocates his feelings based off of two days of knowing each other and no real chemistry, I suppose. Very bad romance.
The second thing I disliked was how the book, and Mendanbar, felt the constant need to talk down about other princesses in comparison to Cimorene. Dealing with Dragons did this as well, but it wasn’t as bad as in this book. When I say the first third of the book did this, I mean it was constant. Saying other princesses are stupid and silly and scatterbrained does not make Cimorene look better in comparison. It makes Mendanbar, and anybody who agrees with him, look like nitwits and misogynists. Girl-on-girl hate is bad enough, but the same attitude coming from a man is worse.
The third thing I disliked was the convenient-only-when-the-plot-calls-for-it stuff. In the first book, it was Cimorene’s fight with that bird with the teleportation feathers and Alianora’s lemony soap water. In this book, it’s Mendanbar’s magic sword. Mendanbar never really touches the sword until it’s time to save the day. That’s literally the only other time the sword is used; when the characters are in some sort of peril or difficult situation. As mentioned earlier, this absolutely kills any tension that might have been there in the first place.
I have more things I disliked, but one thing that really bothered me was what could have been. Cimorene is apparently a sorceress and the reader is denied being allowed to see her progress as she discovered her magic. I would have much rather preferred Cimorene’s magical awakening to this drag of a book.
Diversity
Everybody is white. The female characters are either dumbed down to make the men seem smarter, or irrelevant. There’s an anti-Rromani slur and yet no Rromani characters, at the very least. Terrible diversity.
Overall
I honestly hated getting through Searching for Dragons. It started off boring, the climax was boring, and the ending was boring. Nothing exciting happened at all. There was not real adventure because the characters bumbled through their search mission and happened upon their answers, there was no action because everything was either solved by a convenient stranger Cimorene and Mendanbar just met or Mendanbar’s deus-ex-machina sword, there was absolutely no romance (and you cannot convince me otherwise), and all together there was no interesting story.
I dread having to read the two remaining books in this series.
Here is a link to my notes.
Plot
Searching for Dragons should actually be called “Searching for Dragon” (singular) because it’s Kazul, King of the Dragons, who is missing. Mendanbar, the king of the Enchanted Forest that was never mentioned in the first book, teams up with Cimorene, our “unconventional” princess to find and rescue Kazul. All in all, it’s a pretty dull plot.
Mendanbar and Cimorene spend the majority of the book bumbling around and meeting seemingly irrelevant characters who gain a purpose near the end. Mendanbar has a deus-ex-machina sword that literally magics him and Cimorene out of any problem they stumble across, and this leads to a story that lacks any tension, which further extends to a climax that fizzles out.
There are so many unsubtle attempts at foreshadowing it makes my teeth hurt. Searching for Dragons is so much more predictable than Dealing with Dragons was, and that’s saying something. What little plot is there is extremely boring and lacks any excitement.
I haven’t read the other two books in the series yet, but I’ll bet money that this book could easily be skipped.
Writing
Despite what should have been a more action-y book, Wrede writes the exact same way she did in the first one. There’s no tension, excitement, sense of adventure, or anything like that. This books is also a lot less funny than the first one, which probably has to deal with the lack of Kazul for the majority of the book. She was the only funny thing in Dealing with Dragons.
It seems like Wrede was trying to use repetition as humor this time around, but it was only annoying. Especially the “joke” where Mendanbar would translate Telemain’s technical talk into layman’s terms. That “joke” got real old, real fast. There are more “jokes” similar to that, and they are all just as unfunny.
Characters
Mendanbar is the main character this time around. He’s dull, boring, and more than a bit unlikeable. He spends the first half of the book talking down on princesses for being silly and stupid, then after meeting Cimorene, he bashes them some more to elevate her. Newsflash to authors, tearing down one group of women to uplift another does not make that second group seem better in the slightest. There was nothing interesting about Mendanbar, and this especially goes for his magic. He has no struggles and breezes through everything because he’s king of the Enchanted Forest.
And, oh, Cimorene. What has this book done to you? Even though I didn’t think Cimorene was anything special in Dealing with Dragons, she was still an alright character. Searching for Dragons took her character and sucked all of the good parts of her out. That previously smart princess? Well, now she’s a moron that constantly has to be told by Mendanbar what something means. That level-headed princess? Is now irrational enough to not consider the consequences of just waltzing into the Enchanted Forest. Cimorene’s character was nerfed to make Mendanbar seem like a better character.
Everybody else are background tools used purely to further the plot. They are barely characters on their own.
Things I Liked
The only thing I liked was when there was an actual explanation on the differences between magicians and wizards. There are a lot of books that have different groups of magic-users, and yet never bother to explain what makes one group differ from another.
Things I Didn't Like
I disliked a whole lot of things, as evidenced by my one-star rating. Where to start?
First off, the “romance” between Mendanbar and Cimorene. When Mendanbar first mentioned not wanting to marry some vapid princess, I knew he and Cimorene would get together because she was “different”. If Mendanbar wasn’t such an unobservant jerk, he’d realize a lot of princesses put on an airheaded act because that’s what society dictates. Besides that, there is no actual romance between these two. They are acquaintances at best for the majority of the book. There is no romantic tension, or any tension at all. I can’t even see these two as being friends! And all of a sudden, in the last two chapters, the book passively tells us Mendanbar wants to put his arm around Cimorene while walking. Romance of the century, y’all. In the last chapter Mendanbar says he loves her and Cimorene reciprocates his feelings based off of two days of knowing each other and no real chemistry, I suppose. Very bad romance.
The second thing I disliked was how the book, and Mendanbar, felt the constant need to talk down about other princesses in comparison to Cimorene. Dealing with Dragons did this as well, but it wasn’t as bad as in this book. When I say the first third of the book did this, I mean it was constant. Saying other princesses are stupid and silly and scatterbrained does not make Cimorene look better in comparison. It makes Mendanbar, and anybody who agrees with him, look like nitwits and misogynists. Girl-on-girl hate is bad enough, but the same attitude coming from a man is worse.
The third thing I disliked was the convenient-only-when-the-plot-calls-for-it stuff. In the first book, it was Cimorene’s fight with that bird with the teleportation feathers and Alianora’s lemony soap water. In this book, it’s Mendanbar’s magic sword. Mendanbar never really touches the sword until it’s time to save the day. That’s literally the only other time the sword is used; when the characters are in some sort of peril or difficult situation. As mentioned earlier, this absolutely kills any tension that might have been there in the first place.
I have more things I disliked, but one thing that really bothered me was what could have been. Cimorene is apparently a sorceress and the reader is denied being allowed to see her progress as she discovered her magic. I would have much rather preferred Cimorene’s magical awakening to this drag of a book.
Diversity
Everybody is white. The female characters are either dumbed down to make the men seem smarter, or irrelevant. There’s an anti-Rromani slur and yet no Rromani characters, at the very least. Terrible diversity.
Overall
I honestly hated getting through Searching for Dragons. It started off boring, the climax was boring, and the ending was boring. Nothing exciting happened at all. There was not real adventure because the characters bumbled through their search mission and happened upon their answers, there was no action because everything was either solved by a convenient stranger Cimorene and Mendanbar just met or Mendanbar’s deus-ex-machina sword, there was absolutely no romance (and you cannot convince me otherwise), and all together there was no interesting story.
I dread having to read the two remaining books in this series.
Here is a link to my notes.
September 18, 2008
After loving 'Dealing with Dragons' for so long, I was really disappointed with myself for not finishing the series. I decided to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, I was not NEARLY as pleased with the 2nd book in the series as I was the 1st.
Searching for Dragons is a follow-up of Cimorene, and the Dragon King Kazul. However, Kazul has been missing for days and no one has any leads. Suspecting the ever sneaky wizards, Cimorene decides to take matters into her own hands and find Kazul. However, she is met with more than she expects when Mendenbar, the King of the Enchanted Forest shows up on her doorstep to help. The story follows their adventure as they search for Kazul and encounter helpful, and un-helpful, characters along the way.
Here's the problem. It's boring. There's none of the humor or silliness of the first book. The 1st book was so unique and intriguing, while this is just, well, there. And also, Mendenbar is badly written. He is introduced at the very beginning of the book, but I thought he was a jerk the whole time. It wasn't until 5 or 6 chapters in did I realize he's the hero of the story, and we're supposed to be a fan of his. D'oh.
I'll keep reading the series, just to see how it all ends, and if it gets better. And I'll even read these stories to my kids. But this no where touches the original.
Searching for Dragons is a follow-up of Cimorene, and the Dragon King Kazul. However, Kazul has been missing for days and no one has any leads. Suspecting the ever sneaky wizards, Cimorene decides to take matters into her own hands and find Kazul. However, she is met with more than she expects when Mendenbar, the King of the Enchanted Forest shows up on her doorstep to help. The story follows their adventure as they search for Kazul and encounter helpful, and un-helpful, characters along the way.
Here's the problem. It's boring. There's none of the humor or silliness of the first book. The 1st book was so unique and intriguing, while this is just, well, there. And also, Mendenbar is badly written. He is introduced at the very beginning of the book, but I thought he was a jerk the whole time. It wasn't until 5 or 6 chapters in did I realize he's the hero of the story, and we're supposed to be a fan of his. D'oh.
I'll keep reading the series, just to see how it all ends, and if it gets better. And I'll even read these stories to my kids. But this no where touches the original.
June 21, 2021
The Society of Wizards are stirring up trouble again in this second book of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. This time, they are trying to start a war between the King of the Enchanted Forest, (Mendanbar) and the King of the Dragons (Kazul), by burning a section of his forest, leaving dragon scales as evidence. Mendanbar decides a state visit to King Kazul is long overdue and sets out for such a visit, only to find a distraught Princess Cimorene, who is concerned that Kazul has disappeared and not sent word. Together, they set out on a quest to find and rescue Kazul. The banter between Mendanbar and Cimorene is wonderful, Morwen and Telemain were very helpful along the way, and some of their challenges were worrying, including magic carpets, meddling giants, and Jack the peddler. I liked this book much better than the first one in this series.
August 11, 2015
http://bookslifewine.com/r-searching-...
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 stars
Yet another adorable submission to the Enchanted Forest Chronicles! I simply adored Searching for Dragons and I’ve decided I really need to finish the entire series.
In Searching for Dragons the reader gets to meet up with Cimorene (Dealing with Dragons) again. This time, Kazul (King of the Dragons) is missing and it’s up to Cimorene to find her.
Read the rest here: http://bookslifewine.com/r-searching-...
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 stars
Yet another adorable submission to the Enchanted Forest Chronicles! I simply adored Searching for Dragons and I’ve decided I really need to finish the entire series.
In Searching for Dragons the reader gets to meet up with Cimorene (Dealing with Dragons) again. This time, Kazul (King of the Dragons) is missing and it’s up to Cimorene to find her.
Read the rest here: http://bookslifewine.com/r-searching-...
November 28, 2016
I loved this sequel as much as its predecessor! In fact, perhaps a little more, but only because I'm a sucker for journeys to complete quests and I really liked the whole host of new characters we get to meet too. It's a very enchanting little tale, and once again, a lot of fairytale tropes turned on their heads!
April 16, 2023
"They always do the same thing - come in, ask for a meal, hide, and then run off with a harp or a bag full of money the minute I fall asleep," Dobbilan said. "And they're always named Jack. Always. We've lived in this castle for twenty years, and every three months, regular as clockwork, one of those boys shows up, and there's never been a Tom, Dick, or Harry among 'em. Just Jacks. The English have no imagination."
This book was amazing and absolutely hilarious, I can't even tell you. Unlike the first book, where we followed the badass independent princess Cimorene that decided to live with dragons instead of getting married, here we follow king Mendanbar who has his own opinions on those silly princesses. I bet you can guess where all of this is going. You got it . At first I wasn't really happy about this, I thought this series was about independence, promoting the idea that . Well, yeah... but also, I feel like the ending of the book still goes against that expectation
So that was to the feminist part and now to the hilarious part!
He noticed, without surprise, that the two cats had come along, even though he had not specifically included them in the transportation spell. Cats were like that.
What this series does brilliantly is that it includes digs at other/traditional fairy-tales and re-owns them. I LOVE love love that feature SO much. Honestly, it's probably my favourite thing about this series. The best part of this book - in my opinion - is when the MCs meet with a descendant of Rumpelstiltskin who really likes spinning gold from straw, but who can't do it for himself and always has to make a bargain for it. Because of this his house is full of kids, because in spite of his honest effort to help the poor girls guess his name they just can't manage it. (He even legally changes his name to make it easier on them!) Secretly though, he loves it and is such a cute dad to all of them - though he doesn't have enough many to properly care for them all, so has to spin more gold and the cycle repeats.
And then there is the club of evil stepmothers, uncles & such, which... once again, hilarious. I really enjoyed this book SO much. The plot is very simple and for some could be underwhelming, but I feel like that's not the point... I'm bumping the rating to 5⭐ because this book deserves it!
Prince Rupert nodded gloomily. "I’m afraid you’re right. And frankly, I’m not at all sure that abandoning him is the right notion. I just can’t think of anything else wicked to do on short notice."
"But you promised you’d abandon me in the Enchanted Forest," Jorillam protested. "And I want to be abandoned and have all sorts of adventures and come home covered in glory."
May 2, 2025
King Mendanbar, Monarch of the Enchanted Forest, is having trouble with wizards burning up bits of his forest. He visits Kazul, the King of the Dragons, for some advice, but Kazul is missing, and Mendanbar teams up with Princess Cimorene to find Kazul and restore the Enchanted Forest.
I enjoyed this book even more reading it for the third time! I still wish that there were a little more romance between Mendanbar and Cimorene, but I do enjoy their friendship and the way they respect and rely on one another through all the sticky magical situations they find themselves in.
There are so many delightful characters in this book! Even the side characters shine with originality and wit.
The basic plot is rather straightforward, but there are so many misdirects and twisty roads for the characters to get delayed and misguided and thrown off course, that it feels like a complex plot.
I enjoyed this book even more reading it for the third time! I still wish that there were a little more romance between Mendanbar and Cimorene, but I do enjoy their friendship and the way they respect and rely on one another through all the sticky magical situations they find themselves in.
There are so many delightful characters in this book! Even the side characters shine with originality and wit.
The basic plot is rather straightforward, but there are so many misdirects and twisty roads for the characters to get delayed and misguided and thrown off course, that it feels like a complex plot.
July 29, 2008
Why is it that reviews on the back of books never do the book justice? Mendanbar is hot and awesome and awkward. And Finally there is a man cool enough for tough Cimerene. Plus, several scenes with wizards make me so... happy.
July 22, 2025
Placid but fun
In her Introduction to Searching for Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede tells us that she started the Enchanted Forest series by writing the last book, Talking to Dragons. That book starts with a mention of the hero's mother. Then Jane Yolen came along and asked her for a children's story something like Talking. Wrede responded by writing a prequel to Talking -- the hero of that prequel, Dealing with Dragons, was Cimorene, the mother of the hero of Talking. Yolen eventually convinced Wrede to fill in the gaps between Dealing and Talking -- that took two novels, Searching for Dragons and Calling on Dragons.
Thus, Searching was written literally as filler, and, I'm sad to say, it shows. The most surprising thing about Searching, though, is that despite its meandering plot, it manages to be entertaining. In her Introduction, Wrede explains the core logic of the Enchanted Forest series as follows
Searching is like hanging out with a bunch of congenial and sensible friends. They're good company, so it's fun to spend time with them, even if none of the things that happen is surprising or even very interesting. So, even though it's fantasy, it's kind of like Real Life.
Blog review
In her Introduction to Searching for Dragons, Patricia C. Wrede tells us that she started the Enchanted Forest series by writing the last book, Talking to Dragons. That book starts with a mention of the hero's mother. Then Jane Yolen came along and asked her for a children's story something like Talking. Wrede responded by writing a prequel to Talking -- the hero of that prequel, Dealing with Dragons, was Cimorene, the mother of the hero of Talking. Yolen eventually convinced Wrede to fill in the gaps between Dealing and Talking -- that took two novels, Searching for Dragons and Calling on Dragons.
Thus, Searching was written literally as filler, and, I'm sad to say, it shows. The most surprising thing about Searching, though, is that despite its meandering plot, it manages to be entertaining. In her Introduction, Wrede explains the core logic of the Enchanted Forest series as follows
Early in Dealing with Dragons, I’d started introducing recognizable references to fairy tales and some of the tropes that occur over and over—for example, the princesses always having golden hair.In fact, the heroes of the series are distinguished by their creativity and intelligence. Rather than doing the foolish things that characters in fairy tales often do, Cimorene, Mendanbar, and Kazul think things through. They know how fairy tales work, they know what will happen if they do the things fairy tale characters always do, so they think past it to where they actually want to end up.
In Searching, I was even more conscious and deliberate about using fairy-tale tropes and motifs and deliberately playing with them. Fairy tales, folk tales, myths, and legends have a logic all their own, which is just slightly skewed from the normal, everyday world. It seemed reasonable to me that just as real-life people learn to stop at stop signs, walk on the sidewalk instead of in the street, and ride bicycles, people in the fairy-tale world would learn what made sense in the world around them and would act accordingly—they’d automatically learn to fly magic carpets, pay attention if a squirrel gave them directions, and be especially polite to dragons.
Searching is like hanging out with a bunch of congenial and sensible friends. They're good company, so it's fun to spend time with them, even if none of the things that happen is surprising or even very interesting. So, even though it's fantasy, it's kind of like Real Life.
Blog review
March 13, 2017
The second book in The Enchanted Forest Chroniclesis, in my opinion, a worthy follow up to the first. While it focuses on Mendanbar, the King of the Enchanted Forest, rather than Cimorene the plot is still extremely engaging and as humorous as the first. Indeed, Morwen and Kazul are both present as well, and plenty of time is taken up expanding the Enchanted Forest and adding to its unlikely - and charming - lore.
King Mendanbar discovers that the Enchanted Forest is losing some of its land, as well as the magic therein. When nothing but burnt ground and discarded dragon scales offer up an explanation, he's resigned to bring such evidence to Kazul, the new King of the Dragons. Only Kazul is missing. What follows is an adventure with Mendanbar and Cimorene, complete with bumbling giants, a faulty magic carpet, and conniving wizards. Can they rescue Kazul in time and unravel the mystery?
I praised the previous book for just how positive a role model Cimorene is, and that carries through strongly in this book. Mendanbar is proof enough that men tend to like more independent women, and even as they both dismiss most princes and princesses as silly they acknowledge there isn't really anything wrong with the fact. You'd be silly, too, if you lacked the proper opportunities to grow yourself. The book is full of clever characters, humor, cats, and delicious cider. It's a quick read and one I plan on getting for some of the younger girls in my life once they're old enough to love it as I did.
King Mendanbar discovers that the Enchanted Forest is losing some of its land, as well as the magic therein. When nothing but burnt ground and discarded dragon scales offer up an explanation, he's resigned to bring such evidence to Kazul, the new King of the Dragons. Only Kazul is missing. What follows is an adventure with Mendanbar and Cimorene, complete with bumbling giants, a faulty magic carpet, and conniving wizards. Can they rescue Kazul in time and unravel the mystery?
I praised the previous book for just how positive a role model Cimorene is, and that carries through strongly in this book. Mendanbar is proof enough that men tend to like more independent women, and even as they both dismiss most princes and princesses as silly they acknowledge there isn't really anything wrong with the fact. You'd be silly, too, if you lacked the proper opportunities to grow yourself. The book is full of clever characters, humor, cats, and delicious cider. It's a quick read and one I plan on getting for some of the younger girls in my life once they're old enough to love it as I did.
April 11, 2019
I've done reading the whole series, so will copy these comments to 3rd and 4th book, too.
Love the humor. Love the breezy adventure and endearing characters. Each book focuses on different folks, but the sequence events counts, and I do not recommend trying to read them as stand-alones. The ending of #2 is a bit worrisome, and the ending of #3 is a cliff-hanger, and #4 does have some intensity not necessarily suitable for the youngest readers. On the whole, they're clean and fun, I'd say fine for ages 9 up but if your younger child wants to read them you should also.
Um, they're also not really memorable - they're probably best suited for people who like to reread books because there's a lot going on, but nothing heavy enough to make an impact on the reader's worldview. I know it's partly my fault because I read them so fast - but then, they were fast reads, and I couldn't help it.
Love the humor. Love the breezy adventure and endearing characters. Each book focuses on different folks, but the sequence events counts, and I do not recommend trying to read them as stand-alones. The ending of #2 is a bit worrisome, and the ending of #3 is a cliff-hanger, and #4 does have some intensity not necessarily suitable for the youngest readers. On the whole, they're clean and fun, I'd say fine for ages 9 up but if your younger child wants to read them you should also.
Um, they're also not really memorable - they're probably best suited for people who like to reread books because there's a lot going on, but nothing heavy enough to make an impact on the reader's worldview. I know it's partly my fault because I read them so fast - but then, they were fast reads, and I couldn't help it.
September 13, 2020
“Living with dragons doesn’t sound boring to me,” Mendanbar said.
“That’s because you’ve never done it,” Kazul replied. “Being Queen of the Enchanted Forest will give Cimorene more scope for her talents.”
“Then you really don’t object?” Mendanbar asked.
“Why should I?” Kazul said. “You’re a nice enough person, as humans go, and you’ve been very polite about the whole thing. That doesn’t happen often. Normally, knights and princes just grab a princess and run. And most of the princesses don’t even bother to say good-bye, much less give proper notice.” She looked at Cimorene and sighed. “I’ll miss your cooking, though.”
May 13, 2018
My 11 year old son gave this 5 stars. It was fun!
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