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Pit Dragon Chronicles #3
A Sending of Dragons
Teens dragon master Jakkin and beloved healer-in-training Akki hide in mountain cave network beside Heart's Blood warm hatchlings, exchanging mind-picture "sendings". But who could leave a huge pile of stripped dragon bones neatly interwoven? The monstrous secret is bloodier than they could imagine. Can they save anyone, even sacrificing themselves?
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1987
81 people are currently reading
1565 people want to read
About the author
Jane Yolen
945 books3,215 followersJane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
September 16, 2020
I couldn’t even bring myself to review this when I read it. Nothing about the plot worked for me and I ended up donating the series. The first book was so much fun - a breath of fresh air and creativity for the genre. I’d say stick with just that one. :)
January 20, 2015
Disappointing. The plot felt rushed and choppy, never seemed to find a rhythm or establish what direction the story was trying to take, and left any number of loose threads dangling. For instance, the possibility of the emerging to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting outside world is never referred to or discussed after the first time it is mentioned. After all the horrors they experience, and the suggestion of worse to come, Jakkin and Akki's escape--no grand showdown, no moral victory over the madness and evil, just running away to safety--felt like an anticlimax.
There were a lot of ideas swirling around here--the heroes learning how to use their newfound telepathic ability, and coping with the total openness and vulnerability their mental link brings; the theme of speech/language/intellect vs. "sending"/intuition/emotion when they ; the comparison between the dispassionate "cullings" of the farmers and the --but none of these themes are fully explored. They're just introduced, then left to lie.
There were a few good points: the characterization of Hearts-Blood's children, the way they communicate with their human siblings, was really delightful. Overall, though, this was a slap-dash muddle of a story that didn't live up to its potential.
I discovered the first three books of this series in a free bin, but not the last, so I don't know whether I'll be able to finish the series or not--and it's indicative of how lackluster these books are that I'm not too terribly put out by this. I'm mildly curious to see how Yolen decides to wrap things up--but not so I'd go out of my way to find out.
There were a lot of ideas swirling around here--the heroes learning how to use their newfound telepathic ability, and coping with the total openness and vulnerability their mental link brings; the theme of speech/language/intellect vs. "sending"/intuition/emotion when they ; the comparison between the dispassionate "cullings" of the farmers and the --but none of these themes are fully explored. They're just introduced, then left to lie.
There were a few good points: the characterization of Hearts-Blood's children, the way they communicate with their human siblings, was really delightful. Overall, though, this was a slap-dash muddle of a story that didn't live up to its potential.
I discovered the first three books of this series in a free bin, but not the last, so I don't know whether I'll be able to finish the series or not--and it's indicative of how lackluster these books are that I'm not too terribly put out by this. I'm mildly curious to see how Yolen decides to wrap things up--but not so I'd go out of my way to find out.
August 30, 2016
The main characters Akki and Jakkin, living in the mountains with Heart's Blood's offspring, discover a secret no one else on the planet appears to know. It's an obvious homage to The Time Machine and yet it works pretty well; Yolen has sorted out how her surprise could be the way it is and what the ramifications are. More of the story follows Jakkin than Akki, which is kind of a shame since Akki probably has a lot more that could be told about her. Akki still contributes a lot, though, and they make a pretty good pair.
December 20, 2019
Every book in this series is completely different from the others. This one was extraneous, weird, and discomfiting. And kinda gross. I liked the first book of this series the best and did not enjoy books 2 or 3, so I don't recommend picking it up.
Someone on Goodreads told me to definitely avoid book 4 so I'm taking that advice.
Someone on Goodreads told me to definitely avoid book 4 so I'm taking that advice.
September 21, 2017
Read this series (then only 3 books) when I was a kid back in middle school -- I absolutely loved every page. I plan on going back through this series eventually, especially since there's a new book (as of 2009); we'll see if I enjoy it as much as an adult.
April 25, 2025
so I added this series on my thriftbooks wish list and next day visited a new (to me) thrift store and bam. pit dragon #3 on the 99c shelf 🤩 thought this was the third and final but apparently there’s another? anyways, read this “trilogy” as a kid, and i’ve been slowly gathering all my childhood faves to nostalgia read. I remember being semi traumatized at this series, entirely due to *spoilers* the idea of having to hide inside the body of your dead pet/friend to survive a night in the frozen mountains💀
this book lives up to my memory of it, but I can’t entirely recommend it now purely because the misogyny is misogynizing… for a novel that handles 1.) setting boundaries with using telepathy 2.) the moral ramifications of their cultures rape and murder of intelligent beings vs the same actions taken by an outside culture and 3.) literal children being scapegoated for a political bombing…. the narrative sure can’t be normal about women. this was written in the 80s so I guess I could just say that instead?
(btw I read this within 24 hours. that’s not a flex it’s an incredibly quick read—probably why it’s still categorized YA even though it’s semi sexual and v violent or maybe also because 80s?)
I liked a lot of it though? it’s super fun to see different interpretations of dragons: these are herbivores with four legs who only talk through colorful telepathy…what can I say man that’s just cool
this book lives up to my memory of it, but I can’t entirely recommend it now purely because the misogyny is misogynizing… for a novel that handles 1.) setting boundaries with using telepathy 2.) the moral ramifications of their cultures rape and murder of intelligent beings vs the same actions taken by an outside culture and 3.) literal children being scapegoated for a political bombing…. the narrative sure can’t be normal about women. this was written in the 80s so I guess I could just say that instead?
(btw I read this within 24 hours. that’s not a flex it’s an incredibly quick read—probably why it’s still categorized YA even though it’s semi sexual and v violent or maybe also because 80s?)
I liked a lot of it though? it’s super fun to see different interpretations of dragons: these are herbivores with four legs who only talk through colorful telepathy…what can I say man that’s just cool
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2023
After book two opened us to the complexity of intergalactic geopolitics, book three is . . . a by-the-numbers adventure story claustrophobically confined to a series of caves. I am continually surprised by how disjointed this series feels by modern standards.
Despite that, it's an enjoyable adventure story, with thankfully very little reference to masters and bondsmen to make me flinch at the "happy slave" depiction we get in previous volumes. And I have come to appreciate how rough-edged and cranky the characters are allowed to be. This isn't a series where Jakkin needs to learn It's Okay To Cry; this is a series where Jakkin has never learned and will probably never learn that, and it's clearly not great for him but it is a realistic depiction of a person of a certain background.
Onward to book four! Which I have never read before, on account of how it didn't exist when I was a kid.
Despite that, it's an enjoyable adventure story, with thankfully very little reference to masters and bondsmen to make me flinch at the "happy slave" depiction we get in previous volumes. And I have come to appreciate how rough-edged and cranky the characters are allowed to be. This isn't a series where Jakkin needs to learn It's Okay To Cry; this is a series where Jakkin has never learned and will probably never learn that, and it's clearly not great for him but it is a realistic depiction of a person of a certain background.
Onward to book four! Which I have never read before, on account of how it didn't exist when I was a kid.
September 12, 2019
Solid finish to the series (well, original trilogy), following up on the new elements introduced at the end of the second book.
June 8, 2020
This was a re-read of a book I read then I was very young and remembered very little of, other then I liked it a lot.
I have a lot of feels. This book was *strange* but really very good. This series as a whole was strange--the first book was traditional, the 2nd was a weird brief look into political revolutions and the last book was a strange type of horror. The last book is currently my favorite, with the second book being my least favorite. This book built up tension really effectively. I was scared, I was tense, there was SO much feelings of dread. And strong emotional connections and implications. It's almost enough to make a person go vegetarian. It helps people see their lives and systems they've always accepted a bit differently. While I was underwhelmed by the second book, I was pleasantly weirded out by the third. In a good way. Simple but really effective, at least for me.
I have a lot of feels. This book was *strange* but really very good. This series as a whole was strange--the first book was traditional, the 2nd was a weird brief look into political revolutions and the last book was a strange type of horror. The last book is currently my favorite, with the second book being my least favorite. This book built up tension really effectively. I was scared, I was tense, there was SO much feelings of dread. And strong emotional connections and implications. It's almost enough to make a person go vegetarian. It helps people see their lives and systems they've always accepted a bit differently. While I was underwhelmed by the second book, I was pleasantly weirded out by the third. In a good way. Simple but really effective, at least for me.
December 1, 2020
Brings the series to an acceptable conclusion. Jakkin and Akki have survived in the wild for a few months. They have been altered by their time inside Heart's Blood's corpse and have acquired dragon-like abilities including mental communication and the ability to survive the cold. However, they are still sought by the authorities who have sent a helicopter to scan the wild for them. They flee, but are captured by a tribe of degenerate humans who slaughter dragons to acquire the dragon's abilities too. Jakkin and Akki decide to flee this captivity rescuing a gravid female dragon. The series is quite good in that each book has a unique story to tell. Probably a better read for early teens rather than adults.
January 14, 2019
This is the third of four books in the Pit Dragon Trilogy. It picks up immediately after book two and most likely wouldn't make a lot of sense without the context of the other two. This book was published in 1987, five years after the first book in the series. The next (and currently last) book wasn't published until 2009. There's not much to say about the plot that wouldn't give away the first two books, so I'll just say that it does a good job of moving the story forward without retreading much ground.
I would recommend it to: people who enjoyed the first two books in the series.
I would recommend it to: people who enjoyed the first two books in the series.
February 15, 2013
Much better than the second book but the setting was too sci fi for my tastes... I prefer a more traditional or fantastical element for a dragon book and was somewhat put out by the cave men. Overall though it was a much better book of growing up and showed the different dragon/people interactions and less of the annoying and not so greatly woven political drama.
August 23, 2022
I was all set to review the whole series at the end of this book when I discovered that there was a later addition to this series. However, it seems that [[dragon's heart]], the final installment, was written considerably later than the first three, so I think I will stick with my original plan.
There is so much to enjoy in these books. There is a simplicity in the writing style that gives a nice clean feel to the books. By which I mean they are easy and refreshing in the style of presentation. The history of the world is clear and presented at the beginning of each book with some development based on the previous novel. The dragons are well developed, both as a species and as individuals. Some of them I felt quite in love with. The dragon breeding facility, situated in the barren land of this metal poor planet, is well described and easy to immerse yourself in. I found myself right in step with Jakkin, the protagonist, also the viewpoint character, who works among the dragons, mucking stalls and tending the large and sometimes dangerous beasts.
Jakkin is well developed although at times annoying. But he is a teenage boy, so I mustn’t expect perfection in his way of handling his feelings. At the same time there is a lot in him that is charming and occasionally joyful and fun, particularly in his relationship with his favourite dragons and with his female friend, Akki. I have read few books in which play plays much of a part, if any, but it is an important element of this book, as is the bonding that it reflects and strengthens. It is good to see some good and healthy relationships in a novel, and to see a male character motivated as much by love as anything else.
Not all of the relationships are playful or happy by any means, but as the series continues there is an evolution in some of these as well.
There are things to not love about the books, also. Bearing in mind that these were written in the 80s, they are still a bit too sexist for my taste. There is an emphasis on being a man, and although this is countered a little by the competence and viewpoint of the female character, she ends up, despite her strengths, being far too ready to allow him to take the lead, and occasionally somewhat wimpy. So there is nascent feminism in the book but it does not come to fruition. And I wouldn’t look too hard at the science behind the dragons, for instance, and the material culture of the place.
Spoiler alert for this paragraph:
((There is a race of hidden people discovered in the third book who fall into the cliché of inbred subhumans that have so much more wrong about them than there is about us. In other words, the trope so well exploited in white, settler fiction of the dangerous other. It doesn’t go completely wild. There is some sympathy and some understanding that they are not so very different from the main culture of the planet. But that understanding does not leaven the othering sufficiently for me.))
Summary:
I enjoyed them enough that I will read the fourth novel, written several decades after the first three books. After all, when I was growing up every single book I read had these faults. It’s the old baby and bathwater routine. I shall enjoy everything there is about this baby while pouring off the bathwater as best I can.
There is so much to enjoy in these books. There is a simplicity in the writing style that gives a nice clean feel to the books. By which I mean they are easy and refreshing in the style of presentation. The history of the world is clear and presented at the beginning of each book with some development based on the previous novel. The dragons are well developed, both as a species and as individuals. Some of them I felt quite in love with. The dragon breeding facility, situated in the barren land of this metal poor planet, is well described and easy to immerse yourself in. I found myself right in step with Jakkin, the protagonist, also the viewpoint character, who works among the dragons, mucking stalls and tending the large and sometimes dangerous beasts.
Jakkin is well developed although at times annoying. But he is a teenage boy, so I mustn’t expect perfection in his way of handling his feelings. At the same time there is a lot in him that is charming and occasionally joyful and fun, particularly in his relationship with his favourite dragons and with his female friend, Akki. I have read few books in which play plays much of a part, if any, but it is an important element of this book, as is the bonding that it reflects and strengthens. It is good to see some good and healthy relationships in a novel, and to see a male character motivated as much by love as anything else.
Not all of the relationships are playful or happy by any means, but as the series continues there is an evolution in some of these as well.
There are things to not love about the books, also. Bearing in mind that these were written in the 80s, they are still a bit too sexist for my taste. There is an emphasis on being a man, and although this is countered a little by the competence and viewpoint of the female character, she ends up, despite her strengths, being far too ready to allow him to take the lead, and occasionally somewhat wimpy. So there is nascent feminism in the book but it does not come to fruition. And I wouldn’t look too hard at the science behind the dragons, for instance, and the material culture of the place.
Spoiler alert for this paragraph:
((There is a race of hidden people discovered in the third book who fall into the cliché of inbred subhumans that have so much more wrong about them than there is about us. In other words, the trope so well exploited in white, settler fiction of the dangerous other. It doesn’t go completely wild. There is some sympathy and some understanding that they are not so very different from the main culture of the planet. But that understanding does not leaven the othering sufficiently for me.))
Summary:
I enjoyed them enough that I will read the fourth novel, written several decades after the first three books. After all, when I was growing up every single book I read had these faults. It’s the old baby and bathwater routine. I shall enjoy everything there is about this baby while pouring off the bathwater as best I can.
October 3, 2025
Jane Yolen's world that she has created is a very complicated one. I always pictured it set in medieval times. Somehow, the vehicles never stuck in my brain, but the copter broke it. What is going on? Then I remembered the vehicles. So is this like Eternia, the place of He-man where life is half medieval half mechanized? Either way, I like that Jane Yolen plays by her own rules.
In this story, Jakkin and Akki are still in hiding. They see a copter flying around and decide that the home that they made for themselves is not safe.
So they and the dragon's try and find a new place. It was not easy to find another place where they all would be safe, and they never did find it.
Instead, Jakkin and Akki get telekinetically drawn deep into a cave where a weird civilization lives. Is civilization the right word? These people are all but animals. The men live separately from the women. They barely talk. They survive by inbreeding. They pick up poop by hand and wipe their hands on their. clothes. They also trap dragons, and once they give birth, they slaughter the dragon and put their own babies in the birth canal, ensuing that they will remain mind linked.
Akki tells Jakkin that they let loose the males because they don't need them, but who feterilizes the eggs? Is dragon reproduction different? So many questions. Also, pulling a cart full of full-size dragon bones is almost as heavy without the bones? So the bones are light? Do I need to research dinosaur bones?
The part where Jakkin breaks hold of the telekinesis and finds a way out ramps the story back up. I loved that Akki had to have faith in Jakkin because she couldn't swim. They each have their strengths, making them a great pair.
I have to wonder what happens with Austar?
In this story, Jakkin and Akki are still in hiding. They see a copter flying around and decide that the home that they made for themselves is not safe.
So they and the dragon's try and find a new place. It was not easy to find another place where they all would be safe, and they never did find it.
Instead, Jakkin and Akki get telekinetically drawn deep into a cave where a weird civilization lives. Is civilization the right word? These people are all but animals. The men live separately from the women. They barely talk. They survive by inbreeding. They pick up poop by hand and wipe their hands on their. clothes. They also trap dragons, and once they give birth, they slaughter the dragon and put their own babies in the birth canal, ensuing that they will remain mind linked.
Akki tells Jakkin that they let loose the males because they don't need them, but who feterilizes the eggs? Is dragon reproduction different? So many questions. Also, pulling a cart full of full-size dragon bones is almost as heavy without the bones? So the bones are light? Do I need to research dinosaur bones?
The part where Jakkin breaks hold of the telekinesis and finds a way out ramps the story back up. I loved that Akki had to have faith in Jakkin because she couldn't swim. They each have their strengths, making them a great pair.
I have to wonder what happens with Austar?
December 21, 2018
Meh, I'm giving up on this halfway through. I just don't care enough to finish it. The main characters have adopted some wild baby dragons that they're (sort of?) raising while they're trying to escape capture from the authorities. They go underground & stumble upon some isolated humans who have formed a completely different society. This should be a fun, cool, series with some interesting world building, but somehow Yolen has just botched this. I've really enjoyed some of her other books, which is why it's so surprising that I don't like these. If I'd started here, I never would have picked up any of her other works.
I would recommend these works written by her:
"Foiled" graphic novel series
Mapping the Bones a retelling of Hansel & Gretel in Nazi-occupied Poland
The Emerald Circus a series of short stories & poems.
I would recommend these works written by her:
"Foiled" graphic novel series
Mapping the Bones a retelling of Hansel & Gretel in Nazi-occupied Poland
The Emerald Circus a series of short stories & poems.
August 25, 2017
Pit Dragon Chronicles, book 3.
Jakkin and Akki are presumed dead, but thanks to the sacrifice of Heart's Blood, a mother dragon, they can now survive the cold of the wilderness and communicate with dragons by sending mental images. When a helicopter flies over the cave where they are living with Heart's Blood's five hatchlings, they push further on into the wild, desperately seeking safety.
They discover a cave entrance that leads deep into the bowels of the earth. Once below ground, they lose touch with their dragon companions and stumble across a giant pile of dragon bones. What monster is capable of killing so many dragons? Unfortunately, it's not long before they find out.
Jakkin and Akki are presumed dead, but thanks to the sacrifice of Heart's Blood, a mother dragon, they can now survive the cold of the wilderness and communicate with dragons by sending mental images. When a helicopter flies over the cave where they are living with Heart's Blood's five hatchlings, they push further on into the wild, desperately seeking safety.
They discover a cave entrance that leads deep into the bowels of the earth. Once below ground, they lose touch with their dragon companions and stumble across a giant pile of dragon bones. What monster is capable of killing so many dragons? Unfortunately, it's not long before they find out.
November 13, 2017
Jakkin and Akki go from one danger to another. Fleeing from both the Wardens and the Rebels, they make their way into the system of caves in the Astarian mountains. There, they make a sinister discovery...
I have mixed feelings about this series. The writing is fairly utilitarian, but the plot moves quickly, so once I get caught up in the story, I find them quick and engrossing reads. There's not a lot of depth to the characters, and I could use a bit more explanation of how certain elements of the telepathic "sendings" work. Still, not a bad way to spend a little time, especially if you are fond of dragons.
I have mixed feelings about this series. The writing is fairly utilitarian, but the plot moves quickly, so once I get caught up in the story, I find them quick and engrossing reads. There's not a lot of depth to the characters, and I could use a bit more explanation of how certain elements of the telepathic "sendings" work. Still, not a bad way to spend a little time, especially if you are fond of dragons.
August 25, 2024
Creative and immersive, this is my favorite in this series, which I originally read as a child and recently re-read. Plus, there is lots more to do with dragons in this one. Let's be honest, I'm here for the dragons. The writing continues to be adequate, without being overly flowery, but this is still a YA book, and therefore light and thin. Some more mature themes are explored, however, including interacting with other cultures, gender roles, and (as always in this series) animal cruelty. I particularly enjoyed the setting the author crafted for this story. I'll be keeping it on my shelf for nostalgia reasons and may occasionally re-read.
June 22, 2020
This book was the weakest of the series so far. It introduced some interesting ideas but suffered from major flaws. First, it was boring. The only reason I kept listening was because of my completionist bent. I would like to find out what happens to Jakkin and Akki, but this adventure didn't add much to their stories. Perhaps it was frustrating because the idea has potential. The Trogs could be interesting if there had been any sort of conflict within their culture. I am glad that Golden returns at the end. It gives me hope that the promise of the first two books may be fulfilled.
July 5, 2025
I guess I am joining other reviewers with my agreement that this series is quite different from book to book. I enjoyed the first book, the second started out good but got lost in politics that got a bit convoluted, and this third book was all about surviving in the wild and then got really weird with a hidden underground mountain people with a really twisted lifestyle. I am debating on reading the fourth book at this point. I am not so sure I care how this series ends. It just gets stranger and stranger with each book.
March 5, 2019
This dipped farther into the pressure of connecting with others and sharing their burdens. After the death of his beloved dragon, Akki and Jakkin are on the run and isolated from society- while more joined together than ever thanks to their ability to "send" thoughts and feelings to each other and their dragons. Connection, like isolation, can be warping though as they discover in the caves- a group of people with powerful sendings and stunted empathy.
June 15, 2019
This was a seriously weird book, but I kind of liked it anyway. My main issue with it was not the weirdness but the ending, where the characters find out that most of their problems have been easily resolved without their involvement while they were off doing other things. It's a very short book, and adding an end which let some of the earlier plotlines play out a little longer wouldn't have made it unbearably long. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it up until that point.
November 18, 2019
I always enjoy Jane Yolen's books; I think she really knows how to craft a story and characters. The Pit Dragon Chronicles is one of my favorite series of hers and it definitely holds up over time. I do think the first couple books are the strongest and then it does tail off a bit after that. There are many dragon stories but this does not feel repetitive or similar to others.
August 13, 2020
I really liked the first book in this quartet but the second and third not so much. This third one was fairly creepy for me. Just weird. I liked the first one because it was very focused on a few relationships in a unique world. But as she has expanded the scope of her world and the politics it's become less engaging for me rather than more so.
March 5, 2021
Interesting continuation of the Pit Dragon tale. Elements of this book remind me of THE TIME MACHINE (Wells) and THE DESCENT (Jeff Long), which was a thoroughly enjoyable surprise. I was hungry enough for more that I went on immediately to Book 4 and have already finished it. Can't wait for my daughter to be far enough along in reading to devour these books!
August 3, 2021
As the 3rd book in a trilogy, this book utterly fails. As the 3rd book in a tetralogy, it is passable. The plot could basically be described as "What if 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' had dragons?" I cannot believe that fans of this series had this book as the conclusion for 22 years. The 4th book is absolutely needed to tie this side story into the larger narrative.
March 10, 2024
Book 1 of this series: alien cockfighting (more ethical than REAL cockfighting.)
Book 2 of this series: proto-YA revolutionary politics, alien cockfighting, abrupt moment of gore at the end that has an almost religious effect.
Book 3 of this series: The Morlocks Are Here And They Are Telepathic.
Book 2 of this series: proto-YA revolutionary politics, alien cockfighting, abrupt moment of gore at the end that has an almost religious effect.
Book 3 of this series: The Morlocks Are Here And They Are Telepathic.
June 13, 2025
This book wasn’t as strong as the previous two books in the series, but I think it’s still worth the read if you enjoyed the other two pit dragon books. It’s good to see Jakkin and Akki grow more in this book, and I appreciate how they overcame the plot conflict in this book. I’m also interested to see how their adventures and new understanding of the world will help change their society.
January 17, 2022
I felt that this book was a big disappointment compared to the other 2 books. The only part that I enjoyed was the dragon rescue mission at the end where they escape the cave and reunite with their hatchlings
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2017
Yolen keeps the story moving along. This book was like a detour on the path, both interesting and disturbing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews