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The Mapmaker Chronicles #3
Breath of the Dragon
With a roar, the Deslonder dragged himself to his feet and turned on Quinn, pure fury in his eyes. Quinn knew that he had to win this fight, or else...
Quinn, Ash, Zain and the crew of the Libertas are racing against the clock to get back to Verdania before the King's deadline. Will Quinn complete the first map of the whole world? Will Zain bring back enough treasure to satisfy the King? Will they make it in time?
Or will their enemies stop them from returning home at all?
Quinn, Ash, Zain and the crew of the Libertas are racing against the clock to get back to Verdania before the King's deadline. Will Quinn complete the first map of the whole world? Will Zain bring back enough treasure to satisfy the King? Will they make it in time?
Or will their enemies stop them from returning home at all?
236 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2015
17 people are currently reading
376 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 23, 2017
Leif's Boots! How nice it is to hear my son beg for 'just one more chapter' instead of 'just one more level'. Packed with action, adventure, and a stunning vocabulary (words such as fecund, truculent, vanquished, pragmatism, parlay and quailed are scattered like gems throughout), this third book in the series did not disappoint.
Eight months into the race to map the world, the stakes are immediately raised when the book opens with Quinn losing his photographic memory - a memory that was a vital advantage for the crew aboard the Libertas, who are the 'underdogs' in the race.
Captures and escapes ensue on each foreign land they visit. Treachery and bravery keep the plot speeding along. Pirates, volcanos, friends, enemies, treasure and loss. It's all there.
Set in medieval times, when people thought the world to be flat and fire breathing dragons to exist, the story is pure escape into a world of imagination and wonder.
A nice twist provides a satisfying ending, where the reader also learns of Zain's true background and Quinn's mother's ancestry - neither of which we saw coming.
Whilst able to be read as a stand-alone book (snippets from prior books have been woven in seamlessly), I would recommend reading the series in its entirety - each book has certainly kept us entertained!
Eight months into the race to map the world, the stakes are immediately raised when the book opens with Quinn losing his photographic memory - a memory that was a vital advantage for the crew aboard the Libertas, who are the 'underdogs' in the race.
Captures and escapes ensue on each foreign land they visit. Treachery and bravery keep the plot speeding along. Pirates, volcanos, friends, enemies, treasure and loss. It's all there.
Set in medieval times, when people thought the world to be flat and fire breathing dragons to exist, the story is pure escape into a world of imagination and wonder.
A nice twist provides a satisfying ending, where the reader also learns of Zain's true background and Quinn's mother's ancestry - neither of which we saw coming.
Whilst able to be read as a stand-alone book (snippets from prior books have been woven in seamlessly), I would recommend reading the series in its entirety - each book has certainly kept us entertained!
February 9, 2016
Great story to end the series - some very clever twists and turns and an unexpected end... Sad to see the series end - maybe a new series will come soon...
February 27, 2024
In "Breath of the Dragon," A.L. Tait continues to enchant young readers with her imaginative world-building and adventurous storytelling. As the third instalment in the Mapmaker Chronicles series, this book picks up the pace and takes readers on an exhilarating journey across uncharted territories.
The story follows Quinn, a young somewhat willing mapmaker, and his companions as they embark on a daring quest to uncover the secrets of the unknown world in a race to map the world. Set against the backdrop of a vividly depicted medieval world, Tait's narrative is rich in detail and brimming with excitement.
One of the highlights of The Mapmaker Chronicles is Tait's ability to create dynamic and relatable characters. From the brave and resourceful Quinn to the loyal and witty crew members, each character brings depth and complexity to the story, making them easy to root for and invest in.
Tait's prose is as sharp and engaging as ever, drawing readers in with its lively dialogue and evocative descriptions. Whether exploring mysterious islands or facing off against formidable foes, the pacing remains tight, ensuring that the suspense never wanes.
Overall, "Breath of the Dragon" is a thrilling addition to the Mapmaker Chronicles series, delivering all the excitement and adventure fans have come to expect. With its captivating plot, well-drawn characters, and immersive world-building, it's sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
The story follows Quinn, a young somewhat willing mapmaker, and his companions as they embark on a daring quest to uncover the secrets of the unknown world in a race to map the world. Set against the backdrop of a vividly depicted medieval world, Tait's narrative is rich in detail and brimming with excitement.
One of the highlights of The Mapmaker Chronicles is Tait's ability to create dynamic and relatable characters. From the brave and resourceful Quinn to the loyal and witty crew members, each character brings depth and complexity to the story, making them easy to root for and invest in.
Tait's prose is as sharp and engaging as ever, drawing readers in with its lively dialogue and evocative descriptions. Whether exploring mysterious islands or facing off against formidable foes, the pacing remains tight, ensuring that the suspense never wanes.
Overall, "Breath of the Dragon" is a thrilling addition to the Mapmaker Chronicles series, delivering all the excitement and adventure fans have come to expect. With its captivating plot, well-drawn characters, and immersive world-building, it's sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
February 16, 2021
Since he received a bump on the head during an encounter with pirates, young mapmaker Quinn Freeman has been struggling with his memory. Meanwhile, the crew of the the Libertas and their captain, a slave who aspires to be free, continue their race to be the first ship to travel around the world and come back with treasure and an accurate map. In this installment, the Libertases encounter a land that trembles and burns with something like the dragon fire that legend says lurks off the edge of the world. They also face an angry mob, betrayal, slander, robbery, capture by Captain Zain's own countrymen who hold a dim view of his role in their war with Quinn's people. And finally, they must face a king back home whose decision about who won the race may be influenced more by a couple of phony maps than by the real one.
Quinn is a remarkable kid. Besides his mental gifts, he possesses a kind and loyal heart, true courage and the ability to make quick decisions in a pinch. He's the heart the holds the crew of the Libertas together, but he spends a lot of this book worried about his head. His adventure schools him in accepting painful disappointment, but don't count him out of the running for a terrific triumph.
As for Quinn's world, it maps out differently from the world we live in (even in its age of discovery) but it has a lot in common, too. I've known books set on sailing ships to show a more convincing mastery of sailing terms and to paint more vivid imagery of the sea, but give Quinn his due; he's not a sailor, just a farm boy who draws beautiful maps. And he has a lot more to pay attention to the difference between a stairway and a companionway – like secrets, some of them guilty; like a complex weave of conflicting agendas between characters on the Libertas and other ships, as well as on land; like differences in culture and background with his friends and others less friendly; and like the line between life and death, which at least two beloved characters approach with powerful emotional effect.
This is the third book of the "Mapmaker Chronicles," and brings what seems to be a trilogy to a satisfying end. It blends strange surprises with the pleasurably expected and ties up many story threads quite neatly. However, there is now a fourth books in the set, Beyond the Edge of the Map. Australian author Allison Tait has also published two "Ateban Cipher" books and a mystery titled The Fire Star. She is also the co-author with Valerie Khoo of an upcoming nonfiction work, So You Want to Be a Writer.
Quinn is a remarkable kid. Besides his mental gifts, he possesses a kind and loyal heart, true courage and the ability to make quick decisions in a pinch. He's the heart the holds the crew of the Libertas together, but he spends a lot of this book worried about his head. His adventure schools him in accepting painful disappointment, but don't count him out of the running for a terrific triumph.
As for Quinn's world, it maps out differently from the world we live in (even in its age of discovery) but it has a lot in common, too. I've known books set on sailing ships to show a more convincing mastery of sailing terms and to paint more vivid imagery of the sea, but give Quinn his due; he's not a sailor, just a farm boy who draws beautiful maps. And he has a lot more to pay attention to the difference between a stairway and a companionway – like secrets, some of them guilty; like a complex weave of conflicting agendas between characters on the Libertas and other ships, as well as on land; like differences in culture and background with his friends and others less friendly; and like the line between life and death, which at least two beloved characters approach with powerful emotional effect.
This is the third book of the "Mapmaker Chronicles," and brings what seems to be a trilogy to a satisfying end. It blends strange surprises with the pleasurably expected and ties up many story threads quite neatly. However, there is now a fourth books in the set, Beyond the Edge of the Map. Australian author Allison Tait has also published two "Ateban Cipher" books and a mystery titled The Fire Star. She is also the co-author with Valerie Khoo of an upcoming nonfiction work, So You Want to Be a Writer.
December 19, 2020
this book was good with a few flaws. first off i like that it was a nice mix of storytelling from the first book and the second. what i mean by this is that, in the first book they had multiple adventures but they didn't get enough detail into the different situations. where on the other hand the second book felt like one situation really stretched out to add detail, and then after they where done they couldn't add anything else in so that they could keep the story short so they had to stretch it out even more. but this book did a nice blend, with not having as many situations as the first book while adding some more detail. i felt that the story was good but had a few but had a few weird plot point.
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March 11, 2021
Not my favorite series. The kids liked the action, but I found that there were just too many logical inconsistencies for me. For example - deeply proud, competent, independent Zain volunteers to become the slave of the Verdanian king just because the king is such a nice guy? Really? The Verdanian country has no place for foreigners other than as enslaved people? The King can strip nobles' lands at a whim, but he doesn't have the power to free his own slave? The world development had a lot of holes in it.
A lot of the themes I felt were problematic in this series centered around its treatment of native peoples (deeply clichéd), slavery (treated as undesirable, but a matter of course that no one could do anything about) and gender issues (the hero's country is deeply patriarchal and misogynistic). I'm usually pretty forgiving of fiction, but many passages in this book just kept rubbing me the wrong way over and over again. The story is fun, but predictable and not that deep. There are a lot better YA books out there.
A lot of the themes I felt were problematic in this series centered around its treatment of native peoples (deeply clichéd), slavery (treated as undesirable, but a matter of course that no one could do anything about) and gender issues (the hero's country is deeply patriarchal and misogynistic). I'm usually pretty forgiving of fiction, but many passages in this book just kept rubbing me the wrong way over and over again. The story is fun, but predictable and not that deep. There are a lot better YA books out there.
December 15, 2021
This is the final book in the trilogy. The book that decides the fates of the crew on the Libertas.
Quinn and his fellow crew members have gone through a lot in all of these adventures. In this book Zain is captured by his fellow Deslonders and Morpeth says terrible things about Zain. In that moment Quinn has to decide between the heartless pirate he has witnessed Zain pretend to be and the Zain he believes in.
Quinn and his friends find new treasures to take back, lose a very dear friend, and are robbed of most of their valuables including the fake map.
Speaking of loss, for a bit of the book Quinn loses his photographic memory and it looks like everything is going to go badly for the hopes of the entire crew.
From there it is a struggle to the finish line to see who will win. Two boats have versions of Quinn's fake map but one of those boats have Quinn's very good friend Ajax.
Both Zain and Quinn's mother's back stories come out and both are equally satisfying. This is a great end to the trilogy.
Quinn and his fellow crew members have gone through a lot in all of these adventures. In this book Zain is captured by his fellow Deslonders and Morpeth says terrible things about Zain. In that moment Quinn has to decide between the heartless pirate he has witnessed Zain pretend to be and the Zain he believes in.
Quinn and his friends find new treasures to take back, lose a very dear friend, and are robbed of most of their valuables including the fake map.
Speaking of loss, for a bit of the book Quinn loses his photographic memory and it looks like everything is going to go badly for the hopes of the entire crew.
From there it is a struggle to the finish line to see who will win. Two boats have versions of Quinn's fake map but one of those boats have Quinn's very good friend Ajax.
Both Zain and Quinn's mother's back stories come out and both are equally satisfying. This is a great end to the trilogy.
September 12, 2017
The crew of the Libertas has been out at sea for months. They've faced thieves, pirates, strange creatures, and near-death multiple times. Now it's hunger and the looming deadline to get back to Verdania and win the race to map the world that threatens them. A.L. Tait gives readers a fast-paced, exciting conclusion to her series The Mapmaker Chronicles with the third book Breath of the Dragon.
The race to map the world is almost at an end as the third book in this series opens. Our young hero Quinn has faced many challenges and life-threatening dangers. Unfortunately, Quinn's unique ability to remember, well everything, has been muddled due the head injury he suffered while trying to escape from the Black Hawk. Without his infallible memory, he's struggling with mapmaking and worries about his friend and crew members learning of his loss.
The crew of the Libertas doesn't have an easy time finishing this race. At every turn it seems as if they're being thwarted — from pirates to erupting volcanoes and old enemies, each day brings a new challenge. Like any good adventure story, author A.L. Tait gives readers exciting action sequences, exotic lands, priceless treasure, and heart-stopping heroics by the characters we've grown to love since first introduced in book one: Race to the End of the World.
Breath of the Dragon concludes with a pleasant twist and a satisfying wrap-up for each character. As a reader, I was very happy to meet Zain's family and I'm quite intrigued — I'd love to read more about them. As for Quinn, I loved how he evolved over the course of all three books and cheered for him all the way. It'd be fun to see the character a few years down the road as an older teen or early twenty-something.
Overall, I heartily recommended Breath of the Dragon and the entire Mapmaker Chronicles by A.L. Tait.
The race to map the world is almost at an end as the third book in this series opens. Our young hero Quinn has faced many challenges and life-threatening dangers. Unfortunately, Quinn's unique ability to remember, well everything, has been muddled due the head injury he suffered while trying to escape from the Black Hawk. Without his infallible memory, he's struggling with mapmaking and worries about his friend and crew members learning of his loss.
The crew of the Libertas doesn't have an easy time finishing this race. At every turn it seems as if they're being thwarted — from pirates to erupting volcanoes and old enemies, each day brings a new challenge. Like any good adventure story, author A.L. Tait gives readers exciting action sequences, exotic lands, priceless treasure, and heart-stopping heroics by the characters we've grown to love since first introduced in book one: Race to the End of the World.
Breath of the Dragon concludes with a pleasant twist and a satisfying wrap-up for each character. As a reader, I was very happy to meet Zain's family and I'm quite intrigued — I'd love to read more about them. As for Quinn, I loved how he evolved over the course of all three books and cheered for him all the way. It'd be fun to see the character a few years down the road as an older teen or early twenty-something.
Overall, I heartily recommended Breath of the Dragon and the entire Mapmaker Chronicles by A.L. Tait.
September 4, 2024
A good book that both I and my 13 year old son could enjoy. Full of action and interesting characters, we eagerly returned to the story chapter after chapter.
Predicting what would happen next became a game among us. There is a lot of predictability, but sometimes we were surprised at the direction of the story.
This book definitely gave us a couple of disappointing surprises, but it was all a benefit to the story. The best part of this book is it concluded the story arc of the trilogy, while still leaving the story open for the future books in the series. I think that was brilliantly done. You can stop at this book without feeling incomplete. But, you have more to look forward to when you're ready.
Predicting what would happen next became a game among us. There is a lot of predictability, but sometimes we were surprised at the direction of the story.
This book definitely gave us a couple of disappointing surprises, but it was all a benefit to the story. The best part of this book is it concluded the story arc of the trilogy, while still leaving the story open for the future books in the series. I think that was brilliantly done. You can stop at this book without feeling incomplete. But, you have more to look forward to when you're ready.
April 14, 2018
An exceptional handling of the end of the race and remarkable tying up of the loose ends without the reader feeling cheated or as though it fell into place too easily. I read this one in an evening and I'm looking forward to introducing the whole series to my kids when the time is right. There are definitely some dark elements in the book but I feel like they are well-handled and they could spin off into valuable discussions about the nature of the human heart and why people do the things they do.
September 29, 2018
It had a satisfying ending for the most part. The part that gave me pause was that Quinn’s super memory came back after hitting his head again, and even though he could remember all the coastlines and game tricks once more, he couldn’t remember the cleric’s letters to the king. I think it worked out fine within the series’ conclusion, but it may have been more consistent with the rest of the story to have a more obvious search for the letters that lead to nothing than just forgetting about them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2021
Kažko naujo, ką jau rašiau apie pirmą ir antrą dalis, nebepridursiu. Pasikartosiu, kad tikrai puiki nuotykinė knyga vaikams. Ir nors leidykla rekomenduoja skaitytojams nuo 11 metų, manau, kad jau tiktų nuo kokių 8-9 m., vyresniems paaugliams kai kas gali jau pasirodyti ir per naivu. Vėl daug nuotykių, gėris ir teisybė nugali blogį, melagystes ir sukčiavimus. Vaikams dar patiko viena Zeino mintis - kad negali pakeisti žmonių elgesio, bet gali pakeisti savo reakciją į jį, su vaikais užfiksavome šitą išmintį ir pasinagrinėjome plačiau :)
August 8, 2018
Best kid’s series we’ve read in a while!! Blew through books 1-3, now waiting for book 4 to come! We got the first 3 from Usborne Books, but they didn’t have book 4. No one in USA had it, so I had to order from Australia (it’s taking almost a month to get). But this series is worth the wait. Kids would beg for “just one more chapter”! Full of adventure, loyalty, bravery, friendship, dealing with tough situations, etc!!! Very well written.
May 27, 2018
This book is a great finish to a great series. I like that most of the obnoxious and bad characters get that spank I was talking about in the first review. The good characters also get their reward, and that is good. The one bad thing is that one mystery isn't solved, but other than that it was a great book.
January 21, 2020
I liked it. I think it's a good kids book. The whole series is full of Adventures, it was fun and interesting. Thought did a great job and discussing Trials of sea voyages and obstacles, racing against others, strength of character losing loved ones not surviving and changes that can occur to those that leave their comfort zone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2021
A good ending to the first three stories.
Quinn comes full circle and realises as much as he just wanted to get home, it's no longer the same place as it was when he left, and nor is he the same person he was when he left.
The series could have been left there, and you can see it was meant to finish as a trilogy - not that I mind there is a fourth book to read.
Quinn comes full circle and realises as much as he just wanted to get home, it's no longer the same place as it was when he left, and nor is he the same person he was when he left.
The series could have been left there, and you can see it was meant to finish as a trilogy - not that I mind there is a fourth book to read.
June 13, 2023
A good wrap up to the storyline. I will say I had a small issue with how Quinn's memory goes back to normal, but otherwise I very much enjoyed the end of this particular adventure. I was excited to see that the author chose to go back to this series and write more, so I'm looking forward to Quinn's next adventure.
January 2, 2025
A happy conclusion to a great juvenile adventure. The story doesn't drag and the plot doesn't deviate. I really like that in a trilogy. I also enjoy how characters learn who they are as they mature over time, by making choices that impact their futures.
Writing 5 stars
Story 4 stars
No swearing
No mature content
Writing 5 stars
Story 4 stars
No swearing
No mature content
December 3, 2017
I read the first four back to back. The adventures of Quinn are amazing and captivating. The whole cast of characters are really alive and everyone gets a decent focus. Ash is so amazing and I'm glad thus far theres no romantic atmosphere. I can't wait to read more!
April 23, 2018
Another great adventure with great characters. This is the third (last) book in the trilogy and it read very easily and quickly as the adventures continue. I was slightly disappointed that the ending was too obvious, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
July 28, 2018
This is a very fast paced story - no one could every accuse Quinn of being an inactive protagonist! For me, it seemed a bit 'flitty' and episodic, but it nevertheless provided a nice conclusion to the series.
August 4, 2019
LOVE this series! Stayed up late reading all three every night one weekend!!! You will definitely want all three. Contact your Usborne Books & More consultant to find out more about this and other great YA fiction!
(Yes, I'm a rep if you don't already have a book lady.)
(Yes, I'm a rep if you don't already have a book lady.)
January 16, 2021
I think this was my favorite - not just to see how it all comes together, but the problems the crew finds themselves in were really intense and fun. I would definitely recommend all three of these books if you have boys from about 8-12. (Or girls)
January 14, 2018
Great series. Full of many adventures and challenges, and ended with a good lesson.
April 7, 2018
A good and fun ending. Definitely a keeper.
July 14, 2018
I enjoyed how the author ended the story. No loose ends and it didn't have the feel of "I need to wrap this up."
August 31, 2018
It's really interesting for people that like bits of drama here and there. It fit in well with the series. There was no best, they were all written well.
October 3, 2018
Excellent young adult series! Fast paced, thrilling adventures, and so much more.
March 1, 2019
What a great series! If you love a fast paced adventure with plenty of suspense, wicked villan's and lovable hero's this book is for you. A great conclusion to Quinn Freeman's reluctant adventure.
December 11, 2019
A great way to end Quinn's journey. A quick fun read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews