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Erth Dragons #3
The New Age: Book 3
The third in the stunning new fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author, Chris d'Lacey.
On Erth, a dark dragon has risen. His return ripples throughout the universe, from the firebirds at the Great Librarium to the dragons on the home world K:imera.
Will human boy Ren be able to control the dragon's power? Or will it destroy everything?
The epic finale to the Erth Dragons trilogy will take you to new and beautiful worlds and make you see dragons as never before.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2018
50 people are currently reading
706 people want to read
About the author
Chris d'Lacey
87 books1,111 followersHe was born in Valetta, Malta, but as a child moved first to Leicester and then to Bolton. After gaining a degree in biology from the University of York, he returned to Leicester and got a job at the University of Leicester in their Pre-Clinical Sciences department.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 13, 2018
Reviewing this book is a mixed bag of emotions. It is the last book in the Erth Dragon's trilogy, and according to author Chris d'Lacey it will be his last full length Dragon's novel. Chris has four series that dragon's play central rolls. The Dragons of Wayward Crescent, The Last Dragon Chronicles, The Unicorne Files, and The Erth Dragons. The last three series have to some extent full sized dragons. And in some ways there is a feel of continuity between all the series. And this book provides some answers to questions that readers have been speculating about for years.
In the previous two books The Wearle and Dark Wyng are set in the distant past. They follow the first interactions between a second Dragon Colony on Erth, and a people called the Hom. There is a battle raging, both between the dragons and the dragons and all three other races. In this book a boy, a girl and a younger dragon will struggle to save their own world, and maybe all of dragon kind. With the guidance of mythical firebirds something huge is afoot. And events on Erth are shaping up to have ripples throughout the universe and across time.
Chris d'Lacey has woven together pieces of legends and traditions about dragons, polar bears and humans that is an incredible story and myth of its own. The pace of this story is intense to put it mildly. And the characters are amazing, especially Pine and Ren.
It is hard to write a review of this book that is the culmination of so many different stories, series, and years of work. My first thought is that I cannot do the book, or d'Lancy's work justice. It is a masterful tale written by a true wordsmith. This book was an incredible read. The book and the series are wonderful.
Another amazing book by Chris d'Lacey!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Chris d'Lacey. As well as an author profile and interview with Chris.
In the previous two books The Wearle and Dark Wyng are set in the distant past. They follow the first interactions between a second Dragon Colony on Erth, and a people called the Hom. There is a battle raging, both between the dragons and the dragons and all three other races. In this book a boy, a girl and a younger dragon will struggle to save their own world, and maybe all of dragon kind. With the guidance of mythical firebirds something huge is afoot. And events on Erth are shaping up to have ripples throughout the universe and across time.
Chris d'Lacey has woven together pieces of legends and traditions about dragons, polar bears and humans that is an incredible story and myth of its own. The pace of this story is intense to put it mildly. And the characters are amazing, especially Pine and Ren.
It is hard to write a review of this book that is the culmination of so many different stories, series, and years of work. My first thought is that I cannot do the book, or d'Lancy's work justice. It is a masterful tale written by a true wordsmith. This book was an incredible read. The book and the series are wonderful.
Another amazing book by Chris d'Lacey!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Chris d'Lacey. As well as an author profile and interview with Chris.
January 1, 2023
I love Chris D'Lacey's writing style. The plot was so intricately woven throughout the three books and with links to the Last Dragon Chronicles. He brings everything together so well at the end!
February 8, 2022
A remarkable conclusion to an epic, younger reader fantasy series that dwells into alternative universe timelines, with multi-dimensional contexts and flavored characters of mythological existence.
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I was hesitant when reading 'The Wearle' to begin with - for all the fondness and nostalgia that D'Lacey's 'Last Dragon Chronicles' holds over me, but quite soon the hesitation was forgotten and I found myself speeding through this trilogy to discover more about Erth and the Dragons and Hom. Chris D'Lacey is intricate in his detailing of alternative universes, merging lore throughout the narrative in a seamless writing to engage readers with the journey and adventures of the protagonists. We learn of the Dragons' origins, from Godith the creator and her relationship with creating creatures in her i:mage and her two sons' quarrels that come into light, bearing weighted consequences upon the development of the plot. It is interesting that their beliefs become reality in this final installment, the traditions of the Dragons being realised through essence; the embodiment of sentient beings encapsulated in other Dragons' bodies. This element of fantastical design really pushed the plot into another dimension as it gave gravity to the actions committed against the Dragons and the Hom. We also learn of their interrelations of species and lack of knowledge on other creatures. The Dragons are almost considered the dominant species of the land, but lack in knowledge outside of their Wearle; or dwelling on Erth. This is a detriment that has major consequences as we are introduced to another creature known as the Gibbus; and later the Wyverns. The multitude of bringing together more fantastical beings into one setting was exhilarating and made an enthusiastic impression upon myself as I wanted to know more; particularly about the Firebirds - but NO SPOILERS!
.
Grendel and Gabrial are incredible protagonists of this narrative; the soon-to-be Queen and her mate, alongside their adopted offspring. They compliment one another remarkable well, working as a unit to overcome the hardships and disgruntled opinions of the Wearle, mostly accused themselves of treacherous deeds. Even when fate seems against them, they prevail through their shared passion of protection and parenthood. Grendel had an incredible shift of character in the final installment as she became more composed and retaliatory towards hostile threats from other Dragon's; her fondness for the adopted siblings grew, as did her ferocity. Whereas, Gabrial was mostly weakened in physical form throughout this final book and didn't hold as much gravity over the plot as he once did in the previous. I would also like to credit Ren, Pine, Mell and Leif's characters as they added diversity to the narrative through their alternative personalities; Ren becoming something of mythical origin, Pine and her wisdom surrounding healing and prophetic design; Mell for her courageousness and passion, similarly seen with the protective nature of Grendel; and finally Leif's whimsy.
.
This is a deceptive tale of Dragons that leads to an epic fantasy trilogy that transverses the typical storyline and plot development one expects, with more twists and turns, more lore and land, more creatures and the perfect read for anyone wanting to relax and conquer a reading slump or challenge!
.
I was hesitant when reading 'The Wearle' to begin with - for all the fondness and nostalgia that D'Lacey's 'Last Dragon Chronicles' holds over me, but quite soon the hesitation was forgotten and I found myself speeding through this trilogy to discover more about Erth and the Dragons and Hom. Chris D'Lacey is intricate in his detailing of alternative universes, merging lore throughout the narrative in a seamless writing to engage readers with the journey and adventures of the protagonists. We learn of the Dragons' origins, from Godith the creator and her relationship with creating creatures in her i:mage and her two sons' quarrels that come into light, bearing weighted consequences upon the development of the plot. It is interesting that their beliefs become reality in this final installment, the traditions of the Dragons being realised through essence; the embodiment of sentient beings encapsulated in other Dragons' bodies. This element of fantastical design really pushed the plot into another dimension as it gave gravity to the actions committed against the Dragons and the Hom. We also learn of their interrelations of species and lack of knowledge on other creatures. The Dragons are almost considered the dominant species of the land, but lack in knowledge outside of their Wearle; or dwelling on Erth. This is a detriment that has major consequences as we are introduced to another creature known as the Gibbus; and later the Wyverns. The multitude of bringing together more fantastical beings into one setting was exhilarating and made an enthusiastic impression upon myself as I wanted to know more; particularly about the Firebirds - but NO SPOILERS!
.
Grendel and Gabrial are incredible protagonists of this narrative; the soon-to-be Queen and her mate, alongside their adopted offspring. They compliment one another remarkable well, working as a unit to overcome the hardships and disgruntled opinions of the Wearle, mostly accused themselves of treacherous deeds. Even when fate seems against them, they prevail through their shared passion of protection and parenthood. Grendel had an incredible shift of character in the final installment as she became more composed and retaliatory towards hostile threats from other Dragon's; her fondness for the adopted siblings grew, as did her ferocity. Whereas, Gabrial was mostly weakened in physical form throughout this final book and didn't hold as much gravity over the plot as he once did in the previous. I would also like to credit Ren, Pine, Mell and Leif's characters as they added diversity to the narrative through their alternative personalities; Ren becoming something of mythical origin, Pine and her wisdom surrounding healing and prophetic design; Mell for her courageousness and passion, similarly seen with the protective nature of Grendel; and finally Leif's whimsy.
.
This is a deceptive tale of Dragons that leads to an epic fantasy trilogy that transverses the typical storyline and plot development one expects, with more twists and turns, more lore and land, more creatures and the perfect read for anyone wanting to relax and conquer a reading slump or challenge!
July 11, 2019
Previously in this fantasy series, the dragons of the Erth Wearle fought off a surprise attack from goyles, a mutated species that spawned when some of the dragons ate a poisonous mineral rumored to be the blood of the evil son of their diety Godith. After a terrible and costly battle, the group is slowly recovering. In this final book of the Erth Dragons trilogy, the group is still trying to piece together what truly happened during that battle and what the aftermath might be, including the mystery of the Hom (human) child Ren who merged with a dead dragon’s consciousness and now possesses powers unlike anything they have seen before. The young and elusive Ren and the threat of the rise of the dark dragon Graven, the evil son of Godith, cause much unrest in the Wearle, resulting in more death and division. The dragons must learn to set aside their own agendas in order to survive and grow, no matter what threats may face them. I gave this book five stars because it is an exciting finish to the series and is just as engaging as the other two books, if not more so. This conclusion provides something that many other great series do not, which is a satisfying ending. With vivid imagery and nonstop action, D’Lacey certainly gave his all in this fiery finale of dragon novels, and it shows in his stellar writing. I would recommend this book to advanced elementary school students and older.
Reviewed By: Alex F., age 16, Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa
Reviewed By: Alex F., age 16, Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa
May 30, 2025
It was just too much! The New Age was the final book The Erth Dragon series. However, that didn't stop d'Lacey from introducing all kinds of new stuff. Where the 2nd book felt chaotic, but came together in the end, this one did not. I kept asking myself all through this book, "Where did this come from?!?" New parallel worlds that are never explained, traveling across the universe to explore the dragon world briefly, new races of sentient beings on Erth, new beings that monitor space/time and the timelines of different worlds, new magical abilities that come out of nowhere, and that's all just what I came up with in 1 minute of thought! It was just WAY too much for me. It felt like a spinoff book in a different series. Oh and good luck keeping up with who is being possessed by whom. I think at one point Ren has 4 different characters all in his body. So much of this stuff happens with no explanation either. I still have SO many questions about the orange sky planet Gus and Pine get zapped into.
Overall I'm glad I finished the series, but it felt like d'Lacey rushed to finish the series and added a whole lot of stuff that was bizarre, unnecessary, and not explained well.
Overall I'm glad I finished the series, but it felt like d'Lacey rushed to finish the series and added a whole lot of stuff that was bizarre, unnecessary, and not explained well.
Read
June 19, 2019Things got really weird for me in this book. I've never been a huge fan when characters suddenly become all "godlike" with all knowing power. The book had more plots here were added that made the story stretch really thin. I think there were too many characters and not enough development on some. Sure some of the dragons finally stuck up to the leaders but I didn't really feel much emotion along with it. A little dry for me. Also, the firebirds were a weird plot point for me and how quickly the great dark dragon was taken care of. There seemed to be a build up that the dark dragon would escape, but it kinda fell flat. I couldn't tell if Ren was being all weird or if he was under control of Graven. And, then it was finished withen 3-5 pages. Very weird.
Still: a very interesting read that I'm glad I got into. I liked the many new ideas of looking at dragons with these unique abilities. I just wish it was more confined in the whole Hom and Dragon conflict and not suddenly into, "The dragon home world is collapsing!" That felt random.
Still: a very interesting read that I'm glad I got into. I liked the many new ideas of looking at dragons with these unique abilities. I just wish it was more confined in the whole Hom and Dragon conflict and not suddenly into, "The dragon home world is collapsing!" That felt random.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2021
This book required a lot more brain power than I thought it would. After Dark Wyng, I figured I knew everything about this world there is to know and I wouldn't have to be confused this last book. Nope. Super confused almost the entire book. Don't get me wrong, I love D'Lacey's writing, but he just needs to explain everything a bit more. I basically just ignored the entire part with Ren, Wind, and Graven because I couldn't understand any of it. This book is almost as confusing as the entire Lord of the Rings series. I can't decide whether or not that's a compliment or not..... Anyways, the rest of the book was pretty good, the characters were fun, the dragons were cool, we finally got to see Ki:mera, which was awesome. I really appreciated the reference to the Last Dragon series at the end there. I might have missed more references, but I'm not interested enough to go hunting for them. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys/is obsessed with dragons and is willing to put up with some confusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2025
4.75 stars
Wow.
I was surprised.
This book was WAY more interesting then Dark Wyng.
I was shocked when Pine legit Emmeryn-ed (from Fire Emblem Awakening) off a cliff.
But then she just came back up like, "HI GUYS" *crushes seagull egg*.
Mell and Leif are gud(run).
So, Pine has the Mark of Oomara.
Gren.
Goodle=G'restyn
Pine=Gayl=Rolan
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAADZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKS
I was really sad about the acknowledgements but here it is- From Earth to Ki:mera to Co:pern:ica to wherever Lucy FARRELL lives: Hrrr!!!
Wow.
I was surprised.
This book was WAY more interesting then Dark Wyng.
I was shocked when Pine legit Emmeryn-ed (from Fire Emblem Awakening) off a cliff.
But then she just came back up like, "HI GUYS" *crushes seagull egg*.
Mell and Leif are gud(run).
So, Pine has the Mark of Oomara.
Gren.
Goodle=G'restyn
Pine=Gayl=Rolan
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAADZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKS
I was really sad about the acknowledgements but here it is- From Earth to Ki:mera to Co:pern:ica to wherever Lucy FARRELL lives: Hrrr!!!
January 6, 2020
Overall, this was a very good book. It provided a satisfying and predominantly happy ending, with just enough loss to seem realistic. It was dramatic and exciting, and moved at a rapid pace. The series was original and took a unique perspective on dragons; in these books, they are aliens and have very specific magical abilities. However, there were many characters, places, and ideas that deserved to be developed and explored further than they were. Additionally, the buildup was not proportional to the resolutions of certain issues-- there was more buildup about the rise of Graven and less about the Gibbus than the resolution asked for. I would recommend this trilogy to anyone who loves dragon books or who is a fan of Chris d'Lacey's other books.
October 14, 2020
This was a series that I had to force myself to finish, that doesn’t happen often. I was already questioning whether I wanted to continue by the end of the first book. I continued to hope it would develop into something I was more comfortable with. I felt there was no clear “main character” or “bad guy” and characters personalities seemed to change very frequently, based on the story line. It felt forced and I felt I had no one to cheer for. The story seemed disjointed and flipped between characters and storylines in a way that made it hard to enjoy.
November 13, 2020
I thought this was a very good book it had a ton of cliff hangers, I thought it was a very good sequeal to the last book. There were lots of times when I couldn't stop reading. Over all this was a good book.
March 29, 2023
Review by my 11yo:
It was pretty good but a bit confusing. I do recommend it. If you enjoy dragons, this series is a must-read. Do not read until you have read the first 2 books in the series.
Also, your species should revere a specific letter of the alphabet.
It was pretty good but a bit confusing. I do recommend it. If you enjoy dragons, this series is a must-read. Do not read until you have read the first 2 books in the series.
Also, your species should revere a specific letter of the alphabet.
July 22, 2018
Conclusion to Erth dragon trilogy. Ok for younger readers, but found it hard to get into initially. Nice end though
December 1, 2019
loved this series. hard to put on. I thought the ending was sad but at the same time the death of the character started a new relationship between the different cultures.
June 16, 2020
Um
What's happening?
What's happening?
Currently reading
September 16, 2020n
Read
February 24, 2021G'restyn and Graven = epic
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2021
A bit disappointed in the ending, but a cute story nonetheless.
June 7, 2021
Great finale
August 26, 2021
Kinda slow at times.
October 22, 2021
I fell in love with this book and universe. What a great experience! 🐉👦
February 10, 2022
I don't know how I feel about this conclusion. It was interesting, somewhat complex, and a little confusing at times. Overall, it felt right. Up until the very very end. I'm torn on that ending.
October 15, 2025
really weird i didnt understand the end
September 17, 2023
The ending made 12 year old me cry. Why must you do this d'Lacey.
October 25, 2022
Read the first half of the book, and then just stop. The ending is intensely disappointing, with them just leaving after the death of a single dragonet. It was a disappointing ending to a great series.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews