What do you think?
Rate this book
No Such Thing As Dragons
New in paperback--an unforgettable dragon story from Philip Reeve!Ansel's new master slays dragons for a living. He says he's hunted the monstrous worms all over Christendom-and he has the scars to prove it! But is Brock just a clever trickster in shining armor? Ansel is sure there are no such things as dragons. So what is the man-eating creature that lives in the crags of Dragon Mountain? As he and Brock climb the perilous ice-face to its lair, Ansel is about to discover the horrifying truth. A heart-pounding new fantasy with a brilliant twist from Philip Reeve, one of the world's greatest writers."His imagination is electrifying."--Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of Millions and Cosmic
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
24 people are currently reading
980 people want to read
About the author
Philip Reeve
171 books2,720 followersPhilip Reeve was born and raised in Brighton, where he worked in a bookshop for a number of years while also co-writing, producing and directing a number of no-budget theatre projects.
Philip then began illustrating and has since provided cartoons for around forty children's books, including the best-selling Horrible Histories, Murderous Maths and Dead Famous series.
Railhead, published by Oxford University Press, will be published in the UK in October 2015
Pugs of the Frozen North, written with Sarah McIntyre, is out now.
Philip then began illustrating and has since provided cartoons for around forty children's books, including the best-selling Horrible Histories, Murderous Maths and Dead Famous series.
Railhead, published by Oxford University Press, will be published in the UK in October 2015
Pugs of the Frozen North, written with Sarah McIntyre, is out now.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
July 21, 2010
Reeve is well known for his steampunk Mortal Engines series for teens, but here creates an adventure fantasy for younger readers. Ansel, a nine year old mute boy, is sent by his father to be a servant to Brock, a man who travels from village to village earning his living by slaying dragons. At least, that’s what Brock tells others. Of course, he doesn’t really believe that there are really any dragons. He carries a crocodile skull and plenty of armor for show. Brock tells many great stories, and the superstitious mountain villagers and local lords promise to reward Brock for slaying their dragon and alleviating their fears. And yet when Brock and Ansel go up high on the mountain they meet a young girl, Else, who was left by the villagers as a sacrifice to the dragon. Somehow, Else has survived and she warns them that the dragon does truly exist. Should Ansel trust his instinct or his master? Reeve creates compelling dilemmas and characters, with no clear black and white sense of good or evil. Each character must figure out their loyalties along the way. The mountain settings, inspired by the Lake District in England, are superbly described, as Ansel, Brock and Else fight for their lives.
April 25, 2023
Sold by his father, Ansel must follow his new master, Brock, a known dragon-slayer. Brock has the stories and scars to give weight to his stories, but Ansel soon learns that he's not exactly what he's saying. But when they stop at a superstitious town where both sheep and people are going missing, both Brock and Ansel start to question what they know.
+
This was a bit darker than expected for a middle grade fantasy. Enjoyed it nonetheless. Brock's characterization is surprisingly well-rounded. You could both hate him and empathize with him. I was initially expecting a commentary on faith and superstition because it seemed to have foundation (especially after the Friar's character was introduced) but it didn't pan out in the end (or I might have just read into it too much).
Nothing really remarkable that popped up but overall it's still a good read.
+
This was a bit darker than expected for a middle grade fantasy. Enjoyed it nonetheless. Brock's characterization is surprisingly well-rounded. You could both hate him and empathize with him. I was initially expecting a commentary on faith and superstition because it seemed to have foundation (especially after the Friar's character was introduced) but it didn't pan out in the end (or I might have just read into it too much).
Nothing really remarkable that popped up but overall it's still a good read.
February 5, 2020
This is a special entry in the dragon genre, I think, especially for kids. It's about a boy realizing that the terrifying creature he's afraid of is really just an animal. I think there's a line toward the end, "nod the devil's animal, but just an animal." I loved the way it dealt with that, with the old-fashioned "Christian knight going to fight an evil beast" narrative, without making the dragon really any less for being an animal. It's still magnificent and strange.
All the emotions were surprisingly realistic -- the boy calling himself "selfish" because he saved someone to avoid having to live with running away, rather than because it's a noble or heroic or right thing to do. All the feelings he has were slightly unexpected for me, not just what you'd expect, but rang very true. I'm not sure how I feel about the situational mutism plot, I think that's a bit overdone, but it does do some work in the story, not really for Ansel's character arc but to allow him deeper observations and limit his ability to affect others, keeping the story fairly short. It's a good length for younger readers, not any longer than it needs to be, but feels really complete as a story.
All the emotions were surprisingly realistic -- the boy calling himself "selfish" because he saved someone to avoid having to live with running away, rather than because it's a noble or heroic or right thing to do. All the feelings he has were slightly unexpected for me, not just what you'd expect, but rang very true. I'm not sure how I feel about the situational mutism plot, I think that's a bit overdone, but it does do some work in the story, not really for Ansel's character arc but to allow him deeper observations and limit his ability to affect others, keeping the story fairly short. It's a good length for younger readers, not any longer than it needs to be, but feels really complete as a story.
July 13, 2010
Reeve seems to want to tell kids not to trust people; all the important adults in this story are deceitful or irresponsible, though not necessarily without some redeeming qualities. The children have to look out for themselves, which is as it should be in a children's book, of course.
Parts of the book are well written - particularly during the ascent of the mountain - but there are fleeting passages that inflict disorienting head-hopping on the reader. The view-points of all three main protagonists in less than a page is a violation of a fairly basic rule of novel writing...
It feels like Reeve can never get it absolutely right unless he's working in his Mortal Engines world.
Parts of the book are well written - particularly during the ascent of the mountain - but there are fleeting passages that inflict disorienting head-hopping on the reader. The view-points of all three main protagonists in less than a page is a violation of a fairly basic rule of novel writing...
It feels like Reeve can never get it absolutely right unless he's working in his Mortal Engines world.
May 27, 2018
Ansel's tavern-keeper father trades his son for a bag of gold to Brock, a traveler in need of a servant. He deems Ansel suitable because he's mute and cannot tell tales about his new master. It soon becomes clear that Brock is a dragon slayer. He travels the countryside in search of these dread wyrms, vanquishing them in exchange for a meal, a bed, and a bag of gold. The perfect scam. Because (of course) there's no such thing as dragons.
Con artists and old customs. Missing sheep and mountain passes. Dragons and the fear of dragons. This is a fast-paced, tense adventure that's the bookish equivalent of a monster movie. Heart-stopping confrontations, cinematic scenes, disaster upon disaster, and a whole lot of messy bloodshed. I quite enjoyed it!
Con artists and old customs. Missing sheep and mountain passes. Dragons and the fear of dragons. This is a fast-paced, tense adventure that's the bookish equivalent of a monster movie. Heart-stopping confrontations, cinematic scenes, disaster upon disaster, and a whole lot of messy bloodshed. I quite enjoyed it!
June 6, 2019
Enjoyable novelette and quick read, fun turnout and bloodier than I expected. Recommended read for dragon loves and people enjoying a adventure that doesn't become what we expect of it.
June 25, 2019
Enjoyed this tale and was reminded multiple times of the movie Dragonheart. In some ways the story was predictable with few surprises, but highly vivid and enjoyable all the same.
February 28, 2020
This is a pretty good little story. It would be great for younger readers and I enjoyed reading it, but wasn't blown away. It is well written and has a unique take on Dragon Slaying.
January 8, 2018
Another great story from the brilliant pen of Philip Reeve. This tale of Ansel, mute squire to the dragon-hunter Brock, is an interesting and engaging counterpoint to Reeve's Here Lies Arthur; both that and this deal with the power of myth and myth-making. Being a Reeve book, it's full of emotional depth, well-drawn characters, and thrilling action, written in admirably evocative prose. I spotted one grammatical error and one (minor) plot-hole; rather than being niggles, both of these are satisfying evidence for those of us who have published independently that a professional editor does not prevent such accidents from happening (smug smile). The end - well, not what I was expecting. Actually . All in all, well worth a read.
May 4, 2012
Philip Reeve is fast becoming one of my favorite kids' lit authors. Fever Crumb was a cool, steampunky story, and this one, meant for slightly younger readers, is just as compelling, even though its a completely different genre. Just why is it so awesome?
No Such Thing as Dragons plays with both historical and fantasy conventions. When he reaches age ten, the protagonist Ansel, mute since his mother’s death, is bundled off to work for blustery dragon-slayer Brock. The story is set in the 'real' world, somewhere in late medieval Germany, a land where the ignorant still believe in dragons but the educated are starting to questions such myths.
Ansel soon realizes that the knight Brock is little more than a charlatan, making his way across Europe with his con game, which involves tricking folks with his aristocratic veneer and a crocodile skull. The knight's goal is simply to exploit people's fears to score enough food and money to keep going (not a noble goal, but certainly not nefarious). Brock freely admits to the mute Ansel that there are no such things as dragons. But when the pair end up in an unnamed village at the foot of a mountain called Drachenberg, they discover that Brock's confidence may be misplaced.
Circumstances do not work out in Brock and Ansel's favor. The two, joined by a sacrificial maiden sent up the mountain to be the dragon’s dinner, have to battle for their lives when the dragon (or a creature very like one) arrives, determined to eat the whole group, horses included. As the characters confront a terror unlike anything else, they find out what it really means to be a hero, and how even heroes are not guaranteed a happy ending.
Reeve’s middle grade story is unexpectedly rich for its size. He's skipped a lot of the window dressing (no long descriptions of medieval life or mores here) to get to the core of his tale. Though filled with more than enough suspense, gore, and action to satisfy a reluctant reader (read: video-game addict), Reeve’s story is really a character study. Ansel, Brock, and the maiden Else are wonderfully nuanced people, with conflicting motivations, loyalties, and courage.
Chapter by chapter, we learn a little more about each one, and about the world they inhabit. Reeve holds the resolution out until the very last moment, and what could have been a cliched ending feels pretty natural. Ansel’s affliction also makes for an interesting story limitation; since he can’t talk, he must learn in other ways than simply by asking questions. His forced silence even drives the story in parts: imagine warning people about a dragon when you can’t yell dragon!.
Reeve's storytelling is well-balanced and even delicate. He does an excellent job of suggesting ideas to the reader, rather than simply stating them. The result is a book that can be read in a few different ways. Is it really set in our world? Is the creature a dragon, or not? What does it really mean to call it a dragon? And does it matter if the thing is going to eat you anyway?
I really enjoyed No Such Thing as Dragons, and for a story without a lick of magic, it’s a marvelous fantasy. The hardcover came out last fall, and it looks like a paperback edition is coming in May 2012.
No Such Thing as Dragons plays with both historical and fantasy conventions. When he reaches age ten, the protagonist Ansel, mute since his mother’s death, is bundled off to work for blustery dragon-slayer Brock. The story is set in the 'real' world, somewhere in late medieval Germany, a land where the ignorant still believe in dragons but the educated are starting to questions such myths.
Ansel soon realizes that the knight Brock is little more than a charlatan, making his way across Europe with his con game, which involves tricking folks with his aristocratic veneer and a crocodile skull. The knight's goal is simply to exploit people's fears to score enough food and money to keep going (not a noble goal, but certainly not nefarious). Brock freely admits to the mute Ansel that there are no such things as dragons. But when the pair end up in an unnamed village at the foot of a mountain called Drachenberg, they discover that Brock's confidence may be misplaced.
Circumstances do not work out in Brock and Ansel's favor. The two, joined by a sacrificial maiden sent up the mountain to be the dragon’s dinner, have to battle for their lives when the dragon (or a creature very like one) arrives, determined to eat the whole group, horses included. As the characters confront a terror unlike anything else, they find out what it really means to be a hero, and how even heroes are not guaranteed a happy ending.
Reeve’s middle grade story is unexpectedly rich for its size. He's skipped a lot of the window dressing (no long descriptions of medieval life or mores here) to get to the core of his tale. Though filled with more than enough suspense, gore, and action to satisfy a reluctant reader (read: video-game addict), Reeve’s story is really a character study. Ansel, Brock, and the maiden Else are wonderfully nuanced people, with conflicting motivations, loyalties, and courage.
Chapter by chapter, we learn a little more about each one, and about the world they inhabit. Reeve holds the resolution out until the very last moment, and what could have been a cliched ending feels pretty natural. Ansel’s affliction also makes for an interesting story limitation; since he can’t talk, he must learn in other ways than simply by asking questions. His forced silence even drives the story in parts: imagine warning people about a dragon when you can’t yell dragon!.
Reeve's storytelling is well-balanced and even delicate. He does an excellent job of suggesting ideas to the reader, rather than simply stating them. The result is a book that can be read in a few different ways. Is it really set in our world? Is the creature a dragon, or not? What does it really mean to call it a dragon? And does it matter if the thing is going to eat you anyway?
I really enjoyed No Such Thing as Dragons, and for a story without a lick of magic, it’s a marvelous fantasy. The hardcover came out last fall, and it looks like a paperback edition is coming in May 2012.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2012
This is a charming, single-strand narrative, about a mute boy, Ansel, his master (a knight called Brock) and the search for a dragon which may or may not exist on a mountain in Germany. If there was a dragon, what would it look like? Would it exist in the traditional medieval image familiar from the stonework and woodwork in churches and cathedrals and in illuminated manuscripts? Or would it be more akin to our modern concept of a living prehistoric fossil, an archeopteryx, perhaps, or pteranodon?
As the story proceeds the reader is subject to conflicting expectations: are dragons the province of gullible medieval imaginings as modern scepticism presumes, or dare we entertain the thrilling notion that there may have been something in the old folktales? And what would be the response if someone was faced with a real flying monster? Reeve plays on our hopes and fears in a very subtle way; the human characters are realistically portrayed as we experience the unfolding of events through the eyes of Ansel; and Reeve's writing is both sparse and poetic in equal measure.
In the author's own comments on the book's conception he describes its genesis as a low-budget film idea, and naturally the resulting story is very visual (the accompanying line illustrations are by Reeve himself, and very evocative they are too). "I remembered reading that in the Middle Ages almost every peak in the Alps was supposed to be haunted by its own dragon. There are lots of fantasy, fairy-tale stories about dragons, but might it be possible to do a gritty, grainy, believable dragon story?" No Such Thing as Dragons largely fulfils that aim while being an easy but engaging, not to say enchanting, read.
Like any good narrative the story is grounded in some truth. There is a mountain near the Rhine called Drachenfels with a cave which traditionally sheltered the dragon killed by Siegfried, and another mountain called Knochen which, as it happens, in German, means 'bone', perhaps the germ of the idea of Ansel and Else's grisly discovery of human bones on the mountain.
As the story proceeds the reader is subject to conflicting expectations: are dragons the province of gullible medieval imaginings as modern scepticism presumes, or dare we entertain the thrilling notion that there may have been something in the old folktales? And what would be the response if someone was faced with a real flying monster? Reeve plays on our hopes and fears in a very subtle way; the human characters are realistically portrayed as we experience the unfolding of events through the eyes of Ansel; and Reeve's writing is both sparse and poetic in equal measure.
In the author's own comments on the book's conception he describes its genesis as a low-budget film idea, and naturally the resulting story is very visual (the accompanying line illustrations are by Reeve himself, and very evocative they are too). "I remembered reading that in the Middle Ages almost every peak in the Alps was supposed to be haunted by its own dragon. There are lots of fantasy, fairy-tale stories about dragons, but might it be possible to do a gritty, grainy, believable dragon story?" No Such Thing as Dragons largely fulfils that aim while being an easy but engaging, not to say enchanting, read.
Like any good narrative the story is grounded in some truth. There is a mountain near the Rhine called Drachenfels with a cave which traditionally sheltered the dragon killed by Siegfried, and another mountain called Knochen which, as it happens, in German, means 'bone', perhaps the germ of the idea of Ansel and Else's grisly discovery of human bones on the mountain.
October 3, 2010
This is a very easy, quick read. It essentially tells of a mute young boy who is sold to a fake dragon hunter. The dragon hunter isn't a real one because everyone knows that there is "no such thing as dragons".
As the story goes on people really see that maybe there are dragons. And... that's pretty much the story in a nutshell.
I think for a basic reader this would be a good book. I'm talking a very easy read. Anything over the 12-13 level might be a little too old for this book.
That said there were a few things that were a draw back from this book.
There is a lot of emphasis on religion, Christian religion in the book. While it didn't offend me it could easily be offensive to a parent, especially the young age that the writing is meant for.
There are several parts of this book that have major jumping around. In three pages we jumped from the mute boy, to the dragon hunter to the little girl. It was hard to tell who the main character was.
The last "Drawback" of the book was that some of the parts just weren't interesting. The whole book is basically told to you, there is nothing that happens. In that there is very little dialogue or events that happen in real time. I felt as if the story was told to me rather then me experiencing it with the characters.
A good book for an easy reader or a quick book for dragon lovers but nothing really special about it.
As the story goes on people really see that maybe there are dragons. And... that's pretty much the story in a nutshell.
I think for a basic reader this would be a good book. I'm talking a very easy read. Anything over the 12-13 level might be a little too old for this book.
That said there were a few things that were a draw back from this book.
There is a lot of emphasis on religion, Christian religion in the book. While it didn't offend me it could easily be offensive to a parent, especially the young age that the writing is meant for.
There are several parts of this book that have major jumping around. In three pages we jumped from the mute boy, to the dragon hunter to the little girl. It was hard to tell who the main character was.
The last "Drawback" of the book was that some of the parts just weren't interesting. The whole book is basically told to you, there is nothing that happens. In that there is very little dialogue or events that happen in real time. I felt as if the story was told to me rather then me experiencing it with the characters.
A good book for an easy reader or a quick book for dragon lovers but nothing really special about it.
June 14, 2011
Reviewed by Theresa L. Stowell for TeensReadToo.com
Ten-year-old Ansel's life has been difficult. His mother died when he was little, and he lost his voice soon after her death. In the years since, his father has remarried and had more children. When a stranger comes to town looking for a young boy to do servant's work, Ansel's father gladly takes the offered bag of money and sends his son on his way despite the potential danger.
Johannes Brock is a dragon hunter. He likes the idea of a squire who cannot talk and will not be able to share his tricks of the trade. But Brock has a secret, and when he tells it to Ansel, the child is torn between faithfulness to his new master - who has been kinder than his own father - and a desire to tell the truth.
When the two venture into the shadow of a mountain called Drachenberg, their lives and very belief system will be challenged. Readers will be pulled in by themes of loss, grief, friendship, and sacrifice as they struggle on the mountainside along with Ansel and his companions.
Philip Reeve, the author of THE HUNGRY CITY CHRONICLES and THE MORTAL ENGINES quartet, as well as many other young adult novels, has once again produced an exciting story that will dare readers to put it down before they have reached the last page!
Ten-year-old Ansel's life has been difficult. His mother died when he was little, and he lost his voice soon after her death. In the years since, his father has remarried and had more children. When a stranger comes to town looking for a young boy to do servant's work, Ansel's father gladly takes the offered bag of money and sends his son on his way despite the potential danger.
Johannes Brock is a dragon hunter. He likes the idea of a squire who cannot talk and will not be able to share his tricks of the trade. But Brock has a secret, and when he tells it to Ansel, the child is torn between faithfulness to his new master - who has been kinder than his own father - and a desire to tell the truth.
When the two venture into the shadow of a mountain called Drachenberg, their lives and very belief system will be challenged. Readers will be pulled in by themes of loss, grief, friendship, and sacrifice as they struggle on the mountainside along with Ansel and his companions.
Philip Reeve, the author of THE HUNGRY CITY CHRONICLES and THE MORTAL ENGINES quartet, as well as many other young adult novels, has once again produced an exciting story that will dare readers to put it down before they have reached the last page!
June 15, 2011
I have seen this book around having read the other books of Philip Reeve but never got round to reading it. Well today I completed it and i really enjoyed it. Its not your usual dragon slaying title but there is a real sense of danger and excitement. Its very well paced and I wonder if this is an opening to a new series like other titles of his, either way if there are more out I will read them.
January 13, 2012
Moc pěkná knížka. Patří k těm, co tak pohladí na duši, tedy alespoň já z ní mám takový pocit. Začátek se mi moc líbil, uprostřed jsem se sice trochu zadrhla a přišlo mi, že je to zbytečně protahované, ale konec byl opravdu moc pěkný. Prostě takový pohádkový. Je to sice kniha pro mladší čtenáře (doporučený věk je 9 let), ale i starší může potěšit. Minimálně mě potěšila a moc.
October 25, 2019
The author's excellent style of writing kept me sympathetic with the main character and turning pages quickly to see what would happen next. The story took so many turns, I had a hard time deciding how the author would finish it. As it was, the ending was not quite what I would have hoped, but overall enjoyable. Some intense emotionally scary moments for this age-group I think.
July 1, 2011
Very nice descriptive language... Not something i expected to like but so far im on board, and i think la teachers will drool over some of the wordings... But it slows to a crawl about halfway through...author livesin England btw.
August 2, 2022
I loved the opening paragraph. And gripping enough that I read it through almost in one sitting. But I didn't love the characters, and that's very important to me. So, good book, but not great.
June 22, 2018
I picked up "No Such Thing as Dragons" because I am interested in Reeve and his writing, what with the new movie coming out and all, and the bookstore didn't have "Mortal Engines". When I read that Ansel, one of the main characters, was mute, I was doubly intrigued. I have characters I'm planning on writing stories about that are Deaf, so I was interested to see how Reeve worked with Ansel.
Right off the bat, I have to say I'm a little underwhelmed. The characters lacked some well-roundedness, and it felt like the story was full of anticlimaxes without one real peak. The writing was a little passive, which works well in some stories but only seemed to muddle the characters in this one. These are the main reasons I rated this book lower. That said, it is a children's book and I am not a child, so some of my complaints could simply come from being an adult reading something meant for those younger than I am. Thus, "No Such Thing as Dragons" gets a solid three stars from me.
I was really impressed with some of what I saw in the story. I love the opening line. It feels like I am being told this story by a master storyteller as we sit around a fire. One well placed "so," and now I'm ready to try out a similar structure with one of my stories! Reeve's descriptions are beautiful, and I loved reading over then with an author's eyes. Really great! I also enjoyed seeing a dragon that I hadn't ever thought of. Like the characters in the story, I thought... "Feathers?" But it was ingenious and inspiring. Now I want to get creative with designing the dragons in my stories! I liked the fact that in the end it was simply an animal. It was realistic with a good measure of wonder. The characters' reactions were realistic, and the moral dilemma really came through.
I'm glad I read this, and can't wait to read "Mortal Engines".
Right off the bat, I have to say I'm a little underwhelmed. The characters lacked some well-roundedness, and it felt like the story was full of anticlimaxes without one real peak. The writing was a little passive, which works well in some stories but only seemed to muddle the characters in this one. These are the main reasons I rated this book lower. That said, it is a children's book and I am not a child, so some of my complaints could simply come from being an adult reading something meant for those younger than I am. Thus, "No Such Thing as Dragons" gets a solid three stars from me.
I was really impressed with some of what I saw in the story. I love the opening line. It feels like I am being told this story by a master storyteller as we sit around a fire. One well placed "so," and now I'm ready to try out a similar structure with one of my stories! Reeve's descriptions are beautiful, and I loved reading over then with an author's eyes. Really great! I also enjoyed seeing a dragon that I hadn't ever thought of. Like the characters in the story, I thought... "Feathers?" But it was ingenious and inspiring. Now I want to get creative with designing the dragons in my stories! I liked the fact that in the end it was simply an animal. It was realistic with a good measure of wonder. The characters' reactions were realistic, and the moral dilemma really came through.
I'm glad I read this, and can't wait to read "Mortal Engines".
October 15, 2025
I have come to the conclusion that Philip Reeve is at his best when writing epic scale, intricately weaving plot threads together across entire worlds. With this book being relatively short and having such a narrow focus on a small band of medieval characters hunting a dragon on a mountain, that world building and intricate plotting that is Reeve's forte is unfortunately lacking, and instead we get a story that is somewhat predictable without any twists or payoffs that really blew me away. Incidentally Drachenberg is literally just German for "dragon mountain," so Reeve wins no award for creative place names either.
That's not to say reading No Such Thing as Dragons wasn't enjoyable though, mainly thanks to Reeve's prose style, which is another area in which he really excels. The descriptive passages he writes really bring the environment and medieval setting to life, particularly during the scenes set on the mountain, which is a beautiful yet desolate, unforgiving place where you feel the isolation and the peril the characters are in, dragon or no dragon. This is essentially a coming of age story for Ansel, discovering his agency, similar to the arc of Reeve's other lead protagonist from around this time, Fever Crumb, albeit I found Ansel less interesting. Brock was for me the more memorable of the main protagonists, initially appearing to be merely a dishonest swindler, only later it turns out he actually has a misguided sense of heroism.
That's not to say reading No Such Thing as Dragons wasn't enjoyable though, mainly thanks to Reeve's prose style, which is another area in which he really excels. The descriptive passages he writes really bring the environment and medieval setting to life, particularly during the scenes set on the mountain, which is a beautiful yet desolate, unforgiving place where you feel the isolation and the peril the characters are in, dragon or no dragon. This is essentially a coming of age story for Ansel, discovering his agency, similar to the arc of Reeve's other lead protagonist from around this time, Fever Crumb, albeit I found Ansel less interesting. Brock was for me the more memorable of the main protagonists, initially appearing to be merely a dishonest swindler, only later it turns out he actually has a misguided sense of heroism.
June 3, 2018
For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I was originally drawn in by the cover. Plus, I'm a huge fan of dragons.
The beginning of the novel is very good. I really enjoyed all of the descriptive language. The premise of a fake dragon hunter is interesting and I liked the depth of Ansel's character. Once the characters encounter the dragon, things get pretty gory. There are a lot of good descriptions, but it is pretty violent and bloody for a children's chapter book. This is not necessarily bad, but there are definitely some young readers this would not appeal to.
This is a pretty quick read, because it is so suspenseful, written in a way that makes the reader want to keep going to find out what happens next.
I did really enjoy the different perspective on this dragon. Is it Satan? Is it evil? Is it just an animal trying to survive? I liked that Reeve included this depth in the novel. It really made the reader think about the role of the dragon and whether he was a villain or just an animal living in the mountains.
Overall, a good book with great descriptions. There are definitely some hard to read areas because of the violence and ill-treatment, but it also raises really advanced issues of the "evilness" of carnivorous creatures, empathy, and what is "right".
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I was originally drawn in by the cover. Plus, I'm a huge fan of dragons.
The beginning of the novel is very good. I really enjoyed all of the descriptive language. The premise of a fake dragon hunter is interesting and I liked the depth of Ansel's character. Once the characters encounter the dragon, things get pretty gory. There are a lot of good descriptions, but it is pretty violent and bloody for a children's chapter book. This is not necessarily bad, but there are definitely some young readers this would not appeal to.
This is a pretty quick read, because it is so suspenseful, written in a way that makes the reader want to keep going to find out what happens next.
I did really enjoy the different perspective on this dragon. Is it Satan? Is it evil? Is it just an animal trying to survive? I liked that Reeve included this depth in the novel. It really made the reader think about the role of the dragon and whether he was a villain or just an animal living in the mountains.
Overall, a good book with great descriptions. There are definitely some hard to read areas because of the violence and ill-treatment, but it also raises really advanced issues of the "evilness" of carnivorous creatures, empathy, and what is "right".
March 10, 2025
This short book was very unique and packed a huge punch. I really liked Ansel and his growth throughout the book. I loved how the setting--although never precisely named--felt real and authentic. Reeve captures how people of the middle ages would've perceived the threat of a dragon. Ansel very poignantly states that ultimately it is an animal and not all the evil attributed to it. But in the end, Reeve allows the reader to filter all these ideas and come to his own conclusion.
Brock was the dragon slayer charlatan was an interesting character, and as in every good middle grader, it's the kids who save the day, which will be enjoyable for young readers
Highlighted on my blog: https://jennienzor.blogspot.com/2025/...
Brock was the dragon slayer charlatan was an interesting character, and as in every good middle grader, it's the kids who save the day, which will be enjoyable for young readers
Highlighted on my blog: https://jennienzor.blogspot.com/2025/...
August 5, 2025
Bedtime reading for me and the sprog. Pretty good. Engaging, nice descriptive passages, some gory bits and a childs-eye view of some more serious topics like adults making bad decisions, uncaring parents, prejudices etc. Alliterative sentences were fun but apt to trip me up when reading aloud.
Had me guessing much of the way through whether dragons were indeed real or not. Didn't entirely like the division of girls/women into "pretty" and "not pretty", although this is from male characters' point of view so guess it could be excused on that basis. The most prominent/heroic female character is not conventionally pretty but still has many other positive traits so clearly the author doesn't think that way.
Had me guessing much of the way through whether dragons were indeed real or not. Didn't entirely like the division of girls/women into "pretty" and "not pretty", although this is from male characters' point of view so guess it could be excused on that basis. The most prominent/heroic female character is not conventionally pretty but still has many other positive traits so clearly the author doesn't think that way.
December 28, 2017
I’d give it closer to 3.5 stars because while the world building was fairly good and the characters fun and the plot moving at a brisk/good pace, the ending felt way too abrupt and unexplained, and I majorly disliked that Reeve never fully explored the humanity in dragons, even though he hinted at it himself several times towards the end of the book. It would’ve been nice to feel the dragon was more of a character as opposed to a prop for evil to move the plot forward.
September 12, 2021
This charming middle grade novel reminded me to Natalie Babbitt's "Search for Delicious" and Sid Fleischman's "The Whipping Boy" - both books I love and that my son loved when he was young. This would be a terrific read for a bookish upper-elementary school reader, in my opinion. I so enjoyed Reeve's YA Mortal Engines books, but it's nice to see his range and breadth of style and subject with this one.
July 18, 2018
I loved reading this book and was hooked from the first page. Ansel and Brock are both very likeable and well-written characters, and I liked the clever twists and turns of the plot, and the pictorial descriptions. I read this on a train and almost missed my stop, I was so engrossed! Recommended for ages 10+ also there is some fantasy violence in this book which could upset some young readers.
January 16, 2020
I had in my head that this would be a lighter, more kid-friendly book, like Reeve's Larklight series. This is, however, more akin to his book Her Lies Arthur, in that it's actually quite grim, occasionally gruesome, and fairly sad. I liked the book a lot. It's got some interesting characters, some really cool action, and deals with some fairly questionable moral territories.
August 26, 2023
So while this was set historically, it felt more like a fantasy world.
The story was interesting enough. Though I do wonder what became of the dragon in the end.
I’m tempted to say this book is better suited for lower ya than middle grade simple because of a few underlying things (ex Brock taking a serving girl back to his room to “hear more stories about dragons”).
The story was interesting enough. Though I do wonder what became of the dragon in the end.
I’m tempted to say this book is better suited for lower ya than middle grade simple because of a few underlying things (ex Brock taking a serving girl back to his room to “hear more stories about dragons”).
September 29, 2018
A small little book, found in a used book store, and had the word Dragon on it, it was all I need need, it is fast paced, and does feel old, it has no twists and turns, but straight direcy to the point, and a lovable protagonist... You turn the last page with a smile.
July 15, 2020
A new take on the regular dragon hunting story. Bloodier than I expected and written with a Christian slant in my opinion. I read this one aloud over a few days to my 5 year old son and he enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews