Legend of the Dragon Slayer: The Origin Story of Dragonwatch

Dragonwatch

by Brandon Mull, Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)

In ancient times, dragons posed the ultimate threat to the rest of the magical world. During the Dragon War, a group of specially trained Dragon Slayers banded together to stand against the onslaught. They called themselves Dragonwatch, and they succeeded in confining the majority of dragons to sanctuaries. Legend of the Dragon Slayer is the illustrated story of the very first Dragon Slayer who took to battle.

As the legend tells it, powerful monsters terrorized the kingdom of Selona on all sides. An unlikely hero named Konrad, the cobbler's son, accepts the king's challenge to defeat the monsters: fierce yeti, a merciless vampire, a dangerous gorgon, and a deadly phoenix. But Selona's biggest threat will come from the Dragon, and it will take every ounce of wit and experience that Konrad has acquired to stand a chance against such a formidable foe.

Legend of the Dragon Slayer features a never-before-published catalog of Dragon Slayers, a detailed map of the kingdom of Selona, and lavish full-color illustrations. Fantasy fans will love this stand-alone tale of valor, destiny, and magic.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Dragons, Young Adult, Adventure, Childrens

64 pages, Hardcover

First published May 4, 2021

About the author

BRANDON MULL is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Fablehaven, Dragonwatch, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. A kinetic thinker, Brandon enjoys bouncy balls, squeezable stress toys, and popping bubble wrap. He lives in Utah in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife, Erlyn, their eleven children, and three mischievous cats. Brandon loves meeting his readers and hearing about their experiences with his books.

Reviews

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legend of the Dragon Slayer: The Origin Story of Dragonwatch is a treat for the fans of the series. This tells the story of Konrad, the first dragon slayer and it is nothing less than magic. It shows how the dragon slayers came to be and the illustrations work wonderfully in line with the story.

I think it is also a great starting point for the skeptics to get into this series. My only complaint is that it is too short. I hope Brandon Mull decides to write more about this world.

5 Legendary stars

[za_pomniane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ma śliczne ilustracje.

[Kasia (kasikowykurz) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dla mnie takie nic nie wnoszące do serii dodatki to jest czysty skok na kasę i nie umiem na nie inaczej patrzeć. Plus za naprawdę przepiękne ilustracje, ale mam wrażenie, że to wszystko już było.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was quite a short read, but it provided interesting illustrations for the story’s lore. While it was already told, I loved its colorful representation that wasn’t shown before. I truly wish there was more to absorb like this.

[Książkomanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐

Świetny dodatek do serii

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legend of the Dragon Slayer: The Origin Story of Dragonwatch is such a beautifully illustrated book. I love that the story that readers originally heard at the beginning of the Dragonwatch books, is now its own book. It's like we are reading the same book that Kendra held in her hands and read. I know young readers are going to love this aspect and being able to see this story come to life by the amazing illustrations done by the very talented Brandon Dorman. As a grown-up, I was totally blown away while reading this story again and looking at the pictures that enhanced this story even more. Brandon Mull never disappoints and I love this additional book to go along with the Dragonwatch series. I know that kids/tweens will want to read this book a lot and it will be checked out many times at my school's library. Even better, Legend of the Dragon Slayer makes a great gift for your own kids or grandkids. I know I'm very happy to have this book in my Fablehaven/Dragonwatch collection and you need it too.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated story of the Legend we read about in the first Dragonwatch is the perfect addition to the Dragonwatch series. The pictures enhance the legend and bring it more to life. It's a book that is sure to get somewhat reluctant readers interested in this series. It's definitely worth taking a look at this summer.

[Lillian B (Kaladin Stormblessed version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This was good, but not as good as any of the other books in the series, and I wasn't very interested in the plot.
It didn't seem super necessary, and the plot seemed to have no effect on any of the later books (but I've only read 60% of the first Dragonwatch book, so there is a chance that it will be important later.)
The writing wasn't great, either, and the plot was moving a bit too fast and was slightly confusing at times.
But I did finish this in one day, so at least I got another book on my reading challenge!!!
I don't think this is super necessary to the rest of the series, but it was still fun.

[Kamila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jedna gwiazdka ekstra za ilustracje dostępne także w wersji e bookowej. Ciekawy dodatek ale z mocnym naciskiem na to że to dodatek - nie wnosi nic do głównej serii i historia ta była opowiedziana w jednym z tomów

[falusia · Rating 3 out of 5]

fajne

[Go · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this short tale to enhance the Dragonwatch series, going further into detail about the Dragon Slayers and how they came to be. An unlikely hero accepts a challenge from his King to rid the kingdom of some distinct monsters terrorizing its people. I liked each task described in detail as the hero aged in between each one and gradually gained wealth and notoriety. No spoiling–things are not always what they seem. The illustrations are great, my favorite is the Phoenix. Good adventure that makes me excited to read the final book in the series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of the Dragonwatch series will really enjoy this origin story.
Beautifully illustrated, this short book takes us through the adventures of Konrad the Legender (as he comes to be known), and how he comes to be known as a fearsome Dragon Slayer.
What I liked about this was that it isn't going where legends typically go. I loved Konrad, and I only wish we had seen more from his point of view. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate Lilli? She is the true hero of this story. :)
I loved the illustrations, they are gorgeous! I also love that there is a little surprise at the end, and then in the final pages, we get a cast of characters that links this to the other Dragonwatch books. There is also a beautiful map at the beginning so you can follow along on Konrad's adventures.
This would make a great read-aloud story! Some of the language is really elevated (in that royal medieval way), so this might be a bit hard for littles to read by themselves. And it helps to know some of the terminology of the world (an avatar is a human form of a dragon, for instance).

[Loren Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! This is a collection of stories all about Konrad and how he grew into a dragon slayer in the kingdom of Selona. His adventures helped the kingdom expand by defeating the monsters that surrounded it.

Konrad really stepped up to the plate when nobody else would. He was a good defender (an even better storyteller) and a great hero to root for. His legacy established the Fair Folk of Fablehaven and that's how it all ties together. If you haven't read the Fablehaven/Dragonwatch series, you really should. It is fantasy at it's best and suitable for all ages and the perfect series to read aloud to younger children. This book has such beautiful illustrations! It is fun to see the story spring to life through the vibrant pictures. I wish I could show you the pictures!

I first obtained this book as an ebook for review and it was okay but I was so excited when I was offered a physical book for review as well. The book is beautiful from front to back cover and I loved being able to hold it in my hands. It's one of those kind of books and definitely one you want to add to your collection- especially if you own this series!

Content: mild peril

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading Brandon Mull’s books to or with our kids for a very long time. Honestly, now I just read them on my own. If you haven’t read any of his, I highly recommend that you start with the Fablehaven series. This book is an origin story of Dragonwatch. And it’s really great.

I love this hardcover book. It’s so pretty. The illustrator did an amazing job with the illustrations. And it’s a perfect addition to this series.

I loved getting to read the legend in full. This legend is referenced in the Dragonwatch books. But there’s really nothing like getting to read it.

I can’t wait to start reading all of these books with our youngest. That will probably come soon. I hope he enjoys them all as much as I do.

I was sent a copy of Legend of the Dragon Slayer as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Visually, this book with grab the attention of many of my readers. The "DragonWatch" logo is readily apparent and states that this is an origin story. The dragon and dragon slayer art on the cover as well as the gold, embossed border will also attract attention. It is also an oversized book (7 1/4" x 10 1/4") which is eye-catching for my library patrons, but is problematic for librarians who like books to be height standardized and able to fit easily into student binder and backpacks and less likely to be damaged. Readers looking for an accessible fantasy book featuring dragons and swords will not be disappointed. Those looking for a direct connection to their already loved DragonWatch will be searching until the end and may find that the 60 pages just don't have the ability to develop the kind of detailed story that they are accustomed to reading. However, fantasy lovers with shorter attention spans will find that this fits the bill nicely and it may be a segue to longer tales of dragons. The figurative language and vivid descriptions of lands and creatures are excellent. Librarians will need to consider all these factors as they develop their collection of dragon-fantasy. Violence is a constant (dragon-slaying!!) but it is not particularly gruesome. No sexual content or profanity.

[Jordyn Gines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having never read the dragon watch series, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have read and loved Fablehaven so I knew Brandon Mull is a good author. Overall I enjoyed the story more than I expected. Konrad is definitely an underdog so it is fun to see him become a hero throughout the course of the novel. I’ve always loved fantasy and dragons so this has all of the adventure and action that comes from fantasy but I’m a clean young adult novel.

I’m thinking I will have to go read the rest of the series now.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful book!
The quality is fantastic and the pictures are gorgeous!!

Loved the way this told the story of the legendary dragon slayers and the appendix of dragon slayers at the back was very helpful. I read it in place of the story in book 4 of Dragonwatch. It fits within that larger story but stands alone as well. Simple story without too many details. I read it in one sitting. Loved the storytelling and mystery surrounding it.

Reminds me a lot of the companion books JK Rowling has published within the Harry Potter universe. Definitely a great addition to my collection!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated! I was surprised to see how thin the book was - I was expecting a book the size of Fablehaven or Dragonwatch. Surprised, but in no way disappointed! Very interesting backstory and it makes me all the more excited to read the last two books in the Dragonwatch series.
Thank you Will and Stephanie for the book ☺️

[Cathy | A Case Full of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a perfect companion book for lovers of Brandon Mull's Fablehaven and Dragonwatch series. It takes the Legend of the Dragon Slayer, found in the series, and illustrates it with beautiful art by Brandon Dorman. It's a must for the Fablehaven/Dragonwatch lovers. My daughter and I both loved it.

[Shera (Book Whispers)]

Huh, not sure if I will write a full blown review. I will say the writing was pretty good, and I now realize I need to give the Fablehaven books another try. As I read this for my Libarian duties. The art caught my eyes as well. Though I question why some scenes were illustrated I did enjoy all the scenes. Not to mention the messages.

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations, fantastic short story, and a beautiful introduction to the background of this world. Even as someone who has not yet read Mull's series, it was easy to follow and enjoyable.

[Sane3210 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,4

[Marianna Janas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wspaniałe zakończenie serii, szczególnie, że fabuła częściowo ryzgrywa się w Polsce🤭

[Pola Kropielnicka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Myślałam ze to będzie jakieś rozszerzenie historii a to jest dosłownie zdanie w zdanie to co w smoczej straży

[Ola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fajny dodatek,piękne ilustracje ale nie jest to coś co bym sobie kupiła.

[Scott Seney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read with five big bad legends; Gorgon, Yeti, Vampire, Phoenix, and Dragon.

[Teenage Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot:
As the kingdom of Selona grows, it needs to be able to expand to sustain its population. Yet with monsters all around it, the King needs a hero to slay the monster and make the land safe for them to expand on. Offering the prizes of wealth, title, land, and even his daughter’s hand in marriage, to the hero brave enough to slay the yeti, vampire, gorgon, and phoenix. When an unlikely hero emerges, Konrad, the cobbler’s son, tells the story of how he fought these creatures and earned the respect of the kingdom. When the biggest threat Selona has ever faced comes to fight, the Kingdom must offer up their bravest warrior Konrad once again, this time in a fight that is not so easy as the others.

Thoughts:
What a cute and wonderful short story. Around 50 pages of the actual story, Brandon Mull uses fantasy-style writing to create this fairytale of a story. With an easy plot to follow, Mull dedicates each little short story (or chapter) to each monster Konrad faces, and we get to watch Konrad grow up, as he was only seventeen when he fought the Gorgon, and an adult when he fought the dragon. Where you can kind of guess how the story ends with the story being about the Dragon Slayer, Mull keeps readers on their toes as they add a surprising twist in the last story about Konrad and why he was nervous to face the Dragon. The illustrations in this story by Brandon Dorman are truly amazing, and make the story feel much more of a legend/storybook telling of a tale. The good thing, and a potentially bad thing, about this, is that you do not need to know anything about the Dragonwatch series to enjoy this story. It is simply about a hero who slays monsters, and for those dedicated to the series, get to know some historical legacy of Selona. Overall, it is a cute book to read with some fantastic illustrations, and worth it if you want some short “hero saves the day” storytelling.

[Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is already in Brandon Mull's "Champion of the Titan Games" book. It does include a map for the tale, and a compiled list of dragon slayers not found in his other books, but I don't know if that is worth getting the book for. You do get more illustrations from Brandon Dorman, but to me they weren't up to the same level as his covers, or black and white illustrations in Mull's other books.

[Mateusz M · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5