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Dragon Chronicles #4
Ancient, Strange, and Lovely
In a slightly futuristic, polluted world, fourteen-year-old Bryn watches an ancient egg hatch, and her life changes forever. Like her family before her, Bryn can “ken” with birds, so at first she doesn’t understand why she relates to what appears to be a lizard. Then she realizes that the critter in her care is really a baby dragon. When the dracling becomes an Internet phenomenon, she must flee to protect him from poachers and others who wish him harm. But will Bryn be able to protect him, or will she lose the dracling just as she comes to love him?
A fast-paced, standalone addition to Susan Fletcher’s beloved Dragon Chronicles series, Ancient, Strange, and Lovely puts a modern twist on a timeless genre.
A fast-paced, standalone addition to Susan Fletcher’s beloved Dragon Chronicles series, Ancient, Strange, and Lovely puts a modern twist on a timeless genre.
315 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2010
15 people are currently reading
1079 people want to read
About the author
Susan Fletcher
16 books253 followersSusan Fletcher is the award-winning author of fourteen books for young readers, including Dragon’s Milk, Shadow Spinner, and Journey of the Pale Bear. Her novels have been translated into ten languages and have received a Golden Kite Honor from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, as well as acclaim from the American Library Association, the Children’s Book Council, Bookriot.com, Natural History Magazine, Western Writers of America, Women Writing in the West, and many more. Susan taught for many years in the M.F.A. in Writing for Children program at Vermont College.
Although Susan loves to write about the long-ago and the yet-to-come, she can’t bring those worlds to life without grounding them in details from the world in which we live now. To that end, she has explored lava tubes and sea caves; spent the night in a lighthouse; traveled along the Silk Road in Iran; ridden in a glider, on a camel, and on a donkey; and cut up (already dead!) baby chicks and mice for a gyrfalcon’s dinner. To write Sea Change, she immersed herself in the geography and cultural vibe of Galveston, Texas; explored a Gulf of Mexico oil platform; and brought to mind her childhood experiences of skin diving off Catalina Island with her family.
Although Susan loves to write about the long-ago and the yet-to-come, she can’t bring those worlds to life without grounding them in details from the world in which we live now. To that end, she has explored lava tubes and sea caves; spent the night in a lighthouse; traveled along the Silk Road in Iran; ridden in a glider, on a camel, and on a donkey; and cut up (already dead!) baby chicks and mice for a gyrfalcon’s dinner. To write Sea Change, she immersed herself in the geography and cultural vibe of Galveston, Texas; explored a Gulf of Mexico oil platform; and brought to mind her childhood experiences of skin diving off Catalina Island with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 21, 2010
When I was in elementary school, I discovered Susan Fletcher's Dragon's Milk on one of my comprehensive trawls through the local library's shelves, and I loved it. The personable dragons, strong young main character, and light, uncomplicated romance appealed to me, and I eagerly worked my through the other two books set in that world. When I heard that Ancient, Strange, and Lovely was going to be another book set in that world, I was extremely excited.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that AS&L is set in the near-future real world. This was extremely jarring. The previous books were clearly a fantastic land with its own geography, history, and so forth, and yet now the main plot device has been transplanted into Eugene, Oregon. Granted, a Eugene that is happening in the future, but still one with recognizable technology, brand name foods, and an internet that works exactly like our internet (so not that far in the future).
Okay, so all of that was weird, but the writing was good, the characters once more enjoyable, and dragons are awesome. Then, partway through the book, we discover that one of the characters has read Susan Fletcher's other dragon novels.
I almost put the book down in disgust then and there. Aside from the sheer hubris of having one of your own characters read your novels, this little detail opens up a huge world of continuity problems. Did Dragon's Milk happen in our world after all (it certainly follows no recognizable geography, ethnicity, or culture that I can think of, if so)? Or if Dragon's Milk was fiction, then how the hell did it get all the details so exactly right? The problems go on.
If Ancient, Strange, and Lovely had been set in a world very similar to ours but with different names, it would have worked. If the characters had never heard of Susan Fletcher's earlier books (in the same series, no less), it would have worked on the strength of the writing and the characters with the setting just a niggling annoyance. But the conflagration of a real-world setting with knowledge of books written in the same series really badly harmed the overall believability of the novel. Nothing after that point in the book really rang true; instead, the curtain having been thrown aside, plot points felt contrived and doubt was thrown on the previous books in the series, as well.
I cannot really recommend Ancient, Strange, and Lovely. It was overall an enjoyable read, the characters strong and interesting, but at the end of the novel the whole thing rang false.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that AS&L is set in the near-future real world. This was extremely jarring. The previous books were clearly a fantastic land with its own geography, history, and so forth, and yet now the main plot device has been transplanted into Eugene, Oregon. Granted, a Eugene that is happening in the future, but still one with recognizable technology, brand name foods, and an internet that works exactly like our internet (so not that far in the future).
Okay, so all of that was weird, but the writing was good, the characters once more enjoyable, and dragons are awesome. Then, partway through the book, we discover that one of the characters has read Susan Fletcher's other dragon novels.
I almost put the book down in disgust then and there. Aside from the sheer hubris of having one of your own characters read your novels, this little detail opens up a huge world of continuity problems. Did Dragon's Milk happen in our world after all (it certainly follows no recognizable geography, ethnicity, or culture that I can think of, if so)? Or if Dragon's Milk was fiction, then how the hell did it get all the details so exactly right? The problems go on.
If Ancient, Strange, and Lovely had been set in a world very similar to ours but with different names, it would have worked. If the characters had never heard of Susan Fletcher's earlier books (in the same series, no less), it would have worked on the strength of the writing and the characters with the setting just a niggling annoyance. But the conflagration of a real-world setting with knowledge of books written in the same series really badly harmed the overall believability of the novel. Nothing after that point in the book really rang true; instead, the curtain having been thrown aside, plot points felt contrived and doubt was thrown on the previous books in the series, as well.
I cannot really recommend Ancient, Strange, and Lovely. It was overall an enjoyable read, the characters strong and interesting, but at the end of the novel the whole thing rang false.
May 13, 2015
DNF at page 152.
Pretty cool setup as far as the premise goes but I wasn't wild about the girl or the writing. I finished Part 1 Egg and Part II Lizard but I just don't like it. I hated how overly naive the girl was just to learn she has a rare egg which she already knew. The family was so contrived that I hurt to read about them. I did like the kenning but it just wasn't enough to carry me through. The plot became so contrived that I even began to dislike the dragon!!
I liked the accuracy of the baby, the egg, molting, feeding and the wings, but it wasn't enough to keep me.
BOTTOM LINE: When I could see Cap and his twin's story a mile away I was done. I'm just not interested enough.
Pretty cool setup as far as the premise goes but I wasn't wild about the girl or the writing. I finished Part 1 Egg and Part II Lizard but I just don't like it. I hated how overly naive the girl was just to learn she has a rare egg which she already knew. The family was so contrived that I hurt to read about them. I did like the kenning but it just wasn't enough to carry me through. The plot became so contrived that I even began to dislike the dragon!!
I liked the accuracy of the baby, the egg, molting, feeding and the wings, but it wasn't enough to keep me.
BOTTOM LINE: When I could see Cap and his twin's story a mile away I was done. I'm just not interested enough.
January 3, 2018
I really enjoyed Susan Fletcher's Dragon Chronicles series when I was in middle school, and after re-reading them today, I still do. This more modern take on the series was very unique and interesting, and didn't feel like a total re-tread of the previous stories. I think the made up slang is seismic awesome, and I'd be curious to read more stories set in this somewhat dystopian world.
June 22, 2021
This may contain spoilers.
I have read this once but have the whole collection on my bookshelf, I love them all but this is my favorite my mother has read all of these except this one but I plan on reading them to her I love how she pretends her pet is a real lizard and the reliavite her friend Sasha is the best and their journey with the poachers is strange. I guess that this family they are descendents of either Keldra (that might not be spelled right) or Lyf, either way you have to guess, sorry if I blabble a bit.
I have read this once but have the whole collection on my bookshelf, I love them all but this is my favorite my mother has read all of these except this one but I plan on reading them to her I love how she pretends her pet is a real lizard and the reliavite her friend Sasha is the best and their journey with the poachers is strange. I guess that this family they are descendents of either Keldra (that might not be spelled right) or Lyf, either way you have to guess, sorry if I blabble a bit.
April 19, 2013
Ancient, strange, and lovely
Susan Fletcher
As long as Bryn can remember the members of her family have possessed the unique talent of kenning or communicating with birds. Each child receives a bird at the age of five, Bryn’s is a cockatiel named Stella. After Bryn’s biologist mother disappears while on a research mission in Alaska, her father leaves Bryn and her younger sister with their Aunt Penn while he goes off to find out what happened. Late one night a mysterious thumping noise coming from the basement sends Bryn and Stella exploring through boxes of research material sent from Alaska. Amongst them she finds an egg, a very large egg which produces a faint thrumming noise. This egg is connected to her mom and is perhaps why she suddenly vanished and must be kept secret from Aunt Penn, so Bryn confides in the only person she can trust, her mom’s lab assistant, Taj. When word gets out to the wrong people about this egg and what the creature might be, things spiral quickly out of control putting Bryn and her critter in terrible danger. Her schoolmate, Sasha, agrees to drive her up to a ferry in Washington so Bryn can get to Alaska and find help. Because of her ability to ken with birds, Bryn and her baby dragon form a strong bond. This stand alone title in the “Dragon Chronicles” series written more than ten years after “The sign of the dove,” proves that the author is a true master of the dragon tale. Bryn is a brave, genuine, modern heroine, one whom young readers will love. The baby dragon is a character as real as any person and will tug at the heart strings. It is a wild ride which will have readers on the edge of their seats.
Susan Fletcher
As long as Bryn can remember the members of her family have possessed the unique talent of kenning or communicating with birds. Each child receives a bird at the age of five, Bryn’s is a cockatiel named Stella. After Bryn’s biologist mother disappears while on a research mission in Alaska, her father leaves Bryn and her younger sister with their Aunt Penn while he goes off to find out what happened. Late one night a mysterious thumping noise coming from the basement sends Bryn and Stella exploring through boxes of research material sent from Alaska. Amongst them she finds an egg, a very large egg which produces a faint thrumming noise. This egg is connected to her mom and is perhaps why she suddenly vanished and must be kept secret from Aunt Penn, so Bryn confides in the only person she can trust, her mom’s lab assistant, Taj. When word gets out to the wrong people about this egg and what the creature might be, things spiral quickly out of control putting Bryn and her critter in terrible danger. Her schoolmate, Sasha, agrees to drive her up to a ferry in Washington so Bryn can get to Alaska and find help. Because of her ability to ken with birds, Bryn and her baby dragon form a strong bond. This stand alone title in the “Dragon Chronicles” series written more than ten years after “The sign of the dove,” proves that the author is a true master of the dragon tale. Bryn is a brave, genuine, modern heroine, one whom young readers will love. The baby dragon is a character as real as any person and will tug at the heart strings. It is a wild ride which will have readers on the edge of their seats.
December 1, 2010
Bryn comes from a family with a secret, not a dark or dangerous secret, but one that might have resulted in some of her ancestors being burned at the stake. Her family’s secret is that members of Bryn’s family can psychically communicate with birds. Unfortunately, keeping this secret causes Bryn to be reclusive and something of an outcast in school. The drama in Bryn’s life doesn’t end with this though, in fact, Bryn’s Mom goes missing in Alaska and her father runs off to find her. While, this might be difficult for any teen, things get even more complicated when one dark night Bryn finds an egg in one of her mother’s boxes. The egg hatches and a baby dragon is thrust into Bryn’s care. Now Bryn must deal with a new born dragon, not fitting in at school and a mother and father that have disappeared.
Fletcher tells an interesting story about not fitting in, and Bryn’s family secret definitely provides a reason for her family’s reclusiveness. Although, at time the angst that Fletcher creates does seem to be a little overdone. However, this minor issue does not take away from enjoying the story. Furthermore, the writing style that Fletcher uses is simple but not to the point that it feels dumbed-down for teen readers. The age range that this novel seems to be geared toward is younger teen 11-15, however, older teens might enjoy this title. Ancient, Strange, and Lovely is a good read for any teen interested in a light urban fantasy novel.
Fletcher tells an interesting story about not fitting in, and Bryn’s family secret definitely provides a reason for her family’s reclusiveness. Although, at time the angst that Fletcher creates does seem to be a little overdone. However, this minor issue does not take away from enjoying the story. Furthermore, the writing style that Fletcher uses is simple but not to the point that it feels dumbed-down for teen readers. The age range that this novel seems to be geared toward is younger teen 11-15, however, older teens might enjoy this title. Ancient, Strange, and Lovely is a good read for any teen interested in a light urban fantasy novel.
January 21, 2019
This latest in the saga of the dragons brings us Bryn, a young teen in a family which "kens" birds, which they keep secret in the same way the earlier humans did.
When the story opens, Bryn's parents have disappeared, and she and her sister live with her aunt, who dislikes the idea of kenning. One night, though, Bryn and her sister Piper dig through some boxes sent from Alaska that contain her mother's research. An egg. A big one. What is it?
I got the school, being alone, and friendless, but Sasha was cool, if weird. I really didn't get the tants, but it was a phase.
What pegged the story though was the horrible, nosy, interfering, busybody of an innkeeper.
It had a soft ending, but I didn't really care for it. Overall much of the last half of the book felt rushed to lead to the soft ending which was still sweet - but left the reader to think.
When the story opens, Bryn's parents have disappeared, and she and her sister live with her aunt, who dislikes the idea of kenning. One night, though, Bryn and her sister Piper dig through some boxes sent from Alaska that contain her mother's research. An egg. A big one. What is it?
I got the school, being alone, and friendless, but Sasha was cool, if weird. I really didn't get the tants, but it was a phase.
What pegged the story though was the horrible, nosy, interfering, busybody of an innkeeper.
It had a soft ending, but I didn't really care for it. Overall much of the last half of the book felt rushed to lead to the soft ending which was still sweet - but left the reader to think.
February 3, 2025
3.5/5
A competent novel with a naturally intriguing premise that finishes with an offensively lax ending. It underutilizes the setting of a bloodline of bird-whisperers -- it seemed like it was just sort of "there", to link the book to its preceding trilogy. I was also left cold by the book's contrived, unconvincing attempts at in-universe slang and pop-culture.
A competent novel with a naturally intriguing premise that finishes with an offensively lax ending. It underutilizes the setting of a bloodline of bird-whisperers -- it seemed like it was just sort of "there", to link the book to its preceding trilogy. I was also left cold by the book's contrived, unconvincing attempts at in-universe slang and pop-culture.
September 16, 2018
Maybe it's just been too long since I read the others. I collected the first three books when I was younger and I loved them and reread them a lot way back when. This one felt different, outside of the modern day perspective. I don't mind the time period aspect, but the writing just didn't impress me. A bit of a depressing note to end on, if it's the end of the series.
May 4, 2011
Not as good as the others in the series.
March 2, 2014
Quite interesting, though not nearly as compelling as the first 3 books.
February 15, 2014
Ugh... This would have been a great book but having read the first three beforehand it seemed terrible. If I had read this first than the other three it would have been much better.
March 28, 2022
It's almost like this one tried a little too hard. It's my least favorite of the series.
June 23, 2017
AS&L is the fourth in a series, but since I haven't read the others I can assure you that it reads well as a stand-alone. Set in a mildly dystopian near future (yeah, we're trashing the environment, we get it!), the 14 year old heroine finds herself the caretaker of a newly hatched dragon at a Really inconvenient time. With both parents MIA and other reliable adult help pretty much non existent, she embarks on a cross-country trek to try to return the little guy (who, yes, tends to spit fire at unpredictable intervals) to his mother.
In the end I did not enjoy "Ancient, Strange, and Lovely" as much as the other two Susan Fletcher titles I have read to date (Alphabet of Dreams and Falcon in the Glass), but it certainly had her trademark excellent writing, minor (OK, Major) fantasy elements, and very well drawn teen-aged heroine. Unlike so many authors - not only in the YA category, and more's the pity - Fletcher's narrators never spew long expository paragraphs explaining her characters' backgrounds, actions, emotions, or motivations. Ever. It's like a breath of fresh air to actually be allowed to draw conclusions for yourself!
I actually devoured the majority of this book in one afternoon and evening. It's pretty fast paced, and I was eager to find out how the rather impossible situation was to be resolved.
I probably wouldn't offer this - or any - of Fletcher's books to kids under 12 or 13 years of age, but I have a feeling my teen-aged niece would love them, and there's plenty for adult readers to appreciate as well.
In the end I did not enjoy "Ancient, Strange, and Lovely" as much as the other two Susan Fletcher titles I have read to date (Alphabet of Dreams and Falcon in the Glass), but it certainly had her trademark excellent writing, minor (OK, Major) fantasy elements, and very well drawn teen-aged heroine. Unlike so many authors - not only in the YA category, and more's the pity - Fletcher's narrators never spew long expository paragraphs explaining her characters' backgrounds, actions, emotions, or motivations. Ever. It's like a breath of fresh air to actually be allowed to draw conclusions for yourself!
I actually devoured the majority of this book in one afternoon and evening. It's pretty fast paced, and I was eager to find out how the rather impossible situation was to be resolved.
I probably wouldn't offer this - or any - of Fletcher's books to kids under 12 or 13 years of age, but I have a feeling my teen-aged niece would love them, and there's plenty for adult readers to appreciate as well.
January 22, 2020
Unlike the other stories, this fourth book in the series took place in modern times ,unlike the others which took place in ancient times. However this switch from ancient to modern at the last minute was so jaring that it was kind of disorientating. with today’s technology your dragon can’t possibly live peacefully. As it shows in the book. Still the story is this a girl bryn following an ancient gift that runs in her blood lines for generations upon generations can communicate with dragons and birds . She Calls the Kyning.
Her mother a researcher at a university find san ancient cave with fossil eggs ,they look like ostrich eggs and she brings one of the fossil eggs home with her. however her mother goes missing after a certain amount of time presumed dead and finally the egg is ready to hatch in Bryn’s aunt Pen’s basement!!! her fathers off in Alaska trying to find her mother and her mother’s partner is being slowly manipulated out of the research in the university that they work for. With so many plots around her bryn is alone in trying to survive and take care of this little being
Her mother a researcher at a university find san ancient cave with fossil eggs ,they look like ostrich eggs and she brings one of the fossil eggs home with her. however her mother goes missing after a certain amount of time presumed dead and finally the egg is ready to hatch in Bryn’s aunt Pen’s basement!!! her fathers off in Alaska trying to find her mother and her mother’s partner is being slowly manipulated out of the research in the university that they work for. With so many plots around her bryn is alone in trying to survive and take care of this little being
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2024
I had never read any books by this author before, so I looked up some Goodreads reviews and found a number that were disappointed because this stand alone disrupted the flow of a previous series, in the reviewers' opinions. Since this is the first book I have read by Fletcher, I was able to assess it in its own context. The storyline is compelling, a close knit family with a secret ability to ken with birds is surrounded by mystery in the form of missing parents and a hatching dragon egg. The protagonist, Bryn, struggles meaningfully with her identity and her family's issues. The one person who reaches out, Sasha, is fully her own person and becomes a good friend. The liberal use of imagined teen slang doesn't flow and many of the teen/young adult peers are one dimensional. But that is really background static. The heart of the story is the relationship between Bryn and the young dragon, a creature truly ancient, strange, and lovely, to quote one of the most beautiful phrases ever written. The depth of their relationship makes the reader truly see the magnificence of the dragon and the importance of honoring the earth and the creatures which call it home.
August 22, 2024
As the only book in this series that I did not read as a kid, I’m kinda glad I didn’t. After the previous books being set in fantasy, it was a bit jarring for the setting of this book to be a near-future VERY ecologically damaged USA. It didn’t even feel like I was properly introduced to the world, it was just kind of thrown at you without explanation and you were expected to follow along. Also felt a bit weird that the OG trilogy was referenced by characters in this book which makes continuity a bit odd. Overall I think this had potential but didn’t live up to the original three books.
July 11, 2017
I love Susan Fletcher's work, she has a way for taking the dragons off of the page, into my bedroom, bouncing around the room. Ancient Strange and Lovely was an amazing addition to the dragon chronicles series, Dragons milk will always be my favorite for the series, but this is a close second. Bryn was a relatable heroine, and Mr.Lizard was a wonderful addition to the Dragon chronicle dragons, and is definitely on par with Ember Pyro and Sage.
May 10, 2018
I was on the edge of my chair for this whole book!
I love reading stories that I just can't quite put down and this was one of those stories.
I started into it and then slurped it right down in an afternoon of great reading. It was believable and very real world built. I loved it! You will too.
I love reading stories that I just can't quite put down and this was one of those stories.
I started into it and then slurped it right down in an afternoon of great reading. It was believable and very real world built. I loved it! You will too.
October 31, 2019
Was it strictly necessary to add to the series? No, but I did like it. It follows the same exact formula as the other three but you know what? It works. And this time it’s got an added Fuck Climate Change vibe to it which is pretty cool
April 8, 2019
I liked it, but the first three will always be my classic go to's
February 21, 2024
The "teenage slang" is really cringey and distracting
March 18, 2024
Read this YEARS ago when i was smol and had no taste so idk if its actually good or not but i do remember really enjoying it
December 12, 2017
Did not care for this book at all.
December 3, 2011
I loved the first three books in The Dragon Chronicles, so I was prepared to sit back, relax, and savor this new entry. That didn't happen. There was no sitting back or relaxing here. I was leaning forward, heart thudding, eyes glued to the pages throughout.
Ancient, Strange, and Lovely takes place in the near future. Bryn knows that her family is different. They have a secret. They can "ken" with birds, touching their minds, bonding, and finding companionship with a particular bird. At the beginning of the story Bryn's scientist mother has gone missing in the wilds of Alaska. Her father has taken up the search and soon he is missing also.
When Bryn's bird Stella starts acting strangely and leads her to the basement where a mysteriously large egg is hatching, Bryn is not prepared to care for the unusual lizard which emerges. It isn't long before she is on the run, heading for Alaska in an attempt to find someone who can help to care for this critter, which she is suspecting is really a dragon.
I sat up reading late into the night to find out what happens to Bryn and "the critter." Readers of the the first three volumes will have extra knowledge of the distant past events which led up to this book. But, it is a stand-alone and won't need the other volumes to make sense. (Although you are going to want to go back and read them, once you reach the end of Ancient, Strange, and Lovely!)
I very satisfying read!
Ancient, Strange, and Lovely takes place in the near future. Bryn knows that her family is different. They have a secret. They can "ken" with birds, touching their minds, bonding, and finding companionship with a particular bird. At the beginning of the story Bryn's scientist mother has gone missing in the wilds of Alaska. Her father has taken up the search and soon he is missing also.
When Bryn's bird Stella starts acting strangely and leads her to the basement where a mysteriously large egg is hatching, Bryn is not prepared to care for the unusual lizard which emerges. It isn't long before she is on the run, heading for Alaska in an attempt to find someone who can help to care for this critter, which she is suspecting is really a dragon.
I sat up reading late into the night to find out what happens to Bryn and "the critter." Readers of the the first three volumes will have extra knowledge of the distant past events which led up to this book. But, it is a stand-alone and won't need the other volumes to make sense. (Although you are going to want to go back and read them, once you reach the end of Ancient, Strange, and Lovely!)
I very satisfying read!
January 4, 2016
16-year-old Bryn’s parents have disappeared into the wilds of Alaska – first her mother, now her father – and she’s left with a basement full of her mother’s research materials, one of which is a strange egg. When Bryn realizes that it’s hatching, she tries to find a safe place for the strange not-quite-a-bird-not-quite-a-lizard creature that emerges. Before she can make arrangements, the creature is discovered and Bryn is forced to flee. She decides to seek out the last person who had contact with her parents – a professor in Anchorage – and take the creature to him. She has to keep the critter hidden because it’s pretty obviously a dragon and there are all kinds of poachers, collectors, etc. who would love to get their hands on it. The bond between Bryn and the creature strengthens as they travel and they “ken” to one another (a form of mind-to-mind communication that Bryn and her family use with birds, which also seems to work with the creature).
Suspenseful and exciting! Readers will long for their own dragon companions. There’s a powerful message, too, about caring for the environment and its creatures that people of our time/world should definitely take to heart. Other books in this series include: Dragon’s Milk, Flight of the Dragon Kyn, and Sign of the Dove.
Suspenseful and exciting! Readers will long for their own dragon companions. There’s a powerful message, too, about caring for the environment and its creatures that people of our time/world should definitely take to heart. Other books in this series include: Dragon’s Milk, Flight of the Dragon Kyn, and Sign of the Dove.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2012
"My hand moved, all on its own, to train the flashlight on Mom and Dad's bedroom window.
Empty.
Dark.
I stood staring at it, breathing in the smell of distant deserts, trying to hold it all together.
Sometimes you never do find out what's happened.
Sometimes, you just never know." (Fletcher, Ancient Strange and Lovely, p.13).
Susan Fletcher's lyrical wordsmithing is a delight, as always, in this forth dragon chronicles work. There are many moments when I find myself falling as deeply into my own thoughts as the main character, Bryn. The book moves along a clip, but not too fast, with good interesting characters. You are not sure up to the end exactly what will happen.
I did feel that the use of "seismic this and that" was a bit forced. Bryn, being an isolated child, did not really seem the sort for the vernacular. It was almost as though Susan Fletcher was trying too hard. At first it distracted me, but by the end, I was so immersed in the story and accepting of the world she had created, that it no longer bothered me.
Without spoiling anything, I'm glad to say the resolution was satisfying and suitable for middle grade audiences.
I would give this 3 1/2 stars, maybe 4.
Empty.
Dark.
I stood staring at it, breathing in the smell of distant deserts, trying to hold it all together.
Sometimes you never do find out what's happened.
Sometimes, you just never know." (Fletcher, Ancient Strange and Lovely, p.13).
Susan Fletcher's lyrical wordsmithing is a delight, as always, in this forth dragon chronicles work. There are many moments when I find myself falling as deeply into my own thoughts as the main character, Bryn. The book moves along a clip, but not too fast, with good interesting characters. You are not sure up to the end exactly what will happen.
I did feel that the use of "seismic this and that" was a bit forced. Bryn, being an isolated child, did not really seem the sort for the vernacular. It was almost as though Susan Fletcher was trying too hard. At first it distracted me, but by the end, I was so immersed in the story and accepting of the world she had created, that it no longer bothered me.
Without spoiling anything, I'm glad to say the resolution was satisfying and suitable for middle grade audiences.
I would give this 3 1/2 stars, maybe 4.
April 25, 2022
"The language of birds is ancient, strange, and lovely, bearing equal parts heartbreak and joy."
I was kind of sad when I read this that it wasn't set in the same timeline as the original trilogy, but then I thought it was cool to see a mythical creature transported to a more present/futuristic time. We don't normally see dragons in times outside the past or more simplistic worlds. I mean, I guess there was that one dystopian movie where dragons were burning everything because they ate ash? But the only thing I remember about was that I hated it.
The synopsis states that it's a standalone, and while it's true that, because it takes place in a completely different era than the original three books, I liked having background knowledge of kenning and why Bryn can ken with dragons, as well as birds.
It's not necessary to read the original trilogy, but they're amazing, too, so you'll definitely want to.
I was kind of sad when I read this that it wasn't set in the same timeline as the original trilogy, but then I thought it was cool to see a mythical creature transported to a more present/futuristic time. We don't normally see dragons in times outside the past or more simplistic worlds. I mean, I guess there was that one dystopian movie where dragons were burning everything because they ate ash? But the only thing I remember about was that I hated it.
The synopsis states that it's a standalone, and while it's true that, because it takes place in a completely different era than the original three books, I liked having background knowledge of kenning and why Bryn can ken with dragons, as well as birds.
It's not necessary to read the original trilogy, but they're amazing, too, so you'll definitely want to.
November 24, 2015
Wow, I don't know what I expected from this fourth book in the Dragon Chronicles, but it was nothing like this! I started reading and as soon as they placed it in Alaska I did a double take. Wait, Alaska? The previous books took place in what I thought was a different world, not our un-magical one. Adventures taking place in countries of a medieval time in some fantastical realm. Nope! At first I kind of balked at it, how dare they take away the magic and wonder of the world we knew with Kaeldra and Kara?! Then, the more I read the book, the more I appreciated it was set in a not-too-distant future of our own world. It brought magic to the very place we live, un-magical and slowly being ruined through pollution and warfare. The suspense was at its best in this book and it was quite the adventure!
March 2, 2012
This was another YA fiction book, and once again, I enjoyed it. This is a stand-alone companion to a trilogy, and after reading this one, I will read the trilogy. This was fast-paced and exciting without being too scary. There was nothing inappropriate about it for the audience it was written for, and the plot was just different enough from other dragon stories to be fresh and keep me interested. I liked that the story was resolved satisfactorily while leaving enough to the imagination that it was enjoyable. There were a few parts of the story that I feel couldn't been expanded upon, some just a little bit, and others quite significantly, but again, for the target audience, it is fine as it is and doesn't really detract from the story.
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