In their unending struggle to control the ultimate power, wizard brothers Nunn and Ober turn neighbor against neighbor in the sleepy village of Chestnut Circle, a situation that is complicated when a destructive dragon attacks. Reprint.
Craig Shaw Gardner was born in Rochester, New York and lived there until 1967, when he moved to Boston, MA to attend Boston University. He graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Broadcasting and Film. He has continued to reside in Boston since that time.
He published his first story in 1977 while he held a number of jobs: shipper/receiver for a men's suit manufacturer, working in hospital public relations, running a stat camera, and also managed of a couple of bookstores: The Million Year Picnic and Science Fantasy Bookstore.
As of 1987 he became a full time writer, and since then he has published more than 30 novels and more than 50 short stories.
Like most middle books in a trilogy, this is a bit weaker than its predecessor. The stakes are rising as more mysterious green gems known as "dragon eyes" are found by various members of the Chestnut Circle neighborhood that was transported into this new world. There is a lot of traveling and rearranging of the players so it is like a giant chessboard. It's interesting, but also a bit emotionally distancing. The dragon remains frustratingly ambiguous, and I hope that all this build-up pays off. At this point, it could go either way.
I do wish that I had a better idea of how old the kids are because Todd, Nick, Jason, and Mary Lou are moving into pivotal positions, but some of Nick and Todd's romantic interactions with Maggie, a militia Volunteer with a checkered past from 1909, and Sala, an abused girl from another island, make them sound like they are 17-19, but then other moments they seem more like 13-16. It's more of a pet peeve/annoyance of mine and is a minor complaint.
I am surprised this trilogy does not seem to be so popular, I stumbled upon this series down at an Atlantic City Book store, and am quiet happy I have, book two of the Dragon Circle continues its wonderful adventures in the unknown lands ruled by wizards. When fate seems to be controlled by the Dragon, the neighbors struggle for a battle to acquire the remaining Dragon Stones. With interesting character development, and chapter after chapter of excitement and suspense. I truly enjoyed this installment more then the first book. What seems like average characters in the first book become vibrant important powerful characters in the second. I feel ever more attached to the characters such as Oomgosh, Nick and Todd.
second in the trilogy. The neighbors split into smaller groups and travel in search of the powerful stones know as Dragon's eyes. Troubles are found, travails are overcome. Most of the group comes together to move into the next book.