The Dragonling Collector's Edition, Volume 1
The Dragonling series, Books 1 - 3
Jackie French Koller
Pocket Books (Minstrel)
Fiction, CH Fantasy
Themes: Dragons
****
Description
Young Darek lives in a world dominated by fear of dragons. They're very real, here, as real as the twin moons in night skies over the land of Zoria. For
generations, Zorian boys have proven themselves heroes and men on their dragonquest, a coming-of-age ritual that has taken many lives. Those who survive come
home with the claws of such beasts as the Red Fanged, Yellow Crowned, or even the rare Great Blue dragons, largest of them all. Clep, Darek's twelve-year-old
brother, has just returned from his own dragonquest, where he was the Marksman who felled a Great Blue. What a feat - and how it makes young Darek burn, that
he's still too young for his own hunt!
Jealous Darek goes out that night to look at the corpse and dream of his own quest, when he makes a startling discovery. The dragon was a mother, and her
newborn dragonling is still alive, hiding in her pouch! He doesn't seem like the bloodthirsty beast the boy has been told about, but he's only a young dragon,
and no doubt he's going to grow to the size of his mother and become a threat to everyone. Though only nine years old, Darek must undertake a dragonquest of
his own to return the young Zantor to the Valley of the Dragons, and find him a new mother. Little does he know just how much trouble his good intentions will
cause... not just for himself, but for his entire village and dragonkind alike.
This was originally published as three books: The Dragonling, A Dragon in the Family, and Dragon Quest.
Review
This is a good story for younger readers, if a trifle dated around the edges. The plot moves fairly quickly, and Darek learns some important lessons, as do the people of his village. If the tale or the characters aren't startlingly original, well, these books are pitched to an audience too young to care. Any kid who has ever dreamed of owning a pet dragon will find this book enchanting. The only drawback is the cliffhanger ending. I recommend buying both Volumes 1 and 2 of the collector's editions, so you aren't left hanging.