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Shadow of the Dragon – Internet Review

Shadow of the Dragon by Kate O’Hearn

Shadow of the Dragons has a little bit of everything, romance, mystery, adventure, and more. Kira and Elspeth are the main characters that are leading a rebellion to abolish an unfair law. During their adventure, they visit the future, past, and back to the present following a prophecy. This is an interesting book and every page leaves you wanting more. With an unexpected ending, this book is wonderful to read!

Shadow of the Dragon caught my attention from page one! I can honestly say I didn’t want to put it down. The main characters (Kira and Elspeth) really are exciting and make the story all the better. The author, Kate O’Hearn, really excelled on this story. The story is not only original and exciting, but it also presents an unexpected twist. This book left me wanting more, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone.

Reviewer Age:13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Mineola, TX Wood

UK Amazon Reviews

‘An action packed, gripping adventure story bringing the world of fantasy directly to a young female readership. Kate O’Hearn is perhaps the Anne McAffrey for the twenty-first century.’
By: (School Librarian )

‘… packed with action’
By: (Carousel )

‘This is a fine tale of high fantasy … catches your imagination and heart.’
By: (Kiss the Book )

‘This exhilarating story captures the reader’s interest from the opening interaction between Kira and her parents to the breathless conclusion.’
By: (VOYA )

‘exciting and fast paced’
By: (School Library Journal )

This Book is full of suspense and it is hard to put the book down. Kate O’Hearn puts the reader into the book and is a fantastic writer. It is about a magical world with dragons and wizards with a young girl called Kira who doesn’t believe that the world she is living in is fair. It is ruled by a King who is frightened -but why?

Kira unlocks the Kings secrets and plots against him.

This Book is a must-read.
By: “The Bug”

Admittedly, this book was written for young adults, but if you want a gripping read then try it. This debut novel by a very talented author will have you under its spell from the very first page. The characters are refreshingly realistic, from Kira, the brave young heroine to Dane, and Paradon, the loveable wizard whose spells have a terrible habit of going awfully wrong. Not forgetting, of course, Ferarchie, the rogue dragon and Jinx, his loveable offspring. There’s Elspeth, with her gift of being able to communicate with animals, and the dragon knights. Evil Lord Dorcon, in fact, everything you could wish for a truly enchanting read! Boys, girls, and adults alike are certain to enjoy this enthralling novel. If one had to sum this book up in one word, it would have to be ‘magic!’ I can’t wait to read the sequel. Keep it up, Ms O’Hearn!
By: Rosie Goodwin

Bought this book for my 9 year old son as the author was coming to his school. The book arrived on Friday while he was at school and he had finished it by Saturday tea time! He loved it and is now reading book 2. If you like fantasy adventure type books you will love this!
By: Mrs. Debra Carter

My son is 9 and this is the first time he’s read a book that he described as “so great, I want to read it again”!
By: S. Milne

I thought this book was fantastic. I wish I could have been on this adventure as I would of loved to have met all the characters that Kira and Elspeth met. Shadow of a Dragon is very well written and is one of the best books I have read and I read a lot. I can’t wait to read the next book. This is a great read for both girls, boys and adults as there are heroines, heroes, dragons, castles, knights and magic and loads more.
By: Oliver

US Amazon Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 5–8—Kira is almost 13 and, by law and at her parents’ insistence, must be married by her birthday or be sent to prison. She is devastated as she secretly dreams of working with dragons, though she knows it’s illegal. She goes for a walk, followed by her younger sister, Elspeth, who tends to shadow Kira’s every move. While they are gone, their family is captured by Lord Dorcon, who believes that Kira’s father has wronged him. Her father and brother are sent to the dragon army, a sister is imprisoned, and their mother is made a servant. Kira and Elspeth flee to a mountain where a rogue dragon lives, and Elspeth’s powers with animals allow them to tame one of his offspring. The girls are befriended by a wizard who tells them of a prophecy that a girl with a dragon will bring down the king. The sisters and their brother Dane separately begin to bring about what the king fears most: the loss of his kingdom and power. The story alternates narratives between Kira and Dane, which serves to heighten the suspense as things race toward a confrontation. At times the events seem a bit too convenient, but on the whole the adventure is exciting and fast paced. The characters are well rounded and believable. Shadow will be popular with fans of Anne McCaffrey’s “Harper Hall” trilogy (S & S).—Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ END

I really enjoyed this book. As a young girl I so would have liked to have had a book like this to read. Now in my early 50’s I so enjoyed reading. It is magical, thought provoking and gives hope to all little girls that they can use their skills to be whom they are supposed to be.
By: Delphine Herman

I absolutely loved it! I couldn’t put it down until I finished it (one day later). The characters are so well thought up! The evil characters were very believable and still exciting until the very end! If there was a six star review that would be what I would rate it! I highly recommend this book to adventure readers such as myself!
By: A kids Review

I really enjoyed this story about these two sisters. I listened to the audio download and can’t wait for book 2. A great story with strong female characters. Adventure, magic, dragons….awesome!
By: Lives in Libraryland

Shadow of the Dragon – Kira

Review by Loralei Haylock of Bookbag www.thebookbag.co.uk

Girls get a raw deal in Kira’s world. They can’t leave their homes without an escort and they can only travel to neighbouring villages. They can’t be educated, they can’t hunt or fight, or do anything considered boyish. They must be married by the age of thirteen, and under no circumstances are they allowed near dragons. This is the First Law and the penalty for breaking it is death.

Kira is twelve and doesn’t want to be married. She wants to be a Dragon Knight, like her father before her. If she can’t go to the palace to train, then she will go to the Rogue Mountain and tame Ferarchie, the most vicious dragon ever to curse the land.

But then the evil Lord Dorcon burns her home to the ground. Kira and her younger sister Elspeth escape, but the rest of their family aren’t so lucky. Their parents are taken away to the palace of the cruel king, their brother Dane is sent to war, and their other sister Kahrin is sent to Lasser Commons, a terrible prison, where she awaits execution.

So begins a rollercoaster of an adventure, following Kira and Elspeth as they struggle to evade Lord Dorcon as he tries to hunt them down. Their journey takes them through the wilderness, to the summit of the Rogue Mountain, and to a magician’s castle where the stairs go nowhere and the doors lead to different places depending on which way you walk through them.

This first part of the Shadow of the Dragon series has all the action and magic you would expect from a fantasy adventure story. The pace is relentless from the moment the book opens with Kira’s cry of: I don’t want to get married! But alongside this page turning drama are a number of elements that add depth and originality to the tale.

Kira’s struggle to protect her little sister as they are pursued by knights and nearly eaten by dragons adds a very human element to the story, and the trials and terrors of war faced by their older brother, Dane, are as gritty and realistic as they can be, given the fight is on dragon back.

It’s also nice to see a book that doesn’t romanticise dragons. Too many fantasy novels treat them as kind and friendly towards humans. It’s refreshing to see them portrayed as wild, unpredictable animals, controlled by human ruthlessness.

On the surface, this book could be viewed as a simple adventure story, but more astute readers will notice the undercurrents of serious issues O’Hearn explores. From human rights and slavery to animal cruelty, this book encourages the reader to think about the injustices of the world without being preachy. It seems to be a trend with good children’s authors recently to encourage thinking, rather than just providing pleasant escapism, and the books we get as a result are all the better for it.

This first adventure sets a benchmark, and if O’Hearn can continue to match it, or better it, then Shadow of the Dragon looks set to be a fantastic fantasy series for children. I bet the cliffhanger ending has plenty of kids waiting eagerly for the next part already.

My thanks to the publishers for sending a copy of this book.