A Guest Review of Storm-Dragon

by J. M. Anjewierden, author and librarian

Speaking as a teen librarian – this book is marvelous.

For the boys out there: Here we have a *fun* adventure story about a pair of boys living on a dangerous but beautiful world that constantly gets them into trouble and shenanigans, but boys who are also smart and capable enough to get themselves out of it again.

They’ve got teachers and bullies to deal with, sure, (and teachers who are bullies) not to mention younger sisters that annoy them, but somehow still manage to be likeable. They also have adults who remember what it was like to be young, and help them when the boys need it. They even have parents who not only love their kids, but trust them.

Oh, and let’s not forget the *BIG* thing. They’ve got a baby dragon to take care of, their secret pet.

For the parents looking for good stories for your kids: This book has it all. The boys get to be boys; getting into mischief and so on, but they are still fundamentally good kids. They listen to and respect their parents and protect the smaller kids, and do try to stay out of trouble. It doesn’t sugarcoat the pains of growing up, such as the frequent unfairness of school, but it does emphasize the importance of learning and listening to adults. It also touches on some of the real darkness out in the world without wallowing in it or being too descriptive. It doesn’t talk down to the reader, it doesn’t patronize them, and it has an underlying bedrock of virtues and values that are treated as real and important, but without browbeating the reader about them.

There’s some science fiction dangerous animal/monster peril, and an invading group of raiders, but, again, without being too scary.

It also stays realistic with what the boys can do – absolutely there are things they do to help, important things, but without absurdities like the boys taking down trained soldiers in a fight, or saving the day all on their own. Heroics, not superheroics.

Then there’s the star of the show, the pet dragon character, something many a kid has dreamed about having, or something similar, at any rate.

There’s even humor. I don’t think there is a teen boy alive who won’t at least chuckle at the phrase ‘flaccid tree,’ which is funny yes, but entirely innocent in context.

Speaking as a SF/F author of books for teens myself, this is one of the best books I’ve read in a few years, and one that is well worth checking out. There are bits here I wish I would have written.

No book deserves an audience, they have to earn them. This one earns it, and will entertain and uplift any reader who enjoys old-fashioned adventure.

J. M. Anjewierden spends his days hawking others’ books in his job for the Salt Lake County Library System. It’s a job he loves, and being able to recommend good books is a big part of that. (Being in charge of the weekly Dungeons and Dragons game the library hosts for teens is pretty great too) He has a degree in English from the University of Utah, and a Masters of Library Science from the University of North Texas. At present he lives in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah with his wife and their two children.

Check out Storm-Dragon here!