Dragon Rider

Cornelia Funke (author)

Anthea Bell (translator)

Chicken House Press, UK: 2004; 527pp

ISBN: 1903434904

Genres: adventure, fantasy

Issues: environment, friendship

The few remaining silver dragons are in danger. Their damp and distant valley is about to be invaded by humans, who want to turn it into a dam.

If even this isolated place is no longer safe, where are the dragons to go? Is there anywhere in the world that has not been taken over by the young, brash and acquisitive humans?

Following the dim memories of the oldest dragon, young Firedrake, accompanied very reluctantly by Sorrel, his brownie companion, go in search of the mythical Rim of Heaven where it is rumoured that other silver dragons live in safety. On the way they collect a number of strange friends, including young Ben, on orphaned human boy, and Twigleg, a strange little creature called a Homunculus. Together they journey far and wide, visiting many strange and dangerous places, collecting curious stories and local knowledge, each step bringing them closer to the place they seek.

A fearsome foe pursues them, however, the terrible Golden One, a dragon-like creature that in fact hunts other dragons. How does this beast always seem to know where to find them? Are they leading it directly to the home of the last of the silver dragons? Is there some way they can defeat this heartless monster before it destroys them all?

Packed with adventure and curious creatures, this is a delightful piece of fantasy for younger readers. Fans of Cornelia Funke should be warned that although only recently translated into English, this is her first novel, written before The Thief Lord and the Inkheart series. As a result the style is less polished, the narrative less complex than may be expected of a novel from this popular German writer. The opening chapters are downright awkward, the dialogue and narration somewhat contrived. The style (or the translation - it is so difficult to tell) improves rapidly, however, with the entrance of young Ben, and the story is so appealing, the characters so engaging, that readers will soon be lost in the enchanted world Funke has created.