Dragon Rider

Dragon Rider
(original German title: Drachenreiter)
By Cornelia Funke
Translated by Anthea Bell
The Chicken House, a division of Scholastic, Inc., 2004

I was first introduced to Cornelia Funke's writing in Inkheart, easily one of the most fun and original contemporary fantasies out there. Her writing style, which thankfully survived the English translation mostly intact, hooked me instantly, and her memorable characters danced around in my mind long after I had shut the book. So needless to say, I put her on my "Authors to Watch For" list... and was overjoyed to discover the little gem that is Dragon Rider.

Before you ask, no, this is not another ripoff of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern saga. This is a purely terrestrial story populated by the classic characters of mythology, even if they are given their own special and unique twists.

The story follows Firedrake, a young silver dragon who seeks the Rim of Heaven, the last safe haven for dragons, before the valley where he and his fellows live is flooded by humans. Accompanying him on his journey are Sorrel, a cat-like quarrelsome brownie, and Ben, a homeless human boy. Along the way they are aided by creatures both fantastic and ordinary -- a rat with a knack for cartography, a scientist obsessed with faery beasts, a thousand-eyed djinn, and more. And the entire way they are pursued by the cruel and ruthless Nettlebrand, a gold dragon who seeks the Rim of Heaven in order to destroy the last of the dragons.

The only improvement I could see to be done in Dragon Rider is for Ben's past to be expounded on a little more. We know he is homeless and without a family, but how he reached that state is never brought to light. Unless Funke is planning on adding a sequel, of course, in which case I'll completely forgive her that oversight.

Dragon lovers must read this book!