Elspeth is on her father’s ship headed for Gaul. They have a special passenger on board who hasn’t left his cabin for the entire voyage! Suddenly the worst storm Elspeth has ever seen hit the ship. The ship catches on fire and sinks. She manages to swim to a sea chest that is floating in the waves. She grabs the mysterious passenger and manages to pull him up on the chest as well. The passenger’s name is Edmund. A wizard has seen in a dream that they will wash up on shore and is there to meet them. When he sees the chest covered with magical runes, he is speechless. He knows that the chest contains something very precious, but no one has the power to open the chest. Elspeth simply goes over to the chest and opens it! Inside is a magical crystal sword. The wizard tells her that the sword has chosen her and that it is her destiny to free the land of evil. This is NOT the destiny Elspeth wants. She wants to find her father and be a sailor and eventually a captain of her own ship. Meanwhile, Edmund, who is a prince of a neighboring land, finds he has an unwanted gift as well. He can see through the eyes of others! Edmund’s father is off in the North fighting another enemy, and his mother was sending Edmund to her brother in Gaul to be safe until his father returns.Edmund and Elspeth reluctantly join forces with a traveling minstrel who agrees to see them safely home. However, the forces of evil are all around and the two children are forced to use their new skills to protect themselves against the evil Orgrim, who has unleashed the terrible dragon name Torment in order to rule the world!Susan Huff, Library Media Specialist
The Bookseller describes it thus: "Expert storytelling, encompassing Norse legends, ancient prophecies and an age of dragons makes for an exhilarating read—I can't wait for book two."This book is not a bad book by any means, but neither is it "expert storytelling." It was engaging, but I never felt inexplicably compelled to read on, and never felt the need to read it late into the night to find out what happened next. I'll start with the plot: there is a plot there, certainly, but the vast majority of the book is the three main characters walking, talking, and evading trouble. There is little build to a climax—overall, not enough build-up for very little payoff. As for the characters, I found them, for the most part, uninteresting. Elspeth in particular had a lot of potential, but I never felt like I saw that potential realised. In fact, by far the most interesting character in this book is Cluaran. I would gladly read an entire novel dedicated to him alone. Edmund felt somewhat shoehorned in to give the book a middle-grade appeal (his Ripente power seems to have little to do with the crystal sword and main prophecy except to tie him to the main villain), but I would have enjoyed a book with, perhaps, just Elspeth as the "sword-bearer" and Cluaran as her reluctant protector. This is a solid, well-written middle-grade fantasy, but even as middle grade goes it isn't anything spectacular.
Do You like book The Coming Of Dragons (2007)?
Interesting story! I love the fantasy elements this book has, there’s plenty of magic, battle scenes, magical swords and scary villains that should be avoided at all costs! There’s a LOT of action too, even on the first page of chapter 1 where a dragon is attacking a ship and the main characters struggle for their lives!I grew to like the characters as the story went on. I LOVED how both Elspeth and Edmund have these unwanted gifts and they have to run from countless of dangers because of them. The story was actually pretty scary, especially when the villain kept trying to see through Edmund during his journey!As much as I loved Elspeth’s cool sword and her story, I really found myself liking Edmund's unique ability and back story more so. Preeeeeetty epic.I REALLY LOVE CLUARAN BY THE WAY. He's so mysterious.Despite the book's title, there’s not really much about dragons in it. We only see a dragon at the beginning of the book and at the end. *laughs* Speaking of the end, that cliffhanger was amazing! It made me all the more excited to read the next book!
—Lily
I enjoyed this book when Elspeth was on a jurney with a powerful sord that could destory anything. Tords the end of the story it was really exiting of how the dragon was sommond. Another thing i enjoyed is that Edmund helped Elspeth on her jurney, espeliaty when she was caputred. It was very thrilling to find out what would happen next. I liked how the people in the vilage were hunting Elspeth and Edmund for not giving there money back to the person of the cup game. My last thing that i enjoyed is when they had to hunt for the boars.
—Angela
The book follows Edmund and Elspeth, reluctant heroes both gifted with things they never asked for—or particularly wanted. Their gifts are interesting as is watching them learn to use them, but what really stands out is how grounded they are. Living in a harsher world than the one we know today, both are sensible and tough, yet still children—Elspeth is impulsive, Edmund easily led.This fits well with the historical setting. Its attentiveness to social conventions and the realities of life centuries back make for a sense of realism. Fantasy is woven into this world without altering it significantly, on an everyday level, from what ours once was.Overall, it is a little bit of everything. Is this an action story? Yes. Is it a fantasy? Yes. Is it a coming-of-age story? Well, the series looks to be, and this first book sets the characters down that path.The writing style may put off some readers, because although the book was written recently it matches stylistically with traditional fantasy, not young adult literature. That said, it is perfectly suited to younger readers but may lack the immediacy some have come to expect.
—Deborah
