Editorial Review:

Amazon.com Review:
It's a fantasy, it's long, and it's got dragons in it. Dragon Rider is bound to be another hit book from Cornelia Funke! Ever since the popularity of bestselling fantasies The Thief Lord and Inkheart went global a few years ago, legions of fans have demanded more books from the German author than she can reasonably hope to write each year. So, re-discovering this hefty, earlier novel from 1997 was a logical development--and her keenest readers will devour it as before.

Aimed at slightly younger readers than her previous novels, despite its massive five hundred pages, Dragon Rider is about a brave young dragon called Firedrake who embarks upon a dangerous journey to the Rim of Heaven in the Himalayas--a magical place where silver dragons can rest easy, free from the threat of destruction by mankind and their only hope of sanctuary. The key to its location is a map rendered by a rat who is a master cartographer.

Firedrake is joined on his quest by Ben, an orphaned boy, and Sorrell--a wise-cracking Brownie that is an odd, but ingenious, grumpy kind of fairy. Their journey is not a straightforward one by any means. Created by an alchemist called Petrosius Henbane in 1424, Nettlebrand (a malevolent creature covered in impenetrable gold plates) is their biggest threat--he is intent on destroying them. Nettlebrand is aided by Twigleg, a homunculus who has stowed away in Ben's bag and who is feeding reports on their progress back to his master.

Their exciting encounters are many... It is easy to forgive the narrative's excessive length when readers are gorging on such a wonderfully inventive and readable story from an author who has her readers in the palm of her hand on every page. (Age 9 and over) --John McLay

Product Description:
Firedrake, a young dragon, receives a frightening warning one night: Humans are planning to destroy the valley in which he lives! All the dragons must flee. Their only refuge is a place above the clouds called the Rim of Heaven --- which may not even exist. Firedrake boldly volunteers to go ahead first. As he embarks on his journey, he meets Ben, a runaway boy. Together, the boy & dragon make their way toward the Rim of Heaven, all the while running a step ahead of Nettlebrand, a monster who will stop at nothing to hunt down Firedrake. Their quest will truly become an adventure like no other.

Rating: - Enchanting Adventure
This book is a wonderful read for any age. Cornelia Funke entrances the reader with witty humor, magical phenomenon, and excellent writing. I have enjoyed this story over and over again. It is a wonderful choice for middle school ages especially.

---

Rating: - Overflowing with Whimsical Creatures and Lovable Characters
Once again, Cornelia Funke has enchanted readers (myself included) with her tale of an orphan, a dragon, and a brownie. When the humans discover the dragons' valley, Firedrake, one of the remaining dragons in existence, and his brownie friend Sorrel embark on a perilous journey to find the Rim of Heaven, a safe haven where the dragons can live in peace. On the way, they are found by an orphan named Ben, who, having no family or friends, decides to come with them on their seemingly impossible journey. This book is filled to the point of overflowing with whimsical creatures and lovable characters. If you've got a young reader in your family, I can't recommend this book highly enough.

---

Rating: - Venture Forth, With Ben, Sorrell and Firedrake!
Dragonrider is an exciting fantasy fiction book by Cornelia Funke. It tells the amazing story of a young boy Ben and his adventures with Firedrake, his dragon friend, who must return to the Rim of Heaven to escape the evil Nettlebrand, who is trying to destroy the last remaining dragons on earth. In the start of the adventure, Ben meets Firedrake, a heroic dragon, and his mate, Sorrell, a grouchy magical Brownie. Ben learns to ride on Firedrake's back, and offers to go with him and Sorrell to find the Rim of Heaven. The middle of the book is full of amazing chapters, each telling the tale of a different mythical creature that they meet along the way. It is not an easy ride! By the end, they have adventures that change them all forever. I think the point of the story is that we should take chances and venture out in life, which can be full of magic and possibility.

In the beginning, the other dragons are all cowardly and don't believe in the Rim of Heaven. They want to just stay where they are, safe and sound in their caves. Unfortunately, most of them get eaten by doing this. Sorrell is cranky and wants to stay with his Firedrake, without others, but he ends up adventuring forth with Ben. Ben leaves his small corner of the city and takes a big risk by getting on that dragon's back! They have a lot of setbacks, and fearsome encounters with magical creatures. Some of this is awful, but it's all exciting, and they grow as characters. In the end, they... well, you'll have to read that for yourself, I won't spoil it for you!

Overall, I think this is a fantastic book, and you may be convinced, as I was, that you too should take some risks and go on your own adventures. Don't be afraid and cower in your own little corner, get on that dragon, and venture forth!

---

Rating: - Awesome story and outstanding narration
I initially started reading Cornelia Funke's writing with "Inkheart" and subsequently found this book while looking for her other books. "Inkheart" may be geared towards older children, but "Dragon Rider" is really geared towards younger audiences. I love the story of friendship and the quest/journey they go through. My 6 year old daughter loved listening to this book while we were in long car drives. As with any story, there were times of tension/suspense in the book, but it never got as dark as the Inkworld trilogy. Just the right amount of tension for a younger child to process/deal with.

The narration was also very spot on. Brendan Fraser also narrated "Inkspell" (which is quite good too), but I like his narration of "Dragon Rider" the best. The voice of Sorrell, Twigleg, and Gravelbeard were my faves. And, unlike more traditional audio book narrators, he would sometimes include sounds (like a thud, a splat, etc) that are not literally written in the book but described in the book. This definitely added another dimension to the entire experience.

This is one book where I'd recommend the Audio CD over the book. Two thumbs up!

---

Rating: - Perfect for young advanced readers
We bought this book for our very young advanced reader and we were not disappointed. She LOVED every minute of it. If you have a child who loves dragons but doesn't like the darkness that most books have in them then you will be very pleased. Also a great choice for young advanced readers. I want to keep my child innocent in life and literature and this book was perfect.

see more