The Last Dragon Charmer #1: Villain Keeper

by Laurie McKay

Overview

This first book in the Last Dragon Charmer series is packed with adventure and wit, perfect for fans of Soman Chainani's School for Good and Evil series and Chris Colfer's Land of Stories series.

All his life, Prince Caden has dreamed of slaying a dragon. But before he has the chance, he is ripped from his home in the Great Winterlands of Razzon and finds himself in Asheville, North Carolina—a land with no magic and no dragons.

Or so he thinks. The longer Caden spends in Asheville, the more he comes to realize that there is unexpected and dangerous magic in this strange land. There just may be dragons here too. But what if Caden's destiny isn't to slay a dragon, after all?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062308443
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/02/2016
Series:	Last Dragon Charmer , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 7.62(h) x 0.74(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Laurie McKay lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her family and her two dogs. She earned her bachelor's degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her master's degree in biological oceanography from North Carolina State University. She's taught at the Chesapeake Bay Governor's School for Marine and Environmental Science and in the North Carolina community college system. When she's not dodging students and prepping lab activities, she's sitting at a local coffee shop and daydreaming about all things fantastical.

Editorial Reviews

Kids will delight in Caden’s adventures and struggles.” — ALA Booklist

“A promising new series.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Invites readers to look at their own world with an eye to magic.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Kids will delight in Caden’s adventures and struggles.

ALA Booklist

2014-11-04
Determined to gain both his father's approval and the title of Elite Paladin, 12-year-old Prince Caden embarks on a quest to slay a dragon—and ends up in a different and very strange universe. Alas, a mysterious spell thwarts his plans almost instantaneously, sending him, his horse and Brynne, a former playmate and budding dark (but not evil) sorceress, to Asheville, North Carolina. The young prince quickly discovers that middle school can be as dangerous as any quest, particularly when the math teacher is an evil tyrant, the lunch ladies are witches, and the placement counselor is a dragon. Caden and Brynne land in foster care, where they make like-minded friends who will, they hope, help them defeat the resident evil and return home. While primarily a lighthearted coming-of-age fantasy, the book offers surprising moments of depth focusing on familial relationships or the lack thereof. Unfortunately, while the plot is entertaining, there are missteps. The characters frequently seem to know more than they should, and the narrative is weighted down by unnecessary back story. Finally, the mystery is revealed too early, robbing the narrative of energy. While perhaps not enough to sink this new series entirely, the cumulative effect does diminish its power. A promising new series gets off to a shaky start; here's hoping subsequent volumes smooth out the ride. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews