Monica Recommends THE LAST DRAGON CHRONICLES

Dragons Don’t “Grrr” they “Hrrr”

Eighth grader Monica Sek recommends. . .

The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris D’lacey

The mighty dragons have disappeared many years ago. Well, at least the real mighty dragons, the ones that are huge and powerful, like the last twelve dragons. There are little ones though. They’re little clay dragons that are alive. They live with a spark of Ice Fire from a snowball. . .not any old snowball–a magical snowball. They die when shedding their Ice Fire. What’s the big deal with the Ice Fire? It’s the Tear of Gawain. What happen to the tear? Well, I’m not going to tell you, but I will give you an overview.

It started in The Fire Within, when David Rain becomes the Pennykettle’s tenant. The Pennykettles includes Elizabeth, Liz and her 11-year-old daughter, Lucy. Liz and Lucy’s ancestor is Guinevere, the first human to commingle with the dragon Gawain. Liz has red hair and bright green eyes. Currently, Lucy has straw brown hair. David is a young man with dark blue eyes and brown hair. David got his first dragon name Gadzook, though he calls him Zookie. Gadzook is a writing dragon, which helps inspires David. Sooner or later David finally realizes that these clay dragons are real live dragons. The story then progresses with the squirrels, Conker, Snigger, Birchwood, Cherrylea, Ringtail, and Shooter, and their enemy Carcactus having war. As the adventure continues they come across a vet name Sophie Prentice, who eventually becomes David’s girlfriend. Many questions left readers, like me, wondering what happens next.

Well, the second book, Ice Fire, introduces David’s new dragon, G’reth. Lucy made him and David named him, with the help of Gadzook. G’reth is a wishing dragon. That only grants things in need. Also in this book David meets Dr. Bergstorm and Suzanna Martindale, Zanna. He then meets Aunty Gwyneth, who’s really a sibyl name Gwilanna. Later Zanna turns out to be a sibyl too and accidentally quickened a bronze egg. After all of this mess, Zanna and David head out to the Arctic.

The third book is Fire Star. David is up north analyzing ice. He’s also researching bears for his new book. While he is writing the book he doesn’t know that whatever he writes comes to life. David then comes across Gwilanna again. He has to stop her from completing her evil plan. Lucy ends up in the Arctic and is being watch over by a mommy Polar Bear. Eventually David, Suzanna, and Lucy end up on the most ancient thing in the world. Not only that, Liz is reunited with her ex-boyfriend, Arthur. Oh, and on Valentine’s Day someone was struck with an ice spear and supposedly died.

The fourth book is The Fire Eternal; it is plotted five years after Fire Star. Zanna and David have a child name Alexa, Lexie. Lucy, who is now sixteen, has red hair and bright green eyes like her mother. David has been missing for five years. A new character, Tam Farrell, is curious about him because, David has no official records anywhere, so Tam doesn’t believes he exists. David not only commingled with, but fused with many other “special characters.” Lexie also begins showing special powers. Eventually two people are reunited.

The fifth book is Dark Fire, and David acts as if nothing happened. Zanna is mad and jealous at David for being gone for five years, but he is able to fill in his spot as Lexie’s father in less than a week. David said, “The planet is ready to accept a new species.” This confuses Zanna. With a sudden death of someone precious, Zanna is filled with jealousy. The Darklings are attacking, so the New Wearle is trying to raise a new set of dragons. David is trying to find a new way with Tam, Lucy, Zanna, and Lexie. Soon, David learns, might not be a good choice, because hidden from the human eye Joseph Henry is on the verge of Darkling and Dragon.

Chris D’lacey makes an extraordinary series. The reason why I love this series is that it’s suspenseful, creative, and dramatic. It’s so suspenseful because every few chapters they switch points of view from character to character. This makes the reader eager to read each point of view, but since it stops at a good part and goes to the next you’re dying with suspense. With every page turning something new always happens, whether it’s David who was just proven wrong or Lucy putting herself in trouble again. While you’re reading this book you’ll never notice how times fly. Trust me. I once read it for 1 ½ before I finally realize how much time I took.

Another reason why I love this series is because it’s so creative. I mean you’ll never understand where he got all these ideas, and how he’s so descriptive, it seems like he’s seen the real thing. The way he adds a new and different situation every time, without making it sound like he’s done it before, is amazing! He puts so much details that I can’t even start! The way he describes the scene in Scuffenbury Hill was beautiful. “Instead, she stared at the never-ending landscape of rural England. The green rolling downs. The empty grey sky.”

Last but not least, the drama in this story is breath-taking. Now I don’t cry in a lot of stories, but this one put me into tears. The drama in Dark Fire between David and Zanna is so heart- breaking. If only Zanna could forgive him then maybe the story will end. Then again, I don’t want it to end that soon. I mean the main conflict in Dark Fire is the argument between these two, mostly about Lexie’s future.

In conclusion, The Last Dragon Chronicles is a very breath-taking series, mainly because of its storyline, suspense, creativity, and drama. If you can’t find any book to your interest or one that doesn’t suit your imagination, go to your closest library or book store and get this. I swear/promise you’ll never regret this, and I never broke a promise. Just like the dragons say “Hrrrr.”

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Several of Monica’s classmates have also allowed us to publish reviews of what they’re currently reading.  And for recommendations from kids of all ages, check out our Kids Recommend section.