Scan barcode
katekat's review
4.0
I always enjoy Jane Yolen's books; I think she really knows how to craft a story and characters. The Pit Dragon Chronicles is one of my favorite series of hers and it definitely holds up over time. I do think the first couple books are the strongest and then it does tail off a bit after that. There are many dragon stories but this does not feel repetitive or similar to others.
captaincassidy's review
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I’m utterly appalled by this book.
Did Jane— or her editor— bother to re-read the previous books before writing this? Because it felt as if they forgot where they were. Names were misspelled, plot points changed (since when did Henky— BY THE WAY, she states she doesn’t use the kk now.. but that goes completely ignored! Meanwhile, “Dark” doesn’t have another K slapped on? Why? With a k in the name isn’t that the assumption?), characters act completely off their rocker. One kid just dies on a needless Drakk hunt. Erikkkan dies a pointless death.
Why is Likkarn suddenly Jakkin’s uncle? And why is his father suddenly referred to like a stupid, useless bonder that knew nothing about dragons, when for the previous novels he was regarded as a dragon trainer with talent but made a mistake that got him killed?
Why is Dark referred to as No.1? He was No.6 in book 2. Also, why is he so cartoonish when he’s not torturing Akki?
Why are beauty dragons so gross? That never really gets explained. Do beauties no longer exist after a “””vaccine””” is made to make everyone dragonkin? Do Pit fights? Is everyone just talking to the dragons like they’re neighbors now?
Why are Heart’s Blood’s brood so... awful? All except Sssasha? What a stain on their mother’s legacy.
Do people still eat dragons? Cull them? Why does this book end with “and they all lived happily ever after ten years later.” Why not just write THAT story? Or, god forbid, leave it open ended!
Why is Henky suddenly in love with Golden? Why does Akki say she “warned her about him” when that warning went to Jakkin? Why does she act like a lovesick puppy?
Was their a point to Erikkan and Senekka, really? Or just points for the gays? Why didn’t Slakk’s sudden ability to send get explored some? Why is Drakk blood conveniently the same as dragon blood for this story, when for every other book it’s not?
I can’t put to words how much I hate this. I’d rather read fanfic than ever trust this author to come back to this world successfully. I hope someone writes about Erikkan, or Heart’s Blood’s brood, or Golden and Likkarn, in a way that matters. That makes me feel connected to them, as I was before this book.
I say we scrap the whole thing. Based on the ending, Jane just doesn’t want to bother with this series anymore. All the better.
I really struggled to get through this after reading the first three within about a week.
Did Jane— or her editor— bother to re-read the previous books before writing this? Because it felt as if they forgot where they were. Names were misspelled, plot points changed (since when did Henky— BY THE WAY, she states she doesn’t use the kk now.. but that goes completely ignored! Meanwhile, “Dark” doesn’t have another K slapped on? Why? With a k in the name isn’t that the assumption?), characters act completely off their rocker. One kid just dies on a needless Drakk hunt. Erikkkan dies a pointless death.
Why is Likkarn suddenly Jakkin’s uncle? And why is his father suddenly referred to like a stupid, useless bonder that knew nothing about dragons, when for the previous novels he was regarded as a dragon trainer with talent but made a mistake that got him killed?
Why is Dark referred to as No.1? He was No.6 in book 2. Also, why is he so cartoonish when he’s not torturing Akki?
Why are beauty dragons so gross? That never really gets explained. Do beauties no longer exist after a “””vaccine””” is made to make everyone dragonkin? Do Pit fights? Is everyone just talking to the dragons like they’re neighbors now?
Why are Heart’s Blood’s brood so... awful? All except Sssasha? What a stain on their mother’s legacy.
Do people still eat dragons? Cull them? Why does this book end with “and they all lived happily ever after ten years later.” Why not just write THAT story? Or, god forbid, leave it open ended!
Why is Henky suddenly in love with Golden? Why does Akki say she “warned her about him” when that warning went to Jakkin? Why does she act like a lovesick puppy?
Was their a point to Erikkan and Senekka, really? Or just points for the gays? Why didn’t Slakk’s sudden ability to send get explored some? Why is Drakk blood conveniently the same as dragon blood for this story, when for every other book it’s not?
I can’t put to words how much I hate this. I’d rather read fanfic than ever trust this author to come back to this world successfully. I hope someone writes about Erikkan, or Heart’s Blood’s brood, or Golden and Likkarn, in a way that matters. That makes me feel connected to them, as I was before this book.
I say we scrap the whole thing. Based on the ending, Jane just doesn’t want to bother with this series anymore. All the better.
I really struggled to get through this after reading the first three within about a week.
More...