Dragon Rider

#partner #kidlitexchange Thank you @kidlitexchange for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. School is out for the summer, and i am finally piecing together my somewhat complicated feelings for this book. With Dragon Rider, the patient reader is rewarded. This is a slow-moving, beautiful, character-driven story of friendship, trust, and believing in magic. Firedrake is a dragon living in the modern world who is looking for a new home for his community of dragons. He brings the brownie Sorrell, and along the way meets the homeless orphan Ben, the boy who becomes the legendary dragon rider. My feelings are complicated because this book took soooo longggg for me to read. It was enjoyable when I was reading it, but I didn’t get that can’t-put-it-down feeling at any point. This book was written for the Bens of the world; kids who feel forgotten and are waiting patiently for a magnificent adventure.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funk proved to be a wonderful escape. I loved each of the characters and their unique personalities. Sorrell had so much spunk, Ben was kindhearted and Firedrake was calm and determined. The way that they interacted with each other seemed natural and made me laugh out loud. I was lucky enough to listen to the audio version of this 500 page book, which was read completely by Brendan Fraser. I was very impressed with all the different voices he did and the personality he helps give each character. I can still hear their voices! I was sad when the story came to an end. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy elements of the supernatural. Cornelia Funk is quite the storyteller. I have read a couple of her books and look forward to reading more in the future.

This story was a fantasy/adventure with dragons, interwoven with the message to respect the environment and its creatures. The fantastical world the author created captured me. The language was simple and beautiful – the alliteration/sounds and metaphors were poetic, although sometimes the language was stiff (I know it’s a translation) and I wished there was more description in places. I also noticed a lot of unexplained elements, about which I would have loved more details; so much potential!

I gave this book four stars because of a few things. The pacing was a little slow, and I didn’t notice much tension, although it picked up toward the end. And I really liked the end. The characters had the same voices sometimes, and I wasn’t really attached to them until the end of the book; I felt distant from the story and the characters. Since it’s been so long since I’ve read a fantasy book, I’m a little out of my element in this review. But from what I can tell, the level of writing is good for the audience it is intended for (YA). At times, I wished there was more depth to the story, but otherwise, this story is an adventure fit for any young reader.

Somewhere in this mystical lands of dragons and other fairy-tale creature, lives humans, for the most part, not knowing that these magical creatures exist. For centuries, the humans have started to ruin the wild, and also, the home of dragons.

Now, in present time, the news comes to the dragons of humans with their "machines" will be marching up the mountain and start a massive project which will drown their peaceful valley in water (probably a dam construction)

As dread begins to fall in to the camp, a young dragon, Firedrake, volunteers to a search of the impossible: the Rim of Heaven, known only as a mythical heaven somewhere very safe and high up, even from the reach of humans.

Firedrake runs into a boy in a city, who has no parents and no home. He has been staying in an old, abandoned factory for a while, and by as a favor firedrake, was allowed to fetch along with them on the ride.

Though just looking for a place virtually impossible of discovery, while hiding from humans might be bad enough, they find their real enemy after few days of travel: Nettlebane (also known as the Golden One)

Now with these two near impossible missions at hand, the crew travels by the night, at the power of moonlight, and in every each day they run into different challenges and find new friends.

The book was is my opinion, very well written. It took a picture of "what will this world be like if magical creatures lived hidden right under our nose, and one just pops out of nowhere and we immediately become friends". It was a pretty short of a read, but was excellent at carrying out plots and details, never the less from the third-person-author view. I enjoyed this book a lot.

This book is a heartwarming story about a dragon named Firedrake and his furry brownie friend Sorrel who set of to find the land of peace for dragons called The Rim of Heaven that lies just beyond the Himalayas. The main characters are Firedrake, sorrel, Nettlebrand, Twigleg, Professor Greenbloom, & Ben. The problem is that the valley in which Firedrake lives is about to be invaded with humans. It is up to Firedrake and Sorrel to find the Rim of Heaven, the only place where dragons can live in peace. But Nettlebrand, the Golden one who has been searching for dragons to eat for years tries to hunt Firedrake and Sorrel down. One exciting moment was when Firedrake encountered a basilik until Professor Greenbloom got a mirror and made the basilik see its own reflection and melted into a golden goo. One special moment was when Firedrake met Ben and decided to take him on the journey even though Sorrel did not agree. As the story progresses, Ben turns out to be very helpful to Firedrake. This book takes many turn's and to find out what happened to Firedrake, Ben, & Sorrel's journey and to find out what happens to Nettlebrand I think you should read this book!

I really liked this book because it tells the adventures of someone only as brave as Firedrake could dare to do. What I liked best was that at the end everything goes well and something tragic does not happen. There were no parts that I did not like because the story stayed interesting through out. I think the writer, Cornelia Funke did a great job writing this story. She expressed her thoughts in an extraordinary way. The story is full of surprises and keeps us curious to know what's going to happen next. I would really recommend this book if you like long adventures or if you are just plain curious!

This is another wonderful book by the famous author, Cornelia Funke. This woman has managed to keep us all interested in her talent. Once again she has written an amazing tale about another world that can only be reached through her words. Although "Dragon Rider" is a fantasy story, it tells the reader about a real place. Only nearby, there is a community of beings that aren't quite what you'd think would be living right outside your town.

"Dragon Rider" is about a group of dragons and brownies (creatures that slightly resemble large cats) living in an area that can support all of their unique needs. In this place they live peacefully until one day they discover that humans plan to destroy their home for reasons they don't understand. Only one dragon called Firedrake believes this and he plans to find a place called the Rim of Heaven, where all of the dragons can live happily forever. He decides to set out on his journey with a brownie named Sorrel and on the way; they find an unlikely helper who proves to be very useful as they all move on together. Also on their travels they come upon many exciting obstacles and dangers that only enhance the story's entertainment value.

Personally, this has been one of my favorite books for a long time. This is because it is very fantastical and fictional. The book is full of adventure and suspense. You never really know what will happen next and surprise waits around every corner. Best of all, this story is interesting and will capture any young reader's attention from the start.

I think this tale is primarily for older children around 8 or 9 because of the length. But I believe the story will spark the imagination of most readers. It will convince them to read more and the reader's interest in books will be greatly increased. This is partially because of the fact that this fantasy is extremely exciting and very awesome. Any child would be lucky to have read it.

Now these are the reasons I feel this book should be bought by you. Cornelia Funke is a terrific author and in this book she has just poured in all of her writing talent. Also in her story, there are many different creatures working together to find a better life for them all. The fact that she has added this part in the book might show readers what combined effort can do for you. She shows that teamwork gets you through a lot and it applies to real life. I'm giving this book 5 stars (from a scale of one to five) because it deserves it. This fictional tale is really a great work of art that is just waiting to sit on YOUR shelf.

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!

I am bored and disappointed with this book. The story has plenty of potential but it is just so FLAT. It's not a bad book; it's just lacking so many elements that could have made it a good book.

Characters: Orphan boy, Ben, has great qualities but we know nothing of his back story, his feelings, his hopes, fears, dreams. He's just there, in the center of the story, likeable but empty. Sorrel the brownie is an annoying brat whose whining and complaining grates on my nerves the first couple hundred pages of the book. The young dragon is on the quest of his life but we hardly know his thoughts or feelings, worries or aspirations. He's just the transportation for the others and the reason for the quest.

Setting: For such a long book, it's amazing how little description we get of the environments they're in. We get glimpses of palm trees or sand dunes or water but the writing feels somehow deficient in adjectives or metaphors that might help our senses experience the context of the story. Our main characters hardly seem aware of their environment.

I don't want to spend too much time criticizing here. I'm just a reader who isn't getting much out of this book. I keep trying to give it a chance but I find myself not caring a bit about the characters, their mission, or the outcome of the quest. I am interested in the mythological creatures' presence in the "normal world" but after 275 pages I feel like I've given it the old school try and have concluded that this book is "just OK".

Disclaimer: I'm an adult who reads a lot of children's literature. I think if I were a kid I might enjoy the story more without noticing how unsophisticated it is. Then again, as a kid I might have felt lukewarm about the book without understanding what it lacked.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS . . .

TITLE: Dragon Rider

AUTHOR: Cornelia Funke

PLOT: With the help of a young boy named Ben and a furry animal (brownie) named Sorrel, Firedrake the dragon must find The Rim of Heaven, a new home for him and the other dragons, after discovering that human beings are going to flood their original home. On their way to the Rim of Heaven, not only do Firedrake, Sorrel, and Ben meet fascinating creatures in variable shapes and sizes, they also discover a prophecy that would change their lives for all eternity.

Plot is very compelling. The first chapter is filled with wonder and intrigue, perfect for grabbing full attention of readers. Almost every adventurous segment, such as the Giant Roc and the Sea Serpent, kept me up all night waiting to see if our protagonists were going to make it out alive or have a tragedy on their hands. It's enjoyable to see that the main characters travel to many different countries (such as China, Egypt, and Pakistan) instead of just one. The dragon prophecy seems a bit clichéd, but Cornelia Funke gives it some uniqueness by making it Oriental instead of European. Funke also shows both sides of the ways of the dragon. Instead of being fearsome creatures, as they are imagined in Europe, dragons bring good luck according to Oriental tradition. Having both views collide is a highly provocative approach for a children's fantasy. The action sequence right before the climax is sure to have kids afraid to turn the next page. The ending is a typically happy one, not to say that it is dreadfully typical. It's a near-perfect ending for such a suspenseful fantasy novel.

CHARACTERS: Only a few characters are clichéd (the dwarves and the fairies), and the rest are superbly three-dimensional. Twigleg the manikin is not your ordinary villainous spy. He starts to care for Ben when he really shouldn't. The Graytail rats are very likeable as they bring out some light-hearted humor. Sorrel can be an irritant when either having an argument with Twigleg or discovering fresh mushrooms during her flight, but she is still a good advisor for Ben who is sometimes unaware of some things. The main villain, Nettlebrand, the Golden One, isn't as frightening as other known villains such as, say, Scar from "The Lion King" or Yu-Baba from Miyazaki's "Spirited Away". He is, however, a villain who doesn't completely give up on reaching his goals. He is a bit ignorant sometimes (a good example would be when he confronts the sandmen in the desert), but moreover, he is a very good antagonist. Professor Greenbloom and his family are the brains in this story; they have a sophisticated knowledge of ancient history and mythology. And most important of all, they care about everybody whom they meet (except for Nettlebrand). It's hard to tell how old Ben really is (is he nine or twelve years old?) but with that aside, the boy is strongly likeable as an ordinary human being. Also, during his adventures, he doesn't start to see himself as a magnificent hero, he sees himself as someone who is caught in the dragons' situation and decides to help them solve all their problems. But he still does develop character, however. He gains more courage as he and the other protagonists confront the djinn, the Roc and its infant, and finally, Nettlebrand.

PACING: When reading this book, it's highly possible that time will fly by when being completely immersed in this fantasy novel. Many parts never drag, but the beginning does seem a bit rushed.

THE WRITING ITSELF: The writing is simplistic, but not too simplistic. Kids will understand what is going on as will adults. A very few unrecognizable nouns and adjectives will be present, so a dictionary might be helpful. Funke doesn't use the word "said" too many times, which is a good thing. The tension throughout the book is very high: characters in danger lead to uncertain solutions. Imagery is easy to encode here: the landscapes and the characters and the conflicts are, without a doubt, easy to visualize in the head, thanks to the vivid, though not overly detailed, illustrations.

OVERALL: This is an excellent read not only for kids and young adults, but for everyone else as well. I give this book an A.

In Dragon Rider three unlikely companions, Firedrake, a dragon, Sorrel the brownie, a catlike creature that loves to eat mushrooms, and Ben, a homeless boy, embark on a dangerous journey to find a land that might not even exist. The story begins when Rat, a friend of the dragons, brings bad news of humans to the dragons' cave. " `I've got bad news, if you want to know. Extremely bad news...' " Firedrake, one of the dragons, sets off with his brownie friend Sorrel to find "The Rim of Heaven" a sacred place where it is believed the dragons could live in peace forever. Soon along their journey they come across Ben, an orphaned, homeless boy who desperately wishes for a journey. Ben soon joins the group and gets to ride on Firedrake's back along with Sorrel on the way to find The Rim of Heaven. Along their journey, they receive help from many unexpected places and people, like a rat mapmaker, a seaserpent, and a scientist. Although they receive much help to reach their destination, trouble lies ahead for Firedrake, Ben, and Sorrel. Will they make it to The Rim of Heaven?

This exciting fantasy is set in magical lands hidden in places like Europe and Africa in fantasy times when dragons and magical creatures lived around the world. I thought Dragon Rider was a very exciting and thrilling book. The author, Cornelia Funke, did a fantastic job on Dragon Rider using such realistic descriptions of characters. They were so well described that you would think Cornelia Funke lives with such creatures. Her style of writing makes the book a very fast read, and the book is the type of book you won't be able to put down. If you enjoy fantasy novels, you would love reading Dragon Rider since the book is filled with many fantasy creatures and the plot is very exciting. A book I would compare Dragon Rider to is The Shade's Children by Garth Nix. Both books are very fast pace and thrilling throughout the whole story. Dragon Rider stands out from all other fantasy books since there are many creatures that are very original in the book, ones that Cornelia Funke made up. This book is very similar to other books Cornelia Funke has written like Inkheart since all her books are very detailed and imaginative. If you enjoy fantasy books, or even if you don't, you would enjoy reading Dragon Rider.

While reading this book I forced myself into the mind of a fourth grader, and when you're thirty-eight year old, that can be difficult. What helped me was remembering the books that I was reading at the time, and what stuck out the most was Baum's Oz series. I read and reread and re-reread and re-re-reread all fourteen of the Oz books so many times that my mother actually told me to stop checking them out of the library. But I couldn't help myself. In my opinion, there was nothing better, nothing that evoked the sense of amazement and wonder that Baum's books did.

Fixed on that, I found myself in a perfect position to read and enjoy this book. And I enjoyed it tremendously. In fact, I have a difficult time believing that anyone within the age range that this book was intended for, and who likes fantasy, would not like it because it has all of the elements of magic that a children's fantasy needs. I'm quite certain that if this book had been around when I finished with the Oz books that I would have eaten this up as quickly as I had consumed Baum's works, and perhaps even read, re-read - OK, you get the picture.

It contains so-called "fabulous" creatures, and defines them in unique and appealing ways: dragons who require moonlight for energy and don't ravage villages for food (all but one of them, at any rate); mountain dwarves whose powers lie within their hats and who can smell silver or gold; brownies who practically obsess over the eating and cultivation of mushrooms and for whom spit has magical properties; a homunculus created by a fourteenth century alchemist who speaks 93 languages (what else would you do if you were 700 years old other than spend most of that time learning); talking rats; and many more. Every one that you meet has its stereotype redefined with at least a tiny tweak so that it doesn't seem as if you are merely reading a book about creatures who already know. I think tweaking the stereotypical definitions was a terrific idea.

Then there's the quest itself. The dragons are being displaced from their home. One of them, Firedrake, offers to leave and search for the legendary Rim of Heavens where other dragons are rumored to live, and which is rumored to be beautiful beyond metaphor. To get there, the questers receive a map from a rat, who is a master cartographer, and this map is included (partially) in the book itself as a full color foldout which gives the book an added appeal.

The adventures of the questers, the questions of loyalties that arise, the manner in which issues of morality are handled all make for exciting reading. Not to mention their pursuer, who is also a dragon but of a very different kind than Firedrake. The writing of that particular character was deftly done, and that in itself is an achievement. It isn't often that the "lead" antagonist can be put on every page and not cause the story to lose any of its immediacy.

My only wish is that a little more time had been given to describing these fabulous creatures. When I think of a dragon, I immediately (like many adults who read fantasy) think of Smaug, from Tolkien's masterpiece The Hobbit. Or of any number of films and books where the dragon is so much bigger than humans. I didn't really get a grasp of how large this dragon was (or wasn't) until I was deep into the book. Since the author went against stereotypes (for example, who would have thought that a brownie looked similar to a cat?), I think this was an essential piece that was missing.

In any event, that's the worst I can say for this. Reading this strictly as an adult, I would give this three and half, maybe four stars. But reading it as a fourth, fifth, or sixth grader, I can't give it any less than 5. It is truly an excellent book for this age group. If you're a parent teetering on whether or not to buy it, do so. You won't be disappointed.

One other thing: this book was only published here in America now because of the success of Eragon. It was first published in Germany in 1997 - before even Harry Potter hit the stands. Don't blame the author for copying, as she most certainly is not. Her publisher merely thought that a book about a dragon and a rider would sell particularly well in today's "climate", and they were right.

Have you ever ridden a dragon? Probably not, but this does happen to a boy named Ben in Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. The story begins as humans invade the territory of some of the last dragons left on the Earth. Firedrake, one of these dragons, tries to convince the other dragons to fly with him to the rim of heaven, a mysterious place suppose to be a refuge to dragons. There are two problems with that plan though. First, the rim of heaven isn't on any map and no one is quite sure if it even exists. The only hint was that it's in the largest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas. The second problem is that even if they could find it, it would be on the other side of the world. Nevertheless, Firedrake leaves with his friend, Sorrel, a brownie (which is a fictional catlike animal) who is obsessed with mushrooms, to find the ring of heaven. Along the way Ben and a little artificial human named Twigleg join their crew. The group gets help from a mouse, a professor, a thousand eyed djinn, andaree all the while getting chased by an man-made dragon that had traits no normal dragon had, and nearly wiped out all of the dragons before. The Golden One, Nettlebrand.

Ben, a dynamic main character, one of the protagonist of the book, is very forgiving. He is an orphan that met Sorrel and Firedrake at a dock. Later in the book, it turns out that Ben is destined to become the Dragon Rider who will defeat Nettlebrand and save the dragons who have been in hiding from him, according to a legend from the original Dragon Rider. Ben finds real, true friends along this journey and changes from being the orphan who lives on the docks to the real Dragon Rider. Twigleg, a little artificial human, whose creator also created Nettlebrand, was a servent of Nettlebrand, his armor cleaner, at least until he met Ben. Twigleg was suppose to spy for Nettlebrand but as Ben becomes more and more Twigleg's friend, he summons enough courage to betray Nettlebrand and help the Dragon Rider find the rim of heaven. Sorrel, the brownie, didn't trust Twigleg and nearly killed him when they found out he had been a spy for their hunter. Sorrel doesn't give her trust to many people and loves to eat mushrooms. She stays this way through this book, as both as an antagonist (carelessly getting Firedrake and Ben lost) and a protagonist (helping to fight against Nettlebrand). She is like a cat, and has perfect aim and used it several times in the book. Brownie'spit is a special substance that annoyingly can stick onto about anything for a rather long time. In the end, her spit ends up playing a large role in a major event. All of these characters that have been mentioned actually all play a large role in this event.

I really enjoyed reading Dragon Rider and bet you will too. The elements of this story include adventure, friendship, betrayal, and above all, courage. It has a happy mood. Nothing excruciatingly sad happens, which might stop the reader from reading a book. You might disagree, but I recall reading a book where one of the main characters died so I stopped reading the series altogether. It was a little bit of a twist when you find out Twigleg would betray Nettlebrand, but you read about his feelings about his old master and could guess it would happen. It goes to show that a person who was one of the villain's spies could actually be a good person. Cornelia Funke writes another page-turning fantasy book centered around adventure and some humor, with Dragon Rider.

All writers have their ups and downs. It comes with the territory. Take Cornelia Funke. When she's up she writes imaginative novels like "Inkheart" and fun picture books like, "The Princess Knight". When she's down, however, she's prone to resting on her laurels and not giving her books much thought. "The Thief Lord", for all its ambience, wasn't her best work. Neither, for that matter, is "Dragon Rider". It's a perfectly fine book, but it feels as if Funke noticed the popularity of the 5 million boy-meets-dragon books out there, and decided to tap into an already drained market. A quest novel that provides readers with a little too much same old, same old, but that kids will devour heartily anyway.

When you think of dragons, you may think of treasure hoarding, malicious brutes without a sensitive bone in their body. The truth, as it happens, is quite different. Peaceful creatures that desire nothing so much as to drink a little moonlight and fly in its beams, the dragons of Scotland have lived in peace for hundreds of years. Now, however, mankind is threatening these gentle giants and the dragons must find a new hiding home or perish. The only real choice left to them is a place that may be more myth than reality called the Rim of Heaven. When no one will volunteer to search out this last resort, a young but brave dragon named Firedrake sets out to discover the truth behind the rumor. The only companion at his side is the snarky brownie Sorrel and the only warning he's given is, "beware of the Golden One". Along the way, dragon and brownie pick up a human boy named Ben, a homunculus named Twigleg, and help from a variety of rats. Drawing closer to their goal, however, it becomes clear that the "Golden One" is none other than the mechanical dragon Nettlebrand and that he will stop at nothing to find all the remaining silver dragons in the world so as to eat them up.

Though the title is "Dragon Rider" and there are large swaths of text where people ooh and aah over Ben being the prophecied Dragon Rider of prophecy, it's hard to ignore the fact that Ben really never does anything useful in this book. He's like the obligatory human, added solely so that readers will have someone a little less furry or scaly with whom they can identify. If Ben has any skill at all, it comes from his ability to read maps. But does he offer priceless advice when Nettlebrand threatens our hardy heroes? He does not. Does he outsmart the villain or use his brains to win in the end? He does not. Does he even have a hand in the villain's final defeat at the book's end? He does NOT. Never has a children's title garnered so much buildup and ended with such a whimper.

I sound a little harsh. Maybe it's because I expect more of Ms. Funke. Still, it's hard not to notice elements in this tale that seem like pale knock-offs of her previous books. In "Inkheart" she had a weakness for names like, "Silvertongue" or "Dustfinger". In this book creatures are named "Twigleg", "Gravelbeard" and "Shimmertail". The scary parts are never too terribly scary (partly because the villain's more buffoon than serious threat). The funny parts never too terribly funny. I suspect that Funke intends there to be a sequel to this book as well. How else explain random plot points (like the fact that Twigleg has the same lifespan as whosoever he gives his heart to?) that go nowhere and do nothing? And while I'm mildly ranting, did anyone else notice that no matter where they went in the world, the humans in Funke's illustrations always looked white and European?

Does any of this occur to kids as they read it? Not a jot. They eat up this book like it was candy. In spite of its 523 page length, I can't keep "Dragon Rider" on my library's shelves. Full commendation to the fold-out map that accompanies the action, by the way. Not only does it compliment the book perfectly, but after multiple readings by dozens of children it remains unripped and spotless every time you open the book.

There's enough of Funke's signature style in "Dragon Rider" to lure any child with even a passing interest in dracology. Though it is by far Funke's least well-written work, it still has enough verve to get away with a lot. Too long and too repetitive but at least it doesn't bore.

Join Ben, a homeless boy looking for adventure; Sorrel, a mushroom loving, forest brownie; and Firedrake, a silver dragon in Cornelia Funke's Dragon Rider. This is an epic adventure where they search for a mythical place where dragons can roam freely! Together they embark on a journey, where they meat odd creatures, powerful monsters, friends, they would have never imagined and a hidden destiny that changes everything. Little do they know that an evil dragon is hunting them and one of their friends is the evil one's spy. Soar with them on their adventure to mysterious islands and beautiful mountains. Firedrake and Sorrel are chosen to go and search for the Rim of Heaven, a place where no humans can find them. On there way they must travel to a city and speak to Gilbert Graytail, a rat who makes maps. When they arrive Sorrel hears a person looming behind them. Ben appears and assists Sorrel to the rat. But on their way back humans are standing around. Firedrake and they barely escape the humans. Firedrake and Sorrel allow Ben to join them on their journey to the Rim of Heaven. The three of must travel at night but hide at day. Through their journey black raven follow them and Sorrel knows immediately that something was wrong. On one of their pit stops they meat mountain dwarfs who keep them company. On that same mountain lives the evil Nettlebrand who soon finds out about their adventure. Nettle brand had hunted dragons until they all disappeared and now he is after to find them again. Can they defeat such a powerful monster? Will they make it to the mythical place? Join them on a great fantasy adventure to find out!

This book is a fantasy/ epic adventure that turns into a mystery along the way. The gang travels to mountain dwarf's mountains, mysterious islands, sea serpent's seas, a Monastery and large cities. The mountains are where mountain dwarves dig for gold, silver and precious stones. The islands have scary monsters and mysterious foot prints. In the sea live two sea serpents that assist the others on their journey. The Monastery is where they go to learn about all of the dragons' pasts and the hidden destiny. Finally the gang travels to cities where they meet interesting creatures. During this story, an evil monster that hunts dragons follows them to find all the other dragons that are hiding and eat them until they all are extinct. His faithful raven spies report to the evil one along with his other spy and armor cleaner, Twigleg. When Twigleg starts to follow Ben and the others a new armor cleaner is found. Sorrel, Firedrake and Ben must find a way to defeat him before it is too late.

Ben is a young boy who has no parents and lives in a broken down building. His clothes are ripped and he sleeps behind cans, but when Sorrel and Firedrake find him his whole life changes.

Firedrake is a silver dragon who takes the opportunity to travel across the world and find a place called the Rim of Heaven. He is strong and very protective.

Sorrel is a forest brownie who loves mushrooms. At first he gives Ben a horrible time because brownies are very stubborn. Through the trip he learns to respect and like Ben.

The author had such a good way of identifying the different characters and explaining them. For example, she always described the different colors or textures like Firedrake's scales or Nettlebrand's armor. For example, "Ah, the scale!" cried the professor, clapping a hand to his brow. "Of course-

The golden scale...?" (pg. 190). Cornelia, also moved quickly and did not hang on one event like in chapter 53, when Nettlebrand turned to a frog and it only took one and a half pages (pgs 490 and 491).. As well as that she also had a sense of humor in the novel. Like this "In my opinion it's a mutant monkey," said a man with a big nose and a receding chin (pg. 111). Also, Twigleg, a character, is drawn with a huge nose. The author uses many details in his writing to explain how, when, and what is happening. He also used similes like "Nettlebrand's armor laying a huge pool of gold, looking like a cast-off snake skin (pg 489). He also used metaphors, one was "Nothing but tin, that creature. Like one of those human's machines, right?" she tapped the gold, which was still warm. "Sounds hollow." (pg 489).

I think that kids who believe and are interested in mythical creatures could really get into this book. Fourth to seventh grader would enjoy this book, but anyone older would probably find it quite boring. Anyone younger would not understand it or would just become bored because they are younger. A book that would compare to it by the same author would be Thief Lord or Inkheart because they both are adventures and fantasy. Along with that both novels have mythical things in them. One comparison that is not by the same author is Dragon Quest. This book is an adventure with many mythical creatures like dragons or wizards. One last book is Eragon because this novel has magic, power and a whole new exciting dragon adventure. What makes Dragon rider different is that of the many different kinds of mythical creatures. In Eragon there are not forest brownies. The one main difference is that all the books have different plots and problems. Dragon quest is about people searching for Merlin, the wizard's, powers. Dragon Rider is explaining the adventure of three characters searching for the Rim of Heaven.

I read the book like there was no tomorrow. It was so great and interesting I could not put down the book. I read it very quickly but while so I was also enjoying it with every passing second. I guarantee that if you like these kinds of books you will not want to put it down! Especially the part where Ben is about to ask a mythical beast a question and if it was asked before that person would become the beast's slave. "Sorrel narrowed her eyes. Firedrake held his breath, and Twigleg began shaking all over. But Ben, heart thumping, waited for the djinn's answer (pg 215). My feelings for this book would be that is was so interesting to learn about the different magical creatures, places, and people. For example I had never heard of a basilisk before. "There's been a basilisk here!" he whispered, looking horrified. "Oh merciful heavens!" (pg 133). I felt that after the first two chapters you can start getting into it. My rating for this book would be five stars with two thumbs up.

Dragon Rider is a wonderful book that lets kids enjoy what they are reading. As soon as you start this book you will be trapped in the magical world of dragons if you ever get the opportunity to read this, do not hesitate.

Firedrake is a silver dragon who is in trouble. Actually, his whole herd of dragons is in trouble. They live in a valley that is always cold and rainy. They are trying to stay away from humans and an enemy of theirs. Humans are going to flood the valley. Everyone is too scared to leave because of the dangers out in the world. The oldest and wisest dragon of them all, tells them to fly to the Rim of Heaven. He is too old to make another journey, so he is going to stay in the valley. Firedrake wants to go, but nobody else does. He takes his friend Sorrel, who is a furry animal about the size of a 10-year-old human child. She is called a Brownie. They try to convince the others to go too, but they just hide in their caves. So Firedrake and Sorrel set off. Dragons can only fly when the moon is up. So when daylight comes, they have to land. Firedrake is over a huge city when the sun rises. He has to land. He lands in a dirty garbage filled canal. He keeps swimming until Sorrel spots an abandoned factory. He gets out of the canal, squeezes through the door, and is in a human building for the first time in his life. They find a human boy, named Ben, in there. They take him with them, because of some chaos in the factor. Sorrel doesn't like it. "Here we are trying to avoid humans, and then we bring one with us!" Firedrake brings Ben along anyway. They buy a wonderful map from a pure white rat. They fly a night and land in a patch of yellow. Yellow means "DANGER." Sorrel thinks that it means "Safe place to rest." Nettlebrand, the Golden One, sees them there. He hunts Silver Dragons. He decides to follow Firedrake with a spy. He wants Firedrake to lead him to the other dragons so he can hunt again. They seem to have vanished. His spy is a manikin. He is just a few inches tall. He usually cleans Nettlebrand's armor. He rides a crow and follows them. You have to read the book to find out if Firedrake leads the Golden One to the other silver dragons!!! I loved this book because it had a lot of suspense. It also had foreshadowing. It hinted that their was going to be trouble when Firedrake landed in the yellow. It also hinted that Firedrake was going to go to the Rim of Heaven, when the others were too scared. It showed that the others were scared of everything. I think that people who like fantasy, dragons, and a great adventure should read this book because it has all of those and more!!! This is a five-star book because it has a great adventure and is long and exciting!

Dragon Rider is an early Cornelia Funke novel brought to the U.S. after the success of her more recent The Thief Lord and Inkheart. Dragon Rider begins with a young dragon named Firedrake who starts off on a quest for the Rim of Heaven, a possibly mythical land where Firedrake and his fellow dragons hope to flee to in order to escape encroaching mankind whose earth-moving machines are on their way.

Firedrake leaves his valley with his friend Sorrel (a grumpy mushroom-loving brownie) and soon picks up a small helpful crew: a young orphan human named Ben, a homunculus named Twigleg, and a professor or archaeology and fabulous beings. He also receives help from some rats, the professor's family, and a many-eyed djinn. His journey to the Rim of Heaven is complicated by Nettlebrand, an alchemist's creation who looks like a giant dragon but whose sole purpose is to destroy all dragons. Years ago the group of dragons that once inhabited the Rim of Heaven fled his attack and he's been searching for them ever since. Now he thinks he has an unsuspecting guide in Firedrake.

Dragonrider is clearly aimed at a younger audience than either The Thief Lord of Inkheart. Vocabulary and sentence structure are not as rich or sophisticated, scenes move along more quickly, characters are a bit shallowly developed. On the other hand, Funke actually seems more comfortable writing for this age. Her more recent books, Inkheart more so than Thief Lord, fell somewhat short of their potential, neither completely successful in achieving a sense of darker sophistication. If the goal is somewhat less lofty in Dragonrider, it is better achieved. While there are no real surprises here and few truly powerful moments, the story carries its readers along smoothly, quickly, and entertainingly. A melding of this book's sense of ease and enjoyment with The Thief Lord's darker and more rich sense of atmosphere and character would make for a strong book indeed. Recommended.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

I liked the book Dragon Rider very much for many reasons. Some of which are the nail biting plot, the believable characters, and the ease of reading. The plot took many unexpected twists and turns keeping me at the edge of my seat. I eagerly read until the final battle between Firedrake and Nettlebrand not once being bored or wondering, "Why am I reading this book?" The vividly described characters seemed very real because the receive setbacks just as real as any of our setbacks. I especially liked this book because the ease of reading was incredible. The sentences flowed and fit together like well-designed puzzle pieces. This book had incredible flow from sentence to sentence, page to page, and chapter to chapter.

Although the sentences flowed together well, there were some challenging words. These words seemed quite challenging for younger kids that might read this book. Sometimes the unexpected turns in the story might throw someone off. In addition, the characters always seemed to have lucky at the right moment, but still it was believable. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, but there were some boring parts in the story, but not enough to make me stop reading.

I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys fantasy and adventures. This book would be great for anyone who enjoys a good book or the author Cornelia Funke. This book would be a bad pick for anyone who enjoys reading about reality or sports because this involves neither. This book may or may not fit your interests read it to find out!

This book, written by Cornelia Funke is the story of three friends that try to find their way to a place of legends where mythical creatures are supposed to be able to live peacfully. The three friends Firedrake, Ben, and Sorrel finally get to the place to find that the creatures that have gotten there before them have all been turned into stone. It was because of the evil drgaon that they have indirectly faced all through their journey. They end up defeating the evil dragon and free the frozen creatures from their tombs.

I liked this book because it talks about a different world where and different living style that i could only dream of. When I read about these things, I always feel like I am only a arms length away from the world i read about. I am also amused by the strange assortment of friends. A human is mixed in with creatures that he probably wasn't meant to see in his whole entire life ,but he ends up meeting a dragon named Firedrake and a furry bipidel creature named Sorrel.

My favorite part of the book is when the three buddies free a she-dragon who I think that Firedrake will most likely be dating in the next book. I thinks its very sweet and wonderful how they are meeting. Firedrake is almost the knight in shining armor who is saving the beautiful princess from the dragon, except his saving a she-dragon from a evil male dragon. Also i like this part because they use a lot of a mythical powerder called moon dew that has the esscence of the moons light in it so that the dragons are able to fly when it is sprinkled on the dragons wings .

"Overwhimsical" was a term a previous reviewer used. I definitely agree, but to me it just added to this book's charm. I love overwhimsical. How many modern stories have you read lately that are overwhimsical?

Dragon Rider is just fun. The idea of dragons living off moonlight -- whimsical. As is Twigleg the homunculus (probably my favorite character apart from Professor Greenbloom, who I just loved. How great is it when you actually get the privilege of reading about a grown man who truly believes in "fabulous creatures" and devotes his life to studying them? Not only that, but who actually dares to name his daughter Guenivere! (Actually, just thinking about him and Twigleg, along with the many settings of the book, makes me want to dig the book back out of the box I just packed it in and reread it.)

Funke may have written more gripping novels -- Inkheart comes to mind -- but this is the one I would turn to on a bad day. Though I could never get through The Thief Lord, I have really enjoyed everything else of Funke's work. But Dragon Rider leaves me with the best mental images.

It was a fun book, a whimsical book, a HAPPY book, and that's really all that matters. It was well-written, perhaps not the best of Ms. Funke's books but certainly the most easy to read. Some of the settings, like Egypt and the basilisk's cave and the monastery high in the Himalayas, are destined to stay in your head forever, with pleasant memories of this whimsical -- yes, overwhimsical -- book.

Rating: Very Good

Cornelia Funke's books are always a great escape -- this time into a fantasy world where all of the fantastic creatures of legend actually turn out to truly exist, including dragons, unicorns, dwarves, elves, fairies, brownies and more. This story begins with the knowledge that humans are going to invade a remote territory where dragons moved to get away from them, thus necessitating a search for a new home for the dragons. A single dragon, Firedrake, and his brownie companion Sorrel, set out to try to locate the fabled Rim of Heaven, a legendary location somewhere in the Himalayan mountains that is reputed to be the home of dragons and a place forever safe from humans. Along the way, Firedrake and Sorrel have many adventures and pick up new characters on the way, including a human boy named Ben who turns out to be a dragon rider. Before Firedrake and his companions can complete their quest, they must also deal with Nettlebrand, a terrible dragon-like creation whose goal in life is to hunt and kill dragon. This book is wonderfully imagined, richly plotted and filled with memorable characters.

"Dragon Rider" is a great fantasy by Cornelia Funke. I give this book five stars.

"'I knew before winter,' murmured the rat. `Oh yes, I knew before winter, I could smell it coming, but they wouldn't believe me, no, not them! They feel safe here. Safe! Huh! Really!' It was so dark under the fir trees that you could scarcely see the gaping crevice in the mountainside that swallowed up the mist. `They don't know anything,' the rat continued peevishly, 'that's their problem. They know absolutely nothing about the world. Not the least little thing.' She glanced warily around again, and then disappeared into the crevice in the rock. There was a large cave behind it. The rat scurried in but she didn't get far. Someone grabbed her tail and lifted her up in the air."

Do you want to know if this "someone" is friend or foe? Who is "rat"? If you do, buy this book. This book is about a dragon named Firedrake and his friends, Sorrel, Rat, and Ben. They are on a quest to find the Rim of Heaven, but need to battle and save the Rim of Heaven from someone called the "Golden One." I liked this book because I like fantasy books, and dragons. This book fits both. If you like fantasy, you will like this book. Cornelia Funke has written two other books, The Thief Lord and Inkheart.

Firedrake and Sorrel are trying to save the dragon clan from being destroyed as the humans are breaking through their domain to claim it as their own. As they fly south to find the Rim of Heaven they run into big problems. Little do they know if the Rim of Heaven is real or is it just a myth? In this book the author Cornelia Funke takes you on a wild and crazy adventure to the land of the dragons!

The author Cornelia Funke gave really good personalities to the two main characters of the story. Firedrake, the dragon, has a sweet personality. He is nice but can also get really annoyed. When he gets really annoyed he is like a bomb bursting in the air. He really gets annoyed especially when Sorrel starts complaining that she is hungry. Sorrel the brownie is really impatient and gets really angry a lot. These characters really pop out of the story and keeps you guessing what is going to happen next.

My opinion of this book is a big thumb's up with a five star rating. This book is great for kids because it sends their imagination soaring for stars. This may be coming from a seventh grader but I would still recommend this book for any age. Cornelia Funke has made an exciting book about adventure, drama, and a quest

This book review is about a book called Dragon Rider written and illustrated by Cornial Funke. The book's genre is fiction. This book has evil and good dragons. The book takes place in present time.

The book begins with a dragon and a talking cat. They set out to find a mystical place called the Rim of Heaven. Along their way they meet a human named Ben, and some creatures such as dwarfs, basilisks, a sea serpent, djinni, enchanted crows, a professor, a roc (a giant bird) and a evil dragon named Neatalbrand. Half way along their journey the dragon and the cat have to fly over a scorching desert and a huge sea, and end up on a sea serpents back. The book has very good and exciting story.

The writing style of this author is very good. She describes her creatures with full detail and it came alive with her descripion. The author made the charters voice come alive by using inserting detail. The sentence fluency was wonderful everything went together.

This is a very good book intended for 9 and 10 year olds. Most kids would like this book, but if your going to read one of Funk's books I'd recommend one of the other books like Inkhart or The Thief Lord. These two are more interesting far and more exciting overall.

Now that her novels THE THIEF LORD and INKHEART have become huge bestsellers, German author Cornelia Funke is finally achieving the kind of popularity in the United States that she has long enjoyed in her native country. With the English publication of DRAGON RIDER, an adventure novel for slightly younger readers, Funke is poised to expand her audience even more.

When the silver dragons' peaceful home in a Scottish valley is threatened by human settlers, young Firedrake is assigned to travel halfway around the world to find the mythical Rim of Heaven, a place where dragons can live safely. Accompanied by the sharp-tongued brownie Sorrel and the orphan boy Ben, Firedrake must avoid being captured by the wicked golden dragon Nettlebrand as he flies to complete his quest.

DRAGON RIDER lacks some of the imaginativeness that made Funke's other novels such groundbreaking fantasies. It is more of a straightforward quest story but is nevertheless an entertaining one, with several parallel storylines that will challenge the reader. DRAGON RIDER is also a long book, but its short chapters and witty dialogue (especially from the brownie Sorrel) will help keep young readers motivated.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

Dragon Rider is a wondrous book, filled with fantastic creatures. It includes dragons, brownies, sand elves, giant rocs, airborne rats and homunculi. It is of the fantasy genre.

In the beginning, a valley of dragons in Europe is informed that human beings are going to flood the entire valley, leaving them with no place to live. Few believe this will actually happen and those that do are not strong enough to fly. Desperate, one dragon named Firedrake decides to fly in search of the illusive Rim of Heaven by himself. He seeks help from the eldest dragon, who was one that had flown north years earlier to hide from humans and "The Golden One." He briefly describes the way to the rim and says to beware of the suspicious "Golden One" but the directions are unclear, just like the stories of when he was a young dragon. He also brings his brownie, creatures that have been dragons' allies for as long as they have existed. They are helped and harmed by the effect that fantastic creatures attract one another. They are also helped by unlikely sources, even an orphan boy and a sea serpent.

Read the book to experience the adventure.

I was originally drawn to "Dragon Rider" by my adoration of dragons. I knew practically nothing about the author, Cornelia Funke, but the synopsis interested me. I bought it and read it - and was disappointed.

For children younger than me, perhaps, it might be an engaging story. Combining the individual stories of an orphan boy, a dragon, a brownie, and a professor, it is an endearing tale for younger audiences. However, for preteens and teens who are in search for a good fantasy, I suggest you pass this one by.

For one thing, the characters are miserably flat. Sorrel is always grumpy, Ben is always optimistic...all of them are two-dimensional. I was bothered by how everyone they met seemed to quickly offer all the help they could. Overall, the plot and the characters feel stiffly unrealistic.

If you are drawn to Funke's work, after having read her other successful novels, I do not reccommend "Dragon Rider." I doubt it will live up to your expectations. If you are a first-time Funke reader, try "Inkheart" or "The Thief Lord." "Dragon Rider", however, just doesn't get off the ground.

The reason I think this book should get five stars and two thumbs up is because of all the excitement and this book offers. Not only that, but you might also get a little worried about our heroes trying to achieve their goal. They even meet a horrible creature and have close encounters with death. They also have times of joy and you will notice all these things as they meet new people.

The story begins on an island where dragons are lurking in the caves. Suddenly, they hear that humans and their bulldozers are on the verge of destroying their home. So one of the brave dragons and a brownie start off on a quest to find The Rim of Heaven. There are a lot of characters, but I will name the main ones.

Firedrake the Dragon, Sorrel the Brownie, Ben the Human [or Homo Sapien in scientific terms], Nettlebrand the Evil Half Dragon, Twigleg the Homunculus, Gravelbeard the Mountain Dwarf, Professor Greenbloom the Human, Vita Greenbloom the Human, and Guinevere Greenbloom the Human.

If you are a blood and guts kind of reader, this story is not really your type of book. This book is for all you dragon loving fantasy readers. This book gives you fantastic fantasy reading with dragons and brownies and a half dragon with ravens as servants that are made from different animals. But on the other hand, if you like action- adventure stories with mystical creatures, this book is for you. Also the places they visit are real. Now why am I talking about the book when you can read it yourself? Go on read this great book and you'll see what I mean.

Dragon Rider tells about a boy named Ben, a dragon named Firedrake, and a
Brownie named Sorrel. This book tells about Ben, Sorrel, and Firedrake
going on their journey to the Rim of Heaven in the Himalayas. They pass by weird creatures, including: a sea serpent, a djinni, Nettlebrand who is a dragon eater, and Twigleg who is a homocules, a small type of creature that is about as tall as a pint. Throughout their voyage, Nettlebrand is trying to kill them. It tells about them defending themselves from Nettlebrand. Will they die, or will Nettlebrand?

I think Dragon Rider is a fantastic book because it has adventure in it. It has mystical creatures. It just has a good story-line. It tells about things that will make you jump out of your pants. It also has things that are funny, especially the things Sorrel says. I also like this book because my favorite genre is fantasy and Cornelia Funke is one of my favorite authors. The only thing I don't like to talk about is, there is a tragedy.

I recommend this for ages 8-10. The genre is fantasy.
By Sara

Dragon Rider offers readers a glimpse of an enchanted world...that could really be our world that we don't realize. The story features a Dragon looking for a new home along with a Brownie and a young boy. Their journey creates friendships with other humans, rats, dragons, dwarfs, etc. The evil villian in the book is an enchanted golden dragon, Nettlebrand, who was created by an alchemist to hunt and kill the good silver dragons.

This ultimately is a fun children's story well-written to entertain young readers. The story lacks the depth and detail of Funke's other books like the Inkheart series. In Dragon Rider, she forgoes much of the character development and depth of story in order to move the plot along and introduce colorful characters along the way.

I think this will entertain young readers and adults who read aloud to them.

With the exception of the Harry Potter books read by Jim Dale, the world of audio books has been mainly a disappointment to me. I am so glad this audio book read by Brendan Fraser was recommended to me. Fraser reads this story wonderfully bringing the characters of Ben, Sorrell and Firedrake to life, but my favorite characters he read had to be Twigleg the Gravelbeard the grumpy dwarf. Fraser gave everyone a personality of their own.

The story of Dragon Rider itself was quite enjoyable, if a tad long. In this story, Firedrake, a silver dragon, learns that his valley is about to be flooded by humans. An old mentor tells Firedrake about The Rim of Heaven, a fairy tale place where the dragons were said to have originally come from. Firedrake along with his brownie friend, Sorrell, sets off on quest to find The Rim of Heaven. Along the way they meet a variety of characters including the human boy, Ben, talking rats, enchanted ravens, dwarfs, fairies and, of course, the horrible, terrible Golden One, Nettlebrand. This is a story sure to delight pre-teens and up with excitement, bravery and magic.

"Dragon Rider" was first published in Germany as "Drachenreiter" several years ago, long before Eragon was first published. So no, Cornelia Funke is not ripping off Paolini's "idea". Not to mention the fact that Paolini has a (cough) slight tendency to plaigarize a bit himself.

But more to the point...

Pros:

1. An engaging read for younger audiences...with a five-hundred page attention span, anyhow.

2. Great for extended bedtime or family reading sessions.

Cons:

1. The characters are very flat and static, with the possible exception of the homunculus, Twigleg.

2. Firedrake just seems at times to be nothing more than an exotic vehicle for the "hero," Ben, who rarely does anything save for getting captured by giant monsters left and right. While poor Firedrake is doing all the hard work, Ben is just kind of...there...without much to offer but emotional support.

3. For older readers, many of the book's concepts can seem a bit overly whimsical (e.g. the dragons living by "drinking" moonlight).

4. The dialogue is almost nauseatingly corny in places.

In conclusion, I give Dragon Rider 3 out of 5 stars because, while not perfect, it is a charming read and you'll love it if you're a fan of dragon-fantasy scenarios as I am.

Dragon Rider is a fantasy novel about a dragon named Firedrake,on a quest to find the Rim of Heaven. On the way he teams up with some very unlikely allies, Sorrel the brownie, a boy named Ben, and a mysterious creature named Twigleg. Also he awakens an evil almost as old as history itself. This evil is Nettlebrand, a massive silver golden dragon that feasts on silver dragons. He is much larger than the Silver Dragons, and is impervious to fire. Nettlebrand may seem invincible, but he has one great weakness. Nettlebrand cannot fly. This proves to be his undoing as the story unfolds. Firedrake and Ben delelop a unique friendship, and must overcome many obstacles on their journey. They must fight a basilisk, outwit a giant eagle, and cross the ocean on the back of a sea serpent. To find out what happens to Firedrake and the others read Dragon Rider!

This book was very suspensful, and unpredictable. I never knew what was going to happen next. Other books written by Cornelia Funke are Inkheart, Inkspell, and the Thief Lord.

Ashley

Dragon Rider (or Drachenreiter, as it was originally published) is quite a fascinating novel about a boy, a dragon, and a forest brownie. This is an exellent fantasy for a person who is constantly running low on books, because it is so incredibly long and it draws the reader in like a siren.

A masterwork of ink, Dragon Rider starts as a strange rat character warns the dragons of a peaceful valley of impending danger, specifically of humans coming to flood the valley of the dragons. The eldest dragon then tells Firedrake, a young dragon from the valley, that the only place left to dragon-kind was the Rim of Heaven, enclosed by large mountains in the Himalayas. Firedrake then sets off with a young forest brownie named Sorrel to find the Rim of Heaven and salvation.

Cornelia Funke, writer of so many paper masterpieces, spins the gold of Dragon Rider with straw of beauty and experience, excitement and knowledge. People of all ages will love this book enough to want to draw it up to the table as an honored guest.

Another great read by Cornelia Funke!
When humans start to come to where the dragons are hiding a young dragon volunteers to find the Rim of Heaven, the last sanctuary for dragons. When he and his friend (a brownie named Sorrel) go to get a map from a rat they meet a orphan boy (Ben) that joins them on their journey. The rest of the story is about them flying across the world to find the Rim of Heaven. They meet many marvelous creatures (as well as humans) on the way. The odd trio also has to avoid a huge gold dragon during their journey.
At the very beginning I found it rather confusing with things like what a brownie is (I never figured it out!), also it seemed like another cheesy book. However when one of my friends ask me if I was finished so that she could borrow it gave me the incentive to finish it. I am glad that I did! I found myself completely hooked onto the book, so much so that my mom had to pull it out of my hands so that I would do school work.
Cornelia Funke made a wonderful world using the world that we live in. She added a whole different side, one of fabulous creatures such as dragons and brownies. The author creates a fabolous tale when her protangonists face new dangers, meet new creatures and see different parts of the world. This book is for anyone who loves a great adventure, marvelous creatures and well anyone who enjoys a great read!

Dragon Rider is a fascinating, well-writen book. Friedrake a silver dragon and his other dragon friends are threatened by humans to leave their protective valley. Friedrake volunteers to go look for the "Rim of Heaven" a place said where Dragons can fly safely, in peace. Friedrake takes Sorrel a brownie and Ben an orpaned boy with him on this dangerous quest. Nettlebrand a Golden dragon was made to hunt silver dragons so he decides to send his "armor cleaner" to follow the dragon and is companions to the "Rim of Heaven" so he can go hunting once again. They come across many wonderful mythical creatures, some good and some bad.

This story had me hooked. I read 250 pages in 2 days! I usually don't like fantasy books but I loved Cornelia Funke's other books, The Thief Lord and Inkheart so i decided to try this one. This is my favorite book I have ever read and I have read hundreds of books. I could clearly see Cornelia Funke's voice through the book.

I loved this book!

Have you ever wished you could ride a dragon? This fantasy book tells about a dragon, a brownie (like a cat), a human boy, a homunculus, and some of their friends they meet on the way. The dragon's valley is being flooded by humans and the dragons have to find the rim of heaven in the Himalayas because it is the only place that the humans aren't living in. While searching for a mouse map maker that would have a map on the Himalayas, they find a human boy with no family in an abandoned warehouse. But lurking in the shadows is the golden one searching for all silver dragons to destroy, somewhere out there a spy is nearby doing his biddings. Who could it be?

I think this was a great book. I recommend this book to people who enjoy action, excitement, dragons, and adventure. This book has surprises too, like when the new moon came early and since Firedrake the dragon can only fly on moonlight they had to land on islands not marked on their map. But it wasn't an island, it was a sea serpent! This book is also a page turner. You want to keep reading to find out if the golden one will succeed, the dragon will win, or if they don't find the rim of heaven fast enough if they do! This book was not boring, every chapter had a little bit of action and surprise in it!

If you like action, adventure, endless fun and fantasy then Cornelia Funke's "Dragon Rider" is definitely for you. It's about a dragon named Firedrake who's dragon valley is going to be flooded by humans. So one of the the oldest dragons tells them of a place where dragons can live forever in peace called the Rim of Heaven. So Sorrel, a brownie (basically a big cat) says she'll agree to go on the mission with Firedrake. So off they go in search for the Rim of Heaven. But on the way they meet a human named Ben who has no parents and agrees that he will go on the mission. They also meet a man in Egypt named Professor Barnabas Greenbloom who knows all about mythical creatures. But they also meet a horrible villian named Nettlebrand, the Golden One, who wants to to go to the Rim of Heaven to kill the dragons that have been there for years hiding from him. I will not tell if they find the Rim of Heaven or not or if they defeat Nettlebrand. You'll just have to read and see!

Jump into the world of reading with Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funk. Dragon Rider has and is, heartwarming adventure, a huge setting of characters, great number of pages, and exciting story. Dragon Rider is a special book that looks at the world like an animal would, and really pulls you into the story.

The story begins when the population of dragons in the area gather for a special meeting. Rat explained about humans invading, and tranforming their peaceful home into into a reservoir. Now it is up to Firedrake and Sorrel to save the dragons, and find the legendary Rim Of Heaven.

Funke uses the best adverbs and adjectives for Dragon Rider. This is one of the best books that you'll ever read, so read it. Funke has a a rich source of words, her sentences runs like a peaceful stream, and her animals come alive with the perfect plot. So I'll bet you the best thing to do today, is to go to your local book store and buy Dragon Rider, now!

"The Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke

This great book written by Cornelia Funke , is very adventurous. There are creatures in it you would not ever imagine. This is the best book for you if you like fantasy. This wondrous book is very long, but is very good. You won't believe what "The Dragon Rider" has in store for you.

If you hate reading books without even a little bit of pictures, this is the book for you. It gives you pictures just enough in this book. If you think that imagining things yourself, this book is one you would love to read.

Cornelia Funke knows how to make you dive into her books. "The Dragon Rider" will make you want to read this book instead of watching television. This book will glue your eyes to the page! It glued my eyes to the page. Why shouldn't it glue yours? I loved this book and I am sure you will to.

I really enjoy Cornelia Funke's books and writing style. This time, I got the audiobook version. On the one hand, I'm impressed that the narrator can do so many accents. However, he also does excessive noises and sound effects that are irritating at best, and disgusting at worst. I don't know if it's supposed to appeal to kids (??), but a few times, I've turned off the volume until he's gotten through the nauseating parts. He also frequently shifts between quiet mumbling and shrill hysteria within the same conversation, which also makes it difficult to listen to. And sometimes the accent and unnecessary sound effects overwhelm the actual words and you miss portions of the conversations.

I really wish I'd gotten the book.

This wonderful fantasy book by Cornelia Funke is Dragon Rider. This quest begins in the Valley of the Dragons and goes to different places. The Valley of the Dragons is where Firedrake, the dragon, and his friend Sorrel, which is a mythical cat, try to take a quest to the Rim of Heaven. That is the safe haven for dragons. Along the way, they meet Ben, an orphan who lives in a big city. They also meet an unexpected antagonist named Nettlebrand. The bad news is, he eats silver dragons like Firedrake. Will they make it to The Rim of Heaven? Will Nettlebrand get them first? Find out in this exciting book. We give this book five stars. We would recommend this to fantasy lovers, because it has mythical creatures and action sequences. It is a really good book, so read it today and discover the magical adventure called Dragon Rider.

Chris and Jared

"The Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke

This great book written by Cornelia Funke , is very adventurous. There are creatures in it you would not ever imagine. This is the best book for you if you like fantasy. This wondrous book is very long, but is very good. You won't believe what "The Dragon Rider" has in store for you.

If you hate reading books without even a little bit of pictures, this is the book for you. It gives you pictures just enough in this book. If you think that imagining things yourself, this book is one you would love to read.

Cornelia Funke knows how to make you dive into her books. "The Dragon Rider" will make you want to read this book instead of watching television. This book will glue your eyes to the page! It glued my eyes to the page. Why shouldn't it glue yours? I loved this book and I am sure you will to.

Dragon Rider. Ever heard of it? Have you heard of the book called Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke? This book is kind of like it. There are about seven dragons left in the world and they are trying to find the Ring of Heaven in the Himalayas before a golden dragon does. This dragon has killed most of the other dragons that are not like him. My favorite part is when they exited the factory and two humans are chasing Drake down. Drake goes into the dirty and murky water that has so much trash in it he can dive in the river and hide. If you like action packed books that you just can't wait until the next part comes up then Dragon Rider will do all that and more. I think that Dragon Rider is a great book for kids my age (10-15). If you want to know if they reach the Ring of Heaven, you're going to have to read it.

4 out of 5 stars

I have used this book with the Audio Version, ( WONDERFULLY narrated by Brenden Fraiser) several times as a class book. It keeps my students engaged and thinking. I love the story, the fantasy as well as the life lessons..I teach middle school Special Ed but I also recommend it to others.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke is one of the best books I've read this month, it tells the story of an orphaned boy that meets a team made up of a dragon and brownie, together they try and find a place called the rim of heaven, because the valley of dragons will soon be flooded. While doing this they meet a Homunculus which is a spy of the fearsome beast Nettlebrand who follows them steathly to the Rim of Heaven to attack and eventually eat all silver dragons. The homunculus(Twigleg) soon confesses his espionage but they forgive him and in so doing he becomes a mole.Giving false info to Nettlebrand and really working for the good guys.

The book was long (about 530 pgs) but definately worth the reading, she has a creative style of writing and the abiltity to portray fantasic creatures like never before.

When a group of dragons finds out that humans are going to be flooding their valley, Firedrake decides to go on a journey to find the Rim of Heaven--a zone of safety from the invasive humans. He is enigmatically warned by an elderly dragon to "beware the Golden One." Firedrake sets off with his Brownie friend Sorrel, picking up a human boy (Ben) and a homunculus (Twigleg) along the way. They must defeat "the Golden One" in order to be in safety forever. This was a magical little book for kids. It would be appropriate to read to young kids, and is the reading level of perhaps an 11-13 year old. It's a fun read for an adult who likes YA lit, too.

I decided to read this book after absolutely loving The Thief Lord and Inkheart. However, Dragon Rider is not of the same caliber as Funke's other books. I understand that Dragon Rider is actually her first novel, so I am not ready to give up on Funke yet, but I still am not enjoying this book very much (I have not finished it yet). I do not care about these characters the way I cared about Meggie, Mo, and Prosper. They seem like one-note characters to me: Ben is always happy to be on an adventure, Firedrake is always laid-back, and Sorrel is always crabby. This is another book which it is taking me forever to read (about a month); it just doesn't capture my imagination. Another problem, as a previous reviewer mentioned, is that the dialogue feels stilted. I realize it is translated, but I think the text would have benefited from just one more edit. I didn't notice this problem with her two other books.

***Spoiler alert***

As in her two other books, there is a character who is not what he seems (Twigleg in this book, Scipio in The Thief Lord, and Dustfinger in Inkheart), but I was able to predict Twigleg's transformation from spy to trusted companion as soon as Funke mentioned that Twigleg would die if he gave his love to a human.

This book was a childhood favorite of mine. Full of fun and wonder, it was one of the few books that I actually read twice as a kid. For parents looking to get a fun book for their kids, I recommend it highly, however, get the library addition if you can. The hardcover version (that I own) has some illustrations and a full color pop up map. Definitely worth it!

Dragon Rider, an awesome fantasy, tells of a group of dragons who are in harms way at their current residence. Firedrake a silver dragon, and Sorrel (a Brownie) embark on a journey to unveil the location of the Rim of Heaven, a dragon refuge to those who find it. In the process they meet Ben (an orphan boy) whom Firedrake invites to come along. However, they must beware of Nettlebrand, the Golden One (a man-made Golden Dragon), for he has spies everywhere (including a reluctant manikin, Twigleg) and loves the taste of Silver Dragon. The adventure becomes a thrilling fairy tale upon the encounter of humans, dwarves, and enchantment. You'll fly though the pages like Firedrake. I found the book entertaining and magical with some flaws. I rate Dragon Rider three out of five stars.

Sorrel and Firedrake are leaving their home to find a land which was thought to be a myth. As they travel to find the beautiful Rim of Heaven, they meet a boy who helps them alot during their journey. What they don't know is they are being followed by a fierce dragon hunter.

After reading this book I am made my mind up to be a Cornelia Funke Fan. You will enjoy following beside Firedrake as he through flies this beautiful world. You don't even need pictures to see the characters right beside you, or to taste the air that is humid with sea salt. It's also so suspensful you will be jumping off your seat as the path they take through the story twists and turns. If you read this book then you sure will become a Funke Fan too.

I read Cornelia Funke's Thief lord and thought it was decent and then read Inkheart and thought that was pretty bad so I really had low hopes from Dragon Rider. Upon reading it, however, I found that I absolutely loved it. There is nothing here you haven't read before and you can spot just about every plot twist before it happens, but that is perfectly alright because with a solid story and likeable characters such as appear in this book, its like listening to a comfortable story you've heard hundreds of times before unfold in a new way. There is no downtime in the narrative and things move along smoothly and interestingly until the very end. The audio book also features an excellent performance by Brandon Fraser. Overall, this is a book which I can recommend without a moments hesitation to just about anyone.

Dragon Rider is an awesome tale of valiant creatures and horrendous villains. Ben, the main character is an orphan boy who clings to a spectacular silver dragon named Firedrake, along with Sorrel who is a ferocious cat like creature. Nettlebrand, a towering gold contraption, is hunting down all the silver dragons. Terrified the gang sets out for the Rim of Heaven, where the dragons lived long ago. Along with pixies, sandman and even sea serpents, this work of art is filled with adventure, bravery and big words. Cornelia Funke is such a creative author. She just keeps building off one idea and will keep you in suspense. There is so much character development throughout the entire novel. Read this book and see how a orphan boy becomes a courageous Dragon Rider.

Reviewed by CookieBooky Kid --

Let me just say that Dragon Rider is definitely one of my favorite books. From the characters to the story line to the setting, this book was perfect down to every last detail. I enjoyed all the magical creatures Ben, Sorrel and Firedrake encountered on their way to the Rim of Heaven, an unknown valley in the Himalayas. I even liked Nettlebrand, their arch enemy (but only a little!)

To sum it all up, if you like books about dragons and other fantasy characters, this is something you should add to your collection. But don't ever expect to find a "sweet little story about fairies and unicorns" because this is not it. I also highly recommend the Spiderwick Chronicles to everyone who likes books like these.

Happy reading!!!

Sorrel and Firedrake are leaving their home to find a land which was thought to be a myth. As they travel to find the beautiful Rim of Heaven, they meet a boy who helps them alot during their journey. What they don't know is they are being followed by a fierce dragon hunter.

After reading this book I am made my mind up to be a Cornelia Funke Fan. You will enjoy following beside Firedrake as he through flies this beautiful world. You don't even need pictures to see the characters right beside you, or to taste the air that is humid with sea salt. It's also so suspensful you will be jumping off your seat as the path they take through the story twists and turns. If you read this book then you sure will become a Funke Fan too.

This book I listened to as read by Brendan Fraser on a CD. It was really good. I enjoyed the story itself, the existence of dragons and other magical creatures, hiding among humans. Mr. Fraser did a great job creating different voices for each character, and really made it come to life. This book would be a good book for young readers. The story is fun and I found myself wanting to keep listening and not turn it off. Cornelia Funke is one of my favorite writers!

So the dragons have to find a new home, because the humans are pushing them out of their secret hiding place. But none of them knows what to do or where to go. Finally, one dragon decides to follow a legend and seek out a new home for them. The brownie that is his companion adds humor to the story. The plot thickens as the bad guy emerges and tries to . . . well, you need to read it for yourself. Or listen to it by Brendan Fraser. You won't be dissapointed. I only wish there were more Dragon Rider books.

I enjoyed this book greatly. The interactions between 'beast' and human are wonderfully written and I love the little surprises here and there. This is a long book but definitely worth the read. If you happen to like audiobooks, Brendan Frasier (spelling) does a good job.

Very excited to receive this book. My daughter loves it. The listing stated that it is Used - Very good. That is incorrect. The binding on the book was all but falling apart. There were just a few of the binding threads holding the pages in. Also there is darkly hi-lighted pages with writing making it nearly impossible to read. Very unhappy with this purchase.

Enter a world of dragons and mythology when you read Dragon Rider. This book is about a young dragon named Firedrake, trying to save the remaining dragons from the humans. Along with his friend Sorrel a brownie cat , Firedrake must go to a valley in the Himalayans called The Rim of Heaven. On their way they stop in a city and find an orphan boy named Ben. Together they must stop an evil villain , a golden dragon that likes to eat dragons like Firedrake. Can they make it to the Rim of Heaven, will they be able to stop the evil villain, and are there more dragons than we think?

I like this book because I love mythology. I also like this book because it is very interesting.

Cornelia Funke created a very unique idea of dragons in her book ‘Dragon Rider’.
The book focuses on a dragon who is in search of a legendary place known as ‘The Rim of Heaven’. On his way he makes friends who want to help find the mythical place. A man-made dragon, who hates all other dragons, knows of this quest and tries to stop them on their way.

Dragon Rider is worth reading for two main reasons:
1. Dragons can only fly in moonlight. This adds a uniqueness to the book.
2. The story-line was well planned. As I read the book, I never once got confused about what was going on.

I chose ages 9 and up because it is a long book. With almost 500 pages, a child younger than 9 may struggle and get discouraged while reading. For older readers, this book is long and gives a glimpse into the wonderful genre of fantasy.

Never really liked books about dragons....another book made by Cornelia Funke. (Translated by Anthea Bell) (Publisher Cecilie Dressloer Verlag).

That is until I found out about this book. It was one day that my dad decided to take me to the book store so I could find a book to read because I never liked to read. This was like a book that changed my thinking that books are boring.

In a land that is hidden from the human eyes inhabited by dragons, until now humans have discovered the land and are trying to turn it into human territory. (You see for year's humans and mythical creatures have co-existed unknown to many humans). One dragon sets off with a brownie to find a land that is thought to have never existed, a land where dragons could be free, the Rim of Heavens.

On the way the dragon finds a boy named Ben who has been an orphan for a while and seeking adventure along with companions to be with. They later meet a homunculus named Twigleg who doesn't like his master and is trying to get away but at the same time not get eaten. The dragon named Firedrake is a young dragon with big dreams and hopes and also wants adventure. The brownie's name is sorrel that loves mushrooms and can sense things better than dragons and looks after Firedrake. They meet a professor who knows a lot about mythical creatures named Greenblom lends much assistance here and there. You got Ravens who work for the golden one who lives to be his messengers. The golden one is called Nettlebrand who was created by the same alchemist who created Twigleg to kill dragons for a wicked plan. He may look like a dragon but only has that appearance so dragons shall not fear him so he can kill them.

The story is so descriptive you feel like your there. Also there are so many twists and turns and the unexpected happens a lot.

I'm not going to give away too much but the ending is great all the way. This book is a must read for people of almost any age. Also for look for other other books made by Cornelia Funke a great author.