The Coming of the Dragon

October 1, 2010

Shaping her novel around the last part of Beowulf, Barnhouse ponders the question of good leadership in a violent age. When the infant Rune washes up on the shores of Geatland, many see him as cursed, but the aging King Beowulf spares him and places him in the care of Amma, a wisewoman, who raises him with the ancient lays. When the dragon of the poem lays waste to the countryside and kills many, including Amma and much of the guard that are not off defending against the ever-threatening Shylfings, the now-teenage Rune seeks to prove himself and avenge Amma. In a gutsy move, the author locates the climactic battle with the dragon in the center of the novel, forcing Rune and the Geats to cope with life in a post-Beowulf world and imagine new paths to prosperity. Much of this part of the narrative and the characterization seem more informed by 21st-century sensibilities than ancient Scandinavian ones, but within the framework of the likable Rune's coming of age it works, providing readers with much food for thought—and some hope. (author's note, pronunciation guide) (Fiction. 10-14)

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November 1, 2010

Gr 5-8-Loosely based on the final years of Beowulf's kingship, this imaginative retelling fleshes out the story of the only man who truly stands beside the great king to the end. Rune is an infant when he washes ashore in a mysterious boat and is spared death by King Beowulf and Amma, a strange old woman who becomes a mother figure to him. The king protects Rune and trains him to fight, but he remains a threat and a misfit in the minds of most villagers. He is content living a simple life until a vicious dragon is awakened and destroys everyone and everything he loves. Avenging his family leads him to answers about his own heritage as well as some nail-biting suspense as he confronts the dragon more than once. While Rune's naked insecurity and self-doubt wear thin at times, his innocence and perseverance make him a sympathetic and unlikely hero. An adventure-filled coming-of-age tale.-Mandy Lawrence, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2010
Grades 7-10 Rune has never known his parents, and the villagers who raised him are not completely convinced he isnt cursed by the gods. But when King Beowulf is in direst need, only Rune stands by his side, finally able to claim his destiny. Barnhouse takes the final section of Beowulf, which focuses on the story of young Wiglaf, and weaves an absorbing tale of a young man finding his courage. Told as a straight narrative, descriptions of settings and plot elements reflect back to the epic itself. Although few characters are fully developed, Rune and the woman who raised himas well as King Beowulfemerge as rounded characters. This is a great bridge book to use in a classroom either before or after broaching the Beowulf story. An authors note clearly indicates which bits of the novel have been fabricated and which are drawn directly from the poem. This novel would also appeal to those who enjoy Norse mythology in general and to readers of Judson Roberts Strongbow Saga.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)