Dragon Run

January 15, 2013
In a world ruled by dragons whose minions rank and brand people like cattle, one boy has the ability to change everything. Al, Wisp and Trillia join the crowd of 12-year-olds waiting outside the castle on Testing Day. With relatively high-ranking parents--four--Al worries more about his friend, Wisp, whose parents sport the marks of rank two. Wisp, cavalier as always, gives Al a beaten-up hat to wear with an enigmatic message that it will give him the "luck of the Evans." However, luck seems far from Al when a zero is carved on the back of his neck, indicating his worth and calling for not only his death, but the death of his whole family. Al's only option is to run. He soon discovers that rank zeros are not worthless but dangerous, capable of overthrowing the dragons and freeing the five races from their slavery. Sword fights, a mysterious society and an impossible quest keep this inventive fantasy moving at a fast clip. Harry Potter fans hungry for a new hero will be drawn to Al, but stock characters and a predictable resolution combine to steal the magic. A distinctive fantasy with obvious flaws, this still goes down pretty easy. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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June 1, 2013

Gr 4-7-It's Testing Day for Al Pilgrommor and the other 12-year-olds, the day that humans receive their rank marks from agents of the dragons who rule their world. Their rank-a number from one to seven carved onto the backs of their necks-will determine their entire future and social standing. With his parents both fours, Al is not unduly worried, so when he is marked a zero, he is shocked. A guard helps him escape, warning him not to go home or the Cullers will kill him and his entire family to destroy his bloodline. As Al moves from place to place, trying to survive and barely keeping one step ahead of his murderous pursuers, he learns more about his world, the different races that inhabit it, and the Potentia that gives the dragons their power. Being a zero might be a death sentence, but not for the reasons he's been told, and Al may be the key to changing the world. With an interesting premise, the story is fast paced enough to hold readers' interest. Al is an appealing hero, though his supporting cast is full of flat and underdeveloped characters. Nevertheless, fantasy fans will find much to enjoy in this action-filled adventure.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

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