Dragon Champion

David Drummond provides a strong narrative voice for this fantasy, which revolves around Auron, a young gray dragon who must prove his cunning and intelligence in a world in which he is feared and hunted. After losing his family to hunters, he must grow up quickly and find others like him if he is to survive. While Drummond delivers strong and compelling prose, utilizing tone and rhythm to keep the story going and heightening moments of tension, he fails to deliver believable dragon voices. Granted, what makes for an authentic dragon voice is debatable. While the youth of the dragon voices accurately reflects their level of emotional development--the physiological traits of a dragon would indicate a more powerful voice. L.E. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

October 31, 2005
Knight, best known for his Vampire Earth mass market series (Tale of the Thunderbolt
, etc.), makes an auspicious trade paper debut with this smoothly written fantasy told from the point-of-view of its dragon hero. Four dragon hatchlings, flameless and dependent on their father to bring home horses and even men as food, face a host of dangers, including fierce dwarves who invade their cave. Only Auron, the pride of the litter, will survive to fight those determined to drive his breed to extinction. Some flat poetry that poses no threat to Tolkien only slightly slows the brisk pace of this bloody, unsentimental fairy tale.