Dragon's Blood: The Pit Dragon Chronicles: Book 1

Review

Common Sense Media says

Enthralling, gritty, classic dragon trilogy.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that there are some sexual references, and that the intense scenes of dragon fighting may be too much for sensitive children.

  • Positive messages0
    In this culture, stealing dragon eggs is expected and encouraged.
  • Violence3
    Some fighting; battles against a vicious creature; men bet on organized fights between dragons.
  • Sex0
    There are numerous mentions of the "Baggeries," which are apparently bordellos of some kind, though it's hard to tell. Some mild sexual references, a kiss, and lots on breeding dragons.
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What's the story?

Jakkin, a bond-boy on the planet Austar IV, works for Sarkkhan, the best dragon trainer on the planet. Jakkin dreams of one day having a dragon of his own to fight in the dragon pits, and earn him the money to buy out his bond. So he creates an oasis in the desert, and steals a hatchling to train there.

Now he must work during the day, train the dragon at night, keep it all a secret, and protect the baby dragon from predators. He establishes a telepathic bond with his dragon, and gets help from Akki, a mysterious bond-girl who seems to come and go as she pleases. But he still needs to find a way to enter the stolen dragon in the tightly controlled Pit competitions.

Is it any good?

 

Old pro Jane Yolen can really spin a yarn. Her writing is vivid and gritty, even a bit edgy for its time. Every book plays a movie in the reader's mind, but this one is especially clear, with a mesmerizing flow that carries the reader along to its exceptionally satisfying conclusion. With the current popularity of special-effects fantasy epics, how have they missed making a movie out of this series?

This is one of the rare fantasy/science fiction novels with no real villains and no battle between the forces of good and evil, just the enthralling and exciting story of a boy, a dragon, and an invented world that rings true in every clever aspect, both fantastic and human. Young readers will find this hard to put down, and will be eagerly reaching for the next book in the series as soon as they're done.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the Austarian system and how it parallels our own. What is the Pit Dragon system most like -- horse racing, cock fighting? What do you think of the bond system -- fair, or not?

This review was written by Matt Berman
Kid, 13 years old
July 17, 2009
AGE
10
 
Perfect for 10+
It loses you in the book but it is a good book.
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Helped me decide (8) | Had useful details (9) | Read my mind (7)
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This review was written by Matt Berman
Topics:magic and fantasy
Author:Jane Yolen
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Fantasy
Publisher:Harcourt Brace
Publication date:January 1, 1982
Number of pages:303
Paperback price:$6.95
Publisher's recommended age(s):12 - 12
Read aloud:10
Read alone:11
This review was written by Matt Berman
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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