Icefire (Last Dragon Chronicles #2) by Chris D'Lacey

Title: Icefire
Author: Chris D'Lacey
Publisher: Orchard Books
Release Date: 2003
Other Titles in Series: The Fire Within (#1), Fire Star (#3), The Fire Eternal (#4), Dark Fire (#5), Fire World (#6)

Rating:
Characters: 20/20
Plot: 19/20
Originality: 20/20
Writing: 19/20
Recommendation: 20/20
Overall: 98/100 or A+
Source: I own this book

Synopsis: In the exciting sequel to The Fire Within, David must uncover the truth behind the mysterious clay dragons. David's quest is to discover the link between the fire of the last known dragon on earth and the icy regions of the Arctic, It's a journey that will bring him to the very heart of the legend of dragons and the mysterious, ancient secret of the icefire. . . .

Review: The stunning ingenuity of Chris D'Lacy expresses itself once again in the second installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles. In this continuation of the plot, David finally discovers the secrets of the Pennykettle Dragons, along with the uncovering of a link between polar bears and and dragons of ancient times. Icefire is indeed a step up on the maturity level compared to The Fire Within, yet the childish innocence of the first book manages to carry over as well. 

One aspect of the book that really impacted me was the description of "auma" or someones inner fire. Auma can be compared to the breath of God, or universal consciousness. It is the animating force of the Pennykettle Dragons, and it is a major part of the plot. I'm guessing (but not entirely for sure) that "auma" is the author's personalization of the Hindu and Buddhist "Aum" or "Om." It is often referred to as the sound of the Earth… Creation... The heart of existence. This idea is very inspiring. ;-)

All in all, Icefire is definitely a good read. If you enjoyed The Fire Within, you will be satisfied by it's sequel. I will give some warning though, this book seems to open the door to the more cosmic aspects of the series, which may be confusing to some. I am looking forward to reviewing the later books in the series, including the recently released Fire World. Until then, read on! ;-)

http://www.thelastdragonchronicles.com/

D'Lacey, Chris. (2003) Icefire. United States: Orchard Books.