Publisher: Orchard Books
Release Date: January 6, 2011
Other Titles in Series: The Fire Within (#1), Icefire (#2), Fire Star (#3), The Fire Eternal (#4), and Dark Fire (#5)
Rating:
Characters: 20/20
Plot: 20/20
Originality: 20/20
Writing: 20/20
Recommendation: 19/20
Overall: 99/100
Source: Library
Synopsis: David Rain, Lucy, Zanna, and the Pennykettle dragons disappeared after destroying a trace of dark fire.
In a world between Earth and Ki:mera, called Co:pernica, lives a twelve-year-old boy named David. He and his friend Rosanna spend their days in the librarium, a museum for books, with the curator, Mr. Henry, and the mysterious firebirds that roam the upper levels.
When the two friends accidentally injure one of the firebirds, David and Rosanna find themselves on a remarkable and dangerous adventure. The evil Ix have found a way to Co:pernica from their home planet and have taken over a firebird turning it to the side of darkness. The birds have a secret, though: They know about the existence of dragons.
With the help of David and Rosanna, the firebirds must reach across the universe to call on the dragons for protection. But will the dragons arrive before the Ix destroy everything?
My Thoughts: For one of the few times in my life I am actually nearly at a loss for words. Expressing the boundless veneration I have for Fire World and its author seems daunting and nearly impossible. This was one of those rare times where I actually chewed a book before swallowing it, instead of devouring it outright. I cannot pretend to do justice to this book through a review, but as I am a writer, I am compelled to make the attempt.
Fire World is the sixth and most recent installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles, ingeniously written by Chris D'Lacey. Throughout the previous books of the series, the storyline has evolved greatly, but generally retained the same overall character or essence. Amazingly, Fire World takes a drastic turn away from what readers would consider familiar about the story. Firstly, just understanding the fact that the events in the sixth installment are taking place in an alternate reality tells readers not to expect the ordinary.
Co:pernica is an alternate universe version of Earth, where all the familiar characters of the series appear – but not quite as they’ve been before. As the book starts out, readers of the previous novels may be confused. They may even say, "What the heck is going on?" I certainly had a similar reaction upon opening the book. There are several peculiarities throughout the novel that may also strike readers as odd or intriguing, including the return of Gwillana (known as Aunt Gwyneth on Co:pernica). The death of Gwillana in Dark Fire was one of the highlights of the series and to see her return, to me was an intense moment. Totally awesome, to say in modern teen words.
I have deduced that Fire World is by far the epitome of the series' greatness, even if it borders on confusing at times. For that reason only, I cannot give the series a perfect 100/100 rating. Certain readers may find the novel a bit too "out there" and too dissimilar from the remainder of the series. I, myself found it superbly fantastic and worthy of being remembered and revered throughout the ages. Chris D'Lacey is truly a genius, hands down, and an excellent writer. I hope many young readers discover this series, as it can truly change someone's perspective on fantasy.
http://www.icefire.co.uk/
D'Lacey, Chris. (2011) Fire World. United States: Orchard Books.
No comments:
Post a Comment