Andy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon's Fury
by L. R. W. Lee
Published by: CreateSpace (Amazon Independent Publishing Platform)
Confession time: I readily agreed to review this book, as the promoter had referred a number of very good books to me before. I got the book, and was happily reading along, and I began to think: at whom is this book aimed? It has a relatively solid vocabulary, some complex interactions, and yet subject matter that would clearly delight the pre-teen crowd.
In a separate moment, I was talking with a little girl who just completed first grade, and she and her mom are planning to read her first "chapter book" together over the summer - a real landmark for a young reader - and a great opportunity for parents and children to discuss ideas, relationships, challenges, and so on.
So the objective is: find the perfect book. And this is it.
Of course, it can be read by any child who like swords and sorcery, dragons and mystic worlds, nothing too scary but a few close calls. But this is an ideal read-together book for a young reader graduating into more challenging reading, because it is full of opportunities for parents to talk to their kids about values, friendships, biases, "doing your best," and trusting your better instincts.
Young Andy Smithson, computer gamer extraordinaire, is in trouble with his mom and in his attic exploring a strange sound when he is transported to an amazing world where dragons and Pegasus' exist; where there is a King who has lived under a curse for 500 years; where there are evil vulture people who can morph into birds that spy from the evil neighboring kingdom; and where Andy is challenged with making everything right again.
Here, Andy finds a best friend in a neon-haired boy from a "lower class," demonstrating that people who don't look like us can still have great and lasting value. His friend enters a contest to ride a winged horse, and his guiding instruction is simply to "do his best." Andy is adopted into his friend Alden's family, where his "mom" is the kind we all want: loving, doting, accepting yet expecting us to always "do our best." Andy and Alden attend a festival where they're free to eat anything and everything that they want and like and nobody says "that's enough, now!" And Andy is set a challenge: to find a red dragon and obtain a scale from it so that the King, who "screwed up" as a boy and lowered a curse on his country, can finally lift the curse (which shows itself in the form of a perennial fog) and his people can live happily in the sun again.
We aren't quite sure if the King is good or bad; he has a Magician at his side, Mermin, who speaks with an amusing "woss of wetters," and seems to perhaps be keeping secrets. He sends the boys on a mission with more than a little to scare them: giants, and bogs, and an impenetrable castle wall, not to mention the fearsome many-headed dragon itself!
The book ends on an "oh no I can't wait to find out what happens next!" note, so children (and yes, this reader!) will be anxious for the next book in the series to come out.
The writer clearly has the pulse of children's fancy, and while the hero is a boy and there are dragons and magical swords, this book will equally appeal to girls. I'm happy to report also that while there are values galore to share with a child, or that a child him or herself will absorb, they are the kind that any parent will be happy to have a child exposed to.
As noted, the vocabulary is rich, so younger readers many need some help. But I see that as a plus, as the writer is clearly not writing down to her readers, a real bonus in this reviewer's opinion!
Oh yes - the chapters are just the right size for a before-bed reading session, and older readers will be able to easily read the book in a few sittings - and I'm sure they will, as Lee keeps the action moving and keeps us wanting to know what's next.
And while I do say that this book is aimed at kids, don't let that stop you. I loved the Harry Potter series, and was always aware of when the next book would publish so I could grab my copy. I will no doubt be looking for the next book in this series as well - Winter, 2013!
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L. R. W. Lee’s favorite musical is The Sound of Music. She hates scary movies, but loves piano and strings music, sunsets in Hawaii and a good cup of decaf, French press coffee (yes, decaf!). She also loves Ansel Adams prints and all manner of kinetic art.
Published by: CreateSpace (Amazon Independent Publishing Platform)
Confession time: I readily agreed to review this book, as the promoter had referred a number of very good books to me before. I got the book, and was happily reading along, and I began to think: at whom is this book aimed? It has a relatively solid vocabulary, some complex interactions, and yet subject matter that would clearly delight the pre-teen crowd.
In a separate moment, I was talking with a little girl who just completed first grade, and she and her mom are planning to read her first "chapter book" together over the summer - a real landmark for a young reader - and a great opportunity for parents and children to discuss ideas, relationships, challenges, and so on.
So the objective is: find the perfect book. And this is it.
Of course, it can be read by any child who like swords and sorcery, dragons and mystic worlds, nothing too scary but a few close calls. But this is an ideal read-together book for a young reader graduating into more challenging reading, because it is full of opportunities for parents to talk to their kids about values, friendships, biases, "doing your best," and trusting your better instincts.
Young Andy Smithson, computer gamer extraordinaire, is in trouble with his mom and in his attic exploring a strange sound when he is transported to an amazing world where dragons and Pegasus' exist; where there is a King who has lived under a curse for 500 years; where there are evil vulture people who can morph into birds that spy from the evil neighboring kingdom; and where Andy is challenged with making everything right again.
Here, Andy finds a best friend in a neon-haired boy from a "lower class," demonstrating that people who don't look like us can still have great and lasting value. His friend enters a contest to ride a winged horse, and his guiding instruction is simply to "do his best." Andy is adopted into his friend Alden's family, where his "mom" is the kind we all want: loving, doting, accepting yet expecting us to always "do our best." Andy and Alden attend a festival where they're free to eat anything and everything that they want and like and nobody says "that's enough, now!" And Andy is set a challenge: to find a red dragon and obtain a scale from it so that the King, who "screwed up" as a boy and lowered a curse on his country, can finally lift the curse (which shows itself in the form of a perennial fog) and his people can live happily in the sun again.
We aren't quite sure if the King is good or bad; he has a Magician at his side, Mermin, who speaks with an amusing "woss of wetters," and seems to perhaps be keeping secrets. He sends the boys on a mission with more than a little to scare them: giants, and bogs, and an impenetrable castle wall, not to mention the fearsome many-headed dragon itself!
The book ends on an "oh no I can't wait to find out what happens next!" note, so children (and yes, this reader!) will be anxious for the next book in the series to come out.
The writer clearly has the pulse of children's fancy, and while the hero is a boy and there are dragons and magical swords, this book will equally appeal to girls. I'm happy to report also that while there are values galore to share with a child, or that a child him or herself will absorb, they are the kind that any parent will be happy to have a child exposed to.
As noted, the vocabulary is rich, so younger readers many need some help. But I see that as a plus, as the writer is clearly not writing down to her readers, a real bonus in this reviewer's opinion!
Oh yes - the chapters are just the right size for a before-bed reading session, and older readers will be able to easily read the book in a few sittings - and I'm sure they will, as Lee keeps the action moving and keeps us wanting to know what's next.
And while I do say that this book is aimed at kids, don't let that stop you. I loved the Harry Potter series, and was always aware of when the next book would publish so I could grab my copy. I will no doubt be looking for the next book in this series as well - Winter, 2013!
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World of Ink Network
M E D I A R E L E
A S E
CONTACT: VS Grenier
Partner &
Founder, World of Ink Network
Email: VSGrenier@gmail.com
Phone: 435-625-1743
L.R.W.
Lee is available for speaking and signing events.
For Immediate Release
Debut Author L.R.W. Lee joins the
World of Ink Virtual Tour
The World of Ink Network will be
touring debut author L.R.W. Lee’s middle grade fantasy adventure, Andy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon’s Fury
(Book 1) throughout May 2013.
If you love fast-paced adventures with unexpected twists,
there’s plenty of action and suspense found throughout the Land of Oomaldee.
About the Book:
Ten-year-old Andy Smithson is magically brought to the Land of Oomaldee while he is doing dishes one
night. Unbeknownst to him, he is there to break a 500-year-old curse. Andy learns that his quest is the Dragon’s
Lair to find an ingredient critical to breaking the curse - the scale from an
elusive red dragon, the fiercest of all dragon species. Andy nearly destroys
the castle amidst adventures battling fire-breathing dragons, fighting vicious
vulture attacks, escaping people-eating giants and more.
A middle grade (5th
& 6th grade) fantasy adventure that entertains while teaching uncommon life
changing narratives.
Publisher: Createspace
ISBN: 978-1482312645
ISBN -10: 1482312646
Available in eBook and Print
Publication Date: April 2013
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure
About the Author:
Since the age of eight, L. R. W. Lee knew she wanted to
write a book. Fortunately or unfortunately, she required of herself that she
have something significant to say; she sought to contribute to others in a way that
could change their lives. Because a degree in Accounting at Cedarville University,
as well as work in public and corporate accounting, did not provide riveting
fodder for a best seller, she waited. Upon selling her business in early 2012,
she had time to write and, more importantly, something significant to share.
L. R. W. Lee’s favorite musical is The Sound of Music. She hates scary movies, but loves piano and strings music, sunsets in Hawaii and a good cup of decaf, French press coffee (yes, decaf!). She also loves Ansel Adams prints and all manner of kinetic art.
You can find out more about L.R.W. Lee, her middle grade
fantasy adventure series and her World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bnfe6ax
Website: http://www.lrwlee.com
Twitter: @LRWLee
Facebook: http://facebook.com/LRWLee
Places where available: Amazon.com
To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com
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