Dragons in the Clouds is an epic adventure that takes place during a time period when Dragons were alive and freely roamed the land. The people during this time were getting eaten by a vicious species of Dragons. The ruling King finally orders the total annihilation of all living dragons. A powerful wizard, named Merlinius, who is a friend to the king, does not agree with the King’s order, for … order, for Merlinius knows all Dragons are not what they seem. So he does what he must to protect a family of Dragons that he had befriended. And to protect his Dragon friends, Merlinius performs the spell of weightlessness and tells the Dragons to fly up and to hide in the cover of the Clouds. He then gives the Dragons strict instruction to live within the clouds and to only come down at night to eat. An apprentice to the wizard who has grandeur of his own has a plan for Dragons that he has hidden deep within a mountain cavern. Now enters a young boy, who had also befriended a dragon, though a very young one, suddenly find themselves caught between the Kings order and a battle that has begun between two species of Dragons. A battle that would determine control of the skies above the Kingdom of Albian. This Apprentice’s plan has consequences that may bring the Kingdom and perhaps the very world we live in today to an devastating end.
more
This is a great fantasy story aimed at a younger audience and the language /writing caters to that. The writing is pretty good, considering the style for the intended audience. There were a few errors (like in the end “Reilly’s House” is presented as regular text when really it’s a scene change).
I’m more impressed by the creativity of the plot. Basically, a powerful wizard attempts to save dragons as the creatures have been widely vilified (wrongly so, as not all dragons were bad/evil). It’s a pretty wonderful idea with a message to avoid sweeping generalizations about something without taking the time to get to know both sides well.
The story reads as a father telling the story to his daughter. We kick off (after the intro) in modern times, watching a glimpse of Ray and his family delve into the excitement of dragons. Ray begins the story, and shortly after we cut to Albion, picking up just after the introduction and jumping into the world of dragons.
The cover for Dragons in the Clouds is intriguing. There is just enough there to hint at the story while catching the readers eye. There is the mystery of who the man is within the clouds and lightening. 5 Stars It is important to define your characters so that they are each unique so that the reader can love or hate them. The characters in Dragons in the Clouds are endearing and likeable except for the villains. I found the names for Blair’s characters to fit with their personality. Odious was aptly named as were the dragons. Blair made them unusual. I found myself picturing the characters just from the names he gave them. I wanted to have one as a friend the same way young David did. 5 Stars Dragons in the Clouds is a unique and interesting idea. The way Blair has used dragons to explain different weather events is imaginative. I think it opens up the possibility of the what if factor. It could be true or it could be make believe. 5 Stars I liked the way Blair had the story of the dragons told to a child by her father after he returned from a business trip. He gives his daughter a stuffed dragon and then tells her a bedtime story involving said dragon. As an author myself, I love that this parent told his child a story. This will enable the child to grow up to do the same with their child. I liked the way Dragons in the Clouds subplot was what the book started with, then Blair delved into the plot. 5 Stars A book is an escape into an adventure for the reader. I found Dragons in the Clouds to be a nice little adventure, however there were times I found my thoughts wandering. That being said, overall the story is good. 4 ½ stars I give Dragons in the Clouds 4 ½ stars. I think middle grade and young adult readers will enjoy the story. Blair has left the reader saying what happened next. I believe this book needs to be in every school library so children can read it.
Author David Blair makes his literary debut with this fine fantasy book for youngsters. He knows and understands the attraction of the theme of Dragons: it is likely his readers will have experienced their parent’s obsession with the Game Of Thrones series in which dragons play a major role. And look to the current plethora of animated films that focus on these exceptional beasts – this book is very well timed for audience appeal.
In his Foreword, David sets the tone of this short but very well developed story – ‘Remember when you were young, being stuck inside because it was raining heavily outside. You and your siblings would be in your room, staring out the window watching the raindrops gathering into puddles. The thunder in the distance would be getting louder, and you knew it was coming your way. You and your brother or sister would run out to the living room. So you could get a better view when the lightning started. But the real reason you ran out to the living room is because that was where your parents were and you really wanted the security of your parents being there in the same room… But! What if I told you, you had every reason to be scared!!! What if I told you that lightning really is fire being blown from a Dragons mouth and that the thunder was a Dragons ROAR!! Dragons in the Clouds will reveal all that has been kept secret up until this day.’
And with that well-scribed note to his readers, David begins a fantasy adventure that rivals the best of them. We journey to the land of Albion and learn of the duplicity of dragons – those who eat people and those who have been granted the spell of being able to fly – thanks to the wizardry of one Meriinius. The plot involves the misguided laws against dragons by King Arturus (just one of the fine bits of parody in the author’s writing!), the salvation of the cloud-housed dragons, the impact of the young apprentice, David, and the conversations among the dragons and with the human characters make this explanation of the secret of thunder and lightning a treasure.
The story is brief (just over 100 pages) making it the right size for the intended audience of ages 8 – 12 years, while at the same time offering a quick read for adults who still treasure imagination. This is an excellent by a new writer of skills. Recommended.
This story is set in a time when dragons lived. A vicious species of dragons used to feast on people. Concerned by this development, the King ordered all dragons killed. A wizard and king’s friend, known as Merlinus, believes all dragons are not bad and therefore does not agree with the king’s orders.
To protect the dragons, he casts a weightlessness spell and tells the dragons to take cover in the clouds. The dragons should only come at night to eat. Enter the wizard’s apprentice and a young boy. The apprentice has hidden dragons in the mountains. The boy has a young dragon friend. Amid war between the two dragon species and the king’s orders, the apprentice’s plan has consequences, which could annihilate the whole world. Dragons in the Clouds is a captivating fantasy book that offers epic adventure. It seems like it would appeal more to the younger generations, but I certainly found it enjoyable as an adult.
I am inclined to agree with both David Blair and J. R. Tolkien that in regards to fantasy novels, the best adventures always have dragons. This is something that I particularly enjoyed in children’s and young adult fiction, which is the age range that this book leans toward. That being said, I thought that this book was well-written, entertaining, and fun to read, regardless of age. This classic high fantasy adventure story follows the wizard Merlinus and his apprentice who are striving to save the dragons. I thought that the way that the author created his own version of Merlin to be fun and unique. My favorite part of this book was probably the friendships created between the apprentice and the dragons. This is a wonderfully magical story that makes for a lovely read.
Geared toward ages 8-12, Dragons in the Clouds by David Blair is a captivating tale that features dragons and much more in the way of fantasy. An adventure story that takes place during a mystical time when dragons were a part of everyday life, this tale weaves itself in and out of trouble. There are dragons who eat other dragons, a wizard named Merlinus, ( a take on Merlin), and a king who wants to eliminate all dragons because he thinks they are all dangerous. A magical part of the story is that Merlinus gives the at risk dragons the ability to become weightless and to hide in the clouds, only to come down when they eat. However, their world is still not without danger, as you will soon see as you read along in this adventurous book. With writing that will grab your attention, a fast pace, plenty of problems to solve, and fun characters, this is an entertaining book that will delight and captivate younger readers. Highly recommend.