For many years, the dragons have enjoyed a peaceful life, hidden in a remote Scottish valley. But now, at long last, humans threaten their peace with technological progress, steadily moving closer each day. The only hope the dragons have of finding somewhere where they can live unmolested lies in the ancient legend of the Rim of Heaven, their ancestral home, lost to them for centuries. Only one young dragon, Firedrake, dares set forth on an epic journey across a world filled with all manner of dangers. Accompanied by his ever-grumbling, mushroom-eating brownie companion Sorrel, and picking up an orphaned human lad named Ben along the way, Firedrake travels from Scotland, across Europe, and into the uncharted reaches of the Himalayas, overcoming challenges and threats at every turn. Basilisks, fairies, human hunters, sea serpents, djinn and more await, but the very worst threat comes from the abomination known as Nettlebrand, the Golden One, a metallic golden dragon who lives to hunt down and destroy his silver brethren. Firedrake, Ben and Sorrel will need all of their strength and resourcefulness to overcome Nettlebrand and his agents, find the Rim of Heaven, and save the silver dragons. Luckily, they’ll have help from trustworthy human friends, as well as Twigleg, a humunculus with increasingly divided loyalties.
Dragon Rider is a truly charming story of friendship and adventure, exploration and redemption. Once again, Funke has given us a lovely story full of magic and wonder, with some memorable characters and an unpredictable storyline. Of all the characters, poor conflicted, cowardly, terrified Twigleg may be the most interesting, and more than once I was convinced that this was really his story, more than Firedrake or Ben’s. I greatly enjoyed Dragon Rider, and naturally look forward to more from Funke. Kudos must also be given to Anthea Bell, credited as the translator of this work from German into English, for managing to carry over the rich flavor and sheer wonder present in the text.