Title: The Erth Dragons: The Wearle
Author: Chris D’Lacey
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Orchard (an imprint of Hachette)
Published: 29th September 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Price: $15.95
Synopsis: The Wearle came to Erth to find out what happened to their previous group, who never returned. Gabrial, a young blue dragon, is desperate to prove his worth. But the dragons aren’t alone in the mountains.
Down beyond the scorch line, Ren, a young hom boy, is fascinated by the ‘skalers’. But when he creeps into their territory, he sneaks out again with a wriggling baby wearling…
Dragon and boy’s fates combine in this stunning new fantasy series.
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The world of the Erth Dragons is introduced to young readers in this first book of a new series by New York Times best-selling author, Chris D’Lacey. Set in a fantasy world that appears to mirror an early version of the known Earth, The Erth Dragons opens with the wyng of dragons preparing to find out who will be a companion to the laying mother, Grystina. Gabrial, a young blue dragon, is preparing for his turn to prove himself, but when tragedy strikes the wyng, things are altered for everyone, dragon and the Hom, the early human race that lives nearby, and danger begins to seep into the world as they collide.
Aimed at ages nine years and up, The Erth Dragons: The Wearle presents dragon and human characters who are both good and bad, and in between. Gabrial and Ren, the Hom boy who sneaks out with the wearling during the chaos that opens the novel, drive the narrative, their stories travelling alongside each other. They are different to those around them in the dragon and human worlds. It is through these two characters that we see the flaws in each world, and how each world wishes to think the worst of the other.
D’Lacey’s dragon world, and community has been well thought out, from what a dragon’s colour signifies to the importance of names starting with the letter G, and how taking this away can affect a dragon and their sense of self. As the story unfolds, the two communities begin to collide, and their worlds will never be the same again.
Best suited for ages nine and older, this dragon story uses new and old aspects of dragons to create the world in this story. An intriguing read, and well thought out fantasy world.
