The Saint of Dragons: Samurai Book

Hightman’s debut novel for children is an ambitious fantasy adventure that is always pacy, never dull, and consistently interesting. Imagine waking up one day to find that you are descended from an ancient line of dragonhunters? That’s exactly what happens to Simon St. George in The Saint of Dragons and how he goes about adjusting to his new existence is the stuff of great entertainment. Simon’s life at the Lighthouse School for Boys, an elite and expensive academy for children whose parents want them to have the best education--at the greatest possible distance away--is humdrum and always has been. He is therefore shocked and amazed, and a little bit peeved, when a scruffy man turns up one night claiming to be the father he has never seen and kidnaps him. Aldric St George is a descendant of St George the Dragon Slayer and his family have been eliminating the vestiges of dragonkind, now cunningly disguised amongst the human population of earth, for generations. Simon is sceptical--but his first encounter with a dragon soon brings the reality of his new life into sharp relief. Father and son venture to many different lands, Italy, France, Russia and China, to try and thwart a great gathering of dragons intent on executing an unthinkable disastrous experiment. It’s comic book stuff, but it is all nevertheless page-turningly addictive. There are some great action sequences and lots of heart-stopping drama. Hightman’s book is typical of a whole canon of magical fantasy adventures that are around today and competing with the Harry Potter generation of young readers. What it lacks in literary prowess, it more than makes for in the wholehearted gusto and energy of its story and in its telling. A thoroughly engaging first novel, with a sequel already in the pipeline. (Age 10 and over) --John McLayRead More