Voices of Dragons (Voices of Dragons Series #1)

by Carrie Vaughn

Overview

When modern technology clashes with ancient monsters, seventeen-year-old Kay and her unlikely dragon friend, Artegal, are caught in the middle. Can their friendship stop a war?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061547904
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	02/15/2011
Series:	Voices of Dragons Series , #1
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	1,086,676
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.80(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Carrie Vaughn survived her air force brat childhood and managed to put down roots in Colorado. Her first book, Kitty and the Midnight Hour, launched a popular series of novels about a werewolf named Kitty who hosts a talk-radio advice show. She is also the author of Voices of Dragons, her debut novel for teen readers. Ms. Vaughn lives in Colorado.

Editorial Reviews

Vaughn creates characters worth visiting time after time.

ALA Booklist

Fun, fast-paced adventure

Locus

Ancient myths come into conflict with modern technology in Vaughn's (the KittyNorville series) first YA novel. Although she's always lived in Silver River, Mont., on the border between human territory and the mountains ceded to the dragons after the last war, Kay has never seen a dragon up close. And for good reason: treaties forbid all contact. That changes when Kay meets Artegal, a dragon as curious about humans as Kay is about his species. Mutual interest blossoms into genuine friendship, in defiance of decades of border patrols and saber-rattling. Soon, they go from secret talks to secret flights, reviving long-lost traditions from when dragons and humans were friends, but while Kay and Artegal are bonding, others only want war between the species. Vaughn's story is charming and fast paced with a strong, likable heroine, although the narrative can hopscotch from moment to moment, focusing on Kay and Artegal to the detriment of the supporting characters; the abrupt ending blatantly sets up a sequel. Despite those drawbacks, there's plenty to enjoy in this girl-and-her-dragon twist on the forbidden friendship theme. Ages 12-up. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 8–10—In an alternate 21st century, teens have cell phones and cars, and worry about who will take them to homecoming and whether or not to have sex. They also have dragon drills—just in case the creatures cross the border and attack. After World War II, the dragons, who had been in hiding for centuries, reemerged from myth into real life. Humans, still on edge from the trauma of the war, struck out at them, causing a conflict in which many on both sides died. A truce was reached, a border was created, and a tentative peace was established. Seventeen-year-old Kay lives on the border of Dragon. After a fall during an ill-advised solo climb, she is rescued by Artegal, a dragon who is studying human language. Over the next weeks, a tentative friendship grows into a bond between them. When the border is breached and a conflict begins, they must rely on their friendship to repair the damage before too many lives are lost. The intense climactic action will appeal to reluctant readers, but to get there they will have to get through some slower-paced chapters. Vaughn has grounded this fantastical tale with typical teenage concerns such as relationships, parents, and school; and Kay is a strong, likable heroine. The result is a novel that will appeal to those who like relationship-driven stories as well as those who enjoy fantasies such as Christopher Paolini's Eragon (Knopf, 2003).—Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO

School Library Journal

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