City of Fire (City Trilogy) [Hardcover]

Laurence Yep (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: City Trilogy

Two-time Newbery Honor Award-winning author Laurence Yep kicks off an action-packed new fantasy trilogy

Sure to appeal to fans of Rick Riordan and Eoin Colfer, this action-packed tale takes readers on an unforgettable journey through an alternate version of our world in 1941—a world filled with magical beings such as dragons in human form, tiny “lap griffins,” reincarnations of legendary Chinese warriors, Japanese folk creatures, and goddesses in disguise.

When her older sister dies trying to prevent the theft of one of her people’s great treasures, twelve-year-old Scirye sets out to avenge her and recover the precious item. Helping her are Bayang, a dragon disguised as a Pinkerton agent; Leech, a boy with powers he has not yet discovered; and Leech’s loyal companion Koko, who has a secret of his own. All have a grudge against the thieves who stole the treasure: the evil dragon Badik and the mysterious Mr. Roland.

Scirye and her companions pursue the thieves to Houlani, a new Hawaiian island being created by magic. There, they befriend Pele, the volatile and mercurial goddess of volcanoes. But even with Pele on their side, they may not be able to stop Mr. Roland from gaining what he seeks: the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yu. Together, the treasures will give him the power to alter the very fabric of the universe.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Stuffed with intricate detail and complemented by a short note indicating a connection to real-world history, this first installment in a new trilogy introduces the characters, who host the story in alternating chapters, and sends the intrepid band on a hair-raising quest….Readers will be on tenterhooks awaiting the next episode of this exhilarating chase.”—Booklist

“Yep’s writing is absolutely fantastic, and the blending of many cultures is done with grace and skill….It’s a lot of fun and promise sequels of equal caliber.”—School Library Journal Book Reviews by Young Adults

“The cast is as engaging as it is diverse.”—Kirkus Reviews

“In his new book, [Yep] again combines his regular themes of history, fantasy, and Asian culture into an exciting YA story set in an alternate world of 1941. City of Fire brings to life ancient myth and legend, in an easy and fun to read book…and should entertain readers looking for something new and different in a sea of Harry Potter-cloned books.”—Sacramento Book Review

“Brilliant, exciting, and highly original, City of Fire is an absolutely magnificent fantasy adventure! Laurence Yep creates a truly believable alternate world that is loaded with great magic—in a book that radiates great magic of its own.”—T. A. Barron, New York Times bestselling author of The Great Tree of Avalon

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review

“Stuffed with intricate detail and complemented by a short note indicating a connection to real-world history, this first installment in a new trilogy introduces the characters, who host the story in alternating chapters, and sends the intrepid band on a hair-raising quest…. Readers will be on tenterhooks awaiting the next episode of this exhilarating chase.”

—Booklist

“Yep’s writing is absolutely fantastic, and the blending of many cultures is done with grace and skill…. It’s a lot of fun and promises sequels of equal caliber.”

—

School Library Journal

, Book Reviews by Young Adults

“The cast is as engaging as it is diverse.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“City of Fire brings to life ancient myth and legend, in an easy and fun to read book…and should entertain readers looking for something new and different in a sea of Harry Potter-cloned books.”

—Sacramento Book Review

“Brilliant, exciting, and highly original, City of Fire is an absolutely magnificent fantasy adventure! Laurence Yep creates a truly believable alternate world that is loaded with great magic—in a book that radiates great magic of its own.”

—T. A. Barron,

New York Times

bestselling author of

The Great Tree of Avalon

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Starscape; First Edition edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765319241
• ISBN-13: 978-0765319241
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,192,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laurence Yep has been fascinated with tales of sibling rivalry from the day he was born. His older brother, Tom, chose his name Laurence - after a saint who died a particularly gruesome death. Laurence has been trying to get even ever since. Laurence Yep now lives in Pacific Grove, California, with his wife and is one of children's literature's most respected authors. His award-winning titles include Newbery Honor Books Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adventure in a Magical World, October 6, 2009

By 

Sheila Clover "Book Trailer Lady" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City of Fire (City Trilogy) (Hardcover)

Length:: 1:53 Mins

City of Fire by Laurence Yep is an exciting, adventurous read for children ages nine and up. Set in the 1940's, our heroes journey across the Pacific ocean from San Francisco to the Hawaiian Islands meeting shapeshifters, dragons and even the ancient goddess Pele who has disguised herself as a vagabond, but controls the land and the sea through her mystical enchantments.

Magic is part of this fantastical world and our hero, twelve-year old Scirye, will come face to face with evil and her own abilities to overcome it. She will find friendship in a young boy, Leech, who she first mistrusts, but then comes to understand that he is also on a journey of self-discovery. Leech must find out about his own mysterious past and make the decision to do good or evil.

Gaining the trust of her traveling companions, Scirye, sets out to avenge the death of her sister caused by the evil dragon Badik and the powerfully evil Mr. Roland. Each of her companions have their own personal journey in finding the powers within them that will help them stop the diabolical Mr. Roland from stealing the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yu and giving him ultimate power over the world.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great World Building! (a review of City of Fire), September 16, 2009

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: City of Fire (City Trilogy) (Hardcover)

If you have a middle-schooler --or even an older elementary school child -- who is looking for an adventure series with great world-building and interesting characters, let me suggest Laurence Yep's new City Trilogy.

Yep, who is a Newbery Honor Award author, sets his story in an alternate universe where an alternate earth enjoys magic and magical creatures; and where certain historic events, such as World War II, never happened. [Hawaii remains an independent country!]


The principal characters are 12 year-old Scirye, her lap-Griffin Kles, Leech and Koko, two street urchins: as well as Bayang, a dragon sent to assassinate Leech.

The book doesn't begin with them knowing each another, but soon their paths cross as they find they seek revenge against a common foe, the ancient dragon Badik and the human Roland. Revenge takes on more importance when they find out that the two bad guys are determined to steal the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yu, weapons that will let them alter the world forever.

Talking Points :::

This is the beginning book of what promises to be a good series. The characters are interesting and fun, the world building is excellent.

This book will be particularly good for readers who like complex worlds where magic doesn't just 'sit there' on the surface. There are some philosophical issues here that are interesting.

I really liked that the story is told from two perspectives. One point of view was Scirye's and the other was the mysterious and enigmatic Bayang, the assassin dragon. Her other-world perspective was actually my favorite as it gave insight into the strange goings on in this alternate earth.

Pam T~
mom and reviewer at BooksForKids-reviews

City of Fire

* Accelerated Reading level : 5th Grade (generic; no month given)
* Hardcover: 320 pages
* Publisher: Starscape (September 1, 2009)
* ISBN-10: 0765319241

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy at its finest!, April 2, 2011

By 

Jessica T (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: City of Fire (City Trilogy (Quality)) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've always loved Fantasy. From the time I could first read chapter books I was drawn in by the worlds that were build for me by these amazing authors. However, sometimes it is hard to get into a book because the world is so vast and the amount of characters is overwhelming. As a reader, I find it easier to invest in a fictional world when there is a handhold for me that relates to the world around me. Cue Laurence Yep's City of Fire.

Yep builds a fantastic world around the real events of the 1940's. This time period allows our adventurers the use of planes and boats as their main transportation, which is much more exciting in my opinion! Certain events in our history have been altered, such as the fact that Hawaii is still an independent country. Also, and here is the kicker, mythical creatures walk among humans as equals. Pretty amazing right? Or is your head hurting? Well either way trust me, it's worth the slight confusion at the beginning because once I was pulled into the world there was no turning back. The world is so vivid, so well written, that I can guarantee you'll be pulled in as well.

Bring on the characters shall we? We meet Scirye, the fiery young girl with a vendetta against her sister's killer. She is tired of being treated as a little girl and ready to prove herself. Then we are presented with Leech and Koko, two street urchins with secrets buried within them. Mysterious and hilarious, they are quite the duo! Finally we meet Bayang, a dragon who is disguised as an elderly lady and is the key to the whole journey. These four characters are so fantastic together! Their banter with one another is classic, and throughout their interactions there are so many lessons learned about friendship, understanding and forgiveness. There is a character for every reader to attach to and fall in love with.

I could write a whole novel about my appreciation for this book, but I'll end here. The long and short of it is simply this: City of Fire is a fantastic journey complete with realistic and magical elements. Although this written for the younger reader, I see a lot for us young adult and adult readers to love. If you're ready to be transported to a new world, let Laurence Yep take you there! This book gets the highest recommendation possible from me, and I can only hope that you agree.