Dragon Magic [Paperback]

Andre Norton (Author)

Book Description

Four boys of Scandinavian, Welsh, Chinese, and African origin, respectively, find a puzzle in an abandoned house whose magic power takes each of them back to a time related to their ethnic history.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

ANDRE NORTON, named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America and awarded a Life Achievement World Fantasy Award, was the author of more than one hundred novels of science fiction and fantasy adventure. Beloved by legions of readers the world over, she thrilled generations with such series as Beast Master, Time Traders, The Solar Queen, Witch World and others. She passed away in March 2005.

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

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Ace (October 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441166547
• ISBN-13: 978-0441166541
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,916,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Four Boys, Four Cultures, Four Dragons, May 27, 2003

By 

Sires "I enjoy mysteries, historical and proc... (Chesapeake, OH, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragon Magic (Hardcover)

This is Norton for the younger reader-- about 5th grade to 9th grade. Four boys descended from four different cultures but all now living in the same neighborhood in the United States, assemble a puzzle that lets each of them have an adventure based on the dragon of each culture. In dealing with these dragons each boy learns an important lesson about cooperation and tolerance.

While the young adult reader may find this book a tad simplistic compared to Norton's adventure stories, this book can be a perfect way to introduce a reader at the appropriate level to the many worlds of Andre Norton.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 tales of dragons, in various flavors, July 4, 2001

By 

Michele L. Worley (Kingdom of the Mouse, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragon Magic (Hardcover)

Sig Dortmund, Ras (a.k.a. George Brown, but his older brother has persuaded him not to answer to that), Artie Jones, and Kim Stevens are the only boys in their age group who catch the bus outside the abandoned house on the extra-long run from the new development to their school. Each is lonely for one reason or another, but each keeps to himself. Until one by one, they sneak into the old archeologist's abandoned house, searching for hidden treasure. The only interesting thing is a 4-piece dragon puzzle, lying abandoned on a table. One by one, each assembles one quarter of the puzzle, and relives the history of that particular dragon, learning things that allow them to work together as a team in the end.

"Fafnir (Sig Clawhand)" - Sig Clawhand's deformed hand made him an outcast at Mimir Master-Smith's forge, where he lived and worked as a potboy. Only Sigurd King's-Son, working at the forge on the strength of Mimir's Foresight, has ever befriended him, and never called him 'Clawhand'. Thus it is that when Sigurd ventures forth against the dragon Fafnir, Sig fares forth as his faithful shadow.

"Sirrush-Lau (Prince Sherkarer)" - The lau, the demon-monster of the swamplands, brought ill luck to Napata upon its capture - the city was taken by the Babylonians, who took the lau back to Babylon as tribute. Sherkarer, a junior prince of the royal house of Napata and now a slave, is the only survivor of the original hunting party, so he has been taken along as the expert on the care and feeding of the lau (called sirrush by the Babylonians). But the Babylonian priests have made a wager concerning sirrush-lau with one of the king's advisors, and Sherkarer's only hope is to humble his pride and work with this strange enemy of the priesthood - a man called Daniel...

"Pendragon (Artos, son of Marius)" - Artos, the Pendragon, is the only thing standing between the realm and a long fall into barbarism, in these latter days after the fall of Rome, but he faces rebellion. Young Artos, the son of one of the Pendragon's faithful supporters, chances to learn of a conspiracy, and acts as a messenger to try to warn the king in time.

"Shui Men Lung - Slumbering Dragon (Chin Mu-Ti)" - The Emperor's canny old advisor might have looked half-asleep, but he was about as safe as the slumbering dragon he was called. When a general under his command rashly stakes his head as a wager on the success of a risky campaign, the old 'dragon' must salvage the situation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Magic Puzzle, November 2, 2008

By 

Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragon Magic: The Magic Books #4 (Magic Books (Starscape)) (Mass Market Paperback)

Dragon Magic (1972) is the fourth fantasy novel in the Magic series, following Octagon Magic. It is set in four past cultures that have legends of dragons.

In this novel, Sig Dortmund is waiting for the school bus to arrive in his subdivision. The bus is also picking up the younger kids and dropping them off first at the elementary school. Only three other students besides himself are going all the way to the middle school. It's sure going to be a long ride this year.

Artie Jones had been in social studies last year with Sig. He is thinking that everyone will be deaf after riding with the elementary kids. He is also wondering about the other three middle schoolers.

Ras -- AKA George Brown -- is not listening to the noise. He is thinking about the advice given him by his brother Shaka -- formerly Lloyd -- to answer only to his new name. His father and mother don't understand the importance of the new names.

Kim Stevens is an orphan from China. His adopted father had driven him to school last year. He had felt a little strange in the unfamiliar surroundings, but he had made friends there. Now he is once more feeling a little strange.

In this story, Sig wonders about the old house that is going to be torn down. Last year, he had gone on a class trip to the museum and learned about the Egyptian and Chinese things that the owner of the house had given to the city. His mother knew the woman who cleaned the house before the old man died. Listening to their conversations, Sig had learned that some rooms were always locked. He wondered what treasures had been kept in those rooms.

Sig tells Artie about the old house and they both climb through a window and explore the rooms. They find a locked door and Sig finds a poker to break the lock. Artie complains that that would be violating the law and leaves the house.

Sig touches the door and it swings open. Apparently it had not been locked after all. Within the room, he discovers a box with four dragons on the illustrated top. Inside the box are puzzle pieces.

Sig puts together the silver pieces of the dragon Fafnir and suddenly finds himself in a smithy where Sigurd King's Son is making a sword. His name is now Sig Clawhand, for his right hand is defective. He is a hearth boy at the smithy of Mimir the master smith.

A one-eyed man appears and sends Sig to call Sigurd King's Son out to speak to him. The man gives Sigurd the pieces of the sword Balmung and Sigurd forges it into a very sharp weapon. When Sigurd leaves to kill Fafnir, Sig Clawhand accompanies him on the journey.

This tale shows Artie coming back to the house and putting together the red dragon Pendragon. Then Ras comes and puts together the pieces of the blue dragon Sirrush-lau. Finally, Kim puts together the golden dragon Shui Mien Lung.

Each boy experiences the life of another boy of their culture in an adventure involving a dragon. Of course, Pendragon and Shui Mien Lung were not really dragons per se, but were men who acquired the names of dragons. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Norton fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of legendary heroes, fearsome dragons and high adventure.

-Arthur W. Jordin