Customer Reviews

Dragon Winter

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This book has been sitting on my shelf for many years and I finally picked it up and read it. Either I should have read it when I was still a kid, or it should have stayed there. This book seems hastily written to capitalize on _Watership Down_, throwing in bits of _The Wind in the Willows_ and _The Lord of the Rings_. Everything about it was predictable. I was hoping for it to get better. The author's lack of imagination is apparent in naming the squirrel "Acorn", and his haste and carelessness in inconsistency about whether Acorn is male or female. (Normally Acorn is reported as male and Ash his mate, but there is at least one exception.)

The characters are very flat and go through the motions of a tired plot of an evil brother wanting to be king and temporaily seducing some young upstarts, in this case animals, to join with him. This is fantasy writing 101, and nothing beyond the sort of material I was writing in high school and couldn't get published. It might be enjoyable for children or an undemanding audience, especially if they're young enough they find _Watership Down_ (to which the publisher has the pretension to compare this to) too daunting in length, which they shouldn't if they'll read Harry Potter, but I had to force myself to keep reading this because I wanted to like it. The writing is dull and repetitive, but because of that fact I learned one word I wasn't familiar with--"hackles".

If you love animal fantasies, you'll definiely want to read this, as it's nothing terrible, but if you're looking for good fantasy writing, don't bother with this one. It's good to read mediocrity every once in a while. It keeps the faculties attuned to what is truly good.

Lovers of Fantasy will enjoy this book. It's one of those gentle, innocent books that stays with you long after it's been put back on the shelf. It's not blood and guts - but heart and soul. A truly great piece of work.

I recommend this book for anyone just wanting a good heart-warming story. Filled with terror, heroism, and just plain fun, you can enjoy or share with the kids. With playful pups and a running story line you learn kids are a hand full of trouble without supervision, and a story never ends without a good moment leaving you wanting more.

This is a great fanatasy novel which keeps you turning the pages, with the author doing a great job of making you feel you know the characters, while makihng one feel they are there with them. You can see the setting in detail with Hancock's mastery of words, yet it is not one of those books with so many big words you have to have a dictionary by your side, making it a great read for teens to adults. I am hookeed and want to read more of his books.
Hancock takes us into a fantasy world with a spititual aspect, talking about a golden age when all creaturs got along. He talks about the Law with good fighting to reign over evil or darkness. The animals have their gods and we have sorcery making it an animal Lord Of the Rings kind of story or maybe King Arthur.

i first read this book when i was 14 , then it was one of the best books i had ever read. I'm now 33 and after seeing this book on amazon i purchased it and after re-re-reading it i must say it is still one of the best fantasy books ever....i'm convinced if this tale was properly made into an animated movie it could surpass even the best of disneys movies.
read this book!!!!

Days of Dark Danger Were Dawning -
Throughout the woodlands, the forest creatures felt the growing chill of unease, the trembling touch of a menacing force threatening to encompass the earth.

The first sign of the dreaded dragon winter approaching was the appearance of the killer wolves from the north. But that was only a hint of the horrible wizardry to come - horror in the form of a master of evil who sought dominion over all life and land.

The animals' desperate search for safety and gallant fight for freedom had begun...