Customer Reviews

Garden of the Purple Dragon

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've just finished this book, the second in the Dragon Keeper series. They are well written, exciting stories with a wonderful heroine who overcomes both inner struggles and outside threats admirably.

That said, I would be cautious about giving them to your child to read. Another reviewer, Kidreads.com, alluded to this, but I thought I'd be more specific for parents who may be reading these reviews. There is some very graphic violence, including one of the characters having his liver cut out of him while he is still alive as part of a dark magic ritual.

This book is adventurous,suspensful and exciting. In the first book Dragon Keeper, the first book in the series, Ping is the main character in the series who's faced Diao, (the dragon hunter), The Necromancer and other problems. In the first book Dan-Zi the wise dragon at Huang-Ling palace flew to the Isle of the Blest to heal his wounds and left Ping to take care of the new baby dragon. Ping killed Diao in a battle but she still has the The Necromancer to defeat. Will Ping know what to do with the baby dragon? How will she defeat The Necromancer? Read the book to find out!

In the second book in the Dragon Keeper series, Garden of the Purple Dragon,Carole Wilkinson takes the story of former slave turned dragon keeper, Ping, to a new level. Faced with the dessertion of Danzi and the responsibility of raising his son, Kai, Ping is forced to grow in new ways. As always, Ping represents a strong female character in the middle grade fantasy genre and Wilkinson's prose paints a beautiful picture of not only Ancient China but also of the diversity of human character. In my opinion, this is a buy-worthy series for families who enjoy reading aloud or individuals who enjoy reading on their own. All of my children have been excited over the series, and I like being able to share some books which portray females in strong roles, despite typical treatment of them in the era.

The book Garden of the Purple Dragon is a good book. It has been much more addicting than the books I have read for the past 2 years. The main character Ping is an interesting type of girl. Though I have not read the 1st book of the trilogy, I can tell that Ping is an adventurous girl who passes many obstacles using her courage and bravery. The baby dragon she is responsible for (Kai) is rambunctious and causes her much trouble. However, together, they share a special link. These two characters make the book a hook from the start, and pull you into a different place and time.

--M.C.

Very good book. My son want's to read the other books in the series.

My 11 year old son came to me and said, "Mom, you have to read this book. It's the best book I ever read." I really didn't want to read a book about dragons, but I wanted to be supportive and encourage him to keep reading, so I read it. I couldn't put it down. I was completely drawn in after a few pages. As soon as I finished it, we went and bought the next one. Then we asked the Library to order the 3rd. They bought all three in the series. They also qualify as books by: Award winning authors for school.

I got hooked on Wilkerson's wonderfully funny, lyrical, exciting debut novel, The Dragon Keeper. This sequel is even better. We were left hanging at the end of the first book with the baby dragon hatching out of what Ping thought was a mysterious stone. Weary and wounded, Danzi, leaves the baby with Ping telling her that she knew all she needed to know to care for and protect the baby from starvation, necromancers, dragon hunters and all manner of dangers living in the wild. Ping doubts herself, but her courage, strength,loyalty and love for "Kai", the baby dragon lead her into all kinds of situations where she has to use her intelligence, ingenuity, and talents to fulfill her duty as Dragon Keeper. Throw in Royal Chinese court intrigue and betrayals, a new friendship with a princess and a royal magician, the reader is taken to new heights of adventure, fun, plot twists, surprizes. Highly recommended.

Our family loved the first book of this series and this one was just as good. My 12 year old son (who hates to read) even likes these books! In this book the reader gets to know the baby dragon (Kai), and learn more about Ping's duties as a Dragon Keeper. We all enjoyed watching the many relationships develop over the course of the book. It was exciting and full of adventure!

I was both amazed and intrigued by the stunning Dragon Keeper, and when I realized that Carole Wilkinson had written a sequel I was absolutely thrilled!!! This sequel met my expectations after reading the original book. Re-capturing the magic of Dragon Keeper, Garden of the Purple Dragon begins on the slopes of Tai Shan where the young dragon keeper Ping is raising Long Danzi's lovable son, Long Kai Duan (Kai.) The action begins almost immediately, when Ping leaves the mountains for fear of the coming winter with Kai and her pet rat Hua. As the book progresses, Ping returns to Ming Yang Lodge, renews her friendship with the young Emperor Liu Che, and becomes the official Imperial Dragon Keeper. The plot twits unpredictably as Ping's journey progresses...she discovers dark truths, hidden enemies, and countless obstacles in the path to her destiny. This is a magical, powerful, suspenseful, and thrilling tale of one girl's epic journey...and throughout all the turmoil, little Kai adds humor and fun to to the otherwise grim plot. An excellent, fabulous story...I can't wait for book three!!!

Being an Imperial Dragon Keeper is considered a prestigious occupation, but it's not a glamorous one. There is hard work involved, which is further complicated when taking care of a baby dragon as well --- not to mention being on the run from the Imperial guards, after allegedly stealing the last known Imperial Dragon.

This wasn't the life that former slave girl Ping could ever have imagined living, after escaping from Huangling Palace with her loyal pet rat, Hua, and the wise Danzi --- especially when she was left behind to care for Danzi's son, Kai, when the ailing dragon accompanied by the peculiar rat traveled to the fabled Isle of Blest.

For the past few months, Ping and Kai have been living in the secluded region of Tai Shan near the ocean. As much as she cares for the young dragon, Ping is lonely and misses her old companions, including her friendship with Liu Che.

Hua unexpectedly returns, but the joyous relief that Ping feels vanishes when Ping's goat is found dead. The necromancer resurfaces, and Ping fears for her and Kai's safety. Next, Ping is discovered by the Imperial guards, who accuse her of being a sorceress. They travel to the Ming Yang Lodge, where, to her surprise, there have been many changes. Liu Che is now Emperor and has appointed a Longevity Council. Ping hopes to renew her friendship with the Emperor but is met with indifference. However, it is the cheerful Imperial Magician, Dong Fang Suo, who shows the most interest in her interaction with Danzi, and then later Kai, when Ping is no longer able to secretly care for the young dragon who disguised himself as a soup ladle by shape-shifting.

The Emperor is thrilled that there is another Imperial Dragon. Soon, Kai is living a life of luxury, though Ping is treated not much better than when she stayed at the lodge before. The young dragon is a delight to the Emperor while also being a little menace to the staff, including the Dragon Attendant, who Kai refers to as "Saggypants."

Meanwhile, Ping hopes to gain more knowledge about her role as dragon keeper, but the Emperor seems more concerned with his meetings with the Longevity Council than helping her. To make matters worse, Ping doesn't know how to read or write, skills that have always been important to her. Fortunately, the Emperor's sister, Princess Yangxin, offers to tutor her. Ping befriends the Princess, who has had her own life of seclusion after leaving her unhappy, arranged marriage to a much older political rival. Unluckily, Ping's lessons and friendship are put in jeopardy when Hua makes a surprise appearance one afternoon.

Along with the Emperor's apparent ill health, due to the bizarre regiment prescribed by the ministers, Ping feels uneasy about the current living situation and is worried that the necromancer won't stop from collecting his "fortune." She also wants to fulfill her promise to Danzi (who often visits Ping in her dreams) that his son will live the life of a free dragon. The Emperor's desire to "live for a thousand years" and care for Kai when he gets older reminds Ping about her own future with the dragon, so she decides to try to find an apprentice (and her family), but her quest will be a dangerous one. However, the greatest peril that Ping and her companions face may be in the safest place of all.

Please note: While I was aware of some of the strange practices and beliefs in ancient Chinese culture, I was taken aback by a couple of particularly graphic scenes involving so-called "medicinal practices" during and after a shocking plot twist towards the end of the novel. They were effective in the villain/horror factor, but perhaps a little too much so. The ending is well worth reading, though, and hints at a possible follow-up.

GARDEN OF THE PURPLE DRAGON, the sequel to DRAGON KEEPER, continues Ping's journey as she discovers her past and her true destiny. Dramatic adventure, humorous moments and emotional scenes keep the pages turning throughout.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle