Customer Reviews

Raising Dragons (Dragons in Our Midst, Book 1)

5 star:		(109)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

At school, Billy Bannister is called Dragon Breath because of his extraordinarily scorching breath. He has been trying to hide it from his parents but it is becoming worse recently. When Billy accidentally sets off the bathroom fire systems at school because of it, he realizes he can't conceal his problem any longer. That's when Billy's parents drop the bomb: his dad is a former dragon that has been living in human form for hundreds of year- not the sort of thing a guy is expecting to find out!

The bathroom episode has other serious repercussions too. Billy and his family's dragon heritage has been revealed to the dangerous sect of the dragon slayers who- as the name suggests- are out to kill all the dragons pretending to be humans as well as their children.

I love to read fantasy, but there seems to be so little of it in the Christian market. I am so excited to have found Raising Dragons. It is well written and a very enjoyable read. I am looking forward to reading more of the books in this series.

Even though I'm an adult, and this book is geared for kids, I really enjoyed it. A story of good vs. evil that started centuries ago and rages generations later. When Billy's world is turned upside down by a father he thought he knew, he finds himself grappling with his faith. Bonnie, an orphan in foster care, longs for friends and family that will help her bear her deep secret. Will Bonnie help Billy come to terms with the truth about his father and himself? Can Bonnie trust Billy with the secret in her ever present backpack?
Raising Dragons is the first in the Dragons in Our Midst series. I intend on reading them all.

J.R.R. who? Think I'm kidding? Then wait till you start reading the book.

Bryan Davis has done a masterful job of weaving together a fascinating world in this first book of the series, and should he continue his name will be mentioned in the same breath as Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Piers Anthony (Xanth), Terry Brooks (Sword of Shannara) and others.

Raising Dragons, though set in this world, is a brilliant fantasy piece that starts fast and doesn't slow down. Mr. Davis takes advantage of our prior knowledge of fantasy (who hasn't heard the Authurian legends or know of dragons) and seamlessly builds the back story into the plot of the book, always careful to provide us with just enough information to understand the unfolding events, without giving away what might be coming along.

Even though Raising Dragons is written from the perspective of a teenage boy, the way the story is written it will draw you in and capture you, regardless of your age. Along the way you'll learn to identify with the characters, appreciate the mysteries and look forward to that next page turning. And, if you're willing to trust me, trust this: you won't want to stop turning the pages! This book is a thriller with lots of twists and pleasantly unexpected turns.

The book is a great story that has a moral, but it is not story written just to convey a moral. Mr. Davis has done an adroit job of communicating honest to goodness feelings, worries, concerns and showing how the characters find their solutions without being "preachy." Which of course, is wonderful. Now, can I hear an AMEN?!

Raising Dragons: Read it, you won't regret it.

Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. I love reading fantasy (Tolkien, CS Lewis, Steven Lawhead, Gail Carson Levine, etc.) and this book is a great addition to the genre. It is a tantalizing and enjoying read, and thankfully there are more on the way! It also appeals to a wide age range. I'm eighteen, but my younger sister is twelve and also enthralled by it. Don't miss this book!

The starter of a great series! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, RAISING DRAGONS was a tad predictable, and I'm not ashamed to admit that when I started reading it, I doubted it'd ever make the list of books I'm proud to admit I read. It felt like just another fantasy series, and even though I had friends avidly telling me that it was like Lord of the Rings, it felt... clunky.

I found the writing style the first book held wasn't quite as captivating as the remainder of the books, but gradually grew better at an incredible rate. The rest of the series certainly forgives its first couple chapters, the little tieins and incredible things brought back to light to further the plot making it even more readable.

These aren't books you can skim-read. Almost everything comes back. These aren't books you can start reading in the middle of the evening, because you'll stay up all night trying to finish them. These are books in which you'll almost want to keep bookmarks just to go back and say "AHA! So THAT'S why he said that..."

Brian Davis doesn't put in silly little details. He lines up everything, plus a bit more. The series might've started a bit awkwardly, but by the end of the book, you'll have long forgotten any misgivings at the beginning. (however, if your all time favorite books are Dune *Herbert*, the Lord of the Rings BOOKS (not movies) *Tolkien* and The Silmarillion *Tolkien*, or any others similar, I do recommand taking the books from the library before buying them. You may find the lack of descriptive prose in the writing style irritating. If you're a LotR fan simply because you loved the plot, not the incredibly lengthy descriptions of places, you'll probably love DRAGONS IN OUR MIDST, nonetheless)

All in all, I'm unashamed to recommand this book to any fans of good Christian fantasy.

Although this book was written with young people in mind I enjoyed it immensely. The author created a captivating story filled with lots of suspense and mystery. His excellent character development and strong story line made me read far longer each night than my wife appreciated.

I look forward to the next book and am sure it will be even better than the first. My four star ranking relates to my being a middle aged man. I think it's a five star book for youth readers.

I am a lover of Dragons. The problem is, it's hard to find any dragon books these days, or ones that at least are my grade level. [...^^;] I found this book while looking in a Christian Book store. I read some of it and I loved it. I have a charater, that I made, who is just like Bonnie(who also has a 'deformity'); in which made me feel like it was my character.
I love this book, even though I am 15 and it is up to age 12, and I would recommend this book to every one. I think dragon lovers all over will love this book, because of its creativity, fantasy, and wonderful charm. Plus, I love how it ties into the Bible's history and is set in the present day. This is one of the few, good, dragon books, I think, that doesn't contain any gore, or swearing, has alot of action and that the dragons are the heroes, not companions or are the rival/enemy.
I think Bryan Davis has done a wonderful job... I hope to write a good dragon book like him when I get older. Keep it up Bryan! I want to read ALL the books before I'm 16! Thank you for these WONDERFUL books!!!
BTW, Here are the titles of the whole series:
2nd-'The Candle Stone'
3rd-'Circles of Seven'
4th-'Tears of a Dragon'

Billy Bannister is not an average kid, but who is, right? All kids have baggage they need to work through as they travel along the perilous path leading to adulthood. Being different and worried about fitting in with others is a normal part of the adolescent experience.

Some kids think they're too short or too tall; too "nerdy" or not smart enough, while others worry about their looks, having a "bad hair day", or what the kids at school will think of their new, shiny and completely embarrassing braces.

Unfortunately for Billy, his concerns aren't nearly as mundane as struggling with Math, getting picked on by the local bully, or not having a date for the next dance. A "bad hair day" would be a walk in the park for Billy; a "bad breath day" is more his milieu.

Billy's breath is bad - I'm not kidding. Horribly, hot...atomic, even. So hot, on his worst days he's afraid of talking to his friends face to face, or burning his mother's cheek when he kisses her goodbye before rushing off to the school bus.

Like every good pre-teen who's struggling with the often embarrassing complications of impending teen-hood, Billy does his best to hide his growing predicament - breath mints, drinking everything from lots of water to cans and cans of soda. Nothing seems to work, however, and his breath just keeps getting hotter and hotter.

Of course, Billy is not like other kids; that's clear even to him. However, what he doesn't know is why, and when the secret comes out, he feels amazed, shocked, horrified - even a bit appalled and betrayed.

For you see, Billy is part dragon, son of the only remaining dragon - the last of an ancient, majestic race teetering on the brink of extinction. They've been forced into hiding in human form by a zealous and determined order of knights sworn to rid the Earth of dragons - the dragon slayers.

Secrets and ancient prophesies unfold as everything Billy holds dear unwinds and falls apart. He learns of the origins of dragons; how some fell into darkness and others served the light of their Creator, and what forced them into exile. He struggles with the awe of it all, as well as the bitter sense that his life up until now has been a fabrication, a lie. Most importantly, Billy struggles to have faith it will all work for good in the end; that God will provide for both man and dragon.

As the prophecy of dragons speeds toward its fulfillment, Billy will witness the affirming power of faith, of the loving support of true friendship, and the devotion of a father to his son.

Raising Dragons is the first volume of a four part series entitled Dragons In Our Midst, written by author Bryan Davis. It is a rich, contemporary fantasy in the spirit of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Pendragon Circle by Stephen Lawhead and The Wrinkle In Time books by Madeleine L' Engle.

Over the years, many writers have tried to produce "Christian Fantasies" the likes of the aforementioned writers, but none of them have done quite as well as Davis, who blends the "flight of fancy" elements of fantasy with Christian themes skillfully and smoothly. The characters are deep and engaging, as well as contemporary and relevant.

Davis also presents a nice twist of the Arthurian Legend, presenting King Arthur and Merlin in a different, fresh light. The elements of Arthurian legend are "kid friendly", though - easy for them to access and enjoy. Davis successfully ties off Raising Dragons as a standalone story, while leaving plenty of room for the prophecy to play itself out in the following books.

Parents, this is an excellent book to counter the Harry Potter craze; an enjoyable, entertaining romp through the worlds of dragons, knights in shining armor, mysterious rings and ancient prophecies; but also uplifting and edifying. Raising Dragons and by extension the entire Dragons In Our Midst series is an excellent Christian-based young adolescent series.

To learn more about Raising Dragons and the rest of the series, visit the author's website at[...]

Bryan Davis is currently working on Eye of the Oracle, the first book in a prequel series to Dragons in Our Midst.

5 out of 5 stars


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The story opens with a teenager's classic nightmare. Supposed that you weren't actually human, that you were perhaps a monster or an alien? What if your parents were hiding something from you? What if your principal was trying to kill you? This happens to one Billy Bannister, a teenager who led a regular life, until now. This sense of the world suddenly turning upside down is the hook for Raising Dragons, a story that combines this scenario with a much longer saga, that of a generations long hunt for pure blooded dragons and their half-human/dragon offspring. But the dragons are not so easy to find. Centuries ago, Merlin gathered the dragons together and through a miracle from God Himself, the dragons became humans. Unfortunately, the passage of time has not been enough to thwart the slayers, who will not rest until every dragon has been wiped from the face of the Earth.

Billy Bannister and Bonnie Silver are the two dragon-blooded teenagers who must escape the wrath of the slayers. With its action thriller elements and Christian background, the story reminded me of Frank Peretti's Cooper Kids Adventure series, but with a medieval, fantasy twist. Even the fantasy element is a little less conventional: the dragons are not the mindless monsters of yore, and dragonslaying is not the moniker of the good guys this time. Merlin is depicted as a Christian prophet, in the finest tradition of Samuel, and he has a streak of scientific knowledge that makes others think he is a wizard. The two teens are very sympathetic, and their courage and faith are tested as they unmask the villains who mercilessly pursue them. Finally, this is a Christian fantasy for young people that at last breaks clich? and integrates ideas of faith and good storytelling. Highly recommended.

When I first saw this book at my local Christian book store, I decided to buy it, but I had low expectations. I figured it would be somewhat interesting but not all that great. I didn't think that the author could really weave a great story around a couple of teenagers and some dragons. After finally beginning the book, I found that I was completely wrong. The plot had me on the edge of my seat all the way to the last few pages. Then, just when the action wound down a little, the author resurfaced all the unanswered questions to get me interested in the sequel.

My advice: Don't read it if you don't want to get into the rest of the series. Its plot will drag you in! : )