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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Fantasy, Better for Teens than Adults--4.5 Stars, April 13, 2010
This review is from: Starlighter (Dragons of Starlight) (Paperback)
For years they had been told stories of the Lost Ones--humans taken from their planet through a hidden portal to works as slaves in a land ruled by dragons. Until recently, Jason Masters believed they were little more than myths. However, a series of events forced Jason to make a choice to believe and attempt to rescue the Lost Ones or abandon his family. Meanwhile, a young slave Koren, also believed the stories of another world to be little more than legend, until she discovered her gift and was able to see into the past to discern the truth. Armed with her new knowledge, she must outwit the dragons and join with Jason in an effort to bridge the two worlds and rescue the enslaved humans. As legend is deciphered and the truth revealed, Starlighter brings the reader into a mythical world where dragons reign and humans serve.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. Within a few pages I was wrapped up in the story and enjoyed being whisked away to Davis' imaginative worlds of Starlight and Darksphere. The dragon lore was masterfully woven into the story and the background of both planets was interspersed nicely keeping me wanting to know what was truth and what was carefully constructed legend. The heroics of the main characters were exciting to read about and kept me pulling for them to outwit the dragons and other foes they faced during their journey. I enjoyed the adventure and am glad this is only book one in a series.
Starlighter is marketed to a teenage audience with good reason. While I thought it was a fun story and it kept me reading, the suspense was a bit short with tense situations quickly resolved. Additionally, the characters were not as well developed as I'd like, but they will most likely appeal to teenagers and be easy to relate to. Though most adults would probably enjoy it also, they would need to let some of the pacing and character development slide as well as forgive the light descriptions of settings and events. There is an allegorical element to this story, but it is easy to detect and not particularly deep. It is good, but not quite as elaborate as some other allegorical literature within this genre. It is a `clean' book with no objectionable language or situations. It is not scary nor is there excessive gore. With confidence parents can allow and encourage their kids to read it without fear of questionable content.
For those who enjoy a good fantasy novel with a healthy dose of dragons, this is a good choice. It's not terribly original, but it is fun and easy to read. Since it is quite engaging, the 400 pages flew by and now I'll patiently wait for the next book in the series.
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23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent novel... good read, looking forward to a ?next? one?, June 30, 2010
This review is from: Starlighter (Dragons of Starlight) (Paperback)
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Never having read any of his novels, Davis did an excellent job of pulling me into a story. For an adult reading a juvenile's book, you expect it to have some plot holes and to be a bit, well, juvenile. Well, this one was NOT. It is a good, fascinating read for both young adults and adults alike! Good, solid plot that pulls you in and keeps you enthralled to the end, and leaves you wishing for more. This book SAYS that it's a novel, but the plot ends suddenly at the end, so it HAS to continue... I'm curious if they are planning more?
All that being said, I was a bit irritated by two things: First, I felt like the title was a bit of a spin off from "Twilight", and the look of the cover seemed to be copying that. As a Christian parent, this made me REAL hesitant to give the book to my daughter, until I read it myself. The title and cover simply wasn't necessary. The other thing that annoyed me, since this IS a Christian fiction book for JUVENILES... is that there are about 4 references in the book to the dragons BREEDING people... and them having babies even though being separated from husband, to a mother being forced into "baby producing" after her husband died, and other things along these lines. Granted, they aren't blatant enough to really be a problem, but since I have some advanced readers who are younger than the normal audience, I was hesitant, and finally decided that they are vague enough that it shouldn't be a problem. So not really a big deal, just a minor heads up to the parents out there. Still, I wish it wasn't there.
I am looking forward to exploring the author's other works now... I had heard of them but never delved into them until I was offered this book for review. So now I will definitely be reading his other ones!
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An intriguing, fast-paced fantasy adventure with likable characters and solid values, July 22, 2010
This review is from: Starlighter (Dragons of Starlight) (Paperback)
Jason Masters and the other inhabitants of Major Four, one of eighteen worlds that circle the star Solarus, are taught that dragons are mythical creatures, the stuff of old-wives' tales and stories told by firelight to frighten children. Belief in real dragons who travel to Major Four through a mystical portal to steal humans is strictly forbidden, a crime of treason against the State.
Meanwhile, on planet Starlight, Koren is a slave, a descendant of humans rescued from the horror of another world, Darksphere, by Starlight's benevolent dragon overlords. Or so the story goes. She dreams of a better life in a land where humans can enjoy true freedom-but rebellion against the dragons means certain death.
Jason is about to learn that the old legends are true. Koren will soon discover a reason to hope for rescue from the dragons' oppressive rule-and the power to make her dreams reality. The fates of these two young people are intertwined, in a way neither of them could ever imagine. As for the dragons, their prophecy of a powerful new prince who will usher in a golden age of prosperity is about to be fulfilled.
Unfortunately, that shining utopia has no room for humans.
Bryan Davis' Starlighter is the first volume of an epic saga of adventure, courage, and desperate hope spanning two worlds at once familiar and alien. The story's heroes personify a host of noble qualities-courage, self-sacrifice, endurance, ingenuity, humility, loyalty, and an unwavering faith in the rightness of their cause, coupled with determination to see it through.
While discussing any work of Christian fiction, somebody will eventually inquire about its faith content, beyond the simple embrace of Christian values. The humans of Starlighter acknowledge the "Creator of All" and believe He guides and influences the events of their life. They follow a written Code that defines the Creator's expectations for their daily life. They ask for His help and direction in prayer. The Creator remains offstage and silent throughout the story, but one could easily credit His orchestration of its events and His protection of our heroes and their friends through some very hazardous situations. Is Starlighter Christian enough to merit the label? Yes, I think so, especially considering its recurring theme of redemptive self-sacrifice.
I enjoyed Starlighter very much. It's an intriguing, fast-paced story with strong, likable characters and solid values that would be a fun read for anyone from early teens on up who likes science fiction or fantasy adventure. Or dragons.
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