Do you have an older relative or friend - a parent, uncle, grandparent; you get the idea - that has ever regaled you with stories of their outrageous youthful escapades? I think we all have one of those relatives. Whether the stories are true or not, the stories are REAL (there IS a difference), and we love them and can hear them again and again. After all, `something' had to make that person such a great storyteller. That's what Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen is all about. Better than that, we get to see and EXPERIENCE those escapades. In Here, There Be Dragons we meet many vaguely familiar characters. To most of us, they're already friends. But they're old friends. That is; friends who are `old'. In this incredible story we get a chance to meet them at their youth. When we're first introduced to them we `think' we know who they are, but we're not sure. It's like going back in time and seeing if your old man - young and strong and much less familiar - really `did' save his entire platoon using a slingshot.
The story focuses around three young men; John, Jack and Charles. At the beginning of the story, WWI Europe, they converge, un-coincidentally, upon the death of an old Professor friend of theirs'. While contemplating this horrible incident, they meet another strangely familiar character named Bert; a funny little man who bestows on them the coolest named book in all of literature: The "Imaginarium Geographica." It's a book of maps. Maps of places that have existed only in the realm of imagination. A map of every place that was ever dreamt is in that book. Remember the place that you created yourself, when you were 7? It's in there. It's a very big and exceedingly important book. John, Jack and Charles are then given the task of saving the worlds - the real living and breathing places - that are in the book. Our "heroes" are three somewhat young and quite different men. John just served a tour of duty in WWI. He is a man of intellect, honor and character, but he's been eye-deep in hell and it left him changed. He's not so sure about life at the moment. Jack is young and impulsive. Like all young and impulsive people he makes decisions quickly, and not always with the best results. But he has such a heart. You will love him. Charles is the eldest of the three. The "level-headed" one. The one who can rattle off the funniest line in the world with the straightest possible face. He's also the most English, and I mean that in a good way. When you read it you'll know what I mean.
Once accepting the staggering onus of saving all places imaginary, John, Jack and Charles embark on an adventure in the land of imagination; the "Archipelago of Dreams." It's an adventure that would make Robert Louis Stevenson grin from ear to ear. There are ships, there are creatures of good and darkest evil, there are pirates, there are beautiful warrior women, kings, princes, knights, wizards, sorcerers, heroes, cowards and fools.
And there are Dragons.
Boy, oh boy, oh boy are there Dragons. Majestic, intelligent and resplendently powerful. You won't be disappointed by them. They are everything a Dragon should be.
Our heroes, like all good heroes, grow throughout their journey. They change and yet remain the same people that we have grown to love (after all, we already knew them before we even picked up this book). They learn things about themselves, the histories of the countless worlds they are saving and about their amazing destines as future caretakers of these worlds.
James A. Owen is being touted as a "new" talent in this arena. He's not. He's been doing this now for twenty years. And he's always been good at it. Creating stories and worlds that have won fans all over the world. He already has an award-winning modern fantasy series called "Mythworld." His comic book (yes, comic book) Starchild is acclaimed both critically and commercially as a work of significance and masterful storytelling. If this is your introduction to James A. Owen, I envy you. You get to experience all of his other, many, many great works. And the man can draw.
Did I tell you that Here, There Be Dragons is illustrated too? Not just four or five perfunctory doodles, but dozens of highly, highly, ludicrously highly detailed illustrations. In fact, the illustrations are stories themselves. Think of them as "Easter Eggs" on steroids. And, do you know who the Illustrator is? None other than the author himself. If you know anything at all of James's work, than you can appreciate the exquisiteness of his art. That cover that you're looking at; that's James. If you buy this book for the art alone, it would be worth every penny. Good for us the art is complimented by a story of such greatness.
So there you have it. Here, There Be Dragons is a mystery. It's an adventure. It's fantasy. It's reality. It even has romance. If you've ever created an imaginary place (and who hasn't), then it's safe to say that YOU'RE in this book. It is not only a `story' of the utmost quality; it is a well written story. There are no loose ends. All your questions, the ones that need answering, are answered. The characters, in every sense, are REAL. We see them - our friends - in a way we never have, but secretly always wanted to. We get to look behind the curtain. And, we get to stay there and play. I couldn't recommend this book more. Thank you James for the stories.
