The Dragon Defenders Book 1 - James Russell

Published by Dragon Brothers Books, 2020 (2017).
Audiobook released 02-10-21. Narrated by the author.
Book 1 in 'The Dragon Defenders' series. Followed by 'Book 2.'

This is definitely a children's book, with its short chapters, simple plot, the decision of the main characters to purposefully side-line their parents rather than getting their support in dealing with the main issues, and its mild obsession with getting shot in the butt.

It is also the first book in 'The Dragon Defenders' series, and one that impresses me by not having any other title than 'Book 1' and the series title! I believe the rest in the series have similar titles... wow.

The author, James Russell, is a New Zealander and narrates his own book - it was quite odd to hear a Kiwi accent the whole way through the story, though I suppose Elise is more used to that than I am due to my narrating most of the books we read together. He reads it fairly well.

The story revolves around two brothers, living on an island populated by dragons. Their parents and little sister also live on the island, and their grandparents regularly visit, but as already mentioned, the rest of the family are sidelined, with only Flynn and Paddy featuring in any prominent sense. The brothers are aided by their animal friends - a dog, a horse and a falcon - but otherwise rely only on their wits and hunting skills to defend the island from a trio of trespassers there to steal a dragon egg and kill a dragon.

The series is also (I believe) a spin-off series by the author, who previously wrote the Dragon Brothers trilogy, featuring the same main characters but aimed at an even younger audience.

It's entertaining enough, and I can see how it could appeal to children looking for a simple adventure with a few laughs. Elise and I weren't really the target audience, though, and I don't think we'll be racing to pick up the next one.

Completed, with Elise, 23 February 2025.



(Elise Books)

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