An unusual murder brings together three strangers, John, Jack, and Charles, on a rainy night in London during the first World War. An eccentric little man called Bert tells them that they are now the caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica–an atlas of all the lands that have ever existed in myth and legend, fable and fairy tale. These lands, Bert claims, can be traveled to in his ship the Indigo Dragon, one of only seven vessels that is able to cross the Frontier between the worlds into the Archipelago of Dreams.
Pursued by strange and terrifying creatures, the companions flee London aboard the Dragon ship. Traveling to the very realm of imagination itself, they must learn to overcome their fears and trust in one another if they are to defeat the dark forces that threaten the destiny of two worlds. And in the process, they will share a great adventure filled with clues that lead readers to the surprise revelation of the legendary storytellers these men will one day become. An extraordinary journey of myth, magic, and mystery, Here, There Be Dragons introduces James A. Owen as a formidable new talent.
The original version of this post was published on the YA Section.
Intrigued? Read On:
Today, let’s dive into the world of Here, There Be Dragons, the first book in its series, The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica. As of now, I have devoured all seven books, and it has been a wild ride packed with dragons, talking animals, and British scholars galore. This tall tale will delight fans of Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, and the Inheritance Cycle with its British style, grand adventures, and mythical creatures.
What I Love:
Firstly, this book is worth it just for the style and character accents. Pure perfection! The tone of the book is humorous and British-style, despite the fact that the author hails from America. At times, I could not help but read aloud because of the mastery of dialogue and style.
The characters are amusing yet have depth, and the chemistry between them is dynamic. The three main characters are an unexpected trio of British scholars. There’s the mild, war-haunted John, the spirited young Jack, and the scholarly, friendly Charles, with a bit of rivalry and secrecy tossed into the mix. The side characters are also lovely and intriguing, with backstories and relationships woven together like a tapestry.
I found myself absolutely absorbed in the story and laughed aloud several times. Also, there are quite a few Easter eggs to enjoy for those who are well-versed in the fantasy and sci-fi classics. I like to call Here, There Be Dragons “the ultimate fanfiction” and urge all nerds to read this series.
What I Don’t Love:
The prose itself has its flaws and upsides. The writing can at times be plain. The imagery isn’t strong and descriptions tend to be dumped rather than woven into the story. I find it difficult to think of anything else to dislike. Here, There Be Dragons has been one of my favorite reads since the moment I found it.
Content Warnings:
Violence, depictions of smoking, minor swearing.
No matter how wonderful this book is, it does contain a handful of swear words because the characters are British. There is a handful of instances–not more than five–where characters utter minor curses, mostly just bloody h***.
As for the smoking, there is an old professor who smokes a cigar. He appears in two scenes, described as smelling of his trademark cigar smoke.
There are a few battles scenes and deaths, but nothing particularly graphic. Otherwise, the book is clean.
Ratings:
Appropriate content: 3.8/5
Story construction: 5/5
Writing skill: 3.8/5
Ethics: 4/5
Other information:
Christian: No (to the best of my knowledge)
Point of view: Third person omniscient
Tense: Past tense
Romance: Yes
Series: Yes
Conclusion:
James A. Owen has woven together a mastery of style and humor, lovable characters, and a dash of adventure and intrigue. It’s certainly worth the read for any fantasy nerds searching for a spunky YA story. I highly recommend it–4.5 out of 5 slices of pie.
Farewell until next time, readers!
–Astor
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