Raising Dragons is a great, entertaining story that will appeal to a middle grade and teen audience. However, I had trouble connecting with the story and writing style. I think that’s simply because of the era of writing and just my tastes at this point in time.

thank you so much to netgalley for providing me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review!!

this was a ride and one soooo unexpected! I had to admit I didn't even read the snynopsis, with just the word DRAGONS I had to read it. and i can't believe everyone is sleeping on this series! middle grade, the main characters being so adorable and so smart, taking care of each other all the time 😍😍 the way the Arturian history was brought up and integrated into the real world, that was sooo epic!!! i think my only issue was how easy it was to predict things at a time and the action pace was kind of slow in certain scenes but it didn't diminish my love for this book!
i thinks it's an amazing series to help kids get into reading, really fun and light hearted. now I need the sequel heheheh

Thank you Netgalley for an arc and Bryan Davis, amazing work, keep it up!!

wow, this is one of the best middle grades I've read. It is always hard to look through the eyes of someone in the middle-grade age range while reading but I had such a fun time reading this book. I have always been fascinated by Dragons and the way Bryan creatively made it so they are hiding among us was lovely. I will definitely be picking this up in book form and having it on my shelves to read again. The mystical adventures to the family mystery was very enjoyable. I also love the cover!

I initially wanted to read Raising Dragons because of a specific reading challenge prompt- it had to be a book involving dragons. I didn’t know what to expect with the story. It featured lots of references to God and the Bible which as a Christian, wasn’t a big a deal. But I could see it being a surprise if someone didn’t read the description more closely. Having said that, the story was fun and I found the characters interesting.

I found the writing to be easy to read. I will say I wasn’t pleased to see the word “crippled” used though. All in the book was fine but I’m not sure I’ll continue the series. We’ll see.

All the nostalgia! I remember first discovering this book on a vacation in Florida, at a used bookstore. I loved this series when I first read it, and I'm glad that it's back in print/has a cover re-design. I recommend this for fantasy lovers!

I don’t normally read this genre, but the cover and the book blurb drew me in. This is a story about a young boy with a fiery breath who realizes he’s very different from other kids. Then he meets Bonnie, a girl that has her own secrets. One of which is hiding in her backpack. Things become all too real when Billy overhears his parents talking about him. He can’t believe what he’s hearing. Then all of a sudden things escalate when Bonnie saves his life by helping him escape from a malevolent slayer sword. So many questions, so little time to get answers. Billy and Bonnie are running for their lives. Can they find their parents in time?

This is a gripping, imaginative tale that reveals passages from scripture that describes a dragon (example Leviticus 41:21). I had never looked at this passage before. But wow, there it was. It sounded like a dragon to me. The author also incorporates elements of King Arthur tales. It’s a wonderful blend of fact and fantasy as the author takes readers on an exciting exploration in the world of dragons, and malevolent slayers. This novel is full of twists and turns. I liked the natural spiritual thread that prompts readers to dig deep into scripture, shows the characters struggles and how they deal with them.

This is the first book in the series. If you like to read about dragons, with near death battle scenes, fast-paced action, filled with wonder, betrayal, and mystery this is the series for you. Escape the cares of this world, treat yourself to this fun read. It’s one that would work well for a book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

RAising Dragons
by Bryan Davis
Pub Date: October 5, 2021
Scrub Jay Journeys

Thanks to NetGalley and Scrub Jay Journeys for the ARC.
A boy learns of his dragon past; a girl has known hers for years. They combine their faith, courage, and love to overcome an evil slayer who seeks to bring an end to dragon heritage, forever.
For those that enjoy YA, Christian fantasy this is a book you will want to read!

3 stars

A fun read! I read the Dragons of Starlight series by Bryan Davis years ago.. While I haven't read any of his other books, I looked forward to reading this one, and found it a fun story! I remember liking the first, and really enjoyed his take on dragons and world-building in this one!

When I think of God and Dragons, as a Christian, I would assume they are incompatible. When Davis explains in book-logic how God may have made dragons (i.e. Leviathan), I can suspend my disbelief. HOWEVER, when Davis goes further to even make dragons INTO humans--then it strays far from the basis of true Christianity. God made humanity in his image and to say that dragons, a creature without a soul, are also human, blasphemes God's creation. To its credit, this book attempts to redefine Arthurian tales in a biblical light--I'll even credit that Merlin as a prophet of God may be plausible within the logic (though not in scripture in the slightest). But to make dragons--specifically Clefspeare--as a twisted figure of Jesus is outright ridiculous.

Theology aside, the writing is poor. I was not expecting a MG level of writing for the age of the characters. It's not even something I ever get over throughout the entire novel. The whole first chapter, with Billy dreaming that he's a dragon, was such a cliche set up and the fact that he goes through his morning routine is very tedious. The whole story plays out in a very slow and scripted kind of way (woke up this morning, brushed my teeth, dad disappeared, went home and had police set up security cameras while we wait for him to come back, waited a few more days, Bonnie looks really nice in that dress, oh yeah we find Dad and he's a dragon now). Description of setting can either be nonexistent or way too much.

Maybe Davis' other books are better. I will probably check them out before ruling a final verdict on this style of Christian Fantasy.

A story about a boy who discovered himself being half-dragon, and He has a mission that will require faith and courage through a misterious fantasy jorney . Man, what an original plot. I liked the mix with Arthurian legends which are super famous in literature. This enriches pretty much the narrative and give to this book so many layers without lose the focus: Faith . Furthermore, is a good choice for christian young readers who not always easily find stories of this kind. good job!

"Raising Dragons": 4⭐

(Unpaid Review: thank you to @netgalley, @bryandavis and to the publishers for allowing me to read this eArc copy in exchange for a review.)

Are you a fan of dragons?
Fantasy reader with a picky nose?
Yeah? This book is for you. I absolutely enjoyed this, there was this hint of comedy attached to it, so cool!
The pace was fairly fast and the characters were easy to connect to. I adored Mr. Hamilton and felt so amazed by the prophecies portrayed in this story.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of Raising Dragons in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested the ARC for Raising Dragons, it was shelved as YA so I was already a bit put off when I realize how extremely middle grade it is but I think beyond it not being my genre, this book has a lot of issues. The narration and character never feel believable and I don't see myself buying into them and their arcs even as 12. I know a lot of people seem to be die-hard Dragons in Our Midst fans (and also that they tend to share those views on negative reviews so hello! Good on you for liking this, but I did not) but I feel like that probably has a lot more to do with nostalgia then actual quality mixed with a pinch of a serious lack of Christian-Dragon stories meaning there's not much else to compare it to.

When I saw this book in the Christian category it peaked my interest. What do dragons have to do with Christianity, When I read the description I was intrigued. Using dragons to encourage kids to fins their own unique gifts. It had my attention.

From the first chapter, I was entertained. All the characters being introduced in an organic way instead of forced. The story is read at a steady pace. It doesn't throw a lot of information at the reader at once but it also doesn't leave everything to mystery.

I was a bit wayward of using Arthurian legend in a Christian book. There is not enough historical evidence to claim that King Arthur was a real person, but everything in the Bible has been proven true time and time again. But even that is handled in an engaging and realistic way.

As for the story itself, I truly enjoyed it. Reading this story and wondering what comes next is thrilling.

Originally published in 2004, the first book in Davis’ Dragons in Our Midst series occupied a space in my church library when I was growing up. When I saw the title on NetGalley a few weeks ago, I decided to request the book. I received a free e-ARC from Tyndale House and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What I Liked

Treatment of Magic and the Supernatural

I think I was expecting this to be one of the “children travel to another world” or “children set out on a Medeival adventure” kinds of books, but this was set in our world and time. I think it would be identified as Christian magical realism.

I use this term because the novel introduces fantasy elements to our world, but I use the term loosely because there’s no actual magic in the book.

Early on in the book, Davis makes it clear that certain events and powers ordinarily attributed to magic are actually the resulting of God empowering people, or even designing materials to perform a certain way. I really appreciate this distinction, because there’s no confusion for kids about endorsing witchcraft. Plus, it showcases God’s power and mystery, rather than portraying magic as something interesting and exciting apart from God.

In the process, the author reclaims the King Arthur legend, which I also really appreciated. Here, Merlin isn’t a wizard, but a prophet. And Excalibur was created by God to fulfill a specific purpose. This was a refreshing reframing of the tales, because I have had mixed feelings about the King Arthur legend, due to the magic. Reading this novel, I was able to enjoy the lore through a different lens.

Theology

I also really appreciate that the book used Scripture to engage with the topic of dragons— both their existence and moral standing. I believe wonder and imagination are essential (and frequently overlooked) components of our faith, hence Jesus’ teaching in story. By examining dragons in the Bible, the book provoked me to wonder, and I am both glad and grateful that it did.

Prophecy

In terms of the writing, itself, my favorite passages were the poetic ones. I really enjoyed the opening prophecy, as well as those embedded throughout the story. For me, these really strengthened the novel. My favorite passage was a character’s (beautifully written) description of love.

Critique: Setting /Pacing

I think I ended up a little disappointed that the book was set entirely here, in the present. While the book’s description did not imply otherwise, the references to King Arthur made me suspect something else was coming. Plus, I would have liked to see more description/ showcasing of the author’s skill in the one chapter that does flash back to King Arthur.

The book was action-packed, so I would recommend it to readers who enjoy action-filled stories. For me, I was more interested in the mystery of the book (not mystery as in “whodunnit,” but mystery as in “What’s going on?”) than in the action, and I felt that the action bogged down the story.

However, I do think I would have found it much more engaging if I had a pre-existing interest in dragons. Overall, I would definitely recommend the book because of its many strong points— particularly to those who like action and dragons— but likely will not be reading book two. This isn’t a critique of the book itself. I just found that it wasn’t the best fit for me.

Content Advisory:

Overall, the novel read like a children’s book, with the main characters in Middle School. There was one potentially reference to “getting some action,” which originally made me think that the characters were in high school. However, as I revisit the scene with a better understanding of the characters’ ages, I think the line is probably just referring to getting a boy’s attention.

Recommendation

I would gladly recommend this book, not so much for the plotline as for the wholesomeness. I think this definitely offers a good alternative to mainstream dragon books and even King Arthur adaptations.