Here, There Be Dragons (1) (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, The)

Here, There Be Dragons has made it onto my 'high fantasy' shelf for dozens of reasons. Characters you can befriend, a plot and storyline both tangled and exciting, literary references to blow your mind - I only have one reservation to prevent me from demanding all of my friends read this amazing book. I doubt many have the background to fully understand it. Don't let the Young Adult tag fool you, anyone old enough to understand will enjoy this book.Sure, my boyfriend would love it for the adventure and rollicking humor - but he'd miss all the tie-ins that can really blow your mind. Another friend would catch some - mainly Greek mythology - but the J. M. Barrie stuff would pass completely over his head.Read this book; it's absolutely wonderful. Everything I could have ever wanted. But before you do, brush up on your Greek, Welsh, Celtic, and even Egyptian mythology, your Tolkien, your C. S. Lewis, your Hugo Dyson, your Lloyd Alexander and Jules Verne and Lewis Carroll and H. G. Wells and Charles Williams and maybe a little Sir Arthur Conan Doyle too. And Heaven forbid you forget your Arthurian legends!This book is a bit like the movie 'Inception', in the sense that it will absolutely rock your world if you have but the sense to understand. If you can't grasp the threads, then enjoy it purely on face value. You won't be dissappointed. But if you can keep them straight, if you can watch the author weave them as surely as the Three Who Are One and their tapestry of fate - well, then this will end up on your favorite bookshelf, too.

I was grabbed immediately and had to fold on tight. This delightful tale will take you for a heart thumping ride. Adventure and insight keep you turning the pages until the very end. Get ready for a long night because if you are like me you won't put it down until the end.

I am a big Inkling fan. I am the only one I know personally who has read Charles Williams. I have read the LOTR, Silmarillion, and other Tolkien works. I have read most of C. S. Lewis and paged through OHEL and Allegory of Love. I have read biographies of Tolkien and Williams and several biographies of Lewis. I was excited when I read about this book and immediately bought it. I haven't read "Young Adult" fiction for a long time so I'm not sure how this book measures up. The book is well paced and it has some interesting scenes. It steals creatively from Lewis, Tolkien and other fantasy writers. It reminds me most of a Williams novel, but Williams, confusing as he is, wrote far more interesting novels than this. Though, I admit I had a hard time putting this book down.The bad side is if you know anything about the Inklings, you'll be disappointed in the novel. Lewis, Tolkien, and Williams are ill defined. Lewis becomes a figure of decisive action and spunk. Williams becomes the practical one, who must keep both feet on the ground. Excuse me, this is the guy who wrote a play and forced all his coworkers to be in it at the Christmas party. He made his boss a king. He viewed London as a magical New Jerusalem. Williams had his head and body in the clouds.The logic of the plot is deeply flawed at times. They lose the map and the ring of power. The villian who stole them is in a row boat. They are on a magical ship that does not need the wind to move and that seems to sense where the magic objects are. Should they chase the villian? No, they must continue onto a person who may or may not help them. One more thing. He keeps the identity of characters secret. He reveals at the end that Jack is C. S. Lewis. The author claims that Warnie started calling him that and it stuck. The real story is that Lewis chose the name for himself when he was a toddler and refused to answer to anything else (actually, it was Jacksie and it was shortened to Jack when he was older.) This is how his parents and his brother, Warnie, started calling him Jack. Another problem, Lewis, Williams and Tolkien were all Christian writers. This book has one of the characters encouraging the three amigos to pray to the stars. Lewis and Tolkien would object to that I'm sure. Williams would probably argue both sides.I'll stop. The book is a fast read and somewhat fun one. The book has some nice scenes and an imaginative plot. I am disappointed in the poor execution of a cool plot idea and some of the sloppy writing.

My daughter, 9, an avid reader, and I loved this book and the next 3 and we can't wait to read the one coming out on Oct 19th 2010.. 'The Dragons Apprentice'We loved not only the story and adventure but, Here there Be Dragons and the next 3 books introduced my daughters to different writers and times and places.An unforseen benefit of the books... my daughter has become interested in reading Tolkiens and Lewis' books and learning about some of the historical places, mythology, and events referenced in the stories.As WB Yeats said; "Education is not the filing of a pail, It is the lighting of a fire". And these books have done that.We like them so much that we bought them also on audio books to play on long trips. I have told lots of folks to read them and EVERYONE has loved them.I hope he keeps it up for a ton more books.Finding a quality writer that doesn't have overtly sexual moments,tons of cuss words, and too graphic violence isn't always easy these days and I love the fact the Mr Owens keeps his books clean and fun.

I purchased the audio book for my son, but decided to listen to it during my hour and half daily commute. I was so thorougly engrossed that twice I missed the turn to my road! This story reminded me of half parts indiana jones mixed with neverland with very amusing hats off to The Lord of the Rings trilogy.. I still smile thinking about the "doorway password". It had marvelous humor, loads of wonder, and though the adult part of my brain tut tutted over one or two trivial things, by the end of the story I was both happy and sad and couldnt wait for the Search for the Red Dragon. It helped my appreciation in having read the chronicles of prydain all of the king arthur tales and being familiar with some of the lands and places, but as long as you have imagination and a sense of wonder you will happily follow along. I wish people would not reveal in the reviews WHO the characters really are, fortunately I had not read those and was even more pleasantly surprised and touched.

Lovely illustrations inside, nice to read the paper book, but the text is small.

Bought for a friend. She's happy with the book.

Great book!!

Loved it!

awesome book