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No Such Thing As Dragons

3.37 of 5 stars 3.37 · rating details · 231 ratings · 65 reviews

New in paperback--an unforgettable dragon story from Philip Reeve!

Ansel's new master slays dragons for a living. He says he's hunted the monstrous worms all over Christendom-and he has the scars to prove it! But is Brock just a clever trickster in shining armor? Ansel is sure there are no such things as dragons. So what is the man-eating creature that lives in the crags of...more

Paperback, 192 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Scholastic Press

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Dec 16, 2012 Daniel Shellenbarger rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

No Such Thing As Dragons tells the story of Ansel a mute (from trauma, he is physically capable of talk, he just doesn't) boy who gets taken in as the servant of a wandering self-proclaimed "dragon hunter," Johannes Brock, but as the boy suspects, the man is a fraud and insists that there is no such thing as a dragon, it's just an easy way to filch ignorant peasants, using a crocodile skull and a tiger's tooth as proof of his "kills". However, things become much more complex when they happen int...more No Such Thing As Dragons tells the story of Ansel a mute (from trauma, he is physically capable of talk, he just doesn't) boy who gets taken in as the servant of a wandering self-proclaimed "dragon hunter," Johannes Brock, but as the boy suspects, the man is a fraud and insists that there is no such thing as a dragon, it's just an easy way to filch ignorant peasants, using a crocodile skull and a tiger's tooth as proof of his "kills". However, things become much more complex when they happen into a village which actually does seem to be suffering from the depredations of a dragon. As a result, Ansel and Brock are forced to make a treacherous climb up a mountain to investigate, accompanied by an equally fraudulent "friar" and a girl who was left as a sacrifice to the beast. All in all, No Such Thing As Dragons is a moderately entertaining story, but it doesn't really surprise the reader at any point, it's kind of a paint-by-numbers story. We know from the start that the cynical fraud and his unwilling assistant are bound to come up against a real live dragon sooner or later, and such proves to be the case. Nothing that follows is particularly shocking and while the characters go through some rough times (between a dangerous mountain and a killer dragon), the story still seems to be coasting through to the end. I'm disappointed largely because I have a great fondness for Reeve's Larklight trilogy and his Mortal Engines quartet, which are both overflowing with imaginative situations and fantastic world development. This book simply didn't measure up to what I know Reeve is capable of achieving. In some ways, I think the biggest problem with the book was that Reeve couldn't decide whether to make the story light and amusing or dark and rather critical or whether he wanted to lambast the cynical skepticism of the "dragon hunter" or the irrationality of his victims or the fatalistic cruelty of the villagers. On the other hand, I applaud Reeve for bothering to include fairly authentic-feeling medieval characters in his book, and Ansel is a likeable enough protagonist. I also appreciated that the dragon feels more natural and realistic than most such portrayals. All in all, there's nothing really wrong with No Such Thing As Dragons, but it just felt to me that it doesn't make as much of its setting or concept as it ought to.(less)

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Oct 11, 2012 Leslie Preddy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: grades 4-7

Author Phillip Reeve has written a novel full of suspense and adrenaline. After the loss of his mother, Ansel goes mute and his father sells him into servitude to a dragon slayer. During their travels, Brock, his master, eventually admits he’s a fraud and a con man and there are no real dragons. Ansel is appalled and shaken by the news. Soon they reach a small village high in the mountains and steeped in dragon beliefs and lore. Ansel realizes there is something not quite right about the residen...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reason for Reading: I read one book previously by the author, Fever Crumb, and enjoyed it. This one looked like it would make a good read aloud to ds.

Set in the middle ages of presumably our world, the book is immersed in a religious Catholic society, with both bad and good people, but a society who presumes there is a God. He can be found on all pages and while some characters use His name as a curse others use it as a cry for help. I really enjoyed being sat down in this society. We explore a...more

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Nov 13, 2010 Sheila rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was really excited to read, "No Such Thing As Dragons" by Philip Reeve. It was an OK book for me. It is only 186 pages long and I felt that if it had been longer, the author could have made the story bigger and more interesting. The thing I loved most about this book is the cover. It is bright and cries out saying "Read Me".

Here is a short blurb about the story:

A dragon story with a brilliant twist from multi-award-winning writer, PHILIP REEVE. Ansel's new master slays dragons for a living. H...more

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Oct 03, 2010 Cindy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kids-fantasy, read-in-2010

This is a very easy, quick read. It essentially tells of a mute young boy who is sold to a fake dragon hunter. The dragon hunter isn't a real one because everyone knows that there is "no such thing as dragons".

As the story goes on people really see that maybe there are dragons. And... that's pretty much the story in a nutshell.

I think for a basic reader this would be a good book. I'm talking a very easy read. Anything over the 12-13 level might be a little too old for this book.

That said ther...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Raina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: j

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 26, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is a charming, single-strand narrative, about a mute boy, Ansel, his master (a knight called Brock) and the search for a dragon which may or may not exist on a mountain in Germany. If there was a dragon, what would it look like? Would it exist in the traditional medieval image familiar from the stonework and woodwork in churches and cathedrals and in illuminated manuscripts? Or would it be more akin to our modern concept of a living prehistoric fossil, an archeopteryx, perhaps, or pteranodo...more This is a charming, single-strand narrative, about a mute boy, Ansel, his master (a knight called Brock) and the search for a dragon which may or may not exist on a mountain in Germany. If there was a dragon, what would it look like? Would it exist in the traditional medieval image familiar from the stonework and woodwork in churches and cathedrals and in illuminated manuscripts? Or would it be more akin to our modern concept of a living prehistoric fossil, an archeopteryx, perhaps, or pteranodon?

As the story proceeds the reader is subject to conflicting expectations: are dragons the province of gullible medieval imaginings as modern scepticism presumes, or dare we entertain the thrilling notion that there may have been something in the old folktales? And what would be the response if someone was faced with a real flying monster? Reeve plays on our hopes and fears in a very subtle way; the human characters are realistically portrayed as we experience the unfolding of events through the eyes of Ansel; and Reeve's writing is both sparse and poetic in equal measure.

In the author's own comments on the book's conception he describes its genesis as a low-budget film idea, and naturally the resulting story is very visual (the accompanying line illustrations are by Reeve himself, and very evocative they are too). "I remembered reading that in the Middle Ages almost every peak in the Alps was supposed to be haunted by its own dragon. There are lots of fantasy, fairy-tale stories about dragons, but might it be possible to do a gritty, grainy, believable dragon story?" No Such Thing as Dragons largely fulfils that aim while being an easy but engaging, not to say enchanting, read.

Like any good narrative the story is grounded in some truth. There is a mountain near the Rhine called Drachenfels with a cave which traditionally sheltered the dragon killed by Siegfried, and another mountain called Knochen which, as it happens, in German, means 'bone', perhaps the germ of the idea of Ansel and Else's grisly discovery of human bones on the mountain.(less)

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Aug 07, 2011 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ansel, a mute, doubts that dragons exist. His master, Brock, travels from village to village offering to slay their dragons. In exchange, the villagers give him food and shelter. As long as the people fear that there might be dragons, Brock can make a living. Even Brock himself knows that he is really just fighting the people's fears, not real dragons.

Then they arrive in the small village of Drachenberg, and find that the people's fears might just have a basis in fact! In the rocky, frozen heig...more

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May 15, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens

Phillip Reeve is such a clever writer. A fun fantasy book with a darker side, in the way of some classic fairy tales. Ansel is sold by his father to a dragon slayer who just happens to be a con artist. Brock the dragon slayer and the friar reminded me of the Summoner and Pardoner in The Canterbuy Tales: a pair of crooks who manipulate people's vulnerabilities and fears to their own advantage. The adults' flaws are silently observed by Ansel, the 10 year old mute boy at the centre of the story, y...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Marathon County Public Library added it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, mcpl-review

Ten-year-old Ansel, a mute boy, is sold by his father to Brock, a self-proclaimed dragon slayer who needs someone who will keep his secrets safe. They travel town to town on horseback searching for food and shelter in exchange for protecting villagers from dragons. In Drachenberg, his master accepts a quest to climb the steep mountain and rid the village folks of a wickedly, fearsome dragon rumored to live there. But are dragons actually real and is Brock really a dragon slayer? There is much in...more

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Jan 16, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mute Ansel is both pleased and scared to have been hired to be assistant to Brock the dragon hunter, until Brock confides that he's never actually killed a dragon because they don't really exist. He plays elaborate scams on townspeople who believe they are plagued by dragons. Until they arrive at Drachenberg, when they come face-to-face with a real dragon. Will they succeed in vanquishing the beast, or become dragon dinner? A sympathetic main character and lively descriptions make this an enjoya...more

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May 04, 2012 Jocelyn Koehler rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Philip Reeve is fast becoming one of my favorite kids' lit authors. Fever Crumb was a cool, steampunky story, and this one, meant for slightly younger readers, is just as compelling, even though its a completely different genre. Just why is it so awesome?

No Such Thing as Dragons plays with both historical and fantasy conventions. When he reaches age ten, the protagonist Ansel, mute since his mother’s death, is bundled off to work for blustery dragon-slayer Brock. The story is set in the 'real' w...more Philip Reeve is fast becoming one of my favorite kids' lit authors. Fever Crumb was a cool, steampunky story, and this one, meant for slightly younger readers, is just as compelling, even though its a completely different genre. Just why is it so awesome?

No Such Thing as Dragons plays with both historical and fantasy conventions. When he reaches age ten, the protagonist Ansel, mute since his mother’s death, is bundled off to work for blustery dragon-slayer Brock. The story is set in the 'real' world, somewhere in late medieval Germany, a land where the ignorant still believe in dragons but the educated are starting to questions such myths.

Ansel soon realizes that the knight Brock is little more than a charlatan, making his way across Europe with his con game, which involves tricking folks with his aristocratic veneer and a crocodile skull. The knight's goal is simply to exploit people's fears to score enough food and money to keep going (not a noble goal, but certainly not nefarious). Brock freely admits to the mute Ansel that there are no such things as dragons. But when the pair end up in an unnamed village at the foot of a mountain called Drachenberg, they discover that Brock's confidence may be misplaced.

Circumstances do not work out in Brock and Ansel's favor. The two, joined by a sacrificial maiden sent up the mountain to be the dragon’s dinner, have to battle for their lives when the dragon (or a creature very like one) arrives, determined to eat the whole group, horses included. As the characters confront a terror unlike anything else, they find out what it really means to be a hero, and how even heroes are not guaranteed a happy ending.

Reeve’s middle grade story is unexpectedly rich for its size. He's skipped a lot of the window dressing (no long descriptions of medieval life or mores here) to get to the core of his tale. Though filled with more than enough suspense, gore, and action to satisfy a reluctant reader (read: video-game addict), Reeve’s story is really a character study. Ansel, Brock, and the maiden Else are wonderfully nuanced people, with conflicting motivations, loyalties, and courage.

Chapter by chapter, we learn a little more about each one, and about the world they inhabit. Reeve holds the resolution out until the very last moment, and what could have been a cliched ending feels pretty natural. Ansel’s affliction also makes for an interesting story limitation; since he can’t talk, he must learn in other ways than simply by asking questions. His forced silence even drives the story in parts: imagine warning people about a dragon when you can’t yell dragon!.

Reeve's storytelling is well-balanced and even delicate. He does an excellent job of suggesting ideas to the reader, rather than simply stating them. The result is a book that can be read in a few different ways. Is it really set in our world? Is the creature a dragon, or not? What does it really mean to call it a dragon? And does it matter if the thing is going to eat you anyway?

I really enjoyed No Such Thing as Dragons, and for a story without a lick of magic, it’s a marvelous fantasy. The hardcover came out last fall, and it looks like a paperback edition is coming in May 2012.(less)

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Jul 21, 2010 Mary Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4th, 5th, 6th, adventure, courage, fantasy

Reeve is well known for his steampunk Mortal Engines series for teens, but here creates an adventure fantasy for younger readers. Ansel, a nine year old mute boy, is sent by his father to be a servant to Brock, a man who travels from village to village earning his living by slaying dragons. At least, that’s what Brock tells others. Of course, he doesn’t really believe that there are really any dragons. He carries a crocodile skull and plenty of armor for show. Brock tells many great stories, and...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Mike Haynes rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'No Such Thing As Dragons' would have been so much better if there really was no such thing as dragons! The set up is strong: charlatan dragon hunter and his squire arrive at a village stricken with fear, hook up with the local priest, and head off into the mountains to slay superstition. Themes of faith and the credulity of the innocent mix with some highly evocative scene setting. I almost believed in the dragon myself, until… he actually turned up! OK, he’s a fabulous dragon, but I felt defla...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Ubalstecha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: grade-4-to-6-boys-fiction, grade-4-to-6-girls-fiction, what-to-read-after-harry-the-juni

The day Ansel's mother died was the last day that he spoke. His father was quick to remarry and start a new family. He was also quick to sell Ansel into the service of a dragon hunter when the time came. Ansel is perplexed when his new master tells him that there is no such thing as dragons, but understands that it is not his place to question. But when evidence at a mountain village points to the dragons being real, can Ansel summon enough courage to be a hero?

Author Philip Reeve has created a...more

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Oct 12, 2010 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this for a 6th grade book talk and thought it was a pretty good dragon story. Brock is a self-proclaimed dragon slayer and Ansel is mute, which is one of the main reasons Brock agrees to take Ansel on as an assistant; he won't be able to tell anyone the truth. Brock is NOT a dragon-slayer. In fact, he's never seen a dragon before, but convinces small villages that he'll rid their town of the pesky "worms", for a nominal fee. He even has a dragon-like skull he carries around as "proof" of...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vonderfecht-digital-bookshelf

Reeve, Philip. No such thing as dragons. New York: Scholastic Press, 2010. Print.

Anselm is a mute and is seen as a burden by his father. But when a man with many secrets rides through the village looking for a servant to accompany him on his travels, the boy's silence becomes a selling point. Anselm's new master is Brock, a dragon slayer. His appearance is just like one would expect of a man who does battle with man-eating beasts, but it's going to take more than that to convince Anselm that dra...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Sharyn Heili rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Sep 23, 2010 Phoebe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Young Ansel has been mute and neglected by his father since the death of his mother, but the day a stranger comes to town, his life changes dramatically. Ansel is sold to the man as a squire on his dragon hunting adventures. Knowing Ansel can't speak, Brock tells him his secret: there are no dragons, and the scary tooth he wears around his neck is a tiger fang. But Brock is about to be proved wrong. Quite a beautifully written story with some heart-pounding adventure, but not a terribly complica...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Jalen Woodson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like this book because the characters go on a adventure to find a real dragon and hey fight the dragon. My grandma would like this book because she likes adventure movies and i would watch it with her sometimes. One challenge in this book was the way certain characters talk. Brock was mad at the other characters and later on,He was being nice to him. The characters went to a big mountain where the dragon lived. They went to look for it. The dragon ate one of the horses snow. Later,Brock went m...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Theresa L. Stowell for TeensReadToo.com

Ten-year-old Ansel's life has been difficult. His mother died when he was little, and he lost his voice soon after her death. In the years since, his father has remarried and had more children. When a stranger comes to town looking for a young boy to do servant's work, Ansel's father gladly takes the offered bag of money and sends his son on his way despite the potential danger.

Johannes Brock is a dragon hunter. He likes the idea of a squire who...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, not_clean

Ten-year-old Ansel has been mute since his mother's death, a condition that appeals to Brock, who claims to be a dragon slayer. Ansel joins Brock as a servant and travels with him to the mountains, where Brock will pretend to fight dragons in order to be rewarded by superstitious residents. Both Ansel and Brock are suprised by what they find and the dangers they face. Suggestive comments and romance make this unsuitable for a religious audience.

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Dec 10, 2011 Amanda Davidson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: t-l-544

Genre: Fantasy
Copyright: 2009

I liked this book a lot because I am personally very into fantasy and dragons and knights and such. The book was good but simple. I can see younger kids liking this and being able to understand its very straight forward story line about believing in something that you thought to be just a myth. It wasn't something that most kids or adults would say was "great", but it's worth reading if you want a quick read.

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Jan 24, 2010 Noor Jahangir rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a simple story about a mute boy travelling with a man claiming to be a dragon slayer. It is well-written with excellent descriptions and believable characters, but not the most complex of stories. It has that same straight-forward approach as classics like The Hobbit, but lacks any form of sub-text or sub-plot. It's a short book (I read it in a day)and would be perfect for a train journey or for a less demanding reader.

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Aug 07, 2010 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middlegrade

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 08, 2010 Sloane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sloane-s-shelf

Anyone can read this book.
It tells of a mute boy and a fake dragon hunter who try to slay a dragon.This book had so many twists and turns it kept me interested the whole way! I mean the dragon hunter says there are no such things as dragons but there are. Ansel is mute but in the end he has his voice back. This book would be more in the catigorie of 4th grade level not 6th. But it was a nice quick read.

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Jan 13, 2012 Ettelëa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite, dragons, read-in-2012, children

Moc pěkná knížka. Patří k těm, co tak pohladí na duši, tedy alespoň já z ní mám takový pocit. Začátek se mi moc líbil, uprostřed jsem se sice trochu zadrhla a přišlo mi, že je to zbytečně protahované, ale konec byl opravdu moc pěkný. Prostě takový pohádkový. Je to sice kniha pro mladší čtenáře (doporučený věk je 9 let), ale i starší může potěšit. Minimálně mě potěšila a moc.

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Nov 17, 2012 Cheriee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this book.
I have read some reviews that complained about the the religious overtones. I think these religious aspects were integral to creating the medieval setting. I appreciated the nuanced perception of Christianity.
Anyway, you can read more of my thoughts on this book here
http://dickenslibrary.blogspot.ca/201...

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Jun 21, 2011 Tammie Soccio rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Since this book doesn't "count" towards my reading list, I am not going to post a full review. I will say, though that it is quick and refreshing read. Although a children's book, it does not talk down to children, and tackles some tough issues. I oved it, and I am using it during my booktalk to taget the couple of reluctant readers that will be in attendance.

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Jun 15, 2011 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have seen this book around having read the other books of Philip Reeve but never got round to reading it. Well today I completed it and i really enjoyed it. Its not your usual dragon slaying title but there is a real sense of danger and excitement. Its very well paced and I wonder if this is an opening to a new series like other titles of his, either way if there are more out I will read them.

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About Philip Reeve

Philip Reeve was born and raised in Brighton, where he worked in a bookshop for a number of years while also co-writing, producing and directing a number of no-budget theatre projects.

Philip then began illustrating and has since provided cartoons for around forty children's books, including the best-selling Horrible Histories, Murderous Maths and Dead Famous series.

Philip has been writing stories...more

More about Philip Reeve...

Books by Philip Reeve

Mortal Engines (The Hungry City Chronicles, #1)

Predator's Gold (The Hungry City Chronicles, #2)

Infernal Devices (The Hungry City Chronicles, #3)

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