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122nd out of 1,134 books
—
4,657 voters
Searching for Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #2)
Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, meets her match in the not-quite-kingly Mendanbar. With the aid of a broken-down magic carpet and a leaky magical sword, the two tackle a series of dragon-nappings.
Paperback, 242 pages
Published
November 1st 2002
by Sandpiper
(first published 1991)
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The second in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles written by Patricia C. Wrede, Searching for Dragons, was nominated for the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (1994). It's a good story for young readers.
Mendanbar, king of the Enchanted Forest, has a problem. Something or someone has destroyed a circle in the forest, including the magic. When the king arrives to confer with Kazul, king of the dragons, he discovers that Cimorene is worried because Kazul is overdue from a trip. The two...more
Mendanbar, king of the Enchanted Forest, has a problem. Something or someone has destroyed a circle in the forest, including the magic. When the king arrives to confer with Kazul, king of the dragons, he discovers that Cimorene is worried because Kazul is overdue from a trip. The two...more
Patricia C. Wrede has been one of my favorite authors for her witty, original use of common fantasy themes. This is the 2nd book of her 4 book series, and is one of my favorites. This book is a great read for all ages, with laugh out loud humor.
Violence: mild g-rated violence with melting wizards, and fighting rock-snakes.
Language: Mendenbar takes the Lord's name in vain about 3 times, but that is all, the rest is "he cursed under his breath," etc.
Sexual themes: G-rated pressure for Mendenbar t...more
Violence: mild g-rated violence with melting wizards, and fighting rock-snakes.
Language: Mendenbar takes the Lord's name in vain about 3 times, but that is all, the rest is "he cursed under his breath," etc.
Sexual themes: G-rated pressure for Mendenbar t...more
Oct 28, 2012
Rina
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
5-star,
adventure,
childrens,
fantasy-fairytale,
favorites,
good-read-aloud,
retellings,
romance
This was another very fun book. The back cover gives you the idea it is more about Cimorene, when it’s really about Mendanbar and his quest to find out why there are large bare, almost burnt out patches of nothing in his forest. He is sent by a squirrel to see Morwen who tells him to visit Kazul. Only problem is Kazul is missing.
Thus Cimorene and Mendanbar set off together to find the Dragon King. Along the way they meet the usual giants, dwarfs, magicians and royalty. Except none of them are ac...more
Thus Cimorene and Mendanbar set off together to find the Dragon King. Along the way they meet the usual giants, dwarfs, magicians and royalty. Except none of them are ac...more
Lord, I love these books so much. Searching for Dragons follows the adventures of Cimorene, but is told from the point of view of Mendanbar, the King of the Enchanted Forest. Mendanbar is as unconventional as Cimorene, and just as subject to being nagged about the proper way to do things. The change of perspective is nice, and also enables the reader to see exactly how charming Cimorene is from the outside.
One of the things I appreciate about Wrede is the fact that, while her characters bemoan t...more
One of the things I appreciate about Wrede is the fact that, while her characters bemoan t...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Apr 08, 2011
Amber
added it
I remember fist coming across this series back in Grade Eight - which was some time ago. I loved them at a time when I was really just starting to taste and test other genres.
My sister's school was ridding their library of orphan books and copies of those that hadn't been rented out in a long, long time. I think it is a pity that this book made it there, but I am also happy because now I own it.
Searching for Dragons is the second book in the series and you are not lost if you pick it up at rand...more
My sister's school was ridding their library of orphan books and copies of those that hadn't been rented out in a long, long time. I think it is a pity that this book made it there, but I am also happy because now I own it.
Searching for Dragons is the second book in the series and you are not lost if you pick it up at rand...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
As for the story, I think I liked some things about the first book more. However, I liked the magic and characters tons more in the second, as well as some things about the story in this one, too. Really, I was wondering where the author was going to go with this book after having read the first one, but she did a good job—one excellent choice she did was making another protagonist with similar issues, going through his perspective, too, and it's interesting how they mesh together. Another good...more
A new main character is introduced in book two of this delightful series. Mendanbar, King of the Enchanted Forest is feeling somewhat overwhelmed with all his duties and decides to go on a little walk. When he finally arrives at his destination (which isn't that easy because the Enchanted Forest is constantly shifting position) he finds a silly, lost princess. His opinion of princesses is not too high and this princess meets his expectations. He soon realizes that all is not right in his domain...more
In the first Enchanted Forest Chronicle I was disappointed that Cimorene was surrounded by a world full of simpering, male ninny's and wished that she had met her match. In this second novel, she does.I thought the portrayal of that was misguided with this book cover, which inaccurately portrayed a ferocious, muscle riddled, comic book stigma instead of the feisty feminine charm of the first cover in the series, but the inside is more important.
Intended for upper elementary aged readers, Ms. Wre...more
Intended for upper elementary aged readers, Ms. Wre...more
May 27, 2012
Grace
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens,
fantasy-or-syfy
An all around cute tale that expands on the Enchanted Forest world, only from the perspective of a new main character: Mendanbar. The characters were still sweet and the dialogue still made me smile. The plot rang of the first book. (Yes. We get it. Wizards are evil. They can be melted with soapy water. They always want more magic. They’re greedy and sly.) But because of the new character, I felt like Wrede was able to pull it off - even though the plot just felt like a set up to lead to the pre...more
I liked this book almost as much as the first one! References to traditional fairy tales still abound, parodies, spoofs, and homages all.
I had a harder time relating to Mendenbar than I did with Cimorene in book one, because he is trying to take care of all of the problems in his kingdom on his own and is completely ignoring all of his social obligations, which he thinks are stupid, but are actually very important for relations with other kingdoms. And that sort of irked me.
He grows through the...more
I had a harder time relating to Mendenbar than I did with Cimorene in book one, because he is trying to take care of all of the problems in his kingdom on his own and is completely ignoring all of his social obligations, which he thinks are stupid, but are actually very important for relations with other kingdoms. And that sort of irked me.
He grows through the...more
Searching for Dragons is another well-written volume in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I enjoyed the addition of characters Mendenbar and Telemain in this book. The characters enjoyed the same type of exciting adventure as in the first book, and there was more of the fun, lighthearted humor as well. I didn't mind Telemain's intellectual gibberish as much as the characters seemed to, but I did mind Cimorene never understanding what Telemain was saying. A princess who can fence, understand Latin...more
Writing: 5
Story: 5
Satisfaction: 5
It's always great when an awesome book from your youth maintains the awesome-ness when re-read years later. The Enchanted Forest chronicles are great examples of this.
In Searching for Dragons, we meet Mendanbar, the young king of the Enchanted Forest. The wizards have kidnapped Kazul, the King of Dragons, and Mendanbar teams up with the Princess Cimorene, Chief Chef and Librarian of the dragons, to rescue Kazul. Along the way characters from Dealing with Dragons...more
Story: 5
Satisfaction: 5
It's always great when an awesome book from your youth maintains the awesome-ness when re-read years later. The Enchanted Forest chronicles are great examples of this.
In Searching for Dragons, we meet Mendanbar, the young king of the Enchanted Forest. The wizards have kidnapped Kazul, the King of Dragons, and Mendanbar teams up with the Princess Cimorene, Chief Chef and Librarian of the dragons, to rescue Kazul. Along the way characters from Dealing with Dragons...more
I love this whole series, it is compelling, witty, funny, and not too serious. This is the second book, and introduces a male character that joins up with Cimorene to try to save the Enchanted Forest. My guess is that this book is a good place to start for persnickity boys who might not start by reading a book with a female protagonist, even it if it about dragons. Once one reads this one, though, it will be hard not to want to go back to "Dealing with Dragons" which is the first in the series....more
King Mendanbar is tired. Very tired of telling his elven steward that he doesn’t need any formal events and he most certainly need to marry a silly, air-head princess. To relieve his minor stress he takes a walk. But he is after all king of the Enchanted Forest, so his little walk turns into a quest to find the King of the Dragons and work with a princess who is actually the Dragon King’s Chief Cook and Librarian.
It had been a little while since I had read A Sending of Dragons and I had heard fr...more
It had been a little while since I had read A Sending of Dragons and I had heard fr...more
In this sequel to the book Dealing with Dragons, we meet King Mendanbar, who is no more proper as a ruler than Cimorene was as a princess. At the beginning of the novel, Mendanbar discovers a burned out place in his kingdom, the Enchanted Forest. Under the suspicion that dragons caused the mess, he set out to meet the King of the Dragons to discuss the issue. However, he arrives at King Kazul's caves to discover that she's been missing for two days and he decides to help in the search party. He...more
Although I am so reluctant to recommend books in which a Dragon is turned into a protagonist, (curious why? Excellent non-fiction on the topic of myth and popular culture today is "A Landscape With Dragons"--highly recommend it to parents who have children heavily invested in fantasy literature. You don't have to agree with all his points to realize that he is raising an issue than many parents might not even know is there. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10...) I cannot help but love these b...more
Cimorene is not your average princess. She’s not helpless, she doesn’t want to be rescued, and she likes living with dragons. Not only that, but she does NOT want to marry a prince, knight, or king.
Searching For Dragons is the second book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. While I was ambivalent about the first book, I enjoyed reading this one with my daughter. The characters are fun and quirky, and reading the book is a bit like watching The Princess Bride.
Theme/Theology: Good prevails through...more
Searching For Dragons is the second book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. While I was ambivalent about the first book, I enjoyed reading this one with my daughter. The characters are fun and quirky, and reading the book is a bit like watching The Princess Bride.
Theme/Theology: Good prevails through...more
Jul 29, 2008
Michaela
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fantasy fanatic or not
Recommended to Michaela by:
Erica (sis)
Why is it that reviews on the back of books never do the book justice? Mendanbar is hot and awesome and awkward. And Finally there is a man cool enough for tough Cimerene. Plus, several scenes with wizards make me so... happy.
Patricia C. Wrede's Searching for Dragons is the sequel to Dealing with Dragons. Cimorene, Morwen, Zemenar, and Kazul are featured in this volume, but it's an adventure with new characters including King Mendanbar and the reader follows the story from his perspective. I also enjoyed this installment for the same reasons as I did for the first volume, I like Wrede's reinterpretation of classic fairytales. I did not notice the binary oppositions of civilized vs. nature and proper gender roles vs....more
Wrede takes traditional fairy tales and turns them upside down. She pokes fun at the helpless but beautiful princesses, and the burly, unimaginative princes. Her giant retires from pillaging and her Rumpelstiltskin (Herman) has more first-born-children than he can support.
This was an amusing story, with some fun characters, and an interesting plot with a few exciting bits.
It's pretty benign; they overcome the wizards with soapy lemon water that makes them dissolve temporarily. I think the charac...more
This was an amusing story, with some fun characters, and an interesting plot with a few exciting bits.
It's pretty benign; they overcome the wizards with soapy lemon water that makes them dissolve temporarily. I think the charac...more
Ah, the second book in this set does a wonderful job of picking up where the first left off and raising the bar. Whereas much of the humor of the first book was primarily poking fun at mythical conventions, Patricia Wrede has quite a few funny jokes throughout the sequel. In many ways, I felt that the first book was purely setup for this second novel. I can't give it full marks as the romantic aspect was a bit forced and the doings of the wizards didn't seem to be nearly as cunning as the first...more
The fractured fairy tales are my favorite part of this series. I'm particularly fond of the Irish giant (who comes across much more Irish in the audio version) and his natural Gaelic prejudice against Englishmen, and the way that Herman Rumplestiltskin has turned into a Haven House for irresponsible princesses who get pregnant and wish they hadn't. (Read this book with your adult hat on. The subtext is SO there.) Mendanbar's no-nonsense attitude is also quite refreshing in a fairytale king; his...more
Mar 17, 2012
Jessie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE
Recommended to Jessie by:
Sarah R.
There are no words. I've read this book...well, let's just say I lost count at around 17 times, and that was ten years ago. I'm guessing 30-40 times at this point.
To me, SFD is more than a book - it's like a good friend I met as a kid. One that helped me get through the homesickness when I went away to collage, helped me laugh with things got tough, and gave me a touch of home when I moved to Japan.
I own 3 copies, and have taken them to Japan, to Korea, to collage...I read it when I'm sad,...more
To me, SFD is more than a book - it's like a good friend I met as a kid. One that helped me get through the homesickness when I went away to collage, helped me laugh with things got tough, and gave me a touch of home when I moved to Japan.
I own 3 copies, and have taken them to Japan, to Korea, to collage...I read it when I'm sad,...more
In the sequel to Dealing With Dragons, the Dragon King Kazul is kidnapped. Princess Cimorene and the King of the Enchanted Forest join forces in their search.
Rumpelstiltskin makes a cameo appearance, as does the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk. There's also a magic flying carpet. I really liked the Wicked Uncle and the gargoyle.
Perhaps it's because I've read both in the same month, but the Enchanted Forest Chronicles remind me a lot of the Howl's Moving Castle Books. Both authors have a light-...more
Rumpelstiltskin makes a cameo appearance, as does the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk. There's also a magic flying carpet. I really liked the Wicked Uncle and the gargoyle.
Perhaps it's because I've read both in the same month, but the Enchanted Forest Chronicles remind me a lot of the Howl's Moving Castle Books. Both authors have a light-...more
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While this sequel was not as roaringly laugh-out-loud funny as the first one, it was still a delightful, charming, and witty book. Full to the brim with great supporting characters - an elf with a penchant for protocol, an uncle who's trying very hard to be wicked to stay in a club, and a magic scientist full of unintelligible dialogue. Cimorene and Mendanbar are a perfect couple together. And while it slightly undermines the first book to have her settle down with a man after all, I then realiz...more
The second book in the Enchanted Forest series by Patricia Wrede is nearly as good as the first. Cimorene reappears, as does the King of the Enchanted Forest, whose opinion of princesses is nearly as dim as Cimorene's opinion of princes. Old loved characters reappear, and some new interesting ones are introduced. The quest, a search for Kazul, who has gone missing, is intriguing and the author convincingly conveys the feeling of racing against time.
I really like these books and I think they are...more
I really like these books and I think they are...more
The more I get into these books, the more I wish I'd read them when I was younger. No doubt I would have found them way more amazing than I am finding them now. Not to say they aren't great now, but I tried re-reading Enid Blyton's The Famous Five series not long ago and I think the writing isn't a big deal (I used to love it as a kid). The Enchanted Forest Chronicles are written in pretty much the same way - simple, slightly comical with hardly any consequential violence or real damage, yet the...more
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Patricia Collins Wrede was born in Chicago, Illinois and is the eldest of five children. She started writing in seventh grade. She attended Carleton College in Minnesota, where she majored in Biology and managed to avoid taking any English courses at all. She began work on her first novel, Shadow Magic, just after graduating from college in 1974. She finished it five years later and started her se...more
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“Mendanbar took a deep breath. “You could stay here. At the castle, I mean. With me.” This wasn’t coming out at all the way he had wanted it to, but it was too late to stop now. He hurried on, “As Queen of the Enchanted Forest, if you think you would like that. I would.”
“Would you, really?”
“Yes,” Mendanbar said, looking down. “I love you, and—and—”
“And you should have said that to begin with,” Cimorene interrupted, putting her arms around him.
Mendanbar looked up, and the expression on her face made his heart begin to pound.
“Just to be sure I have this right,” Cimorene went on with a blinding smile, “did you just ask me to marry you?”
“Yes,” Mendanbar said. “At least, that’s what I meant.”
“Good. I will.”
Mendanbar tried to find something to say, but he was too happy to think. He leaned forward two inches and kissed Cimorene, and discovered that he didn’t need to say anything at all.”
—
26 people liked it
“Would you, really?”
“Yes,” Mendanbar said, looking down. “I love you, and—and—”
“And you should have said that to begin with,” Cimorene interrupted, putting her arms around him.
Mendanbar looked up, and the expression on her face made his heart begin to pound.
“Just to be sure I have this right,” Cimorene went on with a blinding smile, “did you just ask me to marry you?”
“Yes,” Mendanbar said. “At least, that’s what I meant.”
“Good. I will.”
Mendanbar tried to find something to say, but he was too happy to think. He leaned forward two inches and kissed Cimorene, and discovered that he didn’t need to say anything at all.”
“Well, it doesn't sound particularly noble and knightly to say you've rescued the Chief Cook and Librarian, does it? And it has cut down on the number of interruptions. I used to get two or three knights a day, and now there's only about one a week. And the ones who do come are at least smart enough to figure out that I'm still a princess even if the dragons call me Chief Cook”
—
17 people liked it
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Jan 22, 2013 07:52am
I'm enjoying it, too. Obtained it for a member in our family and decided to read it when she forgot to take it home...more
Jan 22, 2013 09:16am
Jan 22, 2013 10:10am