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75th out of 155 books
—
61 voters
Merlin's Dragon (Merlin's Dragon #1)
by
T.A. Barron (Goodreads Author)
In the years after Fincayra disappears and Merlin has been sent wandering, a young lizard-like creature, with the wings of a bat and the magical power to produce any smell it encounters, is born into the new world of Avalon. The unlikely hero—Basil, he is called—cannot find a single creature like itself nor a person who can tell him what he is. But it is clear that Basil...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
September 18th 2008
by Philomel
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Merlin's dragon by T.A.Barron is an exultant choice for young readers unsure of themselves. it can tell you that, even though you may seem like your not cool and their is none like you, but you may actually be a the greatest person in your land and be the grooviest person around town. you just need to find out who you are like basil found who he was. honesty, it is great book and will help you see the you in you. in this book, basil must find Merlin and save him from a gigantic magic sucking bat...more
Utterly uninspiring. I don't know if this was meant to be an adult novel, but I would classify it as young YA, if that makes sense.
Everything was c-l-e-a-r-l-y spelled out for you, in case you didn't understand. Also, I don't know much about Avalon, but although the different lands (e.g. Woodoot, Fireroot, etc.) all sounded kind of interesting, Barron went a little overboard on the whole fantasy-land theme. There was a bit where he talked about somewhere that was covered in rainbows or made of...more
Everything was c-l-e-a-r-l-y spelled out for you, in case you didn't understand. Also, I don't know much about Avalon, but although the different lands (e.g. Woodoot, Fireroot, etc.) all sounded kind of interesting, Barron went a little overboard on the whole fantasy-land theme. There was a bit where he talked about somewhere that was covered in rainbows or made of...more
Nov 22, 2009
Sarah
added it
I have a Thing about dragons so had to look at this one. It's episodic and uninteresting and after reading the first two chapters I skimmed the rest just to see if it would pick up (it didn't) and to see if I'd correctly predicted the ending (I had). In my opinion this book will be of interest only to readers who are already committed fans of the Merlin series (which I'm not).
2 likes · like · see review
This book is a bridge book between The Lost Years of Merlin and The Great Tree of Avalon series. I loved the first and am beginning the second. This book is really fun, not Barron's best, but fun.
Basil is a small lizard, batlike creature with strange magic and immense potential, if he'll just believe in himself. If he can grow out of his own selfishness, he has the power to save Merlin and all of Avalon. The emphasis here is on free will and what Basil will chose to do and be.
Basil reminds me...more
Basil is a small lizard, batlike creature with strange magic and immense potential, if he'll just believe in himself. If he can grow out of his own selfishness, he has the power to save Merlin and all of Avalon. The emphasis here is on free will and what Basil will chose to do and be.
Basil reminds me...more
I love Barron's books. He makes magic and fantasy come alive in a way I've only seen in classics such as The Chronicles of Narnia and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I have read everything of his that I can get my hands on to this point in time. I am looking forward to the rest of his Merlin's Dragon trilogy. I fell in love with small but big-hearted Basil. This book was also enriched by the background knowledge I had from reading The Lost Years of Merlin series, and The Great Tr...more
T.A. Barron (a Colorado author) is one of my favorite children's author because #1) he does live in Colorado and #2) his love of nature shows through in all of his books. This book, the first in the Merlin's Dragon trilogy, is a new trilogy, but carries on with characters originally introduced in his series, The Lost Years of Merlin. But you don't need to read the Lost Years to read this book...but I would recommend it. They're great! Barron never fails to disappoint. Merlin's Dragon is enchanti...more
I don't know if everyone will like this book. I like it from a writerly standpoint and knowing that it is written for the Independent Reader level (about 8 to 12 years old).
There are passages I want to read over and over because they are beautifully written--poetic prose, if you will. Basil is a lovable little character, and I also love the World Tree element that keep cropping up in children's literature nowadays (for example, in Michael Scott's The Alchemyst and Joanne Harris's Runemarks)....more
There are passages I want to read over and over because they are beautifully written--poetic prose, if you will. Basil is a lovable little character, and I also love the World Tree element that keep cropping up in children's literature nowadays (for example, in Michael Scott's The Alchemyst and Joanne Harris's Runemarks)....more
I found this a rather hard book to get through. For one thing I found it really hard to connect with Basil. The story takes it sweet time to get started and before that you just see flashbacks of Basil growing up, but rarely any insight into what he's really feeling. I also feel that because this is my first Barron, a lot of the world description fell flat for me. Barron mentions loads of wonderful creatures, whose stories have no doubt been discussed in the "The Lost Years Of Merlin" quintet th...more
Tiny little green lizard/bat/thingy Basil lives in Avalon, the magical tree-realm created by Merlin. All Basil wants to do is avoid being eaten by all the larger creatures in Avalon, like the dragons. Oh, and find out what kind of creature he is and whether or not there are any others of his kind out there. But he also gets caught up in a search to find the wizard Merlin to warn him of impending danger. And along the way he travels literally on the wind and learns lessons about friendship and se...more
This book was ok, but not nearly as good as the lost years of Merlin. It has a very slow start, I mean a very slow start, which makes it hard to get into, even when you are reading quickly. The characters were good, and it is interesting to see things from the lost years in another light. The ending seemed rushed, we spent 27 years doing nothing, and another 3 sitting on a rock, and then all the sudden we have to see the world in a week? I dunno seemed a little backward to me. I would have liked...more
I thought Barron's Lost Years of Merlin series was a fun YA fantasy read, but I didn't like Merlin's Dragon as much as I thought I would. I know it's meant for kids from 8-12, but the story seemed very simple and predictable, without as much of the character depth I saw in the Lost Years of Merlin series. I read the other two books after this as well, and they weren't horrible, but I was still left feeling kind of disappointed.
If you have trouble getting through the first parts of the book, its a shame. It picks up very well towards the end, and climaxes. Good books are like flowers, they take time to grow, but when they blossom for a short time, they are a pleasure to behold. If you become impatient from lack of action in the beginning, then it is not Barron's fault but your own impatience. A great book that I would recommend to anyone.
More on the Avalon series, this time following Merlin's Dragon, and I won't spoil it telling you who he is. It was pretty decent, good if you like the TAB-version-of-Merlin lore. I found it a minorly engaging read, mainly because I had nothing else on hand. A step up from the Lost Years of Merlin, still not up to the quality of the Great Tree of Avalon.
This was a spectacular book. I am a huge fan of his Merlin books (both Lost Years and Great Tree of Avalon). His environments are rich and diverse. His take on Merlin's life, his side of some of my absolute favorite myths and legends, is one of my favorites.
But I also loved this story, filling in the gap between those two series. The tale was sweet and inspiring, just like the other two. It took a while for the plot to take flight, but once it did, it was quite engaging.
But I also loved this story, filling in the gap between those two series. The tale was sweet and inspiring, just like the other two. It took a while for the plot to take flight, but once it did, it was quite engaging.
The writing in this is very beautiful and you can tell Barron has a talent for writing. However I don't think this is the best story that he's written. It's very very slow moving and not a lot of variety to the writing. Overall I've read better Barron books, but this series might go somewhere so I'll still read the second.
I just finished this book and founding it interesting but by no means my favorite book by T.A. Barron. I have read 11 or so other Barron Books ( including the Lost Years of Merlin and the Great Tree of Avalon). This book seemed a bit short and simplistic. The thing I love about Barron is his incorporation of deeper themes into the plot in a was that seems effortless. This book didn't have that though there were several episodes with familiar characters from both other Merlin series. I liked Basi...more
Colorado author, T. A. Barron, weaves an adventurous tale that will introduce you to Basil, a tiny lizard trying to figure out who he is. This is the first of the trilogy.
If you like fantasy and adventure books, this book fits into both catagories. Written by a Colorado author, this is the first book in a series of three. You'll fall in love with Basil as he tries to figure out just what he is!
If you like fantasy and adventure books, this book fits into both catagories. Written by a Colorado author, this is the first book in a series of three. You'll fall in love with Basil as he tries to figure out just what he is!
This book is a really book for fantasy lovers, such as me~ Even though it was really details, I would usually get bored; but my love for dragons has kept me interested! Highly recommended for fantasy lovers out there C:
A bit disapointing. I was prepared for a great T.A. Barron book and got a mediocre one. I was really starting to enjoy it at the end, then it ended! There are more in the series but I think I'll read my other books, and their series' first.
I wanted to like this more, but Barron takes forever to tell a very simple story. Sigh. Still, it promises to be the start of an interesting series.
I enjoyed the world of Avalon created by Barron but I found the story a bit preachy and weighed down by the BIG message; even the smallest creature can make a difference. That theme should appeal to me except it was heavily presented in the fantasy tale.
The 6th entry in T. A. Barron's Lost Years of Merlin series, introduces us to Basil a beast who is part dragon & part bat & who will play a much bigger role in Merlin's life down the road. Barron pretty much keeps away from Merlin's marriage & the story of Rita Gawr & instead spends the entire book focusing on Basil as we figure out who & what he is. The story is extremely easy to follow & is as enjoyable as the other entries in this series are. For this reader it's been...more
Sep 04, 2009
Autumn O'Shea Swan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
dragons-and-magic,
read-it-don-t-own-it
It was very refreshing. I loved this spin on magic and Merlin's life. I love the little dragon Basil. He is a very unique character. A funny story too.
I really like TA Barons Young Merlin series, and then I like most of the Great Tree of Avalon series, but this was a book that takes place in between the two. I thought it was enjoyable, but lacked some of the depth and story telling of the others. It seemed to travel too slowly and too swiftly all at the same time. Don't ask me how, but I was annoyed with the plot many times. Not bad, but not my favorite either!
Very good book. The end was slightly disappointing.
Not what I was expecting, but I did enjoy and so did RK.
Basil has a very modest beginning and remains a very tiny figure that seems to be part lizard and part bat throughout most of his adventures through the lands surrounding the Great Tree of Avalon but he eventually begins to grow into his destiny as he strives to save Merlin from a dreaded evil. Lots of interesting characters that will intrigue children as they work through this ongoing trilogy.
Basil is fun, but I wanted more action.
Great book! Unfortunately the blurb on this site spoils the ending, but it is still funny and entertaining.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Dragons, dragons ...: Merlin's Dragon | 4 | 9 | Oct 09, 2012 02:38am |
T.A. Barron grew up in Colorado ranch country and traveled widely as a Rhodes Scholar. Though he’d dreamed of becoming a writer, he couldn’t find anyone to publish his first novel. He joined a business, eventually became president, then decided to try again. So in 1990, he surprised his business partners by moving back to Colorado to become a writer and conservationist. Since then he has written o...more
More about T.A. Barron...
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“And now, my friends, a dragon's toast! Here's to life's little blessings: war, plagues, and all forms of evil. Their presence keeps us alert--- and their absence keeps us grateful.”
—
16 people liked it
“Answers come and go, I've found. But the questions? Those remain forever.”
—
12 people liked it
More quotes…
Jul 30, 2012 08:44am