Originally posted here.

The Dragon of Cripple Creek by Troy Howell is a book about a dragon guarding gold in an Old West mine and the girl who discovers him and his dragon gold. There is also an interesting sibling story thrown in.

The novel has a lot going for it: adventure, siblings working together, a dragon. Most of it works very well too. Kat is a fun heroine, one who makes ridiculously bad decisions, but you can't help loving at the same time. Her brother is one of those characters I love, apparently lazy and a joker he is actually covering up a brilliant mind for trickery and subterfuge. I love the setting of the Old West tourist town too. Plus there's a dragon. All stories are improved when you add in a dragon. Especially one who knows so many big words. The book does suffer from being too long and getting lost in its own wordiness in the middle. Still it is a fun read for any one who likes a good dragon story or tall tale.