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Secrets will be revealed when fire and ice collide...
In the exciting sequel to The Fire Within, David must uncover the truth behind the mysterious clay dragons. David's quest is to discover the link between the fire of the last known dragon on Earth and the icy regions of the Arctic. It's a journey that will change his life forever, a journey that will bring him to the very heart of the legend of dragons and the mysterious, ancient secret of the icefire...
In the exciting sequel to The Fire Within, David must uncover the truth behind the mysterious clay dragons. David's quest is to discover the link between the fire of the last known dragon on Earth and the icy regions of the Arctic. It's a journey that will change his life forever, a journey that will bring him to the very heart of the legend of dragons and the mysterious, ancient secret of the icefire...
421 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2003
About the author
Chris d'Lacey
74 books1,036 followersHe was born in Valetta, Malta, but as a child moved first to Leicester and then to Bolton. After gaining a degree in biology from the University of York, he returned to Leicester and got a job at the University of Leicester in their Pre-Clinical Sciences department.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 725 reviews
March 31, 2011
My 9 year old daughter brought this book home for me to read. She told the school Librarian that she was checking it out for me, and the Librarian let her check it out as her 3rd book (they are only allowed 2 books) since it was for me.
I loved this book! It was so well written. I loved the characters, even Aunty Gwyneth, who was soooo creepy. I loved the clay dragons, and wish that I could have a few of my own!! Who wouldn't want a wishing dragon, a listening dragon (you could really spy on people ;) ), or a writing dragon? I also love the way that the dragons talk, and could picture the sounds that they were making!
My favorite character would have to be Zanna. She reminds me so much of Abby on NCIS! She is so quirky and lovable, and really tries to keep David in line.
I don't know why it has taken me so long to find these books, and it looks like this one is #2 in the series. Now I have to find the other ones and read them!!
I loved this book! It was so well written. I loved the characters, even Aunty Gwyneth, who was soooo creepy. I loved the clay dragons, and wish that I could have a few of my own!! Who wouldn't want a wishing dragon, a listening dragon (you could really spy on people ;) ), or a writing dragon? I also love the way that the dragons talk, and could picture the sounds that they were making!
My favorite character would have to be Zanna. She reminds me so much of Abby on NCIS! She is so quirky and lovable, and really tries to keep David in line.
I don't know why it has taken me so long to find these books, and it looks like this one is #2 in the series. Now I have to find the other ones and read them!!
June 6, 2021
I first read this book at least ten years ago. Now that I'm finally undertaking the series in its entirety I'm pleased to say I enjoyed it just as much as I remembered -- perhaps a little more because I know had the information from the first book, so understand more about the characters, the squirrels and the magical Pennykettle dragons. I love Zanna especially. I'd felt like there had been something missing in the first book and as soon as she appeared I realised it was her, my favourite character!
The adventure here is great and really steps things up from the first book. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this entire series comes together.
The adventure here is great and really steps things up from the first book. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this entire series comes together.
May 11, 2012
Rating: 2.5/10
...This is just plain bad. It fixes everything that was wrong with the first book, and then proceeds to boil it in a spiritual, cosmic tale that is much too confusing and poorly executed to be put in a children's book.
Let me put it this way: I read novels about time-travel, alternate realities, and spiritual matters, and NONE of them are anywhere near as confusing as this book. It is simply an underdeveloped plot, and it doesn't help that the writing is fairly poor as well.
Also, there's too much suggestive content for the audience. Immature jokes about shaking "talismans" and plenty of lust on the part of the main character, who, once again, does not seem to behave his age.
If you didn't like the first book, don't read this one. I probably won't be continuing the series at my library.
...This is just plain bad. It fixes everything that was wrong with the first book, and then proceeds to boil it in a spiritual, cosmic tale that is much too confusing and poorly executed to be put in a children's book.
Let me put it this way: I read novels about time-travel, alternate realities, and spiritual matters, and NONE of them are anywhere near as confusing as this book. It is simply an underdeveloped plot, and it doesn't help that the writing is fairly poor as well.
Also, there's too much suggestive content for the audience. Immature jokes about shaking "talismans" and plenty of lust on the part of the main character, who, once again, does not seem to behave his age.
If you didn't like the first book, don't read this one. I probably won't be continuing the series at my library.
October 22, 2022
Well I definitely didn’t get to this book in “a couple days” but nevertheless I finally found time to read it.
Likes:
Again the plot had threw my for a very unexpected wild ride! Had me absolutely hooked. I still love Lucy so much she’s such a sweetheart. The dragons really come to life ;p in this book. I absolutely love their character and big hearts. Mr. Bacon is simply splendid. And Bonnington, that stupid and lovable cat that just cracks you up.
The mythology for this book’s world was -though very weird and mystical as I expected in a magical book with dragons- very well thought out.
Dislikes:
There was one instance of swearing.
I still had trouble with David’s character as well. He’s acting more mature in this book, but now the way he handles his relationships is what makes me dislike him.
Likes:
Again the plot had threw my for a very unexpected wild ride! Had me absolutely hooked. I still love Lucy so much she’s such a sweetheart. The dragons really come to life ;p in this book. I absolutely love their character and big hearts. Mr. Bacon is simply splendid. And Bonnington, that stupid and lovable cat that just cracks you up.
The mythology for this book’s world was -though very weird and mystical as I expected in a magical book with dragons- very well thought out.
Dislikes:
There was one instance of swearing.
I still had trouble with David’s character as well. He’s acting more mature in this book, but now the way he handles his relationships is what makes me dislike him.
October 30, 2011
The stunning ingenuity of Chris D'Lacy expresses itself once again in the second installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles. In this continuation of the plot, David finally discovers the secrets of the Pennykettle Dragons, along with the uncovering of a link between polar bears and and dragons of ancient times. Icefire is indeed a step up on the maturity level compared to The Fire Within, yet the childish innocence of the first book manages to carry over as well.
One aspect of the book that really impacted me was the description of "auma" or someones inner fire. Auma can be compared to the breath of God, or universal consciousness. It is the animating force of the Pennykettle Dragons, and it is a major part of the plot. I'm guessing (but not entirely for sure) that "auma" is the author's personalization of the Hindu and Buddhist "Aum" or "Om." It is often referred to as the sound of the Earth… Creation... The heart of existence. This idea is very inspiring. ;-)
All in all, Icefire is definitely a good read. If you enjoyed The Fire Within, you will be satisfied by it's sequel. I will give some warning though, this book seems to open the door to the more cosmic aspects of the series, which may be confusing to some. I am looking forward to reviewing the later books in the series, including the recently released Fire World. Until then, read on! ;-)
One aspect of the book that really impacted me was the description of "auma" or someones inner fire. Auma can be compared to the breath of God, or universal consciousness. It is the animating force of the Pennykettle Dragons, and it is a major part of the plot. I'm guessing (but not entirely for sure) that "auma" is the author's personalization of the Hindu and Buddhist "Aum" or "Om." It is often referred to as the sound of the Earth… Creation... The heart of existence. This idea is very inspiring. ;-)
All in all, Icefire is definitely a good read. If you enjoyed The Fire Within, you will be satisfied by it's sequel. I will give some warning though, this book seems to open the door to the more cosmic aspects of the series, which may be confusing to some. I am looking forward to reviewing the later books in the series, including the recently released Fire World. Until then, read on! ;-)
July 26, 2012
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Icefire was definitely a step up from The Fire Within. Going from squirrels to polar bears was a smart move on d'Lacey's part.
Zanna started out being my least, least favorite character. I could not freaking stand her. But then she lost what made her aggravating and she became worlds better and I now support her relationship with David.
Lucy has a Luna-on-caffeine angle to her, which I just now realized. While she's not my favorite character, I still think she improved in this book.
What didn't work about this book was the fact most of the characters were on the brink of breaking free and becoming the most awesome characters ever. But David hogged it all, no joking. I think had we seen a bit more of Liz, Luce, and Dr. Bergstrom, it would have been worlds better. It would have earned a full out five, instead of a 3.5.
I'll probably end up reading the others we have, because they have a nice new angle on dragons, giving them special jobs to do and making them small parrot-like friends that help out people. And I'm a sucker for fantasy meets the real world.
Icefire was definitely a step up from The Fire Within. Going from squirrels to polar bears was a smart move on d'Lacey's part.
Zanna started out being my least, least favorite character. I could not freaking stand her. But then she lost what made her aggravating and she became worlds better and I now support her relationship with David.
Lucy has a Luna-on-caffeine angle to her, which I just now realized. While she's not my favorite character, I still think she improved in this book.
What didn't work about this book was the fact most of the characters were on the brink of breaking free and becoming the most awesome characters ever. But David hogged it all, no joking. I think had we seen a bit more of Liz, Luce, and Dr. Bergstrom, it would have been worlds better. It would have earned a full out five, instead of a 3.5.
I'll probably end up reading the others we have, because they have a nice new angle on dragons, giving them special jobs to do and making them small parrot-like friends that help out people. And I'm a sucker for fantasy meets the real world.
January 23, 2022
The second book of 'The Last Dragon' chronicles, Icefire is a worthy successor to The Fire Within and a great book. It continues from where the first book ends, with Liz, Lucy, and David and the cast of dragons in the Pennykettle household. D'Lacey does a great job expanding the lore and history of this world, with more dragon lore and Pennykettle backstory, as well as the introduction of the mystical polar bears. Add to that a great villain in the shape of the ancient crone Gwilanna, and its a really good tale. There are points where the pacing seems a bit strange, seemingly building to a climax only to stall and simmer down again, and at points it can be tricky to follow the lore: until the end you only get bits and pieces, and as the plot is contingent on the whole thing you can perhaps feel a bit lost, as there is a lot going on. But, as with 'Fire', this ambiton and willingness to take on a larger story is why i think this series is so great. Mystical dragons and bears, witchcraft, time travel and ancient gods, not to mention some good, believable and heartwarming characters, as well as the interplay between them. A great book to follow the first.
October 8, 2020
Book: Icefire
Author: Chris D’Lacey
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I’ve been reading these books off and on since I was in middle school. There is just something charming about these books that make me really enjoy them. I know they aren’t prefect, but they are actually a pretty strong children’s fantasy series.
I like the myths and dragonlore that this series brings to the table. It is a very different take on dragons and what they are supposed to be. I like the idea of there being different kinds of dragons and each of them having certain abilities. The idea of them being able to be made is great as well. I have always liked this element of the books. It is what makes these books stand out and makes them special. We get to see something that we don’t get to see everyday in fantasy and I really enjoy it. Fantasy is a board genre, but we do have cliches. By adding this little bit to it, we get to see something different and I think that this is what makes me keep coming back to these books.
The writing is really simple and easy to get through. I think a lot of people do forget that this is a children’s series, so it is going to be written a little bit of simpler fashion. We are going to see shorten sentences and easier words used. It’s okay. You, as the reader, just have to remember what age group this is written for. I don’t know why people want to give this book a lot of flak for the way that it is written. It’s a children’s book and you just have to remember that.
What really makes this book stand out to me is the unique plot and magic system. This book has one unlike any that I have ever read before. A lot of people want to brush off children’s literature, but it does a certain amount of uniqueness and charm to it. It reminds you of what childhood used to be.
Anyway, I have just really enjoyed reading this books throughout the years and cannot wait to revisit some of them.
Author: Chris D’Lacey
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I’ve been reading these books off and on since I was in middle school. There is just something charming about these books that make me really enjoy them. I know they aren’t prefect, but they are actually a pretty strong children’s fantasy series.
I like the myths and dragonlore that this series brings to the table. It is a very different take on dragons and what they are supposed to be. I like the idea of there being different kinds of dragons and each of them having certain abilities. The idea of them being able to be made is great as well. I have always liked this element of the books. It is what makes these books stand out and makes them special. We get to see something that we don’t get to see everyday in fantasy and I really enjoy it. Fantasy is a board genre, but we do have cliches. By adding this little bit to it, we get to see something different and I think that this is what makes me keep coming back to these books.
The writing is really simple and easy to get through. I think a lot of people do forget that this is a children’s series, so it is going to be written a little bit of simpler fashion. We are going to see shorten sentences and easier words used. It’s okay. You, as the reader, just have to remember what age group this is written for. I don’t know why people want to give this book a lot of flak for the way that it is written. It’s a children’s book and you just have to remember that.
What really makes this book stand out to me is the unique plot and magic system. This book has one unlike any that I have ever read before. A lot of people want to brush off children’s literature, but it does a certain amount of uniqueness and charm to it. It reminds you of what childhood used to be.
Anyway, I have just really enjoyed reading this books throughout the years and cannot wait to revisit some of them.
June 9, 2011
This book is an okay book. That is my hook. This book is not a very good one, because it is very boring, and can lead to spontaneous sleeping spells. Chris D'Lacy wrote this series of dragon books, without the dragons. There are dragons, just not as a person would think a dragon is.
This book is about a man named David living in a house with his landlord and her daughter. The landlord creates clay dragons that David soon realizes come to life, and have a purpose. David goes to find the origin of the dragons, and must travel to the arctic in order to find the last dragon on earth, which is ironic, since fire does not usually thrive in extrememly cold weather.
I recommend this book to readers who do not like a lot of action or suspense in their books, but like calm books about relationships and dragon fantasies. In reality, this book does not do dragons, who are supposed to be ferocious, giant creatures justice, since they are as small as clay dolls.
This book is about a man named David living in a house with his landlord and her daughter. The landlord creates clay dragons that David soon realizes come to life, and have a purpose. David goes to find the origin of the dragons, and must travel to the arctic in order to find the last dragon on earth, which is ironic, since fire does not usually thrive in extrememly cold weather.
I recommend this book to readers who do not like a lot of action or suspense in their books, but like calm books about relationships and dragon fantasies. In reality, this book does not do dragons, who are supposed to be ferocious, giant creatures justice, since they are as small as clay dolls.
July 10, 2017
A heart warming and then heart breaking book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 11, 2019The icefire by Chris ‘D'lacey was a great sequel to the series i would recommend this book to anyone who like action and loves myths. This book helps portray good myths of it own with dragons and wismy. If u pick this book up off the shelf you will enjoy this wonder of a world full of action and regret and wismy.
As we see a few weeks after the end of the first book we see david countuine his study and his girlfriend gone and now a new threat has appeared and he’s companplating cheating on his girlfriend but that not all he has to fight for the dragons and his and their home hope u enjoy.
As we see a few weeks after the end of the first book we see david countuine his study and his girlfriend gone and now a new threat has appeared and he’s companplating cheating on his girlfriend but that not all he has to fight for the dragons and his and their home hope u enjoy.
October 5, 2014
Icefire, by Chris d'Lacey, is a 426 page long children's fantasy novel. The book is about a boy named David. He is renting a room from Elizabeth Pennykettle, her daughter Lucy, and their mysterious clay dragons. In the epic second installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles, David must find the link between the dragons and the Arctic, and the secret of the icefire.
I personally loved Icefire. It was an extremely captivating book. The author’s fast paced writing style kept me turning the pages. For example, here is a passage from the book: “The boards beneath the tenant had quickly given away, sending him crashing to the soil below- a fall of a couple of feet, no more, but the rubble that had followed him through the hole, sucked by a vortex of Gwilanna’s hate, had piled in on top, encasing his body and squeezing the air fully out of his lungs. One pitiful hand had poked through the mound, twitched just once, then fallen flat.”
The plot twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The way you view a certain character can change in a moment. While on the topic of characters, Chris d'Lacey’s characters are also well described. This is a quote from Icefire describing a character: “Suzanna- Zanna- Martindale was a girl in his department. She was a Goth. She had a face as white as a hard- boiled egg and she dressed from head to toe in black; black tiered skirts full of tassels and fringes that danced across the laces of her black boots; black T-shirts, usually sporting some mystic picture…” The author goes on describing the girl for about a page. Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t too much detail. Instead, Chris d'Lacey writes just enough to create a vivid mental picture in your head but keep you interested in the story and not sinking in a sea of detail.
Another plus about this book is that it’s plot is original. When I picked up this book, I expected a generic plot about a hero boy riding a dragon to defeat an evil witch or sorcerer. What I got though, was something I had never seen before. I had never heard of, or seen, the concept of clay dragons. I think the originality of the plot is one of the main reasons I kept reading.
Chris d'Lacey is a well qualified children’s author. he has won many medals for his books. This is a list of his awards: In 1998, Fly, Cherokee, Fly was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, in 2002, The Fire Within won the Rotherham Children's Book Award, also in 2002, Chris d'Lacey won an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Leicester, in 2005, Horace was shortlisted for the Bolton Children's Book Award and the Hampshire Book Award, in 2006, Icefire was shortlisted for the Angus Book Award, and in 2010, Gruffen won the Books Factor Award. Icefire( The Last Dragon Chronicles, # 2) is worth $6.53 (paperback) on Amazon.com. Icefire was published on July 1st 2007 by Scholastic Paperbacks (first published November 25th 1985).
I personally loved Icefire. It was an extremely captivating book. The author’s fast paced writing style kept me turning the pages. For example, here is a passage from the book: “The boards beneath the tenant had quickly given away, sending him crashing to the soil below- a fall of a couple of feet, no more, but the rubble that had followed him through the hole, sucked by a vortex of Gwilanna’s hate, had piled in on top, encasing his body and squeezing the air fully out of his lungs. One pitiful hand had poked through the mound, twitched just once, then fallen flat.”
The plot twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The way you view a certain character can change in a moment. While on the topic of characters, Chris d'Lacey’s characters are also well described. This is a quote from Icefire describing a character: “Suzanna- Zanna- Martindale was a girl in his department. She was a Goth. She had a face as white as a hard- boiled egg and she dressed from head to toe in black; black tiered skirts full of tassels and fringes that danced across the laces of her black boots; black T-shirts, usually sporting some mystic picture…” The author goes on describing the girl for about a page. Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t too much detail. Instead, Chris d'Lacey writes just enough to create a vivid mental picture in your head but keep you interested in the story and not sinking in a sea of detail.
Another plus about this book is that it’s plot is original. When I picked up this book, I expected a generic plot about a hero boy riding a dragon to defeat an evil witch or sorcerer. What I got though, was something I had never seen before. I had never heard of, or seen, the concept of clay dragons. I think the originality of the plot is one of the main reasons I kept reading.
Chris d'Lacey is a well qualified children’s author. he has won many medals for his books. This is a list of his awards: In 1998, Fly, Cherokee, Fly was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, in 2002, The Fire Within won the Rotherham Children's Book Award, also in 2002, Chris d'Lacey won an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Leicester, in 2005, Horace was shortlisted for the Bolton Children's Book Award and the Hampshire Book Award, in 2006, Icefire was shortlisted for the Angus Book Award, and in 2010, Gruffen won the Books Factor Award. Icefire( The Last Dragon Chronicles, # 2) is worth $6.53 (paperback) on Amazon.com. Icefire was published on July 1st 2007 by Scholastic Paperbacks (first published November 25th 1985).
July 6, 2021
My experience reading the last book was not great because of Scholastic's odd marketing choices (it was more about squirrels than dragons). With that first one out of the way, I thought I would be less bewildered by this one. Unfortunately, I was wrong about that.
While the focus is more on dragons than the first, and polar bears make for significantly more interesting subject matter than squirrels, the character balance in this one is way off. What was charming about the first book was the cozy found family vibe between the Pennykettles, their new tenant David, his girlfriend Sophie, and their various pets and neighbors. But this one from the beginning focused far too much on David, whose character took a rapid nosedive. David was very curmudgeonly, unlikable, and uninteresting. Lucy has completely lost her place as second-in-command—she spends the entire book crying and being ignored. This is a problem because David's relationship with these characters was what made him likable in the first place. He also suddenly decides that the whole dragon thing is dumb even though he saw they were real at the end of the last book. (Yes, because David's life at college is so much more interesting than anything to do with dragons. I'm on the edge of my seat here.)
Enter Zanna. Easily the best character in this book, I enjoyed her immensely. (Although one of these days I really am going to have to sit down and have a conversation with myself: "Do you really like this character, Julia? Or do you just like that she's a witch?") I did not enjoy that she was immediately and inexplicably enamored with David from the moment she was introduced. Like, whoa, okay! Shouldn't you at least give that some time to steep, D'Lacey?
Of course, this leads to a love triangle of sorts between David, Zanna, and Sophie . A love triangle? In my dragon book?? Is nothing sacred???
Moving past all the hooing and haaing over who's going to get with whom, David is a much more obnoxious self-insert in this second book. He goes through a whole storyline to get his children's book published, which at one point leads him to ogling all the women who work at the publishing company and thinking to himself, "Now I have to get into children's books!" Charming.
There are still parts of this series that have potential; stuff unrelated to David. But unfortunately he smothers everything in his death-grip. I cannot take any more David Rain. I must move on.
While the focus is more on dragons than the first, and polar bears make for significantly more interesting subject matter than squirrels, the character balance in this one is way off. What was charming about the first book was the cozy found family vibe between the Pennykettles, their new tenant David, his girlfriend Sophie, and their various pets and neighbors. But this one from the beginning focused far too much on David, whose character took a rapid nosedive. David was very curmudgeonly, unlikable, and uninteresting. Lucy has completely lost her place as second-in-command—she spends the entire book crying and being ignored. This is a problem because David's relationship with these characters was what made him likable in the first place. He also suddenly decides that the whole dragon thing is dumb even though he saw they were real at the end of the last book. (Yes, because David's life at college is so much more interesting than anything to do with dragons. I'm on the edge of my seat here.)
Enter Zanna. Easily the best character in this book, I enjoyed her immensely. (Although one of these days I really am going to have to sit down and have a conversation with myself: "Do you really like this character, Julia? Or do you just like that she's a witch?") I did not enjoy that she was immediately and inexplicably enamored with David from the moment she was introduced. Like, whoa, okay! Shouldn't you at least give that some time to steep, D'Lacey?
Of course, this leads to a love triangle of sorts between David, Zanna, and Sophie . A love triangle? In my dragon book?? Is nothing sacred???
Moving past all the hooing and haaing over who's going to get with whom, David is a much more obnoxious self-insert in this second book. He goes through a whole storyline to get his children's book published, which at one point leads him to ogling all the women who work at the publishing company and thinking to himself, "Now I have to get into children's books!" Charming.
There are still parts of this series that have potential; stuff unrelated to David. But unfortunately he smothers everything in his death-grip. I cannot take any more David Rain. I must move on.
November 20, 2008
The sequal to the first book, "The Fire Within", "Ice Fire" can only be described as a great improvement. I liked all the same things but i think what is best in this book was the suspence, the new characters and the conflicts. Those are the things i didnt realy find in the first book.
The first thing i like is the suspence in the story. The first story was realy setup for the next ones and in the firt book the suspence and climax doesnt come until the end and Ice Fire keeps the suspence going. The story stays suspeceful untill the very end and also gives a hint of what is to come in the next book.
I also liked the new characters that came in Ice Fire.
The new characters bring their own new stories and also reaveal a little bit more about the older and main characters pasts. The new characters also add more mystery in the story wich only makes it more interesting.
Finally the last think i like was the conflicts. The new characters bring new characters in whole new situations and that makes everything better. The conflicts in the story make the resolutions and climaxes in the story more exciting and interesting.
The Fire Within and Ice Fire are just the begining and are not the best in the series but they set up the base for the rest of the series. The book is definately one of the best ive ever read and i would recomend it to any other fictional book reader. So dont just stop at the fire within, keep reading and get to the other books in the series because it only gets better.
The first thing i like is the suspence in the story. The first story was realy setup for the next ones and in the firt book the suspence and climax doesnt come until the end and Ice Fire keeps the suspence going. The story stays suspeceful untill the very end and also gives a hint of what is to come in the next book.
I also liked the new characters that came in Ice Fire.
The new characters bring their own new stories and also reaveal a little bit more about the older and main characters pasts. The new characters also add more mystery in the story wich only makes it more interesting.
Finally the last think i like was the conflicts. The new characters bring new characters in whole new situations and that makes everything better. The conflicts in the story make the resolutions and climaxes in the story more exciting and interesting.
The Fire Within and Ice Fire are just the begining and are not the best in the series but they set up the base for the rest of the series. The book is definately one of the best ive ever read and i would recomend it to any other fictional book reader. So dont just stop at the fire within, keep reading and get to the other books in the series because it only gets better.
October 23, 2018
This supernatural-fantasy,mystery-thriller series has amazed me farther than i would've thought.Though it is an old book in the ongoing series i am very excited as the author shows more and more mysteries and more to come. These books/series has changed my perspective by how I view other characters and their actions. Also I can relate to the main character,David,by how he is very stressed and overwhelmed with school/college and on top of that he is trying to find someone to publish books that he writes to get money. This book in particular out of the series so far has made me feel very eager to read more, also it made me feel very inspiring on how David doesn't want to become a writer necessarily but he is good at it. Overall my favorite thing in the book is the mystery of the dragons and the dragon tear.My least favorite thing about this book is they always wanted to keep David in the dark about the dragon/supernatural world they live in. Also one thing I would like to change about the book entirely would be how David has to find out about the dragons mostly by himself, also how he doesn't really believe in the dragons at first. Last, i feel a deep connection with this book and the main character because I seem to understand what is going on better than most of the other books iv'e read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves any type of fantasy or thriller book.
January 25, 2011
I think Icefire by Chris d'Lacey is one of the best books I have ever read. The book always had you thinking about how each piece of information effects the present and the future. In the book the main character, David, went through battles, polar bears, and special dragon magic. In the last book David thought that the clay dragons were inanimate objects but now he finally realized that they were more than that. He discovered that each dragon was half alive: meaning that each dragon had their own part they played in which they came to life to do. It was worth reading every page of Icefire. If there wasn't action, there were some internal problems. I would recommend this book to people that like to think of the Earth in a different way and also like myths
November 30, 2011
Icefire, by Chris d'Lacey, is about David trying to find the fire tear of Gawain, the dragon. The story begins with David talking to Dr. Bergstrom who is the polar bear, Loral. David, with the tooth of Rengar, tries to find Gawain's tear before Gwilliana, the Sybel, steals it to make a new, real dragon. With the help of Greth, the wishing dragon, Grace, the listening dragon, Grettel, the potions dragon, and Gadzooks, the writing dragon, David sets out to the arctic to the Island of the Tooth of Rengar. David does not find the fire tear yet, but encounters nine polar bears that rule the arctic.
I really liked this book because it was exciting and I really thought David was going to find the fire tear, but he doesn't. It was suspenseful and really awesome!
I really liked this book because it was exciting and I really thought David was going to find the fire tear, but he doesn't. It was suspenseful and really awesome!
August 4, 2015
In all honesty, these are books that are fun at the time of reading them but as you get older they quickly lose their allure.
I’ve always enjoyed dragons books and because of that I think it took me longer to realise it is a rather repetitive read. Not that such a thing really matters all that much with children’s books, so long as the child is engaged with the story, but as I worked my way through the series they seemed to lose their fun somewhat because of this.
By the time I reached the fourth book I was old enough and wise enough to realise I wanted something more from my reading. Nevertheless, it was fun at the time.
I’ve always enjoyed dragons books and because of that I think it took me longer to realise it is a rather repetitive read. Not that such a thing really matters all that much with children’s books, so long as the child is engaged with the story, but as I worked my way through the series they seemed to lose their fun somewhat because of this.
By the time I reached the fourth book I was old enough and wise enough to realise I wanted something more from my reading. Nevertheless, it was fun at the time.
August 28, 2016
In this sequel to The Fire Within, David must uncover the secret of the clay dragons to save Liz and Lucy from the evil clutches of the sibyl Gwilanna. He must discover the link between the Arctic polar bears and the fire of the last dragon Gawain. He must also deal with two girlfriends, a strange visiting college professor, a white hedgehog, a pushy publisher, and Mr. Bacon next door. An enticing sequel, sure to make you want to read more of this series. It's a very fun read even with the global warming, save the polar bears political correctness. A little more intense than the first book.
May 20, 2017
Honestly, this book was very disappointing. I expected so much more. When I was younger and reading this series, it was so much better. Maybe it's because I've grown older. But I honestly hated this book. I don't see me reading the rest of the series in the future.
The romance did not make sense and the plot was just too boring. As people say it was cringeworthy. I'm so sad that these books don't excites me anymore.
The romance did not make sense and the plot was just too boring. As people say it was cringeworthy. I'm so sad that these books don't excites me anymore.
August 19, 2017
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I found this series fascinating, magical, and entertaining.
I found this series fascinating, magical, and entertaining.
January 10, 2018
Icefire is a awesome continuation from the previous book taking the story into a totally different direction! :D The story feels like it is made on the fly and this suits it perfectly because you as the reader as well as the characters really have no idea where the story is going! :D New plot points are thrown in all the time which really keeps you on your toes giving the book its frenetic pace! :D David meets Zanna in this one and Sophia is out the window in Africa which leads to some awkward moments which with the burgeoning personalities of the dragons leads to humour throughout the book this of course keeps the feeling of the book light! :D This works brilliantly and you will find yourself staying up late to find out what happens! Gadzooks and Bonnington attempt throughout to steal the show and Aunt Gwyneth is pure evil and really hams it up through really reminiscent of a certain Arch Chancellor in Discworld! :D
The plot breezes along at a cracking pace introducing hedgehogs, dragons and bears with abundance and reads like a story that whatever your age you can really enjoy! :D Excellent plotting, hard to anticipate plot twists and serious world building! :D
Icefire really expands the world is full of action, adventure, humour ('Going to save Henry's bacon!' Lol) and at the same time vast, a roller-coaster ride and action packed! :D Brilliant And highly recommended! :D
The plot breezes along at a cracking pace introducing hedgehogs, dragons and bears with abundance and reads like a story that whatever your age you can really enjoy! :D Excellent plotting, hard to anticipate plot twists and serious world building! :D
Icefire really expands the world is full of action, adventure, humour ('Going to save Henry's bacon!' Lol) and at the same time vast, a roller-coaster ride and action packed! :D Brilliant And highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2018
So the previous book in this series gave almost nothing away, but right from the beginning Icefire was very different. There was a lot of mysteries placed and we got the majority of our answers. I thought that the beginning was very strong, it got a little bit messy and confusing somewhere along the way, but everything managed to sort itself out.
As I have said, there are some elements of the plot that I found confusing and a bit weird, and I still can't decide whether I actually liked that or not. I really like the mystery that we have going with this series.
I liked all our new characters, Zanna, Dr. Bergstrom and Gwillana. I think they added more magic to the series that had previously been quite realistic. There was a lot of more acting, and a lot more about dragons- definitely a good thing.
In conclusion: bears is a step up from squirrels. I'll be back for book three
As I have said, there are some elements of the plot that I found confusing and a bit weird, and I still can't decide whether I actually liked that or not. I really like the mystery that we have going with this series.
I liked all our new characters, Zanna, Dr. Bergstrom and Gwillana. I think they added more magic to the series that had previously been quite realistic. There was a lot of more acting, and a lot more about dragons- definitely a good thing.
In conclusion: bears is a step up from squirrels. I'll be back for book three
Read
November 1, 2018the ice fire is a really good book where David now must find out about the location of the last fire tear but gwilanna is making plans to steal it and use the tear to make the dragon that Elizabeth will be incubating. but they thwart her plans and she disperses. 100/10 recommended
Read
April 19, 2020So reading the second books of a series first really started early for me
December 22, 2020
Finally, a book about dragons. And hedgehogs? And polar bears? And house cats? Honestly, this series is off its rocker. This book was interesting, and the characters where written WAY better this time around (except for Liz who was out for most of the book and when she wasn't she was completely one dimensional, thanks for wasting my favourite character), but all these elements just felt awkwardly mixed together. I still feel like this series is very misleading, less than the first book, but still not exactly a story about dragons. It's weird because while reading this book I felt the desire to stop reading and go read a book about Polar Bears instead, since this book was mainly about them but then not really either. I really hope that in the future installments in this series, if I do read them, the others will just focus on main one topic, one theme, and not try and bring in elements that don't seem to mix together well (like randomly chosen animals for the cool factor, no pun intended). But I have to give it points for fixing some of what was wrong with the first book. Still giving it a 3.5 stars rating, here's hoping I don't regret it.
October 23, 2021
once more, you're sleeping behind me while I finish this. I adore you. let me read to you!
June 12, 2022
I always wondered whether this series was worth the effort of trudging through. Now I know that it’s not. Where to start? The author thought he had an epic on his hands. In reality what he had is three or four ideas that on their own would have made good stories on their own, but are utterly chaotic when mashed together into one. The main character is obnoxious and the female characters are flat. Some of the sentences used to describe women were so sexist or out of touch it was mind-blowing. Very “of its time” series.
To put it bluntly, this was a hot mess.
To put it bluntly, this was a hot mess.
January 9, 2018
Third choice book second quarter:
Icefire is a great book, Icefire has a lot of action and even more then the first book. In Icefire there is a little drama, a lot of danger, and some adventure. The reason why I said there is danger is because of aunty Gwyneth or really Gwilanna the dragon that wanted the fire tear that Guinevere had caught when Gawian had dropped the last of his spark. Near the end of the book when Liz was about to wake up from her deep sleep a lot happened one David had met all of the polar bears, two Gwilanna had gotten rid of the dragons in every corner of the house including the ones in the dragons den, three Bonnington had drank some of the snowball after it melted and the rest of the special snowball that Liz had gotten when she was little from a polar bear named Lorel. The very last page was an absolute shocker, a dragon named Gretel which was Gwilanna's dragon before she left had taken the lock of liz's red hair and was trying to bring back the dead dragon named Grockel. I don't want to spoil the book, I hope you like the book.
Icefire is a great book, Icefire has a lot of action and even more then the first book. In Icefire there is a little drama, a lot of danger, and some adventure. The reason why I said there is danger is because of aunty Gwyneth or really Gwilanna the dragon that wanted the fire tear that Guinevere had caught when Gawian had dropped the last of his spark. Near the end of the book when Liz was about to wake up from her deep sleep a lot happened one David had met all of the polar bears, two Gwilanna had gotten rid of the dragons in every corner of the house including the ones in the dragons den, three Bonnington had drank some of the snowball after it melted and the rest of the special snowball that Liz had gotten when she was little from a polar bear named Lorel. The very last page was an absolute shocker, a dragon named Gretel which was Gwilanna's dragon before she left had taken the lock of liz's red hair and was trying to bring back the dead dragon named Grockel. I don't want to spoil the book, I hope you like the book.
July 27, 2016
In under a year I have read 10 books by Chris d'Lacey. With each book that I read I am more impressed with his skill and style. Even though my children are a little young for The Last Dragon Chronicles I am really looking forward to reading these with them when they are a little older. I had these books sitting on my shelf for a number of years, but each book was larger than the previous and the series was getting longer, so I never got around to starting them. It really was my loss, because since I started read d'Lacey's books I have not been disappointed in one and look forward to reading many many more. In fact I need to pace myself and intersperse these books with others, for I found I was dreaming of dragons having read The Dragons of Wayward Crescent, The Fire Within Last Dragon Chronicles book 1, and The Wearle the Erth Dragons book 1 in such a short time. But coming back after a few months break, this book was like visiting with a friend after a long separation.
You never know what will happen when you visit with the folks at 42 Wayward Crescent, and in this book even more so than the previous 5 books I have read sit in and around that mysterious house and it's collection of dragons. This book begins with Lucy crafting a wishing dragon, as it's maker she gets the first wish, but then David makes a bizarre wish and the life for all of them takes a number of unexpected turns.
In this book, old tales and legends seem to come to life and ancient foes prepare to battle yet again. The stories of the legends of the Polar Bears who ruled the ice, and also the mythology of the last dragons on earth, the two interwoven. And all of it a puzzle that David must figure out. David at first has a hard time accepting what is happening. He is also struggling trying to publish his children's book, go to school and survive the craziness that is life on Wayward Crescent. Combine that with relationships ending, relationships beginning and the prospect of adventure in the frozen north of Canada and this book is just awesome!
This book was an enticing read. Barely able to put it down. I will warn readers once you start reading Chris d'Lacey's books you will have a really hard time stopping. Fortunately there are many to choose from. So give them a try and see where the dragon's take you.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Chris d'Lacey.
You never know what will happen when you visit with the folks at 42 Wayward Crescent, and in this book even more so than the previous 5 books I have read sit in and around that mysterious house and it's collection of dragons. This book begins with Lucy crafting a wishing dragon, as it's maker she gets the first wish, but then David makes a bizarre wish and the life for all of them takes a number of unexpected turns.
In this book, old tales and legends seem to come to life and ancient foes prepare to battle yet again. The stories of the legends of the Polar Bears who ruled the ice, and also the mythology of the last dragons on earth, the two interwoven. And all of it a puzzle that David must figure out. David at first has a hard time accepting what is happening. He is also struggling trying to publish his children's book, go to school and survive the craziness that is life on Wayward Crescent. Combine that with relationships ending, relationships beginning and the prospect of adventure in the frozen north of Canada and this book is just awesome!
This book was an enticing read. Barely able to put it down. I will warn readers once you start reading Chris d'Lacey's books you will have a really hard time stopping. Fortunately there are many to choose from. So give them a try and see where the dragon's take you.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Chris d'Lacey.
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