Customer Reviews

Dragon Quartet 02 Book Of Water

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Book of Water, the second novel in the Dragon Quartet, is an exceedingly different novel than its predecessor The Book of Water. This is largely explained by the fact that the setting has changed from the Germanies of 913 to an African country in the year 2013. Admittedly, I was deeply rooted into the Middle Ages account of the first book and very much in harmony with young Erde and the Dragon Earth. So, so much seemed to happen in that novel. The Book of Water is exact same number of pages, but very little seemed to happen this time around. The new Dragon Guide we meet here is also very difficult to like, and that above all else diminished the impact of this novel for me personally. Erde went about everything with complete sincerity, but this new Guide, despite Erde's (not to mention two dragons') influences upon him, does not seem to have a sincere bone in his body.

When the world was created, four dragons (Earth, Water, Fire, and Air) were created to do the work, after which point they went to ground, to sleep until this world they had created ended. Now, the dragons are reawakening, answering a summons they do not yet understand and remembering only bits and pieces of their own history. Each of the four books in the series gives us a newly reawakened dragon and his/her Dragon Guide. Water is the older sister of Earth, and her special dragon ability is shape-shifting. Earth and Erde have responded to a summons and jumped from 913 to 2013 to join forces with Water and her guide. N'doch is Erde's exact opposite; there is always a culture clash when a baron's daughter from 913 meets up with a street-smart dreamer from an environmentally abused earth of 2013, but N'doch can never seem to get his head together. In the first several chapters (and this becomes increasingly annoying to the reader), he thinks his introduction to Erde and the two dragons is some kind of Candid Camera setup, and he oftentimes has the remarkable ability to forget, despite the proximity of his new companions, that dragons actually exist - and not just during those times that Water has shape-shifted herself into the image of a human. Each time you think he finally sees the light, he returns to the same selfish person interested only in his own future and dreams, never fully accepting his responsibilities as a dragon guide.

Very little actually happens here, and the action of the second half of the novel is just a little too far "out there" for my tastes. Erde was in constant danger and surrounded by incredibly important acts and events in the first novel, but our main characters here just seem to bumble around, oftentimes with no real sense of purpose, and hide on a few occasions. Without the steadying influence of Erde and Earth, this novel might have developed into a true free-or-all. The author made things a little worse than they could have been by choosing to present N'doch's story from a third person present tense. This seems an entirely unnecessary and sometimes clumsy way to distinguish between the remarkably different perspectives of N'doch and Erde. Thank goodness for Erde's dreams, I must add, as they retain for the reader a strong link to the events still going on in her own time of 913 - that is where the true action and suspense in this series lies - at least so far.

when compared to The Book of Earth and The Book of Fire (1st & 3rd in the series). I think she moved a bit out of her own element and too far into a cultural theme she wasn't entirely at ease with, based on her constant use of colloquialisms and what seemed to be a rather thin plot line. The Book of Fire, though, makes this one worth wading through in order to get further along in the series. Any idea on when The Book of Air should be coming out?

THIS IS A REALLY GOOD BOOK!!! Marjorie B. Kellogg is always one to weave issues about our environment into her books. This book, part two of a four book series, is a perfect example. A boy in the year 2013 stumbles upon a dragon that comes out of the ocean. At the same time, a girl shows up with another dragon. They tell the boy he is destined to be by the water dragon's side and be his guide. They say they need to find the other 2 dragons. He resists at first, but comes to accept it and they embark on an adventure. These dragons created Earth and went to sleep, thinking they would wake up at worlds end. But they wake up too early because humans have strayed from natures call and are destroying Earth (with factories, pollution, etc.). I think that when all four dragons are united their powers will somehow save the world. I'll have to read the sequals.

The plot of this book is excellent, the characters are well-rounded and realistic, and the writing style is VERY engaging. It's a fantasy novel, but not the normal "magician against dragon" plot you normally see. The novel stuck in my mind for several months as one I wanted to reread, and I was SO excited when I found "The Book of Fire".

My only complaint about "Water" is that when N'Doch is narrating, it's in present tense, and when Erde is narrating, it's in past tense, which makes for rather awkward reading at times. But overall, I highly recommend this series.

It was an interesting section of a story. It is staring to look like it will take all four books to make the complete story. At least they got it right with the main characters speaking different languages. I was dissapointed that it did not answer many questions instead it posed more without answers. I would recomend waiting till you can get all four books.

The Book of Water, the second book in the Dragon quartet series, is a masterpiece of modern literature. The main characters in the story, Earth and Water; along with their dragon guides Erde and N'Doch, are well writen and highly likable. The enemy this time is some what less noticable then the enemy of the first book, Fra Guill, but anyone who is rooting for the dragons should be able to spot him.Those who love Dragon Lore of any type are sure to find this a wholy enjoyable book.

For a fantasy novel this is definitely a cut above average: it moves forward at a brisk pace, despite multiple story lines. Also better written than the first part of the series, which apparently was meant merely to provide a contrast to this book.

However in many ways this is a very pessimistic book. The "hero" N'Doch is an all too common and quite recognisable product of the unrestrained breeding programs that Churches implement in Third World countries. In the book he is intimately exposed to enormous and magical goodness but stays "bad to the bone". How are we expected to survive with millions of such guys in existence and not a dragon in sight?

This book is wonderful, but if you read it, first read The Book of Earth.

The book of Water starts out in 2013 when Erde and her dragon Earth are transported then from 913. They meet Earth's sister Water and her guide N'Doch. From there they have exciting and dangerous adventures which you'll have to read the book to find out about!

This book starts out mediokre and gets more and more exciting by the word! I recommend it!

Since I read this book a year ago I have read at least a hundred other stories, yet this book still sticks in my mind as a wonderful tale. While the leading man introduced with this book leaves me cold, as lacking some of the lovable qualities of Erde, I love the new dragon Water. Ms. Kellogg's vision of a future earth is unique and provides a wonderful setting for this poignant story. Believable characters and a plot that keeps you guessing, this is a book *worthy of having a sequel printed sometime this century*. Ahem. :) I can't wait to see the rest of the Quartet.

I found this series in 1994 and have not stopped searching for the rest of the series hopefully the next book will come out before the mellenium. If you like dragons and dont mind childish boys then this is a book for you. Its funny and somewhat realistic of what the future could be. If you like this one then i might suggest you read anne logston....