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Voices of Dragons #1
Voices of Dragons
On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons.
Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.
But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon interactions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?
In her young-adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a distinctly twenty-first-century tale of myths and machines, and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.
Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.
But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon interactions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?
In her young-adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a distinctly twenty-first-century tale of myths and machines, and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.
309 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Carrie Vaughn
263 books4,428 followersCarrie Vaughn is the author more than twenty novels and over a hundred short stories. She's best known for her New York Times bestselling series of novels about a werewolf named Kitty who hosts a talk radio advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. In 2018, she won the Philip K. Dick Award for Bannerless, a post-apocalyptic murder mystery. She's published over 20 novels and 100 short stories, two of which have been finalists for the Hugo Award. She's a contributor to the Wild Cards series of shared world superhero books edited by George R. R. Martin and a graduate of the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop.
An Air Force brat, she survived her nomadic childhood and managed to put down roots in Boulder, Colorado, where she collects hobbies.
Visit her at www.carrievaughn.com
For writing advice and essays, check out her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carrievaughn
An Air Force brat, she survived her nomadic childhood and managed to put down roots in Boulder, Colorado, where she collects hobbies.
Visit her at www.carrievaughn.com
For writing advice and essays, check out her Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carrievaughn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 509 reviews
April 22, 2017
Sixty years ago dragons came out of hiding and made their presence known to the humans. A treaty was formed to keep peace and avoid any kind of war between the two. 17 year old Kay knows that by accidentally crossing the border into the dragon world, she is breaking the treaty and law, but she does it any way because she's an idiot. There a dragon named Artegal saves her life and a friendship forms between the two. Could their friendship stop a war and unite humans and dragons? Lol sure. Why not?
The idea of humans and dragons, war between them and an unlikely friendship forming was really cool, so I decided to give this book a try. But I was really dissapointed. -Sigh-
The friendship between Artegal and Kay was the cutest thing ever. The way Kay helped Artegal learn English was just so cute and funny. I liked how they met in secret and hoped for a better future for dragons and humans when Kay is seen by the military, riding Artegal. (Okay not in that way...)
I was hoping to learn more about the dragon world. The only information we get is that the dragon world is on the other side of the border. Can you fucking describe and give us information about it, please? I also wanted to know why the humans feared the dragons? The author gives us no information about why they live separately and fear each other in the first place.
I found Kay's best friend Tam really annoying. All she did was go on and on about Kay's virginity. Like can you please shut the fuck up? Kay's virginity is not fucking important and that is not why I'm reading this damn book.
"'Wait a minute,' Tam said, throwing the door to the stall open as the toilet flushed behind her. 'You and Jon were home alone, your parents were gone, you were together on the sofa, and you didn't do it?'
'No.' Kay pouted, defensive. 'It was kind of in the middle of an international crisis. Not exactly the right kind of mood.' Except for all that kissing they'd done...
'What better time?' Tam glared while she washed her hands. 'I swear, there's going to be a big war and you're going to die a virgin. Then how will you feel?'"
Dead?
And this...
"Come on, You know. You've been going out with Jon for like a month. Have you slept with him?"
"Tam lowered her voice to a sly whisper. 'You're stressed out because you're not sleeping with Jon. That'll clear it right up, I bet.'"
SHUT THE FUCK UP TAM OH MY GOD, SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY. NO ONE CARES IF SHE SLEPT WITH HIM OR NOT. CHILL THE FUCK OUT. SHE BROKE THE LAW FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, AND SHE'S FRIENDS WITH A FUCKING DRAGON AND NO ONE KNOWS, SO CHILL THE FUCK OUT TAM BEFORE I STAB YOUR FREAKING VAGINA.
The romance was so unnecessary and what the fuck was with that ending?
The idea of humans and dragons, war between them and an unlikely friendship forming was really cool, so I decided to give this book a try. But I was really dissapointed. -Sigh-
The friendship between Artegal and Kay was the cutest thing ever. The way Kay helped Artegal learn English was just so cute and funny. I liked how they met in secret and hoped for a better future for dragons and humans when Kay is seen by the military, riding Artegal. (Okay not in that way...)
I was hoping to learn more about the dragon world. The only information we get is that the dragon world is on the other side of the border. Can you fucking describe and give us information about it, please? I also wanted to know why the humans feared the dragons? The author gives us no information about why they live separately and fear each other in the first place.
I found Kay's best friend Tam really annoying. All she did was go on and on about Kay's virginity. Like can you please shut the fuck up? Kay's virginity is not fucking important and that is not why I'm reading this damn book.
"'Wait a minute,' Tam said, throwing the door to the stall open as the toilet flushed behind her. 'You and Jon were home alone, your parents were gone, you were together on the sofa, and you didn't do it?'
'No.' Kay pouted, defensive. 'It was kind of in the middle of an international crisis. Not exactly the right kind of mood.' Except for all that kissing they'd done...
'What better time?' Tam glared while she washed her hands. 'I swear, there's going to be a big war and you're going to die a virgin. Then how will you feel?'"
Dead?
And this...
"Come on, You know. You've been going out with Jon for like a month. Have you slept with him?"
"Tam lowered her voice to a sly whisper. 'You're stressed out because you're not sleeping with Jon. That'll clear it right up, I bet.'"
The romance was so unnecessary and what the fuck was with that ending?
August 7, 2016
This was a YA fantasy story about a girl who befriended a dragon.
Kay was an okay character, but she did seem a little silly at times. Free climbing on her own when nobody knows where she is? Thinking that talking to a dragon wouldn’t get her in trouble? Not the brightest spark.
The storyline in this was about Kay accidentally going over the boarder of the dragon lands, and being rescued by a young dragon who she then formed a friendship with. We then got some humans making some silly decisions about going onto dragon territory, and a bit of a war broke out. The humans in this really were portrayed as idiots though. Pretty much all of them in fact, and Kay’s best friend going on about her losing her virginity was irritating as well.
The ending to this was pretty pathetic, and tied up absolutely nothing. In fact it was very much a non-ending.
6 out of 10
Kay was an okay character, but she did seem a little silly at times. Free climbing on her own when nobody knows where she is? Thinking that talking to a dragon wouldn’t get her in trouble? Not the brightest spark.
The storyline in this was about Kay accidentally going over the boarder of the dragon lands, and being rescued by a young dragon who she then formed a friendship with. We then got some humans making some silly decisions about going onto dragon territory, and a bit of a war broke out. The humans in this really were portrayed as idiots though. Pretty much all of them in fact, and Kay’s best friend going on about her losing her virginity was irritating as well.
The ending to this was pretty pathetic, and tied up absolutely nothing. In fact it was very much a non-ending.
6 out of 10
August 6, 2016
Sixty years ago dragons had come out of hiding and made their presence known but a treaty was formed to avoid conflict that sent the dragons back into hiding. Now Kay Wyatt knows that she is breaking the law by rock climbing near the border of where the dragon land begins but when she has an accident and is saved by a young dragon the two become friends not thinking they are hurting anyone.
Voices of Dragons had an interesting idea behind it but in the end I'm not really a fan of the direction the story took. In the story there isn't much information given about what had happened in the past that made humans so afraid of the dragons so I was rather scratching my head at the fear shown towards them and the need for the original treaty that the book is based upon.
The interactions between Kay and Artegal are rather cute which of course the animal lover in me gets a bit jealous. Heck I'm thinking let's all get pet dragons, think of the home security aspect alone...who would break in with you own amazing dragon there? But instead we end up with a testosterone fueled possible outbreak of war which really didn't have any reason behind it.
All of that aside, I was also not overly impressed at how this story ended. It's rather abrupt and a reader left with imagining what may or may not happen from that point. In the end I'd just say this one really wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Voices of Dragons had an interesting idea behind it but in the end I'm not really a fan of the direction the story took. In the story there isn't much information given about what had happened in the past that made humans so afraid of the dragons so I was rather scratching my head at the fear shown towards them and the need for the original treaty that the book is based upon.
The interactions between Kay and Artegal are rather cute which of course the animal lover in me gets a bit jealous. Heck I'm thinking let's all get pet dragons, think of the home security aspect alone...who would break in with you own amazing dragon there? But instead we end up with a testosterone fueled possible outbreak of war which really didn't have any reason behind it.
All of that aside, I was also not overly impressed at how this story ended. It's rather abrupt and a reader left with imagining what may or may not happen from that point. In the end I'd just say this one really wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
April 12, 2021
This book is on the younger end of YA, in my opinion. The sentence structure and vocabulary are geared to less sophisticated readers. But the basic bones of the story are good. Humans and dragons have reached a détente, just after WWII and just like the Berlin Wall, they've been keeping an eye on it and preventing any cross over. The problem is that there's no communication between the two sides any more. History has been forgotten and there are no ambassadors to renegotiate terms.
Enter our intrepid teenager, Kay Wyatt, an only child of the town sheriff and a member of border control. (I was amused, by the way, that the border between human and dragon was in Montana. I apparently live in Dragon country—kind of appropriate with the vast dinosaur fossil beds that we have in Alberta.) Kay is sweetly portrayed as an outdoorsy girl, into hiking and rock climbing. She is a bit intimidated by her BFF Tam, who is rather boy crazy and can't believe that Kay isn't. She's managing a budding relationship with her hiking & climbing friend Jon and the two of them are learning about communication.
Kay, being a typical 17 year old, occasionally does things that seem unwise, such as hiking or climbing alone. I was 17 once and I remember that feeling of being invulnerable and overconfident, so that part feels realistic to me. On one of these solo hikes, Kay falls into a stream on the border and is carried into dragon territory, where she is rescued by a young dragon, Artegal. She is shocked when he speaks to her, but curiosity is stronger than fear. They agree to continue to meet and become friends.
Leading a secret life is difficult, especially when the military is spoiling for a fight and willing to engineer a confrontation. But what can a teen girl and a young dragon do to prevent war? It's a pretty simplistic set up. For instance, there's no suggestion of a world wide human government, so it's unclear why the other countries aren't objecting to the American military provoking a mutual enemy.
Just like Kay and Jon learning to tell each other what they want, humans and dragons must quit trying to guess what the other side thinks and actually express themselves. Not a bad message and I would probably have adored it at age 13 or 14. I’m not unhappy to have read it, but I doubt that I will track down the sequel. Unlike some other YA series, there isn't quite enough meat here to satisfy the older adult reader.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
Enter our intrepid teenager, Kay Wyatt, an only child of the town sheriff and a member of border control. (I was amused, by the way, that the border between human and dragon was in Montana. I apparently live in Dragon country—kind of appropriate with the vast dinosaur fossil beds that we have in Alberta.) Kay is sweetly portrayed as an outdoorsy girl, into hiking and rock climbing. She is a bit intimidated by her BFF Tam, who is rather boy crazy and can't believe that Kay isn't. She's managing a budding relationship with her hiking & climbing friend Jon and the two of them are learning about communication.
Kay, being a typical 17 year old, occasionally does things that seem unwise, such as hiking or climbing alone. I was 17 once and I remember that feeling of being invulnerable and overconfident, so that part feels realistic to me. On one of these solo hikes, Kay falls into a stream on the border and is carried into dragon territory, where she is rescued by a young dragon, Artegal. She is shocked when he speaks to her, but curiosity is stronger than fear. They agree to continue to meet and become friends.
Leading a secret life is difficult, especially when the military is spoiling for a fight and willing to engineer a confrontation. But what can a teen girl and a young dragon do to prevent war? It's a pretty simplistic set up. For instance, there's no suggestion of a world wide human government, so it's unclear why the other countries aren't objecting to the American military provoking a mutual enemy.
Just like Kay and Jon learning to tell each other what they want, humans and dragons must quit trying to guess what the other side thinks and actually express themselves. Not a bad message and I would probably have adored it at age 13 or 14. I’m not unhappy to have read it, but I doubt that I will track down the sequel. Unlike some other YA series, there isn't quite enough meat here to satisfy the older adult reader.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
June 12, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. The story was so gripping that kept me up into the night! I just couldn't put the book down! ❤️
July 8, 2017
Read: July 2016
Rating: 4/5 stars
Voices of Dragons is the second YA novel I have read by Carrie Vaughn (the first being Steel). In this novel, dragons are real. They have their own territory which humans do not go near, and the police and federal agencies are responsible for patrolling the border and making sure everyone keeps to their own side. This means contact between humans and dragons never happens.
The world building in this book is really good. I loved the mash-up between the YA/coming of age genre and the fantasy genre. Artegal the dragon is very well written; he is likeable and funny but you never forget he is a dragon.
The main protagonist is Kay. She is the teenage daughter of the assistant director for the Federal Bureau of Border Enforcement and the local sheriff. It is her mother's job to help police the border near where they live. I disliked Kay at first. She came across as selfish; for example in the beginning of the story she wants to free-climb near to the border without telling anyone where she is going. This puts everyone at risk which she acknowledges; "What if she managed to fall and break herself?...Searching the area might cause an international incident. She might accidentally start a war if she fell and needed to be rescued." (pg 3) but then she carries on and does it anyway.
Kay's character evolves throughout the novel, she is open-minded, brave and shows herself to be more sensible and thoughtful than is first thought. I didn't like her best friend Tam. She is one-dimensional; she only cares about boys, kissing boys, having sex with boys...and clothes. There is an especially uncomfortable scene where Tam is trying to pressure Kay into having sex with her boyfriend. "You're a junior in high school. You're way too old to be a virgin." (pg 59). Tam is really not a good friend, and it is through Kay doing the opposite of Tam, that Kay becomes a better character. I definitely felt there was some slut-shaming going on with Tam's character.
The second half of the novel was much more engrossing than the first half. The military crosses the border into the dragons' territory looking to start a war, and when the dragons retaliate it has a devastating effect on Kay.
I like the way Vaughn played on the dragon and the virgin sacrifice legend towards the end of the book but I felt the book ended a bit abruptly. I expected another chapter just to close off some of the threads. One more chapter to answer all my questions would have been perfect!
Rating: 4/5 stars
Voices of Dragons is the second YA novel I have read by Carrie Vaughn (the first being Steel). In this novel, dragons are real. They have their own territory which humans do not go near, and the police and federal agencies are responsible for patrolling the border and making sure everyone keeps to their own side. This means contact between humans and dragons never happens.
The world building in this book is really good. I loved the mash-up between the YA/coming of age genre and the fantasy genre. Artegal the dragon is very well written; he is likeable and funny but you never forget he is a dragon.
The main protagonist is Kay. She is the teenage daughter of the assistant director for the Federal Bureau of Border Enforcement and the local sheriff. It is her mother's job to help police the border near where they live. I disliked Kay at first. She came across as selfish; for example in the beginning of the story she wants to free-climb near to the border without telling anyone where she is going. This puts everyone at risk which she acknowledges; "What if she managed to fall and break herself?...Searching the area might cause an international incident. She might accidentally start a war if she fell and needed to be rescued." (pg 3) but then she carries on and does it anyway.
Kay's character evolves throughout the novel, she is open-minded, brave and shows herself to be more sensible and thoughtful than is first thought. I didn't like her best friend Tam. She is one-dimensional; she only cares about boys, kissing boys, having sex with boys...and clothes. There is an especially uncomfortable scene where Tam is trying to pressure Kay into having sex with her boyfriend. "You're a junior in high school. You're way too old to be a virgin." (pg 59). Tam is really not a good friend, and it is through Kay doing the opposite of Tam, that Kay becomes a better character. I definitely felt there was some slut-shaming going on with Tam's character.
The second half of the novel was much more engrossing than the first half. The military crosses the border into the dragons' territory looking to start a war, and when the dragons retaliate it has a devastating effect on Kay.
I like the way Vaughn played on the dragon and the virgin sacrifice legend towards the end of the book but I felt the book ended a bit abruptly. I expected another chapter just to close off some of the threads. One more chapter to answer all my questions would have been perfect!
December 17, 2010
Set in a modern world like our own, only bodering Dragon Territory, Kay has crossed a line. She has met and talked with a Dragon. This is her adventure, only she can't tell anyone, it is illiegal to cross into Dragon. Meeting by accident, Artegal (the Dragon) saves her life (from drowning), though timid at first they become fast friends. And, you can't be a friend with a Dragon without Flying it!!!! Kay is terrified but thrilled to be doing something so reckless and free. They maintain meeting in secret and talking, but on one flight day they are spotted by a crashing plane. The pilot keeps quiet, for whatever reasons so they think they are safe. They fly again-spotted again by military planes, they are somewhat ambushed. The people think the dragons are a fault-the dragons think the humans are at fault. Is this going to result in an all out war? How will they communicate? What is Kay willing to sacrifice?
(I wan't to say so much more, but I don't want to give anything away)
Don't let the 3.5 stars fool you, this was an enjoyable read. I just wanted more. More character development. More relationship development. I wanted to have the Dragon World described to me, I wanted to visualize better.
Also, I think this should be called voice of the Dragon... since there is only 1 dragon who can talk human..... and I think this book is better than "Firelight" so if you liked that one, you will probably like this one.
All in all, a fast fun read (that could have been sooo much deeper than it was), but still worth reading! Go for it!
(I wan't to say so much more, but I don't want to give anything away)
Don't let the 3.5 stars fool you, this was an enjoyable read. I just wanted more. More character development. More relationship development. I wanted to have the Dragon World described to me, I wanted to visualize better.
Also, I think this should be called voice of the Dragon... since there is only 1 dragon who can talk human..... and I think this book is better than "Firelight" so if you liked that one, you will probably like this one.
All in all, a fast fun read (that could have been sooo much deeper than it was), but still worth reading! Go for it!
August 3, 2016
~4.5⭐️~
Why is there not a sequel for this?!!?!? I don't want it to be over! This book was a quick fantastic read and the way it ended... I just want more! I highly recommend this book, especially if you love dragons.
Why is there not a sequel for this?!!?!? I don't want it to be over! This book was a quick fantastic read and the way it ended... I just want more! I highly recommend this book, especially if you love dragons.
April 16, 2010
It didn't feel real to me. The pace felt really slow and sleepy, even in moments of major conflict. I didn't feel any emotional connection to any of the characters. The plot wasn't much more than a short-story dragged out. It was just a really stereotypical story about prejudice, fear and the Cold War with a bit of teen angst and some cool flying thrown in. I ended up skimming most of it because nothing ever pulled me in. If you want to read a more entertaining story about teens and dragons, try Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace. I'm sorry to give this such a poor review, I'm a big fan of the author's Kitty books. They have a realism and impact that this just lacked.
January 1, 2011
Exciting premise, but Ms Vaughn skipped some basics. Her world building is excellent, but a lot of the description could have been left in the computer as part of her research/development. Add in that she's forgotten a basic premise of successful white space and it slowed down.
Further, I agree that the plot line, while adequate, was lacking in the stunning quality that I expected from Ms Vaughn and her editors. YA doesn't mean the plot can be simplified and pared down with few layers.
I loved the premise, but she would have been better served by presenting it at a much faster pace and carrying us further along in her series storyline arc.
I will continue to read future books, because I know that Ms. Vaughn is capable of so much greater. I hope that she will hit the next YA out of the stratosphere, whereas this one limped along to first base.
As to the slower, younger paced relationship angle. That I loved. It was sweet, innocent, true to the main character's shy and cautious emotional traits. That I enjoyed a great, great deal.
Until your next YA, know that I am pulling for you Ms. Vaughn.
Further, I agree that the plot line, while adequate, was lacking in the stunning quality that I expected from Ms Vaughn and her editors. YA doesn't mean the plot can be simplified and pared down with few layers.
I loved the premise, but she would have been better served by presenting it at a much faster pace and carrying us further along in her series storyline arc.
I will continue to read future books, because I know that Ms. Vaughn is capable of so much greater. I hope that she will hit the next YA out of the stratosphere, whereas this one limped along to first base.
As to the slower, younger paced relationship angle. That I loved. It was sweet, innocent, true to the main character's shy and cautious emotional traits. That I enjoyed a great, great deal.
Until your next YA, know that I am pulling for you Ms. Vaughn.
July 9, 2010
The only reason I'm giving this book a "B-" is because I liked the idea. But I can't say much more than that. Needless to say, I had a huge issue with this book.
The biggest part was the writing style. It was all telling, not showing. Kay's reactions weren't really described very well. It was written almost like a biography. It gets better at the end of the book, but I had to grit my teeth to get there. There was absolutely no way I could get into Kay's character. She seemed so...shallow. I really hate when shallow characters get to do all the cool stuff and they "miraculously" get all the good ideas. Just irks me.
Another thing was that the stakes were not drawn very clearly. I mean, all that would happen is that she would get thrown in jail? That's it? Oh yes, it's just so incredibly horrible! Is that really the best she could do?
This book just kinda flew over my head. And it's such a shame, too. I really wanted this book to be good because I love the topic of dragons, and after "Eragon," not a lot of people have touched the subject, just like no one has really touched the subject of wizard schools since "Harry Potter".
The ending was very rushed, too. And hokey. It would have worked better with a different writing style, say if Carrie Vaughn wrote with a more magical hand, then the ending would have appeared better. But the last few pages were really rough writing-wise. I couldn't get any sense of realism, of actually being there with the characters. This book could have been so much longer if Carrie Vaughn just put some depth into it.
I loved the cover, though. It was partly why I picked it up.
Teaser: She knew how to talk to at least one of them, if only she dared tell anyone. And if only she could be sure she and Artegal would see each other again.
As always, I still recommend that you give it a try. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean that you won't.
Overall grade: B-
The biggest part was the writing style. It was all telling, not showing. Kay's reactions weren't really described very well. It was written almost like a biography. It gets better at the end of the book, but I had to grit my teeth to get there. There was absolutely no way I could get into Kay's character. She seemed so...shallow. I really hate when shallow characters get to do all the cool stuff and they "miraculously" get all the good ideas. Just irks me.
Another thing was that the stakes were not drawn very clearly. I mean, all that would happen is that she would get thrown in jail? That's it? Oh yes, it's just so incredibly horrible! Is that really the best she could do?
This book just kinda flew over my head. And it's such a shame, too. I really wanted this book to be good because I love the topic of dragons, and after "Eragon," not a lot of people have touched the subject, just like no one has really touched the subject of wizard schools since "Harry Potter".
The ending was very rushed, too. And hokey. It would have worked better with a different writing style, say if Carrie Vaughn wrote with a more magical hand, then the ending would have appeared better. But the last few pages were really rough writing-wise. I couldn't get any sense of realism, of actually being there with the characters. This book could have been so much longer if Carrie Vaughn just put some depth into it.
I loved the cover, though. It was partly why I picked it up.
Teaser: She knew how to talk to at least one of them, if only she dared tell anyone. And if only she could be sure she and Artegal would see each other again.
As always, I still recommend that you give it a try. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean that you won't.
Overall grade: B-
June 19, 2010
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
Seventeen-year-old Kay enjoys hiking, climbing, talking on her cell phone, and spending time with a dragon.
Yes, a dragon.
In Vaughn's brilliant combination of modern day convenience and old world fantasy, VOICES OF DRAGONS pulls the reader into a believable tale of one girl and a dragon against the evil machinations of an intolerant government.
Though I guessed where the story was going, I still enjoyed the journey. I had no trouble believing dragons and cell phones could exist together and completely fell in love with the imagination Vaughn displayed in this novel.
However, I did have one huge problem - the ending.
It ended without resolution. Nothing was certain, things were on shaky ground, and the characters were about to begin a whole new adventure I wasn't even sure would work. I wanted more. This could have been the intention all along to set up for a sequel, but it made me angry, frustrated, and I felt cheated to be left with no certainties at the end. Would they be accepted? Would there be war? Had they fixed anything? I have no idea!
Will I read the next book? You bet! I have to know what happened, but I feel Vaughn should have given us a better ending by at least resolving (for certain) one of the major issues left hanging at the end of this book.
Seventeen-year-old Kay enjoys hiking, climbing, talking on her cell phone, and spending time with a dragon.
Yes, a dragon.
In Vaughn's brilliant combination of modern day convenience and old world fantasy, VOICES OF DRAGONS pulls the reader into a believable tale of one girl and a dragon against the evil machinations of an intolerant government.
Though I guessed where the story was going, I still enjoyed the journey. I had no trouble believing dragons and cell phones could exist together and completely fell in love with the imagination Vaughn displayed in this novel.
However, I did have one huge problem - the ending.
It ended without resolution. Nothing was certain, things were on shaky ground, and the characters were about to begin a whole new adventure I wasn't even sure would work. I wanted more. This could have been the intention all along to set up for a sequel, but it made me angry, frustrated, and I felt cheated to be left with no certainties at the end. Would they be accepted? Would there be war? Had they fixed anything? I have no idea!
Will I read the next book? You bet! I have to know what happened, but I feel Vaughn should have given us a better ending by at least resolving (for certain) one of the major issues left hanging at the end of this book.
July 13, 2017
Hmm. Well, I did like the bits with Artegal and "Dracopolis." And some of the bits about the philosophies of fear and borders and security and war and PR.... But the rest was very juvenile, trite, and implausible YA. Why is Kay so disobedient, given who her parents are? Why is she 17 and still just a sophomore? Why don't her parents take away the keys to her Jeep? Why does she even have her own car? (Is that taken for granted nowadays in some microcultures? Other YA that I've read doesn't show every teen with their own car. I never had a car.)
Also the sexism is an issue. Kay and her mom were very consciously strong females. But friend Tam is a slut, and the soldiers, pilots, bureaucrats, and deputies are all men, and presumed to be men even before they're seen.
Well, I dunno. Maybe the sequel is better? This was mostly world-building/ set-up?
I'll consider it.
Read because I liked Golden Age, by the author.
Also the sexism is an issue. Kay and her mom were very consciously strong females. But friend Tam is a slut, and the soldiers, pilots, bureaucrats, and deputies are all men, and presumed to be men even before they're seen.
Well, I dunno. Maybe the sequel is better? This was mostly world-building/ set-up?
I'll consider it.
Read because I liked Golden Age, by the author.
March 25, 2010
Very good book. I absolutely inhaled this book. It's catagorized as ya, but doesn't have an overwhelming ya feel. Feels more like a crossover. There are ya issues (until I thought about it, I almost would have said there weren't any) but the 17 year old has a more mature perspective and thus they loose some of their ya potency. Not, of course, that their is anything wrong with ya genre, but they can come in a wide variety of "feels", from low adolescence to crossover adult.
Anyway, the heroine, Kay, has an accident that takes her across the border into Dragon, where humans are not allowed. Humans and Dragons have had no communications since Dragons emerged from hiding following WW II. They keep the border secure between the two races following a treaty made up to keep the races apart and maintain peace. The result is that humans have very little knowledge about the dragons, and with no ambassadors, no way to communicate or discuss misunderstandings.
Kay's accident results in her being rescued by a dragon on the dragon side of the border. The dragon, who is not supposed to be so close to the border either, has been waiting for just such an opportunity. He has curiosities about humans and no way of fulfilling them. Kay and the dragon form a tenuous friendship which strengthens over time. Eventually, the friendship becomes tested when events lead to a clash between dragons and humans. The same friendship may also be the key to saving the world...
I enjoyed this book immensly. It didn't have much in the way of clever and witty repertoire, it was simply entertaining from start to finish. Absolutely recommend.
Anyway, the heroine, Kay, has an accident that takes her across the border into Dragon, where humans are not allowed. Humans and Dragons have had no communications since Dragons emerged from hiding following WW II. They keep the border secure between the two races following a treaty made up to keep the races apart and maintain peace. The result is that humans have very little knowledge about the dragons, and with no ambassadors, no way to communicate or discuss misunderstandings.
Kay's accident results in her being rescued by a dragon on the dragon side of the border. The dragon, who is not supposed to be so close to the border either, has been waiting for just such an opportunity. He has curiosities about humans and no way of fulfilling them. Kay and the dragon form a tenuous friendship which strengthens over time. Eventually, the friendship becomes tested when events lead to a clash between dragons and humans. The same friendship may also be the key to saving the world...
I enjoyed this book immensly. It didn't have much in the way of clever and witty repertoire, it was simply entertaining from start to finish. Absolutely recommend.
June 18, 2010
I picked this book up because I enjoy the author’s adult urban fantasy series, the Kitty Norville books. This was a huge disappointment. It felt way too long for what it was. Another reviewer said that it was a short story idea that was undeservedly turned into a novel, and I wholeheartedly agree. It ended just when things were getting interesting too. This is one of those books where, if I were critiquing it, I might have gently taken the author aside and asked whether this might not be one of those circumstances where the story that was actually meant to be told was the sequel, and not this book at all, which was all just set-up for the really interesting book.
(Also posted to my blog, http://www.elenagleason.com)
(Also posted to my blog, http://www.elenagleason.com)
October 25, 2016
Actual Rating: 3.5
I really enjoyed this read. The story was great. I really liked the friendship between Kay and Artegal. I loved that Artegal was able to read. At first, I thought Kay was an okay character. As the story progressed, I began to like her more and more. I did not like Tam. She was too shallow for me, and it made me wonder how Kay could be friends with her. Also, the ending did not tell me anything, so I was disappointed in the way it ended. Overall, an enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this read. The story was great. I really liked the friendship between Kay and Artegal. I loved that Artegal was able to read. At first, I thought Kay was an okay character. As the story progressed, I began to like her more and more. I did not like Tam. She was too shallow for me, and it made me wonder how Kay could be friends with her. Also, the ending did not tell me anything, so I was disappointed in the way it ended. Overall, an enjoyable read.
March 25, 2010
Kay has never seen a dragon before, despite the fact that she lives close to the border that separates human from dragon territory. That is until the day she slips and falls into a river while rock climbing, washing her across the border. Kay is rescued by a dragon named Artegal. At first Kay is terrified, but as the two begin to talk they become friends. Then a military plane goes down in in dragon territory, sparking a war between the two races. Will Kay and Artegal's friendship be enough to stop a war, or are they too powerless to do anything?
It seems like no matter where I turn nowadays, another adult author is crossing the border to YA. When I heard that Carrie Vaughn was writing her first teen novel, Voices of Dragons, I was really excited. The premise is admittedly far form unique, especially with the Dreamworks film “How to Train Your Dragon” also being released this month. Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for these types of books, but the lack of originality really didn't bother me. I loved watching the growing friendship between Kay and Artegal, and learning about their world. Where the book really comes alive is in the scenes of flight, where Kay uses her hiking equipment to create a harness so she can ride Artegal. Vaughn does such a fantastic job of describing the movement of the dragon's body and the experience of soaring through the air that I began to wonder if she was writing from first hand experience, impossible as that is.
Where the book falters at first is in characterization. At the beginning of the book, I felt as if there was a wall between me and the characters, especially as they deal with everyday teenager stuff like finding a dress for homecoming. As we are drawn deeper into the story, this became less of an issue. I was a little iffy on the romantic plotline between Kay and Jon first, but I think that's okay because Kay's not too sure about how she feels either. Oftentimes in YA lit, we see a teenage girl completely throwing herself into a relationship, body and soul, at the mere drop of a hat. Not all teenagers develop emotionally at this speed, so it was nice to see Vaughn paint a different type of courtship, marked by awkwardness and confusion as Kay tries to decide if she's ready for a relationship, and what a romantic relationship really means.
One of the things that surprised me about Voices of Dragons is how clean it is. That's not to say that Vaughn's adult books are endless orgies with a side of gore and violence, but Dragons is free of any heavy swearing, and glosses over much of the violence. The subject of sex is brought up but not explored graphically. This makes this book stand out a bit from a lot of YA out there these days. In fact, the books clean nature, combined with the fact that the teenagers use little slang, and we don't get too many references to technology (save for cellphones), often made the book feel a lot older than it is. This of course was not a bad thing, in fact it made me feel a little nostalgic as it reminded me of the books I read at twelve to fourteen. A teenage audience should still be able to relate to the story, especially the scenes that criticize the media's tendency to hype up current events.
Although Voice of Dragons is at times awkward and is not quite as engaging as Vaughn's adult novels, it's still a worthy debut into the YA scene. It doesn't necessarily end of a cliffhanger, there's still plenty of story left to tell by the end. If Vaughn decides to publish a sequel, I will be sure to pick it up.
It seems like no matter where I turn nowadays, another adult author is crossing the border to YA. When I heard that Carrie Vaughn was writing her first teen novel, Voices of Dragons, I was really excited. The premise is admittedly far form unique, especially with the Dreamworks film “How to Train Your Dragon” also being released this month. Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for these types of books, but the lack of originality really didn't bother me. I loved watching the growing friendship between Kay and Artegal, and learning about their world. Where the book really comes alive is in the scenes of flight, where Kay uses her hiking equipment to create a harness so she can ride Artegal. Vaughn does such a fantastic job of describing the movement of the dragon's body and the experience of soaring through the air that I began to wonder if she was writing from first hand experience, impossible as that is.
Where the book falters at first is in characterization. At the beginning of the book, I felt as if there was a wall between me and the characters, especially as they deal with everyday teenager stuff like finding a dress for homecoming. As we are drawn deeper into the story, this became less of an issue. I was a little iffy on the romantic plotline between Kay and Jon first, but I think that's okay because Kay's not too sure about how she feels either. Oftentimes in YA lit, we see a teenage girl completely throwing herself into a relationship, body and soul, at the mere drop of a hat. Not all teenagers develop emotionally at this speed, so it was nice to see Vaughn paint a different type of courtship, marked by awkwardness and confusion as Kay tries to decide if she's ready for a relationship, and what a romantic relationship really means.
One of the things that surprised me about Voices of Dragons is how clean it is. That's not to say that Vaughn's adult books are endless orgies with a side of gore and violence, but Dragons is free of any heavy swearing, and glosses over much of the violence. The subject of sex is brought up but not explored graphically. This makes this book stand out a bit from a lot of YA out there these days. In fact, the books clean nature, combined with the fact that the teenagers use little slang, and we don't get too many references to technology (save for cellphones), often made the book feel a lot older than it is. This of course was not a bad thing, in fact it made me feel a little nostalgic as it reminded me of the books I read at twelve to fourteen. A teenage audience should still be able to relate to the story, especially the scenes that criticize the media's tendency to hype up current events.
Although Voice of Dragons is at times awkward and is not quite as engaging as Vaughn's adult novels, it's still a worthy debut into the YA scene. It doesn't necessarily end of a cliffhanger, there's still plenty of story left to tell by the end. If Vaughn decides to publish a sequel, I will be sure to pick it up.
October 29, 2019
I signed up for dragons. Not Kay's virginity.
I read this book years ago, and decided to give it a reread. DNF at 45%. I'm a simple person, I see dragons... I enjoy. But I just couldn't this time. Because you're not gonna get too much about dragons. You're going to get this.
Meet Kay. She's so painfully "not like other girls." She likes to hike and climb... which are apparently now personality traits. Kay throws together an outfit with whatever's around, compares herself constantly to her super-sexy makeup loving best friend who shares zero of her interests and is only there to make Kay look more plain and down-to-earth, only wears dresses when made to, and likes being outdoors where she can just be "sweaty, grungy, and not perfect looking." -- pg. 15.
And for some reason, her virginity is very, very important. In fact, she's one of the only virgins in her class... because people keep track of things like that.
"Kay, come on. It's not normal. You're supposed to, you know... want to."
"You're a junior in high school. You're way too old to be a virgin." -pg. 58 & 59, from the mouth a supportive, non-peer-pressuring, and understanding best friend.
The whole narrative-- which is an issue in its own way-- serves to make Kay just this super-special-awesome but ultimately plain "tomboy" and somehow the only one worthy and cool enough to befriend a dragon and make peace between man and dragon.
It's hard to get through. But not because it’s complicated. It’s because of the actual writing style. It's all telling, not showing. Like a beginner’s fanfiction. It makes the reader feel dumb, as if why someone smiled needed explanation. The writing was very basic and novice, with plenty of telling, but nothing that every really has the reader experience anything on their own. The dialogue is something out of a cliched 80s teen movie.
And while I liked the concept of the world, it fell short, I’m sorry to say. Dragons existing in the modern world? It’s ambitious. It’s something that could have carried the story, despite the bland characters. I just wish Carrie Vaughn took the time to hone her craft more before pushing this out. Because it could have been great and I have no doubt she can write. This just didn’t work out. While some parts made it felt familiar and realistic (drills in schools for dragon raids, for example.) there wasn’t enough to sell me on it.
I wanted to know more about the dragons. Why did they reveal themselves to humans? What was it like on their side of the border? Why did they agree to the border? What the hell was going on? Maybe something was revealed in the latter half of the book, but I couldn't slog through any more of Kay's blandness or talk of her virginity or boyfriend issues to find out.
I was very disappointed with this. Which is a shame because I bought this book for the premise, for the idea of the story. But it fell apart quickly.
I read this book years ago, and decided to give it a reread. DNF at 45%. I'm a simple person, I see dragons... I enjoy. But I just couldn't this time. Because you're not gonna get too much about dragons. You're going to get this.
Meet Kay. She's so painfully "not like other girls." She likes to hike and climb... which are apparently now personality traits. Kay throws together an outfit with whatever's around, compares herself constantly to her super-sexy makeup loving best friend who shares zero of her interests and is only there to make Kay look more plain and down-to-earth, only wears dresses when made to, and likes being outdoors where she can just be "sweaty, grungy, and not perfect looking." -- pg. 15.
And for some reason, her virginity is very, very important. In fact, she's one of the only virgins in her class... because people keep track of things like that.
"Kay, come on. It's not normal. You're supposed to, you know... want to."
"You're a junior in high school. You're way too old to be a virgin." -pg. 58 & 59, from the mouth a supportive, non-peer-pressuring, and understanding best friend.
The whole narrative-- which is an issue in its own way-- serves to make Kay just this super-special-awesome but ultimately plain "tomboy" and somehow the only one worthy and cool enough to befriend a dragon and make peace between man and dragon.
It's hard to get through. But not because it’s complicated. It’s because of the actual writing style. It's all telling, not showing. Like a beginner’s fanfiction. It makes the reader feel dumb, as if why someone smiled needed explanation. The writing was very basic and novice, with plenty of telling, but nothing that every really has the reader experience anything on their own. The dialogue is something out of a cliched 80s teen movie.
And while I liked the concept of the world, it fell short, I’m sorry to say. Dragons existing in the modern world? It’s ambitious. It’s something that could have carried the story, despite the bland characters. I just wish Carrie Vaughn took the time to hone her craft more before pushing this out. Because it could have been great and I have no doubt she can write. This just didn’t work out. While some parts made it felt familiar and realistic (drills in schools for dragon raids, for example.) there wasn’t enough to sell me on it.
I wanted to know more about the dragons. Why did they reveal themselves to humans? What was it like on their side of the border? Why did they agree to the border? What the hell was going on? Maybe something was revealed in the latter half of the book, but I couldn't slog through any more of Kay's blandness or talk of her virginity or boyfriend issues to find out.
I was very disappointed with this. Which is a shame because I bought this book for the premise, for the idea of the story. But it fell apart quickly.
April 19, 2011
I give this book a 3.5-star rating...
I read numerous YA urban fantasy/paranormal novels in the past and I was often disappointed by the lack of characterization and depth, uninteresting plot etc. So I did not have high expectations going into Voices of Dragons. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by the fact that this book engaged me enough that I stayed up an extra hour late into the night just so I could finish it. Carrie Vaughn definitely has a way with her writing to capture her audience's attention (as with her other Kitty Norville novels, which I adore).
The plot was quite simple and straight forward. This novel protrayed a world where humans and dragons co-existed, but lived in separate and distinct territories. The female protagonist, Kay, was a normal teenage girl who loved outdoor life and happened to venture into the dragon territory by accident and befriended a dragon. The story progressed and due to one reason after another, humans and dragons started a war (again) after years of peace.
At some points in the story, I thought the plot was a little slow, but I still enjoyed the story building and the teenage actions that go on in Kay's life. Kay was no perfect teenager at all - she had her hangups, doubts, rebellious moments, and normal teenager issues. However, she was mature enough to know that it was sometimes okay to be different. Her innocent friend-love relationship with Jon was very cute and I would like to commend the author on the fact that Kay was described as a teenager who took a cautious approach to relationship. Authors who often write about teenage girls who think about nothing value-adding to life other than boys and how hot they are simply drive me CRAZY. Thankfully, Kay was a character with more depth than that. She cared about her parents, her friends, dragons (who were supposed to be enemies), and the world in general. When she found a cause worth fighting for, she persisted and followed it through even though she was only a small fish in the waters and there were bigger sharks out there.
The only reason why I didn't give it a 4-star rating was that I was a little disappointed with the ending - it felt like it was unfinished and I simply hated being left feeling "hanging". I was almost expecting an epilogue of some sort that would summarize the things that may transpire after the end but it wasn't there. I certainly hope that there will be a sequel of some sort to this installment.
I read numerous YA urban fantasy/paranormal novels in the past and I was often disappointed by the lack of characterization and depth, uninteresting plot etc. So I did not have high expectations going into Voices of Dragons. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by the fact that this book engaged me enough that I stayed up an extra hour late into the night just so I could finish it. Carrie Vaughn definitely has a way with her writing to capture her audience's attention (as with her other Kitty Norville novels, which I adore).
The plot was quite simple and straight forward. This novel protrayed a world where humans and dragons co-existed, but lived in separate and distinct territories. The female protagonist, Kay, was a normal teenage girl who loved outdoor life and happened to venture into the dragon territory by accident and befriended a dragon. The story progressed and due to one reason after another, humans and dragons started a war (again) after years of peace.
At some points in the story, I thought the plot was a little slow, but I still enjoyed the story building and the teenage actions that go on in Kay's life. Kay was no perfect teenager at all - she had her hangups, doubts, rebellious moments, and normal teenager issues. However, she was mature enough to know that it was sometimes okay to be different. Her innocent friend-love relationship with Jon was very cute and I would like to commend the author on the fact that Kay was described as a teenager who took a cautious approach to relationship. Authors who often write about teenage girls who think about nothing value-adding to life other than boys and how hot they are simply drive me CRAZY. Thankfully, Kay was a character with more depth than that. She cared about her parents, her friends, dragons (who were supposed to be enemies), and the world in general. When she found a cause worth fighting for, she persisted and followed it through even though she was only a small fish in the waters and there were bigger sharks out there.
The only reason why I didn't give it a 4-star rating was that I was a little disappointed with the ending - it felt like it was unfinished and I simply hated being left feeling "hanging". I was almost expecting an epilogue of some sort that would summarize the things that may transpire after the end but it wasn't there. I certainly hope that there will be a sequel of some sort to this installment.
December 21, 2010
My Thoughts: We are introduced to Kay, your average teenager. She is the sheriff's daughter so her actions are always supposed to be innocent and forthcoming. She lives right next to a boarder separating the human world but filled with dragons. She's been told her whole life dragons are dangerous and to stay as far away from them as possible. One day she goes rockclimbing (she always does so this day is no different) she has an accident and falls into a river. She is than rescued by a dragon named Artegal. She's scared out of her wits and he than talks to her! Dragons can talk!!! What?
Kay and Artegal form a friendship. He just wants to learn to talk more. He can talk but isn't real good at it. If anyone finds out about Kay and Artegal talking, it could be deadly for both of them and the rest of the world, since there is a treaty between humans and dragons that they stay on their own land.
Of course, all hell breaks lose and everyone finds out. It causes havoc!
Voices Of Dragons was very unique. I have never read quite a dragon story like this one. There are also side characters as well. Kay's best friend and of course her boyfriend. We do learn a bit about her boyfriend but not much. There isn't a whole lot of romance in this book, there is just the battle between dragons and humans and friendship.
Overall: I really enjoyed this one, even without romance. I tend to read romance books more often than not. I loved learning about the dragons and wanted to learn more. It was a really good book. I read it one sitting. Everytime I was going to stop, I was almost through a chapter so I kept going.
Cover: The cover is simple, yet so pretty. I like the way she is standing sideways.
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
August 10, 2016
Basic Info
Format: Hardback
Pages/Length: 336pgs
Genre: Young Adult; Dragons
Reason For Reading: Group Buddy Read
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: No
Cliff Hanger: Kinda.
Triggers: n/a
Rating: 3 stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 7
Plot: 7
Characters: 8
World Building: 7
Flow: 8
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 6
Ending: 5
Total: 6
In Dept
Best Part: Talking dragons!
Worst Part: Flat characters
Thoughts Had: More dragons please
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: Yes
Short Review: The ending was wayyy too clean for me. I do wish there was more dragons in this book since it's the title. Yes we meet the one but what about the others. And the authors doesn't really build the dragon world very well either. We barely learned anything about them. Also her best friend was wayyyyyyyyyyyy too obsessed with sex and the MC needed to think a bit differently about her boyfriend.
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: The Dragon, haha.
Best Friend Material: The MC.
February 17, 2010
Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn 4 of 5 stars.
Voices of Dragons is a tale of pointless rivalry and self-sacrifice.
Sixty years prior a war between dragons and humans erupted. The dragons came out of hiding during WWII when the vibrations from bombs frightened them. Feeling as though they were under attack they waged war against the humans. Realizing that the dragons and humans were too well-matched, the two races formed a treaty, setting off certain land for the dragons.
When seventeen year old Kay accidentally crosses the border into Dragon she is met by the dragon Artegal. A strange, and secret friendship is formed. When the military begins antagonizing the dragons and war looms on the horizon, Kay and Artegal must unveil their friendship and do whatever it takes to stop the fighting, even when they are watching the other side hurt their loved ones.
Voices of Dragons was a wonderful read! I truly enjoyed it. The characters were well crafted and heartfelt while the world was introduced in a way that wasn't harsh or blunt, but easy to understand and flowing. The plot moved along at a wonderful speed and there was action enough for anyone. The only thing wrong with this book is the ending. It ends rather abruptly in a completely horrible cliff-hanger. There's no doubt about it though, Carrie Vaughn will have to write another one!
For fans of: Inheritance Cycle, Girl in the Arena
Reviewed by Arya at A Sea of Pages (http://seaofpages.blogspot.com)
Voices of Dragons is a tale of pointless rivalry and self-sacrifice.
Sixty years prior a war between dragons and humans erupted. The dragons came out of hiding during WWII when the vibrations from bombs frightened them. Feeling as though they were under attack they waged war against the humans. Realizing that the dragons and humans were too well-matched, the two races formed a treaty, setting off certain land for the dragons.
When seventeen year old Kay accidentally crosses the border into Dragon she is met by the dragon Artegal. A strange, and secret friendship is formed. When the military begins antagonizing the dragons and war looms on the horizon, Kay and Artegal must unveil their friendship and do whatever it takes to stop the fighting, even when they are watching the other side hurt their loved ones.
Voices of Dragons was a wonderful read! I truly enjoyed it. The characters were well crafted and heartfelt while the world was introduced in a way that wasn't harsh or blunt, but easy to understand and flowing. The plot moved along at a wonderful speed and there was action enough for anyone. The only thing wrong with this book is the ending. It ends rather abruptly in a completely horrible cliff-hanger. There's no doubt about it though, Carrie Vaughn will have to write another one!
For fans of: Inheritance Cycle, Girl in the Arena
Reviewed by Arya at A Sea of Pages (http://seaofpages.blogspot.com)
March 20, 2010
I love that the book touches on prejudices and the fears that people have of people/ideas/things in general that are foreign to them. That, if it weren't for the bigots in this world, peace could be more of a possibility than it currently is. I'd love to use this book in class with a few others to initiate discussions of segregation, reservations, etc and have the kids relate it to actual historical events and the reasons behind people do things like this. What is it in human nature that makes us treat others the way we have. Whether it be placing Indians in reservations, policies of separate but equal, the slave trade, the Holocaust, etc. we're frequently motivated to wrong others because of our own fears. Or our own sense of superiority. It's hard to get them to read text books, or historical fiction, but books like this and other more fictional stories would be a more interesting approach for them. I look forward to trying it sometime, even if it's just an extra credit assignment, just to see what the students take away from doing a comparison project.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2010
Kay is your basic teenager who loves the outdoors and hiking, so it easy to believe that she is rescued one day by a dragon after the background is told. This harks back to the age old story that those that are different are our enemies. The dragons and humans have a tenuous treaty which the humans want to break to get at the natural reserves in the untouched dragon territory. Once Kay starts to communicate with the dragon, Artegal, the book takes off. Of course, the ending left off where there needs to be a sequel. I just hope that I don't have too wait to long.
I think this is one book that parents will be thrilled to have their kids read. There are important lessons about getting along with those that are different, it touches on the importance of natural resources and the threat of war. It has slight mentions of drinking and sex, but not more than anything you would watch on television. Overall, this will appeal to those teens looking for a strong female leader.
I think this is one book that parents will be thrilled to have their kids read. There are important lessons about getting along with those that are different, it touches on the importance of natural resources and the threat of war. It has slight mentions of drinking and sex, but not more than anything you would watch on television. Overall, this will appeal to those teens looking for a strong female leader.
August 10, 2016
Source: I read this book online.
Cost: Unknown
Title: Voices of Dragons
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Genre: YA, supernatural
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars
I feel mean, I really really do feel mean. It was okay, but it just wasn't what I wanted or expected. I wanted this book to be full of badass dragon action. I wanted a girl who was kind of like Dany from Game of Thrones (with less of a murdery affect) and dragons that were amazing and awe inspiring. Instead we got a flat main character and a dragon that liked learning how to talk, but not even in the cute learning how to talk. He could already talk, he just wanted to know more. I found myself finding this book quite tedious after about chapter 6 and I actually contemplated giving up on it, but I've never gave up on a book ever. But this book to me could have been so much more than it was.
Cost: Unknown
Title: Voices of Dragons
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Genre: YA, supernatural
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars
I feel mean, I really really do feel mean. It was okay, but it just wasn't what I wanted or expected. I wanted this book to be full of badass dragon action. I wanted a girl who was kind of like Dany from Game of Thrones (with less of a murdery affect) and dragons that were amazing and awe inspiring. Instead we got a flat main character and a dragon that liked learning how to talk, but not even in the cute learning how to talk. He could already talk, he just wanted to know more. I found myself finding this book quite tedious after about chapter 6 and I actually contemplated giving up on it, but I've never gave up on a book ever. But this book to me could have been so much more than it was.
March 11, 2010
Bottom Line – Excellent new series, this one MUST have at the very least a sequel, because once the action really picked up, it ended, which, if I am being honest, bummed me out – but left me wanting more! I can only hope that we see Kay develop as a character; I also hope we get to see more Jon and Tam! I give Voices of Dragons 3 mushrooms, while I patiently await more from Ms. Carrie Vaughn.
Read my full review - Voices of Dragons
Read my full review - Voices of Dragons
May 8, 2021
What I thought it would be: How to train your dragon meets modern world meets Godzilla
What it was : 90% sex sex sex let’s talk about losing your virginity
10% girl and dragon cute meet
I wanted to put the book away but people kept talking about the weird ending so I had to see it for myself.
Huh.
I spent money on this.
What it was : 90% sex sex sex let’s talk about losing your virginity
10% girl and dragon cute meet
I wanted to put the book away but people kept talking about the weird ending so I had to see it for myself.
Huh.
I spent money on this.
September 23, 2017
Carrie Vaughn has once again proven that my issue with YA is that I don't particularly care to spend a lot of time in a teenager's head. When I read YA that it's easy to forget the MC is a teen I tend to enjoy that better than YA in which I can't forget the MC's age.
I loved this story, except it was YA and I couldn't forget it. Now, that doesn't mean the character was unpleasant, quite the contrary in fact. The MC is unusually likeable for a teen. There is no forgetting, however, that she is a teen. First kisses, "how do you know if you're ready?" musings, Mom & Dad and Teachers and School and Best Friends and BLECK. It's fortunate that the protagonist is quite likeable.
In Voices of Dragons Vaughn has done what few others have been able to do for me, keep me reminded of the characters ages without making me want to throw the book. Everything else about this book was a five star story to me.
I loved this story, except it was YA and I couldn't forget it. Now, that doesn't mean the character was unpleasant, quite the contrary in fact. The MC is unusually likeable for a teen. There is no forgetting, however, that she is a teen. First kisses, "how do you know if you're ready?" musings, Mom & Dad and Teachers and School and Best Friends and BLECK. It's fortunate that the protagonist is quite likeable.
In Voices of Dragons Vaughn has done what few others have been able to do for me, keep me reminded of the characters ages without making me want to throw the book. Everything else about this book was a five star story to me.
January 16, 2019
I'm a sucker for dragons so this book was right up my alley...young adult or not. Of course, our heroine, Kay did some stupid things like rock climbing alone but she's a kid so it's expected. I loved Artegal (the dragon) and liked Jon (the boyfriend) a lot. The cliff hanger ending wasn't a surprise and I look forward to seeing where Ms. Vaughn takes Kay and Artegal next.
Read
March 10, 2020DNF@17%
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