Searching for Dragons

Rating:
Summary: The Entire Series Is (Still) Phenomenally Brilliant
Review: What? Only five stars? I need more to do this series justice! Patricia C. Wrede writes marvelous fantasy. It's like "Mixed-Up Fairy Tales" or something, but funnier, more engaging, and ripe for repeat reading (After graduating from high school, I read the entire series for the third time in a matter of days). These are timeless tales. Even her NAMES are inventive. Cimorene, Mendanbar, Kazul, Morwen, Telemain, Daystar, Shiara...and let us not forget Zemenar and Antorell. The chapter headings induce chuckles immediately, simply by their existence. She writes in a style that incorporates intelligent fantasy with enjoyable humor. The characters are some you would like to know personally. And nowhere else have I seen as unique a discussion of magic in its many forms as in these four books. I did notice a trend of centralization. Dealing was Cimorene's book. Searching was Mendanbar's. Calling was Morwen's. Talking was Daystar's. I wish the series was not concluded, because I'd love to see Telemain's book. And perhaps Kazul's book could be somewhat of a prequel. Oh, and what about a book from Antorell's perspective? That would make for an incredibly funny story. The Enchanted Forest and its surrounding is a world I want to know about. Not many authors can create an entire world that entices the reader so greatly. But Mrs. Wrede has. Unlike the Douglas Adams' Hitchiker's Guide series, which got progressively worse, each book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles compares to the original, as fresh and brilliant as ever. Needless to say, this series is one of the best ever. I have not really sampled a lot of the adult fantasy by Piers Anthony and Anne McCaffrey and such, but I doubt they can compare with the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. This is not mindboggling fantasy like the Lord of the Rings trilogy: this is fun. Oh, and remember: ..."Argelfraster."

Rating:
Summary: Off to the Rescue!
Review: After meeting the irrepressible Cimorene, Chief Cook and Librarian to Kazul and formerly Princess of Linderwall, in Book One (Dealing with Dragons) of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, you can't help wanting to get to the rest of the quartet. The second volume begins with two problems. King Mendanbar of the Enchanted Forest notices his kingdom is being scorched away, apparently by a dragon. Going to consult the King of the Dragons, he meets Cimorene preparing to set out on a search for Kazul, who is missing. They decide they must join forces, even though Mendanbar is as phobic of princesses as Cimorene is of princes. On their journey they meet the coolest witch ever, a tech-geek magician, a bucking magic carpet, a leaky sword, a giant with a career crisis, Herman (formerly-known-as-Rumplestiltskin), and of course, wizards.

Patricia Wrede has written another tongue-in-cheek story incorporating familiar fairy tales with a clever twist. Her humor and details are dead-on as usual as expected by this thorough and thoroughly enjoyable author. You want to keep the next two books, Calling on Dragons and Talking to Dragons close at hand. I don't have any more to say because you can only do justice to these wonderful books by reading them - again and again!

Rating:
Summary: Adam from Richview Middle School
Review: The main characters are The King , Mendabar who is the king of
the Enchanted Forest ,Mendabar has a magic sword that is very powerful . Cimorene is another character in the book she is the princess/Chief Cook and Librarian of the King of Dragons. Cimorene is looking for another king which is a she dragon( king of the dragons.)
The book begins with Mendabar in an old castle ,looking very sad .The king has no parties or enteraiment. He seems very depressed for some reason and he has a very bad temper .

Rating:
Summary: The Entire Series Is Phenomenally Brilliant
Review: What? Only five stars?!? I need more to do this series justice! Patricia C. Wrede writes marvelous fantasy. It's like "Mixed-Up Fairy Tales" or something, but funnier, more engaging, and ripe for repeat reading (I just graduated from high school, and I just finished reading the entire series for the third time in a matter of days). These are timeless tales. Even her NAMES are inventive. Cimorene, Mendanbar, Kazul, Morwen, Telemain, Daystar, Shiara...and let us not forget Zemenar and Antorell. The chapter headings induce chuckles immediately, simply by their existence. She writes in a style that incorporates intelligent fantasy with enjoyable humor. The characters are some you would like to know personally. And nowhere else have I seen as unique a discussion of magic in its many forms as in these four books. I did notice a trend of centralization. Dealing was Cimorene's book. Searching was Mendanbar's. Calling was Morwen's. Talking was Daystar's. I wish the series was not concluded, because I'd love to see Telemain's book. And perhaps Kazul's book could be somewhat of a prequel. Oh, and what about a book from Antorell's perspective? That would make for an incredibly funny story. The Enchanted Forest and its surrounding is a world I want to know about. Not many authors can create an entire world that entices the reader so greatly. But Mrs. Wrede has. Unlike the Douglas Adams' Hitchiker's Guide series, which got progressively worse, each book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles compares to the original, as fresh and brilliant as ever. Needless to say, this series is one of the best ever. I have not really sampled a lot of the adult fantasy by Piers Anthony and Anne McCaffrey and such, but I doubt they can compare with the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. This is not mindboggling fantasy like the Lord of the Rings trilogy: this is fun. Oh, and remember: <points finger>..."Argelfraster."

Rating:
Summary: Second in the Series Doesn't Disappoint
Review: The King of the Enchanted Forest teams up with Cimorene to find a missing Kazul.

Naturally, you should read "Dealing with Dragons" first (this is the second, and almost the first's equal). Both are fun, lively, clever reads (for adults or kids), and superior to the books which follow. Wrede confounds expectations and provides a well-paced tale of adventure and magic that delights and transports--what more could you want from a book?

Note: a 3 star ranking from me is actually pretty good; I reserve 4 stars for tremendously good works, and 5 only for the rare few that are or ought to be classic; unfortunately most books published are 2 or less.

Rating:
Summary: Great...
Review: This book was the seccond of the series and is, just like the others, great. This book takes you through the life of a girl living with dragons who is constantly visited by a young prince. It is great, and anyone 8 and up would LOVE it.

Rating:
Summary: what is with the new cover?
Review: The books are wonderful, and anyone that likes fantasy must read them, but the new covers that've been designed are terrible!Cimmorene is definitly not a dumb princess that only knows how to look beautiful--the book spent a good deal of time pointing that out--but she's not a war hero either! The book did say she was beautiful. The cover makes it look like the only thing she knows how to do is fight.
Also, Mendenbar looks like the village idiot! Didn't the book mention something about "the thoughtful expression in his clear gray eyes"? It doesn't look like he has any thoughts at all!! He's not an elegant, gold-swathed monarch, but he had to have been fairly handsome or Cimmorene wouldn't have married him!
The old covers were MUCH better.

Rating:
Summary: fairy tales
Review: great! Simply great. Not a stereotypical fairy tale by any means. No beautiful, dumb princesses, no elegant monarchs, nothng like that!

Rating:
Summary: Oh my gosh, can it get any better than this?
Review: This is the absolute BEST book I have EVER read (my mother would kill me for that). I hadn't read the first book when I read this, but when Mendanbar first met Cimorene, I KNEW what the result would be. Everyone ought to read this. I think it's the best in the series (although that may be the result of my adoration of romance). My friend Sally says that she's in love with Mendanbar, and we fight over that SOOO much. I think she'd be a good fire-witch, NOT Cimorene. She says I would be a good Woraug, and I want to kill her. (Yes, she's sitting next to me right now). Anyway, enough being off track. Anyway, READ THE BOOK. DO IT. ASAP. *grins and hides from murdering friends*

Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable, witty tale
Review: "Searching for Dragons" is extremely enjoyable and witty. The plot is as follows: Cimorene the Princess-by-convention (as she wasn't born a Princess, she just works as a Princess) doesn't know where Kazul, her boss (also King of the Dragons) is. Kazul went on a trip, didn't come home on time, and now Cimorene can't find her. (The title "King" in this case is also a misnomer. A very witty misnomer, but still.)

Enter Mendanbar, King of the Enchanted Forest. He's young, impetuous, ticks off his High Chancellor no end -- and needs a wife. He goes to Cimorene not for that -- that would be too easy -- but because he, too, wants to find Kazul.

As Cimorene and Mendanbar travel, they encounter many interesting people, do quite a few interesting things, and melt several obnoxious wizards. (The wizards reappear now and again, though, because the melt-job doesn't keep 'em down for too long.)

As they slowly grow to like, then love each other, there is much laughter, plenty of mishaps, and a great deal of interesting observations along the way. And a good time is had by all.

I'd definitely recommend this book for anyone above age nine or ten; it's funny, a fast read, and yet the ideas linger in your brain for quite some time. Cimorene is no pale flower; she's instead an in your face, passionate, modern woman, who makes wisecracks about other Princesses (mostly about their silliness, and about how poorly they've been educated). And Mendanbar isn't your typical King, either; he's in some senses a callow youth, although he's certainly intelligent enough and a strong magic user. (Cimorene keeps asking him why his magic is so flashy, which really made me roar. I kept wanting people to ask that years ago in fantasy novelizations.)

So, although this _says_ it's a Young Adult novel, and it indeed can be read and enjoyed by kids, I'd say the adults will probably enjoy it just as much if not more. I did.

Five stars. Highly recommended.

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