Also by this author: The Promise, The Drummer Boy, Sinner, Green, The Dream Traveler's Quest, Into the Book of Light, The Curse of Shadownman, The Garden and the Serpent, The Final Judgment, Millie Maven and the Bronze Medallion, Nine, Millie Maven and the Golden Vial, Millie Maven and the White Sword, Millie Maven, And They Found Dragons, The Blue Boy and the Red Princess, The Light of the One, The Dragon Rider Who Saved the World, The Unknown Path
Series: The Dragons Among Us #4
Published by Scripturo on October 1, 2022
Genres: Children's, Fiction, Fantasy
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Over twenty years have passed since the red dragons in And They Found Dragons were vanquished by Jack, the boy who followed the light to defeat the darkness. Jack’s son, Noah, is now turning fourteen and lives with a few hundred souls who have seen no other humans or dragons for over twenty years. But all of that changes when Noah embarks on his Passage, a three week journey into the wild on his own. When Noah is taken captive, he discovers that dragons thrive beyond the borders of Zion, and they rule over two warring tribes who will destroy Zion unless he can stop them.
Twenty-five years after the events of And They Found Dragons, a new generation is facing old fears. Whereas that previous series left us with a young Jack Solomon and the small crew of the Sanctuary returning to earth, defeating the dragons of fear, and beginning to rebuild their life on earth, The Dragons Among Us gives readers a new yet familiar challenge for the next generation. Jack has grown up to be the leader of the small community of Zion. Their enclave is protected from dragons. They live without much interaction with the outside world. That is about to change.
Son of the Light Bringer introduces readers to Noah Solomon, Jack’s son. Noah has finally reached the age where he will go on a traditional rite of passage—a solo three-week journey outside the safety of the community. It’s then that Noah discovers that the dormant dragons have returned and that there are two warring factions ruled by the dragons who wish for Zion to be destroyed. And even more important—his long thought dead baby sister is actually alive, living as a princess of one of these two factions.
Noah’s rite of passage suddenly becomes a quest for survival. Defeat the dragons. Save his sister. Redeem the world.
The theme of the The Dragons Among Us is exactly the same of And They Found Dragons. The dragons are the manifestation of fear that can only be defeated through the love found in Yeshua (Jesus). There are groups who worship the dragons and are ruled by them. The difference here is the theme of whether or not believers in Yeshua should live in protected lands—hole themselves off from the world—or go boldly into it to save the world from destruction.
While the symbolism of the two factions—Alchemists and Scalers—remains a bit vague and underdefined—the story itself is serviceable. It hits good, if predictable story beats. It introduces readers (and Noah) to this outside world. Most importantly, it doesn’t stay in Noah’s perspective but gives insight into his lost sister’s struggle for identity in discovering she isn’t the daughter of the Alchemist king after all.
Son of the Light Bringer leaves a few elements underdeveloped and how the plot is jumpstarted is a little weak, but overall it offers strong characterization and a compelling story that drives readers to the final page and immediately reaching for the next book. And that’s exactly what you want out of middle-grade fiction. It’s a fun, thoughtful, fast-paced romp that will leave young readers wanting more.
P.S. – One practical thing of note is that while this series has a different name from its predecessor, it retains a sequential numbering from it. So while Son of the Light Bringer is the first The Dragons Among Us book, the spine and all data regarding this book list it as Book 4. The trilogy as a whole is listed as Books 4-6.