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afro75's review against another edition
4.0
N.D. Wilson has created another decent adventure series. The characters are stark and vivid with just enough mystery to keep young readers on their toes. I will definitely be reading the next one in the series.
akortering22's review against another edition
This was a superb book! I loved how they started the book seeming so real and then POW! It was really good!
_kelsey_linn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
easolinas's review against another edition
5.0
Stories about secret organizations and academies are not particularly unusual now, especially in the wake of Harry Potter.
But I have to admit, N.D. Wilson has pulled something unusual out of his hat in "The Dragon's Tooth," the first book of the Ashtown Burials series. It's a gritty, darker kind of story, enmeshing two kids in a new world through fire, blood, deadly spiders and the threat of losing what remains of their family.
For two years, Cyrus Smith has run a decaying motel with his older brother Dan and sister Antigone. Their father is dead, and their mother lies in a coma. Then one day a strange man named Skelton comes to their motel and gives him a set of strange keys and a strange tooth -- just hours before Dan vanishes, Skelton dies and their motel is burned down.
Cyrus and Antigone learn that Skelton was a member of an ancient, secret order known as the Order of Brendan, and that he chose them as his heirs. But except for a few friendly people, most of the Order hates them.
Cyrus soon begins to explore Ashtown, with its tunnels, hidden Buried chambers and terrifying history. But the biggest discovery is Dr. Phoenix, a monstrous man who is determined to gain the Dragon's Tooth for his own -- and he will destroy anyone he comes across to get it. And the Order might not stop him.
"The Dragon's Tooth: Ashtown Burials #1" is a very different book from your average kids-get-involved-with-secret-magical-organizations story. It's much darker and grittier -- N.D. Wilson ruthlessly dives into the bleaker side of magic, with cursed immortals and dollops of moral greyness.
And Wilson has a rare gift for writing. His is the kind of writing that invades the senses -- you can feel the heat of a blazing inferno, hear the skittering of Whip Spiders, and smell the filth, mold and stale air of the motel and Polygon. His writing is vivid, sharp-edged; he fills it with clever phrases that speak more clearly than literal speech ever could ("her face had been as pale and peaceful as moonlight").
He's no less adept with the characters. Cyrus and Antigone are plausible siblings who bicker, disagree but have a strong bond that sustains them all the time (such as Cyrus beating down a monk who attacks Antigone). And there's a bunch of colorful, well-rounded characters -- the tortured immortal thief Nolan, the spunky adventure-girl Diana, and the darkly intense Avengel.
"The Dragon's Tooth" is a brilliant beginning to a very underrated series, and it leaves me slavering to find out what happen in the second book. A deliciously dark, complex fantasy.
But I have to admit, N.D. Wilson has pulled something unusual out of his hat in "The Dragon's Tooth," the first book of the Ashtown Burials series. It's a gritty, darker kind of story, enmeshing two kids in a new world through fire, blood, deadly spiders and the threat of losing what remains of their family.
For two years, Cyrus Smith has run a decaying motel with his older brother Dan and sister Antigone. Their father is dead, and their mother lies in a coma. Then one day a strange man named Skelton comes to their motel and gives him a set of strange keys and a strange tooth -- just hours before Dan vanishes, Skelton dies and their motel is burned down.
Cyrus and Antigone learn that Skelton was a member of an ancient, secret order known as the Order of Brendan, and that he chose them as his heirs. But except for a few friendly people, most of the Order hates them.
Cyrus soon begins to explore Ashtown, with its tunnels, hidden Buried chambers and terrifying history. But the biggest discovery is Dr. Phoenix, a monstrous man who is determined to gain the Dragon's Tooth for his own -- and he will destroy anyone he comes across to get it. And the Order might not stop him.
"The Dragon's Tooth: Ashtown Burials #1" is a very different book from your average kids-get-involved-with-secret-magical-organizations story. It's much darker and grittier -- N.D. Wilson ruthlessly dives into the bleaker side of magic, with cursed immortals and dollops of moral greyness.
And Wilson has a rare gift for writing. His is the kind of writing that invades the senses -- you can feel the heat of a blazing inferno, hear the skittering of Whip Spiders, and smell the filth, mold and stale air of the motel and Polygon. His writing is vivid, sharp-edged; he fills it with clever phrases that speak more clearly than literal speech ever could ("her face had been as pale and peaceful as moonlight").
He's no less adept with the characters. Cyrus and Antigone are plausible siblings who bicker, disagree but have a strong bond that sustains them all the time (such as Cyrus beating down a monk who attacks Antigone). And there's a bunch of colorful, well-rounded characters -- the tortured immortal thief Nolan, the spunky adventure-girl Diana, and the darkly intense Avengel.
"The Dragon's Tooth" is a brilliant beginning to a very underrated series, and it leaves me slavering to find out what happen in the second book. A deliciously dark, complex fantasy.
maryannsophia's review against another edition
5.0
This book series kept me alive while I recovered from my concussion as a full-time dual-enrolled online high school student in 2020. When I couldn't take life anymore, I flopped onto my bed and treasured every word until I had the strength and motivation to return. The characters' hardships outweighed my own, and somehow taking that journey of overwhelming odds and struggles with them kept me going. Thank you, N.D. Wilson, for making stories worth reading that not only allow us to escape from reality, but to return to it better than we were when we left.
katiespina's review against another edition
5.0
This is a tremendous story that starts out like Treasure Island and takes a new spin on an old tale. Cyrus and Antigone go far beyond the story of Jim Hawkins when they are introduced to the Order of Brendan. It's an adventure tale with the supernatural thrown in that makes you look at historical figures in a whole new light.
Currently enjoying #2 in the series!
Currently enjoying #2 in the series!
hezann73's review against another edition
2.0
I had to really work to read this one. It just wasn't my thing. Still, some 5th / 6th graders may love it
evnlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
The first in what looks to be a series of YA novels by ND Wilson. It's a fantasy novel involving two young people finding they have a hidden past in their family joining a group dedicated to exploring, discovering, and if need be and protecting the world from mythical and amazing creatures. There's an element of Harry Potter in America here, much like how 100 Cupboards had elements of the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe but in Kansas with hot dogs and baseball, etc. But that sells it short. While fantastical items and creatures come into play, the people of the Order of Brendan rely on their skills with swords, guns, boating, plane flying, and learning foreign languages to fight evil forces that oppose them. I actually get a very strong "Indiana Jones" feel from the book. And very much in a good way.
Not much else to say other than great book. There's a heavy amount of violence, though kids stuff for the Hunger Games generation.
Not much else to say other than great book. There's a heavy amount of violence, though kids stuff for the Hunger Games generation.