You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I probably would have enjoyed this MUCH more as a paper book. The full cast audio version just really didn't do it for me -- between the annoying character voices and the stunted plot, it left me feeling restless and irritated. I kept thinking, ok, I know they said this is why they are doing x..., but why are they doing that? Ugh, Telemaine is speaking again. Really? Nine cats and they all need separate actors? And I hate the ending. I've never much cared for books that don't resolve within their own boundaries -- even series books, which I like, need to resolve the immediate action or adventure within the book or I get really cranky. Liked the first 2 books. May try to read the 4th.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is my go to feel good fantasy series. It's witty, cheerful, and a fun adventure every time. It's kind of weird that it's sold as a Middle Grade book even though the ages span from teens to new adults in this, but hey it is a good story for any age to read and enjoy.
Telemain = no. 1 new favorite character no one can convince me otherwise.
Still really love this book, but I feel like the titles are becoming deceptive? Every book involves less and less in terms of Dragons. Really just Kazul at this point, which is cool and all but even she is only there for like half the book. Don't read the book for the dragons; read it for the awesome magicians and witches and kitties.
Still really love this book, but I feel like the titles are becoming deceptive? Every book involves less and less in terms of Dragons. Really just Kazul at this point, which is cool and all but even she is only there for like half the book. Don't read the book for the dragons; read it for the awesome magicians and witches and kitties.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
It all starts when a rabbit stumbles into Morwen's garden and is trapped by her cats. A 6 foot talking rabbit, who ends up being turned blue, into a donkey, floats and has wings. There's a lot of shenanigans going on, a lot of which are somewhat tedious, unfortunately book 3 doesn't quite ring as fun as the first two novels and reading the authors notes it's clear why.
Essentially the entire book is a built up to the cliffhanger start of book 4 (or book 1 ultimately).
Essentially the entire book is a built up to the cliffhanger start of book 4 (or book 1 ultimately).
Calling on Dragons, book three of the Enchanted Forest series, features an ensemble cast, but is told from the perspective of the very practical witch, Morwen. Who better to herd the actions of hardheaded and scattered magical types than a witch who lives and works with nine cats? I kind of adore Morwen, but the adventure she presides over is sort of a mess. (This isn't really Morwen's fault. Book four of the series had already been written, and it put our intrepid author and characters in a bind: the plot of book four is such that book three was destined to have a somewhat unsatisfying ending.)
In Calling on Dragons, the dastardly wizards are back with an even more dastardly plot. (Throughout the series, the wizards have struck me as just slightly more competent, dangerous, and driven than Gargamel on the Smurfs. They are capable of real harm, though, and do have to be taken seriously.) Morwen, her cats, the magician Telemain, Chief Cook and Librarian to the King of the Dragons Cimorene, the King of the Dragons herself, and a few new characters set off to foil the wizards and save the forest.
Unfortunately, I found a few too many characters and plot devices to be tiresome or clumsy. One of the new antagonists is the embodiment of the type of unthinking tradition the books subvert, but he's one-dimensional and a poor stand-in for the way these themes were more cleverly addressed in the first two books. Another new character is troublesome, dimwitted and manages to enchant and re-enchant itself while irritating other characters and readers alike. Even main characters seems a bit off and off-putting at times.
Although I'd give the series as a whole a 4-star rating, especially for younger readers of YA, this book only gets a 3 — and that's because I like Morwen, Cimorene, Mendanbar, and the Enchanted Forest itself enough to round it up from a 2.5.
In Calling on Dragons, the dastardly wizards are back with an even more dastardly plot. (Throughout the series, the wizards have struck me as just slightly more competent, dangerous, and driven than Gargamel on the Smurfs. They are capable of real harm, though, and do have to be taken seriously.) Morwen, her cats, the magician Telemain, Chief Cook and Librarian to the King of the Dragons Cimorene, the King of the Dragons herself, and a few new characters set off to foil the wizards and save the forest.
Unfortunately, I found a few too many characters and plot devices to be tiresome or clumsy. One of the new antagonists is the embodiment of the type of unthinking tradition the books subvert, but he's one-dimensional and a poor stand-in for the way these themes were more cleverly addressed in the first two books. Another new character is troublesome, dimwitted and manages to enchant and re-enchant itself while irritating other characters and readers alike. Even main characters seems a bit off and off-putting at times.
Spoiler
Kazul loses her temper like an untrained fire-witch. I mean, sure, she's a dragon, she's entitled, and maybe it was past due, but it felt out of place. The constant necessity of translating Telemain's explanations got a bit old, too, but younger readers may not notice or mind as much. Morwen's cats are a welcomed addition but a little hard to keep straight. Cimorene's role is thin, practically relegated to being bookends for the plot. And Mendanbar... in the last book we learn about his ties to the Enchanted Forest and watch him work his magic, care for his kingdom, creatively solve problems for his subjects and others, and appreciate and support Cimorene. His part in this book and the next is frustrating and disappointing.Although I'd give the series as a whole a 4-star rating, especially for younger readers of YA, this book only gets a 3 — and that's because I like Morwen, Cimorene, Mendanbar, and the Enchanted Forest itself enough to round it up from a 2.5.
Let me start by fully stating: that I love this series and I especially love Cimorene, but the ending bothered me. It troubled me so much that I tossed and turned in my bed that night and I kept thinking to myself that there had to be a better solution than the one arrived at. ESPECIALLY SINCE, Cimorene was a capable and resourceful young woman. I mean, she won the favor of the King of Dragons and learned how to defeat the wizards with soapy water and a little bit of lemon juice.
So here are my thoughts about the conclusion. I understand that Wrede wrote Talking to Dragons first and later went back and revised the edition. However, I do not think that excuses how illogical the ending was. No one attempts to free Mendanbar beyond physical means. At the end of the novel, Wrede writes that Cimorene attempts to free Mendanbar from the castle by digging under the tunnel, lathering the bubble in soapy water, and other various methods. However, I find it hard not to consider two things. First, I find it hard to believe that Telemain with his interest in magic and his plethora of wizards staffs found after the fact, would not have tried to tamper or fiddle around with the bubble. He simply concludes that because he couldn't break Kazul's bubble before that it simply cannot be done. This is the man, however, who figured out to melt wizards without a bucket of soapy water, (something that no one had ever considered before) and in my opinion is a huge disservice to his character.
Secondly, Kazul just killed a ton of wizards and she's the King of Dragons. Is there no way she could have negotiated with the remaining wizards and forced them to take down the bubble? Again, I think disregarding or simply assuming that the wizards won't help is silly because Kazul is a badass and pretty intimidating. And we all know that Antorell would be pretty weak after Kazul ate his father whole. In fact, there really is no mention of anyone besides Cimorene doing anything to free Mendanbar and I don't believe that.
Anyways, I think the first two books in the series is brilliant, and the last two suffer because Wrede had to sacrifice character development, as well as, intelligence, to make the series jive. It's unfortunate, but a reality and I applaud her efforts; I just wish that there had been more thought put into ruling other scenarios.
So here are my thoughts about the conclusion. I understand that Wrede wrote Talking to Dragons first and later went back and revised the edition. However, I do not think that excuses how illogical the ending was. No one attempts to free Mendanbar beyond physical means. At the end of the novel, Wrede writes that Cimorene attempts to free Mendanbar from the castle by digging under the tunnel, lathering the bubble in soapy water, and other various methods. However, I find it hard not to consider two things. First, I find it hard to believe that Telemain with his interest in magic and his plethora of wizards staffs found after the fact, would not have tried to tamper or fiddle around with the bubble. He simply concludes that because he couldn't break Kazul's bubble before that it simply cannot be done. This is the man, however, who figured out to melt wizards without a bucket of soapy water, (something that no one had ever considered before) and in my opinion is a huge disservice to his character.
Secondly, Kazul just killed a ton of wizards and she's the King of Dragons. Is there no way she could have negotiated with the remaining wizards and forced them to take down the bubble? Again, I think disregarding or simply assuming that the wizards won't help is silly because Kazul is a badass and pretty intimidating. And we all know that Antorell would be pretty weak after Kazul ate his father whole. In fact, there really is no mention of anyone besides Cimorene doing anything to free Mendanbar and I don't believe that.
Anyways, I think the first two books in the series is brilliant, and the last two suffer because Wrede had to sacrifice character development, as well as, intelligence, to make the series jive. It's unfortunate, but a reality and I applaud her efforts; I just wish that there had been more thought put into ruling other scenarios.