Dragon Captives

November 15, 2016
Twelve-year-old twins Thisbe and Fifer's magical abilities are far greater than their brother Alex's. But in the 10 years since the great battle that cost him the use of his arm, Alex, leader of Artime, has become fearful and overprotective. When Hux the dragon arrives asking for new magical wings and help in freeing his siblings from the evil Revenir, Alex senses a trap. But the twins, hoping to prove themselves worthy and desperate for an adventure, decide to travel with the dragon to his distant homeland. They bring their only slightly more experienced friend Seth along for the ride. Although they survive the perilous journey, a clash with a magically enhanced bamboo wall, and prison, the young, white trio ultimately finds their lack of magical ability is their undoing. Thankfully, friends from Artime arrive with much-needed help. Even though there's a great deal of explanation provided in the exposition, readers unfamiliar with the popular Unwanteds series will have a difficult time playing catch-up. The twins are understandably anxious to spread their wings, but their antics grow quickly tiresome. The predictable plot, flat characters, and unimaginative spells fail to capture the magic of the previous volumes. An unfortunate revival. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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March 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-Now they have done it. Twelve-year-old twins Thisbe and Fifer have defied their brother, Alex, leader of the magical land Artime, in a most spectacular way. They have jumped on the back of an ice blue dragon with their best friend Seth to build new wings for the creature, Hux, and his siblings. Thisbe and Fifer might have the most powerful magic of anyone, but untrained (their brother has forbidden them to learn magic) and untested, they are unprepared for the land of dragons-a place of slaves and slave traders, where even dragons are cruelly held captive by the powerful Revinir. Thisbe and Fifer soon find their unique jet black eyes make them the most valuable possession of all. Not even the flying stone cat Simber, whom readers will remember from previous "Unwanteds" books, can save them. Artime has been at peace for 10 years, and a new generation of children only hear stories about the danger and violence that took place when the islands were in turmoil. No one wants to return to that time, but there might be little choice. McMann has created another heart-racing adventure. Fans of the series will jump right in to see how their favorite characters have grown and what will happen next in this well-crafted world. The ending, which leaves both girls' lives hanging in the balance, guarantees continued quests for this new generation of Unwanteds. VERDICT A worthy title, recommended for any collection in which the original series was popular.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

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