Jason Hightman

In a world very much like this one where dragons have evolved to be something like humans, the only thing standing between their treachery and humanity are the dragon fighters.

Simon St George has been going to a boarding school for years and suddenly his father turns up to tell him that he has a destiny as a dragon fighter and that his life is about to change forever. With Saint George as an ancestor he has a lot going for him.

An interesting story that blends myth and modern society and show more makes the story quite interesting but in some ways it seems to be a little lacking. show less

Tolkien’s The Hobbit meets Dahl’s The Witches in this inventive take on everybody’s favourite fantasy beast: the dragon! Entire chapters spent describing their appearances and habits, combined with splashes of tongue-in-cheek humour, make The Saint of Dragons a feast for the imagination. Readers could spend all day soaking up the world of different dragons that Hightman has created, as descriptions are delivered with colourful conciseness and no unnecessary padding. The more vibrant show more the reader’s imagination, the better this book will be.

Upon picking up The Saint of Dragons, readers need to be prepared to get right into it before making any judgements. The sad truth of this book is that it starts out in a pretty ordinary fashion, but then improves in just about every aspect. Characters go from boring to rich, fight-scenes go from dry and clichéd to relentless and original, and the quality of the writing, particularly the description, improves out of sight. It is a pity that Hightman takes time to accelerate to top speed, but, all the same, not a huge drawback.

The plot of The Saint of Dragons, (which consists of several seemingly individual stories with their own climaxes, each leading on to the next,) can be a little unrealistic at times. There are moments where everything is too easy and too convenient; for example, when the St Georges find a dragon coin, the woman they have rescued just happens to be a coin collector, (and able to read the language of dragons, and work magic spells as well!) The most unrealistic of these by far, however, is the ending. After spending entire chapters struggling against singular dragons, the St Georges are somehow able to dispatch the queen of all dragons in the space of about two pages, and escape virtually unscathed from a hall filled with every dragon on earth, on their horse which appears out of nowhere at just the right moment. Unrealism aside, however, this book’s plot is an absolute delight, creating potential for some rip-roaring battles.

Highly recommended for fans of Roald Dahl fantasy; The Saint of Dragons is a unique, cheeky tale bursting with original fun. Expect the unexpected, and read with an open mind. show less

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Simon St. George is the youngest male descendant of the legendary Saint George. Simon and his father, Aldric, are also the last to carry on the dragon slaying legacy of their ancestor. Or so they think.

Their latest adventure (SAMURAI is the sequel to THE SAINT OF DRAGONS) takes them to the Far East on a hunt for an elusive group of Asian dragons. The father and son team encounter an ancient order of samurai, sworn to defeat the dragons. The show more samurai and the St. Georges could be powerful allies, if they can all figure out how to work together for the greater good. And if they could all stop keeping secrets and holding grudges. Things that Simon and Aldric are having a few issues with between each other.

Until everyone can unite, the battle between human and dragon rages on.

This story is about more than just the obvious battle, though. It's a battle between east and west, past and present, father and son, and the personal battle each of the main characters has to go through. No struggle is easy. There isn't a whole lot of black and white here. And each decision made, or not made, affects many people.

The top layer is a great adventure. But underneath there are many more levels. Dragons and demons have many faces, and most of them aren't what you'd expect. show less

A young man, Simon St. George, has spent his life thinking of himself as an orphan until his father comes to the private school and claims him. His father reveals he and Simon come from a long line of dragon slayers. Simon thinks his so-called father is nuts. Together they go on an adventure unlike any other.

The book opens up with Simon meeting his father for the first time so of course, the relationship is estranged. Simon's father believes he fights dragons. Although Simon believes his show more father is crazy because how could dragons be real? But Simon will soon realize that his father is not crazy as they deal with dragons, magic, and so much more. I enjoyed the way dragons were modernized. Regular people who couldn't see magic only saw a regular person but those that were more magically inclined saw the dragon for what he was, an evil being that wanted power.

I can't think of anything that I didn't link about the book. there was magic there was a twist it pretty much had everything. Including a love interest for the father.

It is a series I would like to continue I know there are a couple more books in the series. I'll see if I ever get to it as I have so many books to read but this was enjoyable. The writing was good and I did like the twist at the end show less