Bill Allen (1)

For Greg Hart, fantasies are a part of life. His journal is a place to share the person that he wishes he was. A hero. A strong, quick and brave character who slays vicious baddies with one hand tied behind his back (and of course always gets the girl in the end). Little does poor Greg know that he is destined to set off on a actual dangerous quest! In this story Greg really is the hero, and one false move will land him on the dragon's lunch menu.

I honestly loved Greg as a character, and I show more know that the reading group this book is aimed at will as well. He is funny, honest, and downright noble at times. Beneath the scrawny boy that everyone sees on the outside beats the heart of a hero. Greg has a quick wit that made me laugh out loud more than once. I adored how the author allowed his character to have doubts and fears. Greg isn't certain the prophecy is about him, and he's willing to (loudly) voice that to anyone who will listen. Still, he knows that a princess' life is at stake. Despite his fears, off he goes on an epic adventure.

Bill Allen weaves a story that will have you glued to your seat, with your eyes in the book, from page one. Trolls, dragons, witches, you name it and you'll probably find it in this fast moving story. The trials that Greg faces are too much fun! (Well maybe not for him, but definitely for the reader.) You get to follow him as he grows and changes, and by the time the end of the story comes it is almost heartbreaking. I know I'm definitely looking forward to more of Greg's adventures.

The last thing I want to mention, because it amused me so greatly, is the word play that is present in this book! How to Slay a Dragon is peppered with puns, jokes, and just plain silliness. I am not afraid to admit that I giggled. A lot. There are some parts of this story that are just so absurd that you have to! Fans of fantasy stories will love this. I'd absolutely recommend this to upper middle grade readers as well. They might not get all the puns, but I guarantee they'll fall in love with Greg.

Long story short? Get a copy. How to Slay a Dragon is a great addition to any adventure lover's shelf. show less

Twelve-year-old Greg Hart is a great hero, able to defeat any and all monsters and all-round bad guys while still making it home for dinner - at least in the stories he writes. In real life, he is the constant target of bullies, beaten up on a daily basis. One day, as he is running from one such bully, Greg finds himself pulled into a different world called Myrth where he discovers that, according to prophesy, he will slay a dragon and save the princess.

Greg tries to convince everyone the show more prophecy is wrong or, at least, he's not the one it's about, especially as there is already a hero in Myrth named Greatheart - surely, he has to be The Guy of which the prophecy speaks. Unfortunately, almost everyone thinks he's just being modest (so heroic) and unless he fulfills the prophecy, he may never get home.

How to Slay a dragon is a fun and funny book aimed at a YA audience. It's chock full of puns and word play that I suspect children will find irresistible. It is the perfect rainy day book - it's charm and humour will keep children glued to the page from beginning to end - and adults will get more than the occasional chuckle out of poor Greg's attempt to prove he's not the hero of prophecy until - well, maybe he is. show less

“Greg held his breath as they passed and silently congratulated himself for not screaming, even if his ability to keep quiet was largely due to the tightness of the hand Nathan clamped over his mouth. In moments the danger was gone.”

Scrawny, scared, twelve-year-old Greg Hart likes to write in his journals about grand adventures. In real life, he is more likely to be seen running at top speed from a bully than fighting one. One day much like any other, he is running away from one of his show more main tormentors, Manny Malice, when he is magically pulled into the world of Myrth. The people of Myrth tell him they brought him there to fulfill a prophecy. The prophecy says that “Greghart” (not to be confused, of course, with Marvin Greatheart, who lives in Myrth and is a dragonslayer by trade) will rescue a princess and slay the dragon. This terrifies Greg because he knows he cannot conceivably do either. Greg protests that he isn’t a hero and can’t fight a girl successfully (much less finish this quest in one piece) but he is ignored. Everyone good-naturedly tells him hes being silly, of course he can slay the dragon, rescue the princess and live to tell the tale. They shoo him off onto his adventure and Greg goes mostly because he can’t seem to get anyone listen to him.

Although it starts off a bit slow, Bill Allen’s How to Slay a Dragon becomes a charming fantasy story full of humor and amusing encounters. Greg is a great character because he is practical, realistic and ultimately terrified of everything. He keeps trying to get out of the adventure by constantly pointing out to people the various ways he won’t survive.

Despite his protests, everyone on Myrth believes fully in the prophecy which causes Greg to doubt every decision they make, as each one seems to lead him closer and closer to being incinerated by the dragon. Since he is new to the world of Myrth, he can’t help but look for danger or magic around every corner. In response, the characters of Myrth have a dry sense of humor that is delightful to experience.

(In this passage Greg is getting ready to go meet with the evil Witch and his friends are helping him to prepare.)

“I want you to take this with you” Nathan said, holding out his weathered staff. “Be careful with it though. I want it back in one piece when you return.”
Greg took the proffered staff and held it out at arm’s length. “What is it?”
“A stick,” said Nathan.
“I can see that. I mean what does it do?”
“It doesn’t do anything. You just hold it while you walk. It helps you balance and hop over puddles and things.”
“Really, Greg,” said Lucky. “Haven’t you ever used a walking stick before?”

This book is a great read for youngins who are looking for a light adventure on a rainy afternoon. A note to young adult literature enthusiasts, it is definitely written for Greg’s age group and may not appeal to all ages. I guarantee though, your 9-12 year-olds will enjoy his antics and the heaps of trouble he constantly falls into, whether he likes it or not. show less

This book for middle-school kids was an ER book.

This quest story about a twelve-year-old boy yanked into a fantasy world to kill a dragon is saved from mediocrity by its clever variations on the traditional quest story as well as its atrocious but very clever puns. The action moved quickly, the characters were interesting, and the ending left a lot of room for other stories to follow in the series. Because of my work in the elementary school, I've read a lot of books at this level, and this show more is one of the better of the later crop of series. show less