The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim

This book! So odd in some ways, and yet so wonderfully done. I'm in love with the carbon eating dragons of rural Canada, and even more in love with the pragmatically realistic main characters. They are interesting, detailed, and charmingly deadpan. I don't think I've read anything quite like it before. It's a good world, and I cared about Siobhan and Owen and all their families. As a portrayal of frustration with how humans use their environment, even knowing that it brings the destruction of the world, it's bang on the mark. Not a love story. Can stand alone. Has that A.S. King weird and workable exploration of soul that I really dig right now.

16 yr old Siobhan McQuaid thinks in musical notes - since a small child, she has written compositions, she plays as many musical instruments as she can get her hands on, and she lives in Ontario, Canada, in a town occasionally attacked by dragons. Owen Thorskard, of the famous dragonslaying family - including his Aunt Lottie, one of the world's most famous dragonslayers- shows up at Siobhan's school one day. Instead of going to a larger city, or working any longer for the Oil Watch, she had moved herself, her wife (a sword maker) and her nephew Owen to Siobhan's town, far away from the capital but near to a major salt mine, where carbon emissions continue to attract dragons. This is the story of Owen's year of turning 17 and becoming a show more dragon slayer in his own right, and his "bard", Siobhan, who also learns how to fight dragons and write songs about it. Between them, and an interesting cast of supporting characters, we follow them as the dragon attacks increase and they determine they must do more. They cannot wait for the dragons to come to them - they will find where the dragons have laid their eggs, and Owen, with his bard to accompany him, will destroy the dragons before they are born. Refreshingly (how many ya novels have the predictable unhappy home life & the complicated love interest for the emotional protagonist??) Siobhan has a healthy relationship with her parents, a doctor and an accountant, and she doesn't develop a secret crush on Owen, or he with her. Her burgeoning friendship with Owen does lead Siobhan to face challenges with new friends from school, and thrusts her into the spotlight, part of the fame of the Thorskard family, and Owen's growing popularity. Part fantasy, part re-written history, part political, the story unfolds so realistically that readers will forget that they've never seen a salt mine, or know about the remote regions of Canada, or that the 21st century world of cars, industry, mass media and the internet cannot include dragons - of course they're there. The world just hasn't figured out how to rid themselves of them. Masterfully told, comes in at just 300 pages, but with short, episodic chapters. Both teen girls and guys will enjoy, although the narrator stays firmly rooted in Siobhan's voice, but what a voice - rhythmic, occasionally dramatic, laced with occasional dry humor. Worthy of the awards its been given. show less

The idea of carbon emissions craving dragons drew me into this story, and I'm glad I read it. It's a fascinating premise, and the book is solidly rooted in history (which sounds weird, because: dragons, but it melded them into history really well). Also, Canada. I loved the characters, and my only real complaint is that I found it a slow read. Great cover though, so I will definitely bring it on school visits.

In an alternate version of our modern world, carbon-eating dragons terrorize the world's cities and industrial areas. Even in places like Trondheim, a small Canadian town, dragons are a problem, especially because professional dragon slayers aren't likely to live in the country when they can get more lucrative contracts from large companies. When Lottie Thorskard, one of Canada's most famous dragon slayers, retires to Trondheim with her family after and injury, the town rejoices, because Lottie's brother and nephew are both in the business. But with dragon attacks on the rise, even having a local dragon slayer may not be enough. This story is from the perspective of Siobhan McQuaid, who meets Lottie's nephew Owen on the first day of show more 11th grade. They become friends, and eventually she agrees to become his bard, telling tales and composing songs of his legendary feats of daring.

I liked the premise of this book well enough, but I must admit that I found it a slow read. I also had trouble believing in what they were trying to do as far as societal change. I felt like the disconnect between functional, supportive parents also being parents who would allow their child to go off and hunt dragons never allowed me to fully believe in those characters. I found the book more cerebral than engaging, when I would have liked it to be both. show less

A pretty good book, well written, yet one I had a hard time really digging into. Constantly felt my attention being diverted. Had to break most of my readings into smaller chunks due to inattention I was feeling. On a positive note for recommending to teens: the story is clean and can be recommended to most anyone based on appropriateness.

This review was published by The Children's Book and Media Review run by Brigham Young University.

There aren’t a lot of dragon slayers in their tiny Canadian town, but when Owen and his family shows up, Siobhan’s life changes as she becomes his bard to chronicle his adventures. She helps him with his algebra while she’s working on her music skills. Before she expects it, however, she’s on a quest with him to discover why there are so many dragons in the area and what they can do to stop it. She discovers her own role in Owen’s story, and that even a bard can have a huge impact on how the Story of Owen will end.

The relationship between Siobhan and Owen grows into a functioning team, and perhaps one of the best aspects of it is show more that it turns into a strong friendship instead of into a romance like what might be expected. The world-building is fascinating, taking our world but adding in dragons that are attracted to carbon fuels. The invented history to make it parallel to our world with the addition of dragons is fascinating and thorough. The dry humor, excellent world building, and fantastic characters will make this book a favorite for fantasy lovers. show less

Siobhan's life intertwines with Owen's, part of a famous dragon slaying family in Ontario. Dragons and dragon attacks area fact of life. The Thorskard family recruits Siobhan, a talented musician and a bit of a homebody, to become part of their clan at to act as Owen's bard, telling tales and writing songs celebrating his dragon slaying.
This fantasy reads like a realistic fiction, dealing with friendship issues, school problems, family, with a big side of dragon fighting. The characters are likable, the story keeps moving.