Tears of a Dragon (The Dragons in Our Midst, Book 4) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899571735

Price: USD 10.19
39 used & new available from USD 7.00

Our small group of heroes, recovering from the events of Circles of Seven, are about to be swept up in another whirlwind of adventures. The Watchers have gathered together, and the evil Morgan Le Faye is putting into action her plan for world domination. Guided by a prophecy of Merlin, Billy and Bonnie plunge into the realm of Dragon’s Rest, intent on finding and rescuing Billy’s father—along with many others. But Billy knows that the success of his crucial mission may come at great cost. And the friends they’ve left behind encounter increasing troubles of their own.

A truly amazing conclusion for the Dragons in our Midst series. I found very little fault with it the first time I read it, and some of the scenes are so beautifully done I was moved to near-tears. What with the complexity of the series, there were a lot of loose ends in the plot to be wrapped up, but Bryan Davis handled it very well indeed. The Dragons in our Midst books have both encouraged and challenged me, and I count them among my new-found favorites.

Circles of Seven (Dragons in Our Midst, Book 3) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899571727

Price: USD 10.19
47 used & new available from USD 6.91

Picking up several months after The Candlestone, Circles of Seven finds Billy and Bonnie about to enter an evil realm of seven circles. In the seventh circle Billy must set free some prisoners, but he knows that there are also false prisoners that must not be released. After he and Bonnie enter the circles, however, Professor Hamilton and his friends discover that the realm is filled with evil New Table knights. Convinced that it’s not fair for Billy and Bonnie to be alone while swarms of bad guys populate the realm, Ashley and Walter try to help in whatever ways they can from the outside.

Trust me, this one moves fast. It has to in order to fit such an in-depth story into 415 pages! As usual Billy and Bonnie get into danger left and right, making you sit farther on the edge of your seat than you already are. Don’t despair when it seems hopeless for the story to come to a happy ending, and you’ll be just fine. Make sure you have Tears of a Dragon close at hand when you finish Circles of Seven, because you’re going to want it.

The Candlestone (Dragons in Our Midst, Book 2) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899571719

Price: USD 10.19
58 used & new available from USD 3.07

Several months after the conclusion of Raising Dragons, Bonnie’s father suddenly appears on the scene, claiming that Irene (Bonnie’s mother) is, in fact, still alive, but in critical condition. He insists that the only way Irene can recover is if Bonnie goes with him, so despite suspicion, Bonnie and her father depart for Montana. Billy, Professor Hamilton, Walter, and Billy’s mother uncover more clues and decide that things are not as they seem. They set off to the rescue, guided partly by a book that contains some of Merlin’s prophecies. But unknown dangers await both Bonnie and Billy, trials that will put to test not only their courage, but their faith.

I’m not sure whether the appropriate word to sum this book up would be “Wow” or “Whoa.” Both are entirely applicable. Plot twists and mysteries completely pack this book, and you can hardly stop to catch your breath between chapters while racing through with that age-old question of, “What happens next?” A very, very powerful story. I did rate it five stars, but I should note that in my personal opinion, it ranks at more like four and a half. However, this is entirely due to the fact that I have a rather severe case of medical phobia, and so a great deal of the content in The Candlestone I found to be unnerving. Setting that aside, this story is not to be missed!

Raising Dragons (Dragons in Our Midst, Book 1) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899571700

Price: USD 10.19
66 used & new available from USD 2.95

Billy Bannister is not your ordinary kid. His breath is so hot that it sets off the sprinkler system at school. After this incident, Billy’s parents realize they need to tell him a big secret: Billy’s father used to be a dragon, making Billy a half dragon! Things are further complicated when a mysterious slayer appears, whose family has tracked Billy’s father since he took on human form. Now Billy and his new friend Bonnie (also a half dragon) are involved in a dangerous dragon hunt, fleeing from a mysterious slayer who will stop at nothing to kill Billy, Bonnie, and Billy’s father. Meanwhile, Billy’s friend Walter and his teacher Professor Hamilton try to piece together clues in order to aid Billy and his family.

And that’s just the basic plot! Davis tells a great story that is very believable. There’s all sorts of intense excitement going on all over the place, so much so that I don’t think I felt safe at all until the very end. As you can probably tell, the plot moves along at a lightning pace, barely stopping for long enough for you to catch your breath. Delightful, amazing, and (I know I’m gushing) brilliant!