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The Last Dragon Chronicles #7
The Fire Ascending
The much anticipated final book in Chris d'Lacey's New York Times bestselling Last Dragon Chronicles!
On Earth, at the battle of Scuffenbury Hill, time has been suspended. Dragons and their natural enemies, the Ix, are trapped in a bitter conflict. But at the dawn of history, a mysterious force is rewriting the timelines, turning what was once legend into startling reality. Is David Rain strong enough to save himself and those he loves from being written into a deadly new destiny?
David, Zanna, Lucy, Alexa, and the Pennykettle dragons return, along with new friends and enemies, to embark on their most dangerous and most magical adventure yet. Bridging the magic of the first five books with the world and characters introduced in FIRE WORLD, this action-packed final installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles will have readers racing to the last page.
On Earth, at the battle of Scuffenbury Hill, time has been suspended. Dragons and their natural enemies, the Ix, are trapped in a bitter conflict. But at the dawn of history, a mysterious force is rewriting the timelines, turning what was once legend into startling reality. Is David Rain strong enough to save himself and those he loves from being written into a deadly new destiny?
David, Zanna, Lucy, Alexa, and the Pennykettle dragons return, along with new friends and enemies, to embark on their most dangerous and most magical adventure yet. Bridging the magic of the first five books with the world and characters introduced in FIRE WORLD, this action-packed final installment of the Last Dragon Chronicles will have readers racing to the last page.
576 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2012
142 people are currently reading
5,860 people want to read
About the author
Chris d'Lacey
87Ìýbooks1,096ÌýfollowersHe was born in Valetta, Malta, but as a child moved first to Leicester and then to Bolton. After gaining a degree in biology from the University of York, he returned to Leicester and got a job at the University of Leicester in their Pre-Clinical Sciences department.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
Originally his writing was confined to songs and he didn't turn to fiction until he was 32. His first piece of work was a 250,000 word story about polar bears for his wife, Jay, to accompany a stuffed polar bear he had bought her as a Christmas present.
He didn't write another story for seven years, until he heard about a competition to write a story for young children with a prize of £2,000. The resulting book, A Hole at the Pole, also about polar bears, didn't win - but he sent it off to a publisher, who accepted it.
His first children's novel, Fly, Cherokee, Fly, was published in 1998 and subsequently shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was inspired by the time he found an injured pigeon in Victoria Park and nursed it back to health at home. It became a family pet and lived for 14 years in a birdbox attached to the back of the house. All of its offspring were given the names of different Native American tribes, which is where the title of the book comes from.)
He has since written over twenty children's books, including Pawnee Warrior (a sequel to Fly, Cherokee, Fly), a collaborative novel with fellow children's author Linda Newbery (From E To You), and the best-selling, award-winning The Last Dragon Chronicles. His books often contain environmental themes, and events based on things that have happened to him.
In July 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope.
His favourite children's books are the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favourite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. Chris D'Lacey has written many books like Ice Fire and Fire Star, but his most famous book was Dark Fire, the fifth book in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
December 6, 2015
I don't know why people are giving this such good reviews. The only books in the series I liked were the first few. Then it seemed like d'Lacey was just throwing in twists and changing the timeline or whatever just for the heck of it.
The ending was just stupid. Turns out the whole thing was just written by David who wrote it "organically"because d'Lacey wanted to give a excuse to why the story is all over the place for science.
And you know the author didn't care when he made the book within the book get turned into a movie. Somehow I seriously doubt that will ever happen in real life. At that point I thought, "Seriously?"
I don't know why this guy is proud of saying he didn't plan any of the plot at all. I could tell he had no idea where he was going with this since the fourth book. (That's when I started barely understanding the books.) I still am not too sure what exactly happened in the last one because Wikipedia hasn't written an article about it yet, and I'm not attempting to read it ever again.
This book made no flipping sense. It almost makes Fire World not seem as pointless.
And I don't care if to understand the book I have to "read it slower" or something. If I read that book any slower my brain would have died. (I read Divergent in under 4 hours and the plot still made sense to me, even if I didn't like it, for example.)
I guess this is a book you'll either hate or love. I am sorry I am with the former.
The ending was just stupid. Turns out the whole thing was just written by David who wrote it "organically"
And you know the author didn't care when he made the book within the book get turned into a movie. Somehow I seriously doubt that will ever happen in real life. At that point I thought, "Seriously?"
I don't know why this guy is proud of saying he didn't plan any of the plot at all. I could tell he had no idea where he was going with this since the fourth book. (That's when I started barely understanding the books.) I still am not too sure what exactly happened in the last one because Wikipedia hasn't written an article about it yet, and I'm not attempting to read it ever again.
This book made no flipping sense. It almost makes Fire World not seem as pointless.
And I don't care if to understand the book I have to "read it slower" or something. If I read that book any slower my brain would have died. (I read Divergent in under 4 hours and the plot still made sense to me, even if I didn't like it, for example.)
I guess this is a book you'll either hate or love. I am sorry I am with the former.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2020
There is so much wrong with this I don’t even know where to start.
First of all this book was almost completely incomprehensible, not because it was complex, but because it reads like the schizophrenic ramblings of someone deep in psychosis. The formatting and random spelling changes for generic words for no reason were BIZARRE, but that’s been going on in the series for like 3-4 books now.
Why was this book split into ten parts and only part seven had chapters? Why was cat spelled katt? Why did every other word have to be bisected by semicolons? What did that add to the story?
The second to last chapter was literally a 4th wall breaking interview with the main character where a random tv host talks about how great the book series was lmao what the fuck
At the end of the book there’s a Q&A with D’Lacy where he admits immediately that David is a self insert character. Bold, I guess lol.
Why did Lucy marry the guy who was already in his late twenties when she met him at age 16?
D’Lacy also openly admits that he had no idea where the story was going and just made shit up on a whim so that probably explains why this series started with an innocent sweet middle grade book about SQUIRRELS and turned into an incomprehensible mess about... time travel? I guess? What age range is this even for?
In conclusion: author thinks any unedited rambling nonsense that comes out of his brain is pure gold and if you don’t get it then he’s simply 2deep4u
First of all this book was almost completely incomprehensible, not because it was complex, but because it reads like the schizophrenic ramblings of someone deep in psychosis. The formatting and random spelling changes for generic words for no reason were BIZARRE, but that’s been going on in the series for like 3-4 books now.
Why was this book split into ten parts and only part seven had chapters? Why was cat spelled katt? Why did every other word have to be bisected by semicolons? What did that add to the story?
The second to last chapter was literally a 4th wall breaking interview with the main character where a random tv host talks about how great the book series was lmao what the fuck
At the end of the book there’s a Q&A with D’Lacy where he admits immediately that David is a self insert character. Bold, I guess lol.
Why did Lucy marry the guy who was already in his late twenties when she met him at age 16?
D’Lacy also openly admits that he had no idea where the story was going and just made shit up on a whim so that probably explains why this series started with an innocent sweet middle grade book about SQUIRRELS and turned into an incomprehensible mess about... time travel? I guess? What age range is this even for?
In conclusion: author thinks any unedited rambling nonsense that comes out of his brain is pure gold and if you don’t get it then he’s simply 2deep4u
September 6, 2014
Words cannot even comprehend the beauty and enchantment that lies within this book. The Last Dragon Chronicles has been my favourite series for many years, and I suspect it will remain that way for a long time. This novel is gripping, venturing into history and the true past that has inspired almost every event up until now. Whilst heartbreaking at times, it leaves you satisfied with the knowledge you have. A brilliant conclusion to a magical series. I will never forget the way these books changed my life, and I hope they do so for others. The characters will always stay with me.
June 28, 2020
I read the entirety of this series simply so I could write this review. The narrative follows the "And it was all a dream..." cliché. It begins with a squirrel and ends with a time warp. The frank lack of logic is astounding, which is a shame because there are plenty of incredibly interesting plot points and concepts hidden within this series. From a social standpoint, some of the heteronormative assumptions are disruptive and destructive to a developing psyche, begging the question of who the target audience was for this tale. I couldn't get through this series as a child, and now I know why. Read them if you want pearls for your own future narratives but do not expect to be overly entertained or satiated by the words found within them.
June 2, 2013
Review originally posted on
Before the secrets of the tapestry of the battle of Isenfier can be discovered, first, we must tell of the legendary Agawin, a young boy in the prehistory of time, when dragons still roamed this earth in all their magnificence. He shall tell of the quest for the last dragon, Galen, and his guard high up the mountain peaks of Kasgerden, ready to shed his fire tear and return his auma to the eternal fire of Gaia. But before even that comes his battle with Voss, the evil, Ix-infested premen…not all shall be well.
The Last Dragon Chonicles have come a long way from the innocent, mundane tales of The Fire Within, when we first meet David Rain and the Pennykettle family. Perhaps more than any other series, d’Lacey’s creativity can be traced and followed from the humble beginnings of a childrens� story to an epic, universal struggle for survival in the later novels- and this, potentially, is The Fire Ascending‘s greatest strength as it closes just over 10 years of publication of the Dragon novels.
As always when there is a change of direction in story telling, some readers might be disappointed by the continuation of the “epic� storyline that started, arguably, in Fire Star. For myself and I suspect many others, the characters of Liz, Lucy, David and Zanna are what made the series and brought the novels to life; their undiluted eccentricity that borders on hilarity as well as their escapist “fantasies� of dragons. Whilst they do reappear in that lovely form, it is but a moment, though melancholy and rather fitting as their farewell.
Before the secrets of the tapestry of the battle of Isenfier can be discovered, first, we must tell of the legendary Agawin, a young boy in the prehistory of time, when dragons still roamed this earth in all their magnificence. He shall tell of the quest for the last dragon, Galen, and his guard high up the mountain peaks of Kasgerden, ready to shed his fire tear and return his auma to the eternal fire of Gaia. But before even that comes his battle with Voss, the evil, Ix-infested premen…not all shall be well.
The Last Dragon Chonicles have come a long way from the innocent, mundane tales of The Fire Within, when we first meet David Rain and the Pennykettle family. Perhaps more than any other series, d’Lacey’s creativity can be traced and followed from the humble beginnings of a childrens� story to an epic, universal struggle for survival in the later novels- and this, potentially, is The Fire Ascending‘s greatest strength as it closes just over 10 years of publication of the Dragon novels.
As always when there is a change of direction in story telling, some readers might be disappointed by the continuation of the “epic� storyline that started, arguably, in Fire Star. For myself and I suspect many others, the characters of Liz, Lucy, David and Zanna are what made the series and brought the novels to life; their undiluted eccentricity that borders on hilarity as well as their escapist “fantasies� of dragons. Whilst they do reappear in that lovely form, it is but a moment, though melancholy and rather fitting as their farewell.
March 26, 2018
The Fire Ascending is a roller coaster of a book integrating the previous books events and ties it all up in package that will certainly keep you guessing from start to finish! :D The book initially starts with the tale of Agawin which takes the story back to the deep past where Dragons and Imagineering were far more commonplace! :D From there the characters of Zanna, David Gadzooks and co start drifting into place and the various plot points start to come about! :D
The book is a seriously very out there ride that is brilliantly done with the characters all taking very unexpected directions that you would never expect in any way to come about! :D This works brilliantly that and is very inventive at every point! :D This really keeps you guessing away as the story is always taking unexpected tangents! :D The way that the timelines are realigned is accomplished in a very light kind of way that provides a neat way of doing considering the sheer hectic pace of the whole book! :D
The idea of of Zanna and David's story being turned into a movie is certainly an unexpected step but it does really work and Gadzooks much like R2 D2 in Star Wars is clearly the real hero of the story as every scene seem to have been effected by him! :D The Fire Ascending will certainly keep you on your feet throughout with many of the the events that happen to the character being simply jaw-dropping and I can almost guarantee some of the out plot twists but is all handled with aplomb and neat almost dreamy style that really works for the story! :D The characters like David and Zanna are constantly have to make the big decisions and along with Agawin really make every page seem like that characters are having to deal with epic situation after another! :D As you read it you really wonder how they are going to deal with these events and what they can be possibly be dragged into next! :D
The Fire Ascending is clever not afraid to literally put the characters through the wringer, have them confront tough choices at every point and take itself in all sorts of unexpected directions that will keep you on your toes throughout! :D The Fire Ascending is insightful, epic, clever full of action and adventure and will keep you up late to see what happens go and get it! :D
The book is a seriously very out there ride that is brilliantly done with the characters all taking very unexpected directions that you would never expect in any way to come about! :D This works brilliantly that and is very inventive at every point! :D This really keeps you guessing away as the story is always taking unexpected tangents! :D The way that the timelines are realigned is accomplished in a very light kind of way that provides a neat way of doing considering the sheer hectic pace of the whole book! :D
The idea of of Zanna and David's story being turned into a movie is certainly an unexpected step but it does really work and Gadzooks much like R2 D2 in Star Wars is clearly the real hero of the story as every scene seem to have been effected by him! :D The Fire Ascending will certainly keep you on your feet throughout with many of the the events that happen to the character being simply jaw-dropping and I can almost guarantee some of the out plot twists but is all handled with aplomb and neat almost dreamy style that really works for the story! :D The characters like David and Zanna are constantly have to make the big decisions and along with Agawin really make every page seem like that characters are having to deal with epic situation after another! :D As you read it you really wonder how they are going to deal with these events and what they can be possibly be dragged into next! :D
The Fire Ascending is clever not afraid to literally put the characters through the wringer, have them confront tough choices at every point and take itself in all sorts of unexpected directions that will keep you on your toes throughout! :D The Fire Ascending is insightful, epic, clever full of action and adventure and will keep you up late to see what happens go and get it! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2017
Review to follow!
The story line for The Last Dragon Chronicles is fairly good, especially the first three installments: The Fire Within, Icefire and Fire Star. But as the series goes on, it loses its whimsy and becomes way more metaphysical. I kept finding myself wishing for the silly mayhem and the little clay dragons that may or may not come alive that we saw in the first few books.
As for The Fire Ascending itself, it was my least favorite in the series. It started out interestingly enough but by the twists at the end I was not impressed. It does wrap events up but I feel like it was a cop-out in order to make things come full circle. The big battle between good and evil that I was waiting for never really happened.
I did like that the legend of Agawin and Guinevere goes into more detail � even if it is a different timeline. We get to see the events of the legends from the first few books playout as they would have � for the most part, again we have alternate dimensions and timelines. Upon looking at other reviews for this novel, it appears that most fans are in agreement that the first few novels of this series were the best and many became increasingly frustrated that the events took the turns they did.
While I would give the overall series a 4, I give this novel 2 dragons.
The story line for The Last Dragon Chronicles is fairly good, especially the first three installments: The Fire Within, Icefire and Fire Star. But as the series goes on, it loses its whimsy and becomes way more metaphysical. I kept finding myself wishing for the silly mayhem and the little clay dragons that may or may not come alive that we saw in the first few books.
As for The Fire Ascending itself, it was my least favorite in the series. It started out interestingly enough but by the twists at the end I was not impressed. It does wrap events up but I feel like it was a cop-out in order to make things come full circle. The big battle between good and evil that I was waiting for never really happened.
I did like that the legend of Agawin and Guinevere goes into more detail � even if it is a different timeline. We get to see the events of the legends from the first few books playout as they would have � for the most part, again we have alternate dimensions and timelines. Upon looking at other reviews for this novel, it appears that most fans are in agreement that the first few novels of this series were the best and many became increasingly frustrated that the events took the turns they did.
While I would give the overall series a 4, I give this novel 2 dragons.
June 28, 2020
Okay so I read this back when I was wayyyy younger, but I still distinctly remember my emotions upon finishing the final book.
It made no sense. The first, I’d say THREE books (the third is a bit out there) are pretty good and understandable. After the time jump, though, I wasn’t as interested in the characters and things became very confusing. Fire World was just a �?????� while reading it, and the ending of this book made me so upset and I was sooooo confused upon reading it. I had to look it up online to explain.
I read in an interview at the end of the book with D’Lacey that he didn’t know where the story was going when he started, and I’m quite sure it’s rather evident upon reading the series.
It made no sense. The first, I’d say THREE books (the third is a bit out there) are pretty good and understandable. After the time jump, though, I wasn’t as interested in the characters and things became very confusing. Fire World was just a �?????� while reading it, and the ending of this book made me so upset and I was sooooo confused upon reading it. I had to look it up online to explain.
I read in an interview at the end of the book with D’Lacey that he didn’t know where the story was going when he started, and I’m quite sure it’s rather evident upon reading the series.
June 28, 2020
As a child, I read the series, and thought that The Fire Eternal was the end of the series. Years later, having found more books, I happily re-read them. After having finished, I now realize I was right originally--The Fire Eternal is the proper ending to the series, everything afterwards is superfluous garbage. There is one main reason that this is the hill I will die on : what kind of Conceited, arrogant, awful writer Ends an Entire Series by going through Every Single One of his literary mistakes and Claiming they were entirely Intentional and Justified ?!?!? Disgusting. Literally, one by one, he addresses every possible criticism you could have of him, his writing, and the plot, and tries-and fails-to justify it. As if he is so soft skinned he can't stand the thought of anyone criticizing him or his work. More than once, he insinuates that if you disagree or dislike his work, it's simply because you don't get it. The entire ending was just him congratulating and pleasuring himself. The audacity of this fraud to claim he's a decent writer. Utterly repulsive excuse of a novel.
June 15, 2012
The last book in the Last Dragon Chronicles series and I just can’t handle this…too many feels. I started reading this series when I was ten years old and I’ve kept reading as the books were released. My love of dragons didn’t begin with these books but it certainly helped it grow. These books made me look at writing and creativity differently as David Rain wrote and changed reality or Liz crafted dragons out of clay. I love these stories how I love Harry Potter because the stories grew with me, because they meant something to me and because they made me care. Care about what happened to these fictional humans and these fictional dragons and these fictional creatures which are sometimes one thing and sometimes not. And now we’re at the conclusion and I just can’t help but feel that these books meant more to me than I ever realized before.
May 18, 2012
I have been reading this series for the past five years, since fourth grade, when I got the first few books, to now, with a week until my last day of eighth grade. It will be hard to leave the series behind.
I loved everything about this book. EVERYTHING!!! The only thing that I didn't like was the fact that it's the last book in the series!
I will never forget them... Hrrrrrrr...
I loved everything about this book. EVERYTHING!!! The only thing that I didn't like was the fact that it's the last book in the series!
I will never forget them... Hrrrrrrr...
February 11, 2025
u know a book is confusing af when the wikipedia page just copies the back cover. this made no sense and i honestly cannot believe D’Lacey said it was his fav cuz it wrapped things up perfectly. HOW????? LITERALLY NOTHING MAKES SENSE!!!!!! Puh leaze.
April 24, 2025
This book starts by introducing a whole new cast of characters, including one who will secretly become a character we know later and one who will ultimately become the actual antagonist. The book proceeds with some wobbly time stuff, then lets us know it was basically all a dream.
Really?
By the end of book 3, I had already gotten to the point where this book series could no longer surprise me with its bad ideas. It's a total free for all that feels a lot more like a brainstorming session with a bit of proofreading than an actual novel. There are a lot of ideas in here, and for some reason, no one on the publishing team ever stopped to ask "Are you sure we need an alternate dimension?" or "Are you sure we want children who aren't actually children but transcendent beings who just happened to be born to the protagonist?" We got to know Gwillana and her story a lot more during this book, and while I can appreciate the effort and compassion that goes into transforming the series' antagonist into its protagonist in the end, I never actually cared and would have much preferred cute stories about clay dragons and squirrels. I don't know how this series got published beyond book 1 (which, incidentally, remains one of my top 20 favorite books of all time--how did things go so wrong?). There were moments when I set this book down for a few days, and when I came back to it, I asked, "wait, did I forget some important context? Because I have no idea what's going on," but when I skimmed the previous chapters, it became clear that, nope, I just don't get to know what's going on.
I read to the end precisely so I could write this review and have a book to bash during book club. And it is marvelous for that. But if you're looking for a book that has a sensible plot, believable and likable characters, wonderful and important themes, or an engaging style (you know, the very basics of what typically constitute a novel), I'd look elsewhere.
Really?
By the end of book 3, I had already gotten to the point where this book series could no longer surprise me with its bad ideas. It's a total free for all that feels a lot more like a brainstorming session with a bit of proofreading than an actual novel. There are a lot of ideas in here, and for some reason, no one on the publishing team ever stopped to ask "Are you sure we need an alternate dimension?" or "Are you sure we want children who aren't actually children but transcendent beings who just happened to be born to the protagonist?" We got to know Gwillana and her story a lot more during this book, and while I can appreciate the effort and compassion that goes into transforming the series' antagonist into its protagonist in the end, I never actually cared and would have much preferred cute stories about clay dragons and squirrels. I don't know how this series got published beyond book 1 (which, incidentally, remains one of my top 20 favorite books of all time--how did things go so wrong?). There were moments when I set this book down for a few days, and when I came back to it, I asked, "wait, did I forget some important context? Because I have no idea what's going on," but when I skimmed the previous chapters, it became clear that, nope, I just don't get to know what's going on.
I read to the end precisely so I could write this review and have a book to bash during book club. And it is marvelous for that. But if you're looking for a book that has a sensible plot, believable and likable characters, wonderful and important themes, or an engaging style (you know, the very basics of what typically constitute a novel), I'd look elsewhere.
January 12, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up.
Ohh boy. This was unfortunate. Right from the beginning I was surprised by the length of each 'chapter' which were actually called Parts. The first few were around 60-100 pages long. Still I found I rather enjoyed it this way. The story was so so good and 5 stars. All was going well....
.... & then the last, about 150 pages, it plummeted to 1 star. There was too much going on and regular chapters were brought back. It was very confusing and I lost track right away. I ended up basically skim reading parts then I gave up because it just wasn't worth it to finish it. I was bored and over it.
My thoughts on this as a whole series? Well it definitely has potential to be an amazing tv series and if that ever happens you can bet I'll be ready and waiting to watch it.
Would I recommend this? Yeah....yeah I do think so. It's worth giving a go and who knows, the last part of this book might be exactly what you like.
Ohh boy. This was unfortunate. Right from the beginning I was surprised by the length of each 'chapter' which were actually called Parts. The first few were around 60-100 pages long. Still I found I rather enjoyed it this way. The story was so so good and 5 stars. All was going well....
.... & then the last, about 150 pages, it plummeted to 1 star. There was too much going on and regular chapters were brought back. It was very confusing and I lost track right away. I ended up basically skim reading parts then I gave up because it just wasn't worth it to finish it. I was bored and over it.
My thoughts on this as a whole series? Well it definitely has potential to be an amazing tv series and if that ever happens you can bet I'll be ready and waiting to watch it.
Would I recommend this? Yeah....yeah I do think so. It's worth giving a go and who knows, the last part of this book might be exactly what you like.
January 29, 2024
Didn't understand a god damn thing in this entire book, but I'm pretty sure it's fire
April 9, 2023
Great read- left me wanting more
The wrap up - it was a great read.
Left me wanting more.
Will check out her other books that she has written
The wrap up - it was a great read.
Left me wanting more.
Will check out her other books that she has written
October 7, 2023
I’m 23 now and read this series when I was in 5th-6th grade. I remember being charmed by the whole series but now that I’m thinking back on it all� what the fuck (respectfully)
April 2, 2021
I’m definitely gonna need to process this one a bit! Very weird but it did answer lots of questions. The ending was both sad and happy but I think it was exactly what these books needed. Not where I thought these books would go when I started the series in middle school but I’m glad to have seen it through to the end!
August 26, 2017
I think I need to read them again, but remembering from when I last read them, I could make no sense out of the last two in the series at all.
January 6, 2015
What an end to an amazing series. I think the first one will always be my favourite when with David we meet the Pennykettles and their clay dragons, David's confusion as he tries to come to terms with the fact that they are alive. Onwards through fire tears, ice caps, polar bears and environmental messages, to darklings, physics and alternative timelines and paradoxes.
This series takes you on a bit of a rollercoaster and as David and Chris d'Lacey both explain, it has been an organic evolution of the storyline. The Fire Ascending wraps up what seemed like an ever expanding storyline and in the end I loved it. I can understand that many hated it, I myself was very confused when Fireworld suddenly switched to another world and wondered what on earth was happening as Darkfire had left things in a bit of a cliffhanger! Also this book seemed to bounce between so many different things. But it all started to come to a point, and then there were in effect a couple of epilogues... I started out hating how it was ending in the first, and then as I read the other parts it all came together in an ending which acknowledged all that had happened over the course of the series, but also allowed the characters to have lives after the events.
I have read these books over a number of years and have absolutely loved them and have them all at home (including the Dragons of Wayward Crescent series), and while I am a little sad that the story has ventured so far from the first one, I have grown with them and as intended can reflect back on the story and the various meanings within. I intend to go back and re-read the series cover to cover at some point as I have had to wait to get the last couple of books.
Definitely recommended!
This series takes you on a bit of a rollercoaster and as David and Chris d'Lacey both explain, it has been an organic evolution of the storyline. The Fire Ascending wraps up what seemed like an ever expanding storyline and in the end I loved it. I can understand that many hated it, I myself was very confused when Fireworld suddenly switched to another world and wondered what on earth was happening as Darkfire had left things in a bit of a cliffhanger! Also this book seemed to bounce between so many different things. But it all started to come to a point, and then there were in effect a couple of epilogues... I started out hating how it was ending in the first, and then as I read the other parts it all came together in an ending which acknowledged all that had happened over the course of the series, but also allowed the characters to have lives after the events.
I have read these books over a number of years and have absolutely loved them and have them all at home (including the Dragons of Wayward Crescent series), and while I am a little sad that the story has ventured so far from the first one, I have grown with them and as intended can reflect back on the story and the various meanings within. I intend to go back and re-read the series cover to cover at some point as I have had to wait to get the last couple of books.
Definitely recommended!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2020
Dragons
This series has been with me ever since my childhood, when i chanced upon a paperback copy of 'Icefire' in the bargain bin of our local bookstore. At the time, only four books were out...and I marathoned through all fourbin a matter of days. Every time a new one came out, I immidiately dashed down to the store for a hard copy, and chiseled my days away with the lovely Pennykettle dragons and mysterious David Rain. It took a lovely gap before 'The Fire Ascending'...which i snagged in ebook form, for convenience when I finally found it again. Just this year, on my 29th birthday I felt an indescribable pull towards them once again...and started to revisit all the older books, one after another (my wallet was crying by #4.) I must admit i don't think I ever finished Fire Ascending on the original go; a feat made Ll that more special when I marathoned them all through, in just under a month.
This series is powerful, and I've recommended it to everyone I know...though I would never lump the series into the "Children's" genre myself. Afterall, I got so very much more understanding out of them as an adult, I'd frequently be found exclaiming to no one a new connection i found, or event perceived (I'd done the audiobook versions of 'The First Wyrle' before this.) But I have to admit...the closing to this series is the best by far. Reuniting with a long-lost friend tends to do that, 'sometimes' ;P If you haven't read the others, or are picking through reviews to make your decision, don't; Pick up 'The Fire Within', and let the dragons hrrrr into your mind. You won't regret it, I promise!
This series has been with me ever since my childhood, when i chanced upon a paperback copy of 'Icefire' in the bargain bin of our local bookstore. At the time, only four books were out...and I marathoned through all fourbin a matter of days. Every time a new one came out, I immidiately dashed down to the store for a hard copy, and chiseled my days away with the lovely Pennykettle dragons and mysterious David Rain. It took a lovely gap before 'The Fire Ascending'...which i snagged in ebook form, for convenience when I finally found it again. Just this year, on my 29th birthday I felt an indescribable pull towards them once again...and started to revisit all the older books, one after another (my wallet was crying by #4.) I must admit i don't think I ever finished Fire Ascending on the original go; a feat made Ll that more special when I marathoned them all through, in just under a month.
This series is powerful, and I've recommended it to everyone I know...though I would never lump the series into the "Children's" genre myself. Afterall, I got so very much more understanding out of them as an adult, I'd frequently be found exclaiming to no one a new connection i found, or event perceived (I'd done the audiobook versions of 'The First Wyrle' before this.) But I have to admit...the closing to this series is the best by far. Reuniting with a long-lost friend tends to do that, 'sometimes' ;P If you haven't read the others, or are picking through reviews to make your decision, don't; Pick up 'The Fire Within', and let the dragons hrrrr into your mind. You won't regret it, I promise!
August 8, 2020
I read this series back when I was 13 and fell in love with the first 3 books, but every book afterward got worse and worse. None of it made sense, the story was happening in about seven places at once, books would start in alternate realities with no warning - the whole thing just became more and more of a chore. I remember reading the penultimate book in which an eight year time jump happens for literally no reason other than to get that storyline up to date with the parallel reality's; I couldn't believe how lazy things had gotten. It felt like d'Lacey was making the storyline more and more complex to vex you into not noticing the shortcuts.
I got a chapter into this last book and returned it to the school library. I remember another kid asking me what I thought and I told him I loved the first few but the rest got less and less coherent. He nodded, and said "I couldn't even finish the last one." Kinda baffles me seeing so many glowing reviews of this one. The series just saddened me as it went on; there was so much life and potential in that first book, but it just felt like d'Lacey gave up by book four. That said, if people enjoyed it enough to rate this a 5, I might've been missing something.
I got a chapter into this last book and returned it to the school library. I remember another kid asking me what I thought and I told him I loved the first few but the rest got less and less coherent. He nodded, and said "I couldn't even finish the last one." Kinda baffles me seeing so many glowing reviews of this one. The series just saddened me as it went on; there was so much life and potential in that first book, but it just felt like d'Lacey gave up by book four. That said, if people enjoyed it enough to rate this a 5, I might've been missing something.
November 8, 2020
I thought this book was horrible. It was like reading the scribblings of someone's drug induced halucinations. It kept skipping back and forth between time and people and places. I was so lost and confused, it was awful. The plot was bad, the characters were bad, the action was boring, the world was confusing. I didn't care anymore about any of the characters or what happened to them especially when people kept dying and resurrecting and being clones and jumping from world to world and being different people in different places and what, WHAT!? Yeah, this series was a mess. Not worth reading.
In the end of the book the characters are talking about David's books (don't ask) and they say:
"...he wrote the books organically."
"Meaning they should come out as they wanted to. Unplanned."
"Yes. This is why there are some loosed ends or seemingly impossible complexities in the stories: They reflect the nature of spontaneous creation, the chaotic universe of a writer's mind..."
I feel like this was a cheap trick by the author to explain his mistakes, to claim this mess was somehow just how a writer's mind works. This may be how a story originates in a writer's mind, but it is his responsibility to create something that makes sense for the reader before it is published.
In the end of the book the characters are talking about David's books (don't ask) and they say:
"...he wrote the books organically."
"Meaning they should come out as they wanted to. Unplanned."
"Yes. This is why there are some loosed ends or seemingly impossible complexities in the stories: They reflect the nature of spontaneous creation, the chaotic universe of a writer's mind..."
I feel like this was a cheap trick by the author to explain his mistakes, to claim this mess was somehow just how a writer's mind works. This may be how a story originates in a writer's mind, but it is his responsibility to create something that makes sense for the reader before it is published.
March 24, 2015
Imagine if the world you live in was the exact same as it is now. Simple right? Now imagine that same reality, but with a hidden world of dragons. Dragons that can walk, talk, fix objects, make potions, see all, hear all, read, write, and of course fly and breathe fire. That is the world David Rain, Zanna Martindale, Tam Ferrell Elizabeth, Arthur, and Lucy Pennykettle all live in. The dragons are starting to repopulate our home and with them the Ix, evil being who wish to rule the earth. David, Zanna, and Lucy, and Tam are stuck right in between the two raging armies. Even with the help of all of their allies, can they survive the unavoidable battle?
The Fire Ascending is based in a lot of different times and places. When it comes to time, The Fire Ascending ranges from thousands of years before present day time, to a thousand years after that, then to present day time. The place stays the same throughout the book, planet earth.
The Fire Ascending is based in a lot of different times and places. When it comes to time, The Fire Ascending ranges from thousands of years before present day time, to a thousand years after that, then to present day time. The place stays the same throughout the book, planet earth.
May 13, 2012
I can honestly say I've grown up with these books since I picked up The Fire Within at a Barnes & Noble in eighth grade (I just got done with my junior year of college). I know for me personally, I feel like these books have grown with me, starting out pretty innocently and becoming more serious as they went on. This was a great conclusion to an awesome series. At first I was confused that the focus was on backstory, but I came to enjoy the perspective and it really helped you understand the lives and motives of the characters. I'm also not afraid to admit that the time and dimension shifts appealed to the Whovian in me. For once D'Lacey doesn't leave us with a devastating cliffhanger and wraps everything up pretty well. This series as a whole will definitely get a reread whenever I get the time.
November 5, 2022
I absolutely LOVED this series when I was younger. Completely addicted!
Of course I was though...it was about DRAGONS!
I would wait for the books to come out and surprise me, not knowing what to expect next and spending my afternoons reading its contents instead of doing my homework. How a young boy can experience a journey of magic with a creature I am obsessed with is thrilling and I became hooked on the series. Honestly, I had not touched the series in a long time, and passed on the collection I had to another young reader hoping to give them a creation I loved.
I came across an entire box set the other day, and instantly bought it! Truthfully, I cannot remember the full plot or characters...but I know it had an effect on me to the point that as someone who is in their mid-twenties and not read its story in a long time...it was a marvellous and must read creation!
Of course I was though...it was about DRAGONS!
I would wait for the books to come out and surprise me, not knowing what to expect next and spending my afternoons reading its contents instead of doing my homework. How a young boy can experience a journey of magic with a creature I am obsessed with is thrilling and I became hooked on the series. Honestly, I had not touched the series in a long time, and passed on the collection I had to another young reader hoping to give them a creation I loved.
I came across an entire box set the other day, and instantly bought it! Truthfully, I cannot remember the full plot or characters...but I know it had an effect on me to the point that as someone who is in their mid-twenties and not read its story in a long time...it was a marvellous and must read creation!
February 11, 2017
Wow. This is a stunning book. It's absolutely not my usual genre (but I let my 1st Grade students choose books for me!) but I loved every minute of it. It's beautifully written with incredible imagination, painting glorious technicolor pictures in the reader's head. I stayed up all night to get it finished, but had to force myself to slow down to really appreciate the depth of the writing. It's amazing, and I loved it.
May 14, 2019
Finally it’s over
All the pain and suffering
Finished
I hate this series
It started out good
Now I just want to throw these books out a window
Life lesson: Don’t by every book in a series at the same time. You might be stuck having to put yourself throw painful hours of reading boring nonsense.
All the pain and suffering
Finished
I hate this series
It started out good
Now I just want to throw these books out a window
Life lesson: Don’t by every book in a series at the same time. You might be stuck having to put yourself throw painful hours of reading boring nonsense.
June 11, 2020
This series was good, but I don't think I would read it again. The Pennykettle dragons were definitely my favorite characters, and I wish that there could have been more content with them just interacting with each other. Although I understand the premise of the last book, everything still felt a little rushed and not thought out well, making me feel a bit unresolved at the end.
June 25, 2011
I hope that this one is about the real David and Zanna, not David and Rosa. And why did he have that happen? was it the world that came when they were all vaporized? Was it a probable reality of slightly different versions of David and Zanna and Arthur and Liz and the rest?
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