Fire Star (novel)

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Fire Star
Author Chris D'Lacey
Country United States
Language English
Series The Fire Within series
Genre(s) Fantasy novel
Publisher Scholastic Press
Publication date September 7, 2006
Media type Print (Paperback), (Hardback)
Pages 464 pp
ISBN ISBN 1-843-62522-9
Preceded by Icefire
Followed by The Fire Eternal

Fire Star is a 2006 novel by an English author, Chris D'Lacey. It is the sequel to his 2003 novel Icefire, and is followed by The Fire Eternal, which came out in September 2007.

[edit] Plot summary

The story started in The Fire Within and Icefire, about a student, David Rain, and his mysterious clay dragons: Gadzooks (His writing Dragon, made by Liz / Elizabeth), G'reth (His wishing dragon, made by Lucy), and Golly (His healing Dragon, he made this himself).

Gwilanna, an evil sibyl that first starred in Icefire, returns and this time, she kidnaps Lucy, in the hopes of appeasing Gawain, who she hopes to revive. Zanna, whilst on her field-trip to the Arctic, goes missing in a strange phenomenon in which she was taken by a group of polar bears. David is in the middle of a new story, entitled White Fire, inspired by the white bears. The talent seen in The Fire Within, which enables David to create situations through writing, is seen again. One of the bears who took Zanna is revealed as one of David's characters, Ingavar.

Zanna is later found and reveals her powers as a strong sibyl. David later is killed in a fight with the evil Fain as Tootega, when the Fain throws a spear at his chest, because he spoke of the fire tear in the presence of the Tooth of Ragnar. It is hinted the books are written by Liz's ex-boyfriend, Arthur, who used one of Grockle's (now brought back to life following one of Gollygosh Golightly's plans) claws to change events. In the end, we find out that Zanna is pregnant with David's child. Arthur returns to live with Liz, and Snigger is released back to the wild.

[edit] Characters

''Humans''

Elizabeth Pennykettle (Liz) - David's landlady; the maker of the mysterious clay dragons; uses Icefire to create them.

Lucy Pennykettle - Liz's daughter, an 11-year-old girl who strongly believes in dragons; can be very mischievous; can also make dragons.

David Rain - the protagonist; Liz's lodger; a somewhat emotional college student with an affinity for dragons. His dragons are Gadzooks, Golly, and G'reth.

Suzanna Martindale (Zanna) - Zanna is a Goth, girl, college student who falls in love with David,who is at this point is pregnant with his child, and knows a great deal about dragons. She is a descendant of Gwendolen, a powerful sibyl.

Guinevere - in legend (history?), she was the girl who caught Gawain's fire tear in ages long past. Presumably dead.

Gwendolen (pronounced: Ga - wen - do - len) - a girl created by Gwilanna from a lock of Guinevere's hair, Gawain's scale, clay, and Gwilanna's blood

Gwilanna - A sibyl who helps Guinevere and conjures Gwendolen for her. Gwilanna also bewitches Grockle to become a dragon as part of a plan to reawaken Gawain. She also can turn into a raven, a polar bear, and an Arctic fox.

Dr. Bergstrom - A guest at the college David goes to for lecturing. Has the ability to turn into a polar bear; it is implied that he is Thoran.

Arthur / Brother Vincent - Liz's ex-boyfriend and Lucy's foster father; used to be an astrophysicist; becomes blind after comingling with Fain.

Bernard - A monk on Farlowe Island who aids Grockle and Arthur.

Tootega - An Inuk; a guide for the trip Zanna and David were on. Goes on a long journey with Zanna before getting possessed by the Fain and eventually having his heart ripped out from his chest. It is interesting to note that he is named after Tootega, an Inuit goddess.


'Dragons'

Gadzooks - David's story-writing dragon (the first dragon given to him).

Gawain - The last real dragon of the world; he is supposedly "dead."

Godith - In legend, the female dragon who created the world.

Gollygosh Golightly - David's natural healing dragon; he made it himself; Nicknamed "Golly."

Grockle - The "son" of Zanna and Gawain the dragon, originally intended to be a human boy; bewitched by Gwilanna to become a dragon. He later leaves Earth to join the Fain.

G'reth - The wishing dragon; made by Lucy (travels through time and space, meets the Fain).

Gretel - The potions dragon and servant of Gwilanna, and later Zanna. Betrays Liz when the evil Fain possesses Henry Bacon, Liz's neighbor.

Groyne - Bergstrom's white, birdlike dragon; camouflages himself as a narwhal Inuk talisman.

Gruffen - A guard dragon. Noted to be one of Liz's favorite dragons.


'Others'

Thoran - a sort of shaman or "Teller" among the bears.

Ragnar - one of the old rulers of the Arctic.

Ingavar - a descendant of Ragnar who was enlisted by Gwilanna, killed by Grockle, and whose spirit killed Tootega. He brought the tooth of Ragnar down into the ocean by force when the evil Fain possessed him.

Mother Polar Bear - A mother polar bear who shelters Lucy during the long Arctic winter and saves her when the Tooth of Ragnar collapses around them.

The Fain - A race of higher beings called Fain who worship dragons, one of them attempts to wreak havoc on the world, while another is in the body of Gwilanna. The first Fain kills Gwilanna (by imprisoning her in a block of ice), Darius (a monk), and Tootega. However, David beats it before he dies by telling him of the secret of the fire tear. At this point, the Greatest Bear appears and rips the evil Fain apart, killing it.

G'ravity - A Fain mentions something called "G'Ravity" and asks why David submits to it. Nothing more is known.

(Small note: In the story it says that Liz, Lucy, and Zanna are all part dragons)