The Dragon's Tooth
 | |
| Author | N.D. Wilson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | None |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Ashtown Burials |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Random House |
Publication date | August 23, 2011 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 485 |
| ISBN | ISBN 978-0-375-86439-1 |
| Followed by | The Drowned Vault |
The Dragon's Tooth is a 2011 fantasy novel written by N.D. Wilson. It is the first installment in the Ashtown Burials series and follows members of the Smith family, especially siblings Cyrus and Antigone who are new initiates in a secret society of explorers known as the Order of Brendan.
The author has stated that his intention was to write a young adult fantasy series whose sensibility and orientation were clearly American, in contrast to the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fantasy series which are both anchored in an English milieu. And though the novel has some aspects of the occult and supernatural, he also strived to base the series in the physical realm, where the characters are forced to rely on their physical and mental acuity, hoping to motivate readers to be enchanted by "the wonder of here and the wonder of now." [1]
The book is replete with cultural, historical, and mythological references, such as the dragon's tooth of the title which is a reference to the Dragon's teeth of Greek mythology used by Jason in his quest for the Golden Fleece. Meanwhile, the antagonist of the novel, known as "Phoenix," references such classic villains as Dr. Moreau and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Critical reception to the novel was positive. Publishers Weekly, in a "starred review," referred to the book's "measured prose and smart dialogue." [2] Kirkus Book Reviews noted that the book's "somewhat bombastic prose" was balanced by the heroes' "winsome charm." [3]
Notes
- ↑ Interview with NPR, November 10, 2011, http://www.npr.org/2011/11/10/142207375/epic-fantasy-meets-americana-in-the-dragons-tooth (accessed 14 January 2012).
- ↑ Publisher's Weekly, August 2011, http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-86439-1 (accessed 14 January 2012).
- ↑ Kirkus Book Reviews, July 1, 2011, http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/nd-wilson/dragons-tooth/#review (accessed 14 January 2012).
| ||||||||||||||