Icefire

David, student and fledgling writer for children, lodges with Liz, a maker of clay (but not lifeless) dragons. The quiet magic of the dragon’s existence is the prelude to an ancient mythology of the last dragons and their arctic allies the bears and the tussle to reclaim the dragon Gawain’s fire tear. When the terrifying Gwilanna appears (no one believes her alias as Aunty Gwyneth) the present and peaceful world becomes a vicious battle where clay dragons all have roles alongside the humans. The fantasy creaks a little early on as if it may be mumbo jumbo but, by the end, the reader is in that cold snowy wild, exhausted from the ordeal. The essential grip on the real world may be what is missing and even confusing at times, or is it the undercurrent of humour – so dangerous if you’re trying to take fantasy seriously? An intensely imagined fantasy world where richness of plot and range of characters may require sequels.