The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E K Johnston

Owen is sixteen and bad at math.  (I was like that at that age, too.)  When Siobhan offers to tutor him so he can get passing grades, he accepts her help.  He had no clue that she would become his bard...


Carolrhoda Lab and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to download and read this ebook (thank you).  It will be published in March, so keep an eyeball out for it then.

Ms. Johnston creates a very interesting world where using fossil fuels attracts dragons.  Maybe if you faced the possibility of a dragon eating you when you went to the store, you might go less often, right?  When Henry Ford finds out dragons are attracted to cars, he hires a dragon slayer.  Soon all the small villagers have lost their dragon slayers to Mr. Ford and his money.  That leaves them helpless when attacked.  It also means the dragon slayers are taking more chances with their lives.

Owen is no ordinary schoolboy.  He has dragon slayer blood in him.  He's not interested in fighting dragons but he soon has no choice.  A retired dragon slayer (injured in the line of duty) agrees to work with him and train him.  She tells him all dragon slayers must have a bard, so Siobhan changes from algebra tutor to bard.

There are more and more dragons all the time, most of them younger.  This team of dragon slayers must find the birthing site and stop the dragons.  A badly injured dragon slayer, a new dragon slayer, and an adult male dragon slayer are not enough to face a large family of dragons.  However, that's all they have...

There's lots of action, not everyone escapes unscathed and you aren't sure who is going to win the battle.  The story kept my attention, was written well, and I enjoyed watching Owen grow up.  You never know what you can do until you try; he's a good example of that.

Happy reading.