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Chris d'Lacey is a hugely talented children's writer, whose first novel for older children, Fly, Cherokee Fly was highly commended for the Carnegie Medal in 1999. This is his third Red Apple for Orchard. Chris loves animals and enjoys writing about them, his favourite animals being squirrels, polar bears, pigeons and cats. He lives in Leicester with his wife and manages to find time for a full-time scientific post at Leicester University, alongside his writing.
The third in the series that began with The Fire Within (2005) leads its characters into a world-saving adventure in the Arctic. College student David and his girlfriend Zanna are ostensibly researching global warming with their professor, Dr. Bergstrom. None of the three, however, are really what they seem. David's writing, inspired by his muse, the dragon Gadzooks, has a disturbing tendency to come true. Zanna is a sibyl with unexpected powers, and Bergstrom is trying to prevent an apocalyptic summoning of dragons. Meanwhile, David's young friend, Lucy, is kidnapped by her powerful sibyl ancestor and imprisoned in the ice. Side plots intrigue, though they are marred by flat and stereotyped characterization: intolerant, superstitious monks; nearly bestial Inuit gifted with shamanic knowledge and the like. The mixed ages of the protagonists (college students, young child, adults mourning lost love) lead to some inconsistency of style, but the originality of the approach makes up for shortcomings in implementation. An entertaining adventure. (Fantasy. 9-11) (Kirkus Reviews)
