School Library Journal

Gr 5-9-An imaginary kingdom resembling Scandinavia during the Dark Ages is troubled by dragons, and spirited Kara, the heroine of this prequel to the author's Dragon's Milk (Atheneum, 1989), finds herself unwillingly enmeshed in her sovereign's plot to exterminate the creatures. Kara, marked as an outsider by her green eyes and her ability to communicate telepathically, uses this talent to call a dragon into range of the king's archers. Striken with guilt and grief when it is killed, Kara refuses to call the others. To escape her king's wrath, she flees into snowbound mountains, where she joins forces with a ``kyn'' or family of dragons, and conceives a plan to help them find refuge far from humankind. Kazan, a handsome foreigner, remains steadfastly devoted to Kara throughout. But her most engaging companion is Skava, the gyrfalcon she trains with the help of the royal falconer. The details of falconry, vividly described, add interest to the book. Fletcher's dragons are intelligent, if volatile, creatures of Earth, without the mythic resonance endowed them by Yep, McKinley, or LeGuin. Though characters and plot are a bit predictable, the writing is smooth, and the action fast paced. Buy for readers who enjoyed the earlier book, or for devotees of the growing number of dragon romances.- Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA

Kirkus Reviews

A prequel to Dragon's Milk (1991), explaining how there came to be dragons in a hidden valley. Since Kara can call birds, the king sends for her to call, not birds, but dragons, because he has sworn to eradicate them. After Kara summons the dragon that once nursed her, she's outraged and appalled when it's killed. Escaping to the mountains, she stumbles on the dragons' lair; and although those there fear and despise her for the death, they agree to let her lead them to a warm, isolated place known to Kara's love, Kazan, a young trader. The plan works; the dragons are saved, and Kara joins Kazan. It's all a little forced and contrived—the story never quite explains why Kara is foolish enough to call the dragon that's killed, or just how the dragons would be led to a promised land she's never seen. But then, high fantasy need not compute, and there's a satisfactorily remote, stern, and romantic air here that will please fantasy buffs. (Fiction. 10+)"

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1993)

Fifteen-year-old Kara, taken to the court of the king for her uncanny skill at calling birds, discovers she can call dragons and finds herself heartbroken when one is killed. Kara's strength and cleverness bring both satisfaction to the dragon-hunting king and safety to the creatures. A well-written fantasy with subtle characterization, an intriguing glimpse at falconry, and a close look at the ever-fascinating dragon.

ALA Booklist (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 1994)

When Kara is taken to the king because of her special powers to call down birds, she at first can't understand why her talent should be so important. But after living in the royal palace for a while, she discovers her real mission will be to call down dragons so the king can slay them, avenge a death, and win the hand of Signy. With her gyrfalcon Skava, Kara is led to the place of the dragons and forced to call them. A dragon who had saved Kara's life when she was a small child heeds the call and is immediately slain, much to her horror. When bid by the king to call the rest, she struggles with her decision and escapes, vowing to save the dragons. In this exciting drama, readers empathize with the deftly crafted characters, always aware of the struggle between good and evil, honor and dishonor. The falconer's art meshes neatly into the plot, making this well-written fantasy a joy to read. Dragons are a mysterious and powerful subject with large audience appeal, and Fletcher pens some of the best yarns around. (Reviewed Jan. 15, 1994)