Here, There Be Dragons (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica Series #1) Book

Library edition...to the head of the line it goes!

This book started out well and I was immediately interested. The characters are interesting and the story begins to roll along laying out the basic idea and the overriding theme. Unfortunately it's not long before the book bogs down...I suppose overwhelmed by it's own "wonder".

I know that some love this (these) books. I can even see why, I know there are readers who will be totally enamored by the very things that finally caused the book to fall out of my "good books" (possibly a double meaning there). I think it might be said of this book and my reaction to it that I just "missed the magic". In the end I wasn't sucked into the "feel" of the book. There came a time in the book about when they reached the Keep of Time (he said mysteriously being careful not to reveal more than the name lest there be a spoiler) that I knew I was fading out. When you're reading a book and your mind keeps wandering off to what you plan to read next, when you should start dinner, or whether you've checked the mail today or not, something's wrong.

I suspect many of you will find the setting and the idea behind the book familiar. It has been done before. You'll also recognize the characters (or at least who they're supposed to be) as you come across them, though they've been played fast and loose with at times(***update a couple of years after the original review*** Oops. "played fast and loose with"??? I seem to have attempted murder on my "grammar" there, sorry***). I got through the book, but I skipped forward several times. The author is doing his best to bring you into his world and get you to "know" his characters. Unfortunately this often devolves into long, pointless conversations that sometimes attempt to move beyond plot exposition into "cuteness" and humor. Too often however they manage to only be slow, boring, or even silly and annoying.

I suppose I should look at this as a youth book and accept that as the reason for the above, but I see no reason to talk down to YA readers???

The above is of course (as always) only my opinion. I know many liked this book and it's sequels greatly, I however do not. I didn't get into this volume, was glad to see it end and don't plan to follow it up. If it's a book you like I'm happy for you, please enjoy. Not for me however. I didn't hate it, mostly I was only left cold and bored by it.