SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY
When Edmund is sent on a ship for the first time on his own, he meets a girl named Elspeth. And the two end up together after some unfortunate events. They have to learn rely on each other strengths in order to defeat a man named Ogrim. But there is also the matter of a certain dragon.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Edmund is a young prince from another land who has lived a rather sheltered life. He is well aware of his own failings and is afraid to be seen as a coward.
Elspeth is the daughter of a captain of a ship who sails with him on his journeys. She is rather close to her father as he is her only family.
Aagard is a mentor to Elspeth and Edmund, who reveals information about Ogrim. And also reveals that if they go on a ship, the dragon will find them. He used to work for his land's King.
Cluaran is a wandering minstrel who ends up guiding and protecting the main characters, but he does it begrudgingly, as a favor to Aagard. He informs Edmund about an imporant aspect of Ripente's that helps Edmund in the climax. He says he has his own agenda.
Ogrim is the main villain of the story. But we don't meet him till near the end of the story.
PACING & POV
Although the story jumps right into a storm, I didn't find it very fast paced.
The perspectives randomly jump back and forth between Edmund and Elspeth not in different cliff hanger paragraph endings, but in the same part of the story.
The story does have action though: being chased by guards on horseback as well as on foot happens throughout. I just didn't feel it was the fastest pacing.
THE RIPENTE-SPOILERS
We learn rather fast the Edmund is something called a Ripente, a person who can see though others eyes. In Edmund's case, the dragon who attacked his ship.
THE CHEST AND THE SWORD
After being brought to Aagard's home, Elspeth opens a chest and ends up summoning a magical sword on accident. So Aagard explains he found that chest washed up from their ship. He then explains a prophecy about it and a hero who will use it.
The sword talks to Elspeth in riddles and even comes when it isn't summoned, causing them to be captured. I never learned much about it and it all felt too vague. I wanted to learn something specific about it.
EDMUND's ROLE
Edmund can dream and see through the eyes of the dragon as well as psychic skills. While Elspeth ends up with a weapon.
I thought it was kind of strange to put the physically weaker female in the role of protector, when any woman could easily be overpowered by a man. There is no mention of the sword giving Elspeth amazing strength. So perhaps we are supposed to believe she can fend off men stronger then her.
Also, Edmund reiterates the feelings that he is a coward. Wielding a sword and having to risk his life would be a good way for him to gain bravery. And he could question if the bravery and skills was his own, or the swords.
ELSPETH'S ROLE
Elspeth has her sword that she can summon and use. Also, she saves Edmund from drowning, before she even gets her sword.
Elspeth is different than Edmund that she doesn't think of being strong or brave much. Although she is confused about the sword and why it won't let her go. This comes for her rational desire to be safe and not get involved in some dangerous mission with a magical sword that speaks in riddles.
Also, speaking her being a girl, she ends up cutting her hair off and dressing like a boy. But she doesnt' find any discomfort in this. I felt she should have, having spent her entire life with long hair and a skirt, to have to pretend to be something so different from herself should have given her pause. But perhaps I should be glad she didn't complain about being oppressed in her skirt.
ELSPETH'S LOSS
Elspeth's father supposedly died in this book. I say supposedly because she never found his body. And yet I felt nor sorrow for her because there isn't any scenes with them together.
If we hadn't rushed so fast into the story, we may have been able to set up a relationship with him.
The same thing happens with Edmund and his mother, we just get told about her in past tense. No flash backs or anything. But it's fine for him, because his relationship with his mother has nor baring on the plot. Although it may have served the story to refer to how sheltered she kept him or how her upbringing affected him.
However it would have greatly helped if we had at least one flashback of Elspeth and her father to witness their relationship and the tension of the scene.
ELSPETH & EDMUND
I don't feel like much binds these two characters together. Edmund starts out defensive and mad at being seen acting cowardly. They later become friends but I didn't feel like they had much in common. There was no natural progression from this defensive manner to their friendship. Perhaps revealing how they had a close relationship with their single parent's would have helped.
EDMUND'S REVEAL
Edmund eventually reveals who he truly is...and we don't get to see the immediate reaction of the person most close to him, Elspeth. She is in the same room with him so there is no reason to ignore her. In fact it's to the detriment to their relationship and the tension of the scene.
CAPTAIN CATHBAR-SPOILERS
Turns out the captain is one of the king's men. I didn't know anything of him, so this wasn't a surprise to me. Turns out he knows of Aagard.
THE HUNT OF THE BOARS-SPOILERS
They end up hunting some evil boars where Edmund learns that if an animal is killed while you are seeing through its eyes, you will go blind.
CLUARAN THE TRAITOR?-SPOILERS
Cluaran seems to wander off a lot and we don't know much about him. But because of that, when Edmund points out that he abandoned them, I wasn't really shocked. I just didn't care nor did I have any defense for Cluaran. So when he shows back up, my reaction wasn't surprise or happiness. I just didn't care.
A TWIST?-SPOILERS
Edmund reveals to the reader his one friend growing up, his mother's brother. It's only one mention and about a page or so long. Not enough to really understand the importance of this relationship or develop any depth.
So when it turns out that Ogrim is actually his mother's brother, I felt nothing. Even worse, there were no hints leading up to it. It just seems thrown in there for shock value. But how could I be shocked when I barely even knew anything about this man? Perhaps the clue was he was a foreigner from Venta, but Edmund is from Sussex.
THE PROBLEM OF OGRIM-SPOILERS
Ogrim reveal hatred for Edmund but we never witnessed their previous relationship. So it all just falls flat. How could I feel bad for Edmund when I hadn't seen any closeness between him and this man?
CLIMAX
The guards capture Edmund and Elspeth but with the help of a friend, they attempt to free her. Edmund manages to defeat Ogrim with information he received from Cluaran.
CONCLUSION
I don't mind the story being unoriginal. If characters are distinct and likable I find that more important. As well as the relationship dynamics and character arcs.
But unfortunately the characters were all rather bland. I never got to know them well enough to understand their motivations.
I found the whole idea about the prophecy and Ogrim rather vague. And the twist reveal didn't have the intended affect upon me. I give “The Coming of Dragons” two stars.
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