Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis: Young Adult Fantasy for Everyone

Billy Bannister is not an average kid, but who is, right? All kids have baggage they need to work through as they travel along the perilous path leading to adulthood. Being different and worried about fitting in with others is a normal part of the adolescent experience.

Some kids think they're too short or too tall; too "nerdy" or not smart enough, while others worry about their looks, having a "bad hair day", or what the kids at school will think of their new, shiny and completely embarrassing braces.

Unfortunately for Billy, his concerns aren't nearly as mundane as struggling with Math, getting picked on by the local bully, or not having a date for the next dance. A "bad hair day" would be a walk in the park for Billy; a "bad breath day" is more his milieu.

Billy's breath is bad - I'm not kidding. Horribly, hot…atomic, even. So hot, on his worst days he's afraid of talking to his friends face to face, or burning his mother's cheek when he kisses her goodbye before rushing off to the school bus.

Like every good pre-teen who's struggling with the often embarrassing complications of impending teen-hood, Billy does his best to hide his growing predicament - breath mints, drinking everything from lots of water to cans and cans of soda. Nothing seems to work, however, and his breath just keeps getting hotter and hotter.

Of course, Billy is not like other kids; that's clear even to him. However, what he doesn't know is why, and when the secret comes out, he feels amazed, shocked, horrified - even a bit appalled and betrayed.

For you see, Billy is part dragon, son of the only remaining dragon - the last of an ancient, majestic race teetering on the brink of extinction. They've been forced into hiding in human form by a zealous and determined order of knights sworn to rid the Earth of dragons - the dragon slayers.

Secrets and ancient prophesies unfold as everything Billy holds dear unwinds and falls apart. He learns of the origins of dragons; how some fell into darkness and others served the light of their Creator, and what forced them into exile. He struggles with the awe of it all, as well as the bitter sense that his life up until now has been a fabrication, a lie. Most importantly, Billy struggles to have faith it will all work for good in the end; that God will provide for both man and dragon.

As the prophecy of dragons speeds toward its fulfillment, Billy will witness the affirming power of faith, of the loving support of true friendship, and the devotion of a father to his son.

Raising Dragons is the first volume of a four part series entitled Dragons In Our Midst, written by author Bryan Davis. It is a rich, contemporary fantasy in the spirit of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Pendragon Circle by Stephen Lawhead and The Wrinkle In Time books by Madeleine L' Engle.

Over the years, many writers have tried to produce "Christian Fantasies" the likes of the aforementioned writers, but none of them have done quite as well as Davis, who blends the "flight of fancy" elements of fantasy with Christian themes skillfully and smoothly. The characters are deep and engaging, as well as contemporary and relevant.

Davis also presents a nice twist of the Arthurian Legend, presenting King Arthur and Merlin in a different, fresh light. The elements of Arthurian legend are "kid friendly", though - easy for them to access and enjoy. Davis successfully ties off Raising Dragons as a standalone story, while leaving plenty of room for the prophecy to play itself out in the following books.

Parents, this is an excellent book to counter the Harry Potter craze; an enjoyable, entertaining romp through the worlds of dragons, knights in shining armor, mysterious rings and ancient prophecies; but also uplifting and edifying. Raising Dragons and by extension the entire Dragons In Our Midst series is an excellent Christian-based young adolescent series.

To learn more about Raising Dragons and the rest of the series, visit the author's website at: www.dragonsinourmidst.com. All of the books are available for order through your local bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Parable.com, or Christianbook.com.

Bryan Davis is currently working on Eye of the Oracle, the first book in a prequel series to Dragons in Our Midst.