Dragon of the Lost Sea

by Laurence Yep

Book Overview

The outlawed princess of the Dragon Clan and her young human companion undergo fearsome trials in their quest for an evil enchantress. 'Dramatic tension stays high. Weaves Chinese legend into an exciting tapestry of myth and folklore.' --BL.

Notable Children's Books of 1982 (ALA)
100 Favorite Paperbacks of 1989 (IRA/CBC)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064402274
• ISBN13: 9780064402279
• Release Date: June 1988
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

One of my all time favorites

I picked up this book at a second hand store one day when I was about eleven, mainly because it looked like a good book. I was absolutely awestruck. I am now sixteen and it remains one of my favorite fantasies. I have read it at least ten times, and never get bored. The book is all about a dragon princess named Shimmer who is in exile for stealing a magical stone (the dream pearl) and while in exile, a witch steals the sea which is her home. Now she is searching for the witch so she can get back the sea in hopes for redemption, in a sense. She also has to team up with a young human boy named Thorn. This rubs her the wrong way because dragon's have very high egos and are very proud beasts. Well, anyway, the book basically recounts the adventures until she finds Civet (the witch). I know, it sounds like a simple plot, but it is really very good. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy books. Also, I'm so stoked! There are sequels! I never knew there were sequels, now I'm happy. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THIS BOOK!! *walks off to read sequels, making odd "squee" noises*

One of the best fantasy books I have ever read

I have always loved reading mythology of all kinds and though I had dabbled a bit in chinese here and there I didn't take a real interest in it until I read this book. The story is told from the point of veiw of Shimmer, an outcast dragon princess who has lost her home, her family, and everything she ever cared about. At first she seems content to wander the world alone and search for a way to help her lost people, but then she meets Thorn, an orphan human boy, who is also somewhat of an outcast among his people. At first they seem an unlikely match, but gradually they begin to understand they are two of a kind and begin to build a strong caring companionship. This book has excelent character development, and breathtaking discriptions, as well as realistic action scenes. The writing is good and easy to comprehend. I would reccamend this book to any fantasy fan, though people 10 to 15 would probably enjoy it best.

The tale of an exiled dragon...

This is a story for all Fantasy-Fiction lovers. It is about an exiled dragon who has lost her home (the Inland Sea). She is on a quest to recapture the mist stone (the gem containing the sea by magic) from an evil witch named Civet. The dragon, whose name is Shimmer, has a human boy companion, and they go through all sorts of adventures fighting magical paper cutouts, battling mages and witches etc. I guarantee that you will like this book if you like reading about dragons.

Dragon of the Lost Sea

An intriguing and unique fantasy story based on Chinese mythos, written in Yep's captivating style. It features an exiled dragon princess named Shimmer, who is impressed by the courage and fairness of a young boy named Thorn. After a warrior of the witch Civet attacks Thorn, Shimmer saves him and takes him away from his abusive master.Civet once stole the sea belonging to the race of dragons and confined it in a pebble, leaving it a salt-covered wasteland. Shimmer, who has a terrible secret of her own, has decided to find her and reclaim the waters of her home. They set out across the sea and meet the mischievous and irritating Monkey, then find Civet after she floods a village.The dialogue is snappy and amusing, and the descriptions are well-done, especially the beautiful visions of the dragons' seas, prior to their draining by Civet. Yep strikes an excellent balance between spare prose and descriptive prose, placing each where it belongs.Shimmer's tough shell (she has both a literal and figurative one) is an effective shield against the kindof hurt that she has suffered in the past, given her rejection prior to this book. Her attempts to rebuff Thorn, or to convince him that she doesn't need his help and can do things perfectly well on her own, are as unconvincing to the readers as they are to Thorn. She needs a friend, though she does not wish to admit it.An effective counterbalance to her cynicism and I-don't-need-anybody attitude is Thorn, an intelligent and optimistic young boy, who was basically enslaved at an inn with an abusive master. He becomes Shimmer's friend after his rescue, wanting to help her out of sheer kindness. The situations in which he jolts her out of her huffs are entertaining and snappily written.An excellent, classic fantasy, well worth the while of the reader.

An excellent fantasy full of wonderful characters.

Humans are usually thought of as the superior creatures to dragons and magicians. But in this book, the tables turn and humans move from the shotgun seat to the back of the bus. Dragons become invinceable creatures. Dragons have their problems too in this book: evil magicians, powers that can be stolen. We liked this book because anything could happen in this fantasy world and because there was the interesting twist that humans were inferior to all other races. We recommend this book for adventurous readers who don't feel the need for humans to be the best. The Newton Boys Reading Circle (Ben, Danny and David)