DRAGON RIDER

Dragons, Scottish brownies, dwarves, and other fantastic creatures team up with the requisite orphan boy in this first of Funke's novels for children. Pitched to a younger audience than either THE THIEF LORD or INKHEART, this is the tale of silver dragon Firedrake and his search for a safe haven for dragonkind at the Rim of Heaven. The one-dimensional nature of the characters challenges the narrator, and Brendan Fraser brings a whimsical interpretation to this overlong, mean-dering story. His playful reading makes for some hilarious moments but is sometimes just too silly. Also, his blus-tery voicing of Nettlebrand increases a major problem with the book--the villain never seems malevolent, just nasty and annoying. Though not Funke's best, this light fantasy will nonetheless engage young listeners, who will surely enjoy the many magical creatures and the variety of voices employed by Fraser to give them life. S.G. 2005 Audie Award Finalist 2005 ALA Notable Recording (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 05]