Friday, July 29, 2016

The Black Dragon by Julian Sedgwick - OPTIONAL

Sedgwick, Julian The Black Dragon, 343 pgs.  Carolrhoda Books, 2016.  $18.99.  Language: PG (one use of deity swearing); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.  

Hong Kong sounds like a great place to vacation, but for twelve-year old Danny, it is anything but.  Danny is half Chinese, half British and he is excited to see where his mother came from.  Unfortunately, Danny’s parents died in an accident that to Danny seems less like one all the time.  Danny is traveling with his Aunt Laura, who is investigating a dangerous gang called the Black Dragon. Laura is kidnapped almost immediately, leaving Danny and his traveling companion, Zamora, to rescue Laura while avoiding getting killed.  Danny is never sure whom he can trust and must rely on skills learned during his circus days to survive.  

If you are a fan of action, this book is loaded with it.  For me it was almost too much action.  I don’t think Danny ever had time to go to the bathroom or get a drink in between assassination attempts.  Escaping from one attempted murder would freak me out, but Danny kept on going without ever going into shock or getting a little sick to his stomach, even after coming across a dead body.  Since Danny is only twelve, it seemed odd that his traveling companion, who was much older, deferred to Danny’s judgment and that Danny manages to pull off circus tricks that it seemed he hadn’t had to use before Hong Kong, but pulled off like a champ. 

EL/MS-OPTIONAL.  Michelle in the Middle 

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