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    Raising Dragons: Dragons in Our Midst, Book 1
    Raising Dragons: Dragons in Our Midst, Book 1
    Raising Dragons: Dragons in Our Midst, Book 1
    Audiobook9 hours

    Raising Dragons: Dragons in Our Midst, Book 1

    Written by Bryan Davis

    Narrated by Peter Sandon

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The kids at school call Billy "Dragon Breath" for a good reason.

    His breath is bad! It isn't the normal, morning-mouth bad; it's the hot-as-fire, "don't-you-dare-get-near-me" bad. And hearing "Dragon Breath" ringing in his ears, he constantly tries to cool his oral volcano.

    Trouble erupts when his hot breath sets off the fire sprinklers in the boys' restroom at school, and his parents learn that they've kept their secret for too long. Billy finally discovers the secret. His father was once a dragon!

    Now that's a piece of news a guy doesn't deal with every day! Billy feels betrayed, alien, lost. When his father reverts to his dragon form, and they're both chased by dragon slayers, he learns to trust his father again, battling the slayers with weapons of steel and spirit.

    Bonnie, an orphan, tries to find a home, someone to love her, even though she feels like a freak because of a body feature that she calls a deformity, her dragon wings, inherited from her now dead dragon mother. She discovers that her love for others and her faith in a Creator hold the answers she is looking for.

    First novel in theDragons in Our Midst series.

    ©2004 Bryan Davis; (P)2008 Oasis Audio

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOasis Audio
    Release dateJul 27, 2007
    ISBN9781608143504
    Raising Dragons: Dragons in Our Midst, Book 1
    Author

    Bryan Davis

    Bryan Davis is the author of the bestselling fantasy series Echoes from the Edge, Dragons in Our Midst, and Oracles of Fire. He and his wife, Susie, have seven children and live in western Tennessee, where he continues to cook up his imaginative blend of fantasy and inspiration.

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    Reviews for Raising Dragons

    4/5

    155 ratings21 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I loved the book, but I would like to see the words on the screen like in the books.the narration could've been better. I would still like to read the book on the go without actually carrying the book along with me.
    • 5/5
      A 10 star book series. I suggest this series highly.
    • 2/5
      They left out chapter 21. In the recording, chapter 21 is just an end note. There is a whole extra chapter in the book.
    • 5/5
      Excellent read. Completely un-put-down-able. Can't wait to get stuck into the second one.
    • 5/5
      A feast for the imagination..... the inner child is well satisfied... ready to have another mental meal of dragon tales.... Good read (listen)
    • 2/5
      this book promises a good story with nice intelligent characters - BUT the incessant praying to a Xian g-d every time something scary happens is a real, truly and absolute turn-off.
    • 5/5
      I loved the immersive recording done by a full cast
    • 5/5
      This is a combination review for Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire as the last time I read this series was at least 10 years ago.My mom got me the entire series (Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire) when I was in elementary school and let me tell you I loved this series. I reread it multiple times and is the reason why Psalm 23 is my favorite psalms (and tbh the only one I remember). While I might not go to church anymore, this series holds a special place in my heart. Solid blend of fantasy and Christianity without overdoing either side.
    • 5/5
      Billy's nickname at school is "dragon breath," and with good reason - his breath is really hot! He doesn't understand why until his parents tell him that his father is a full dragon and he is a half-dragon. He's not at all happy that they've kept this from him his entire life, but he's forced to deal with it when he's attacked by his principal. His father tells him the tale of King Arthur and Merlin and how dragon slayers almost wiped out all of his kind, and how and why he is now a human. He also shares with him a prophecy that is going to end up reshaping Billy's life. He meets the new girl in school, Bonnie, and discovers that she, too, is a half-dragon, although she has known for years, so at least he's not alone. This was a good middle grade blend of fantasy and Christian fiction. This book does a good job of blending dragon tales with Christian teachings, without overdoing it. I liked the kids and thought the way they acted was pretty much the way most young teens act in real life. The blending of all of this with the Arthurian legend was a good move on the author's part. I thought it added a great layer to the story.The only problem I had with this book was the level of violence against the kids. I thought it was a bit graphic for a book targeted at a younger audience.All in all, I enjoyed this book and look forward to continuing the series. 4.5/5 stars.*** I would like to thank NetGalley, AMG Publishers, Living Ink Books, and Bryan Davis for the opportunity to read and review this book.
    • 5/5
      This is an awesome book, the first, in my favorite series! I have read it again and recommend it to everyone!!!

      Billy and Bonnie are awesome (and part dragon) and discover all sorts of things and have to defeat a dragon slayer (named Devin and they kind of do and it has lots of epic battles and they think they are safe (but they aren't!!))
    • 3/5
      Review by my 10 yr old son :-)

      Billy and Bonnie are both half dragons. Bonnie has known her entire life but Billy only just found out. Not long after hearing what he is, he finds himself on the run from a crazy Dragon Slayer. He learns what and who his dad is and how and why they are being hunted.

      I love Dragon books and my mom gave me this to try. I enjoyed it and found the story good - a boy finding out he is half dragon (how cool would that be???)and that his dad is a full dragon (even cooler) forced to become human to hide from the Dragon Slayers. He meets another half Dragon and both end up on the run with Slayers trying to kill them.
      Bonnie is cool for a girl Dragon. She has wings and is quite strong. Billy though is awesome because he can breath fire. I liked both of them but my most favourite character was Walter, he is a good friend to have. He had their backs. The story was action packed and never dull. I especially liked the Arthur bits and reading about the Dragons. The Slayers weren't very nice but they were very good villains. I also want a teacher like Professor Hamilton because he was pretty cool and had awesome weapons. I also want to know who or what he is because that bit was very mysterious.
      I really liked Raising Dragons and have asked my mom for the next in the series.

    • 4/5
      This book is rather long for the middle-school audience it seems designed for, and it probably could have been broken into two books or significantly reduced. That being said, it does have a fast pace and plenty of action, making it somewhat easier to read. It contains a rich mythology and an interesting take on the King Arthur story and the legend of dragons. It may be a little difficult to follow, as several theories as to the reason the slayer is after Bonnie and Billy are mentioned and it is difficult to determine which is accurate. Further, Christianity comes up in the story more than is comfortable—there’s not enough to call it a religious story, but too much and too intimate to disregard it. It would be better if the author had dialed this back, or made a clear decision to make it a Christian story. Because of this and the possible overcomplexity of the storyline, it is only a medium recommendations, though the unique mythology makes it worth consideration to those who are interested.
    • 4/5
      Raising Dragons is a great young adult book. It's a unique look at an old concept - dragons and the Arthurian legends. It seems Billy is part dragon on his father's side and he's starting to exhibit certain dragon powers which are hard for him to control. He makes a friend, Bonnie who is also part dragon, and the adventure begins, because where there are dragons, there are dragonslayers.The story is full of action and surprises which will keep a young adult reader's attention. The characters are written very well. You see Billy and Bonnie grow and mature as they face the many dangerous situations. They learn to accept themselves and their differentness from other people. With all that and some humor thrown in for good measure, Raising Dragons was a very enjoyable book to read!
    • 5/5
      I wasn't so sure about this one when I first got it, but I devoured every book after it. My all time favorite series of books ever!!! I give them 15 out of 5.
    • 5/5
      I will just start off by saying, I LOVED THIS BOOK! I have been reading quite a bit lately, and this book struck me like none has in a while. I am not sure if it is the style of writing by the author, the characters, the setting, the topics, or maybe that magical element the author just happened to nail. There was plenty going on in this book, so I never felt there were any parts that dragged along. We went from one scene to the next, with something happening in every chapter, but not the "their lives are in mortal peril" action...so it did not seem like the action scenes were over done. There was a healthy dose of mystery in this book. It left plenty open for us all to look forward to the next installment of the book. There are great lessons to be learned in this book. I would go into detail about them, but I honestly do not want to give anything away to the future readers. Just always have faith and your faith will pull you through. (that is all I'm saying about that!!)I am waiting in anticipation now to get the 2nd book, The Candlestone. Thank you Mr. Davis for writing such an engrossing book that I had to stay awake all night so I could finish it! It's been quite some time!!
    • 5/5
      This book takes you back to the time of King Arthur and dragons, yet it is in modern times!!! so good!
    • 5/5
      A great beginning to a great seriesI have always loved fantasy fiction books, but unfortunately there are not enough books out there that are fantasy that Christian teenagers can read. When I first discovered this series I was thrilled. Finally, a book series that I could read and absolutely loved! The story captivated me and the characters soon became my friends. Adventure, dragons, knights, ladies who aren’t helpless, in my opinion the perfect story.
    • 5/5
      This is a fantastic book that is the start of an amazing series. The characters are very real, and the plot is absolutely genius! I love all the action, romance, comedy, and even tragedy. I usually don't like to read books a second time, but this series just gets better each time you read it! I first got this book when I was 12, and I've read it at least five times since then. I highly recommend this book!
    • 5/5
      Article first published as Book Review: Raising Dragons by Bryan Davis on Blogcritics.Fifteen hundred years ago during the time of King Arthur, Merlin made a pact with the dragons to save what was left of their race. Dragons were being methodically hunted and destroyed as evil and cruel creatures. In some cases that was exactly true, farm animals were being killed and eaten and dragons were rounding up every jewel they could find. On the other hand there were also the dragons of lore. They were pure of heart and true believers. The dragon hunters refused to see the difference and planned on eradicating the entire race. In order to facilitate Merlin's plan, the dragons would have to become human until the world was once again safe for their kind. The only real catch was that when they became human they could not produce offspring with each other, they could only create children with a full blooded human.This is the story of Billy Bannister, half dragon with the ability to breathe fire, and Bonnie Silver, born with dragon wings. They are brought together by fate to become part of the prophesy to bring dragons back into the world. This challenge comes with its own set of dangers. The hunters, that swore to rid the earth of dragons, have been training their decendents for over a thousand years. They too are ready for the prophesy and have every intention of completing the tasks set forth by their forbearers. Only faith will determine the outcome and the final standing. Will Billy and Bonnie, along with their friends be able to save the last of the great dragons? Come along for the adventure.This book is an exciting and fast paced read. While it is considered a YA book, it is so well written and engaging I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good solid fantasy. But if you are looking for that book your young adult would love, look no further.I received this book free from Netgalley. All opinions are my own based off my reading and undertanding of the material.
    • 5/5
      I have read 190+/371This book is about a boy who figures out that he is from a family of dragons. He too, is a dragon. A girl that goes to his school hides a "deformity" that makes her a dragon. A dragon slayer is now on the hunt to kill the two and their parents.The main character is Billy Bannister, a boy who has just found out that he was a dragon. Throughout this book, he gains the characteristic of responsibility. I think that this character has had a good relationship with God in the book because he shows that God is there to help.In this book, I was able to relate to Billy and his ability to call to God for help.Something that I did not like about this book was that the writer set up one part for one character and another part for the other character. Then they eventually meet some time later. That kind of writing confuses me.I would recommend this book to people that like fantasy books and of course, dragons. In a movie version of this book, I would say that Tom Felton would play the part of Billy Bannister.
    • 4/5
      The story of a young boy, Billy Bannister, who finds his father was once a great dragon. Billy begins to develop the ability to breathe flames from his mouth. He meets a girl, Bonnie Silver, who has wings and a gift for writing. Soon after, he is sought after by Dragonslayers who believe all dragons are evil and should be killed. This prompts a flight from danger, but the Slayers follow them and try to kill Billy's family and Bonnie Silver. The first book in a great series by Bryan Davis. This is a must read, especially if you enjoy fantasy. The book deals with faith and trust in God in a believable way.