Product Description

Many years have passed since the traumatic events that took place in "Prospero's Children", and it seems that Fern Capel has almost succeeded in putting aside the memory of that magical, terrifying summer. But the past is about to catch up with her.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #483145 in Books
• Published on: 2001-11-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
'A piece of pure magic a charming, eccentric, and powerfully imaginative work of fantasy which will enchant readers for years to come.' Clive Barker 'A lyrical, captivating first novel of mermaids, magic, lost worlds and found souls. Once read, this book will not be forgotten' Terry Brooks

About the Author
Jan Siegel has already lived through one lifetime - during which she travelled the world and supported herself through a variety of professions, including that of actress, barmaid, garage hand, laboratory assistant, journalist and model. Her new life is devoted to her writing, but she also finds time to ride, ski and attend the opera.

Customer Reviews

As sequel goes...
As sequels go, this isn't a bad effort. Apart from Fern and her brother from the previous "Prospero's Children", you are re-introduced to the mysterious Ragginbone and his faithful 'dog', so there's some familiarity with the background. Fern, a girl who was once reluctant to use her Atlantean gift, has developed into a once more sceptical young woman by the start of this book. However, all changes when she is forced (to save the world) to use her gift again.
Plently of action, magick and heart-stopping moments. A must if you liked the first book.

Hoping that's not it then!!!
We had a wonderful series of stories from Jan Siegal in the Prospero's Children trilogy and from her alto ego, Amanda Hemingway, we had the Greenstone trilogy but in the last 3 years or so - nothing at all. Hopefully she is about to return to the literary scene with a new book/s that will blast us out of our boots.

Descriptive but slightly scattered sequel
"The Dragon-Charmer" takes place twelve years after the events of "Prospero's Children". Fern Capel has managed to lead a perfectly normal life by ignoring her Gift. She is now engaged to an older man and returns to Yarrowdale to prepare for the wedding. However, sinister forces are lying in wait and Fern is abducted and taken to a timeless place, forcibly apprenticed to an infamous witch. Meanwhile, her friend Gaynor and her younger brother Will, together with old friends Ragginbone and Lougarry, try to find a way of rescuing her.

The main problem with "The Dragon-Charmer" is that even though Fern is the main character, Siegel spends the first part of the book looking at her through the eyes of her friend Gaynor, which is rather frustrating. Gaynor is an appealing character but inevitably, she's not half as interesting as Fern. The upside is that Siegel is able to develop Will and show him as an adult character emerging out of his sister's shadow.

The book is split into two halves called 'Witchcraft' and 'Dragoncraft', but the titling seems arbitrary to me, as not much 'witchcraft' goes on during the first part and not much 'dragoncraft' goes on in the second (though you do learn more about dragons, so I suppose that counts). The eponymous dragon-charmer does not actually show up until half-way through the book and those hoping that he might provide some balm for Fern's aching heart will be in for a small shock. Therefore I don't think it's right for the blurb to imply any kind of romance between the two.

As before, Siegel's strength lies in her love of language, her powerful descriptive passages and her deep research into mythology and the Atlantis legend, but she does not manage to integrate this as successfully as she did in "Prospero's Children". Due to Fern being in a hospital bed, there is obviously not as much action in this story, so the book can sometimes feel like heavy going and the action seems to concentrate in one great big rush at the end. In this case, it is very much 'the middle book' of a trilogy. The book's strength lies more in Fern's growth as a character, her education as a witch, and the development of plot lines and characters for the sequel.

I really did enjoy reading this book but I hope that the next one is a little more rounded.