Ring Dragon

by: David Ben

Published by: Helm Publishing

Reviewed by Gabe Tarshish

In Ring Dragon by David Ben, we join Henry, Peter and Walsh, a motley trio of incredibly wealthy and intelligent ten year olds, on an adventure into the depths of Hong Kong and the South China Sea. After winning their elementary school robotics expo with an excellent performance by their reconnaissance robot, Bot-Bot, the three boys and Henry’s family travel to China to compete internationally.

After arriving, action is sprinkled between scenes of jealousy, greed, and cleverness as several strange and terrible events unfold. We enjoy the trio’s escapades as they embark on a mission to rescue Henry’s kidnapped sister, swindle a centuries-old thief, and eventually confront a dragon. The excitement escalates as their adventures mount throughout the book.

The trio matures greatly throughout the story as they learn to persevere through exhaustion, constant danger, and villains much larger than themselves, creating an exciting and enjoyable read.
My only qualm was the large portion of the book I needed to read before connecting with the characters as I felt somewhat detached from the story throughout the first half. However, the sub-plots kept the book well rounded and faster paced, in spite of a slight feel of generic action/horror movie. Although the plot could have been more original, the creativity seen in the development of the monsters well made up for it. Zombie whales, shape-shifting cats, and talking bricks are just a few of the fantastic characters created to satisfy even the most avid fantasy reader.

This story is worth the read; I particularly enjoyed the surprising conclusion. I would suggest it to tweens, early teens, and parents who enjoy science fiction and fantasy.

Armchair Interviews says: Good story for sci-fi and fantasy fans.