Battle Dragons: City of Speed

Alexander London

Book 2 of the Battle Dragons series

Having set free a few battle dragons, showing up and angering each of the three criminal gangs in the city and the city secret police, Abel and Roa are now returning to school for their 8th grade year. Part of the deal to keep them out of jail in the last installment was that they now snitch to the cops. And Abel's first undercover assignment is to find out who is doing illegal bio-engineering experiments on dragons. And the way to do that is to get challenged to participate in an illegal dragon street-race. All the same characters, but alliances are shifting, new dragon relationships are forming and Abel and his friends and family are all solidifying their understanding of imperialism, slavery and corruption. They just do it while Abel is racing through the city at 100's of mph on a dragon. How could it get any better. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Battle Dragons: City of Thieves

Alexander London

Book 1 of the Battle Dragons series

This is a modern world. Our protagonist Abel is a 7th grade student who lives on the 90th floor of his building. Most buildings are 200+ stories, and the city has tens of millions living there. It is a pretty high tech place (holographic billboards, cell phones, etc. But all transportation and heavy labor is accomplished via dragon. Need a school bus? Strap some seats on to a long wing dragon. Abel is a middling student (failed his dragon academy entrance exam), but his friend Roa is a prodigy, taking college classes at night in dragon veterinarianism. Abel and Roa quickly get pulled into the city underbelly as Abel finds he has bonded with Karak - a Sunrise Reaper battle dragon. And he is expected to battle on behalf of one of the 3 local gangs. London has created an effective mixture of tech and fantasy. He is illuminating coming of age issues for middle school kids at the same time as the social inequity that comes from the struggle for power at all costs. And Abel as the clear eyed, idealist who can push for a better world is the perfect protagonist. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Battle Dragons: City of Secrets

Alexander London

Book 3 of the Battle Dragons series

Abel and his family have been exiled to Glassblowers Gulch, a backwater mining town a few hours out in the desert. G2 is decidedly *not* the big city. Only a couple dragons are around, owned by the sheriff. Brother Silas is working as a deputy sheriff and Abel is almost immediately thrust into the hot seat when a local girl begs him to care for a baby Wyvern she hatched (so illegal). So he does, and finds that the local attitude is corrupt and abusive. Can't have that. So Abel and his new dragon take on the world. I love how each dragon has really had a distinct personality, and that a big part of the relationship building has been Abel learning how to work with his new friend. A playful romp through gangster-corrupt-politics and breaking the chains of colonial imperialism. 

4 stars (out of 4)