Review by Sapadu -- Becoming the Dragon by Alex Sapegin
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Review by Sapadu -- Becoming the Dragon by Alex Sapegin
[Following is a volunteer review of "Becoming the Dragon" by Alex Sapegin.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Becoming the Dragon (The Dragon Inside Book I) is a fantasy story by Alex Sapegin about a normal, Russian teenage boy, Andy, and his initial journey into the mythical world of Ilanta. While he adjusts to never being able to go home, and trapped on the world of orcs, elves, and dragons, trouble is brewing for the dragon Karegar and his elven companion Jagirra, while the inhabitants of the kingdom of Rimm, especially the elven head of the guard, Nirel, are embroiled with political schemes and discord. All of their paths finally converge, leading to Andy meeting his ultimate destiny and beginning a new era of magic and possibilities for Ilanta and sparking the beginning of new conflicts for all.
This first story in a multi-volume series is not without promise – the basic premise of a human child from Earth, magically transported to another world, and going on a journey has been told many times before. In this case, it's combined with intricate world-building and some fairly unique twists. Also unique to the usual twists and turns of the trope is a fairly broad range for the reading audience – the Wizard of Oz-style premise is usually intended for a younger audience, maybe for young teens. Becoming the Dragon has enough detail added that push that boundary to perhaps intending for a mid-to-older teenage reader, but we'll get to that in a moment. The author, Alex Sapegin, is also clearly no stranger to fantasy world tropes and has done his best to incorporate any number of them into this work – whatever else can be said of this book, it's clearly a labor of love.
For what is good, like most stories of the fantastical, the characters have a charm to them. Andy is relatable enough – that is to say, when he is transported to Ilanta, he acts exactly as you would expect a teenage boy like him to act: He's terrified, homesick, has more than a few freak outs, but does ultimately adapt to his new environment. There's a few points about his character that are a little off-putting, but again, that can wait. I also personally really enjoyed the character given to Karegar and Jagirra – the dragon and elf whom, even in-story, are described as being like an old married couple. Their banter is likeable and believable enough that their relationship isn't just given a throwaway line of explanation, and Jagirra is a nice twist on the usual fantasy trope of the no-nonsense, old wise mage, providing guidance for the younger heroes.
That said, this book is not without problems. A few of these problems, I'm willing to give some leeway, due to one key factor: Alex Sapegin is Russian. I am an American woman, reading this book, and furthermore, the book was translated by Elizabeth Kulikov. So, the more cosmetic details that threw me while reading this book – the uneven prose, use of words like 'guy' in places where 'man' would be more appropriate that break the atmosphere and mood, things of that nature – I'm willing to forgive because there are two possible sources for these bumps to have hit from, either the initial word choice of the author, or a poor decision by the translator. This also includes such problems with things such as some possible cultural differences.
For example, at one point Andy makes a casual reference to Baba Yaga – a figure in Russian folklore, whom is not terribly obscure for American audiences. In a similar vein, there may be some other references or allusions or even straight-up homages to that I not only don't recognize, but don't realize I don't recognize. That could just come from the fact that the author writes from a different cultural tradition, and as a result, I'm not going to be too harsh on the few uneven spots of the hero's journey or world-building that we see in this book. An example of this is how direct the author is about certain characters' sexuality – considering that I assume the book is not intended for adult readers, there's numerous instances where Andy's “sacred” parts (that's actually what they're referred to, once) are directly addressed, and not just for the shock comedy of a man being kicked somewhere sensitive. But apart from those few times, it's not frequently addressed as terribly important, either to plot or tone – jarring, to say the least, when the only place you see that even remotely addressed is in fiction intended for an audience that's reached its age of majority. Again, though, maybe this is commonplace is Russian Young Adult literature, so I'm willing to be a little gracious.
What problems are more important are factors such as pacing and distribution of details. Early in the book, details regarding some unusual occurrences in Andy's childhood are expounded upon at great length, including an explanation for why he's acquired certain skills that might otherwise seem unrealistic for a modern teenager. I was fully expecting those skills – or at least, the backstory behind them that hinted at otherworldly interference – to play a role in his journey in the fantasy world. However, after spending a whole chapter on how he learned such things as cooking and archery, it's never mentioned again. In a fantasy story, you'd think that someone learning archery would at least be mentioned, but the most we get is a vague reference to the man who taught Andy, and not even necessarily one of his lessons. More examples are apparent as the book plunges on, leading to a great irony that of all these guns, hanging on the walls of the story, virtually none of them turn out to be Chekov's Guns.
By the way, I mention that it was a whole chapter we spent on those establishing, yet ultimately useless details – this wouldn't be too bad, if the point was to have a leisurely, but richly detailed plot, eventually leading to a small-stakes climax. However, when the story changes direction and introduces us to otherworldly creatures and the non-human cast, it goes abruptly from a story of a human child in a fantasy world, and more to a complex, detailed, and almost dry and boring political fairy tale, with subtle plots, princesses, dukes, grabs for the throne, a royal court... one would be forgiven for forgetting that Andy was the main character, considering how long it spends with Nirel, from his point of view. One of the most important plot points in the book – the resolution of what was, at that moment, the biggest driving conflict -- is resolved with nearly a third of the book still to go. The remaining third is still very good and original, but then introduces a minor character. The three leads and the story treat this character as though they will be very important to the story and to Andy, personally... and they die, after the very second scene they show up in (And I will argue that this revelation is not a spoiler, since the audience is told that this character is going to die, not two pages after they're introduced) What's more egregious is that it happens in the Epilogue, which is over one-hundred pages long. If the plot point revolving around this character was supposed to be so significant, perhaps some of the nonsense with Nirel could have been cut and have this pushed up to a more important place in the book? Or some of Andy's life on Earth could have been trimmed down? By the next time we see him, he clearly isn't thinking about how much he misses his sisters or his dog – so, perhaps these details didn't need as much attention as they got.
As I said – the story has promise. The fact that it's only the first out of a multi-volume series could probably excuse some of the pacing issues or details that don't fit or are never referenced again (one of my favorite fantasy series has a Chekov's Gun that you think goes off at the end of the first book, but then it comes back for the grand finale of the entire series, and it's one of the most well-executed surprise twists I've ever seen in any media) so I'm not going to be too-harsh on the few problems there are. However, considering that there are also many other greats out there – the Tolkiens, the Pratchetts, the LeGuins of fantasy – whose works can be enjoyed as series but also as individual novels, I have a hard time giving more than a 3 out of 4 stars to this book. In reality, it's more of a 2.5 for me, personally, but with the various handicaps I've granted, it's probably best to round up. I'm glad I read this volume... but I probably won't be going out of my way to see where this story goes, in the future.
******
Becoming the Dragon
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
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3 out of 4 stars
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Becoming the Dragon (The Dragon Inside Book I) is a fantasy story by Alex Sapegin about a normal, Russian teenage boy, Andy, and his initial journey into the mythical world of Ilanta. While he adjusts to never being able to go home, and trapped on the world of orcs, elves, and dragons, trouble is brewing for the dragon Karegar and his elven companion Jagirra, while the inhabitants of the kingdom of Rimm, especially the elven head of the guard, Nirel, are embroiled with political schemes and discord. All of their paths finally converge, leading to Andy meeting his ultimate destiny and beginning a new era of magic and possibilities for Ilanta and sparking the beginning of new conflicts for all.
This first story in a multi-volume series is not without promise – the basic premise of a human child from Earth, magically transported to another world, and going on a journey has been told many times before. In this case, it's combined with intricate world-building and some fairly unique twists. Also unique to the usual twists and turns of the trope is a fairly broad range for the reading audience – the Wizard of Oz-style premise is usually intended for a younger audience, maybe for young teens. Becoming the Dragon has enough detail added that push that boundary to perhaps intending for a mid-to-older teenage reader, but we'll get to that in a moment. The author, Alex Sapegin, is also clearly no stranger to fantasy world tropes and has done his best to incorporate any number of them into this work – whatever else can be said of this book, it's clearly a labor of love.
For what is good, like most stories of the fantastical, the characters have a charm to them. Andy is relatable enough – that is to say, when he is transported to Ilanta, he acts exactly as you would expect a teenage boy like him to act: He's terrified, homesick, has more than a few freak outs, but does ultimately adapt to his new environment. There's a few points about his character that are a little off-putting, but again, that can wait. I also personally really enjoyed the character given to Karegar and Jagirra – the dragon and elf whom, even in-story, are described as being like an old married couple. Their banter is likeable and believable enough that their relationship isn't just given a throwaway line of explanation, and Jagirra is a nice twist on the usual fantasy trope of the no-nonsense, old wise mage, providing guidance for the younger heroes.
That said, this book is not without problems. A few of these problems, I'm willing to give some leeway, due to one key factor: Alex Sapegin is Russian. I am an American woman, reading this book, and furthermore, the book was translated by Elizabeth Kulikov. So, the more cosmetic details that threw me while reading this book – the uneven prose, use of words like 'guy' in places where 'man' would be more appropriate that break the atmosphere and mood, things of that nature – I'm willing to forgive because there are two possible sources for these bumps to have hit from, either the initial word choice of the author, or a poor decision by the translator. This also includes such problems with things such as some possible cultural differences.
For example, at one point Andy makes a casual reference to Baba Yaga – a figure in Russian folklore, whom is not terribly obscure for American audiences. In a similar vein, there may be some other references or allusions or even straight-up homages to that I not only don't recognize, but don't realize I don't recognize. That could just come from the fact that the author writes from a different cultural tradition, and as a result, I'm not going to be too harsh on the few uneven spots of the hero's journey or world-building that we see in this book. An example of this is how direct the author is about certain characters' sexuality – considering that I assume the book is not intended for adult readers, there's numerous instances where Andy's “sacred” parts (that's actually what they're referred to, once) are directly addressed, and not just for the shock comedy of a man being kicked somewhere sensitive. But apart from those few times, it's not frequently addressed as terribly important, either to plot or tone – jarring, to say the least, when the only place you see that even remotely addressed is in fiction intended for an audience that's reached its age of majority. Again, though, maybe this is commonplace is Russian Young Adult literature, so I'm willing to be a little gracious.
What problems are more important are factors such as pacing and distribution of details. Early in the book, details regarding some unusual occurrences in Andy's childhood are expounded upon at great length, including an explanation for why he's acquired certain skills that might otherwise seem unrealistic for a modern teenager. I was fully expecting those skills – or at least, the backstory behind them that hinted at otherworldly interference – to play a role in his journey in the fantasy world. However, after spending a whole chapter on how he learned such things as cooking and archery, it's never mentioned again. In a fantasy story, you'd think that someone learning archery would at least be mentioned, but the most we get is a vague reference to the man who taught Andy, and not even necessarily one of his lessons. More examples are apparent as the book plunges on, leading to a great irony that of all these guns, hanging on the walls of the story, virtually none of them turn out to be Chekov's Guns.
By the way, I mention that it was a whole chapter we spent on those establishing, yet ultimately useless details – this wouldn't be too bad, if the point was to have a leisurely, but richly detailed plot, eventually leading to a small-stakes climax. However, when the story changes direction and introduces us to otherworldly creatures and the non-human cast, it goes abruptly from a story of a human child in a fantasy world, and more to a complex, detailed, and almost dry and boring political fairy tale, with subtle plots, princesses, dukes, grabs for the throne, a royal court... one would be forgiven for forgetting that Andy was the main character, considering how long it spends with Nirel, from his point of view. One of the most important plot points in the book – the resolution of what was, at that moment, the biggest driving conflict -- is resolved with nearly a third of the book still to go. The remaining third is still very good and original, but then introduces a minor character. The three leads and the story treat this character as though they will be very important to the story and to Andy, personally... and they die, after the very second scene they show up in (And I will argue that this revelation is not a spoiler, since the audience is told that this character is going to die, not two pages after they're introduced) What's more egregious is that it happens in the Epilogue, which is over one-hundred pages long. If the plot point revolving around this character was supposed to be so significant, perhaps some of the nonsense with Nirel could have been cut and have this pushed up to a more important place in the book? Or some of Andy's life on Earth could have been trimmed down? By the next time we see him, he clearly isn't thinking about how much he misses his sisters or his dog – so, perhaps these details didn't need as much attention as they got.
As I said – the story has promise. The fact that it's only the first out of a multi-volume series could probably excuse some of the pacing issues or details that don't fit or are never referenced again (one of my favorite fantasy series has a Chekov's Gun that you think goes off at the end of the first book, but then it comes back for the grand finale of the entire series, and it's one of the most well-executed surprise twists I've ever seen in any media) so I'm not going to be too-harsh on the few problems there are. However, considering that there are also many other greats out there – the Tolkiens, the Pratchetts, the LeGuins of fantasy – whose works can be enjoyed as series but also as individual novels, I have a hard time giving more than a 3 out of 4 stars to this book. In reality, it's more of a 2.5 for me, personally, but with the various handicaps I've granted, it's probably best to round up. I'm glad I read this volume... but I probably won't be going out of my way to see where this story goes, in the future.
******
Becoming the Dragon
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Like Sapadu's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi
