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Dragon Run

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Dragon Run
by Patrick Matthews
Scholastic, 2013.  336 pgs.  Fantasy

     Al Pilgrommor is excited for Testing Day, when he will receive his rank, a tattooed number on the back of his neck, and a path forward to his future occupation and life.  He feels confident because his parents were fours on a scale of seven, but he is worried for his friend Wisp who doesn't have much of a chance of scoring above a two at best. But when Al is scored a zero, he not only has no prospects, he may lose his life as the dreaded Cullers are unleashed to kill him and his family to purify the land's bloodlines.  Al's world is ruled by dragons--the lords and supposed creators of humankind--so he thinks that even if he survives, he will have to make his living as a beggar or thief. But when Al sticks up for his Earther friend in front of Magister Ludi, he is drawn into the struggle of a secret organization hoping to destroy the Cullers, and perhaps the dragons themselves.  Dragon Run  is a fresh, inventive, action-packed adventure with a good message:  just because people think you're a zero, doesn't mean you have to be one.
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Patrick Matthews said…
What a great review! For any readers interested in having more fun with Dragon Run, the book's web site (www.dragon-run.com) has a quiz that lets you find out where you would be, if you were a character in the book. For the record, I'm a rank 2, living outside of Brighton...

- Patrick Matthews
June 19, 2013 at 7:37 AM
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