_Here, There Be Dragons_
by James A. Owen
read by James Langton
John, who has studied in Oxford and plans to teach there one day when he is
released from the army, managed leave from the military hospital where he was
recovering from battle fatigue to go to London when urgently summoned by his
tutor. He arrives just in time to find his tutor dead of what appears to have
been a terrible mauling, and a letter is placed in his hand written by his tutor
before the attack that left him dead. In it he is told that he is to receive a
book that is worth more than he can imagine. Perhaps, the tutor suggests, John
isn't fully ready for this; but with enemies likely to arrive at any moment,
enemies eager to take possession of this priceless book, he is certain that with
his great imagination John will be able to protect it and see it restored to its
former glory.
Within an hour John finds himself pursued by creatures he cannot name, and with
the help of Charles and Jack, two chance-met individuals also visiting London
from Oxford, the three take refuge in a club run for those associated with
Oxford University and its various colleges. Here they are confronted by a most
singular person who leads them to safety aboard his ship, the Indigo Dragon,
which is captained by his daughter. They learn that the book given John by Bert
is the Imaginarium Geografica, which contains maps of all of the worlds of myth,
legend, and fairy tales; they are now its three keepers, and it will be their
job, if possible, to defeat the Winter King and his hideous minions and to
restore the Archipelago of Dreams.
But can they do it? And just who are these three individuals in the real world,
and what will be their destiny here, much less in the world held within the
covers of the Geografica?
I was able to guess the "real" identities of John, and Jack, and suspected that
of Charles (I turned out to be right!), and I recognized Jamie, who is only
spoken of in the story but does not appear, immediately. Bert, on the other
hand, was a shock.
My problem with the book is that "John" did not in his real life go by his first
name, and was known by all who knew him as Ron instead; while "Jack" in real
life had quite a different personality than what they displayed in this
narrative. But it was a fun book, and well narrated by James Langton, although
his accent is thoroughly British, of course. Sometimes having read several
biographies of these two writers can lead to a level of disappointment with the
author of this book! Heh! Now I want to do some research to find out if Mr.
Owen is a relative of mine. Owen is one of the recurring family names from my
father's lineage.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very
wise cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
We gave the Goblin King control of our nation!
