How to Break a Dragon's Heart

How to Train Your Dragon, Book 8

De: Cressida Cowell

Narrado por: David Tennant

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was an awesome sword-fighter, a dragon-whisperer, and the greatest viking hero who ever lived. But it wasn't always like that. Hiccup's memoirs look back to when Hiccup was just an ordinary boy, and finding it very hard to be a hero. Hiccup must battle Berserks, dodge Scarers, complete the Impossible Task and save Fishlegs from being fed to the Beast! And all while being hunted down by an old enemy with a dark secret about the Lost Throne. What's a hero to do?

©2009 Hachette Childrens Books (P)2011 Hachette Childrens Books

Series gets darker

While keeping the easy to read and overall sense of the series, the books are progressively getting darker, and even a bit scarier. My 5 and 8 year old have listened to this in their delight, less laughs but more intrigue.

The next two books are not yet on Audible, so I'm reading them to them - which is OK but I can't do the voices as David Tennet does so the performance is missing (I do try Toothless which they appreciate). The next two books get even somewhat darker and Hiccup is in more trouble. But book 8 sets things up and seems important later so don't miss it.

Great audio book

Any additional comments?

According to my 9 year old son the book deserves five star rating across the board!

Absolutely the best one yet!

These stories and the storytelling of David Tennant just keep getting better and better. I love this one! It keeps my daughter raptured for hours. She has already played it three times.

Great Series!

This series of audiobooks is simply excellent. The author has a wonderful way of writing stories and the narrator brings them to life splendidly!

Not just for kids!

I am probably too old for these books but I have enjoyed every one of them immensely. They are all well written, and wonderfully read by one of my very favorite actors!

Amazing for all ages!

If you could sum up How to Break a Dragon's Heart in three words, what would they be?

Fun For All

What other book might you compare How to Break a Dragon's Heart to and why?

Haven't read children's books in ages, but this was so much FUN! Great engaging story and masterfully narrated. Once I listened to one of the "Dragon" books, I had to purchase them all!. Funny, adventurous, life lessons - just wonderful and amazing for readers of all ages.

What about David Tennant’s performance did you like?

He is a master at voices!

How to Entertain Your Family

Having stumbled upon David Tennant's reading of How to Train Your Dragon, our family became firm fans of the audiobooks of the series. This is the best one yet, and that's high praise indeed.
The story has Cressida Cowell's trademark mix of humour, suspense and action. In fact, this time the suspense is notched right up, thanks to a supposedly haunted beach, a blind witch and ancient stories of kingly betrayal.
The narration is a joy, with Tennant giving full rein to his remarkable capacity for accents. In addition to the regular characters, he brings to life 11 fiancés and their betrothed, the witch and her son, a fierce warrior girl, a heartbroken dragon and some menacing tribal chiefs (one of whom, deliciously, seems to have been inspired by the Kray twins).
The kids (8 and 10) want to listen to it over and over in the car, and it's so entertaining they get no argument from me.

Adorable

I like kid books on occasion. Don't get into this one thinking its anything like the movie though. So long as you keep the two separate from each other its enjoyable even for adults. Very cute and adorable as well as a lot of fun.

David Tennant adds major magic to this series!

This series is not READ by David Tennant, it is PERFORMED with heart and soul and lots of humor. He is every bit as magical as Doctor Who, with the credible craziness of Bartemius Crouch Junior.

And the books are already fantastic, just the way they are! The films are NOTHING in comparison.

NOT FOR FIVE YEAR OLDS

What disappointed you about How to Break a Dragon's Heart?

Audible lists this book in the 5-7 years old age category, and was among the top rated books listed as for that age group. I played it for my 5 year old twins without pre-listening to it. I have had to explain murder, death in childbirth, deliberate infanticide, profanity (mild profanity for me but nothing I say in front of my kids) and various kinds of cruelty. I have to say in all fairness, I listened to it myself and enjoyed it (when I didn't have to worry about the kids), but as a book I bought for my kids to listen to in the car, it gets a bad rating.

I thought of it as similar to how I think of violent video games. I enjoy them privately, when the kids are in bed but do not think them appropriate for small children.

Has How to Break a Dragon's Heart turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. I love this stuff. I enjoyed it personally and think the twins will enjoy these books when they are older.

What didn’t you like about David Tennant’s performance?

I actually loved the performance. My only objection is the material for the 5-7 age category.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Horror (that my kids were hearing it and really wanted to keep listening). My daughter was frightened for Hiccup and was upset she couldn't finish listening the the death contest between him and the witch, because she wanted to know if she'd be killed.

Any additional comments?

Simply remove this as a recommended choice for 5-7 year olds. The books are clearly MUCH different than the movie (as often happens) and clearly are not written for little kids...