• Here, There Be Dragons

  • By: James A. Owen
  • Narrated by: James Langton
  • Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (862 ratings)

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Here, There Be Dragons  By  cover art

Here, There Be Dragons

By: James A. Owen
Narrated by: James Langton
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Publisher's summary

The Imaginarium Geographica.
"What is it?" John asked. The little man blinked and arched an eyebrow.
"It is the world, my boy," he said. "All the World, in ink and blood, vellum and parchment, leather and hide. It is the World, and it is yours to save or lose."

An unusual murder brings together three strangers, John, Jack, and Charles, on a rainy night in London during the first World War. An eccentric little man called Bert tells them that they are now the caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica: an atlas of all the lands that have ever existed in myth and legend, fable and fairy tale. These lands, Bert claims, can be traveled to in his ship the Indigo Dragon, one of only seven vessels that is able to cross the Frontier between worlds into the Archipelago of Dreams.

Pursued by strange and terrifying creatures, the companions flee London aboard the Dragonship. Traveling to the very realm of the imagination itself, they must learn to overcome their fears and trust in one another if they are to defeat the dark forces that threaten the destiny of two worlds. And in the process, they will share a great adventure filled with clues that lead listeners to the surprise revelation of the legendary storytellers these men will one day become.

An extraordinary journey of myth, magic, and mystery, Here, There Be Dragons introduces James A. Owen as a formidable new talent.

©2006 James A. Owen (P)2008 Simon and Schuster, Inc.

What listeners say about Here, There Be Dragons

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    380
  • 4 Stars
    220
  • 3 Stars
    157
  • 2 Stars
    72
  • 1 Stars
    33
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    385
  • 4 Stars
    168
  • 3 Stars
    82
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    14
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    298
  • 4 Stars
    169
  • 3 Stars
    119
  • 2 Stars
    56
  • 1 Stars
    22

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

I wanted so badly to like this book. It came highly recommended by my sister and nephews. I will always be a sucker for anything connected to Tolkien. Every problem/conflict was wrapped up far too quickly. We went from meeting the characters to the battle of the end of the world in a few chapters. The characters seemed shallow. That could come from the narrator's voice inflections since I haven't read the text myself.

The author drew on many fantasy stories written by Tolkien, Lewis, and others. If the book was going to draw from so many other fantasy stories, it needed to be more "tongue-in-cheek." I found myself wondering many times throughout the book, "When is this going to end?" I never could suspend disbelief enough to believe that stealing a person's shadow was so horrible.

I like many fantasy books, and I like many children's books as an adult reader. This just wasn't one of them.

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Rich Imaginative Fantastic World

An excellent book. I enjoy reading in general and this book was no exception- until I got to the end. The last few pages moved it from an enjoyable read to an instant favorite, and made the second time through even more enjoyable than the first.

James A. Owen brings to life a world where our myths and legends and many classic stories are real. The more you know mythology and the more widely read you are, the more pieces you will recognize from stories you already love.

"Here, There be Dragons" is excellent as a stand alone story, but also begins a series that gives so much more depth to the world we are introduced to in the "Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica."

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great fun, and wonderful Easter Eggs

I liked this book a great deal, and the ending made me love it. There are some wonderful allusions to other great works of fiction spread throughout, but the ending was absolutely brilliant!

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good fantasy

I heard a short review of this book on a podcast and immediately picked it up. It's everything that the review led me to believe--an well-told story. The author keeps the story moving and coherent throughout the book. I didn't stumble in any plot holes, and the book followed a logical progression. The narrator also did a good job bringing the book to life. I'm looking forward to the next volume and hope that Audible picks up the others.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

great fun

Kids loved this story we heard it in the car and it was fun. Nice literary references. Kids say 5 * I say 3* a little predictable but fun.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Fun Entertainment

Here, There Be Dragons is just a fun, sit-back-and-entertain-me book. The story is easy to follow, has interesting twists and most important, the characters are easy to like and care about. James Langton did an excellent job narrating. Bought this book on sale, just because.... Now that we've finished it, we're thinking we want to know what happens in the next book.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

This is a kid's book

While I've liked a lot of YA novels, this one just bored me senseless. I got 1.5 hours in and gave it up. Maybe if all of the references or fantasy fiction was new to you it might be worth the time, but it just felt cliched to me. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen but kept getting hit with yet another fictional reference. It seemed to be the entire point of the book.

If you're looking for something to share with your kids, go for it. If you're an adult who likes fantasy, keep looking.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Sweet!!

This book is very good, as is the second book "The Search for the Red Dragon".

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a fun story to listen to!

Take historical/literary characters you might have head of, add fictitious imaginary lands from bed time stories your Grandmother might have told you when you were a wee one, mix them all up and you get this phenomenal story. Nothing stereotypical about this blending. The reader James Langton is beyond marvelous! James A. Owen's imaginative story and James Langton's brilliant narration make a five star listen.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

An amalgam of other people's stories.

What would have made Here, There Be Dragons better?

Something original, or some humor that worked.

What was most disappointing about James A. Owen’s story?

It was simply an amalgam of other people's stories, tossed in a blender. It might be okay for a young reader, and there is some literary skill shown, but the story was just like watching a randomly spliced chunks of old movies, randomly chosen by another person.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of James Langton?

I honestly can't think of anyone who could make this story work. I suppose with what he had to work with, he did as well as anyone.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No swearing. As previously mentioned, it might be okay for a young reader, especially if they were fans of 1800's fantasy.

Any additional comments?

Worst listening experience of the last year or more. Not my cup of tea.

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2 people found this helpful