The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin
01/10/2007 . Source: Paul Skevington 
pub: Starscape/TOR Teen. 107 page illustrated hardback. Price: $12.95 (US), $17.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-31631-8. Buy The Ice Dragon in the USA - or Buy The Ice Dragon in the UK  check out website: www.tor-forge.com , www.georgerrmartin.com and www.yvonnegilbert.com
One thing that should be made clear from the start is that the story told here does not originate with this newly illustrated edition but is in fact an adaptation of a story originally published in the anthology 'Dragons Of Light' in 1980. It can also be found in 'Dreamsongs', a collection of George R R Martin's previous work being re-released.
That being said, the ad-men would all be out of jobs if there wasn't something to be said for presentation. From this perspective, the re-packaging of this short story as a children's book is a stroke of genius.
'The Ice Dragon' is the story of a little girl born in mid-winter whose mother perished from the same chill winds that ushered her into life. Her name is Adara and she is a strange child indeed. The cold has seeped into her being, causing her to be detached and strangely unemotional, a trial and an enigma to the rest of her family. The infrequent visits of her dragon-riding uncle, which are occasions of joy for her siblings, serve only to remind her that her beloved season is many months away, as her uncle always arrives during the summer.
Then, one winter, she meets the Ice Dragon and forms a strong bond with it that will overcome hardships, punishment and even death.
As you would expect of a piece by Martin, the story is an engaging work driven by its interesting characters, particularly Adara, who manages to attract the reader's sympathy despite her distant demeanour. The rest are well enough sketched out, but never evolve past this level, mainly due to the constraints of the format. Around them, the narrative emerges in a classically shaped tale that evokes the same feelings as the early mythological stories of exotic creatures and strange adventures.
It is because of this that the story works so well as a piece of children's fiction. The plot is so deeply tied to archetypal metaphors and concepts that each idea and image will be instantly recognisable to a young reader.
True, it may be this very thing that can cause concern. Are the elements of the work a little too familiar, a little too obvious? For instance, the winter child who exhibits all of the qualities typically associated with the cold. The hot and fiery dragon-riding uncle who appears in the summer. The eventual 'melting' of the winter child back into normality.
Perhaps this is so, but originality is neither the strength nor the point of this tale although Martin does claim to be the first to have envisioned a dragon entirely made from ice. It is in the story's execution that we find something of true worth and in this it stands proud amongst some of the best of Martin's work. The Ice Dragon itself is an enigmatic beast, fearsome and powerful, whose connection to Adara does not reduce its nobility. Adara's family life is described with affection and is utterly convincing. It is, after all, a tale of family that is at the heart of this story.
It has its dark moments, but nothing too graphic or suggestive that it will cause any but the most sensitive of children alarm. Indeed, I would not be surprised to see this title emerging upon many a school's recommended reading list in the near future.
Of course, there is also the wonderful art of Yvonne Gilbert that accompanies the prose, giving the reader further access to Adara's world. The elegant pencil drawings have a pleasantly nostalgic feel to them, the illustrations feel as if they could have sprung from a book from a much earlier era and that is certainly no bad thing. Her work serves to reduce the ferocity of the text, creating an altogether more enchanting experience for young readers. The only minor complaint I would have would be the repetition of the chapter heading image, whereas I would have preferred more original pieces, but then again I never was one for moderation in anything.
I would say that adults looking to experience the work of George R R Martin would do better to look elsewhere, at 'A Song Of Ice And Fire' for instance, but for those looking to introduce their children to some really imaginative fiction, I could think of no better starting point than this book.
Paul Skevington
|
|
Add SFcrowsnest.com daily news updates to your
own web site or blog - just cut and paste the code
below...
POST YOUR COMMENTS  CLICK HERE TO HAVE YOUR SAY
|
