Flame of the Dragon

Scream Street #13

by Tommy Donbavand

Having been banished to the Underlands by Acrid Belcher, the evil head of G.H.O.U.L., Luke, Resus and Cleo begin their 13th adventure fighting for their very existence. And life doesn't get much easier from there, the quest to return the sixth and final relic will take them to a dragon's lair in China.

Genres: Childrens

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2011

About the author

Tommy Donbavand was an English actor and an author of books and comics for children including the Scream Street series. He was from Liverpool, England.

Reviews

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of the whole series, not just this book, because I can't think of anything that really stood out to me in this book as good or bad apart from the fact that nobody in Scream Street would have actually let 10 year olds own the entire street (which can be explained by the fact it's aimed at 10 year olds) and Otto Sneer getting to come back is very annoying. Because it's a review for the entire series, and I'm assuming anybody who's looking at a review of this book has read the first 12, there will be spoilers for books 1-12 not tagged as spoilers. Any spoilers for this book will be tagged as spoilers.

Overview:
The worldbuilding and characters were really good. I liked the way that most of the scary monsters were actually just regular people who didn't want to hurt anybody and (mostly) the only people that actually caused harm were the normals - and obviously the dragon, and the trolls from book 8, but dragons seem to be more seen as animals, and it was a scared baby, and the trolls in book 8 weren't the only trolls and Wompom was a good(ish) guy, especially in this book.

Resus:
I'm slightly annoyed that Resus being a normal was never properly explained. I know it's a freak genetic thing or whatever but it's quite an important part of his character and I sort of expected an actual reason at some point. Like him being a changeling or something - that would have tied in nicely to the 12th book and Kian could always be the real Resus, which would explain why Resus' family didn't know about him better than 'really old family feud nobody ever bothered to do anything about'. Also, on the topic of Resus being a normal: that being something that actually upset him was very inconsistent and just felt like the author didn't actually care about it very much. One page he'd be really upset about it and the next Cleo and Luke would be making jokes about it like it was a super funny thing and not something that Resus literally has nightmares over.

Cleo:
Like Resus, Cleo's worst nightmare actually being her worst nightmare is really inconsistent. Like, fine, have Cleo be terrified of being girly and yell that she's a tomboy, but if that's the route you're going down, then don't have her put on makeup and steal pretty necklaces - those are girly things to do. I'm not saying they're bad things (stealing is, but you know what I mean), I'm just saying they're not really tomboy things. They fit with her character fine, but they don't mesh well with the label of 'tomboy'.

Luke:
Luke was the only one out of the main three whose worst nightmare was consistently his worst nightmare, so 10/10 for that. I liked how he got better at controlling his transformations over time, and I really liked the idea of werewolves transforming when they're angry instead of when there's a full moon. I understand why it was done, but I found it really interesting.

Resus' Cape (and time travel):
Resus' cape being able to store loads of items was something I really liked, and the it being a bunch of actual rooms stuffed full of stuff was cool. All vampires having a cape like it and the cape belonging to his dad before him (for at least 50 years, which means it must be quite a resilient cape) I felt added to Resus' character and his parents' characters. The one thing I didn't like about the cape was the time travel. It's never properly explained - the kids never even ask Mr Skipstone about it - which I sort of understand because telling people they were time travelling would probably get them into trouble, but still. Mr Skipstone wouldn't have told and has consistently been the source of information for the entire series - why not now? Why do they end up in 1961 instead of any other year Resus' dad had the cape? Is it because in 1961 Resus' dad had owned the cape as long as Resus had owned it in the present?

[Penelope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great ending for the series, I kinda have a love hate on how it ended, ‘here we go again!’

FROM HERE SPOILERS FOR ALL BOOKS AND CHARACTERS

CLEO
My opinion on her 7/10 definitely my least favourite of the trio, her character was well developed and I liked her friendship with Resus (see below). Some things like her nightmare being dolls and dresses was a bit silly, but the way it was portrayed (terror of the nightwatchman) would probably be scary. I liked how she was with animals and the characters contrasted together.

RESUS
My opinion on him 8/10 he was just above Cleo. He was again a well developed character just with some flaws. (WHICH IS PERFECTLY OKAY TO HAVE WITH CHARACTERS!) His attitude towards him not being a vampire was kind of sad, especially when he tells Luke (fang of the vampire) and I feel him getting more comfortable with it is when he started joking around. You can tell after he meets Kian (invasion of the normals) he kind of goes back to being ashamed.
I liked how he contrasted to Cleo and Luke.

LUKE
My opinion on him is 9/10 him being the main character and the top was kind of expected. He was very developed for a book aimed at younger audiences. He again did have flaws and problems but we need that with characters to make them more interesting. I also really enjoyed how the werewolf worked (see more in Monsters and How They Work below) it was smart and gives more opportunities to let him actually be in his werewolf form. His nightmares were very consistent and real (e.g. scared he’ll harm his parents or cause problems for them.)

MONSTERS AND HOW THEY WORK
The monsters and how they live and work in this book are very interesting and leave me wanting to know more. Such as the werewolves transforming at anger not the moon (I really enjoyed this idea) it makes them a bit more scary as all you got to do is annoy them (like how Resus annoys Luke a lot).
The vampires were also interesting, like how they drank from blood pipes etc. One thing that confused me is why Resus’ parents couldn’t turn him into a vampire.

OTHER IMPORTANT CHARACTERS
First I’m going to start with Sneer, it was great to see a well developed villain in a children’s book not just this man is evil. He actually had a reason to hate the kids. Then the Watsons, mainly Mrs Watson (Sue by show) her being a werewolf was nothing I would have imagined until the Skipstone secret (the claw of the werewolf). Her being a werewolf, and seeing how she and Luke both coped very differently was nice to see. And Luke helping her with transformations. The Negatives, I enjoyed Bella’s personality (we don’t see much of Alston’s) how vampires are normally portrayed as cruel and not caring, she was very caring of her son even if he was ‘different’ and not a vampire. She was also seen crying frequently when things happened to him, but also very brave and nice to the Watsons who were scared at the start of the series. Kian, was a very intriguing character, it was very sad what happens to his mum, and still sad to know he’s waiting for her to come back. He’s also funny with his constant line of, ‘I’m a vampire!’

FRIENDSHIPS
The friendships were very interesting as well, such as Cleo and Resus. I loved that Cleo and Resus were so opposite and that they were definitely friends before Luke arrived. And how Resus disgusts Cleo with things such as organs, even tho you would think it would be vice versa. Luke and Resus’ friendship was intriguing, because of their constant undying support for each other but also their conflicts. Cleo and Luke they don’t really have much solo time but I still enjoyed their friendship and teaming up on Resus in the one sided snowball fight (hunger of the yeti). They also act like ten year olds but still have worries were as I feel Resus acts older or is just a really weird kid.

Overall I love this book series and the drawings, it’s a little escape from my usual, the drawings have also helped shape how I draw and do art, larger eyes and smaller noses (also a variety of nose shapes now) thanks to these books. I really do recommend them and they are such a quick read especially during spooky season, even though I read this one closer to Christmas season. They are good any time! And such a developed story for a child’s book. I really enjoyed reading and I hope you have too!

[Daniel Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the first six books, the plot was predictable - Finding "someone" to get "something" for a single purpose.

However, when it comes to the final six books where the main trio needs to "return" said item. This is where the story can be unpredictable as you are now introduced to new characters that were not present in the first six books. These new characters and storylines were very interesting and fresh, quickly encapsulating my attention to understand what their next move was in each scenario. Some were funny but some were dangerous.

In this final book, you are suddenly continuing on the cliffhanger from the previous book and will be going on an adventure across and under the world. You get to see some pretty interesting "changes" for the character when they "transform", and also a final goodbye to all the delightful characters you got to know with the 13 books before.

I would rate this one of the best books in the later series (I liked Hunger of the Yeti, Terror of the Nightwatchman and Secret of the Changeling the best).

This was a fantastic series, definitely worth reading and re-reading!

[Rishabh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, which is number 13 and the final book of the popular series Scream Street has a funny and gross story. In the final story, Luke and his friends are trying to find the final relic left by Scream Street’s founders to save the town. They think their task will be complete once they travel to the Underlands to retrieve it, but their biggest challenge to saving the town actually comes when they return with the relic.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid ending to the series. I know there's supposedly a 14th book, but for me, the series ends here.

[Florence · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really love this series but I only remember the last page of the book. That is disappointing because I loved this series so much and for the ending to be so unmemorable is beyond disappointing.

[Lieselot Mauroo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this last one. It was a total rollercoaster from start to finish.
In short; it was fantastic!!!

[Caspian Hendrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gathering ingredients for a resurrection potion and running away from a corrupt government it’s a great way to encourage involvement for kids in government happenings. With a happy ending and a way to keep Mr Skipstone alive even though he’s almost died like 3 times now, everything’s tied up in a really cute bow and everything’s a happily ever after. A bit basic and generic but like, not much else can be expected from a children’s book but the ending is a little bit odd.

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scream Street Flame of the Dragon is ghoulishly great!
Whether it’s stealing a dragon egg or hiding from G.H.O.U.L., Scream Street Flame of the Dragon is a fiendishly fun read that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The antics begin with an introduction to Cleo the mummy, Resus the vampire, and Luke the werewolf. They are banished to The Underlands by the evil Acrid Belcher where without a good plan, and some help from an old friend, they will be trapped there forever! One of their many adventures include traveling over the bridge of truth. Will they make it over the Chasm of Doom? You’ll have to read to find out! They must obtain a dragon eggshell, preferably without waking the dragon, and save the normals who have been kidnapped by the ghastly Sir Otto Sneer. There is a character sheet at the beginning of the book in case you forget who’s who and in each chapter there is an illustration of the gangs current surroundings to help you visualize the setting. It’s not necessary to read the twelve previous books in the series because almost all the characters are introduced before chapter five. However, based on this chilling adventure, I will definitely read the previous books and would recommend that you do so as well. Overall I’d recommend Scream Street Flame of the Dragon to anyone looking for a spooky but not-to-scary read. This book deserves 5 stars of monstrous proportions
Reviewed by Zander H., age 13, Mid-America Mensa

[Reed Benson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the whole Scream Street series. It's obviously for kids, and since I'm not a kid anymore, a lot of the humor and dialogue fall on the cheesier side. Meanwhile, there's a ton of blood and gross-out situations that young boys might get a kick out of, but I don't think their parents will. Nevertheless, I love the concept and have grown attached to the characters.

Regarding this, the final book in the series, I thought it was a satisfactory in terms of the danger that the characters needed to overcome, and the I thought that the climax was a good culmination of all the crazy stuff that had been happening. If you like werewolves, you'll probably like how it ends.

I was less satisfied with the resolution; it's definitely the kind of thing that kids will enjoy more than someone who cares a lot about logic. It feels like a big twist in the story that really needs to be explored, but since there won't be any more books, it's just kind of left there. I suppose I'm expected to use my imagination, but whatever I come up with won't be "true"; only what the author says is true about his characters. So really, I'm just left a little grumpy.

That said, I still think that the fun characters and interesting scenarios are enough to outweigh the stuff I don't like.

Now I'm going to check out the CBBC cartoon version, which I suspect will be quite different.

[Lorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, which is number 13 and the final book of the popular series Scream Street, is a first U.S. Edition of British book and TV series. In the final story, Luke and his friends are trying to find the final relic left by Scream Street’s founders to save the town. They think their task will be complete once they travel to the Underlands to retrieve it, but their biggest challenge to saving the town actually comes when they return with the relic.

The adventure, horror series of which this book is a part of will most definitely appeal to middle grade readers. I can easily see this series becoming an instant draw in any library by word of mouth amongst the children.

I would recommend this book (series) for purchase by any school or public library looking for high interest, popular series books.

This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries

[Riverina Regional Library]

Members of Riverina Regional Library reserve your copy now

[Emanuel]

Was Good