First sentence:"'Please, Miss! Ern's 'avin' a fit again...'"
Description:
"Life was hard for Sophie: tragically orphaned not so long ago, she eked out a living as a teacher in a poor-house school in a Dickensian London slum. Then her life was turned upside down when she was informed that a previously unsuspected uncle, now deceased, had left her a handsome legacy - which she could redeem only after fulfilling a Last Request: to return a dragon's egg to its rightful place in the uncharted wastes of Central Asia.
And so she begins her reverse quest, accompanied by a unicorn figurine that turns into a living, speaking know-it-all when no one is looking, a telepathic cat who wants nothing so much as three willing kisses from her sweet lips (so that he can, he says - but who would believe a tomcat on such a matter? - turn back into a prince), a feckless law clerk who doesn't want to be there, and an itinerant Irish would-be adventurer who should be anywhere else. On her journey, Sophie will learn that all of them, even the unicorn, will need more help then they can give - and that healing theme of their life's sorrows is as much part of the deal as dealing with that damned egg.
In the course of her journey, she will be betrayed by a treacherous guide, captured by fierce Mongols, caught in an avalanche, and lost in an underground maze, all while the clock keeps ticking toward a deadline, after which the egg will die, her heritage be lost, and the arduous journey, incredible hardships, and terrible danger will have been for nothing..."
My thoughts:
This was a good mix of historical fiction and fantasy set in the late 19th century. I liked the characters Sophie, Toby and Ky-Lin. The only downside was that I sometimes got annoyed at Sophie when she seemed to forget about the magic she learned and would think that she was dreaming. Now, to find the first three books of the Pigs Don't Fly series: The Unlikely Ones, Pigs Don't Fly and Master of Many Treasures.
Date read: 10/24/2007
Book #: 93
Series: Pigs Don't Fly #4
Rating: 3* = good
Genre: Fantasy
ISBN-10: 0671578103
ISBN-13: 9780671578107
Publisher: Baen
Year: 1999
# of Pages: 339
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
LibraryThing Page
6 comments:
Excellent review. You gave me enough of the story to hook me, plus the downside to keep my expectations in check.
Becky
Hi, I read the Unlikely Ones about 15 years ago, and have been in love with Mary Brown since. I have the omnibus version -- Pigs Dont Fly etc etc etc -- and have been looking for the last in the series, before Mary Brown's passing.
It's late but just following up.
Is Marry Brown really dead? So we'll never have a fifth book to explain what happens next to the Dragonne's Eg?
Can I get a confirmation on this?
Jerod, I am afraid so. I read on the web that she passed away in 2000 or 1999. Would love for her to be around to write more dragon books though!
Lady Lavender, late reply but THANKS for the response. Where in the web did you find that she passed away? It's been a decade already but the info should be there. It's really a shame about the books :(
Jerod, over the weekend, I started rereading the Unlikely Ones. I have a 3-in-1 omnibus copy that contains 3 stories and I reread the stories every now and then. On the introduction, it does say Mary Brown is dead. So, we won't get any more of her books for sure...I found Dragon's Egg the weakest of the books. Master of Many Treasures and Pigs Can Fly are all really good! Find them and read them!
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