Product Description

Deep in the English countryside, the unearthing of an ancient Celtic cross awakens an imprisoned dragon and unleashes a smoldering evil. Less than a mile away, 13-year-old Michael McIntyre falls asleep on a lush green hill, and wakes up with frightening and sinister new abilities. Michael possesses the four gifts of the dragon-and he's not the only one, nor is he the most powerful. The others, whose identities will be slowly revealed, offer Michael powers beyond his wildest dreams if he will keep their secret safe. Now he must choose: give up these astonishing but devastating new abilities and help his family and friends banish the evil that lies beneath their fragile earth, or join the others in their crusade to protect their gifts and set the dragon free - a choice that may well destroy everyone Michael loves. Those with power will stop at nothing to keep its secret, while those without it need Michael's protection to survive. Buried Fire combines elements of fantasy and mythology in a spellbinding tale of good versus evil.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #339525 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-01
• Released on: 2004-09-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780786851942
• BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
• Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews

"Buried" lives
Jonathan Stroud reached fantasy fame with the wizard-and-djinn Bartimaeus Trilogy, but it wasn't his first foray into the fantasy world. Recently rereleased is "Buried Fire," a simple but well-written fantasy adventure, with a dark lesson about arrogance and power.

In a small English village, a boy named Michael fall asleep on a hillside, and is consumed by the thoughts of a sleeping dragon deep underground. Elsewhere in the town, workmen come across a strange Celtic cross buried in the church's foundation -- with a dragon on it. Then Michael staggers home, suffering a strange fever and a drug-like high -- and claiming he can see INSIDE people. Unsurprisingly, the stodgy vicar Tom thinks he's on acid.

But when his brother Stephen follows Michael to the spot where he slept, he's given the same strange powers. At the same time, Tom. The boys have no time to savor their powers, because they are not the only ones who have them -- and the other people in the village who have the four gifts of the dragon are using them to try to bring the dragon back. Now Stephen and Tom may be the only ones to stop them -- and to save Michael from becoming one of them.

They say that power corrupts, and it corrupts quite a bit in "Buried Fire," where the magic and action literally starts on the first page. Stroud lightly sprinkles his story of ancient dragons and magic with a bit of old folklore, and carefully crafts a back-history for the mysterious "witches" that surround the dragon's influence.

"Buried Fire" starts slow, and takes some time to really get moving beyond Michael's strange powers. The ending, on the other hand, is extremely abrupt -- how about another chapter or two to round things out? But Stroud has a good prose style: detailed, rich and very intense. Particularly imaginative is the first power -- the "sight" -- and how it allows Michael and Steven to see the kind of souls that people have. This could have turned out silly, but Stroud adds an otherworldly feel to it.

Michael seems to be the lead at first, but later he shares the stage with his brother Stephen, who is not as powerful, but is not corrupted by the malevolent Mr. Cleever. Both are strong characters, with Michael falling victim to a longing for power and dominance, and Stephen desperately trying to save his brother. And the villains are all the more sinister because the dragon's thoughts seem to be warping them.

Think you knew dragons? Think again. Jonathan Stroud's "Buried Fire" is an intriguing, somewhat dark fantasy adventure, putting a few new twists in the stories of unexpected powers and hidden monsters.

A very good book by the author of the Bartimaeus trilogy
After reading The Amulet of Samarkand, I had to read more Jonathan Stroud. Of course, his other books can't be found here in the U.S., so I ordered Buried Fire from the U.K.

Fortunately, the book arrived quickly. Unfortunately, the book was ruined during the torrential rainfall at the Kentucky Derby before I could finish it. Undaunted, I ordered a second copy. Thank God!

The premise of the story is that under a hill near a small English village, a dragon lies sleeping, held prisoner by an ancient spell. Although the dragon is comatose, its will is potent enough to possess and influence humans.

One day, a boy from the nearby village falls asleep on the hill and is consumed by the dragon's thoughts. He gains unnatural powers and begins to transform into something not quite human. Meanwhile, an ancient cross is discovered buried under the local churchyard. Evil happenings then occur.

The book completely possessed me. Except for the interruption of the ill-timed thunderstorm, I read the book straight through. The only (minor) complaint I have is that the ending seemed a bit abrupt. That being said, the book is a very satisfying read and I highly recommend it.

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Michael Mihalik is the author of Debt is Slavery: and 9 Other Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me About Money. Learn how to gain control of your finances, pay off your debt, and create financial security!

okay
The premise for this book was pretty good. I had recently read the Bartimaeus Trilogy. Those three books were very good, but Buried Fire wasn't so good. Like I said, the premise was good, but the plot seemed to be rushed. He should have taken more time to develop the plot. He had some really great ideas, but they needed to be expounded upon. Also, the end was very abrupt. Overall, the book was pretty good. It held my attention until the end.