I have only read this book in German, not in English, so my review of it is attached to my German copy. I bought this copy purely to lend to friends and family.

I gave the German version ten stars, but this gets only eight. One is lost because I don't like some of Anthea Bell's translations. Dipping into the book, the names are especially surprising: Lung the dragon becomes Firedrake ("Lung" carries much the same connotations in German as in English, and is also Chinese for dragon, so why change it?); Schwefelfell the kobold becomes Sorrel the brownie; and poor Professor Wiesengrund is re-named Greenbloom ("Wiesen" = meadows, "Grund" = ground. I would have gone for a name like "Fielding"). I don't see why Ben can't say "Oh, Man!" when he sees his first dragon, and I see no excuse whatsoever for introducing text not in the original to spoil the ambiguity of Ben's relationship with Guinevere!

(The second is lost because no translation can really do justice to a book as good as this...)

So my recommendation is: If you can possibly manage it, read the German. If not, read this. But definitely read one of them!

Starting with an invitation-only book ring: I'll post names here when I've received some replies.

Here are some names for the book ring. Order not yet decided.

TimDevereux and family
WistfulDragon

I have been very naughty, and forgot to journal this one when I received it! I'm also behind on starting it. I shall try to improve my awful bookcrossing behaviour - can't make the same promise about the rest of my behaviour, though! *g*

Oh, I love this book! Being written for children it is somewhat simplistic in places, but it is a lovely tale. Thank you for letting me read it!
I think I'd get on rather well with Sorrel - I have a friend who has the same sort of temperament.

I will probably post on on Saturday, assuming I have the address by then, so am marking the book as 'travelling'.

Posting to PDB11 today, somewhat later than anticipated.

Received today - thank you very much to P. and to your Mama for posting. Will read soon - though The Gate of Gods (third of Martha Wells Ile-Rien trilogy) when it arrives, will take precedence! (And make its way UK-wards after?)

There was nobody after me, and I did warn PDB I might be a while getting to this, so my guilt isn't as great as it might be. I didn't love The Thief Lord, (despite the DWJ cover endorsement, unless I just invented that), liked Inkheart well enough, until the end, which really annoyed me, so wasn't that sure about this. The first time I picked it up, I didn't get through the first chapter. And guess what, tried again last week and I really, really liked it! Including the translation - for all I've no comparison to make. But it read well, Firedrake I'd much prefer to Lung and Sorrel seemed a perfect name. Only one thing annoyed me a bit, and that was the throw off remark about the monks temple being a place where there was a lot of laughter - as it was 'not much like our churches back home'. Small beer. (I'm guessing about the introduced text, which does seem strange indeed.)

Where to now?