Fool and the Dragonox

Fool and the Dragonox: A Prequel to A Tale of Light and Shadow by Jacob Gowans
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Teenagers can often be quite dumb. Those of us who have been teenagers can attest to that and those of you who are still teenagers it isn't your fault, but you can be foolish to say it nicely. No teenager is dumber than a teenage boy trying to impress a girl he likes. That's bad enough in real life, but can be even worse in a fantasy world featuring mythical fire breathing creatures around.

The Fool and the Dragonox is a short story that's incredibly relatable to anyone who has been a teen. We've all either had or known someone who had a friend who adults didn't approve of, a love interest, a sibling you can't say anything to without adults finding out, and had more than a fair amount of foolish notions.

The story revolves around Henry, a carpenters son, and his best friend Ruther, the bad influence according to Henry's parents. It's a quick read that seems appropriate for the opening chapter of a book. Henry is training to be a carpenter and is love with the local Lord's daughter Isabelle which needless to say doesn't sit well with the Lord. One night Henry sneaks out with Ruther, Isabelle, and his sister Maggie to see a Dragonox which is as bad and dangerous as it sounds. After Ruther whispers the idiotic idea that Henry should ride the Dragonox to impress Isabelle, Henry heads to do just that because he clearly knows nothing of women and doesn't have the common sense that says you can't get the girl if your dead. Regardless the fun starts there and I must admit I was laughing rather than being concerned.

The Fool and the Dragonox was a funny short story and I'm interested enough to check out the main series now.

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