The Search for the Red Dragon

The second in the series featuring J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis as fictional characters picked up much more quickly than the first. Despite the fact that the premise remains the same, I enjoyed the second book more than the first. Perhaps this is because I am less familiar with the literary premises for the work.

The Search for the Red Dragon weaves Dante's Inferno and James Barrie's Peter Pan together in a tale about using abducted children to form an army. I will say that the sheer amount of time travel at the end of the novel was slightly disconcerting. I looked up from the book and said aloud, "What? I just missed something big." Still the return of the Winter King's shadow and the possibility of his continued existence makes me curious about the next book. Owen drops hints in his end notes that we may know the cartographer of lost places, but I still have no idea who he is. I have a feeling that these books are going to be more fun with each reread, especially if I have the opportunity to read more classics between readings.

On the femininity front, Aven becomes a mother but not a wife. This second book also introduces a second female lead Laura Glue. Laura Glue is a "Lost Boy" and the granddaughter of Peter Pan. Her character is a little annoying. I can't tell if she is meant to be annoying or if she is just poorly written. I am really pulling for a more well rounded female before the series ends.