This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite
Sam and the Dragon: A Medieval Mars Story is written by Donna McFarland . Sam lives on Mars with poverty-stricken Uncle Al and his family. When a mysterious dragon eats their goats, he and his cousin Ahnalin locate its lair. They find a strange box and valuable obsidian they can sell, but the acid spouting dragon appears and they escape with burns. Ahnalin suddenly becomes sick and Madame Susan, a healer, cures her with the box they found. She explains that the box came from Earth and teaches Sam its uses. He is curious about flying machines the people from Earth flew in when they colonised Mars, one thousand years ago before Mars reverted to a primitive society when its technology weakened. Villagers capture the dragon and want it killed, but Sam and Madame Susan try an experiment to keep the beast so they can study past civilization.
Sam and the Dragon: A Medieval Mars Story is very original and entertaining from the beginning. Donna McFarland developed a strong plot and followed through with her fluid writing structure. It is mildly amusing how people on Earth finally fulfil their dream to occupy Mars, only to have their industrious colony disintegrate over time. Sam is easy to like and is brave for his age, and Madame Susan displays a wealth of knowledge and skills which are unusual for villagers to acquire in their present era. The nice cover illustration depicts how bleak looking Mars is. Donna McFarland has written a great adventure book for preteens.
