Here there be dragons
Encyclopedia
Here, There Be Dragons is a fantasy novel by James A. Owen
. It is the first book in The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series. A sequel, followed by several more books in the series have since been released, including The Search for the Red Dragon
(January 2008), The Indigo King
(October 2008), The Shadow Dragons
(October 2009), and The Dragon's Apprentice
(October 2010).
scholars, who are united by the death of Stellan, John's mentor. The three are entrusted with a special book, The Imaginarium Geographica, which contains the geographic locations of all fabled locations.
They meet Bert, who helps them flee from the minions of the Winter King, Mordred
. They journey on Bert's ship, the Indigo Dragon (captained by Bert's daughter Aven, to whom Jack is attracted), to Avalon
, and then to Paralon, the capital of the Archipelago. There was no king, as the lineage of Arthur had supposedly been ended when the Winter King killed the last king and all of his relatives. The party discovers also that the Winter King is searching for the High King's Ring, which they have.
Around this time, the partners realize how dangerous the Imaginarium Geographica could be in the wrong hands, and decide to destroy it. As it can only be destroyed by he who made it, the Cartographer of Lost Places, the companions journey to his refuge, the Keep of Time. They lose the book, however, before reaching the Keep, but after they leave the keep they find that their potboy, Artus, is a descendant of King Arthur. However, the ring is then stolen.
The companions also discover that Mordred is using Pandora's Box
to create shadow minions, and decide to meet him in a battle on the island at the end of the world. During the battle, Charles is charged with closing Pandora's Box, which he does, eliminating Mordred's shadow minions. Jack is charged to fight on the battlefield, where he was responsible for the death of another man, Captain Nemo
. John was charged with leading Artus to the bluffs of the island, where a descendant of Arthur could, with the incantation in the Geographica and the Ring of Power, summon dragons.
They summon the dragons, discovering that the Ring of Power is not jewelry but a ring of standing stones remarkably like Stonehenge
located on the cliffs of the island. After the dragons rout the enemy troops, the companions again encounter Mordred, who is thrown off the edge of the world by a dragon.
The companions then return to their own world, where their true identities are revealed.
A number of people referenced in the novel were members of the Inklings
, a literary discussion group at the University of Oxford, England that produced a number of fantasy and science-fiction writers.
is producing the film adaptations.
James A. Owen
James A. Owen is an American comic book creator, publisher and writer. He is best known for his creator-owned comic book series Starchild and as the author of The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica novel series, that began with Here, There Be Dragons in 2006.-Life and career:Owen...
. It is the first book in The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series. A sequel, followed by several more books in the series have since been released, including The Search for the Red Dragon
The Search for the Red Dragon
The Search for the Red Dragon, by James A. Owen, is a fantasy novel released on January 1, 2008. It is the second book in The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica...
(January 2008), The Indigo King
The Indigo King
The Indigo King, released on October 21, 2008, is the third book of The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, a series of books begun by Here, There Be Dragons, by James A. Owen...
(October 2008), The Shadow Dragons
The Shadow Dragons
The Shadow Dragons, released on October 27, 2009, is the fourth novel of The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, a book series begun by Here, There Be Dragons. It was preceded by The Search for the Red Dragon and then The Indigo King...
(October 2009), and The Dragon's Apprentice
The Dragon's Apprentice
The Dragon's Apprentice written by James A. Owen is the fifth book in the Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, which was released in the United States on the 19th of October, 2010....
(October 2010).
Plot synposis
John, Charles, and Jack are three OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
scholars, who are united by the death of Stellan, John's mentor. The three are entrusted with a special book, The Imaginarium Geographica, which contains the geographic locations of all fabled locations.
They meet Bert, who helps them flee from the minions of the Winter King, Mordred
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
. They journey on Bert's ship, the Indigo Dragon (captained by Bert's daughter Aven, to whom Jack is attracted), to Avalon
Avalon
Avalon is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 pseudohistorical account Historia Regum Britanniae as the place where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was forged and later where Arthur was...
, and then to Paralon, the capital of the Archipelago. There was no king, as the lineage of Arthur had supposedly been ended when the Winter King killed the last king and all of his relatives. The party discovers also that the Winter King is searching for the High King's Ring, which they have.
Around this time, the partners realize how dangerous the Imaginarium Geographica could be in the wrong hands, and decide to destroy it. As it can only be destroyed by he who made it, the Cartographer of Lost Places, the companions journey to his refuge, the Keep of Time. They lose the book, however, before reaching the Keep, but after they leave the keep they find that their potboy, Artus, is a descendant of King Arthur. However, the ring is then stolen.
The companions also discover that Mordred is using Pandora's Box
Pandora's box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
to create shadow minions, and decide to meet him in a battle on the island at the end of the world. During the battle, Charles is charged with closing Pandora's Box, which he does, eliminating Mordred's shadow minions. Jack is charged to fight on the battlefield, where he was responsible for the death of another man, Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo, also known as Prince Dakkar, is a fictional character featured in Jules Verne's novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island ....
. John was charged with leading Artus to the bluffs of the island, where a descendant of Arthur could, with the incantation in the Geographica and the Ring of Power, summon dragons.
They summon the dragons, discovering that the Ring of Power is not jewelry but a ring of standing stones remarkably like Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
located on the cliffs of the island. After the dragons rout the enemy troops, the companions again encounter Mordred, who is thrown off the edge of the world by a dragon.
The companions then return to their own world, where their true identities are revealed.
Characters
Spoiler Warning: Characters in the book are based on real people and their identities are revealed as a plot twist.A number of people referenced in the novel were members of the Inklings
Inklings
The Inklings was an informal literary discussion group associated with the University of Oxford, England, for nearly two decades between the early 1930s and late 1949. The Inklings were literary enthusiasts who praised the value of narrative in fiction, and encouraged the writing of fantasy...
, a literary discussion group at the University of Oxford, England that produced a number of fantasy and science-fiction writers.
- John (J.R.R. Tolkien) is the series protagonist. An ex-soldier, he becomes the Caretaker Principal of the Imaginarium Geographica after his tutor Stellan, the former Caretaker Principa, is killed. He makes up his own words sometimes, of which there is the word "eucatastrophe". At first, he does not know how to read the many languages in the Imaginarium Geographica, having not paid attention to Stellan's teachings, thinking the languages were not important, but slowly gains knowledge.
- Jack (C.S. Lewis) is one of the three Caretakers. He is the youngest, having not yet attended university (Oxford). He is attracted to Aven. Early on he demonstrates the most imagination of the three, getting the companions out of sticky situations through inventive means. He loses his soul but regains it, though Captain Nemo loses his life because of Jack's recklessness. His nickname, Jack, was gained when Peter Pan whispered it into his ear when Jack was a child, during his sleep.
- Charles (Charles Williams) is the third Caretaker. The eldest of them, he is an editor of the Oxford Press and more groundly rooted in reality. He takes a strong disliking to Magwich and on several occasions beats him and threatens to kill him. Charles calls Magwich "Maggot" to show his dislike for him. However, he is shown to have a soft spot for the badger Tummeler.
- Bert (H.G. Wells) is an old Caretaker of the Imaginarium Geographica along Stellan and J.M. Barrie. He is also the father of Aven. He delivers the Geographica to the three men and knows a great deal about Archipelago.
- Aven is Bert's daughter, the captain of the Indigo Dragon. Both Jack and Artus are attracted to her, though she appears to be more affectionate towards Artus (notably after he is revealed to be more than just a potboy). She is a strong fighter and is good friends with Captain Nemo.
- Bug/Artus is a boy (then called Bug) who stows away on the Indigo Dragon after being released from the service of three witches. He dreams of being a knight and becomes John's eager assistant. Later they learn he is a descendant of King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
, and is thus the true heir to the Silver Throne of Archipelago, and that his real name is Artus. He is attracted to Aven, a feeling that appears to be mutual as the story goes on. He asked Aven to marry him, and she agreed, but backed down after realizing she was not happy away from sea.
- The Winter King/MordredMordredMordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
is the main antagonist of the story. His goal is to rule the Archipelago and stops at nothing to reach it. He is also an heir to the throne but loses out on it to Artus. At the end of the novel he is thrown over an endless waterfall, that in The Shadow DragonsThe Shadow DragonsThe Shadow Dragons, released on October 27, 2009, is the fourth novel of The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, a book series begun by Here, There Be Dragons. It was preceded by The Search for the Red Dragon and then The Indigo King...
is shown to have an end, and Mordred is rescued from the Deep and escapes into past England.
- Magwich is Mordred's spy and assistant. He steals the High King's Ring and the Imaginarium Geographica, though these prove to be of little help to Mordred. He was formerly an apprentice to Charles Dickens. He is constantly threatened and beaten by the companions, especially Charles. In The Search for the Red DragonThe Search for the Red DragonThe Search for the Red Dragon, by James A. Owen, is a fantasy novel released on January 1, 2008. It is the second book in The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica...
, he became a Green KnightGreen KnightThe Green Knight is a character in the 14th-century Arthurian poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the related work The Greene Knight. His true name is revealed to be Bercilak de Hautdesert in Sir Gawain, while The Greene Knight names him "Bredbeddle"...
, to serve the Morgaine on AvalonAvalonAvalon is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 pseudohistorical account Historia Regum Britanniae as the place where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was forged and later where Arthur was...
.
- Tummeler is a talking badger who assists the companions. He is given by Samaranth the dragon a shield which turns out to be the lid to Pandora's BoxPandora's boxPandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
. He is the basis for Jack's later The Chronicles of NarniaThe Chronicles of NarniaThe Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...
character Trufflehunter. Tummeler has produced a recipe book and published five editions of the Imaginarium Geographica to the Archipelago, but his Imaginarium Geographica only contains the major lands in the Archipelago and is written mostly in English.
- Ordo Maas is a wise sage who fuses the ancient mythological characters of ThothThothThoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
and DeucalionDeucalionIn Greek mythology Deucalion was a son of Prometheus and Pronoia. The anger of Zeus was ignited by the hubris of the Pelasgians, and he decided to put an end to the Bronze Age. Lycaon, the king of Arcadia, had sacrificed a boy to Zeus, who was appalled by this savage offering...
. He is considered one of the oldest human beings. He created the seven dragon boats, the Indigo Dragon, the Violet Dragon, the Blue Dragon, the Orange Dragon, the Yellow Dragon, the White Dragon and the Red Dragon (which is the modified ArgoArgoIn Greek mythology, the Argo was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to retrieve the Golden Fleece. It was named after its builder, Argus.-Legend:...
). He offers advice to the companions and is the person to reveal Artus' true identity. He sends seven of his sons, changed permanently into cranes, to watch over the companions.
- Samaranth is the first dragon, and possibly the oldest living creature. Like Ordo Maas, he gives the companions advice and, in the end, aids them in the final battle. He is the one to give Tummeler the lid to Pandora's Box, the shield of PerseusPerseusPerseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
. After the end of The Shadow DragonsThe Shadow DragonsThe Shadow Dragons, released on October 27, 2009, is the fourth novel of The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, a book series begun by Here, There Be Dragons. It was preceded by The Search for the Red Dragon and then The Indigo King...
, Samaranth is the only remaining dragon in all worlds and times.
Film
In the intro to The Search of the Red Dragon it was announced that Warner Brothers purchased the rights to make Here, There Be Dragons into a feature film. Travis Adam Wright is set to pen film adaptations of the first two books. Rick PorrasRick Porras
Rick Porras is an American producer, notably co-producing The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and attended Stanford University, graduating in 1988 with a degree in History....
is producing the film adaptations.