How to Train Your Dragon (How to Train Your Dragon #1) by Cressida Cowell

Hiccup is a young viking warrior who is trying to pass his initiation test to become a member of the Hairy Hooligans tribe. His task is to capture and train a dragon. As the son of the chief, he is expected to be a great hero, but in reality, he is bumbling nerd.

As a viking myself, I am quite shocked at some of the names of these characters and tribes. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III? Snotlout? Gobber the Belch? Dogsbreath the Duhbrain? The Hairy Hooligans? The Meathead Tribe? I must say Miss Cowell is quite insulting with her representation of my ancestry.

However, once I got past the terrible names, I did quite enjoy the story. A bumbling hero, trying to prove his worth to his heavy-headed father, all the while trying to train the greatest critters on earth; dragons! However, the book was filled with some terrible, terrible illustrations that I'm rather shocked got past the editorial stage. The drawings of the dragons were quite alright, but whenever people were presented they were quite... Crude. There appeared to be very little time or talent applied to drawings, just crude scribbles that I thought brought nothing to the story. With some focused and intentional artwork added to the book, I think Miss Cowell could have produced a fine piece of work.

Reading Level: B

Story: 4

I would have liked more story, but what was there was enjoyable.

Characters: 3

While I liked the characters themselves, I could not get past the terrible names.

Style: 4

Well-written and fast paced.

Cover: 3

The older editions look quite fine, but mine (and all the ones I could find) has a stupid movie advertisement on it that deflates its collectible value.

Presentation: 2

I enjoyed some of the stuff, like the dragon facts, but most of the artwork was unnecessary, unpolished scribbles.

Epicness: 3

That world that is created is quite enjoyable, but there is little sense of epicness. The scope of the dragons and the potential of what might be in the series is what earns it the points that it received.

Final Score: 3.17