A surprise visitor to the Aerie provides devastating news for Happenstance about his past--but it's the future that Umber and Hap must contend with: they need to learn all they can about Meddlers if they are to discover what Hap's role in Umber's mission is to be. And that means a risky trip to The Inferno, where Caspar has taken the key pages of Umber's research. But that's only one of the perilous journeys Umber has in mind for his mysterious ward: Umber's nemesis, the wheeling and dealing Hameron, has acquired some dragon eggs, and Umber can't resist the opportunity to study a new magical species, even if it means a trip to the corrupt kingdom of Sarnica. But when he and Hap see what the warlord of Sarnica has planned for the dragon hatchlings at the upcoming Dragon Games, Umber's quest for knowledge turns into a dangerous rescue operation.

Discover all the secrets and mechanics of the famous Japanese video game Dragon Quest ! This book looks back at the entire Dragon Quest saga, tells the story of the series' birth, retraces its history and deciphers its mechanics. In this book, the author shares us all his expertise and his passion in Japanese gaming to decipher the creation and the story of this saga and his creator, Yuji Horii. EXTRAIT Even with only limited knowledge of Japanese and somewhat difficult technical conditions, the story was very well told. This was perhaps what surprised players most. Dragon Quest V is a large family cycle of emotions, as transparent as an epic tale by Alexandre Dumas, the author of famous works such as The Three Musketeers. In the end, I was lucky that my first taste of the series was this excellent episode, since VI was far more extravagant, with its tales of parallel universes and heroes traveling on flying beds. A slightly puzzling game, but not without levity nor offbeat humor. One of the most emotional moments of Dragon Quest V is when we end up going back in time to change the past, thus saving the future. The time travel theme has been so often used in science fiction, particularly during the 1980s, that it should have left me impassive. It was not even the first time I had experienced it in a video game. But this adventure, with its simple graphics and persistent melodies, glanced lightly upon feelings that leave no one unmoved. “What would I have done differently if I could have changed things” is a very common concept used in fiction, from A Distant Neighborhood by Jirô Taniguchi to the Quantum Leap series. Well-told, it is so simple and so effective that it affects each and every one of us. CE QU'EN PENSE LA CRITIQUE Un libre passionnant que j'ai dévoré au point de rogner sur mes heures de sommeil. Ici, l'auteur ne nous bassine pas avec des tartines de textes pour nous conter avec détails l'histoire de chaque épisode, les ventes incommensurables de la série ou encore un almanach des jeux estampillés DraQue. - Kaisermeister, Sens Critique Un livre plein d’anecdotes qui feront vibrer votre corde nostalgique et qui donne envie, une fois terminé, de replonger dans l'aventure. - neotsubasa, Sens Critique C'est une biographie très détaillée, riche en anecdotes et bien romancée, Yuji Horii est un personnage fascinant au CV bien rempli et la genèse de la saga est tout aussi passionnante à tel point que j'ai parfois eu du mal à décrocher. - Nixotane, Sens Critique À PROPOS DE L'AUTEUR Daniel Andreyev is an author and journalist of Russian origin. His career in video game journalism began twenty years ago, during the golden years of video gaming, with Player One, Consoles + and Animeland, with a particular interest in Japan. Having spent some time on translation, he is now part of the New Games Journalism movement, which places the player at the heart of the video game experience. He produces the After Hate and Super Ciné Battle podcasts. He also trades memories with his friends in Gaijin Dash, the Gamekult show on Japanese video games. He is a fan of far too many things to list them all here. But when he is not writing, not watching a movie, not reading comics and graphic novels, not climbing mountains or exploring ruined buildings, he might be cooking, exercising or dreaming of one day owning a dog.

In the heart of the magical realm of Windmere, where the air shimmers with enchanted whispers and dragons paint the sky with fiery hues, a thrilling event awaits: the Dragon Games. Every year, children from across the kingdom dream of being chosen to participate in this exhilarating tournament, where they are paired with a dragon to face a series of challenging trials. Lila, a ten-year-old girl, longs to be a part of the Dragon Games. She imagines herself soaring high above the clouds on the back of a magnificent dragon, the wind whipping through her hair as she tackles each daring challenge. However, deep inside, she doubts her own abilities and fears she won't be chosen. But destiny has a surprise in store for Lila. At the Selection Ceremony, where children are paired with dragons, she is chosen – and paired with a dragon unlike any other. Whisper, as he is called, possesses a secret talent: he can vanish into thin air, making him both powerful and incredibly shy. Lila's journey with Whisper takes her on an unforgettable adventure through a world brimming with magic, peril, and fierce competition. Along the way, she will learn the importance of friendship, the power of teamwork, and the courage to face her fears. And as they delve deeper into the mysteries of the Dragon Games, Lila and Whisper will uncover a sinister threat that could jeopardize everything they hold dear. Prepare for an enchanting adventure filled with breathtaking feats, heartwarming friendships, and a dash of magic!

"Dragon Games," the second book in Catanese's Books of Umber trilogy, continues the imaginative, page-turning adventures of Umber and Hap.

An adventure-packed series about three kids who travel into a magical, dragon-filled world! Play the game. Save the realm. One fateful afternoon, classmates Luca, Yazmine, and Zane stumble upon a strange-looking rock called a geode in one of the rooms at school. To their surprise, a touch of this geode transports them to a magical land named Imperia. The geode is actually a dragon egg! It’s one of three Thunder Eggs that needs to be returned home to secret locations in Imperia. Once these eggs hatch, the dragons born from them will restore peace to the land. In order to return the first egg, the kids must face off against the evil ruler of Imperia in a dangerous game.

An adventure-packed series about three kids who travel into a magical, dragon-filled world! Play the game. Save the realm. Team Dragon is facing their most challenging adventure yet! Luca, Yazmine, and Zane have been dropped in the ancient dragon city of Dracopolis. They have only one more Thunder Egg to return before the prophecy can come true, and dragons can return to Imperia. The people of Dracopolis are counting on Team Dragon to win, but the evil ruler Dartsmith never plays fair. Luca, Yazmine, and Zane will need all the help they can get if they’re going to defeat him for good and finally bring peace to Imperia.

After being set free from her mirror prison, the Evil Queen comes up with a wickedly hexcellent plan to infiltrate Ever After High. Can she finally convince her daughter, Raven Queen, to accept her fairytale destiny and join her in being evil? Meanwhile a new litter of baby dragons is born and before long the Dragon Games are back at Ever After High, but the reinstatement of the games is all part of the Evil Queen's master plan. Can Raven, Apple, Darling, and the rest of the gang stand up to the Evil Queen? One thing is for sure...Ever After High will never be the same! Let the Dragon Games begin! ©2016 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.

An adventure-packed series about three kids who travel into a magical, dragon-filled world! Play the game. Save the realm. Team Dragon is back! This time Luca, Yazmine, and Zane have landed in the icy region of North Gelida. Here they must navigate giant frozen waves and outrun a hungry monster made of snow to return the second Thunder Egg to its frosty palace. But Dartsmith, the evil leader of Imperia, is always lurking, determined to make sure the dragon prophecy won’t come true. He’ll do whatever it takes to win the Dragon Games—but Luca, Yazmine, and Zane are determined to stop him!

“... there was something about his calm regular features that seemed wrong to Healm. As he stared at the blond man he thought that his face flickered an instant, as though he were seeing a mask slip to reveal the real face behind.” Vivid fantasy adventure. Also in the series: THE AWAKENING OF MAGIC, BOOK ONE OF THE WEREDING CHRONICLES.

The Dragon Games are back at Ever After High! Two of the greatest dragon riders in the history of the school will coach the teams: Snow White and the Evil Queen! The Evil Queen believes in winning at any cost -- will Apple White be able to do the right thing, even if it means risking her Happily Ever After? Passport to Reading Level 2. ©2016 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.