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Big Dragons Don't Cry Reviews

These are some of the reviews Big Dragons Don't Cry has received. (These are all Amazon reviews, and I have removed the names for the reviewers' privacy.)

For information about buying the book, please see the Ordering Information page.

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5-Star Review

Within just a few pages you're transported to another world of brilliant cats, a depressed but very empathetic dragon, and other denizens of the swamp as they f ollow their destinies to save both their own and the human's world. I loved this book as it transported me to this other world, and it reminded me a lot of the feeling I got reading the Marion Zimmer Bradley fantasy books that I always enjoyed so much.

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5-Star Review

Big Dragons Don't Cry is a delightful fantasy that offers imaginative characters--both human and animal--spectacular imagery, laugh-out-loud dialog, and a killer plot. It is also one fable where the lesson never overwhelms the story.

A few of my favorite characters include Druid, the water dragon, who has issues with his absentee parents; savvy cats that are reminiscent of all the cats that owned me; Phileas, the male lead, who is too smart for his own good; Serazina, the female lead, whose emotions touched my heart; and Malvern Snow, the malicious antagonist, who can best be described in the author's own words: "...Malvern moved closer, the smile of nightmares on his face."

The author's writing made me yearn for the possibilities that became a reality in this book, and I look forward to the sequel. In fact, her cinematic writing is perfect for the big screen, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Big Dragons Don't Cry will soon appear at a nearby theater.

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5-Star Review

Big Dragons Don't Cry is a deeply moving portrayal of man's destructive attitude towards animals and nature which challenges our established notions of dealing with such issues. The author's greatest feat is to deliver this hard-hitting message without ever `preaching' to her reader. Instead, the author creates wonderful characters such as the water dragon Druid and the cat Tara, who form bonds of companionship that override prejudices and illuminate this story.

The author succeeds in interweaving several threads of plot; her deft handling of these different plots allows the story to conclude with a terrific climax. The combination of an important moral message with a swashbuckling sense of adventure reminds me of Avatar.

One of the book's greatest strengths is that it constantly grounds its humour and adventure with an important overriding message - which is one heck of a feat for any author to pull off. This allows the book to pull off its key emotional moments with dexterity and depth.

Read this book - you won't regret doing so.

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5-Star Review

I loved this story! The author's writing style is so comfortable to read and everything had a lovely flow to it. Being able to travel back and forth from animals to humans and back again, seemed effortless. And the viewpoints and voice of each character in the book was so unique. One thing the author did that not many do, is to start off with a chart of who is who. I found this so helpful and wish more fantasy writers would do this.

There was a very deep message to be found underlying the interesting plot, but at no time was it heavy handed. It did give a message for us all to think about, but I never felt like I was being hit with a "lesson." Because of this, the story was fun, and fascinating without being preachy.

I had wanted to read this book as I have read a few of the author's short stories and loved them. This writer's love for nature and animals, as well as people, comes through her writing so strongly. But I think that the thing I enjoyed most of all was that this story was also a story of redemption and hope. I am looking forward to seeing what else this writer has to say to us.

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5-Star Review

Cat Lovers, This Book is for You.

We cat lovers know that our cats have a lot to teach us, and if we're smart, we learn. In Big Dragons Don't Cry, Tara, a kitten, is determined to lead a young woman, Serazina, into a world she never imagined existed. To do so, she must get Serazina to hear her.

Serazina begins to suspect that Tara wants desperately to communicate with her, but she fears that if she opens up to this new dimension, she'll be condemned to the Ward for the Chronically Crazy, whose inmates frequently have their brains rearranged.

As other reviewers have noted, this book has a message about the effect of human destructiveness on nature and animals. However, unlike authors (whether writers of nonfiction or fiction) who condemn humans and suggest that the world would be a better place without them, this author shows through Serazina's conflicts and fears that to separate oneself from nature causes unhappiness and alienation. The alternative, if she will listen to the wise kitten, can be freedom and joy.

To communicate this message in a way that is entertaining and often humorous is the mark of a deft storyteller. C. M. Barrett is that storyteller, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series.

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4-Star Review

The author spins an interwoven story line with some of the best descriptive elements found.

There is a serious undertone to the moralistic message. But, this message is delivered in such a way that it just becomes the fundamental principle on which the story is based.

The characterization and personifications were well done and the characters come alive with intensity.

If you like to have your thoughts provoked then this is a great read for you. This is a strong 4 star book and the author has delivered a work worthy of reading.

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