Finally, finally! I found it!Boy, where do I start? Okay, to make things clear: I did see the movie first (it was one of Dreamworks' best ever!) but that didn't necessarily mean I had expectations for this book based on that. I did check up on it before reading it, so I was fully prepared with the knowledge that it was completely different from the movie when I started. Still, no matter how much I loved the movie, I loved this book too. The characters are likable (as story-book characters, anyway; I doubt anyone would want to meet a real Gobber the Belch in person) and the idea and plot are original and entertaining. I think this version earns the title of How to Train Your Dragon alot more than the movie; Hiccup, who already isn't real Viking material, is set up to train an impossibly small yet needy, whiney, vain, ungrateful, disobediant, proud, cheeky, self-centered brat of a dragon Toothless (don't let all those adjectives set you off, he's still cute!), which he quickly understands could take alot more than just the simple advise of Yell At It to accomplish. It doesn't matter that he can speak Dragonese; luck just isn't on his side. He'll have to train dragons his own way.The morals of this story are well-delivered. You can tell how Hiccup's methods pay off when, having treated Toothless with kindness and generosity such that no other Viking has, Toothless finally feels grateful enough to help him defeat the Green Death. This book is mainly aimed at nine-and-up-year-old boys, but I bought it for me, and I ended up reading it to my little sister, who enjoyed listening to it and surprisingly was able to overlook the fact that it was nothing at all like the movie she loved. Toothless was still her favorite character (and Hiccup mine!)*****2013:I feel like I should update this review, given the amount of likes it's getting, and plus because the above review looks pretty mediocre to me now. Also, since then, I've read (and reread) the rest of the Hiccup books as well. Actually, this will be more like a list of reasons why you should read these books rather than an actual review of this one.So, to get right to it:Reasons to read the How to Train Your Dragon (series) by Cressida Cowell:1. Our little Hero in Training, the smallish boy with the longish name of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, is in my opinion one of the sweetest protagonists in literature, alongside Bilbo Baggins, playing the excellent role of reluctant hero. He reminds me a little bit of Jim Hawkins from Treasure Island, although less inclined to thoughts of glory. He's a selfless, modest, polite, and extremely kind little kid just trying to stumble along in doing what's right. And although his overall personality doesn't go through any drastic change as the books progress, it's enjoyable to see his little moments of triumph, when he realizes there is still one last thing he can do. There is some character development in the last few books, when the story starts to get darker and Hiccup grows older, but in the end I like him the way he is. This is the kind of character who makes you smile when he's happy, cry when he cries, get mad when he gets mad, and cheer silently in your head when he stands up after falling. Although the books wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable or funny without his friends, who provide most of the comic relief (although Hiccup himself does make quite a few smart sarcastic comments), Hiccup is the real soul of the series.2. The fantasy world Hiccup and his friends inhabit is filled with places as fantastic and incredible as they are treacherous. And they're filled with lots, and lots, and lots of dragons, of every shape and size, from the tiny Nanodragons, some of which glow like worms, to the Monstrous Seadragons the size of mountains, that can be found in the depths of the ocean or in dark underground tunnels and caves. The dragons in these books are unlike any other dragons I've read or watched. Oh sure, you'll find the occasional ultimately-smarter,-nobler,-high-and-mightier-than-thou dragon of the old fairy-tales (that conversation with the Green Death was reminiscent of Bilbo's little chat with Smaug), and there are quite a lot of blood-thirsty-no-mercy killing machine dragons equipped with weapons even worse than fire-breath; but the best of the dragons in these books are as distinctive as the human characters they share their world with - the ones that argue, pick a fight, pick on others, pick their noses, smirk, laugh, snort, show off, show up, groan, complain, play tricks, play with their masters, play with each other, and give the occasional helping hand (or claw) in a crisis the humans can't seem to solve on their own. In fact, you could describe these dragons like misbehaved little puppies. The relationship Hiccup has with his own dragon Toothless is one of more than just Master and Beast; it's one of a boy and his pesky younger brother, or a Model-A student and his trouble-maker friend. Mostly it's that of two companions who've been through a lot together and who stick together through thick and thin; not precisely out of loyalty or friendship, but because they wouldn't have it any other way.3. The story itself is just plain fun to read through. The books start out as seeming completely disconnected, of The Whacky Adventures of So-and-So variety (Amazing World of Gumball? Misadventures of Flapjack? Well, some Cartoon Network show). You might even roll your eyes at the juvenile humor clearly aimed at the nine-and-under-year-olds these books were originally written for. In the last few books, however, everything gets sewn neatly together in ways that'll leave you gobsmacked, and then things start getting a bit more serious (and it's for this reason that, although they may say it's safe to do so, it's best not to read the books out of order, or at least not the last four). But yes, for the most part, How to Train Your Dragon is just great for laugh-out-loud-until-you-cry moments. Even the villains, though mad and dangerous when angry, provide much of the humor. The dragons too, as I've said, are hugely entertaining; besides Toothless, there's One Eye the Sabre-Toothed Driver Dragon who hates humans, or Ziggerastica the self-proclaimed god. Now that I think of it, in regards to the humor part of the series, I'd liken it most to the anime One Piece: it may seem childish in some parts and the characters don't feel like they're taking anything seriously, but when things get nasty they can pull their own, and you find yourself saving your laughs for later.I can think of plenty more reasons if I sit here long enough, but the three I've given provide a nice long essay in themselves, so I'm sure they'll suffice. All that's left to say is that I give this series a strong recommendation. I'm not saying everyone who reads it will like it (the same way, I suppose, that not everyone who watches One Piece for the first time will instantly fall in love with it, although I certainly did), but I think all that matters is your ability to love adventure, to love the characters, and to tap into your inner hero. And if not a hero, there's always at least someone who appreciates heroism somewhere inside you, which is probably why you read books about them in the first place.****2014:Hehe, me again. Well of course. So the second movie is out. I have to say, although it was amazing, I'm pretty sure I prefer the first movie better. The first film's poignant moments were treated with more subtlety, and it came off as an overall very charming film without really trying too hard. It's like the directors were so scared of tarnishing its reputation that they decided to take everything that was good about the first film and crank it up to overblown levels of 'epicness', without really paying it the amount of attention it deserved so that all these conflicting elements - comedy, drama, action, cutsey-ness - flowed easily from scene to scene.Anyways...I came up with a fourth reason, haha. You have to read more of this overlong review of a book series that's still probably only being bought because people loved the movie so much (that's me being a hypocrite, la di da da...)So, reason number4. Despite it being a children's book series, these books don't talk down to kids. And when I say that I don't only mean that the narrative is surprisingly very adult, using normal literary vocabulary rather than over-simplified written-like-you-say-it kid-speak (say, like, I don't know, The Lightning Thief). Some of the situations Hiccup gets himself in are truly intense. It's one of the reasons why, though I do love the films, I would love for a one-hundred-percent faithful cartoon animated series to be adapted from these books - I want to see these scenes! Watching Httyd 2 in cinema I got the feeling that the directors were trying to make Hiccup look a little more 'badass' (that awesome fire-sword though...). I'm not gonna say that book-version Hiccup is much of a badass himself (in the end he'll always be the nicey-nice guy) but because he's so unexceptional and pathetic-looking other characters get that much more shocked and afraid when he does manage to put one over on them. He doesn't always manage to keep his cool, and wins don't come easy - he panics, and gets scared, and very often has to fight for his life, but that's what makes the danger seem more real, and Hiccup more like a hero (especially considering that he's still a kid). Aside from the aforementioned sketch with the Green Death, my most favorite scene of the series, I would really love to see Hiccup looking for the witch in the dark of the tree-prison, or riding away on the back of the Windwalker with a murderous hundreds-strong dragon hoard on the chase, or scrambling up the mast of a sinking ship trying to get away from an axe-wielding madman in the midst of a storm, fully animated. Not like a regular kids' cartoon but something more along the lines of Avatar: The Last Airbender. On page a lot of these situations may sound ridiculous, but if you really allow yourself to picture it that way it's nothing short of astounding.Plus Hiccup is an expert sword-fighter in this version.
Originally posted on JournalStone.Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and eighteen other boys are about to be initiated into their Viking tribe. To do that, every Viking boy must steal a dragon directly from the nest and train it to hunt for him and obey basic commands. Then, on the initiation day months later, they will prove they have what it takes to be a Viking by forcing a beast as heartless and uncooperative as a dragon to obey. It’s the Viking way.I’ve always wondered why books for young adults tend to have the same protagonist. Every kid’s book meant for boys I’ve ever read has this main character: physically lacking, nothing special, is often told he’s destined for greatness, always the target of bullies and teasing, and ironically the very thing he’s been teased for is what ends up saving the day. Then I realized something. What kind of preadolescent boy is most likely to read a book?It’s obvious who this book is intended for, and because Hiccup fits the profile, it gives away the ending on the first page. He’s not a good Viking. He’s small, he’s wimpy, he’s not good at fighting, or yelling, or being a hero, and he’s powerless to stand up to the bullies who torture him for being what he is, but of course because it’s a kid’s book, you know where this is headed.The boys nearly lose their lives stealing their dragons because Hiccup happens to have a friend who is only slightly less competent than himself, Fishlegs. (It’s he who wakes the dragons up, but for no apparent reason everyone blames Hiccup.) While fleeing the nest of waking dragons, Hiccup gives his dragon to Fishlegs because Fishlegs didn’t get one, and Hiccup goes back into the cave to fetch another one. It’s crazy, but Hiccup comes back with a dragon of his own. A tiny, non-threatening dragonette. He names him Toothless because he lacks teeth.The bullies that inhabit this kid’s life are the usual type. They have names like Snotlout, Wartihog and Dogsbreath The Duhbrain. All they do is tease and mock Hiccup and his miniscule dragon. Their only motivation is to make Hiccup feel worse about himself than he already does because, frankly, he deserves it. I know I deserved it when I was a kid, but I didn’t know I deserved it until High School, when I grew up and stopped being so awkward.Hiccup himself knows he deserves it for not being tough, strong or a fighter--three things every Viking should be. His miniscule dragon sure isn’t helping. How is a dragon the size of a housecat, and without teeth, going to earn him entry into his tribe? Furthermore, the only advice he gets on how to train a dragon is to yell at it, which he can’t do either. Hiccup tries everything he can think of to get Toothless to obey, but the tiny dragon refuses to listen. Dragons are heartless and have no sense of gratitude, unlike dogs, so his situation is hopeless.But Hiccup does have one trick up his sleeve. He can speak Dragonese. Yes, Hiccup has been watching dragons since he was even younger. He knows a lot more about them than the average Viking, and somehow he can speak their language. There’s no explanation for how he acquires this ability, so just go along with it.Dragons apparently love jokes, and Hiccup is able to use this as the proverbial carrot on a stick to get the dragon at least to feign obedience. “Catch me a fish and I’ll tell you a joke.” It works, though Toothless whines about it the whole time.Then a seadragon, big as a mountain, crawls up from the ocean floor and perches on the beach, ready to eat everyone in the clan. Yelling at it doesn’t work, it’s too big to fight, they can’t run away, they’re as good as dead.But wait! The nerd can speak to dragons! Of course! Adults are only capable of indecisive bickering after all, so the kids will have to save the day!Uh oh…talking to the massive dragon doesn’t work. Now it’s up to Hiccup’s booksmarts and cunning to outsmart it! Naturally, the bullies are reduced to taking orders from Hiccup, and Hiccup and Toothless are heroes!It’s what every kid reading this book wants to believe will happen, and it’s what parents and teachers tell them, too. Sure, you’re being picked on now, but one day your brain will make you a success, so don’t listen to those bullies. You’ll have the last laugh eventually. That’s what this book is all about.Toothless is fairly useless throughout the story because he is, of course, a heartless dragon. He’s the size of a housecat and lacks teeth, so there’s very little he can do except chase mice and catch fish. Mostly he whines about his wings being tired, or how he doesn’t feel like hunting today. But at the end he has a change of heart and he flies in to rescue Hiccup in his moment of need.It goes against every hint of logic the book establishes! Why does Toothless decide to be selfless now? Instead of providing a good reason, the narrator simply breaks the fourth wall with “who knows why Toothless had this change of heart. Maybe it was this, maybe it was that, maybe we’ll never know, but he did.”I wanted to know. Maybe a future book in the series answers this question, but it doesn’t feel like a cliffhanger. More like a shortcut to get to the conclusion. I’d sure like for Toothless to have been a real character with some development, instead of just the pet.I respect this story because Hiccup is an active main character. Unlike a certain boy in a certain wizard school, Hiccup takes action. He knows things that will win the battle, he influences the events, and he takes charge. He deserves to be the hero, and earns his place in the tribe.I’d still like to know how he came to know Dragonese though. Seems learning about dragons in general is frowned upon in Viking society, so how could he possibly learn how to talk to them? Oh well, it’s for the kids, and owning a dragon for a pet is something every little boy would get all giddy thinking about. It also has all the things little boys find funny: underwear, snot, burly men reduced to dressing in women’s clothing, boogers, and exploding heads! A good read if you remember its intended audience.I did a book/movie comparison on my blog. Check it out!
What do You think about How To Train Your Dragon (2004)?
I must admit even though I'm an adult, I still enjoys reading children books. Hiccup series is one of my favorite children books; I like it so much, if I have kids I’ll shove it to their throats. Hiccup was an unusual Hero in every way. Born as Viking, he was skinny, short, plain, and prefers to use his head to think, and not to bump it to his enemies as most of Vikings in his era would do.Hiccup was the son of his tribe’s Chieftain which instantly (because they’re Viking not some democratic Roman) makes him an heir. But because he was so different with Vikings in general, most of the people doubt he will be a good leader, especially when he has a cousin who fit the leader stereotype in his tribe; big, mean, and rarely use his brain. In most of children book, his non-special condition will be balanced with having something so great; like awesome dragon for example. Unfortunately for Hiccup, he has the tiniest dragon every Vikings ever had; not helping his situation at all. But with his wit and the help from his loyal friend, he manages to overcome most problems and learn how to be a Hero in a hard way.
—Lynossa
Well, this was COMPLETELY different from the film.Which is an absurd thing to say, I realize, as books almost always are and I didn't realize this was the kick-off for a whole series, so maybe the movie plot is taken from a later book and amalgamated and all.That being said...I like the movie better. HERESY! I know, I know, and maybe it's just because I saw the movie first and I am totally overwhelmed with love for Scottish accents, but I feel that this book is a little...flat. It's a very cute book, physically, what with ink splotches in the pages and drawings somewhat reminiscent of Roald Dahl in the margins and wonderful font choices. (Yes, I am a dork, how could you tell?) There are even pages within the text of Haddock's (the supposed author) other works, like How to Speak Dragonese. Which was neat, but I felt that they got in the way, breaking up text (which drives me crazy) from page to page and sometimes being completely unrelated to that part of the story.Also, as fun as the characters were, I never felt really connected to any of them. The Hero who is not a Hero but really is a Hero? Check. Because he pays attention. The Heroic Moment of Toothless? About a page out of all 214, written with overtones of confusion as to why he would do that but never giving any indication that anybody figured it out.Also, because I'm ridiculous and pedantic, it bothers me that this was "written" by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, whose father is Stoick the Vast and whose grandfather is Old Wrinkly (my favorite character, I think). So how is he a III? There are no previous Hiccups in his lineage, seemingly, so...A fun idea, a very quick read, and a couple great one-liners. All in all, though, commit the sacrilege and see the movie.
—Jen
After reading:Aww, I enjoyed this. A very cute and funny book. I wouldn't advise reading this with the expectation that it will be like the movie, because ... well, they're extremely different. But both are good in their own ways. ~ Full review coming soon! ~ Before reading:Okay, so I'm reading this right now for numerous reasons. The main reason is that I'm really really obsessed with the movie––and I'm ashamed of myself for having watched it like ten times and never read the book it's based on. I've heard the movie adaptation is very different from the book, so I'm trying really hard not to make any comparisons. But ... yeah. Also, I've been in kind of a reading slump lately and I felt like I needed some shorter/lighter books to help me catch up on my yearly reading goal. (Is that cheating? Ah haha ... oh well, I don't care.)
—Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!*
