This book is awesome; a truly fitting finale for such an amazing series. The How to Train Your Dragon world first captivated me at the age of ten, and here I am four years later, still loving these books and finding them just as engaging as I did when I was younger.

The story starts with Hiccup stranded on a beach, his memory gone and his only companions a tired old Wodensfang and a silly little Hogfly. He finds out that Alvin has taken the King’s Things and is arriving at Tomorrow, ready to claim the throne and destroy dragons forever. The Dragon Furious awaits war with his massive army of dragons, and it’s up to Hiccup to claim back the things and bring peace to the Archipelago. This book follows him on his adventure, but with the odds stacked against him, does he have a hope of saving the land and people he loves?

This was a great read, with excellent illustrations as always and a riveting plot. After a long wait between this and the previous book, I was so happy to finally sit down to read this. And although it may be a bit young for me now, I still very much enjoyed this. The plot is well rounded and satisfying, with lots of tension and vivid description that really brings the story to life. All the characters are back with some exciting twists in their stories and real development in how they act. Hiccup and his friends are all very relatable characters for kids, as their struggles such as not fitting in with the crowd are things everyone faces. There were happy moments, there were funny moments, there was intense action and scenes that nearly made me cry. It’s definitely one of the best in the series.

It’s bittersweet to have finally reached the end of Hiccup’s story, but the book’s finale is satisfying and is the perfect end to an amazing series. My only criticism might be that some scenes felt a little drawn out and certain events felt a little tedious, but that could be because it is designed for a younger audience.

I would most certainly recommend this to fans of the series, and now is as good a time as ever to start reading from the first book. It’s a series I’d say is essential reading for any 9-12 year old with a big imagination. 4.9/5

• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop

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