Dragons of the Dark Rift Book Review

About the Book

Title: Diego’s Dragon, Book 2: Dragons of the Dark Rift | Author: Kevin Gerard | Publication Date: April 6, 2015 | Publisher: Crying Cougar Press | Pages: 214 | Recommended Ages: 10+

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords * Goodreads

Summary: A Prophecy, an Ancient Calendar, and a Battle for Earth’s Survival The turning of the 26,000 year cycle is approaching. The fifth sun promises a time of peace for all creatures. Magnifico, Estrella, and the Sol Dragones eagerly await the new age. Vipero hopes to alter the ancient prophecy. He orders the Dragons of the Dark Rift to find and eliminate the Sol Dragones. If they succeed, nothing will stop him from destroying Diego’s world and claiming ownership of Sol, a star with unlimited spiritual power. Diego and Racquel travel with their dragons to the Dark Rift, the entrance to the magical realm known as the Xibalba. Together with the Sol Dragones, they battle Vipero’s immense army in a fight to save or shift the Mayan prediction. The fate of earth depends on victory or defeat, and Diego is the key. His choice – to betray Magnifico or stay true to the Sol Dragones – will determine the outcome of the conflict.

My Review

A year after getting to meet Magnifico, a dragon statue that comes to life, Diego and his scaly friend part. But Mr. Sullivan, the writer who awarded the statue to Diego, and Magnifico need Diego to act as Magnifico’s guide once more and fulfill the prophecy of the 5th sun, which will enter the galaxy and bring peace. This time around, Magnifico and Diego need to fight against Satadon and his minion, Vipero, the evil dragons from the Dark Rift. Their agenda is to alter the prophecy and take our Sun as theirs, thus destroying earth. Diego has very little time to learn the ropes on what it entails to be a dragon’s guide – which includes how to attack and defend using Magnifico’s fiery breath – to save the world.

Set in San Diego, California, Diego’s Dragon is a fantasy series which has a Latino boy as a protagonist, and allows us to go deeper into Chicano culture and traditions. Being Mexican born, I had a few issues with this particular part of the character and the story, as sometimes it felt like the author was romanticizing the life and culture. However, I see things from a different perspective: as an immigrant, not as an American born with Mexican roots. Diego’s Dragon is careful and well written, but it does feel like the observation of an outsider to me. Maybe this is also the reason for why I enjoyed Book 2 way more, as Dragons of the Dark Rift deals mainly with the fantasy world of the dragons, their story and mystique… and Mr. Girard’s imagination then has the chance to explode and expand, creating that wonderful world. I dove straight into the world he created, and the book is beautifully written. I was also glad to have Racquel back, as that particular ending of Book 1 where we lose her was confusing and not very satisfying.

I’d recommend this book for older tweens, as there are some themes and issues that kids need to grasp before diving into this world. But for children who love dragons, this is a very good read!  I’m looking forward to reading Book 3!

I received a free copy of this Book in exchange for my honest review.

The Buzz About the Series

“Diego’s Dragon: Spirits of the Sun is a gripping, intrigue-filled adventure featuring a young Hispanic boy as the main protagonist, a beautiful statue that transforms into a real dragon, and a cast of secondary characters who all play a role in helping Diego fulfill his destiny as the Guide who delivers his ancestors into the spirit world. Tweens and teens will enjoy this magical and mystical journey…” ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

“Kevin, you are an amazing writer. You have inspired me to make a book of my own. It is about a kid who can jump through space and time just by jumping. The next few paragraphs are what I have so far from the book. Please read them and give me feedback.” ~ Your #1 fan – Ryan

“Another fun little book by Kevin Gerard in the Diego’s Dragon series… My daughter (who is in the 4th grade, but reads at the middle school level) read this book right after she read the first in this series ‘Diego’s Dragon: Spirits of the Sun. She can’t wait for the next one to come out.” ~ Tjasinto, Amazon, 5 Stars

About the Author: Kevin Gerard

Kevin Gerard lives in San Diego, California, with two feline friends, Jesse the WonderCat and Little Man. When not writing or teaching statistics at Cal State San Marcos, he enjoys walking the grounds at the San Diego Zoo, hitting the waves at Cardiff State Beach, and hanging with his brother, nieces and nephews at the local Pizza Port. He also enjoys playing Halo on the internet; look for him in the rocket games as one of the characters from Diego’s Dragon or Conor and the Crossworlds.

Book Website | Author Blog | Twitter

Facebook | Goodreads