When I first heard J. Scott Savage telling me and my kids about a new book he was writing, we were all excited. The words Steampunk and Dragons stuck in my mind, but the thought that being creative was considered a crime was the thing that blew me away. In this society found in Fires of Invention, the first Mysteries of Cove book, all inventing has been outlawed and considered bad and staying within the norms was the safe and right thing to do. As a teacher I felt stifled by this idea. I love when my students are creative and come up with wild ideas. This is why I immediately fell in love with main character Trenton Colman. He doesn't fit in with the "average" kids at Cove because he has many ideas running through his head and he can't leave them alone. He knows he shouldn't consider building anything, and when he does this is where the fun starts. Along the way he meets a fellow inventor, Kallista Babbage, and their friendship starts off quite rocky with some kicks and punches. I laughed at the tension felt by these early teens and how they eventually get together to do something very important. I will be giving away no spoilers here because it is too much fun finding out what happens on your own!

J.Scott Savage is such a wonderful story teller that this story came to life so easily in my mind. I know that this book's main audience is the Middle school/teen crowd, but honestly, as an adult I loved it! This book won't let you down, because it hooks you at the beginning and has a wonderful end that made me laugh and cry. It has a fabulous starting point for book two. I recommend this book for solo readers, teachers to read to their class, and for parents to read with their kids. You know you are always in for a great entertaining read when J. Scott Savage is the author. Well Done!!

I had lots of ideas about the secrets of Cove, their reasoning behind seclusion and the technology ban. Never once did dragons factor into my suppositions. Honestly, that point in the book didn't really work for me. I couldn't really see the connection between loosing a battle and rejecting technology. I could see a few people making that leap but the entire community? It's a tenuous plot point in an otherwise compelling read.