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Laurence Yep
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CITY OF FIRE (City Trilogy) Paperback – August 3, 2010

by Laurence Yep (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 26 ratings
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Two-time Newbery Honor Award-winning author Laurence Yep kicks off an action-packed new fantasy trilogy with City on Fire

This thrilling tale takes readers on an unforgettable journey through an alternate version of our world in 1941 -- a world filled with magical beings such as dragons in human form, tiny "lap griffins," reincarnations of legendary Chinese warriors, Japanese folk creatures, and goddesses in disguise.

When her older sister dies trying to prevent the theft of one of her people's great treasures, twelve-year-old Scirye sets out to avenge her and recover the precious item. Helping her are Bayang, a dragon disguised as a Pinkerton agent; Leech, a boy with powers he has not yet discovered; and Leech's loyal companion Koko, who has a secret of his own. All have a grudge against the thieves who stole the treasure: the evil dragon Badik and the mysterious Mr. Roland.

Scirye and her companions pursue the thieves to Houlani, a new Hawaiian island being created by magic. There, they befriend Pele, the volatile and mercurial goddess of volcanoes. But even with Pele on their side, they may not be able to stop Mr. Roland from gaining what he seeks: the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yu. Together, the treasures will give him the power to alter the very fabric of the universe.

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    320 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    4 - 6
  5. Dimensions
    5.24 x 0.8 x 7.66 inches
  6. Publisher
    Starscape
  7. Publication date
    August 3, 2010
  8. ISBN-10
    0765358794
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0765358790
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

LAURENCE YEP is the critically-acclaimed author of more than sixty books for children and young adults, including two Newbery Honor Award winners: Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate. In 2005, he was the recipient of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award from the American Library Association for a substantial and lasting contribution literature for children. Mr. Yep lives with his wife in Pacific Grove, California.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Starscape; First Edition (August 3, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0765358794
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0765358790
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 6
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 0.01 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.24 x 0.8 x 7.66 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 26 ratings

About the author

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Laurence Yep

Laurence Yep

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Laurence Yep has been fascinated with tales of sibling rivalry from the day he was born. His older brother, Tom, chose his name Laurence - after a saint who died a particularly gruesome death. Laurence has been trying to get even ever since. Laurence Yep now lives in Pacific Grove, California, with his wife and is one of children's literature's most respected authors. His award-winning titles include Newbery Honor Books Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
26 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

julie zirwas
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2015
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daughter loves it !
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David L R
3.0 out of 5 stars taped together
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2023
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old library book literally taped together on the covers and binding with a discard sticker still on it since it wasnt in good enough condition for the library.
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TKY
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2015
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Great!
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@Julia_ATUF
4.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous world building and vivid, visual writing.
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2011
Verified Purchase
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
[...]

It has been a very long time since I've read a young adult novel with this breadth of creativity and world-building. CITY OF FIRE gathers an unlikely band of confederates together and sends them whizzing out into an incredibly imagined world of adventure and wonder. From the broad political landscape to the delightful little details about daily life, I was enchanted through it all.

Reading CITY OF FIRE reminded me of the all the discovery of reading the first Harry Potter combined with the written equivalent of DINOTOPIA's intricacy and delight. Yep lays out a fascinating magical and political structure for his world, all the while sprinkling the story with visual tidbits like a six-foot tall lizard pushing a broom in the background. The plot swept forward with an amazing amount of information without ever bogging down, due in part to the way Yep balances the lush depth of his scenery with fast paced action and dialog. While CITY OF FIRE was a fantastic entry into this world, I wouldn't recommend skipping straight to later books in the series, if only because you would miss the way each member of Scirye's motley group changes and comes together over the course of book one.

The characters in CITY OF FIRE are around twelve-years-old and are definitely pre-pubescent. Given that CITY OF FIRE takes place in the span of a day, I would imagine that we're not going to watch Scirye and Leech grow up in any physical sense over the course of the trilogy, despite the emotional maturity they gain. Packed with adventure, admirable character growth and an inventive world, CITY OF FIRE will be a hit for readers at any age looking for adventure and wonder, but not a hint of romance.

Sexual Content: None.
One person found this helpful
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David Court
3.0 out of 5 stars I loved Laurence Yep's earlier books (Dragonwings
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2016
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I loved Laurence Yep's earlier books (Dragonwings, etc.) but found this one quite tedious in its constant whirlwind of activity. It's probably more popular with the young readers, but as a piece of literature it doesn't hold up as well.
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Jessica N.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy at its finest!
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2011
I've always loved Fantasy. From the time I could first read chapter books I was drawn in by the worlds that were build for me by these amazing authors. However, sometimes it is hard to get into a book because the world is so vast and the amount of characters is overwhelming. As a reader, I find it easier to invest in a fictional world when there is a handhold for me that relates to the world around me. Cue Laurence Yep's City of Fire.

Yep builds a fantastic world around the real events of the 1940's. This time period allows our adventurers the use of planes and boats as their main transportation, which is much more exciting in my opinion! Certain events in our history have been altered, such as the fact that Hawaii is still an independent country. Also, and here is the kicker, mythical creatures walk among humans as equals. Pretty amazing right? Or is your head hurting? Well either way trust me, it's worth the slight confusion at the beginning because once I was pulled into the world there was no turning back. The world is so vivid, so well written, that I can guarantee you'll be pulled in as well.

Bring on the characters shall we? We meet Scirye, the fiery young girl with a vendetta against her sister's killer. She is tired of being treated as a little girl and ready to prove herself. Then we are presented with Leech and Koko, two street urchins with secrets buried within them. Mysterious and hilarious, they are quite the duo! Finally we meet Bayang, a dragon who is disguised as an elderly lady and is the key to the whole journey. These four characters are so fantastic together! Their banter with one another is classic, and throughout their interactions there are so many lessons learned about friendship, understanding and forgiveness. There is a character for every reader to attach to and fall in love with.

I could write a whole novel about my appreciation for this book, but I'll end here. The long and short of it is simply this: City of Fire is a fantastic journey complete with realistic and magical elements. Although this written for the younger reader, I see a lot for us young adult and adult readers to love. If you're ready to be transported to a new world, let Laurence Yep take you there! This book gets the highest recommendation possible from me, and I can only hope that you agree.
2 people found this helpful
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Sheila Clover
5.0 out of 5 stars Adventure in a Magical World
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2009
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 City of Fire by Laurence Yep is an exciting, adventurous read for children ages nine and up. Set in the 1940's, our heroes journey across the Pacific ocean from San Francisco to the Hawaiian Islands meeting shapeshifters, dragons and even the ancient goddess Pele who has disguised herself as a vagabond, but controls the land and the sea through her mystical enchantments.

Magic is part of this fantastical world and our hero, twelve-year old Scirye, will come face to face with evil and her own abilities to overcome it. She will find friendship in a young boy, Leech, who she first mistrusts, but then comes to understand that he is also on a journey of self-discovery. Leech must find out about his own mysterious past and make the decision to do good or evil.

Gaining the trust of her traveling companions, Scirye, sets out to avenge the death of her sister caused by the evil dragon Badik and the powerfully evil Mr. Roland. Each of her companions have their own personal journey in finding the powers within them that will help them stop the diabolical Mr. Roland from stealing the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yu and giving him ultimate power over the world.
3 people found this helpful
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DCL
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2019
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Enjoyed the read
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