In 2021, Caramel reviewed most of the books of Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon series (2001-2015). Then he got distracted by other fun reading projects. This week he returns to the series and talks to Sprinkles about the eleventh book in the series: How to Betray a Dragon’s Hero.
If you would like to check out our reviews of the earlier books, here is a list: How To Train Your Dragon (book 1), How to Be A Pirate (book 2), How To Speak Dragonese (book 3), How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse (book 4), How to Twist a Dragon’s Tale (book 5), A Hero’s Guide to Deadly Dragons (book 6), How To Ride A Dragon’s Storm (book 7), How to Break A Dragon’s Heart (book 8), How to Steal A Dragon’s Sword (book 9, reviewed by Marshmallow), and How to Seize A Dragon’s Heart (nook 10). Caramel also reviewed How to Train Your Viking by Toothless the Dragon by Cressida Cowell, a related book that might appeal to those who enjoyed the original books in the series.
Sprinkles: So Caramel you have just reread How to Betray A Dragon’s Hero. Can you tell us what it is about?
Caramel: Hiccup is hiding from Alvin the Treacherous, who somehow survived being in the core of the earth, which does not make sense but somehow he did it. Hiccup is in a hideout under a tree, and Camicazi gets kidnapped by vampire spydragons.
S: Wait! That is a lot! Is there a main story?
C: Well, a lot is happening. So it is hard to tell. But the main story line is about trying to save Camicazi and Snotlout gets to be a good person though only for a short time before–
S: Wait, I think there is a spoiler coming up there…
C: Yes. Okay. I won’t tell.
S: So tell me what the title is about. Why is the book titled “How the betray a dragon’s hero”? Who betrays whom?
C: I guess Snotlout keeps betraying Hiccup. Then probably the dragon’s hero that is betrayed is Hiccup. And Hiccup keeps trusting Snotlout and wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt. And in the end it pays off, and Snotlout actually helps him. Until–
S: Okay, let us not say that.
C: Okay.
S: I read that the stories are getting darker. Did you think this book was darker than the previous ones?
C: I would say yes, definitely. People we know well are in danger and some die.
S: Okay, don’t tell us who dies!
C: Okay, I won’t. But other really bad things happen, too. The book is still very funny though. Just like the other ones.
S: So would “funny” be one of your descriptive words for the book?
C: Yes, but along with “dark” and “foreshadowing”. Because Alvin the Treacherous steals The Lost Things from Hiccup and goes to the Island of Tomorrow. And probably that will come up in the next book.
S: Hmm, I see. We should review that last book soon then.
C: Yes. But I don’t want our readers to end this on a dark and unhappy mood. Can you insert a happy How to Train Your Dragon video here?
S: Okay. I thought this was funny:
C: I think it is funny! Hiccup and Astrid get married and have kids, but the kids are afraid of the dragons. And Hiccup says “and then something hit me” and something literally hits him!
S: Yes. But nothing of the sort is happening in the book so far, right?
C: Astrid does not really exist in the books. Camicazi is kind of like her, but not quite. And she does not marry Hiccup.
S: And you like both the books and the animated series, right?
C: Yep. They are different but I like them both.
S: I think this is probably a good place to wrap this review up. What would you like to tell our readers?
C: Stay tuned for more book bunnies reviews!
BookBunnies 
The phrase ‘And Hiccup says “and then something hit me” and something literally hits him!’ Reminds me of an old joke that goes “I saw the baseball getting bigger …. and then it hit me.”
Seriously though, Caramel’s vocabulary is getting impressive! Word like “foreshadowing”, are not usually heard from a young rabbit.
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Amazingly creative character names. But there are so many characters, it’s hard to keep them straight.
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