Review: Shipwrecked: Dragon Island by Carey Fessler

A remote, tropical island, “rads” who have mutation magic, and huge, man-eating Varanus dragons…these make a terrifying trifecta in Carey Fessler’s action-packed middle-grade adventure, Shipwrecked: Dragon Island.

Kidnapped by a mutant submarine crew, twelve-year-old Aussie cousins, Emma and Scott, along with sixteen-year-old Harrison, escape their captors by swimming to a remote – and what appears to be – deserted tropical island. Emma becomes separated from the two boys as they search for drinking water but soon finds herself stumbling over Brock, one of the mutant crewman from the submarine from whom they had escaped.

Reluctantly joining forces, the two of them soon reunite with the boys in a village full of head hunters with blow pipes, endowed with deadly aim. When they discover that the crazy village witch doctor intends to kill one of them and use another as a human sacrifice, the friends quickly realize that they need to get off the island right away – even if it means going head-to-head with the Varanus dragons that seem to be lurking everywhere…

Fessler has written a high-octane action adventure for middle-grade readers, told in an age-appropriate voice. His plot is, for the most part, well-crafted and his transitions between narrative and dialogue flow seamlessly. Unique and imaginative, children will be quickly drawn to both the good guys and the bad guys in this story.

The main protagonists, Emma and Scott, are engaging and resourceful. Emma is always ready to jump into the fray, if it means helping the others, and while Scott isn’t always the most thoughtful person, he clearly cares for his cousin. Harrison is the whiny, albeit extremely smart, know-it-all – very useful to have around, especially when basic medical information is needed. However, the most interesting of all the characters in Fessler’s tale is arguably Brock, the mutant rad from the submarine, who starts off as the enemy but eventually becomes the trio’s friend. All of these characters are compelling, and will keep readers glued to the pages beyond the scope of the story.

There is a constant stream of bickering between the characters that adds humor in cases where the stakes are raised and the characters find themselves in the middle of perilous situations (of which there are many) created by their challenging environment, hostile natives and blood-lusting reptiles. The children must rely on their own resourcefulness if they are to stay alive, which is both suspenseful and fun, and never veers into being overly harrowing.

Overall, the book has all the ingredients of a middle grade adventure to keep young readers hooked: an original setting, great characters, and a strong plotline. What the book does lack is context in the form of backstory. While we’re told that the cousins were kidnapped days earlier, we don’t know the circumstances that led to their kidnapping, what happened on the submarine and how they were able to escape. Without this vital information, the story doesn’t feel entirely complete.

That issue aside, Shipwrecked: Dragon Island is a highly satisfying read, thanks to its eclectic cast of characters and exotic setting, delivering an epic adventure for young readers.