284:
with a 16-year-old accomplished member named Diana Boone, rescues Cyrus. With the help of friends, they are able to administer the antidote. Meanwhile, Dr. Phoenix enters
Ashtown and tells of his plan to rid the world of humanity and use Ashtown as a nursery for a superior race, one he will be the master of. Cyrus and Antigone, along with the others, confront Phoenix and aggravate him to the point where he changes into Mr. Ashes, a white haired gorilla-like monster. A struggle ensues and Phoenix escapes with the Tooth, though not before the group badly injures his right arm. Cyrus and Antigone rescue their mother, who Phoenix had also been holding hostage, and Dan, whom Phoenix had brought to Ashtown as bargaining chips. Phoenix has operated on Dan and made him a larger, "upgraded" version of himself. In an epilogue, it is revealed that Phoenix has completely lost his right arm and also holds the body of Cyrus and Antigone's father.
280:
two balls, allows the holder of one to see the holder of the other. Soon after, Ashtown is attacked by Maxi, intent on reclaiming the Dragon's Tooth for
Phoenix, who is his master. Cyrus and Maxi fight and the patrik grows to an enormous size and attacks Maxi, protecting its owner. Cyrus uses the tooth to slay Maxi for good, but not before Maxi had killed Mrs. Eldridge and injured Nolan. It is revealed that Nolan is in fact a transmortal and sheds his skin anytime he is hurt. After the battle, Rupert tells Cyrus and Antigone that he had taken their father on a quest to find the tooth, but Phoenix had gotten there first and was the one who killed their father. Rupert was able to escape, but without their dad's body. Skelton then had betrayed Phoenix and taken the tooth from him, which is how it came to be in his possession before he gave it to Cyrus.
268:
place called
Ashtown. Ashtown is a large base for the Order of Brendan, a more-than-1000-year-old secret society made up of influential and extraordinary people, who explore and protect the world from evil. Bewildered, Cyrus and Antigone are sworn into the order by Rupert Greeves, a high ranking Ashtown official. It is declared that the two must meet the more rigorous 1914 standards for admission before receiving the contents of Skelton's estate. Mrs. Eldridge, who is an O of B member sent to watch the two by their late father and comatose mother, becomes their mentor.
272:
visited by Rupert
Greeves who tells them that Dan is in the hands of Dr. Phoenix, an evil mastermind who had been expelled from the O of B. He also informs Cyrus that the keys Skelton gave him are the "Solomon Keys" and will open any door. Greeves also reveals that he and the pair's father had been good friends, but their friendship was strained after their father brought their mother back from South America, resulting in his expulsion from the O of B. Cyrus uses the Keys to sneak into one of Ashtown's "Burials", specialized eternal holding cells for immortal or
360:
32:
332:
can endure life in sleep. There are few ways to kill transmortals, the Dragon's Tooth being the most famous. Many weapons were made with the charm of the tooth, and can cause pain when used on transmortals, but do not kill unless the Tooth itself is present. Several times, when Cyrus Smith has the Dragon's Tooth, his allied transmortals will plead for him to end their misery.
264:
motel, giving Cyrus a set of keys along with something resembling a shark tooth saying they will "more than pay for the night." That night, the hotel is attacked by strange men, who eventually kill
Skelton. Before he dies, he gives Cyrus a "patrik", a silver snake which disappears when it puts its tail in its mouth.
279:
The next day, Ben
Sterling tells them the truth about the tooth. It is called the Dragon's Tooth and is an ancient and powerful relic which can supposedly raise the dead and kill the immortal. While searching the grounds, Cyrus and Antigone find "Quick Water", a strange gel which, when separated into
271:
The pair are sent to live in a run down part of
Ashtown called the Polygon, where they meet Nolan. Nolan is a boy with "ancient eyes" who tells the two the history of the O of B, takes them around the estate, and introduces them to Ben Sterling, the kind but mysterious head chef. That night, they are
331:
A common trait among transmortals is grief, which often leads to violence. In truth, the transmortals are tired of living forever. The Order of
Brendan will bury the most dangerous of the transmortals, while making power-limiting treaties with others. Many transmortals desire the burials, where they
299:
are a group of beings appearing in the series. A transmortal is simply an ordinary mortal who somehow becomes immortal. Thus they have transformed from mortal, to immortal. There is no common way to become a transmortal. Some have eaten of the Fruit of Life, or drank of the
Fountain of Youth. Others
287:
Months later, Cyrus and
Antigone pass the final tests to become complete members of the O of B. They are eligible to receive the contents of Skelton's estate. A healed Lawney shows the two what Skelton left. Along with money, he left them a map of Mongolia, an apple core, a booklet and an old paper
283:
Soon after, Cyrus is taken hostage by Ben Sterling, who has been working with Phoenix the whole time. Sterling, as the head cook, poisoned the whole of Ashtown's dinner. In a moment of empathy, however, he leaves an antidote with Cyrus, who is still tied up. Antigone uses the Quick Water and, along
231:
fantasy series which are both anchored in an English milieu. And though the novel has some aspects of the occult and supernatural, he also strived to base the series in the physical realm, where the characters are forced to rely on their physical and mental acuity, hoping to motivate readers to be
267:
The next morning, Dan has gone missing. John Horace Lawney, Skelton's attorney, shows up and tells Cyrus and Antigone that Skelton had named them as his heirs. The three are chased by a man named Maxi, who appears to want the keys Cyrus has. While fleeing, Lawney gets shot, but the three make it a
73:
263:
In Wisconsin, near the shores of Lake Michigan, Cyrus and Antigone Smith run a beat up old motel called The Archer along with their older brother Dan. The motel hardly sees guests, with the exception of Mrs. Eldridge, a full-time occupant. One day a man named William Skelton comes to stay at the
327:
are introduced, all being known in the real world, and given transmortality by Wilson. These characters are given a mystical touch possibly derived from the uncertainty of the nature of the historical figures themselves.
212:
series and follows members of the Smith family, especially siblings Cyrus and Antigone who are new initiates in a secret society of explorers known as the Order of
219:
The author has stated that his intention was to write a young adult fantasy series whose sensibility and orientation were clearly American, in contrast to the
303:
Wilson commonly chooses semi-famous people from history and mythology to give this transmortality to. In the first book of the Ashtown Burials,
300:
become undying by possessing a powerful object, such as the Odyssian Cloak or Dragon's Tooth. It is also a result of some blessing or curse.
235:
The book is full of cultural, historical, and mythological references, such as the dragon's tooth of the title which is a reference to the
365:
455:
627:
398:
252:
171:
20:
622:
632:
612:
236:
424:
617:
637:
560:
248:
448:
553:
308:
348:
noted that the book's "somewhat bombastic prose" was balanced by the heroes' "winsome charm."
441:
227:
213:
50:
399:
https://www.npr.org/2011/11/10/142207375/epic-fantasy-meets-americana-in-the-dragons-tooth
8:
288:
sphere with a map of the world drawn on it, leaving Cyrus and Antigone utterly confused.
244:
324:
521:
494:
373:
344:, in a "starred review," referred to the book's "measured prose and smart dialogue."
341:
316:
312:
182:
166:
40:
411:
535:
528:
505:
378:
209:
101:
45:
487:
345:
606:
583:
480:
240:
590:
465:
273:
221:
205:
121:
83:
425:
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/nd-wilson/dragons-tooth/#review
315:, is revealed to be a transmortal. In later books, legendary people like
433:
72:
150:
320:
198:
111:
201:
232:
enchanted by "the wonder of here and the wonder of now."
239:
of Greek mythology used by Jason in his quest for the
355:
243:. Meanwhile, the antagonist of the novel, known as "
412:http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-86439-1
604:
340:Critical reception to the novel was positive.
449:
21:Dragon's teeth (disambiguation) § Books
39:It has been suggested that this article be
456:
442:
366:Children and Young Adult Literature portal
71:
463:
397:Interview with NPR, November 10, 2011,
247:", references such classic villains as
605:
437:
208:. It is the first installment in the
25:
423:Kirkus Book Reviews, July 1, 2011,
13:
14:
649:
410:Publishers Weekly, August 2011,
358:
30:
291:
258:
417:
404:
391:
1:
335:
7:
623:American young adult novels
561:The Song of Glory and Ghost
427:(accessed 14 January 2012).
414:(accessed 14 January 2012).
401:(accessed 14 January 2012).
351:
10:
654:
18:
628:Children's fantasy novels
575:
567:The Last of the Lost Boys
554:The Legend of Sam Miracle
545:
504:
472:
177:
165:
157:
145:
137:
127:
117:
107:
97:
89:
79:
70:
56:Proposed since July 2024.
384:
253:Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
633:Novels by N. D. Wilson
309:Maximilian Robespierre
19:For other novels, see
228:The Lord of the Rings
613:2011 American novels
311:, the leader of the
16:Book by N. D. Wilson
618:2011 fantasy novels
346:Kirkus Book Reviews
67:
66:The Dragon's Tooth
638:Random House books
515:The Dragon's Tooth
325:Captain John Smith
305:The Dragon's Tooth
194:The Dragon's Tooth
65:
600:
599:
522:The Drowned Vault
495:The Chestnut King
374:The Drowned Vault
342:Publishers Weekly
317:Gilgamesh of Uruk
313:French Revolution
190:
189:
183:The Drowned Vault
172:978-0-375-86439-1
138:Publication place
63:
62:
58:
645:
536:The Silent Bells
458:
451:
444:
435:
434:
428:
421:
415:
408:
402:
395:
368:
363:
362:
361:
178:Followed by
129:Publication date
75:
68:
64:
54:
34:
33:
26:
653:
652:
648:
647:
646:
644:
643:
642:
603:
602:
601:
596:
571:
546:Outlaws of Time
541:
529:Empire of Bones
506:Ashtown Burials
500:
468:
462:
432:
431:
422:
418:
409:
405:
396:
392:
387:
379:Empire of Bones
364:
359:
357:
354:
338:
294:
261:
210:Ashtown Burials
146:Media type
133:August 23, 2011
130:
102:Ashtown Burials
59:
46:Ashtown Burials
35:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
651:
641:
640:
635:
630:
625:
620:
615:
598:
597:
595:
594:
587:
579:
577:
573:
572:
570:
569:
564:
557:
549:
547:
543:
542:
540:
539:
532:
525:
518:
510:
508:
502:
501:
499:
498:
491:
488:Dandelion Fire
484:
476:
474:
470:
469:
461:
460:
453:
446:
438:
430:
429:
416:
403:
389:
388:
386:
383:
382:
381:
376:
370:
369:
353:
350:
337:
334:
293:
290:
260:
257:
237:Dragon's teeth
188:
187:
179:
175:
174:
169:
163:
162:
159:
155:
154:
147:
143:
142:
139:
135:
134:
131:
128:
125:
124:
119:
115:
114:
109:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
91:
87:
86:
81:
77:
76:
61:
60:
38:
36:
29:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
650:
639:
636:
634:
631:
629:
626:
624:
621:
619:
616:
614:
611:
610:
608:
593:
592:
588:
586:
585:
584:Leepike Ridge
581:
580:
578:
574:
568:
565:
563:
562:
558:
556:
555:
551:
550:
548:
544:
538:
537:
533:
531:
530:
526:
524:
523:
519:
517:
516:
512:
511:
509:
507:
503:
497:
496:
492:
490:
489:
485:
483:
482:
481:100 Cupboards
478:
477:
475:
473:100 Cupboards
471:
467:
459:
454:
452:
447:
445:
440:
439:
436:
426:
420:
413:
407:
400:
394:
390:
380:
377:
375:
372:
371:
367:
356:
349:
347:
343:
333:
329:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
301:
298:
289:
285:
281:
277:
275:
269:
265:
256:
254:
250:
246:
242:
241:Golden Fleece
238:
233:
230:
229:
224:
223:
217:
215:
211:
207:
203:
200:
196:
195:
186:
184:
180:
176:
173:
170:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
141:United States
140:
136:
132:
126:
123:
120:
116:
113:
110:
106:
103:
100:
96:
92:
88:
85:
82:
78:
74:
69:
57:
52:
48:
47:
42:
37:
28:
27:
22:
591:Boys of Blur
589:
582:
566:
559:
552:
534:
527:
520:
514:
513:
493:
486:
479:
466:N. D. Wilson
419:
406:
393:
339:
330:
304:
302:
297:Transmortals
296:
295:
292:Transmortals
286:
282:
278:
270:
266:
262:
259:Plot summary
234:
226:
222:Harry Potter
220:
218:
206:N. D. Wilson
193:
192:
191:
181:
122:Random House
84:N. D. Wilson
55:
44:
276:criminals.
274:transmortal
204:written by
607:Categories
249:Dr. Moreau
197:is a 2011
464:Books by
336:Reception
151:Hardcover
118:Publisher
352:See also
90:Language
321:Arachne
245:Phoenix
214:Brendan
199:fantasy
149:Print (
112:Fantasy
93:English
51:Discuss
323:, and
185:
98:Series
80:Author
41:merged
576:Other
385:Notes
202:novel
158:Pages
108:Genre
43:into
251:and
225:and
167:ISBN
161:485
49:. (
609::
319:,
307:,
255:.
216:.
457:e
450:t
443:v
153:)
53:)
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
