FICTION

Talker 25

by Joshua MCCUNE
432p. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. Apr. 2014. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062121912; ebk. $9.99. ISBN 9780062121929.
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Gr 8 Up—In this debut novel, McCune creates a dystopian fantasy world in which humans are pitted against dragons. The United States military declares the winged creatures their number one enemy, and protagonist Mel finds herself kidnapped by the pro-dragon insurgency group to whichher deceased mother (who was killed by a dragon) once belonged. After spending time bonding with dragons, the military recaptures her, and Mel is kept with other teens to be "reconditioned": they must communicate telepathically with dragons in order to lure them to their deaths. At this point in the story, the tone shifts from middle school-appropriate to teen. Alcohol and sex are awkwardly interjected and seem unnecessary to the plot or character development. An amusing website based upon a dragon reality show portrayed in the book shows promise, yet it ultimately falls short of its potential. This is a fast-paced adventure, but the abrupt ending feels rushed. The book's weakness lies in the heavy borrowing from popular trilogies. The emphasis on "insurgents" is reminiscent of Veronica Roth's books, as is the mind control and monitoring of thoughts and dreams. Like Suzanne Collins's Katniss, Mel undergoes makeup and costume changes for the cameras (she portrays herself in televised reenactments of dragon battles). Although lacking in originality, Talker 25 may have the familiarity and action-oriented storytelling that ravenous fans of the genre will enjoy.—Laura Falli, McNeil High School, Austin, TX
Mel (who can communicate telepathically with dragons) is conscripted by the Bureau of Dragon Affairs for a grisly duty. She's forced to mentally contact dragons and trick them into betraying their locations, as well as interrogate captured dragons as they are tortured to death. Absolutely gripping and absolutely horrifying, this is an account of the stripping down of humanity under extreme duress.
Kidnapped by insurgents during a dragon attack on a military outpost, Mel Callahan learns that dragons are not all vicious, mindless beasts and that she's one of the few who can communicate telepathically with them. Dragon eggs are hatching for the first time since dragons appeared on Earth and the Dragon War began, and Mel bonds with a Silver dragon she names Baby. But when the military attacks the insurgents' compound, Mel and Baby are captured and Mel is hauled off to a secret Arctic work camp where the Bureau of Dragon Affairs conscripts her for a grisly duty. Now known as Talker 25, Mel is forced to mentally contact dragons and trick them into betraying their locations, as well as interrogate captured dragons as they are tortured to death. Kept in line by threats against her family, psychological torque on her bunkmates, and the danger of "reconditioning," Mel is drawn deeper into a morass of compromised morals and loyalties with each abhorrent assignment. Though readers will naturally sympathize with the dragon victims, sentimentality becomes a liability as McCune mercilessly destroys all hope of betterment or escape. Absolutely gripping and absolutely horrifying, Talker 25 is a sort of fantasy Gulag Archipelago, an account of the stripping down of humanity under extreme duress. That McCune manages an upbeat ending is a surprising feat, but readers will be left shaken by what came before. anita l. burkam
Reviewed by Laura Falli , Mar 01, 2014

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