A brilliant first novel

Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award

Adopts a relentless narrative pace. There's only one tempo permitted - fast-forward . . . Wonderful read-aloud material

Terrific invention, magic, jokes and an excellent narrative style

Take our word for it, this book is going to be huge.

Brilliantly paced with more than a few nasty surprises, Half Bad is a wickedly addictive read that will capture the imagination of any fan of YA fiction.

Not since the Harry Potter books - yes, I said it! - have I felt so fully immersed in an author's creation... I couldn't be more stoked over Half Bad, and this launch novel of a trilogy truly deserves all the hype surrounding it - and much more...

I found it completely absorbing and captivating. There are so many different elements to the story from the extravagant world building, intriguing and multilayered characters, and underlying tension and prejudice between human and dragon kind. As the female protagonist, I can’t think of anyone better than Seraphina ... Seraphina is a beautifully unique and fascinating debut fantasy. I can’t wait to read more from Rachel Hartman.

Rachel Hartman has created a richly complicated fantasy world, medieval at its core, with a relatively feudal society. The females are portrayed as strong characters (thank you Rachel) and the heroine, even though emotionally deprived, suffering from chronically low self esteem and forever under the thundercloud of exposure, is not a wimp … Character development and ‘reveals’ throughout the book are excellent and it’s easy to make a connection with them – personal flaws and ‘shades of grey’ make them more human, even the dragons!

It’s a challenging world with so much vivid life spilling out from the pages, so much to hold together to weave into a narrative, and yet Hartman tackles it with ease and skill. I was impressed and completely engrossed in the story ... The writing was fantastic. At times painfully beautiful, with a lyrical quality that has knocked Hartman up into one of my favourite writers. I found myself doing something I never do with books – folding down corners of pages to mark passages that I particularly loved ... I loved every moment of the journey and will quite happily go back and revisit it again and again until I have more to read from Hartman! ... I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a fantastically written book – never mind the fantasy elements and the dragons. Read this for the writing, for the fantastic plot and the brilliantly written characters. Yes the dragons and fantasy provide an extra element to the book, and a fantastic one at that, but Hartman is a new force to be reckoned with if her debut writing is anything to go by, and I recommend getting in and reading this before this book sweeps the masses and you’re left behind.

Seraphina's ironic self-deprecation and general contrariness makes her an appealing herione and the dragon characters, with their inability to understand emotions and craving for order provide an effective counterbalance to the emotional drama elsewhere in the narrative. Readers who enjoy fantasy will not be disappointed.

Lucky is a great super hero for kids, someone who puts others first . . . The illustrations by Dave McKean were very inspirational . . . I give this book 10/10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An action-packed adventure that will appeal to both boys and girls.

Said is bold enough to know that sometimes, things can get scary, and young readers need that . . . [The illustration] uses the vastness and emptiness of space as a tool, filling this negative space with the movement of lines that enhance the vastness, and both the fear and joy that comes with being alone in it . . . A beautiful and awesome mythology, . . A remarkable adventure story for any age.

This book kept catching my eye in bookstores . . . The writing, as well as the illustrations, bring the story to life beautifully. . . Lucky is unforgettable.

There were some genius twists that kept me guessing at the ending. There’s no way I could have ever predicted the last chapters. They were heartbreaking, yet hopeful, and so beautiful . . . HIGHLY recommended for any sci-fi fans, fantasy fans, out there - and also anybody who wants a new favourite book.

It is layered with depth and meaning right from the get go . . . These multilayered themes and ideas, reinforced by strong characterisation, make this book shine . . . The result is a touching, meaningful story for children and adults alike.