The Reading Room- Highfire by Eoin Colfer

Hello, Haley here, and we want to welcome you back to The Reading Room, where we share our thoughts on books we’ve read recently! Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Eoin Colfer’s adult fantasy debut: Highfire. We received a copy of this book from JoFletcher Books for review purposes. All opinions are our own and do not reflect the thoughts or beliefs of the author or publisher

Quick Summary

Highfire by Eoin Colfer is a crass, witty fantasy featuring a centuries old dragon who loves his alcohol as much as he loves bossing around the gators who call the Louisiana bayou home. Vern likes his solitary existence and intends to keep it that way. That is, until he crosses paths with fifteen year old troublemaker Everett “Squib” Moreau, who is on the run from the crooked, drug pedaling cop Regence Hooke.

About the Book

Highfire by Eoin Colfer
Published by Harper Perennial on January 28, 2020
Pages: 377
Source: JoFletcher Books
Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.
In the days of yore, he flew the skies and scorched angry mobs—now he hides from swamp tour boats and rises only with the greatest reluctance from his Laz-Z-Boy recliner. Laying low in the bayou, this once-magnificent fire breather has been reduced to lighting Marlboros with nose sparks, swilling Absolut in a Flashdance T-shirt, and binging Netflix in a fishing shack. For centuries, he struck fear in hearts far and wide as Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie—now he goes by Vern. However...he has survived, unlike the rest. He is the last of his kind, the last dragon. Still, no amount of vodka can drown the loneliness in his molten core. Vern’s glory days are long gone. Or are they?
A canny Cajun swamp rat, young Everett “Squib” Moreau does what he can to survive, trying not to break the heart of his saintly single mother. He’s finally decided to work for a shady smuggler—but on his first night, he witnesses his boss murdered by a crooked constable.
Regence Hooke is not just a dirty cop, he’s a despicable human being—who happens to want Squib’s momma in the worst way. When Hooke goes after his hidden witness with a grenade launcher, Squib finds himself airlifted from certain death by…a dragon?
The swamp can make strange bedfellows, and rather than be fried alive so the dragon can keep his secret, Squib strikes a deal with the scaly apex predator. He can act as his go-between (aka familiar)—fetch his vodka, keep him company, etc.—in exchange for protection from Hooke. Soon the three of them are careening headlong toward a combustible confrontation. There’s about to be a fiery reckoning, in which either dragons finally go extinct—or Vern’s glory days are back.
A triumphant return to the genre-bending fantasy that Eoin Colfer is so well known for, Highfire is an effortlessly clever and relentlessly funny tour-de-force of comedy and action.

Our Thoughts

Many readers will know Eoin Colfer from his bestselling series Artemis Fowl. Know that Highfire is a significent departure from his previous work so don’t come looking for a hit or nostalgia.

With that said, this book made me laugh out loud a lot and I think that’s what the author was going for. There were times when things felt a little forced but it was a wild ride and I was happy to go along with it.

The pacing definitely starts out kind of slow but after certain events I could not put the book down and found myself on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen to our fire breathing protagonist and his smart mouthed, quick on his feet “familiat” as they came face to face with Hooke and the drug cartel.

In fact, the relationship between Vern and Squib was my favorite part of the entire novel. It was funny and heartwarming with an edge to it as you watched Vern slowly warm up to the boy he’d intended to dispatch once Squib had served his purpose.

I do think there were places where the book got a little long but there was enough happening that I didn’t mind too much.

Overall, I gave this one a 3.5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who has loved the crass humor of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir or wit of Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimen

What About You?

Have you read this book? Did you like it as much as I did? I can’t wait to chat about it with you!