Tag Archives: dragon

Nov 14 2023
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Book Review: Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill

Title: Of Blood and Fire

Author: Ryan Cahill

Series: The Bound and the Broken #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Overview: Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the south squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving—a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calen’s world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war that has been raging for centuries. There is no prophecy. His coming was not foretold.
He bleeds like any man, and bleed he will. -Goodreads

The Review:

If classic fantasy is your main jam, you’re primed to like this a little more than I did.

My experience with this was rough. I started the book with a lot of enthusiasm, finding it easy to get into the flow of the story. It was fairly typical classic fantasy with overly drawn-out beginning chapters reminiscent of WoT. I kept waiting for it to sweep me away on that rolling hype train… but it never quite got there. Add to that several blatant deus ex machinas early on (which effectively removed all the high stakes from the story), and I found my enthusiasm waning. It eventually became a struggle to finish.

Great care was taken early on to highlight people and things that had no bearing on the rest of the book. Meanwhile, the important stuff (a mf DRAGON) was often brushed over so quickly that I kept having to backtrack to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Several scenes were vague and felt more like afterthoughts than fleshed-out scenes. I had more of a moment with the description of a townswoman early on than I did with the (mf) DRAGON. I look to the storyteller to show me what to focus on, but here it seemed as though many things were included for the sake of being there rather than because they added value.

While the pacing of the story had a nice flow, I finished the book feeling like I didn’t get enough substance out of book to justify the page count. There weren’t a lot of plot points and the ones that were there didn’t stick with me much.

Overall I wish I’d liked it more.

Recommendations: Pick this up for a classic fantasy kick and the promise that the series gets better with each book. I’m not sure I’m going to make it that far, but those who have seem to love it. Incidentally, once I finished writing my review I scanned through a handful of people I follow on GR and all the ones I saw loved the book more than me. All of them. Alrighty – take my review with a grain of salt. :)

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 28 2022
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Book Review: The Dragon’s Lair by Elizabeth Haydon

Title: Dragon’s Lair

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme #3

Genre: Middle Grade

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

The Overview: Barely one day after fulfilling his second mission for King Vandemere as Royal Reporter of the land of Serendair, young Charles Magnus Ven Polypheme—known as Ven—is off on another adventure. To keep them safe from the wrath of the Thief Queen, whose rage at their escape from the Gated City knows no bounds, the king sends Ven and his friends on an important mission. Their journey takes them across a wondrous land filled with marvels—and danger. For the mission the king entrusts to Ven is a delicate one: to discover the cause of a dispute between two warring kingdoms—and the answer leads Ven straight into the lair of a very angry dragon…. -Goodreads

The Review:

This is a fun middle grade adventure, but I can’t help but wonder if the author could’ve taken things a bit further.

For example, the majority of the first half of the book dealt with the characters gearing up for an adventure, whereas I think the page count might have been better spent experiencing things on the adventure itself. It seemed like a lot of buildup for a relatively short payoff. I did like the discoveries made along the way and the new places we got to visit, but finished the book wishing we’d spent more time exploring.

That seems to be the resounding theme of the series for me so far – much less adventure (and fewer dragons) than I was hoping for. The concept of the series promises visiting lands far and wide, and while I feel the first book delivered, these second two paled a bit by comparison. The next one promises and underwater adventure, so I’ll definitely finish out the series to see if as a whole the juice is worth the squeeze.

The characters in this book were quite rude to one another, in a manner that felt a little forced and inconsistent. It bugged me, and I can’t tell if it was more the rudeness itself or the inconsistency, but either way this is the first time I’ve found anything critical to say about the characterizations in this series.

Overall, my favorite thing about it is still the concept – the author is presenting herself as an archeologist in this land who found remnants of Ven Polypheme’s journals and sketches from his adventures and is attempting to piece them back together and fill in the gaps. It’s quite clever, and I support the initiative if not always the specific execution.

Recommendations: Symphony of Ages fans might delight in tales from the same world of Serendair (I know I am). Whereas middle grade readers might appreciate the adventurous main character, fun drawings, and interesting races and creatures found within the pages. At this point in the series I’m glad I’m reading it but it’s not standing out as a favorite.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 6 2022
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Book Review: The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood

Title: The Summer Dragon

Author: Todd Lockwood

Series: Evertide #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Overview: The debut novel from the acclaimed illustrator—a high fantasy adventure featuring dragons and deadly politics. Maia and her family raise dragons for the political war machine. As she comes of age, she anticipates a dragon of her own to add to the stable of breeding parents. Her peaceful life is shattered when the Summer Dragon—one of the rare and mythical High Dragons—makes an appearance in her quiet valley. Political factions vie for control of the implied message, threatening her aspirations, her aerie, her entire way of life. The bond between dragons and their riders is deep and life-long, and Maia’s desire for a dragon of her own to train, ride, fly, and love drives her to take a risk that puts her life at stake. She is swept into an adventure that pits her against the deathless Horrors, thralls of the enemy, and a faceless creature drawn from her fear. In her fight to preserve everything she knows and loves, she exposes a conspiracy, unearths an ancient civilization, and challenges her understanding of her world—and of herself. -Goodreads

The Review:

I wasn’t sure about the book at first. I started out on audio and had a hard time with the narrator (when she did adult male voices it came across like a kid making fun of her dad’s voice) so I switched to physical format and immediately things improved. It’s a switch I didn’t mind because the physical copy is gorgeous. Lockwood is an illustrator by profession and did all the work on this book himself. The images definitely added to the story, however all of them were placed a good dozen pages before the actual events, giving spoilers, which was annoying.

In any case, part 1 of this book was completely dragontastical. They played a huge role in the plot, most of the scenes involved them, and I loved how much the main character loved them. Although the plot was fairly simple and straight-forward, there were a lot of great action scenes and the villains introduced were compelling and unique. Had the book stopped after just part one, it would’ve been a solid 4-stars.

And then I got to part 2…

This section of the book just did not work for me. It went from dragon centric to this weird theological debate. Not my favorite topic for sure, but this one in particular lacked a lot of substance and depth. Add that to a bunch of retellings by the characters of what happened in Part 1, and I found my attention waning by the page. I pushed on for another 100 pages, hoping it would get good again, before finally getting fed up. From there I basically skimmed for major plot points through the end of the book. It’s not something I normally so, but I figured if something caught my interest again I’d jump back in fully. After getting the gyst of what the rest of the story had to offer, I’m glad I didn’t spend any more time on it.

I’d seen a few wary reviews for the book indicating it felt YA, and I can’t say I totally disagree. Especially if you caught the audiobook version. I think the simple plot was the reason for this. Granted, it was slightly more sophisticated that that, but overall when recommending this book I’d probably have more success handing it to a YA crowd than a SFF one. It was a bit darker and more violent than most YA, so in a way it would be a great transition novel between the genres. Note: it didn’t have any of the typical YA tropes, so my assessment is more from an overall presentation and “feel” standpoint.

Recommendations: if you love dragons and are in the mood for a pretty straightforward fantasy novel, this might fit the bill. Because I liked the illustrations and didn’t care for the narration, I’d suggest going the print route with this one.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Jul 21 2022
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Book Review: Joust by Mercedes Lackey

Title: Joust

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Series: Dragon Jousters #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: Vetch was an Altan serf working the land which had once been his family’s farm. Young and slight, Vetch would have died of overwork, exposure, and starvation if not for the anger which was his only real sustenance–anger that he had lost his home and family in a war of conquest waged by the dragon-riding Jousters of Tia. Tia had usurped nearly halt of Alta’s lands and enslaved or killed many of Vetch’s countrymen. Sometimes it seemed that his entire cruel fate revolved around dragons and the Jousters who rode them. But his fate changed forever the day he first saw a dragon…. -Goodreads

The Review:

I’m thrilled to say that Joust held up to the test of time.

I’d first read it some 15 odd years ago, back when I’d done more than dip my toes into the fantasy, but didn’t yet consider myself a well-rounded reader of the genre. I was worried a reread would showcase a story I’d given a lot of concessions to because of how much I love dragons. While that’s probably still the case today, time and distance didn’t alter my enjoyment of the book in the slightest.

Having buddy read Joust both times, it’s clear I’m always the one in the group who rates it the highest. Others like the story well enough, but sometimes struggle with the pacing. As someone who loveslovesloves the idea of following along the minutia, day-to-day monotony of taking care of a dragon, every part of this story sang to my soul. I even loved the few parts where he’s organizing his master’s chambers, lol. It was an immersive experience and I loved it.

The book does a great job at showcasing the dragons. They are the focal point of the story and Lackey doesn’t take a lot of extra time, save at the beginning, to highlight the external plot of this world. It was there, for sure, but the focus was ever on the dragons themselves. At this point in the series, I really couldn’t have cared less about what was going on beyond the walls of the dragon stables, but do concede that the conflict felt rather thin. I do remember it getting a bit more important and more well-done as the series progressed, but I’d have to continue my reread to be sure.

Recommendations: if you’re as enamored with dragons as I am, you’ll have a lot of fun with this series. It remains one of my all-time favorites, perhaps even more so after my reread. Venture in expecting a slow, intimate plot centered on a boy and his dragon. :)

Other DRAGON books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 2 2020
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Book Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Title: Eragon

Author: Christopher Paolini

Series: Inheritance Cycle #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: One boy…One dragon… A world of adventure. When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. -Goodreads

The Review:

I first picked up Eragon when I was 19 – two years after the book came out in 2003. I was reading it in anticipation for the second novel, which was one of my first ARCs as a bookseller. At the time, I’d been reading adult fantasy for a few years, but was by no means well-versed in the genre. Eragon satisfied all my basic expectations for a book of its type, and I was enamored with the fact that it was written by a teen (something I’d probably cringe away from now). I remember finding it inspiring – if he could do it, then I could too. I had a bit of trouble with pacing somewhere in the middle, but after cresting that hill I enjoyed it thoroughly until the end. My archaic, handwritten review at the time claimed, “Anyone who likes fantasy should read this. It would make a very entertaining movie one day (I should’ve specified: if done well, lol).”

Fast forward almost 10 years to 2014, I snagged an audio copy for a reread with the intention of making it beyond the second book to finish the series (…which I still haven’t done). Ten years of avid fantasy reading and a plethora of writing experiences under my belt, and I’ll admit all the things about Eragon that captured me when I was young just didn’t hold up to my aged scrutiny. The writing was clunky and, while massively impressive considering the author’s age, it was clear there were a lot of things that needed work (especially in the opening chapters). I also noted the story itself wasn’t all that original, and could name half a dozen dragon books I thought did the concept a bit better. However, I could still appreciate the appeal it had to me as a teen. It’s an inviting story for a younger audience, and great for easing them into the genre. Excitement for books like this is what drove my own reading ambitions, so I seldom discount them.

Series status: I have yet to finish the series, despite several copies in various formats at my disposal and plenty of opportunity. I finally had to admit the story just doesn’t sing to me like it did when I was younger. I really wish the wait between books hadn’t been so long because I think I’d have continued in earnest had they been published earlier.

Recommendations: Eragon provides a fun way to get the younger crowd engaged in the fantasy genre, but it probably won’t hold up to scrutiny to the more seasoned fantasy readers. Or writers. Even so, it’s now what I would consider a classic in the genre for how many kids it entertained (myself included), so I’d still mark it a good recommend.

Other (dragon) books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Feb 13 2020
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Book Review: Part-Time Gods by Rachel Aaron

Part-Time Gods by Rachel Aaron

Title: Part-Time Gods

Author: Rachel Aaron

Series: DFZ #2

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Life in the magical mess of the Detroit Free Zone is never easy. When you’re laboring under the curse of a certain prideful, overbearing dragon, it can be down right impossible. My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m a Cleaner. At least, I used to be. Thanks to the supernatural bad luck that turns everything I do against me, these days I’m more of a walking disaster. Getting rid of this curse is the only way to get my life back. Unfortunately, dragon magic is every bit as sneaky and deadly the monsters behind it, and just as hard to beat. But I’ve never been one to take her doom at face value. Cornered doesn’t mean defeated, and in an awakened city that rules herself, dragons are no longer the biggest powers around. -Goodreads

The Review:

More adventures in the DFZ!! This delightful spinoff series is shaping up to be even more solid than Heartstrikers… I’m loving it.

I binged Part-Time Gods in a single day – its one of those fun, lighthearted books that function as palate-cleansers between heavier fantasy novels. The story revolved around MC Opal going to creative extremes trying to shake off a dragon curse laid on her, which was my favorite element of the book. It added on to the already interesting premise (reminiscent of the show Storage Wars), and gave a much more in-depth exploration the DFZ – a place/entity that has captured my attention since the first Heartstrikers book. And I haven’t even mentioned the dragons and how much I love their haughty, stubborn personalities (the hard-headedness between Opal and her father is a really satisfying contest of wills – I can’t wait to see it played out). All the things, people. This is a killer series.

The only thing holding me back from full praise is the budding love story… I have a few reservations. The characters are adorable and a total perfect fit, but the romantic tension isn’t working well for me. The characters are behaving almost unnaturally to avoid that “getting together” moment and I feel like there’s a lot of extremely forced and unnecessary conflict in play to keep them apart (plus a dose of uncharacteristic stupidity). It’s coming across as more of a writer’s construct to save some of the tension for the next book (which I can appreciate), but there was so much clear chemistry between the characters in this book (also a good thing) that dragging it on felt contrived. Hopefully this means the next book will be on fire.

Recommendations: If you like dragons, fun characters, and books that don’t fit the mold, this is my pick for you. Heartstikers was awesome – containing some of the best “omg!” moments I’ve read in ages, but it lacked a little consistency (I thought books 4 & 5 should’ve been tightened into a single story). This DFZ spin-off is so far much more even, and I’m loving every moment. Rachel Aaron/Bach is among my shortlist of favorite authors for a reason. Give her books a try for some fun!

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes