Trial by Sorcery
I was pleasantly surprised by this short fantasy novel. It starts out like most dragon rider academy stories, but veers off and becomes something totally different, with a wonderfully unexpected twist at the end that I definitely didn't see coming. The world building is very good and definitely added a lot to the backdrop of the story, and I quite enjoyed Eldwin's character. It's unusual for the main character of a fantasy novel to be so reticent and constantly considering what's "safe" and following the rules. At first, I felt it was a little overdone, but as the story progressed and the character developed, it actually added a lot, because it made his decisions and the times when he did, in fact, break the rules, far more powerful moments. Maren is a fun side character, who is more in line with the quintessential Harry Potter style rule-breaking student, and I enjoyed how she kept getting Eldwin into trouble, and also showed him how to live a little. Her getting into trouble also forced Eldwin to make some of those all-important decisions to take matters into his own hands and do what was right. That said, he's far from perfect, which made him into a well-rounded character, and the fact this story doesn't have the expected HEA of ultimate success adds a lot to the story. This is the start of Eldwin's journey and I'm glad he's not the typical fantasy hero who gets everything right.
I did feel the disability representation could have been handled better. There was a lot of attention placed on the "freak show" element from other people around Eldwin, while focus on how it affected his day to day life and was a simple part of his existence, not to mention the backstory of how it happened, were mostly ignored. I feel, if I'd actually been able to connect with that part of the character's existence, it would have made the story pack a more powerful punch and gone from interesting to unforgettable.
A good book. Definitely worth a read for those who enjoy dragon rider fantasy and want something a little different.
A Bond of Flame
This second story in the Dragon Riders of Osnen series takes another interesting twist from what one might expect, and delivers a fun, quick read continuing Eldwin's story. After leaving the dragon rider academy in disgrace, he finds a captive dragon in the most unexpected of places, and in a fun twist manages to rescue the creature, only to end up among people who act strangely and say a whole lot of things about Osnen and the dragon riders that make no sense even though Eldwin feels they might be plausible explanations. He gets himself into a lot more trouble from there.
I like how the author focuses on messages like, "things are not always what they seem" and "look at things from multiple perspectives" before making a decision. But there's also a solid foundation for "trust your instincts" in this one, which stood out by the end of the story. It's definitely enjoyable and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.
The Warrior's Call
Another action-packed epic, high fantasy dragon rider adventure with Eldwin and Maren. I enjoyed how the author reveals developments in the greater world and allows Eldwin to make important decisions in a very believable way, sticking to the YA feel of the story while allowing for the character to remain true to himself, and not adapt to expectations while still doing the right thing (or at least what he believes to be right). At the same time, Maren also remains true to her mischievous and rebellious self, often getting Eldwin into more trouble, but also showing that they are a fab team.
I loved the intensity and the stakes of this third book in the series. Also, although the story continues, this one has a solid ending that feels very satisfying, which I appreciate. The series is quite long, but it seems to be broken down into smaller, cohesive pieces, which is nice and inclines me more to keep going, particularly as the hints in the final chapter indicate some more awesomeness from this spunky duo and their non-conformist, rebelliousness.
I can definitely recommend this for lovers of high, epic fantasy or those of you who have a weakness for dragons. It's a fun read, for sure.
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