【 DRAGON RIDER 】

Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult (or upper YA)
Author: Taran Matharu
Published: April 2024
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 565 (hardback)

This book was a slooww read – but by the end, I’m pleased that the hard work paid off. This took me quite some time to get through because, to be frank, the first 50% of the book is boring. It’s a very slow pace and favours a Tolkien-style of writing where journeying is 80% of the plot.

But in the midst of all of that, I found that I did enjoy how much the characters are developed and the world, too. While I expected a lot (A LOT) more action, if I were to go into the second book with the right expectations that this is a slow-burn, walk-till-your-shoes-wear-out fantasy, I think I would enjoy even the slow parts more.

Four stars feels slightly too high, but 3 far too low. So I’m sitting with my 4-star rating and will continue to ponder this story long after I’ve finished it. And because I feel that I will be pondering this and having the story stick with me so long after, I feel reassured that this was ultimately very good.

Slow structure aside, I enjoyed Matharu’s writing just as much as I did in the Summoner series. There are some fantastic characters within this – even the mean, old guy at the beginning (though honestly, we probably could have done with about half the preamble and storyline there) was someone you begin to love to hate.

The dragon aspect was great, too. Without wanting to give anything away, this is certainly the kind of thing anyone who enjoyed the animal relationships in books like Ranger’s Apprentice will also enjoy. In terms of relationships between characters, things go slow enough that the author has put a lot of effort into building up sturdy friendships – which makes this refreshingly independent of romance as a key plot line, compared to other contemporary fantasy novels at the moment.

I do recommend this book, but only if you’re in the mood for something that ain’t going to whiz by. This is a book to savour and take your time with, but it’s worth it in the end.

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Title: Dragon Rider
Series: The Soulbound Saga
Author: Taran Matharu
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From the ashes of an empire, a hero will rise…

Jai has spent his life forced to serve the cruel empire that killed his family and now rules his people.

To grow ever more powerful, the emperor’s young son is betrothed to Princess Erica of the Dansk Kingdom. An unconquerable realm, where ancient beasts roam. The princess brings with her a priceless gift: dragons. Only Dansk Royalty can bond with these magical beasts to draw on their power and strength. Until now.

When the betrothal goes wrong, a bloody coup leads to chaos at court. Finally, Jai has a chance to escape. He flees with a fierce Dansk warrior, Frida, but not before stealing a dragon egg.

To vanquish the empire, he must do the impossible: bond with a dragon. Only then he can seize his destiny, and seek his revenge …

An epic new fantasy, where dragons fly and empires fall.