【 HOUSE OF DRAGONS 】

book #1 in the House of Dragons series

Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Young Adult
Author: Jessica Cluess
Published: May 2020
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 438 (paperback)

This was alright, but has sadly fallen into my not-quite-the-epic-story I’d hope for, that so often seems to happen with dragon books.

To say my feelings about this at the time of reviewing are lacklustre would be accurate. I read this on kindle and probably took too long to finish it – so I do think that’s skewed my opinion, as that inevitably made this feel like it dragged, just a little.

This *does* feel like a long book though. Namely, I would say this is down to having 5 POVs that you’re constantly rotating through. I thought this was overkill, and it would’ve been better from just 2 (or maybe 3 at most). At the very beginning, it is repetitive to death because of introducing the characters and how they’ve been selected for the trials, 5 times over *eye twitch*.

That being sad, I did soldier on until the end. The epilogue left me a bit ughhhh (both slight confusion and exasperation), too, so that didn’t help my ailing attempts to rouse my enthusiasm for the story.

My favourite parts were some of the trials (but the last one was weird and so gruesome omg, and one of the others was diplomatically boring, shall we say). This book could have done with a tighter plot that got around to the pacey scenes of high-stakes trials more quickly. Because when we did get those, oh boy, it was fun!

My biggest bugbear was actually Ajax. While he’s meant to be the rogue/flirty type, I couldn’t picture him as anything other than a very short boy who was inappropriate, and also pointless. I hoped there’d be more depth to his character, but he seriously served so little purpose. Snip that bad boy out of the story, and things would’ve been better.

But while I didn’t come out at the end thrilled by the book, and I feel bad giving 2 stars, I both can’t recommend nor slag this off. It is an easy read, with secrets, clear good vs evil, and dragons. So if that’s what you’re after, this is surely what it says on the tin.

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Title: House of Dragons
Series: House of Dragons #1
Author: Jessica Cluess
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Five royal houses will hear the call to compete in the Trial for the dragon throne. A liar, a soldier, a servant, a thief, and a murderer will answer it. Who will win? Think THREE DARK CROWNS meets THE BREAKFAST CLUB with DRAGONS.

When the Emperor dies, the five royal houses of Etrusia attend the Call, where one of their own will be selected to compete for the throne. It is always the oldest child, the one who has been preparing for years to compete in the Trial. But this year is different. This year, these five outcasts will answer the call….

Emilia must hide her dark magic or be put to death.

Lucian is a warrior who has sworn to never lift a sword again.

Vespir is a dragon trainer whose skills alone will keep her in the game.

Ajax knows that nothing is free–he must take what he wants.

Hyperia was born to rule and will stop at nothing to take her throne