Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75

This was a pretty good start of what looks like a series. As someone who has grown up loving dragons, and stories with dragons I can be pretty apprehensive about a story with said dragons. But I'm glad I got this ARC. If you like dragons, want more books with dragons, etc I suggest trying this when it's out.

"Dragon Rider" by Taran Matharu is a captivating debut adult fantasy that immerses readers in a world filled with magic, dragons, political intrigue, and a quest for vengeance. Set in a richly crafted universe, this novel introduces readers to an engaging story filled with dynamic characters and a blend of action and mystery.

The protagonist, Jai, is a royal hostage in the Sabine Court, bound by his father's failed rebellion against the empire. The story takes an intriguing turn when a marriage alliance brings dragons from the neighboring Dansk Kingdom into the mix. These dragons possess unique powers, and the art of soulbonding with them is shrouded in secrecy. As chaos unfolds in the Sabine Court, Jai seizes the opportunity to escape with Frida, a Dansk handmaiden, and a stolen dragon hatchling. The journey ahead is fraught with danger, challenges, and the need for Jai to cultivate his own magical abilities and become a formidable warrior.

Taran Matharu's writing is immersive and vivid, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the world he has created. The narrative seamlessly blends elements of fantasy, adventure, and political intrigue, creating a well-rounded and engaging story. The exploration of dragon magic, the intricacies of soulbonding, and the complexities of the characters' relationships add depth to the plot.

Jai is a compelling protagonist whose growth and development are central to the story. His determination to seek revenge and protect those he cares about drives much of the narrative. The dynamic between Jai and Frida is well-developed, adding emotional depth to the story. Frida's strength, intelligence, and loyalty make her a standout character in her own right.

"Dragon Rider" explores themes of power, identity, friendship, and the choices individuals make when faced with adversity. The novel keeps readers engaged with its fast-paced plot, unexpected twists, and moments of high-stakes action.

Overall, "Dragon Rider" is a promising start to Taran Matharu's adult fantasy series. With its imaginative world-building, complex characters, and a blend of magic and intrigue, this novel is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy and dragon-centric stories. Matharu's storytelling prowess shines through, making this book a compelling addition to the genre.

Jai is the third son of the late leader of the Steppefolk. He has lived his entire life as a royal hostage in the Sabine court serving the former emperor. Jai dreams of the day he and his brothers can return to their homeland. However, his life changes significantly with the arrival of the Dansk and their dragons. When insurrection throws the court into chaos, Jai finds an opportunity to escape with a dragon egg. He and his companions, his soul-bonded dragonet and a Dansk handmaiden, must elude the Sabine army. Can Jai learn the magic of the soulbound warriors?

Jai is my favorite type of character in fantasy novels. A novice, one who is slowly learning as they go. I like how Jai experiences small successes and setbacks. He does not get things right away, which makes his character more realistic and relatable. I love Jai and Winter’s bond. Through Winter, Jai is learning more about himself, his strengths, and his weaknesses. Winter gives him the incentive to fight.

DRAGON RIDER is the first book in Taran Matharu’s adult fantasy series, THE SOULBOUND SAGA. I am new to this author. It was the dragon angle that caught my interest. I am a sucker for dragon stories, especially ones in high fantasy genre. This book did not disappoint my fantasy needs. Yes, the story does have an Eragon vibe. (I have not read those books, just watched the movie.)

It does start out slow. That is to be expected. The author does a wonderful job setting up his world, the kingdoms in play, and the Sabine politics and history. The Sabine kind of reminds me of the Romans, especially in their insatiable need to conquer.

The second part of the book delves more into the world’s magic system. The unique intricacies and restrictions of it. And how the soul-bonded animals play into it. I like the variety of creatures/animals people could soul-bond with. There were a couple I had to search up because I was unfamiliar with. I also like how there are some creatures more favored in certain kingdoms than others.

I only have one minor nitpick. I would have liked, especially in the middle, to have Frida’s point of view.

I was really excited when I saw that this book existed– I was a huge fan of the author's Summoner series when I was in middle school, and I hoped that this book would be similar in that I would really like it. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The book was just completely unoriginal in so many ways, and the characters were not even compelling enough to make up for that. The adult part of the adult fantasy that this book markets itself as seems to mainly just be taking the fun out of it, not really actually making the writing (or even the characters) more mature. Overall, this book is just not that good. It’s not particularly bad, necessarily, there’s just not really anything new that this book brings to the table. Also I did not like the names of any of the characters– they all felt like a weird combination of too modern/realistic and too fantasy (but not really fantasy because half of them are the names of Roman emperors)

This is a book / series that I am really excited about. This book feels like a slightly more adult spiritual successor to Eragon, which remains one of my favorite series. Despite the comparison and it scratching my always persistent “fantasy with dragons” itch, the characters and world stand on their own and were intriguing to read. The first part of the book focuses more on political intrigue and court dynamics (which is another itch I love scratching) with developing events leaving the second half more focused on presenting the magic system and character development. This does a very thorough job of introducing us both to the world / politics / social dynamics, but also the aspects that make this a fantasy novel. As the book ends with the imminent danger seeming to have passed, I am excited to see the two main characters grow and be more developed, and hope we can see more of their personalities as well as their dynamic.


The magic system has a LOT of explanation put into it, yet there are some aspects I’m still confused on (like what is the role of the hand gestures? Why does the beginning of the book imply that strong magic rare but towards the end it appears that everyone has it?). There are also some points that I think future editing would help (while acknowledging that this is an advance copy!!) for example, a reveal that I had kinda already guessed at was confirmed due to the incorrect name being used. The writing felt stiff at some parts, with Jai being written somewhat bland. I do hope that in the next book we see him develop more of a personality, as mentioned above.

All in all, I think this really does have a ton of potential. I’m excited to see where this goes.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is the proper start for an epic/high fantasy series. Solid world building delays the action at the start but provides a good explanation of the politics and lays a foundation for the world that is the stage of our adventure. An interesting magic system based on cultivation and magical creatures adds to the allure of the story. A protagonist that is endearing with a potential love interest as well as friends and enemies some of whom blur those lines permeate the adventure. This is the story of Jai's growth, in his magic powers, in his awareness of the world around him, and most importantly, into himself. All of this made me care for Jai and made me want to read more, to find out how Jai's adventure continues past the epilogue. If success of the first book in a series was a measure of the reader's desire for the next book, I give Dragon Rider all the points. And, did I mention there are dragons. Well, I definitely enjoyed this book and now am looking forward to the next of the series.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I'm having trouble even articulating how much I enjoyed Dragon Rider! It felt like everything a fantasy should be, extremely well informed, and just a fun overall read.

Jai's character growth was SO GOOD. He was sniveling and small at the beginning and by the end I felt pride in his character for taking risks he would've never at the start.

The story progression felt a little slow at times but it's the first in the series so it's almost expected as the world building needs to be set up.

I loved that every character not only had a purpose, but felt WHOLE. Even the smallest of roles didn't feel flat. The same could be said for the Magick system. It's explained so well that you feel like you're learning it all right beside Jai. How mana works, soul breathing, the emotional connection with your beast, etc. It was super interesting.

Also, I want a Winter of my own.

Keep your eyes peeled for Dragon Rider to drop in April of 2024! It's definitely a must-read fantasy (also, dragons. If not just bc freakin DRAGONS) 🥰

A political prisoner turned dragon rider in this thrilling new book from Taran Matharu.

Jai has been a hostage for most of his life, ever since his father's rebellion failed and he and his brothers were taken to the Sabine Court to keep their home country in line. Now with his brothers serving the heir to the empire, and Jai as the ex-emperor's servant they live in stasis until they reach the age of twenty.

When the heir is engaged to the northern princess, she brings with her a dowry of dragons. Only the royals of Dansk (northern kingdom) know the secret to soulbounding and with this alliance peace will be restored to the land.

However, insurrection erupts, and the Sabine Court is overthrown, and Jai escapes with a dragon egg and the Dansk handmaiden. Together they must make their way safely across the territories before breaking off to get back to their respective homes. Jai must learn to breath magic into his very soul if he can successfully evade the enemy and seek his revenge. The only question is: can he be the quick learner this requires?

It was everything I loved about ERAGON (The first book not the rest of the series) and the author is one I trust to handle the storyline to a continuous good series and not taper. I loved the descriptions and emotions. Truly a great fantasy.

What I liked:
-The magic system and the explanations. I really enjoy a well thought out system that makes sense.
-Winter
-I like the testing of all loyalties. It was realistic in a fantasy world.

What I didn't like:
-There's a lot of political talk and while I did zone out a few times, I will say that I know they are set ups for the following books.

Sidenote: I know the eARC isn't the complete unedited version but there were a few name switches I noticed but it's a very minor thing.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyer for gifting me this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I loved it.

I thought this was a fun take on the young adventurer story. The conflicts, both interpersonal and world-spanning, are handled well and, with the descriptions or the various cultures, help to build an interesting world. I will anxiously await the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

I'm not going to lie: I almost DNFed this book 35% into it. I thought the first third was really boring and slow; that the ratio between political talk and learning more about the mysterious dragons leaned too much towards the former rather than the latter. But as I got more towards the middle, it started getting more interesting. Jai, the main character, steals a dragon egg, which to no one's surprise, it hatches and the dragon bonds with him. He learns how to be one with the dragon (named Winter) from another dragon handler named Frida. They're both on the run and need to figure out how to get to safety.

I enjoyed how the author spends a lot of time explaining the magic system: how mana works, how it relates to the dragon, how to soul breath, etc. There is a lot of politics and discrimination and terrible, racist policies in this book, so just be aware of that. I'm glad that I didn't DNF this book, but I do wish that the beginning picked up a little more speed. Overall, it was a solid read!