I really loved this book. This reminded me of Eragon but much darker. I love Winter so much and the bond between characters, the banter between Jai and Frida is great. Overall amazing book.

I’d like to give a shout out to the publisher, Harper Voyager, who sent an advanced reader copy of this week’s read, Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu, in exchange for an unbiased review.
Jai is a young hostage of the Roman Empire… Oops, I mean, Sabine Empire. His father led a war against this ever expanding juggernaut, but lost and was executed. Jai now finds himself the personal hospice nurse to the retired emperor that personally murdered his dad. But hey, he’s only got like a few more years till he’s old enough to return home and live a long happy life. Just as long as nothing crazy happens, like a coup.
So a coup happens, and Jai is forced to flee for his life. In the process of bravely running away he accidentally bonds with a dragon and meets up with a totally-not-a-viking named Frida. Together they travel across the empire seeking safety and to give Jai a chance to figure out what his new dragon friend can do.
I absolutely loved the first third of this book. Jai has this interestingly weird complicated relationship with the retired emperor. Like, Jai hates him for all the evil that he did while emperor (i.e., lots of slavery and murder), but also he’s the closest thing Jai has to a dad. So there’s these whiplash moments where Jai thinks “I want you dead” immediately followed by “Senpai noticed me!”
Just exploring these daddy issues was fascinating. Also seeing Jai trying to fit into the Sabine Empire. The world building is Roman history with SPQR filed off, but it gets the job done. Jai has depth in his character as he dances around the court intrigue, trying to hold onto his culture even though he barely remembers it, and also fit in so that his life will be easier.
Then Matharu takes this beautifully tragic and intriguing plot line and forces it into a Dragonball Z shaped hole. That’s the original sin of progression and cultivation, you got to explain in massive detail the magic system. So suddenly, just as things are getting interesting the entire story drags to a halt while Jai takes lessons on how to breathe.
Then, just when you think the story will just end with another meditation lesson the book has the absolute audacity to get good again. Suddenly it becomes a prison break narrative with a compelling escape plan and interesting new characters. The ending leaves it on a great cliffhanger and I know, just know in my core, I’m going to read the next one.
Do I recommend Dragon Rider? If you love progression/cultivation fantasy, then yes. You’ll love this as much as an otaku loves to argue over if Luffy could take Goku in a fight. If you’re interested in dipping your toes in the subgenre, then also yes. This is a competently done example of progression and cultivation fantasy. Plus, it has some real fun moments. Overall, I enjoyed reading it despite some flaws.

Despite my personal feelings, I think this is a great book for YA readers to transition to more adult fantasy.

I was expecting something more adult, but this read like YA to me. I loved the first third because it set up an epic setting, pulling race and politics into play with nations either feuding or creating alliances. And I'll always be down for a BIPOC protagonist entrenched in white society.

But after that, it was very hero's journey/Chosen One trope where readers are stuck with the MMC. It wasn't really engaging for me, sad to say.

It also felt like the author pulled so many ideas from other fantasy series, so it felt like a Frankenstein's monster of fantasy tropes. ***SPOILER ALERT*** We have a Red Wedding situation. Soulgems sound a lot like soul gems from Skyrim. I'm sure there are others, but I tuned out halfway through. ***END SPOILER ALERT***

I agree with other reviewers who say that the secondary characters weren't given enough attention, so it was hard for me to care about them. The love interest is a badass, but the author never let her come into her own. It felt like her character was just there to cater to the MMC's goals and feelings.

The book itself was also unnecessarily long. Some scenes could've been tightened up for a more intense read. I found myself struggling to continue and finish.

I doubt that I'll continue with this series.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.

This book was released late April and I do recommend picking it up if you appreciate the following: game of thrones, Eragon, the bear scene in the revenant, and MMORPG games. We’ve got dragons, dire wolves, magic, battle scenes and more. Some aspects that I thought were really interesting was something called being “soulbound” which means binding one’s soul to a totem which is a creature. It can be anything from a gryphon, dire wolf, dragon and more. The creature you are bound to directly effects your strength, skills, and mana abilities. You can communicate with this creature as well and the dragon featured in this book is so much like a dog I love it. I also liked the use of tinctures, pills, and potions that can boost certain abilities. Also, the fact they need to regen their mana (its giving the need to meditate like in everquest, if you know you know). What I didn’t care for was the excessive talk about genitals and farts. I also did see some of the twists coming but there was also one I didn’t. I definitely am interested in reading the next book because I can’t live with that cliffhanger.

I received an arc copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a review. While this wasn't a perfect book, I got to the end and immediately checked for a release date for the sequel. I loved this read even through some of the grittier and more gruesome aspects of war and a cruel and conquering empire. This was not a warm and fuzzy story, but rather a story of survival and growth.

Jai was a lovable main character and Winter was impossible to hate. I'm glad this story isn't glossing over the logistics of a growing dragon making it part of what the characters have to consider while planning their course. I also enjoyed what felt like a realistic response from Jai over his revelations about Frida. While this was by no means surprising to us as readers, for him, Frida's reveal near the end of the book was shocking but he was able to acknowledge that it wasn't personal. I find that, too often in books where characters don't share the whole truth with each other, the character who was left in the dark has a reaction that is far too personal and feels unreasonable. Jai was able to acknowledge that, while he didn't like that Frida lied to him, it made sense for her to do so.

Overall I really liked this book, it made me feel nostalgic for when I was in elementary school and was waiting for the next Eragon books to release. I will definitely continue the series and think this is a book I am likely to revisit and reread in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for proving me an arc in exchange for my honest review!

I don't have a lot to say about this book. For the most part, I just felt okay about it, and that may be just because I was comparing it to Fourth Wing, which I realize isn't exactly fair, but I loved that book and read it at a time when I really needed something like that.

I think what really put me off in this book was the pacing. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if the pacing isn't there or I feel like we've gotten nowhere despite having advanced in page count, it will immediately make me lower the star rating I give a book if I don't just DNF it. I obviously didn't DNF here, but there were times that I considered it.


Other than that, I really have nothing else to say. It was a book, I read it, and that was that.

This was super fast paced. I couldn’t stop reading. It was so fun. I loved the magic system. Overall great solid fantasy.


Thanks NetGalley for the Arc

I had not read that kind of fantasy book in a while and it was such a nice surprise.
Although I thought it took quite a while for the story itself to start and the rhythm was sometimes unbalanced, I have genuinely loved seeing those characters grow and fight for what they believe in. They’re struggled to embrace their responsibility, to take the measure of what is expected of them versus what they want to do, how to balance necessity and what is right made them well fleshed-out and interesting. Although Jai might have been a bit clueless on a certain plot twist that everyone else including the readers saw coming from the very start.
Jai’s relationship with winter was hands down the best thing about this book. The link between soulbound beings was incredible to read about and sometimes absolutely heartbreaking.
Although it ends on a small cliffhanger, it’s not one so terrible that I resented it. I can’t wait to read the next book nonetheless.

"Dragon Rider" by Taran Matharu takes you on a journey filled with dragons, politics, and magic. While the story starts off slow, it gradually picks up momentum, immersing readers in a world of intricate political intrigue and the bond between a young protagonist named Jai and his dragon, Winter.

The book shines in its detailed exploration of the magic system, from soul bonding with dragons to wielding mana. However, some might find the initial pacing sluggish, with a heavier focus on politics than dragon action. Yet, as the plot unfolds, the bond between Jai and Winter, alongside the dynamic characters like Frida, adds depth to the narrative.

Despite its slow start, "Dragon Rider" offers a captivating blend of fantasy elements and political intrigue, making it a solid read for those willing to invest in its worldbuilding and character development.

Thank you to Harper Voyager, Taran Matharu, and NetGalley for my ARC and finished copies of this book. As always, all opinions are my own!

I think I’d actually give this story 4.5 stars, but overall I really enjoyed it! I loved the premise and how things played out, but no matter how much GOT prepared me for a red wedding type of situation, I don’t think I will ever not want to throw up in scenes like that.

I loved Jai. He’s a wild child and kind of an idiot and that’s the best combination because we get to see him grow up before our very eyes. He learns so many things and grows in so many ways, and I am really excited to see what he gets up to in book two now that everything has started.

I am also hoping we see more of the Dansk princess, fantastical beasts, and the war in book two.

I definitely recommend this book if you love fantasy, dragons, GOT, Eragon, and/or Gladiator. The chapters are SO short, the story never stops moving, and you’ll have a great time.

Dragon Rider is your classic dragon fantasy and to be honest, I enjoyed it! Sometimes those just work and this one did. Taran Matharu is known for a his other fantasy series already so I went into this one knowing we have an author who knew what he's doing in terms of cool fantasy worlds. We follow a boy who was a prisoner of war and now serves the King but through some events, is able to escape and begin the journey to his homeland. This is book 1 in a series so that’s very exciting, I do like me some coming of age and traveling quests type stories so no surprise, it was great!

I’m so sad to dnf this one at about 60% - it was so interesting at the beginning, but now I’m honestly just bored. This felt like reading a ya book - the main characters are like 17, but for some reason this was considered adult fantasy.

Regardless, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!

This book was such a great fantasy read, with dragons, magic, politics and sacrifice.

I’m Dragon Rider, we follow the sad story of Jai who is your unlucky underdog, son of a king who lost the war and now taken as a servant to the kingdom that prevailed. After many many years of doing as he’s told and keeping his head down, he finally has a chance to escape.

The timeline was one of my favorite parts of this book, it was very realistic and didn’t feel rushed at all. The pacing matched the character development without it becoming unbelievable.

The only thing I didn’t like about the book is the fact that the female protagonist was made out to be a very strong woman who could fend for herself and take care of those who are in need of her protection. But as I read the story, I realized it was more of a “just believe me I’m strong but I won’t show you” kind of situation. Turning into this damsel in distress rather than the warrior she seemed to be.

Dragon rider is a fun ride with lots of ups and downs, if you like to root for the underdog and follow the system of magic in a way that you haven’t seen before; Dragon Rider is for you! I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be continuing this series!

I went into this book right after reading Fourth Wing, and any expectations of this being similar due to the current "dragon rage" went right out of the window. There was a lot of build up, world creation and character building. It had excellent development even with the plot feeling familiar. I truly appreciated the flaws in the characters, it made it so much more relatable. I look forward to the second in the series!

Unfortunately, this missed the mark for me.

I think that the story had plot/pacing issues. I think the dialogue needed a lot of work. I felt like most of the side characters (especially the women) were caricatures. The book felt generally underdeveloped and immature. I had no issue with the world, but the soulbound magic structure wasn't expanded much beyond breath work.

Speaking of breath, the protagonist lets out a lot of breaths he didn't know he was holding. That line doesn't usually bother me but when it happens 3 or more times...

Also, the book is called Dragon Rider but does the protagonist even ride a dragon in this book?

This book could have been 200 pages shorter and told the same story. I love epic fantasy and am not put off by a high page count, but the pacing in this was so slow that I almost DNF'ed several times.

Other reviews sum up my issues with how women are portrayed better than I could. My other disappointment was that we didn't get more with the dragons. It took until 90% into the book before the soulbond between the protagonist and his dragon reached a point that they could effectively speak. And even then, it was too little for my tastes though it started going in the right direction.

Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu is the first in a new high fantasy series about dragons, magic, and finding yourself. It was really well-written and I look forward to more in the series in the future. Loved it!

This was so good! It was giving all the vibes of Game of Thrones and Gladiator. While I found some things predictable, there was enough mystery for me to enjoy the ride and wonder what will happen next.

This book follows the story of Jai, who was enslaved to a powerful kingdom after his ruling father and tribe was defeated. He has been forced to wait hand and foot for the old emperor (who slaughtered his father). When an alliance with another powerful kingdom is being prepared through a wedding, things do not go according to plan, and chaos ensues.

I loved Jai and going on this journey with him, discovering all the things about the world that he never had the chance to do before.

Probably my favorite part of the story was the magic system itself. The different kingdoms/tribes have the ability to bond with animals. I'm so excited for the next book in the series to learn more about Jai and really the magical system overall.

Good. Comprehensive. Readable. Interesting characters. Interesting world. All good but TOO FREAKING LONG. Who advises these authors? This should have been split at an obvious place, which I will not spoil here.

4 out of 5 stars

Summary: Jai is third in line for his tribe of conquered people called Steppefolk. He has to serve under their conquerors, (Sabine empire) as a sign of tribute from the conquered kingdoms. He finds himself in caught in political plots between the Sabine and surrounding nations.

Plot: I was hooked by the plot, it was medium-paced but the action consistently moved it forward and I was invested on what would happen next. I enjoyed the world building and how the lands and people felt distinct from each other. I especially loved learning about the magic system as the author described it in detail with how to build/use magic in this world, I would compare the vibes of this book to The Will of the Many by James Islington, as Jai and Vis are similar characters to me, and they both are approachable adult fantasy’s with commentary on world issues (caste systems and colonizers). My only criticism is that it slowed at the end for me, as the plot did not go how I expected. There is a conclusion but the ending is really just the beginning for future books.

Characters: This is where the author excels, I really loved the distinct characters developed in this book - both major and minor. We get depth to both the heroes and villains of the story, conflicting motivations that made them feel real.

Highlights: There are many different magical creatures in this book (not just dragons) which was really nice to read about for diversity. In this world people can “bond” with creatures and this develops magical enhancements/powers.

Overall thoughts: I really enjoyed this book and thought it did a great job with creating a magical world with political intrigue and heartbreaking situations and relationships. The depth that you get in this book with inner conflict and outward conflicting motivations is something I don’t see often. I think the plot could have had more impact at the end, but it is a great set up for future books. I would recommend this to any adult fantasy lover and feel it is approachable for those new to the genre!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon Books and Harper Voyager for an advanced eARC of this book!