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!

I love anything that has to do with dragons, so I was very excited for this one. And the cover is just so incredible!

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

God I love dragons. I just really really love them. This book made me want one desperately. And I really liked this book, or rather I really liked the last third of this book. It started out slow, then picked up a bit, then just. slowed down again until the last quarter/third. I understand why because there was a ton of worldbuilding happening for most of the book that was necessary for that last push to the end of the book. It was still rough to get through, but I think it'll be (hopefully) worth it in future books where the plot actually starts to advance. The magic system/soulbounding in the book is very fascinating and unique- one aspect I really appreciated was that it wasn't just dragons that a person could soulbound to, but many other types of creatures. I'm curious to see in future books if it'll be further explored how those types of soulbounds differ from that of a dragon soulbound. While I did like the worldbuilding in this book, one of the weakest aspects was absolutely the characters' relationships. Clearly the author is setting up for a romance between Frida and Jai, but I just don't buy it. Any romantic feelings Jai has towards Frida don't feel authentic but rather a byproduct of them being literally the only two (human) characters within miles of each other. And nothing overtly romantic happened between them in this book but that is clearly the way the relationship is headed, which is frustrating. After spending an entire book with these characters, I still feel like Jai and Frida are more allies forced together by a common enemy rather than friends, much less friends developing romantic feelings.

I'm curious to see where these characters and books are heading and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series as it comes out!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Taran Matharu? New adult? YES PLEASE!

Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu is a new adult fantasy novel that is many steps above his previous YA series. Can an orphan captive learn the secrets of the Dragon Riders to stand up and avenge his people? Jai lives as a royal hostage in the Sabine Court—ever since his father Rohan, leader of the Steppefolk, led a failed rebellion and was executed by the very emperor Jai now serves. When the emperor’s son and heir is betrothed to Princess Erica of the neighboring Dansk Kingdom, she brings with her a dowry: dragons. Endemic to the northern nation, these powerful beasts come in several forms, but mystery surrounds them. Only Dansk royalty know the secret to soulbonding with these dangerous beasts to draw on their power and strength. This marriage—and the alliance that forms—will change that forever. But conspirators lurk in the shadows, and soon the Sabine Court is in chaos. With his life in danger, Jai uses the opportunity to escape with the Dansk handmaiden, Frida, and a stolen hatchling. Hunted at every turn, he must learn to cultivate magic and become a soulbound warrior if he has any chance of finding safety, seizing his destiny…and seeking his revenge.

I'll be the fist to admin that I wasn't the biggest fan of Matharu's previous novel The Novice. But I absolutely loved this one! The best way I cn describe this book is Fourth Wing but with better writing (and honestly better everything).

An interesting start to an adult dragon story. I think that the first part was essential to the world building and to give us connection to the main character jai who i connected with on the caregiver level of feeling trapped and not having the chance to escape. I was more invested in the story once we jai hatches the dragon and starts to connect with it. I also found the magic system of soulbounding to be quite intriguing. This is a sold first book in the series and can’t wait to see where the series goes.