Dragon Rider is a fantasy adventure with magical, mythical creatures. It starts slowly but the action picks up once we get to see what's going on with Jai, Leonid, Titus, Magnus, Princess Erica and her handmaiden Frida. Then there's the dragon hatchling, Winter, and a character named Rufus whose origins are a mystery. Somehow, it all comes together for an exciting conclusion! Not everything is resolved, leaving an opening for the next book in this Soulbound Saga. I'm eager to find out what happens next on Jai's epic adventure.

4.5 -⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

"How are battles won?"
"The battle is won not when the last enemy is dead, but when the first enemy is routed."

Dragon Rider is the first novel in the adult fantasy series, The Soulbound Saga. Set in the world of the Sabine Empire, we follow Jai, a young man who has been forced into servitude for the empire after his father's failed rebellion led to his execution and Jai's confinement (and his brothers'). With a new marriage alliance on the horizon to bring peace to the realm, a new treasure enters the playing field - dragons. Once soulbound to an individual the opportunities are endless but only the Dansk royalty know the secret.

When a coup throws the court into chaos, Jai escapes to return to his people...but he also takes along a few things - the Dansk handmaiden...and a dragon. If he can over the secrets and the magic of soulbonding Jai may have a way to save and protect his people. If he succeeds he can change his (and his people's) destiny...or fall prey to the powers that will bring the world to a ruin.

Jai is fantastic character to dive into. He has been fortunate (given the circumstances) to be serving the elderly emperor...and the man who ended his father. Leon imparts a lot of knowledge onto Jai so he is far from ignorant of the world around him and that becomes a clear asset. I appreciated his need to survive but also his ability to adapt as he moves forward. I felt he was an easy character to connect with.

There is a good variety of side characters that help bridge this story together. I felt we got a really good sense of the world here with character like Leonid, Jai's brothers, and Constantine. I ADORED Winter and want her desperately. I felt she really saved Jai in so many ways and the bond of their relationship is a powerful motivator. Titus is horrible and that is all you need to know. Frida is a curious character that I feel we only touched the surface on; same with Rufus. What I really enjoyed about all these characters is how equally flawed they are - there is no sugar coating them and the realness that cam with characters kept me going.

"He let go of the hate. Let o of the rage. he wanted her to remember him in only one way.
"With love."

In terms of story and world, I found we got a good introduction to the world. The struggles, the conquering are not glorified and the struggle the characters feel under its pressure is evident. The soulbinding with creatures fascinate me and the magic system has a good balance to it with the cost of it. This world is gritty and the impact of each choice is truly felt. I will say the first third of the book is slow as we are getting out bearing with the world. This exposition helped us understand the various characters and their motivation but it also meant not much happened for the plot specifically. Once we get to the coup part we see more action and growth. I enjoyed the survival journey, the fights, the unravelling of magic, and then we get some great tension in the second half with the hunt and onwards. This book very much felt like the beginning of a series but that ending has me incredibly excited for the next book because it built things up so well for me.

For those who loved books like Eragon but wanted an older more mature character who understood the world better, this book offers you so much. I loved the dragons, the world, and the journey and cannot wait to continue this series!

Thank you Harper Voyage for this arc!

3.5 ⭐ rounded up.

I believe this is Taran Matharu's first foray into adult fantasy. He has a previous YA fantasy series that I've always heard positive things about, and with the premise of Dragon Rider sounding up my alley, I was really excited to jump in.

Jai is a prisoner of war and has spent years as the previous emperor's personal assistant. After travesty and political machinations strike, we find ourselves on the road with Jai and some new companions.

The last few years we have found ourselves with dragon books a plenty and it can be hard to keep things fresh. While I do like that soul binding existed with other creatures in this book, I didn't particularly find it to be any different than the bond we see from most dragon riders and their dragons in other books. I was also frustrated with Jai. He came across as much younger than he was supposed to be and wasn't exactly a compelling protagonist.

Don't get me wrong, this definitely had some pretty mature content and themes. It'll be interesting to see how things play out in the sequel.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review Dragon Rider

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

While the story is filled with political intrigue, wild magic and DRAGONS (as well as other creatures that the humans can soul-bond with)! It is the characters that kept me from DNFing this story. While the plot was a tad predictable, and the middle got a bit to slow for my liking…. The characters kept me reading. Jai is bar far one of the most heart-string-tugging heroes I have read about in a very long time. I can not fathom anyone not routing for this boy and his heart-rending story.

From the opening chapter I was hooked on Jai’s story and the untenable situation he finds himself in. I actually wish there had been more time with him in the setting of the early chapters!

A solid first book and I will be watching for the rest to find out what happens in this heroes tale.

I’m a big lover of epic fantasy, and like most fantasy lovers, also have a soft spot for dragons. I was really excited to read to this book, but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. I don’t mind trope-y books as quick, fun reads, but this book didn’t have enough redeeming factors to look past the tired structure and predictable plot lines.


What did work for me:

- Magical creatures and soulbounding are always fun concepts to explore, and I appreciated that there was consideration of how those things change from culture to culture within the world.

- At a sentence level, the writing was clear and easy to read.

What didn’t work for me:

1) The pacing and sequence of events felt off, especially in the beginning of the book. We would make a tiny step forward in progress, only to be shoved back two for about the first 25% in a way that felt unnecessary and confusing. The latter 3/4 of the book went more smoothly.

2) There was some hyper-specific world building in some areas (i.e., specific military maneuvers or battles, speciality goods from different regions), but it felt like some very simple and essential facts were overlooked or oversimplified (i.e., basic character motivations beyond ‘being evil’)

3) A lot of the side characters felt like accessories that were designed to create impact and build Jai’s character, but there wasn’t enough follow through in his feelings or in actual consequences that made me want to care about them beyond being told that they were important.

4) Speaking of side characters, I did not appreciate the depictions of female characters within this book. They felt hollow, their personalities and motivations one-dimensional, and, somehow, Jai talks about genitals (either his or theirs) almost every single time a woman is on page.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for approving my request for an e-ARC of this book! I downloaded it this morning to have it ready to read on a flight tomorrow - and somehow found myself sucked in and up to chapter three within minutes! I’m excited to see where this book goes.

Initial thoughts after finishing this on the plane - WOW! I loved this book and cannot wait for the second one! 5 stars!

2.5 on StoryGraph.

Characters:
I felt like Jai was pretty stupid and in a way that really just annoyed me. I understand that he's pretty naive, but when he would have a plan laid out, he inevitably ALWAYS did something different to mess up the plan and then would be like "Ah dang, that didn't work out..." yeah dude, because you didn't follow the plan.

Frida was fine, but I didn't feel anything particularly strong toward her either. I just didn't feel engaged with the characters much at all. Winter was obviously cute and fun, though.

Plot:
The middle part of this slogged on, for me. I'm not the biggest fan of training sequences and it felt like from the 30 or 40% mark all the way through like 80% was just incessant practice with mana and all that. How to restore mana. How to soulbreathe. Over and over. Legitimately nothing else happened for a huge portion of the book. It just wasn't all that interesting to me -- I'm not that kind of reader who eats up extensive and repetitive magic explanations and practice and training like that.

I really enjoyed most of the beginning -- the first 20ish% with the set up of the politics... and the ending had some action at least (again, with Jai being just kind of dumb to me). But yeah I honestly wanted to dnf at like 50% and would have had I not already dnf-ed a few NetGalley arcs this year.

Also the big secret was incredibly obvious pretty much immediately.

The tone of this also read a bit younger to me, and all of the dick & balls talk seemed to be trying to make it more adult. Penis talk alone does not an adult tone make, in my opinion.

3.5 stars!

This was simultaneously the slowest pace but quickest read I think I’ve ever encountered. Not a lot happened over the course of the story but there was LOTS of world building to help with the slower pace of the story. The magic system was super interesting as well as Jai’s relationship with his dragon, Winter. I think the next book will be much more entertaining now that so much of the base storyline and world has been set up in book one.

Thank you, Harper Voyager, Taran Matharu, and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like Game of Thrones and Fourth Wing, this is the perfect book for you!

The writing was exceptional, and I was hooked from the start. The MMC is essentially a political prisoner, turned dragon rider. The magic system is explained really well, and there are some very strong training scenes. The politics and world building were well thought out and I found myself holding my breath during quite a few moments.

While there is essentially no spice, the book didn't need it. There is a potential love interest and I am looking forward to seeing where that goes.

I can't wait for book 2 in The Soulbound Saga! Thank you to Taran Matharu, Netgalley and HarperVoyager for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Harper Voyager, for the eARC and the physical ARC of this book!

Rating - 5/5 🌟

First off, I'm going to say I loved this book! This book is in 3rd person, and I usually have a rough time with that POV, but this book read so different.

This is such a unique story, and the magic and the bond between the humans and creatures are amazing and so creative!

Cannot wait to see where this story will go!

I really enjoyed this book! I’m a big fan of epic fantasy books and this really didn't disappoint. There’s great world building and politics as well as a great magic system. I liked the in depth explanation of the magic system and how it works. You also can’t go wrong with the bonding of creatures/dragons. I did find the tittle a little misleading though, I was expecting there to be actual dragon riding, but the dragon is a baby and is too small at this point. I’m assuming we will get to that later in the series though. Overall, I am excited to see where the storyline goes in future books and can’t wait to read more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC to read in exchange for my honest review.

“Jai is a prisoner, one living in a castle serving the elderly royal who murdered his father. He was born a third string prince to a people at war, but has lived most of his life as a hostage. His two older brothers become companions of a sort for the Sabine prince Titus, but Jai rarely leaves the palace. The Dansk royals come to marry their princess off to Prince Titus to protect the fragile peace between their nations. Jai meets the princess' handmaiden and by luck, she saves his life. Things quickly become bloody, and it's clear that Titus has no intention of allowing a peaceful future. With Jai's life now at risk, he attempts to flee and warn the Dansk of the horrors intended for them.During his escape he discovers a dragon egg and soul bonds with it. Individuals can soul bond with certain animals in order to gain the ability to use mana. They must cultivate it within themselves through a painstaking process. The mana allows them to use magic. Fire, light, speed, and strength are all available to those who have bonded with such a creature. In fact, the Sabine royal family has a deadly group of soldiers who are soul bound to Gryphon and they strike fear into the hearts of any who encounter them. The process is incredibly secretive and intended only for the elite.From there it's an epic journey of survival, endearing love for his baby dragon Winter, and determination to finally be free. Jai and the handmaiden Frida team up to escape with their lives. They encounter starvation, extreme elements, battles for their life, and one man who promises to help them survive- at a high price.”


I cannot believe the way I ate this book up. I picked up on a Saturday and did not put it down until I finished on Sunday afternoon. Everything about this book was amazing, the characters, the action, the relationship with the dragons and other animals. Some books tend to struggle with pacing especially featuring a traveling portion but I didn’t have this problem with this book like others. That ending has me dying for book 2

Overall I enjoyed this book. The first and last 20% especially had a good mix of character and setting building combined with events that moved the plot along. Jai and Frida are compelling characters, and their growth as allies throughout the middle section of the book kept me reading.

The things I didn't like were fairly minor but distracting enough to make this a book I only mostly liked. Primarily the slow pace of the middle of the book after a fairly intense start at the beginning. The details of the magic system and learning its use became a bit monotonous to me. Rufus as a character I also thought could have been detailed more during that slower part of the book which would have made him more compelling to read about.

Overall the world-building, interesting plot points, and setup for the next book will have me picking up the sequel when it comes out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication.

I really liked this book, but for me personally - the focus on the politics within the fantasy world is what made me rate it as 3 stars!
The first 30% of the book was a bit slow - but that’s normal for when you enter a new fantasy world as you have to attune to the writing and the world itself - I enjoyed learning about the world, meeting Jai (also cool we have a MMC and the focus is on him) and the relationships he builds with the dragons, He’s SO RESILIENT!!!
All in all, I did enjoy the book as a whole and the plot, but the ending and focus on the politics is what got me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Harper Voyager for the Netgalley widget for DRAGON RIDER. This review is entirely my own thoughts and opinions based on the digital advance copy I read.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

DRAGON RIDER is the first book in a new series by Taran Matharu. It's the harsh story of a prince sent into slavery alongside his brothers to an empire bent on ruling all within their reach. When betrayal comes at the hands of the prince he serves, Jai flees for his life with a rare dragon egg in his hands. It's a complex fantasy world full of diversity, magic, unique animals, politics, and the harsh realities of war and conquest.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
MY THOUGHTS:

Before picking this book up, I was in a horrible rut. I was starting and stopping every book I was attempting to read. I picked this one up, and the same night, I was up until 3am in the morning and had knocked out 30% of the book in one go. I was hooked. The world building of DRAGON RIDER is complex, rich, and vibrant. The magic of this world is intricately detailed and fully fleshed out. Every race has its own uniqueness and lore. While the pacing of the story has some hiccups, the action and desire to know what happens next, kept the pages turning.

While Jai was a bit of an annoying MC, his youthful naiveness plays an important part to his character arc and him needing to come into his own. Despite growing up in slavery, he still has a heart of gold that keeps him pushing forward to do the right thing, no matter how many times it ends up blowing back in his face. I lived for his interactions with his dragonling, Winter. They were some of the most wholesome interactions that reminded me once again that I really need my own dragon.

All in all, this was a classic fantasy for me which was exactly what I was looking for. If fantasy is your jam, definitely pick this up.

I quite enjoyed this story with its political intrigue, characters that are likable, and of course dragons. There is quite a lot to like about this book, and only a couple of things I didn’t like so much. But it is still a really great read that I think many people will enjoy.

Jai is the main character of the story and his is the only point of view we get. You can tell from the start that he is smart and brave, but in many ways he is very naive. He has spent little to no time outside of the palace he lives in, and has spent little time in the company of others. Although he has read a lot about many things, there is nothing like experience to truly teach you the ways of the world. Once he is forced into the world, he has little choice to learn quickly in order to survive. Jai spends the entire book learning about himself and growing the confidence he needs to be soulbonded to a dragon. The young dragon is quite delightful and I loved watching the two of them bond.

There are many other characters in the story, especially in the first part that takes place in the palace. Some we get to know better than others. There are only two other characters that we get to know well, Frida and Rufus. Frida is the handmaiden who is also soulbound to a dragon. I liked her quite a bit and she is helpful to Jia and helps to teach him how to navigate his new found world. Rufus is a soulbound they meet on their journey. He is not quite who he seems and they are not totally trustful of him, but he does help both of them out when the need arises.

The story itself is pretty straight forward. This book has three parts to it. The first part is all about the politics of this world and how the different societies and classes work within it. The second is a survival story but it also teaches us a lot more about soulbinding and the magic around it. The final part is how Jia comes into himself and becomes the leader that he needs to be after suffering his worst hardship yet. All three of these parts are important, but the pacing in the middle does lag a bit as much of the time is spent on Jai learning to soul breath. The ending seemed a bit rushed and slightly confusing as the parties are split up.

The writing and the world building is well done. I felt totally immersed in this world and felt like I understood its workings as least as well as Jia. It is not a happy story and there are many dark and gruesome scenes throughout. Some that Jia is only a witness to, but others that he is a participant in or a victim of. There are some bright spots, most between Jia and his dragon, but these are few and far between.

I thought that this was a great start to a new series. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book, and hope that there will be many more to follow. This is a fantastic new world and some great characters that I want to spend more time with. Highly recommend to those of you who enjoy high fantasy with great world building and characters you can fall in love with.

I thought the book started off strong but it was too slow paced for my liking. I wanted to DNF it 40% way through. I skimmed through most of it until it started picking back up toward the end. I felt like a 1/3 of the book was just about mana.

The world building and character development were well executed and I enjoyed most of the plot.


Thank you to the author and publisher for the this pre-released copy from NetGalley.

This book was an absolute masterpiece. The storyline was captivating from beginning to end, filled with unexpected twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The author's use of tone added another layer of depth to the already compelling plot, making it a truly immersive reading experience. I cannot recommend this book enough - truly a must-read for any avid reader.

Once I started this, I couldn't put it down! It was such a refreshing story. The world building is beautiful, unique but with real-world roots that makes it easier to understand. Loved the main character's growth through the book. I can't wait to read the finalized version and see what the series has in store for Jai, Winter and a certain handmaiden!

Dragon Rider is an intriguing start to the Soulbound Saga.

If you were to ask me to give you a short synopsis I would have to say, there is a prince who is more like a slave, a servant from a mysterious kingdom, and a baby dragon. Mix in an on the road adventure while running from the bad guys.

All in all I enjoyed this book. The world building at the beginning was a little slow, but pacing did even out.