If I'm being honest I liked Taran's Summoner series a lot more than Dragon Rider, but it was still a great read.

It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realise Frida's role but I loved seeing all of the trials and tribulations that Jai faced.

Rufus was my favourite character, I wish he'd gotten more page time and I'll be picking up book 2 to find out if he's alive or not as his fate was left hanging.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5- this book was so good. Dragons and utter destruction whilst creating such a beautiful world.

Dragons
Gryphons
TW - beatings, poisonings and lots of violence
Soul bonding
High fantasy
Lots of world building

This book had amazing world building and brutal political standings.

The story follows Jai who is a prisoner living in a castle having to serve the man who was responsible for the death of his father. When peace is under threat a marriage of convenience is the only way. But with such unrest Jai is desperate to escape and warn people of threats to come.

When escaping Jai finds a dragon egg which when soul bonded allows him to possess magical abilities. The story unfolds into a journey of survival and strength to defeat the deadly soldiers who also posses power from gryphons.

This book was beautifully written and the bond between Jai and his dragon winter was absolutely delightful. Despite some seriously dark moments their bond is so strong and beautiful.
There are some darker moments of this book where the MC is beaten and harmed in such ways causing him to be moments from death. Making for an emotional read 😭

The world building and politics was so well written and in great detail that it allowed me to really picture what was happening. It was such a powerful and emotional read portraying betrayal, poisoning, beatings, patricide and so much more.

Despite a slow start due to the mass of world building it was such an amazing read and I definitely think this is one for the dragon loving fantasy readers 🤍🤍

I’m so excited for the next book in the series already. I absolutely loved this book.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and HarperVoyager. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Dragon Rider.]

Rating: 5/5

Finally! An epic high fantasy that is near impossible to put down and that will keep you second guessing what will happen as you turn each page. It’s been a while since I’ve been gripped by this kind of fantasy, sometimes the worldbuilding feels tedious or there's a lack of depth to the people introduced, but that certainly wasn’t an issue with Dragon Rider. In amongst the complex characters and interesting magic system is a rich and vast world steeped in turmoil. This is the kind of book that provides that classic fantasy feel so if you love dragons, court politics and perilous adventure, you need to check this out.

Dragon Rider follows Jai, a young man who serves the cruel empire that killed his family and now rules his people. As the Sabine empire continues to grow and conquer, a betrothal between the emperor and Princess Erica of the Dansk Kingdom, an unconquerable realm, is set to take place so that their power can reach new highs. In addition to the betrothal, the Dansk Princess brings with her dragons, magical creatures that only her people can bond with, and soon also the Sabines. In classic fantasy fashion, the betrothal does not go as planned, and a bloody coup leads to Jai finally escaping the clutches of the empire along with the Princess’s handmaiden and a highly coveted dragon egg. Now on the run, these two fugitives must embark on a journey fraught with danger as they try to return to their homelands.

I don’t say this lightly, but I was completely blown away by this story. It’s the kind of book where I’d tell myself to take a break at the end of each chapter but the plot was so gripping that I couldn’t possibly step away from it. Jai is a fantastic aspiring hero to follow and definitely one you can get behind. His will to survive combined with his good intentions makes him the kind of character I love to see leading a fantasy story, and he only gets better as time goes on. Even when the odds are stacked against him he still strives to find the best outcome for the most people, and I can’t wait to see how that develops in future books as his power grows.

Another undeniable highlight of this story is the animal companions and, most importantly, Winter the dragon. If you loved this element of Fourth Wing and, like me, was hooked by the bonding between human and dragon, then you will love Dragon Rider as well. Although it’s not entirely the same, the bond shared between animal and human feels more fleshed out here as it closely links in with the magic system which is also incredibly well executed. I loved seeing what the bond meant and how it evolved over time, and also the limitations of what was possible.

I’ve never read anything from this author before but that will be changing right away. I’m completely entranced by this magical world of incredible beasts and ruthless leaders and will be counting down the days until the next instalment. High fantasy lovers need to add this to their TBRs asap, this isn’t a book you want to miss out on!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all of the characters. This was one of those fantasy books where I genuinely feel like I’ve been on a grand adventure after reading this. Jai went through so much and saw so many places and challenges and different people. And all of the characters we interact with were so enjoyable even if it mean I enjoyed hating them. I cannot wait to see more of Jai, ‘Freya’, Winter and Rufus especially. I will definitely be recommending this to a lot of friends

The dragon rider by Taran Matharu
Release date 25th April 2024
Rating 4 stars
CAWPILE 7.58

Synopsis
Jai has spent his life forced to serve the cruel empire that killed his family and now rules his people.
To grow ever more powerful, the emperor’s young son is betrothed to Princess Erica of the Dansk Kingdom. An unconquerable realm, where ancient beasts roam. The princess brings with her a priceless gift: dragons. Only Dansk Royalty can bond with these magical beasts to draw on their power and strength. Until now.

When the betrothal goes wrong, a bloody coup leads to chaos at court. Finally, Jai has a chance to escape. He flees with a fierce Dansk warrior, Frida, but not before stealing a dragon egg.

To vanquish the empire, he must do the impossible: bond with a dragon. Only then he can seize his destiny, and seek his revenge …

Review

I really enjoyed this book it has a lot of the buzzwords that I look for in an adult fantasy, magic, dragons, empire. And I was enthralled by the world that I was whisked away in. And the ending I am now very eager to see where it is going to go.

This was the first book that I have read from this author and I am wondering why I hadn’t before. I know that this is the first adult fantasy from them but I feel as if I would have enjoyed the others.

I loved how Jai’s character moved in this story from the beginning he did not want to be front an centre most of the time hiding in the shadows or staying behind observing to the last line in the book which had my mouth dropping and clapping at his development.

All characters were fascinating to deep dive into and I cannot wait to learn more. I hope people give this book a chance and how pleasantly surprise like I was people will be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this book. I am excited to share all my thoughts with other people.

Review will go up on instagram 21st April 2024

This review is for Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu which releases in the UK on the 25th April! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Harper Voyager/Harper Collins UK for giving me an eArc copy for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’d heard so many good things about this book, plus so many booktokers showing off their arcs, that I couldn’t resist requesting this from Netgalley as soon as I saw it. An epic fantasy with dragons? You know that’s my thing.

And it was great! I really did enjoy the story, especially toward the end when everything was finally coming together. It did very much feel like it was building up for the rest of the series though. It was also not anything I haven’t already seen before, and the first 25-30% was very slow paced making it very hard to get through at times. However, the politics and magic system were amazing and that’s what kept me coming back for more.

The magic system was super unique, where the only people with magic were those who ‘soul bonded’ with a variety of different creatures. The fact that you have to work to improve your own magical ability as well once you have soul bonded and could eventually ‘ascend’ to become more powerful. I can’t wait to see what comes from this in the rest of the series, and if we’ll meet anyone super powerful who has risen above the power levels expected.

I loved the characters in this book, especially the little dragon Winter. Her budding relationship with Jai, the main character, was super sweet and it was great to see his love for her become deeper once they began getting to know each other better. I also loved how the author shows both the characters flaws as well their strengths throughout the story, even if this does make you want to shake them at a times.

I cannot wait to see what the author does with the rest of the story and will most likely be buying a physical copy when this comes out as well. Would highly recommend to any high/epic fantasy readers out there, especially if you love dragons!

It's safe to say that comparing this book to Fourth Wing isn't doing justice to Dragon Rider because this story is sooo so much more!
It's not a romantasy with dragons, but it is leaning heavily into grimdark waters, and it's unapologetically gritty with no punches hold!
The story is about a boy who ends up as an orphan after his father's rebellion fails, leading to his people being forced into servitude. Even heavier deal for Jai because he is forced as a personal servant to the same man who killed his father.
Intricate story about revenge, saving his people, forming unexpected friendship and alliances while trying to stay alive in a crumbling empire pushed intentionally into war.
So many things to love in this book, and I will start with the wonderful world building and so many interesting beasts like khiroi and the Persian inspired chamrosh and the way bonding with those creatures works.
I loved how the relationship between old Leonid and Jai was portrayed with so many nuances and complexity that it gives you food for thought and at the bottom of it, a strange kind of respect between them.
Another thing that I liked was the fact that despite the chosen one trope, Jai's learning curve was far from easy and more like slowly finding his inner strength and his footing in a world he was not prepared for.
Furthermore, I have to mention, there's a plethora of captivating characters that you either love or hate with fervor because they are that good at being evil.
Amazing journey with such a distinctive atmosphere, and I'm curious to see what happens to Jai after that ending.

I didn’t jump on the Fourth Wing bandwagon, so I seized the opportunity to read a Netgalley ARC for this hyped book containing dragons. Let’s just say it’s been a while since I’ve picked up a fantasy book. I was almost going to DNF the book because of the slow start. I wanted the action and danger that I fondly remembered from other fantasy books I’ve read in the past. Later, I realized that the first third of the book was necessary to enjoy the rest of it. Additionally, this book is the first in a series, so the author needs time to set the stage for all the action that takes place. Also, "Dragon Rider" is a political book, as evidenced by Jai’s position in the royal court. So, if you don’t enjoy a bit of politics, this may not be your cup of tea.

Regarding the plot of "Dragon Rider," let’s just say the action that I was craving came in abundance. After Jai’s escape and bonding with Winter, there was more than enough danger, sometimes a bit too much for me. There was hardly a moment of rest. If you can overlook the gruel and grime that Jai endures, you get an ending that shows the potential of Jai as a main character to carry this series.

Kudos to the author for this incredible story!

Dragons are storming the bookshelves more so since the hype of Fourth Wing, but my first love of Dragon novels came from the Eragon series so I have a soft spot for fantasy novels that host a dragon or two so as soon as I saw the cover for Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu a fizzle of excitement began and I wasted no time in getting started.

But I am going to start with a word of warning if you are expecting a storyline heavy on Dragons that has the modern excitement that Forth Wing gave then thick again, the best way of explaining this book is more if Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones had a book baby then this is more on the right path!

The author definitely has a skill for character building as each of the characters were so well developed and easy to distinguish between which can often be an issue in Fantasy books with such a vast number of characters with obscure names but by the end of the book our main character Jai feels like a character, we have really formed a bond with. This definitely felt like a first book in a series, it felt like it was setting the tone and building our relationship with the characters for what I am hoping to be an action filled second book with a lot more of the connection between Jai and Winter because this was something seriously lacking in this book but I am hoping this is because Winter is so young and that as she matures there becomes a dialogue between them.

This book for me was a 3.5/4 star read but had the ability to have been a 5-star read but personally for me I found the book had a strong start with an introduction to key characters and an insight into the history behind how Jai finds himself an aid to the emperor as well as the various politics between the different regions. But the middle part of the book fell short for me and incredibly drawn out with the constant repetition and focus on the core and mana, I get that this is an important part of being a Soulbound and this certainly empathised this but it got too repetitive and actually made me want to skim read a little which is not something I do in books. It just felt like the storyline had lost its way and was stuck in a dark hole with nothing much happening for 100 or so pages. Luckily it picked back up for a promising ending so my intrigue was piqued again and now I would definitely pick up the next book.

Embark on an epic new adult fantasy journey with Taran's masterful creation—a world teeming with beasts, magic, political intrigue, and warfare. This is a story not for the faint-hearted, reminiscent of the gripping complexity found in Game of Thrones.

What to anticipate:

🐉 Thrilling encounters with dragons and other fantastical creatures
🐉 A ruthless Empire
🐉 Riveting adventures
🐉 Brutal acts of cruelty
🐉 A unique and captivating magic system

Entering this book with no prior knowledge, my sheer fascination with dragons and fantasy drew me in immediately. While I did enjoy the narrative, I struggled to deeply connect with the characters, particularly Jai, whose naivety and flawed decisions often led to his downfall. Winter, however, emerged as a standout character, and witnessing her bond with Jai evolve was a highlight.

As is typical with fantasy series, this first installment primarily serves as groundwork, providing detailed exposition on Jai's training as a soul-bonded rider and delving into the empire's backstory. Despite this, Taran's engaging prose and expert worldbuilding ensure a captivating read throughout.

I could see what this title was trying to do. It was aiming for funny, with emotions running high throughout and a good set-up for a full series.

Unfortunately, I felt it sell short. It didn't feel like much happened plot-wise, and whilst there was a strong character development, it didn't feel like the punchy fantasy adventure I was helping for. I find it hard when a first book in a series feels like a build up for book two, and this was exactly that, it felt like the author was trying to build tension for book two as opposed to telling a good story in the current book.

Jai has spent his early life in servitude to an old Emperor. His life will change forever upon the arrival of Dragons.
He has to escape a bloody coup when his brothers are brutally murdered.
A small band of misfits will travel the long journey back home.
This start to a new series has many secrets and surprises. You will have to uncover many layers to discover who you can trust.
A very brutal world who not all will survive. You will wait with anticipation for the next instalment.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I'm not going to lie, I nearly DNFed this at the first part. It was a bit too political for me but I also believe this is a personal preference. I enjoy faster paced books that are easy to read while this required a bit more attention to all the details. But it's worth to get through it because things kick off and the dragons are great, of course.

I think this is a perfect first book for a new saga and if you're into dragons, this is for you.

An epic new adult fantasy adventure. Taran created a unique world full of beasts, magic, politics and war. Not for the faint hearted, this book reminded me alot of Game of Thrones.

What to expect:

🐉 Dragons and other beasts
🐉 Vicious Empire
🐉 Adventure
🐉 Cruelty
🐉 Unique Magic system

I went into this book completely blind, I just knew I wanted to read it, my obsession with dragons and fantasy made this a perfect book.

Whilst I did really like this book, I didn't connect too strongly with the characters - Jai the main character was very naive and made a few bad decisions that would a lot of the time lead to his downfall.
Of course Winter was the most exciting character in this book for me and I loved seeing her bond grow with Jai.
As usual with fantasy the first book is usually alot of set up for the series, and this book is no exception. There was a lot of description of Jais training on how to be a soul bonded rider and backstory about the empire. But the writing was engaging and Taran did an excellent job at worldbuilding.

I'll definitely be continuing with the series and this is a solid 4 star read for me.

Review will be posted on my Instagram- @blonde.reads.fiction near release date!

Thank you to netgalley and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This started off great. I loved all the politics of the world and the soulbound concept to different mythical creatures was interesting. Once Jai became soulbound and headed off on his escape/journey, that’s where things went a bit downhill for me unfortunately. There was way too much emphasis on the intricacy of the magic system to the point it got boring, however if you love detailed magic systems this may be for you. The story picked up again in the last 20% but the middle was a bit of a slog to get through. I felt that there wasn’t much character development during this time either, beyond the learning of magic. I do love Rufus though and would have loved to go more in depth with his story.
Overall it sets up the world very well for the next book, although I’m not sure if I’m invested enough to continue.

Thank you to @netgalley and @HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

We are only in April but this may be my top read for 2024.

Dragons, magic, murder, and battles. This book had me hooked from start to finish. The complex magic system and world building was written so well. Although the explanations at times were lengthy they were weaved into the story line so well they didn’t feel laboured and were definitely shown rather than told.

I can’t wait for book 2 and would love more from Fridas POV.

4.5 Stars!

What a fantastic opener to a new world from Taran Matharu. The opening chapter had me hooked from the get-go; what an entrance - literally. I shan't spoil it, but what a brilliant way of introducing a fantasy world, the political climate, and our main cast of characters. Cleverly and quickly done.

What I loved:
- The depth and complexity of characters: Jai's upbringing has been both full of hardship and privilege having grown up in a palace but as a hostage. He straddles two worlds but belongs fully in neither.
- The political landscape. Now, I'm not big into the politics in fantasy usually, but Matharu has handled this in way that is reflected in our characters more than anything; they belong to different cultures and religions. They have different values and belief systems, and thus we learn where their loyalties lie and why. Truly a great way of showing instead of telling.
- The magical creatures: Dragons, Chamrosh, Gryphons. Need I say more.
- There's a certain reveal that I did see coming, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. if anything it added to it because I kept wondering if/when other characters would connect the dots.

Recommended for those who love:
- Found family
- Priory of The Orange Tree / Talonsister
- Magical creatures
- Concealed identities

DNF at 26%

I just found this incredibly dull. I wasn’t engaged in the plot or Jai, our main character. The writing style was easy to read but lacking something for me.

A fantastic read for lovers of high fantasy. If you grew up on the drangonlance books, Eragorn or anything similar you’ll love this intriguing tale.

There is a lot of world building and it takes a bit to get into but if you survived Tolkien then I promise this is just as much worth it.

I like that there’s a bit of romance for those that enjoy it but it isn’t overpowering.

Looking forward to book 2

I have to say for a book with Dragon Rider as the title and a huge picture of a dragon on the cover, there was a disappointing lack of dragons for a good portion of the book.

At the start of the book they played a very small part, with the dragon rider bond not actually forming until 200 pages in. And even then, I felt that there wasn’t enough emphasis placed on the bond between Winter and Jai and more placed on the magic that he could use now he was bonded to her. I was really disappointed by this as the soul bonding was really the reason I was reading the book and I love a good relationship between a dragon and it’s rider.

The rest of the story was really good though. I enjoyed Winter as a character, despite how I felt the book ignored her and the multi-sided war is going to be really interesting. I’m looking forward to see how the different characters and their countries come into play in the next book.