Dragonborn is a gripping and imaginative fantasy adventure that will appeal to fans of Skandar and The Last Firefox. Struan Murray weaves a powerful story of grief, identity and transformation, as Alex discovers she’s not just different—she’s a dragon. The world-building is rich, the plot full of clever twists, and the emotional journey feels authentic and resonant. While it doesn’t quite match the complexity of Orphans of the Tide, it’s a strong start to a promising new series and a great addition to any upper KS2 bookshelf.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, it felt like a treat to myself to lose myself in this amazing dragon filled world. I love a vulnerable protagonist who takes time to come into their own , and this certainly describes Alex. I did feel that more could have been made of Alex’s realisation about her loss at the end of the book but it fully deserves 5 stars anyway and I’m hoping we will be able to return to the magical island of Skralla soon.

Become the impossible.
The electric new fantasy series for fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Impossible Creatures, perfect for readers aged 9-12. Life is no fun for Alex Evans. Ever since her dad's death, her overprotective mother has smothered her with unbreakable rules and unspoken fears. When the frustration inside Alex finally gets too big to bear, it rushes to the surface. And flames spill from her mouth. Because Alex is a dragon. One of the many who live among us, unless something awakens their true nature. Led by the mighty Oliphos to the legendary island of Skralla, Alex must now train alongside fierce, frightening dragon children, if she is to unlock the power of her birthright. But other dragons are rising too. Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, is preparing a war against the human world, and Alex has to be good enough for this fight, or we all will burn.

Loved this book! Murray is king of plot twists and there's a great one in this book (which I didn't see coming). This is a richly imagined fantasy world that has many of the familiar tropes of 'chosen one in a world they knew nothing about' but with a psychological depth that is sometimes lacking from this kind of MG fantasy story. It's gripping, well-written, pacy, imaginative and exciting. Something for everyone!

A thrilling and fantastic new fantasy read and a new take on dragons. The twist was nice, I didn’t see it coming! I look forward to seeing where this goes as a series.

WOW. Talk about TWISTS. A truly epic fantasy with dragons, a rising danger, and layer upon layer of secrets. I read this alongside my kids and we had to stop every now and then just to look at each other and say "CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT????". A stunning start to an exciting new series. Can't wait for the next one.

One of the better MGs I have read recently. I loved the Dragonborn idea and that pretty much anything was magic. I loved Alex's powers and the exploration of her grief and the strict parenting of her mother.

I think some of the plot twists were a bit lackluster, only really making sense in the last few chapters but still I had fun with it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!

Struan Murray on my list of authors whose books I need to read as soon as they come out. His characterisations and world building are exceptional, as is his story telling Dragonborn lives up to this honour.
There is a lot going on in Dragonborn. Alex recently lost her dad. Her mum is exceedingly overbearing and protective. Alex is a dragon, she just doesn’t know it yet. When she is told, she doesn’t believe it. When she starts to believe it, she is unable to change into her dragon form. What is holding her back? Her grief at losing her dad? Fear of what she will become? Fear of being unable to control her dragon tendencies? Not being a good enough dragon? Being different? Losing sight of who she is? Losing her memories of her dad? Maybe not able to turn back into her human form?
There is so much going on when Alex is taken by a dragon mentor to an island where other dragons live and train. A dark force is causing fear and anxiety, trying to pit humans against dragons and find a dragon army to kill all normal humans once and for all. What can Alex do if she can’t even change her form? She is brave and good at problem solving so tries to find a way of helping that might also help her not forget her dad.
All the other characters in Dragonborn are well formed, some with their own quirks, and all play their part in either aiding or hindering Alex in her quest. Some are not what they appear to be. A couple in particular have hidden secrets that are revealed in typical Struan Murray plot twists…you do not see them coming but they just make sense when they are revealed. Another superb story from this author and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

This is such an incredible start to Struan Murray's new middle grade series, Dragonborn. It's original, fast-paced, with relatable characters, and the world-building is phenomenal.

I had extremely high expectations going into this because Struan's debut novel, Orphans of the Tide, remains one of my favourite ever books, and I've loved everything of his since then too. I am very happy to say that Dragonborn lived up to my hopes, and I couldn't put it down! It is extraordinary.

There are dragons living among us, and ANYONE could be one- your teacher, your neighbour, your sibling, or even you! You might not even know it.

Amid her grief and frustration at life alone with an overbearing mother, Alex discovers that she is a dragon, just like her father had been. She is whisked away by Oliphos (a brilliantly drawn character) to the island of Skralla, home of the dragons. Here she must train and fight with other dragon children, but her inner dragon is reluctant to show itself. And then there's the problem of Drak Midna, the mightiest, most fearsome dragon, who is planning a devestating attack on all of humanity.

This is a fabulous tale of dragons and magic, but it's also a story of grief, friendship, bravery, and finding yourself.

For every dragon lover out there, and especially for fans of How to Train your Dragon, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, and Impossible Creatures. You will love this!

Dragons! Need I say more? Well I'm going to anyway.

Alex's life is carved into an iron-clad regime by her overbearing mother: if she's not at school, she's kept busy with activities, told not to speak to anyone else, and to never return to the woods she and her dad used to adventure in. Alex is desperate to escape the grip of her mother and structure, to go back to the wildness and magical stories her dad taught her. It's not long before she's breaking the rules and screaming for freedom in the woods.

Screaming tends to wake things up. Alex hasn't just stirred the magic of the forest, she's awoken something within herself, something with claws and teeth, flame and shadow. She's faced with the unbelievable truth - Alex is a dragon. It's not long before the mighty Oliphos is guiding her to her true self on the hidden island of Skralla, where she meets other wild dragon children in training, learns about the elite team of dragon warriors - the Skarren-Har - and discovers the power she wields from the dragon she's reluctant to release.

But Alex must learn to free her dragon; the deadly Drak Midna has hidden in the shadows for 3,000 years old, but the dragons sense he's on the move. He'll stop at nothing to have control of all slumbering dragonborns, and only Alex has the power to stop him. Can she face her fears and let go of everything, or will the world burn around her?

Entertaining from the outset, Dragonborn is an electrifying story for young readers. Struan Murray delves into the world of Skralla and its lore without it getting complicated or drawing from the main plot, and brings a variety of characters and real-world thinking to it. Murray writes in a way that doesn't over-simplify the themes and respects young readers to handle the topics of grief, self-discovery, and resilience, with comedic and fantasy elements keeping the story from becoming too serious.

Dragonborn follows the archetypical plot of a young fantasy story, and yet I didn't see the plot twists coming at the end (there's a real red herring!). An exciting and refreshing take on dragons and their place in the modern world, Dragonborn is a a fiery new series for young fiction and Struan Murray is just warming up...

I adored the Orphan of the Tides trilogy and as soon as I saw that Struan was turning his hand to dragons I knew I would fall head over heels in love with this and I couldn't have been more right. This book was so fun that I read it in one sitting and just could not put it down. The fact that it's the start of a new series as well has me so excited as I cannot wait to get back into this world and to be with these fantastic characters again! Cannot recommend this book enough.

Struan Murray is an author that I have wanted to read for a while as he is a Scottish middle grade author who many people have told me good things about. When I heard about his latest release and the fact that it includes dragons I knew that it would be a great book to give him a go with.

Dragonborn follows Alex Evans who since losing her dad, her mum has smothered her with rules and when Alex’s frustration over her mum’s behaviour her breathing fire, Alex discovers that she is a dragon and now she must train with other dragon children as one dragon is preparing for war against humans creating a fight Alex needs to be good enough for.

I really don’t read very much middle grade these days however I do love it when I do read it most of the time with Dragonborn being no exception. I had a great time with these characters and the story throughout the book.

I liked Alex as a character from the very beginning of the book, you could tell at the very start how much she struggled with her mum but still loved her. It was also really special to watch her discover her power throughout the course of the book and what it means to be a dragon. This book had the perfect balance of being heartwarming with Alex’s journey and having a plot that kept me wanting to pick the book up through all the time that I was reading it.

This book also explores some really important messages too that I love to see explored in middle grade books. We see some very special friendships developed where the characters accept others for just who they are and not who you think they should be. Also there were some important explorations of what it is like to lose someone and how they stay with you even after they are gone.

I also loved all of the fantasy elements of this book. The dragons were so cool to read about and as the book continued on we got to learn more and more about them which I found to be really interesting. Aside from dragons, which do make up most of the book, there were some other really interesting fantasy elements that just really enhanced the plot. I don’t know if there is going to be a sequel just now but with that ending I wouldn’t be surprised if there is one and I’m really hoping to read more in this world.

I really enjoyed this middle grade read and I will definitely be reading more from Struan Murray in the future. This is a book that I will be recommending to others and am so glad that I have given Struan Murray a go now. He reminded me why it is I have so much fun reading middle grade books.

I was very pleased to receive an ARC from Netgalley (this has not affected my review) because I have read several other novels by Struan Murray which I have enjoyed. Main character Alex is struggling to find her place in the world following her discovery that her Dad (who died several years previously) was a dragon, and she could be, to. A truly magical middle-grade read I will be buying it for my school library and will be recommending it to years 5-7. A quality novel with beautifully crafted descriptions and a page-turning plot, this would also make a great read-aloud for years 5 and 6.

In a world where dragons live among us, even if we - and often they - aren't aware of it, a young girl is about to get the surprise of her life.

Struggling to get along with her mother after the death of her father, Alex is shocked when a row literally leads to things going up in flames - because she is a dragon child!

Her life completely changes, as Alex is now expected to train along side other children like her in an environment that is both competitive and completely alien to her.

An exciting adventure with wonderful world building, this one is not to be missed.

Alex Evans lives with her SUPER overprotective mother who smothers her, controls every moment of her time, and never wants to talk about her dad. But Alex wants to talk about her dad, how much she misses him, what really happened to him; she wants to talk about the time they spent together in the woods... which is the one place she is ABSOLUTELY forbidden to go to.

One day, everything just becomes too much, and it spills out of Alex: she wants to scream and... out comes fire.

Because it turns out Alex is a dragon.

Events happen fast and furiously from here; she is taken to an island called Skralla, hidden in the in-between parts of the world, where she finds there are lots of others like her, both human and dragon. It's... weird and the other children are fierce and frightening, and they all know so much more about this world than Alex. To become part of this awe-inspiring (though pretty terrifying, honestly!) world, Alex needs to overcome her fears and fully transform... which turns out to be harder than she thought. Even with Oliphos, an amazing mentor, and some pretty cool friends, Alex can't do what's "she's supposed to do" - and when she finds out about the evil Drak Midna, a legendary dragon rising to fight a war, her specific gifts are needed. Will she always feel like an outsider?

Struan Murray has created a fantastic world here, with lots of fun and fabulous details, including other mythical creatures, and it was such a lot of fun to read! Alex is an interesting and nuanced character, who you can't help but root for as she grows apart from her mother, as she deals with the grief of her father's death, and the overwhelming world that she's propelled into. There are some other great side characters who are emotionally interesting too (often a problem with secondary characters), like Erik, Dr Archibald Puppinsworth and the other young dragons - Murray has written a story with a lot of heart.

This fun and fast middle grade will definitely appeal to young readers; the dragons are quite 'traditional' in terms of dragonlore, but sometimes the old ways are the best! We don't need the wheel reinvented with every new fantasy book, as Murray has proved; dragons are amazing, right?!

I look forward to the next instalment...

Thanks to NetGalley and Puffin for the copy to review!

Dragonborn follows Alex, a young girl who discovers she's actually a dragon and is whisked away to the island of Skralla. But tensions between dragons and humans are rising, an evil is returning and Alex has to master her powers or risk losing them forever.
This was so much fun! I know I would have been absolutely obsessed as a kid, and even reading it as an adult it had no business being this good.
It was such a creative spin on dragons, I’ve seen ‘dragon shifters’ before, but they often feel more like magicky humans. Here, they were definitely dragons! Ferocious and epic and dangerous. I also loved the variety of the 'dwimmers' (magic dragon powers), they made for such interesting character dynamics and intrigue!
The main protagonist Alex was the heart of this book, and I absolutely loved her growth. She's such a strong character but also incredibly relatable at the same time. I loved her friendships, and relationship with all of the mentor characters in the book. I actually really appreciated the mentor characters, they treated Alex like a peer and were so protective and wonderful! We have too many bad mentors in stories I want more of this!
The worldbuilding also had no right to be as vivid and immersive as it was. The combination of magic and human technology was so fun. And the plot was brilliant too! So many twists and turns that I absolutely did not see coming, and a lovely sprinkling of social commentary that may go over kids' head but will make this rewarding even for older readers.
So if you're looking for a fast paced, action packed, dragon-filled read, it doesn't get much better than this! I'll definitely be picking up the sequel and checking out the author's other books.

Another cracker from Struan Murray. We stopped reading part way through, not because we did not like the tale, but to order a couple of copies from Amazon before it sold out. Universally loved by the adults and all of the children. A new classic in the making. Can't wait for the next one.

An enchanting adventure, full of magic, mystery and captivating characters. Dragonborn is a five star, incredibly powerful and poignant story and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Huge thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The way unicorns and variations of creatures from Greek mythology have dominated the last few years, I think it’s safe to say we are very much in the era of the dragon and Dragonborn solidifies that even more with, what I would argue, one of the strongest middle grade dragon stories of all time.

And, funnily enough, the dragons are not the reason why I would say that. Within their wondrous existence in Dragonborn, Murray masterfully weaves themes of self-discovery, friendship, and courage against a sprawling, breathtaking backdrop filled with a well-established mythical lore and vivid, imagination fuelling settings. It’s hard to describe to people who are readers, but this book made my imagination feel colourful, like the saturation was on full, and that will always be a sign of a brilliant book for me.

Alex is a poignant protagonist dealing with the grief of a lost loved one, but also, interestingly, the loss of watching her childhood pass her by under her mother’s control. On Skralla, we watch as she comes grows (and sometimes fights the growth) and comes to terms with both the changes and things that remain resultant from these emotions all within a narrative that is expertly paced, keeping me flipping page after page until I finished.

Murray's writing style is truly the shining star of middle grade dragon fuelled adventures with each phrase thought provoking yet accessible, making it a delight for children and the adults who read alongside them. This is the type of book that myself, as a child, would have encouraged everyone around me to read because I would’ve NEEDED someone to understand my excited about this story and, in fact, I’m pretty much doing the same thing as an adult. It’s THAT good.

Without giving too much away, the book’s climax delivers a satisfying blend of action and emotional cliffhanging, which left me and is sure to leave other readers eager for what comes next in Dragonborn 2. Perfect for anyone reading age 9+, Dragonborn is an unforgettable journey into a world where the extraordinary waits just beneath the surface of all of us. So while I go try and uncover my inner dragon, I recommend you go and get your copy now!

I’ve been savouring every page. This is just EXQUISITE. It’s got a delicious plot, incredible characters, exquisite moments of the power of humanity… and a shed load of dragons. It’s fair to say that I 100% swore at this book MULTIPLE times - it’s JUST THAT GOOD.