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Book: “Dragon Rider” by Taran Matharu
Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, April 2024
Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!
Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound
Book Description: 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 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.
Review: There’s something great about this title. No dissembling, no “A something of something and something” styling. Just “Dragon Rider.” You know pretty much everything you need to know right from the start: there will be dragons, and there will be people riding them! I think this will be good enough for many fantasy fans, and it certainly was for me!
There was a lot to like about this book, right from the start. It’s the kind of story that plops you down right in the middle of things and leaves it to the reader to wade through the various peoples and places that are presented on the page. Also, right from the get go, it was clear that this was going to be one of those political maneuvering stories where everyone has their own agenda and the intrepid heroes fall into the dangerous plans of others. So it is with our main character who quickly finds himself jumping out of the frying pan and straight into the fire. Of course, a lucky run in with a dragon egg changes his fate and leads to the titular concept of this book.
For all of the fact that some of the book’s core concepts were expected, I was also surprised by a large chunk of the middle of the story. There, the book suddenly turns into a survival story, with Jai and Frida (a young woman he teams up with) having to persist in the face of the elements, starvation, and danger, all while caring for a baby dragon. I really loved this aspect of the story, but I will say that it’s the kind of thing that does impact the overall pacing of the story. If readers are buckled in for a slower ride, one in which you’re immersed in the day-to-day struggles and experiences of these characters, than I think the book delivers! But it is a shift from the expectation that is presented at the start, where the focus is more on court politics.
The story also takes its time really diving into Jai’s experiences learning to manage his magic and to bond with the baby dragon. Again, much of this leads to a major slow down in the story, so it will depend on readers’ interests levels how well this part of the story succeeds. I was also surprised by just how violent this book was at times. It’s definitely not for the weak of heart with some fairly graphic scenes of violence, much of which is committed against Jai himself.
Overall, I thought this was a successful fantasy story. It’s the kind of high fantasy story that will likely appeal to readers looking for a more “classic” dragon rider story than “Fourth Wing.” It is dense and can be slow at times, so readers should keep that in mind when picking it up.
Rating 8: A well-rounded fantasy stories that highlights yet again why dragons are such beloved magical creatures!
Reader’s Advisory:
“Dragon Rider” can be found on this Goodreads list: Dragon Riders
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