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The Skystone Chronicles #1
Dragon Thief
Best Book of the Year 2023 - Indies Today
Asher of Steel Rim is an outcast dragon rider who steals from nobles to help save what remains of his family.
But, when one particular job catches the eye of a band of magi outlaws, they want to recruit him for his biggest job to steal a true dragon egg.
It might be the opportunity he's been waiting for. Not just to gain riches, but to get revenge on the head of the Mage Hunters—The Black Valkyrie.
The start of a new dragon rider epic combining the best of Eragon and the Last Airbender, with the hard magic of Brandon Sanderson.
"An exciting fantasy adventure and a great start to a promising new series." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Dragon Thief is a witty fantasy that invites us into an immersive new world populated with characters you'll either fiercely love or love to hate." — Dave Allen, Indies Today staff
"Fantasy lovers of all ages will appreciate this energetic tale that is brimming with epic quests, saucy characters, and magical mayhem." — R.C. Gibson, Editorial Reviewer
Asher of Steel Rim is an outcast dragon rider who steals from nobles to help save what remains of his family.
But, when one particular job catches the eye of a band of magi outlaws, they want to recruit him for his biggest job to steal a true dragon egg.
It might be the opportunity he's been waiting for. Not just to gain riches, but to get revenge on the head of the Mage Hunters—The Black Valkyrie.
The start of a new dragon rider epic combining the best of Eragon and the Last Airbender, with the hard magic of Brandon Sanderson.
"An exciting fantasy adventure and a great start to a promising new series." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Dragon Thief is a witty fantasy that invites us into an immersive new world populated with characters you'll either fiercely love or love to hate." — Dave Allen, Indies Today staff
"Fantasy lovers of all ages will appreciate this energetic tale that is brimming with epic quests, saucy characters, and magical mayhem." — R.C. Gibson, Editorial Reviewer
489 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2023
557 people are currently reading
3455 people want to read
About the author
Blake Penn
4 books59 followersPart of a writing duo with Raven Penn.
Blake and Raven Penn fought through epic battles and twisted love triangles to finally find each other. They both studied script writing in college, and now deign to turn their film and comedy experience into novel writing. Through sunshine or the dreaded Utah Valley inversion, they spend their days tending their wild offspring and dreaming of dragons. Aiming to write fantasy adventures that would keep their former teenage selves up reading long past midnight, Blake and Raven hope to brighten a world in desperate need of light.
Blake and Raven Penn fought through epic battles and twisted love triangles to finally find each other. They both studied script writing in college, and now deign to turn their film and comedy experience into novel writing. Through sunshine or the dreaded Utah Valley inversion, they spend their days tending their wild offspring and dreaming of dragons. Aiming to write fantasy adventures that would keep their former teenage selves up reading long past midnight, Blake and Raven hope to brighten a world in desperate need of light.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
May 6, 2023
Fantasmic creatures and fantastic storyline
This book, rather series will be devoured by fantasy readers.
It is carefully crafted with excellent world building. Chalk full of creatures, hybrids, portals, and magical powers.
Narration was a little confusing as it toggles between first POV to third between chapters. But this is a personal thing. I have read many books like this. I feel it is a nice trend that lets the author exercise freedom to express.
In conclusion, I can't wait to read book two from this series. There is a small sneak peak in the end that has me hooked already. I hope Elle and Asher can be together and that Vidya will back off. Let's see...
This book, rather series will be devoured by fantasy readers.
It is carefully crafted with excellent world building. Chalk full of creatures, hybrids, portals, and magical powers.
Narration was a little confusing as it toggles between first POV to third between chapters. But this is a personal thing. I have read many books like this. I feel it is a nice trend that lets the author exercise freedom to express.
In conclusion, I can't wait to read book two from this series. There is a small sneak peak in the end that has me hooked already. I hope Elle and Asher can be together and that Vidya will back off. Let's see...
July 31, 2025
First off, I knew going into it that Dragon Thief was probably not going to be a perfect fit for me as I’d heard it’s more YA than adult fantasy, and that certainly turned out to be the case. Despite that though, I did quite enjoy the story and characters, and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes YA fantasy.
There’s a very detailed world here, and the sheer number of new, in-world creations borders on the ridiculous. Although I love the attention to detail in the worldbuilding, I did find that a lot of it was unleashed very early on in the book, which can make it harder to adjust to a first book in a new world. Within the opening couple of chapters we’ve been introduced to lots of varied fauna, and as the book goes on it quickly becomes apparent that most of this world’s creatures are dragon related in some form (the really nice illustrated guide to the world in the back of the book does give a quick confirmation of this as well). Here we have draccoons, drakalopes, dragon buffalo, bloodhuskies, spydras, sand sharks, and many more. We also have a multitude of magical specialities, including astromancers, wildshapers, and rifters.
The characters are likeable, and as we focus on a group of thieves and rebels, it feels natural that they would have a range of different magi at their disposal. Of course, this also works really well in showing us all the different things they can all do, without any of it seeming too commonplace for the world at large.
I liked the overall story, and there are some nice little twists and betrayals, but also some nice little tricks that the different magi pull off in order to save themselves or their friends, or as part of the various heists and infiltrations they attempt. The character interactions work nicely within this story, and I do appreciate the work put in to building a group that is adjusting to some new blood being brought in, even as we see the story mostly from the eyes of one of these new recruits. There’s a good amount of tension and distrust, but also a nice softening of this as the group learns about each other, their abilities, and just what they will do to get the job done and to keep everyone safe and alive.
So this was a fun story in a very creative world with some good characters, and despite the tone being a bit too light in places for my taste, it did work well overall.
There’s a very detailed world here, and the sheer number of new, in-world creations borders on the ridiculous. Although I love the attention to detail in the worldbuilding, I did find that a lot of it was unleashed very early on in the book, which can make it harder to adjust to a first book in a new world. Within the opening couple of chapters we’ve been introduced to lots of varied fauna, and as the book goes on it quickly becomes apparent that most of this world’s creatures are dragon related in some form (the really nice illustrated guide to the world in the back of the book does give a quick confirmation of this as well). Here we have draccoons, drakalopes, dragon buffalo, bloodhuskies, spydras, sand sharks, and many more. We also have a multitude of magical specialities, including astromancers, wildshapers, and rifters.
The characters are likeable, and as we focus on a group of thieves and rebels, it feels natural that they would have a range of different magi at their disposal. Of course, this also works really well in showing us all the different things they can all do, without any of it seeming too commonplace for the world at large.
I liked the overall story, and there are some nice little twists and betrayals, but also some nice little tricks that the different magi pull off in order to save themselves or their friends, or as part of the various heists and infiltrations they attempt. The character interactions work nicely within this story, and I do appreciate the work put in to building a group that is adjusting to some new blood being brought in, even as we see the story mostly from the eyes of one of these new recruits. There’s a good amount of tension and distrust, but also a nice softening of this as the group learns about each other, their abilities, and just what they will do to get the job done and to keep everyone safe and alive.
So this was a fun story in a very creative world with some good characters, and despite the tone being a bit too light in places for my taste, it did work well overall.
March 7, 2023
Big thank you to the authors — Blake and Raven Penn — for sending me an arc!
This book was phenomenal. Just wow.
From the very beginning, I knew this story was going to suck me in and not let go. This magic system is so cool, it’s almost unreal. From the magic, to the different types of mystics and sentinels, to the dragons types and creatures — the authors fleshed everything out so well that when you start to read, you’re already immersed.
The main character Asher is so funny, brave, and just full of mischief and banter. The characters in general are just so wonderfully written, I felt like I knew every single one of them by the end of the book.
Without giving too much of the plot away, we follow Asher on a path of vengeance after the head mage hunter kills his mother. He finds himself in a much deeper battle though, and from there, our authors kill it with the story and the plot. It was so well thought out, so much fun. The pacing was perfect — keeping you engaged and on the edge of your seat and never quiet letting you relax. I love the sprinkle of romance as well.
Definitely give this a read, it’s one of the best books involving dragon i’ve picked up in a while!
This book was phenomenal. Just wow.
From the very beginning, I knew this story was going to suck me in and not let go. This magic system is so cool, it’s almost unreal. From the magic, to the different types of mystics and sentinels, to the dragons types and creatures — the authors fleshed everything out so well that when you start to read, you’re already immersed.
The main character Asher is so funny, brave, and just full of mischief and banter. The characters in general are just so wonderfully written, I felt like I knew every single one of them by the end of the book.
Without giving too much of the plot away, we follow Asher on a path of vengeance after the head mage hunter kills his mother. He finds himself in a much deeper battle though, and from there, our authors kill it with the story and the plot. It was so well thought out, so much fun. The pacing was perfect — keeping you engaged and on the edge of your seat and never quiet letting you relax. I love the sprinkle of romance as well.
Definitely give this a read, it’s one of the best books involving dragon i’ve picked up in a while!
August 24, 2024
I want to thank the person that left the 1-star review that said - "the authors havent[sic] grown up....the perfect read for middle school hoodlums"
I am a "middle school hoodlum" that hasn't grown up! (I may have to grow old but I refuse to grow up!)
I LOVED the book! Honestly, this is the most wholesome novel that I have read in quite some time. While there is violence, it's not gory. The authors made up swear words...so this book is rated G. There is some "romance"...but it's holding hands and kisses. And yet, it's STILL enjoyable for adults (well, at least ones like me that haven't grown up).
The characters are interesting. The plot is fun an engaging. The dialog flows well. The action scenes are well written!
This book is the "Greatest thing that could have happened"....according to one of the major characters!
I am a "middle school hoodlum" that hasn't grown up! (I may have to grow old but I refuse to grow up!)
I LOVED the book! Honestly, this is the most wholesome novel that I have read in quite some time. While there is violence, it's not gory. The authors made up swear words...so this book is rated G. There is some "romance"...but it's holding hands and kisses. And yet, it's STILL enjoyable for adults (well, at least ones like me that haven't grown up).
The characters are interesting. The plot is fun an engaging. The dialog flows well. The action scenes are well written!
This book is the "Greatest thing that could have happened"....according to one of the major characters!
July 31, 2024
This was a fun one! A YA fantasy adventure with a witty voice, fun characters, and dragon riders, but not in quite the same way as a lot of the others. I’m a bit burnt out on dragon stories, but I loved Dragon Thief. Blake and Raven Penn take what could have been a very traditional Dragon rider story and make it so much more. A fast-paced, character driven adventure; a heist story with dragons. Let’s get into it.
Dragon Thief by Blake and Raven Penn
Characters: This book was full of amazing characters. The Penn’s definitely know how to craft engaging, lovable characters that you can’t help but follow.
Asher: I love Asher. He’s witty, he’s confident, and yet he’s emotional underneath it all. He was a super fun character to get into the head of. There were few weird moments where he was flirting with two girls at almost the same time and seemed very unconcerned about it. I wanted a bit more tension as he’s trying to figure out which girl to choose, instead of him just going, “she’s hot, oh she’s also hot” Asher is a very conscientious person and I felt like he would feel a bit worse about his behavior, even if as a teenage boy, he’s absolutely going to continute doing it. He also gets incredibly upset with another member of the group for flirting with two different girls, and I wanted him to possibly realize his own hypocrisy at some point. Small concerns, but things I wanted from Asher.
Elle: I also loved Elle. She enters the story relatively late on, but brings some great energy to things, and yeah, her and Asher? I ship it, okay?
Kai: Great best friend character, kind of the conscience to go with Asher’s chaotic wit. They play off each other really well.
I also loved Valla, Solrac, and Boone. Oh Boone. I listened to the audiobook, and the voice acting for Boone was fantastic.
Worldbuilding/Magic System: The world is well developed. We have the magi, the evil mage hunters and, the Drekai, a group of outside agitants. There are wildshapers and different types of magi galore. They burn ether to use their powers, and the Penn’s do well describing all the different types of magi and their abilities. Asher uses his powers of levitation, while each other magi has their own power, be it wildshaping or reading minds. And when you use magic, you make yourself known to the wild dragons. Since dragons are kinda scary, the people of the world are prejudiced toward magi. They’d prefer not to be dragon dinner, so the magi are outlawed. If you’re caught using magic, you’re either silvermarked (basically a silver tattoo on their face that destroys their magical abilities) or executed. I enjoyed the magic system. It has that everything and the kitchen sink style to it. All sorts of different types of magic coexisting, and it’s just a lot of fun!
Story:
This is a story of parts. You have the team-building, the heist, and Asher’s personal journey to get revenge for his mother’s death. The story moves along at a great pace and I was hooked from the beginning. Asher’s voice is fantastic, and pushes the story along. He has that wit and charisma that all of my favorite characters have. I will say that at the beginning, I wasn’t expecting where the story would take me. I expected Asher to spend most of the story fighting against the evil mage hunters and their leader, The Black Valkyrie, but instead that simmered in the background while Asher and the crew planned out their heist. And I’m glad about it. The team-building and planning was fantastic and kept me thoroughly engaged.
One aspect that did take me out of the story a little bit was some of the switches between 1st and 3rd person POVs. In general, I was more invested in Asher’s 1st person sections, but the 3rd person parts did give us important plot information. There were definitely some plot points that were a bit telegraphed, and I knew what would happen before it did, but that’s how it goes with tropes.
Overall: This was a super fun story. It’s got adventure, humor, action scenes, romance, and some pretty cool magic. I’m looking forward to continuing the series, and you should definitely check this one out!
Dragon Thief by Blake and Raven Penn
Characters: This book was full of amazing characters. The Penn’s definitely know how to craft engaging, lovable characters that you can’t help but follow.
Asher: I love Asher. He’s witty, he’s confident, and yet he’s emotional underneath it all. He was a super fun character to get into the head of. There were few weird moments where he was flirting with two girls at almost the same time and seemed very unconcerned about it. I wanted a bit more tension as he’s trying to figure out which girl to choose, instead of him just going, “she’s hot, oh she’s also hot” Asher is a very conscientious person and I felt like he would feel a bit worse about his behavior, even if as a teenage boy, he’s absolutely going to continute doing it. He also gets incredibly upset with another member of the group for flirting with two different girls, and I wanted him to possibly realize his own hypocrisy at some point. Small concerns, but things I wanted from Asher.
Elle: I also loved Elle. She enters the story relatively late on, but brings some great energy to things, and yeah, her and Asher? I ship it, okay?
Kai: Great best friend character, kind of the conscience to go with Asher’s chaotic wit. They play off each other really well.
I also loved Valla, Solrac, and Boone. Oh Boone. I listened to the audiobook, and the voice acting for Boone was fantastic.
Worldbuilding/Magic System: The world is well developed. We have the magi, the evil mage hunters and, the Drekai, a group of outside agitants. There are wildshapers and different types of magi galore. They burn ether to use their powers, and the Penn’s do well describing all the different types of magi and their abilities. Asher uses his powers of levitation, while each other magi has their own power, be it wildshaping or reading minds. And when you use magic, you make yourself known to the wild dragons. Since dragons are kinda scary, the people of the world are prejudiced toward magi. They’d prefer not to be dragon dinner, so the magi are outlawed. If you’re caught using magic, you’re either silvermarked (basically a silver tattoo on their face that destroys their magical abilities) or executed. I enjoyed the magic system. It has that everything and the kitchen sink style to it. All sorts of different types of magic coexisting, and it’s just a lot of fun!
Story:
This is a story of parts. You have the team-building, the heist, and Asher’s personal journey to get revenge for his mother’s death. The story moves along at a great pace and I was hooked from the beginning. Asher’s voice is fantastic, and pushes the story along. He has that wit and charisma that all of my favorite characters have. I will say that at the beginning, I wasn’t expecting where the story would take me. I expected Asher to spend most of the story fighting against the evil mage hunters and their leader, The Black Valkyrie, but instead that simmered in the background while Asher and the crew planned out their heist. And I’m glad about it. The team-building and planning was fantastic and kept me thoroughly engaged.
One aspect that did take me out of the story a little bit was some of the switches between 1st and 3rd person POVs. In general, I was more invested in Asher’s 1st person sections, but the 3rd person parts did give us important plot information. There were definitely some plot points that were a bit telegraphed, and I knew what would happen before it did, but that’s how it goes with tropes.
Overall: This was a super fun story. It’s got adventure, humor, action scenes, romance, and some pretty cool magic. I’m looking forward to continuing the series, and you should definitely check this one out!
November 3, 2025
YYEEEESSSSS!!!!!
This book is so good. SO GOOD!
I love the characters. (Asher in particular. Isn't it lovely when the main character is your favorite?) I like books with a large and varied cast and we definitely have that here!
The worldbuilding is amazing. This world is themed around the dragons, which are AWESOME, but I like how the story revolves around the magic system, which is EVEN MORE awesome! I knew that it was going to be really good from reading The Guide to Evgard in the back of the book, but it exceeded my expectations!
The story itself is great! I really, REALLY didn't want it to end.
I will definitely keep up with these authors. They wanted to write a book their teenage selves would have loved? Well, coming from a teen like I imagine they were, they have SUCCEEDED!
This book is so good. SO GOOD!
I love the characters. (Asher in particular. Isn't it lovely when the main character is your favorite?) I like books with a large and varied cast and we definitely have that here!
The worldbuilding is amazing. This world is themed around the dragons, which are AWESOME, but I like how the story revolves around the magic system, which is EVEN MORE awesome! I knew that it was going to be really good from reading The Guide to Evgard in the back of the book, but it exceeded my expectations!
The story itself is great! I really, REALLY didn't want it to end.
I will definitely keep up with these authors. They wanted to write a book their teenage selves would have loved? Well, coming from a teen like I imagine they were, they have SUCCEEDED!
October 27, 2024
this book is seriously the best thing that could’ve ever ever happened. I’m absolutely obsessed with it.
my seventh grade self, who is obsessed with Percy Jackson series would’ve loved this book🥹🥹
it kept me on my toes the entire book and the plot twists were phenomenal. I laughed, cried, gasped, and often talked back as I listened to the audiobook. I especially loved the audiobook and the voices taking turns for different parts.
guys, I love this book so much that I’m going to buy the hardcopy now because I need for my own personal library.
When I tell you, it had just the right of romance, I mean it. it didn’t distract from the storyline at all, which I loved. and best of all, it was CLEAN!!
I recommend this book to EVERYONE!! 10000/10⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
my seventh grade self, who is obsessed with Percy Jackson series would’ve loved this book🥹🥹
it kept me on my toes the entire book and the plot twists were phenomenal. I laughed, cried, gasped, and often talked back as I listened to the audiobook. I especially loved the audiobook and the voices taking turns for different parts.
guys, I love this book so much that I’m going to buy the hardcopy now because I need for my own personal library.
When I tell you, it had just the right of romance, I mean it. it didn’t distract from the storyline at all, which I loved. and best of all, it was CLEAN!!
I recommend this book to EVERYONE!! 10000/10⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 28, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. I know that this book is aimed for a young adult audience but I've always loved fantasy adventure books and this one ticked so many boxes. The main character, Asher, is sassy and confident sometimes too much so, but that's what makes the story interesting. You can tell he's young by his actions which leaves room for growth throughout the story.
Every chapter was filled with adventure and excitement. The author explained the emotions and surroundings well without getting too wordy and losing my interest. It takes a bit to adjust to all of the different types of magi and creatures in the book but the very start of the book includes a wealth of information on all of that so if you find yourself confused or lost you can easily flip back to the beginning and look it over. I gave them a quick read myself before starting the book and didn't find the need to return as they're explained fairly well as you go.
Quick rundown of the plot while avoiding spoilers as much as possible: In this world Magi are hunted as their source of magic is basically food for dragons and thus draws them. Asher, the main character, is a magi who lost his mother to a mage hunter and is determined to get revenge. He tends to get into trouble due to hunting the Black Valarie who was responsible and his best friend Kai often tries to snap him back to reality. They meet up with a group who also seem to be hunting for her while also trying to free the magi from their current oppression.
There are a few different love interests for Asher but not a ton of focus or drama around it, which I like. A few times there are points of tension with it but the story focuses way more on the adventure than the romance side. I found myself making theories about characters and plot to come and while some were a bit predictable, due to context clues, there were still some surprises towards the end of the story. There were no times during the story that I found myself getting bored with the plot as each event led fairly quickly into another.
If you love dragons, magic, and adventure then I'm sure you'll love this book too. I personally am very excited for the next book to release. I'm hoping to see more of both Solrac and Vidya's past as they're both quite interesting characters that I still have some unanswered questions that were teased a bit at the end of this book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Every chapter was filled with adventure and excitement. The author explained the emotions and surroundings well without getting too wordy and losing my interest. It takes a bit to adjust to all of the different types of magi and creatures in the book but the very start of the book includes a wealth of information on all of that so if you find yourself confused or lost you can easily flip back to the beginning and look it over. I gave them a quick read myself before starting the book and didn't find the need to return as they're explained fairly well as you go.
Quick rundown of the plot while avoiding spoilers as much as possible: In this world Magi are hunted as their source of magic is basically food for dragons and thus draws them. Asher, the main character, is a magi who lost his mother to a mage hunter and is determined to get revenge. He tends to get into trouble due to hunting the Black Valarie who was responsible and his best friend Kai often tries to snap him back to reality. They meet up with a group who also seem to be hunting for her while also trying to free the magi from their current oppression.
There are a few different love interests for Asher but not a ton of focus or drama around it, which I like. A few times there are points of tension with it but the story focuses way more on the adventure than the romance side. I found myself making theories about characters and plot to come and while some were a bit predictable, due to context clues, there were still some surprises towards the end of the story. There were no times during the story that I found myself getting bored with the plot as each event led fairly quickly into another.
If you love dragons, magic, and adventure then I'm sure you'll love this book too. I personally am very excited for the next book to release. I'm hoping to see more of both Solrac and Vidya's past as they're both quite interesting characters that I still have some unanswered questions that were teased a bit at the end of this book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 31, 2024
I have to say it was a good story. I liked the characters, and the story was really nice. Overall the book doesn't slow down and it keeps moving along, which I like, as it doesn't get bogged down into intricacies of the world that they describe. Also at the the end of the book, there is a slight guide to the world, in case you're interested in the world of this book. It is a series, and I may pick up the rest as this is one of the small amount of fantasy books that I have read in my life. The characters aren't over-described and have enough writing to make them come alive in the story. The plot is good too, and the ending is good as well, a true bittersweet story that you should definitely check out.
March 24, 2023
I loved this book so much!! I can’t even express how much I recommend it and want everyone to read it and experience the characters and the world of Evgard. The world building is amazing, with a complex magic system that sucked me right in. The authors do a fantastic job of explaining all of the aspects of their world and its magic without it feeling like an info dump. The characters in this book are all so unique and well-written, I felt like I got to know each of them so well! Especially Asher. He’s hilarious and endearing, a perfect narrator. I can’t wait for the second book in this series to be released!
October 6, 2024
Loved it. Highly recommend!
August 13, 2025
MAGI…ETHER…DRAGONS…WAR!!
This book was great! The action and adventure was super interesting with plot twists and love triangles to spice it up! The magic system is very complex in this series and it’s really cool! The author gives detailed descriptions of how the magic works and the different types of ways it can be used.
I loved the characters and the Knights of the Torch team! The main character Asher is a talented magi but also is a funny 17 year old boy. Him and his friends bring humor to the story but also a great plot in which they must save the Kingdom from evil.
Highly enjoyed this and can’t wait for book 2 and 3!
Visit skystonechronicles.com for character images, Evgard maps, and the magic system breakdown.
This book was great! The action and adventure was super interesting with plot twists and love triangles to spice it up! The magic system is very complex in this series and it’s really cool! The author gives detailed descriptions of how the magic works and the different types of ways it can be used.
I loved the characters and the Knights of the Torch team! The main character Asher is a talented magi but also is a funny 17 year old boy. Him and his friends bring humor to the story but also a great plot in which they must save the Kingdom from evil.
Highly enjoyed this and can’t wait for book 2 and 3!
Visit skystonechronicles.com for character images, Evgard maps, and the magic system breakdown.
December 1, 2025
The first hundred and fifty or so pages had a large cast and were a bit dry so it was hard to follow
But I really enjoyed the last part and I’m excited to see how the story continues!
But I really enjoyed the last part and I’m excited to see how the story continues!
March 13, 2023
This first book of a series is awesome! 1. The main characters of the series are freaking crazy. I mean waaay awesomely crazy. So crazy, that their antics are freaking unbelievable! I was hooked by the end of the first paragraph, plus DRAGONS!!! Ok, so there are different kingdoms in the book all under a High King. There are different types of dragons and different types of those who wield the magics of the world. Most people believe that the magics draw in the dragons and other lesser creatures that cause problems. So they have Hunters that hunt those with magic and then they mark them with silver as silver is the only thing that magics can’t cut through.
Now the fight scenes when they use the magics, sheesh they are awesome. I literally read all the crazy awesome fight scenes three times each because i wanted to picture it in my head just right. Reminds me of some of the Dungeons and Dragons movies and stuff like that growing up.
The Knights of the Torch are my heroes, although they are considered rebels to almost everyone else. Although Kari, Kai’s sister isn’t a mage, she can make some really cool weapons. Kai is just really a mage nerd. A very powerful one. Then there is the wyvern Thorn who is fun and my fave and main Character Asher. Now he is absolutely nuts. I mean super nuts but he gets the job done and he is a teen?!
I am totally addicted to this book and can’t wait for the next one! A dragon amount of crazy happens in this book and so much happens and there is a lot of information in it due to the different types of dragons and mages, etc. But so you need to keep a few notes or annotate the book as you go. So worth it! Oh, and wait until you meet Karl! Lol.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Now the fight scenes when they use the magics, sheesh they are awesome. I literally read all the crazy awesome fight scenes three times each because i wanted to picture it in my head just right. Reminds me of some of the Dungeons and Dragons movies and stuff like that growing up.
The Knights of the Torch are my heroes, although they are considered rebels to almost everyone else. Although Kari, Kai’s sister isn’t a mage, she can make some really cool weapons. Kai is just really a mage nerd. A very powerful one. Then there is the wyvern Thorn who is fun and my fave and main Character Asher. Now he is absolutely nuts. I mean super nuts but he gets the job done and he is a teen?!
I am totally addicted to this book and can’t wait for the next one! A dragon amount of crazy happens in this book and so much happens and there is a lot of information in it due to the different types of dragons and mages, etc. But so you need to keep a few notes or annotate the book as you go. So worth it! Oh, and wait until you meet Karl! Lol.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 4, 2023
Blake and Raven Penn state in their bio that they wanted to write something they would have wanted to read as teenagers. Well I’ve just turned sixty and it’s just the kind of thing that I want to read too. Honestly if I could give this more stars I would because it’s marvelous. The world building has had a lot of clever planning go into it, the plot is great and delightfully convoluted and the characters are complex and exciting. I can definitely see this series becoming the next new thing to catch people’s attention. In fact I would be surprised if it doesn’t.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 17, 2025
Not for me. I felt bizarrely bored throughout reading this entire thing, and the only reason I kept with it was because I was reading it for the SPFBO non-finalists bingo square in HRCYED. I didn't feel attached to any of the characters - they were all flat, and I didn't buy that they were all able to work with each other. The three "love-interests" (Jaira - the mage hunter girl from the opening chapter, Shaya, and Elle) felt forced and contrite. The entire heist that the book was building up to (for literally 3 quarters of the damn thing!) lasted a chapter. The other SPFBO books better be good or I'm just not gonna finish that square, 100% completion be damned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2025
This has all the things we want in a dragon rider book. the characters are a healthy amount of awesome and flawed all at once, there's legit humor, the pacing is fast and moving like a steady river with some rapids thrown in along the way. There is romance that is LEGITIMATELY what I imagine a teenage boy would get tangled up in and perceive.
And, I must add: we all like to brag and say we see the plot twist coming... but I can't look myself in the mirror tomorrow if I said that about this one. A true hit outta left field for me in this one!
Last bit of useful info - squeaky clean so you can enjoy it at any age from prob 15+
And, I must add: we all like to brag and say we see the plot twist coming... but I can't look myself in the mirror tomorrow if I said that about this one. A true hit outta left field for me in this one!
Last bit of useful info - squeaky clean so you can enjoy it at any age from prob 15+
April 19, 2025
If the 4th book that comes out later this year is half as good as the first 3, this series will officially be my new favorite series.
For reference, some of my previous favorites have been: The Stormlight Archive, Ranger's Apprentice, and The Inheritance Cycle.
For reference, some of my previous favorites have been: The Stormlight Archive, Ranger's Apprentice, and The Inheritance Cycle.
October 20, 2024
A slow burn/build in the beginning, stick with it because it gets good and there are some fun character moments that will tie in great with the next book
November 21, 2025
New favorite series: discovered! I first heard of it during a podcast interview and decided to check it out.
The authors have done a wonderful job with crafting fun and memorable characters, unique worldbuilding and an awesome magic system. Highly recommend!
The authors have done a wonderful job with crafting fun and memorable characters, unique worldbuilding and an awesome magic system. Highly recommend!
November 20, 2025
On of the best first installments of a series! Not only within young-adult fantasy, but spaning all genres
November 18, 2025
4.5 stars
This was really fun! I loved the dragons and the magic and the fast-paced action. I'll definitely be picking up the others in the series.
This was really fun! I loved the dragons and the magic and the fast-paced action. I'll definitely be picking up the others in the series.
January 8, 2024
A great book that explores a world of magi and dragons. Excellent read.
Read
November 5, 2025the world that Blake and Raven made in the series is so fun and engaging! I loved the characters and trying to unravel mysteries with them! a great read. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series!
May 28, 2025
I was nervous going into this book as I didn't know the authors and was worried their writing style would be unrefined.
Well, I couldn't be happier to be wrong. This book exceeded my expectations in all the best ways.
They describe the book as sharing some elements of Mistborn, Avatar The Last Airbender, and Eragon. It does, but it's so much more. I love those 3, but that's not the reason I kept reading Dragon Thief. You get pulled along on the journey of Asher, he makes you feel like you're part of the gang. I really enjoyed that.
Blake and Raven have done their research, they know the ins and outs of what holds a reader's attention, of how to develop characters well and make promises. Is their writing perfect? Of course not. But it is EXCELLENT. They cite Brandon Sanderson's lectures as a large source of their knowledge and it is evident for anyone who has seen the lectures. You can tell they go through it with a fine toothed comb. If you're nervous about the writing quality and that's holding you back, i definitely think you should give the book a try.
I liked the book tons. But honestly, I loved the audiobook. It's the best audiobook i have ever heard. After following them on social media, I found our thay they dual voice record it live. It's so beautifully cinematic. You know exactly who is speaking before it's told to us, everyone has a distinct voice and the pacing is consistent. I'm waiting to continue with book 3 with the audiobook since I loved them so much.
I give credit to these two, it's not easy to raise a family, continue working, co-author a series, and record and edit your own audiobooks. All the best to you guys, you deserve it.
Well, I couldn't be happier to be wrong. This book exceeded my expectations in all the best ways.
They describe the book as sharing some elements of Mistborn, Avatar The Last Airbender, and Eragon. It does, but it's so much more. I love those 3, but that's not the reason I kept reading Dragon Thief. You get pulled along on the journey of Asher, he makes you feel like you're part of the gang. I really enjoyed that.
Blake and Raven have done their research, they know the ins and outs of what holds a reader's attention, of how to develop characters well and make promises. Is their writing perfect? Of course not. But it is EXCELLENT. They cite Brandon Sanderson's lectures as a large source of their knowledge and it is evident for anyone who has seen the lectures. You can tell they go through it with a fine toothed comb. If you're nervous about the writing quality and that's holding you back, i definitely think you should give the book a try.
I liked the book tons. But honestly, I loved the audiobook. It's the best audiobook i have ever heard. After following them on social media, I found our thay they dual voice record it live. It's so beautifully cinematic. You know exactly who is speaking before it's told to us, everyone has a distinct voice and the pacing is consistent. I'm waiting to continue with book 3 with the audiobook since I loved them so much.
I give credit to these two, it's not easy to raise a family, continue working, co-author a series, and record and edit your own audiobooks. All the best to you guys, you deserve it.
Want to read
August 12, 2025This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBOX contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
Some plucky, magically gifted thieves make a daring escape in this 1st person fantasy with a fun voice.
I would have more to say about chapter 1 of this story and about what I understand about the world of the opening hadn't been bogged down by a much less compelling prologue.
The two are night and day in terms of style. Ch1 grounds the reader immediately in the action of the scene and the perspective of its MC, while also gradually highlighting interesting magical world details.
In the prologue, however, characters are briefly described, but not introduced. We learn precious little about them and what they’re doing before the scene focuses on a series of magical visions which are a but too disorienting.
This is the kind of prologues that gives fantasy prologues a bad name, I’m sorry to say. It would have made me close this book, at least. But I wanted to read just enough to feel like I could evaluate this opening, and that introduced me to the story proper.
I’m glad I continued. The 1st person story is engaging, well written, has a great balance of dialogue and narration and a terrific sense of stakes and pacing.
It’s clearly written, gives the reader an immediate sense of the kind of story their reading, and presents us with a likeable, active MC. It’s a page turner to be sure!
Sometimes you just have to give a book a chance. I had to wait until this one properly started, but chapter 1 is off to a great start. I haven't praised it enough, so I’m in.
Some plucky, magically gifted thieves make a daring escape in this 1st person fantasy with a fun voice.
I would have more to say about chapter 1 of this story and about what I understand about the world of the opening hadn't been bogged down by a much less compelling prologue.
The two are night and day in terms of style. Ch1 grounds the reader immediately in the action of the scene and the perspective of its MC, while also gradually highlighting interesting magical world details.
In the prologue, however, characters are briefly described, but not introduced. We learn precious little about them and what they’re doing before the scene focuses on a series of magical visions which are a but too disorienting.
This is the kind of prologues that gives fantasy prologues a bad name, I’m sorry to say. It would have made me close this book, at least. But I wanted to read just enough to feel like I could evaluate this opening, and that introduced me to the story proper.
I’m glad I continued. The 1st person story is engaging, well written, has a great balance of dialogue and narration and a terrific sense of stakes and pacing.
It’s clearly written, gives the reader an immediate sense of the kind of story their reading, and presents us with a likeable, active MC. It’s a page turner to be sure!
Sometimes you just have to give a book a chance. I had to wait until this one properly started, but chapter 1 is off to a great start. I haven't praised it enough, so I’m in.
September 2, 2025
While I really enjoyed this book by the end, I was really mixed until just over halfway through. Part of this was because I don't enjoy love triangles or players, both of which I felt played a big part in the first half of the book. However, the way it resolved made me very happy and I'm actually excited to read book 2! I do really enjoy the magic system and feel it's rather well explained in the story. Anyone who has read many of my reviews or spoken to me much also knows that dragons will win the day every time, and this book features them heavily!
The narration is well done too, I feel that the narrators ensure you can tell a difference between who is talking and being able to understand what is being said, which I appreciate as an audiophile.
The narration is well done too, I feel that the narrators ensure you can tell a difference between who is talking and being able to understand what is being said, which I appreciate as an audiophile.
January 30, 2024
I must admit, I've become a little burned out on fantasy. So many of the books I see now are generic and uninteresting, especially dragon rider stories. And then I stumbled upon The Skystone Chronicles, which is one of the best and most original fantasy series I've read in some time. Everything about this book, from the characters and the magic system to the awesome wild West type setting, had me sucked in. The action scenes are also some of the best I've ever read, and It's one of the few book series where i actually felt on the edge of my seat as i read. Not many books can do that with their action scenes for me personally. I think my favorite part of this series is how a lot of the world is themed around dragons, which I think is super cool and makes me wish I had come up with something like that for my own story. I also really like the neat artwork at the end of the book. Looking at it honestly makes me want to see this turned into an animated series, which I think would be incredible. If you're looking for an awesome and fresh fantasy read, this is definitely it. Looking forward to the whole series coming out.
January 1, 2024
This is a great book! The characters were fantastic and lovable. The pacing was great, I never got bored. I loved the bonds with the dragons, they had great relationships. The magic system is easy to understand and fun to learn about.
September 19, 2024
This was a really fun high fantasy YA dragon story. I particularly loved the diverse and well developed cast. All of the characters were so much fun. There's lots of adventure and lots of fun little subplots, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
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