Taming Fire

Dragonprince Trilogy #1

by Aaron Pogue

Daven Carrickson grew up as a beggar in the filthy alleys beneath the shadows of the palace. He's the son of a known thief, disgraced and despised. His only real talent is his ability with a sword, and his only real chance at finding honor or a home is a desperate dream of joining the King's Guard.

Then Daven receives a new future when Master Claighan invites him to study magic at the Academy. The wizard offers to make him into a new kind of soldier: a swordsman equally skilled with forged blades and mystic forces. It only helps that Daven has no home, no family, and nothing left to lose.

But when conspiring forces destroy the wizard's plans, Daven finds himself wanted for treason and murder. Hunted by a great black beast of a dragon, caught between the King's Guard and a rebel force led by a rogue wizard, Daven's only hope of surviving is to become more than he's ever dreamed possible.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Magic, Fiction, High Fantasy, Young Adult, Ebooks

350 pages, Paperback

First published June 8, 2011

About the author

Aaron Pogue is a husband and a father of two who lives in Oklahoma City, OK. Aaron started writing at the age of ten. His first novels were high fantasy set in the rich world of the FirstKing, but he's explored mainstream thrillers, urban fantasy, and several kinds of science fiction. Author of the Dragonprince's Legacy, the Godlanders War, and the Ghost Targets series, Aaron Pogue has sold a quarter of a million books since his debut in 2010.

Aaron has been a Technical Writer with the Federal Aviation Administration and a writing professor at the university level. He holds a Master of Professional Writing degree from the University of Oklahoma. He also serves as the President of Draft2Digital, an ebook formatting, conversion, and distribution service that he helped found in 2012.

For more news, information, and updates, visit AaronPogue.com.

Reviews

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The author takes a whole different spin on magic and how dragons are intertwined with magic. Almost as if the dragons are the anti-thesis of magic. I find myself very skeptical when authors bring new and innovative spins on magic or mages because most of their "systems" have so many flaws. This book sets the rules for magic. Sets the rules for Dragons. Then takes one man on a ride that merges the two. It was an extremely fun read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy. Its not too serious, and there are not so many characters that you get lost trying to keep track of them. It sticks to the main characters and moves at a pace that is quick yet entertaining, and I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the series.

[Rebecca Patterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

'Taming Fire' was a disappointing read with all the sophistication of a cup of ramen noodles. Pogue's first person perspective is better suited to the prose of an eighth-grader, and the repetitive use of certain words and phrases (i.e. the gross abuse of the word growl - "I growled/he growled/I held back a growl/my voice came out a growl..." - are your characters cave men or do they just have chronic laryngitis?) makes 'Taming Fire' clunky and distracts from what precious little plot there is. The book's characters lack any depth whatsoever; take for instance the token love interest, Isabelle - she is introduced within the first few chapters and immediately has the hots for the main character Daven; later when reintroduced near the end of the novel Isabelle is practically frothing at the mouth in love with our hero without any buildup at all. The wizard who recruits Daven into this whole debacle is waylaid in the beginning and though he recovers does not make a single reappearance into the forefront of the story. Pogue builds a shaky, unimaginative story with diluted characters and wraps it all up with a big, 'I got the girl and now I have an adoring multitude clapping me on the back' ending. Yawn. I'd recommend this book to anyone who needs to prop up a wobbly table leg - otherwise don't waste your time.

[Kaylynn Bradley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, so I love fantasy, right? This book was not well written. First, nothing much happens until you're 90% through the novel. When you hit the 90% mark though, this babe shows up and she and the narrator have a very cliche relationship. By cliche, I mean I don't think they say anything to each other that hasn't been written about 1,000,000 times before (and better) by other authors. Finally, a large part of this novel is supposed to be the politics in the world. The author never really explains the politics. It's not intuitive either. You really end up just not caring which side wins. The author also fails to explain / show the characters motivation. If you want a boring read where you keep hoping the interesting part is just on the next page, this book is for you.

[Carlos Velez · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Aaron Pogue has proved his ability to write in multiple genres.

The thing I liked best about Taming Fire is the main character, Daven. A talented swordsman, Daven is found early in the book by a wizard who wishes to train him up to be a wizard as well...a unique and powerful weapon against a coming threat. It's cool and "fantastic" but throughout the book the author manages to ground this fantastic tale into realistic and believable behavior. Daven, the hero, isn't more powerful than his enemies. He isn't more talented at swordplay or magic. But you see him grow, and you see him accomplish great things through resourcefulness, clevernessness, and a bit of luck. You get to see him come into his power in a way that makes the fantastic realistic. Fans of the Jim Butcher series The Codex Alera will appreciate the character development in Taming Fire of our hero.

Also, the relationship between Daven and the dragon was refreshing. This is no gentle creature Daven has encountered. This depiction of dragons is more what I would expect if they truly existed. The dragon on the cover of the book represents the character well.

It's a fun read. It's a great story with lots to offer still. I'm thrilled for book two, and hope for many more in this series.

[Jeremy McLeod · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stilted dialog, lazy magic system, unbelievable flat characters, unfocused plot, melodramatic protagonist, clichés everywhere... I have no idea how this book is as popular as it seems to be. I started highlighting badly written passages and dialog after 3 chapters so I could give specific examples, but I soon realized I was highlighting the majority of the book.

I'll update this review with more specific examples soon, but for now, here's my conclusion: This is seriously one of the worst fantasy novels I have ever read. Do yourself a favor and avoid. I only paid $0.99 for the kindle copy and still feel ripped off.

[Jeffrey Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding heroic fantasy. Well written with excellent character and plot development. I enjoyed the entire ride through this well thought out fantasy. I was hanging on the edge of my seat and couldn't put the book down. I have to admit that I was disappointed when I got to the last page because I wanted more!

I eagerly await the sequel that's scheduled for release this month. At least that was what the author had indicated at the end of the book. I'll have to check to see if that's still the case. I've already checked the Amazon Kindle store and it's not posted there yet.

[Jacinta Hoare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well for some reason this book got me hooked - I read until 3am (on a school night) and then rushed home the next day to finish. I really don't know why I was compelled to read so avidly as I do think the writing is not as good as it could be and there are a number of subplots that could have been teased out to make the story more complex and alive but have been ignored by the author.

The book really should have a three star rating but I have awarded an extra star for being so mysteriously compelling to require me to give up my (much needed) beauty sleep.

[Sandi Faulconbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this has reminded me of why I Love fantasy!
It is filled with action, adventure, angst, good & evil ... but really what is good or evil??? Oh yeah and it's got wizards and dragons!!!!

I particularly liked the character development of Daven, our young shepherd turned apprentice wizard.
I also liked how many of the other characters showed both their strengths and weaknesses - after all we are not all consistently 'good' in the face of adversity.

A really good fantasy read for Teens and Adults.

[Mnoraznan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just my kind of fantasy.

Swordfights, magic and dragons. Those alone would be enough for any lover of the genre. But, Taming Fire is more than that, it wrought a fine tale of a boy who tried to escape his less than savory past. He face hardships, and death, emerging triumphant. A purveyor of a new kind of magic, he is mankind's best hope of facing the dragonswarm.

A definite page-turner, i enjoyed the story and recommend everybody gave this one a read as well.

[Helen May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! So much excitement and adventures. Dragons and wizards! Even a girl to save! :)

[Lewis Dix · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! This book is a steal at $0.99! I bought and downloaded it right after receiving my Kindle Fire but never got around to reading it. I finally decided to take a peak on Monday and ended up zipping through the book in about four days....not bad when you consider I spend 10 hours of those days at work, come home to a wife and kids, and play Mass Effect 3 after everyone has gone to bed. Especially when the book is of a decent length (over 100K words and almost 4oo pages).

Now onto the Review!

I was initially thrown off a bit by the first person perspective, but quickly found myself immersed in the persona of Daven Carrickson, a young man whose dreams aren't very big. He knows the best he can hope for is maybe a spot in the King's Guard, and in the meantime he is content to work as a meager shepard. Until one day, when a wizard comes looking for him with a promise of a future far beyond anything he has ever known.

Daven accepts the wizards offer, and it's all downhill from there. I found myself wondering if he would ever catch a break. Nothing seems to go right for him...until it does. Even then, it's not all peaches and cream and heroics. It's guesswork and courage and persistence and even a bit of luck. I really enjoyed the way Daven comes into his power...even if it took a while to get there.

I also really liked the dragons in this story: They're regal and proud and violent and savage, all at the same time. They're the pure elemental chaos of nature bound into animal form. I also enjoyed the story's magic system over all. In fact I pretty much liked everything.

I have only a few minor complaints, which keep me from giving this book 5 stars instead of 4. These mostly revolve around Devan's history before the wizard finds him, and the fact that about a third of the way through the book we never see that wizard again. I'm assuming these questions will be answered in the next one (which I'll be picking up very soon) but for now (to me anyway) they are enough to make this book only 'great' instead of 'amazeballs.'

In summary, a great read (especially for the cost!). Do yourself a favor and check it out.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Taming Fire" is a good debut epic fantasy story by a new author that was entertaining and enjoyable to read. The main character is caught up in forces beyond his understanding and is swept along from one location to another seemingly with no real purpose. But just as he is caught trying to understand the "whys" of what is happening to him, so too are we. As the story evolves so too does our character as he discovers more good qualities about himself that others see in him. We get to meet many characters that come and go in the book and some we are sorry to see go. But the intrigues in trying to figure out who are friends and who are enemies kept me wanting to read chapter after chapter. And there are dragons in this book. Not the typical befriended type of dragons but malevolent dragons that resent humans and act like dragonkind should.
I enjoyed reading this book and found the story kept me interested enough to want to continue to explore the world the author has built here. This is only the first book in a planned three book saga and I, for one, am excited to read the next two.

[Hollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, and yet I'm not sure why. It's written in a sort of tone that I usually don't care for as much, but it this case really works, and I found myself with a just-one-more-page complex on more than one occasion during the course of reading it. I also really like the fact that while the protagonist is destined for greatness, it is more because of the experiences he has and how he chooses to respond to them rather than some prophetic fate that leads him by the nose. The Dragons, the magic, all of it works into an entertaining and well-paced story.

What I felt was the one weak point for me was the relationship development. While I though the characters were pretty decently fleshed out, the various relationships between them seemed underdeveloped. Or perhaps I mean over-developed, as I felt the depth of the relationships often seemed greater than the events of it's development warranted. However, they were still conceivable, and it really wasn't anything major enough to detract from my satisfaction with the story.

[Normalene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first in the series was published in 2012 so I should be able to find the rest quickly which is critical because I have to know what happens. Daven is a poor orphaned shepherd who happens to be able to do magic. He gets recruited to magic school although his master has many enemies there and he has trouble fitting in. Sounds pretty standard, but this is the point where it goes original. I loved where Pogue took the magic and the story and to watch Daven grow and learn about himself and the world around him is suck-you-in awesome. The worldbuilding is very detailed, medieval, feudalistic with a King, Barons, Kings and armies on the one side and magic both good and bad on the other. Characters are well-developed and flawed with unique quirks which are sometimes funny and sometimes sad. Since the series is called The DragonPrince Trilogy, you know there are dragons so when they show up you are kinda prepared. But not for what happens after that! Read it and do the same thing I'm doing, scrambling around looking for the rest.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a nice little surprise. I was afraid it might be a Harry Potter ripoff but it wasn't at all. The main character, Daven, is young and does spend some time in a wizard's academy. But for the most part, the similarities between this book and the first of the Harry Potter series ends. Daven is the kind of character that is easy to care about. He's fiercely loyal to his few friends and very brave. That's not to say he's perfect. He has some anger issues that get him into trouble from time to time. The dragon angle was interestingly done as well. Daven crosses path with a dragon and their lives intermix interestingly. This is the first of a trilogy and I am quite sure I'll read the other two books. I would easily recommend this book to anyone who likes the fantasy genre. As with nearly all fantasies, there is violence but it really isn't gratuitous as can be the case sometimes in fantasies. Overall, I really did enjoy this book.

[Denae Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun read and an unpredictable, unique fantasy. The MC was a bit sulky now and then, but he was a hard worker and never gave up. I liked how he received his magical training, but I thought the one wizard gave him too much importance. Why would Claighan search for years for someone so specific? Why would he risk his life and kingdom for this boy he barely knows? These questions may be answered in the next book.

The dragons were well done. Not too tame. Not too overly powerful. Not too simple.

I could not completely comprehend the magic system. The false reality and the real reality and the differences between chaos and order didn't seem fully explained, but that didn't keep me from enjoying the tale.

[Tamzin Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spotted this book on Amazon for free and I would have not been disappointed if I had paid full price for it. Great fantasy story with dragons that are dangerous, dark and blood thirsty. The hero is interesting and develops as the story progresses. The story has a similar feel to Robin Hobb's books in the way the hero interacts with the other characters but without the intensity that Hobb uses.

The book is the first of a long series but this one doesn't end on a cliff hanger which was good. I would completely recommend this to other fantasy lovers. Planning on checking out the rest of the series soon.

[Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read. There is enough character development to make the book engaging, enough action to keep one turning pages, and enough tangents from what one would expect to keep the reader guessing along the way. If I were to criticize at all, it would be about the ending of the book. I felt that the author was hurried and sort of let it all go in the last few pages. Those pages got very slushy all of a sudden. Too much the fairy tale ending in what is a harsh world. Never the less, the author does a good job writing a story from a first person perspective. I generally prefer a narrative, but Mr Pogue pulled this one off nicely.

[P.A. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has taken an old trope and made it interesting. Poor farm/beggar/otherwise outcast boy, turns out to be a hero.

In this story, the first of three, we find Daven in a small village teaching his friends to sword fight. When a king's guard shows up to take Daven to the King, things start to go pear-shaped. Magic, dragons, and wizards populate this tale of power, politics, and war.

Daven's path to saving the world is barred by lies and misunderstandings that seem to flow naturally from the action.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes the story of the unlikely hero faced with seemingly unsurmountable obstacles. If you enjoyed The Blacksmith's Son, you'll love this story.

[Taliesin · Rating 4 out of 5]

.99 cents for a book always works for me. I don't expect much from the story, and I am usually pleasantly surprised. This e-book was no exception, though it certainly had its own share of flaws.

One of the main issues for me was the lack of characters. We follow Daven through his Quest (versus The World) and... it's just Daven. He meets some people, and leaves them behind. He's an interesting character, though, and never came across as dull but.. it's just him. While it does work, there is a feeling that something is missing.

[Calvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taming Fire is an excellent book. Aaron Pogue creates an amazing back story with only a few chapters. The characters all have good reasons to do what they are doing. The villain also has a pretty good plan to do what he wants and good understandable motives as well. He also takes a look on magic that is very unique, one that I have never read about before. He is good at giving visuals so good in fact that at some points during the book i felt as though I was watching a movie. I recommend this book to any one who enjoys the fantasy genre.

[Dale Staines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without delving into the story, I can say that there were no big surprises in this book. I wouldn't call it predictable. It might have simply lacked a type of shock value that I enjoy. However, I enjoyed it anyway. I made it all the way through without effort. Magic and sword-play do it for me. This book takes an interesting turn on those two things. Even though the ending didn't satisfy me, I am eager to move on to the next in the series...if I can find it anywhere!

[MarsianMan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daven son of thief Carrick has spent his life under the shadow of his dead father's reputation, until a wizard gives him a chance to make something better of himself. A chance to make himself into a new experimental warrior that can fight with swords and magic. Unfortunately, he is soon wanted for murder and treason before he even begins his lessons.

Pretty good and I am interested to see where it goes.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, whatever you do, don't judge this book by it's cover or title (especially the Kindle cover...).
It's so much better than these things let on. I really enjoyed the book. So much so, that I actually finished the book in a little over a day. My only problem with the book was that I found the writing to sometimes be a little convoluted. Otherwise, excellent, and I'll probably read the sequel someday.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! I don't read to many fantasies because few catch my interest but this book was great. I will defiantly read the rest in the trilogy which is something I don't normally do. I would have giving it five stars but the story lagged a bit in some places and the beginning started off a little slow but it you can hung on a little and stick with it, it get much better and the ending makes you want to read the rest. So like I said Loved This Book!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!! For a Kindle read, this was surprisingly well done. I was impressed with the fact that a single character was able to hold my attention throughout the entire book...seeing as secondary characters were introduced and dismissed at a whim it seems. I am definitely looking forward to the second installment.

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. If you're a fan of magic and dragons I recommend it, but the magic system was a little odd to me. Almost frustratingly so. But never fear, It gets away from the theory behind the most frustrating type of magic quickly, and then gets great. Heck, you might even like the idea. Just note, if you dont like it, it moves on fast.

[Brian Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not prepared to enjoy this book and the characters so much... which is to say this book, series really, totally surprised me. The lead character Daven, is believable, and flawed, which I love. The supporting characters are not over-powering with their presence and do a good job of adding to the story line. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Muhammad Gibran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a boy name daven that good at sword and can do a little magic. A sscolar magician wants to make him a paladin, someone who can use sword and magic. But the plan went a stray. the story goes and he become a dragonrider.....
Too many enemy, a little romance, a great deal of magic without the hack and slash action.

[Abbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The character & world building are very well done in this book. Aaron Pogue creates an every man's hero that you want to get back up when he gets knocked down.
Although I really like the way the story progresses, I feel that the passage of time goes a bit fast.
I am looking foward to the rest of the trilogy.