I try to read books that are part of a series consecutively, if I can, but in and of itself, that’s a problem, especially if only part of the series has been published. That is not the case with this particular novel, being the second book in a trilogy, so there’s no excuse. Dragonswarm by Aaron Pogue had the misfortune of being read directly following the Kingkiller series by Patrick Rothfuss. Having said that, Pogue did an excellent job in having Daven pull me out of the magic cloud of Kvothe and drop me into the swarm of dragons – whose names are impossible to pronounce.
If you’re a reader who is more inclined to love a story that is more centered on action and plot development, than character-centered, much like epics like Lord of the Rings by Tolkien or the Gunslinger Series by King, then this is a story for you. A majority of the writing focuses on the magic, the dragons, the quest, and the ensuing battle. Pogue is able to create a great visual.
Being a character-centered reader and writer, I would have loved to see more development in the relationship between Daven and his lady love, his schoolboy friend, and more conflict with the King and the leaders at the Academy. However, I loved the connection Daven had with, and against, the dragons. I’ve never seen dragons depicted in this particular light before, and found it mesmerizing. The magic shared between the two is also a very imaginative element.
This was a good read. I enjoyed it, and I would definitely recommend it.
Till next time,
~T.L. Gray
Author of the Arcainian Series