First Flight

by David R. Smith

A Tale of Adventure and Freedom. Kief loves exploring the rugged mountains on his horse, Natch, with his best friend Tarc. But when he receives a mysterious map on his birthday, left behind for him by his dead grandfather, Kief is thrown into an adventure beyond even his imagination. Leaving home to pursue his childhood dream of attending the merchant academy on the coast, extraordinary events unfold propelling Kief, along with his friends and his map, toward the same perilous destiny.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

286 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

David was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and spent most of his childhood on a farm in Heber City, located in the Wasatch Mountains. There David fell in love with horses and the mountains. He spent much of his free time exploring the mountains on his horse and finding adventures to follow. Growing up, he wanted to be a movie director and used his own Super 8 camera to make silent movies with his friends and brothers and sister.

He attended the University of Utah earning a Bachelors in Engineering. He loved his physics classes and was particularly fascinated by the laws of planetary motion. While there, he met the love of his life Jenelle, and started a family. They were blessed with three amazing boys: Josh, Tate, and Porter. David later earned his Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University and pursued a path in the corporate world.

But his creative side tugged on him for years and through the encouragement of his wife and boys, he realized that it’s never too late to follow your dream. So David set off to write an epic adventure of a boy and his horse and created a story of freedom, adventure, love, courage and sacrifice.

When he's not writing, David enjoys outdoor activities with his family, and especially loves surfing with his three boys in Southern California where he resides.

Reviews

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of the story is a little slow, but many pieces are being set in place. Once the main character, Kief, leaves to attend academy, then things start moving quickly. Kief's country is attacked and the adventure begins. Kief is a strong young male character that exhibits strength, courage and standing up for what he believes in. I couldn't help but think what a good example this character is for young people today. The other supporting characters, all of Kief's friends that happen to be males and females, compliment him, and help in this quest to free his country from the occupying enemy, The Gars. They are great characters, flawed in their own ways, but all very relatable to teens. They had good friendly, relationships, so the dialogue was often fun as they teased each other amidst the great challenge they were facing.

I'm so excited to let my kids, 10 and 14 read this book. The only warning I'll give, is that there is some violence, of people being beaten up and at the climax when people are killed. None of it is gratuitous, or too graphic, but as this is about a war, it goes along well with the amazing ending of this book. You will be holding your breath as the youth undergo a grand scheme to battle the enemy. The books ends with a shocking, but happy, announcement that leads into book two.

This book will be a great read for tweens and teens that like books about adventure, friendship and going after your dreams.David R. Smith has written a book that will keep you on the edge and leave you wanting more.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! I don't often reread books, but I think this one will be on that list of books I do read again in the future. This has such a fun story with lively characters. I loved the open- the intrigue with the map and then the eagle taking it away. And the story just kept going from there. Exciting from beginning to end. I definitely recommend this book to everyone!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pretty much sums my feelings when I was getting this book signed by the author.



All spoilers are hidden: do not view them unless you want the plot twists ruined for you!

Ratings: 4.5--5

" "A rock? Who would go to all the trouble of hiding that? Some treasure that is." Tarc gave a disappointed sigh. "It must be something important. Else why would it have been hidden here?" "

As it is my first review, please excuse any mistakes I may make. That being said, there is a lot about this book that I really enjoy. First of all, The world itself is very engaging and unique. It's obvious that a lot of time and thought has been put into making it. That just makes it so much more interesting: you want to see the various lands, towns, and cities located on this world. You want to see the different cultures. You want to see how this world works (is it a coincidence that the world and the publishing company share the same name of Fundautum?). Second, the characters: both main and supporting. Kief is immediately introduced as a boy who loves adventuring with his horse Natch and best friend Tarc. After finding a white rock inside of a cave with the help of a map his late grandfather gave to him, he sets out to purse his dreams of working abroad in the merchant trade. From there, everything goes downhill. For the characters, I mean; not in the quality of the story. I honestly thought we would be seeing Kief's life at the merchant academy, but I was pleasantly surprised when, instead, a terrorist/rebel group called the Gars come in, practically out of nowhere with no indications earlier in the story of a potential threat like that, and bomb the harbor. Kief then creates a resistance group called the Dark Eagles with his friends after the Gars come and seize his village. I was very drawn to Kief; he's adventurous and cares very much for friends and family, but he tends to act rashly; especially after he receives a letter that says that his father has been accused of treason and hanged. I found his friends to be very likable as well with their own little quirks and charms. However, I found that I didn't enjoy Clarin as much as the others. She isn't very well-developed as a character (apart from being an aspiring nurse). Even in the second book she's a bit boring. It's a bit of a shame too, seeing as she is Kief's love interest. I hope both her background and her personality are furthered developed as the series continues because there is potential for a very interesting character (and it would make their ship so much more likable). That being said, this is a great series to get into. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves alternate worlds or tales of adventure.

[David Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author David R. Smith does a fine job with his dialogue, which flows smoothly and wittily throughout. His interactions between characters are genuine, and the portrayals of his young female characters in particular are refreshing. - The Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT

I thoroughly enjoyed “The Dark Eagle’s First Flight” because it was totally exciting and there was a lot of action. I give “The Dark Eagle’s First Flight” five out of five book worms for its adventure and excitement! - This Kid Reviews Books

"The book was wonderfully written. It is a book for all ages and gender. Boys may like that it is from a young man's point of view with all the adventure. I enjoyed the character development and the friendships formed from the adversity they faced. I would love to read the second one and find out how..." - The Book Rack, Arcadia, CA

“This was one of the most amazing books! Kief was an incredible character that you can really love. I could not believe the adventure that this book took me on! This should be a movie! If you are thinking of reading it, DO IT! It is totally worth it. I was completely invested in the characters and the plot of the book, and I personally can’t wait for the next one to come out! If there is anyone that really enjoys adventure books, this is the next big one.” - Spencer, 21 years old

“This is the greatest book I’ve ever read. The Dark Eagles is my new #1 favorite book. The last 2 chapters where my favorite for sure. I really loved the way you would transition to a different characters’ mission every page or so but leaving it hanging so you just had to read a couple more pages to see what was going to happen. I can’t wait for the 2nd book to come out!!!” - Jack, 17 years old

[Deb Cushman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I liked:

Interesting and unique storyline.

Tarc was a great character – honest, loyal, brave, impulsive, and quick to anger (a trait which is always getting him in trouble.)

The author has done a great deal of work providing maps, charts, and sketches to explain the world of Fundautum. These helped this reader to picture some of the details (like the scoop sails.) Plus, I love maps!

The fast-moving, adventure-packed, danger-filled second half of the book. When these characters set their minds to something, they stuck with it. I lived in constant fear that they would be caught.

Things I found lacking:

It started slowly and it took me a long time to figure out what was going on. It seemed at first to be a series of incidents about Tarc and his family. The action and page turning really started when Tarc went to the academy. Although some of the details in the beginning are necessary to the end, the book would have been stronger if we had gotten to the main story problem sooner.

I would have liked to know more about the Gars. They were one dimensional to me – just bad guys.

This read like a middle grade novel, but the main character is in his twenties – far too old to interest younger teens.

This was a great adventure story when I finally got into it. My suggestion: stay with it. It just gets better and better!

Hope the series will be available in ebook format soon.

I received this book in a giveaway from the Goodread’s First Reads program.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kief is a young man, whose whole life is ahead of him. He's about ready to head off to the merchant academy to follow his dream of becoming a captain of his own ship. First he has one last adventure at home, you see, his grandfather left him a treasure map. It's not just any old treasure map, it's written in a language that Kief can't even read, that must make it very important. Kief and his best friend Tarc, are able to find where the map leads, with the help of a very rare dark eagle. It leads to an awesome cave in the mountains that would be the perfect place to hide out for a day or two. Then Kief is off an his newest adventure, merchant academy. But he's no sooner settled in his room, than the city is attacked by the Country of Gar. The whole city is blown apart and Kief is able to escape with is friends, Luften, Clarin and Patin. But the friends are mistaken in thinking there is anywhere safe. Even Patin and Kief's home in the mountains are giving in to Gar. Will Kief, Patin, Clarin, Luften and their mountain friends be able to survive withstanding the invasion, or will they die in their fight, like so many others?

This was a really fun book. I loved the way the girls characters are able to participate in the rebellion just as much as the boys. This story is mostly told from Kief's point of view, but occasionally you see it from other's point of view, like Clarin. I really enjoyed the adventure of the book. These are basically just kids but they are able to stand up for what they think is right much more than many of the grown-ups in this book.

[Renae Mackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale of adventure and freedom sums up this debut book. At first I thought Kief would simply be a character who made us like him through his adventurous spirit and heroism. He didn't appear to have any flaws. As the story unfolds, we discover Kief's flaws as he is tested. I liked discovering more about the main character this way. As far as plot, the book seemed to be filled with adventures where Kief always won. Where was the motivation beyond wanting to be the best at everything, the high stakes? My concern was resolved, though it took a hundred pages to do it. Finally there was a cause to fight about and it banded Kief's friends together. I found myself really enjoying the rest of the book. I liked the beginning but it led to everything an adventure story should be. The writing was good and well-edited. The only editing preference I found odd was two spaces between sentences. There was the tiniest hint at romance but it’s geared toward boys. I would recommend this book to boys and girls of all ages from about twelve on up through adult readers. And a clean read is what you will get with no sex or bad language. I look forward to the next adventure of the Dark Eagle group. Smith gives reader's a bonus with enchanting sketches, maps, and info. Check this one out!

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't received my copy yet, just received notice I had won. 01/27/12
Received my copy last night, I have 9 others plus my current read in front, but hope to get to it soon. 2/10/12
Started this morning 3/1/12
Finsihed last night, 3/8/12

Kief and Tarc are best friends. They love exploring the mountains and forrests around their home. Kief's grandfather left him a map that he doesn't understand, but it leads him to a hidden cave. Kief is going to Academy with his friends. Once at school, disaster strikes forcing Kief and his friends to flee home. The Gars have attacked, and it is up to Kief and his friends to fight them and regain their homes.

The story was exciting and the characters were fun. Normally you would read this blurb or the ones on Goodreads/Amazon/wherever and think Kief is a teenager, but the book says he is 22. I felt the whole invasion for fuel thing was a little much. Sort of took todays world and thrust it into one that seemed to be old world.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tail of adventure, freedom, and love. No, this is not a love story in the romantic sense; but a story of love for one's country, home, family, and friends. Author David R. Smith does a wonderful job weaving words, accented with picturesque book illustrations (I'm a sucker for books with maps), to transport you into the world of Fundautum and onto Hople Island - a land of rugged mountain terrain, sweeping rivers, and quaint, lantern-lit towns with carriages & horses. I quickly fell in love with all the main characters; a ragtag bunch of friends who all want the same thing: freedom from their newly imposed oppression. Well-paced, suspenseful, and littered with action, this story is definitely filled that what makes the male species tick (adventure, a battle to fight, the pursuit of dreams), but also infused with inklings of magic and love interests that can keep a girl entertain. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment of the adventures of The Dark Eagles. Well done, Mr. Smith; consider me a fan of your work.

[Denver Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got recommendations for this book off of Facebook from some other people who had read it. They said it was a great book and that their teenage kids loved it. I have a 12 year old so I thought I would get it for her. She is an avid reader so it's fun getting her new books. I read the book first and enjoyed the imagery and the characters. I thought the author did a great job leading the reader along.

My 12 year old read the book in two days. She loved the characters and the story. She read it again a month later and bought a book and gave it to a friend for her birthday. Her friend also really enjoyed.

Great refreshing adventure book with both strong male and female characters.

[Annette Malen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read the book to my daughter. Once we both agreed on how we wanted to pronounce the names of each character we really enjoyed diving into the story. My daughter really liked the playful banter between Kief and Tarc. The author does a very nice job of writing in a way that makes it easy to visualize the scenes. It was fun for my daughter to read about strong girls and boys who believed in their homeland and would risk all to protect it. What a great young boy/girl adventure story. Well written.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

David R. Smith came to our school and did a great assembly about his writing process. Several students purchased books to read and through the last half of the year, I always found someone reading it. Finally, with the arrival of summer, I could dive in. This is a wonderful tale of teens taking on armies for freedom. Be thinking Red Dawn. Smith writes logistics and details very well without bogging the story down. I'm eager to get my hands on the second and third books to follow the rest of the story. Great adventure story for reluctant readers.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! I read The Dark Eagles First Flight along with my 11 year old daughter who enjoyed it so much she read it twice. It is a great adventure story with dynamic dialogue between characters. The story carries you throughout and it is very difficult to put down. After I finished reading the book, my 8 year old son wanted to read it so we read it as a family. This my son and daughter's favorite book!

[Tranylle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Great characters that everyone can relate to. They each had their own personality, and even got viewpoints towards the end, so you could see into what they thought of the things going on around them. Engaging storyline. Plenty of mystery to leave you waiting for the second book.

[Taylor Woolley · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorite books!! i love the scientific breakdown of the planet and its atmosphere. story is beast too!! cant wait for the second one!!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this book two stars based on potential. The book had an interesting and original storyline and the idea of this other world was very cool. There were all kinds of maps and diagrams in the beginning and end of the book which I enjoyed looking at. However, this is the end of my praise. I read 100 pages before putting it down with the final thought "almost." It was almost interesting, it almost held my attention, I almost wanted to keep reading. In my mind I kept comparing this book to the Hunger Games, which is maybe unfair, but I feel that series was a well written action packed story which makes it a good comparison and something for writers in this genre to aspire to.

As the daughter of a writer I know how hard it is to get the whole details thing down. I never fully understood the world that the characters live in. There was never a real explanation as to where they are and how this society works - something that I really was missing when the Gars later attack. I couldn't become invested in the characters' lives and I couldn't understand the gravity of their situation since I didn't know who theses people were. I didn't know why they were attacking, what they wanted, or how bad they really were. The main characters left the scene so quickly after the attack began that I didn't know what the Gars did to the city. Burn it to the ground? Take prisoners? For me, I need more details to become invested in the story and want to keep reading. The whole attack took maybe 3 pages and the characters are talking about how they've only been in Trite a week and it feels like a lifetime given the past events. This is a disconnect to me because as the reader it felt like 10 seconds ago they were at home. They left the scene so quick that to me the whole ordeal felt like nothing.

On the flip side, I wanted less detail about the map of Kief's, and the plot line associated with it. It was the main mystery underlying the whole story, but I wasn't allowed to discover what it meant on my own. When Kief discovers there is a professor who studies ancient languages, I can put two and two together and figure out that he should take the map to her to have it translated. Again when the map is translated and the attack on Trite is happening as was depicted on the map, the fun for me as the reader is to figure out that the map predicted this! The joy of discovery is taken away when the author tells you flat out that this is happening. That for me was one of the biggest problems. I think being able to write a good mystery plot, giving away just enough details at the perfect time is an art form, and David Smith just needs to practice with it a little more.

Something that contributed to me not finishing the book, was the elaboration of every sentence of dialogue. Stephen King said you should never have to tell the reader how the character said the line, the words should speak for themselves. This I think is key to being a good writer. I don't want to have to read the dialogue and then be told how the person said it(eg. she squealed, he responded tersely, she persuaded, etc). That takes me away from the story and makes the story move slowly. By the end, i just skipped over everything that came after "____ said".

More somewhat random criticism (if you haven't stopped reading already, sorry David) is the timing of the book. I thought the main characters were eleven or twelve, maybe early teens-then all of a sudden they're in their twenties and going to a college-like academy. I still don't really know if they were always twenty or if the author just skipped ahead without my noticing. And my final bit of what I hope is constructive criticism,is the way the surroundings were described. I don't want to read pages and pages on a single petal of a single flower, but I needed more than what was given. I don't know if it was necessarily the lack of detail, but I just could never wrap my mind around the fact that there were other people in this world. I don't know if they were never mentioned or something but I always had to remind myself that there were other people there. I think that also contributed to that lack of intensity in the attack scene because in my mind all the people in the world made it out of the city unscathed so why is it a big deal that the Gars are coming? I tried to think back to the Hunger Games because I don't specifically remember the author describing lots of people everywhere and what they were doing, and I came to the conclusion that what First Flight was missing was the casual references to the people in the background. Just a minor thing but something else that didn't allow me to really get into the book.

Overall, this book had potential to be a great adventure book, but just missed the mark on too many things for me to continue reading. If you're reading this review and you made it all the way down here, congratulations first and foremost, and secondly I would still recommend that you read this book, I noticed that another first reads winner loved the book, maybe you will too!

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book is exactly what it professes to be: "A Tale of Adventure and Freedom." Kief is adventurous and daring. He lives for the thrill and adrenalin rush. He has a trusty horse that he loves a secret map and some good friends. All the makings for some good story telling.

Throughout much of the book I felt like the characters acted much younger than they were. But, if I forgot about that fact and just pictured them younger, it wasn't a big deal.

I loved when Kief finally set out to the merchant academy. The story started to pick up and I was able to settle into it. I enjoyed the drawings in the book. They helped me visualize things a little better. Anytime I read about people banding together to defend freedoms and raise against injustice I am hooked. I just love stories like that.

Overall a good read. Kief has even more adventure in front of him as the book ends so I'll be looking forward to continuing on with him. I think he's finally going to reach his childhood dream of being on the water in this next book. At least I hope so.

[Josh Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Eagles: First Flight, presents the adventures of a group of friends,Keif, Luften, and Patin. These friends just got to college, but soon after, they get mixed up in something horrendous. The country they live in ends up getting surprise attacked by the gars, an arch enemy of their home country, soon after they arrive leaving them the struggle to find out how to get out safely. Although they escape, they get mixed back into the war due to a general assigning them the task of delivering a letter to a mayor. On the way to bring it back, they find out their friend had been killed by the Gars. Thier anger brings them into ransacking an enemy train so it can’t move. The gars also get angry but this time on them, not their country, which puts them on a long journey.

[Merrilyn Tucker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many grammar errors interrupt the reading process: Comma splices, dangling particples, comma missing before he said/she said. Commas are a big problem altogether!I wonder if this book was self-published and, therefore, did not have a professional editor look at it.

[Stacey]

Can't wait to recieve this book! I'm so glad I won it!!

[Melissa Laird · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book as a goodreads giveaway
I didn't care for this book it was very hard to follow and the writers world was confusing to me I had a hard time with it

[P.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent book to get young boys hooked on reading.

[Amelia G · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Caden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Took an unexpected turn with the attack of the gars but a great book anyway...
The end was set up for a sequel that I will definitely want to read...

[Brandon Cerny]

**This book was given to me for free through Goodreads First Reads**

[Eileen Binning · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciate all the detail this author put into the setting of this novel.