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Vetch had done the unimaginable. He had secretly raised his own baby dragon, a crimson female he named Avatre, and when she first took flight he had been on her back. Although Avatre was new to flight, with the help of his trainer and friend, the dragon Jouster Ari, he had managed to evade pursuit, escaping from the compound that housed the dragon-riding troops of Tia, his homeland's enemies. Aided by the nomadic tribes of the desert, Vetch and Avatre had crossed the vast sands heading north toward the lands still held by Alta.
It was Vetch's plan to convey to his half-conquered homeland the secret which he hoped would be the key to Alta's liberation: how to tame dragons. If he imparted this secret to the Altan rulers, would it not give them the edge they needed to throw off their conquerors despite their lesser numbers? And it seemed that his good luck was holding when, after saving a young priestess of noble blood from the dangers of the Great Mother River, he was given entree into the dragon Jouster compound of Alta City.
But Vetch, now calling himself by his birth name of Kiron was completely ignorant of the true forces that controlled Alta. For though the royal Great Ones sat on the Altan throne, they did not truly rule. In Alta the Magi, the all- powerful practitioners of sorcery, held the populace--royalty and commoner alike--under the sway of a mysterious weapon. The Magi claimed that the Eye of Light would forever protect their land from Tia--incinerating enemy troops as far away as the seventh canal. But were the Magi really interested in rotecting their land from outside invaders? Or would Kiron find that Alta was burdened with a far greater threat than an enemy kingdom--a threat from within its own borders?
It was Vetch's plan to convey to his half-conquered homeland the secret which he hoped would be the key to Alta's liberation: how to tame dragons. If he imparted this secret to the Altan rulers, would it not give them the edge they needed to throw off their conquerors despite their lesser numbers? And it seemed that his good luck was holding when, after saving a young priestess of noble blood from the dangers of the Great Mother River, he was given entree into the dragon Jouster compound of Alta City.
But Vetch, now calling himself by his birth name of Kiron was completely ignorant of the true forces that controlled Alta. For though the royal Great Ones sat on the Altan throne, they did not truly rule. In Alta the Magi, the all- powerful practitioners of sorcery, held the populace--royalty and commoner alike--under the sway of a mysterious weapon. The Magi claimed that the Eye of Light would forever protect their land from Tia--incinerating enemy troops as far away as the seventh canal. But were the Magi really interested in rotecting their land from outside invaders? Or would Kiron find that Alta was burdened with a far greater threat than an enemy kingdom--a threat from within its own borders?
440 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
158 people are currently reading
1904 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,530 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
February 5, 2021
Notes:
Yay for raising dragons! ;)
Yay for raising dragons! ;)
August 29, 2020
DNF about 1/3rd through. Can't get into it. Everything is so simple and obvious and perfect. Meh.
December 14, 2020
ReedIII Quick Review: Excellent continuation story of a great character in a new kingdom. Expands the simple world of Lackey's dragon fantasy series. A balance of kingdom politics and dragons. Nice ending that leaves you looking forward for more.
January 18, 2025
Drugi tom rozczarowujący niestety :( Zastanowię się, czy kontynuować.
June 20, 2011
While I agree with the pundit and reader reviews, that the Dragon Jouster trilogy books seem simple, quick reads aimed at the teenage/young adult audience where everyone lives happily ever after, I think perhaps Lackey is attacking the current state of Gaia: the "War on Terror".
One can read this as an allegory with the Magi being Bush/Blair and their power hungry cohorts, the Dragon Jousters being those who fight to protect the civil liberties of all and the terrorists being everyone else who disagree with the Magi.
I started thinking about this about halfway through Alta and the more I read the more obvious it became. Perhaps Lackey, like Tolkien, squirms at the thought of being allegorical. Perhaps I am just reading in my own bias.
In any case, it is a fun read and I recommend the series for all Fantasy fans and most especially Lackey fans.
One can read this as an allegory with the Magi being Bush/Blair and their power hungry cohorts, the Dragon Jousters being those who fight to protect the civil liberties of all and the terrorists being everyone else who disagree with the Magi.
I started thinking about this about halfway through Alta and the more I read the more obvious it became. Perhaps Lackey, like Tolkien, squirms at the thought of being allegorical. Perhaps I am just reading in my own bias.
In any case, it is a fun read and I recommend the series for all Fantasy fans and most especially Lackey fans.
September 13, 2017
Actually painful to read
Lackey's writing will make you long for the literary level of internet fanfiction. The flattest characters, the least well fleshed-out world, and the most awkward dialogue. Here's a fun game: count all the times she says "Kiron had a feeling" to insert exposition.
Lackey's writing will make you long for the literary level of internet fanfiction. The flattest characters, the least well fleshed-out world, and the most awkward dialogue. Here's a fun game: count all the times she says "Kiron had a feeling" to insert exposition.
December 8, 2024
3 stars. This one felt a bit drawn out. It had the 2nd book in a trilogy feel of establishing things for a later purpose but for me could have been 20% shorter to achieve the same effect.
Still yet, yay dragons and new settings. I appreciated love for the swamp dragons, the introduction of a Greece equivalent and flag football/tag on dragon back as a war game.
I will read the next one.
Still yet, yay dragons and new settings. I appreciated love for the swamp dragons, the introduction of a Greece equivalent and flag football/tag on dragon back as a war game.
I will read the next one.
December 27, 2023
It's much more fun when our mc is making friends and being happy.
September 4, 2019
I was torn between 3 and 4 stars but eventually settled on 3 because while some negative things happen everything still seems a bit to perfect. Kiron just happens to save the daughter of a weathy man that can be his sponsor? The girl he saved just happens to be able to talk to animals? I expected a bigger fight and someone would try to take Avatre away from him, but it doesn't happen or I figured they might be hesitant to trust him thinking he's a Tian spy, but it doesn't happen. He literally comes out of nowhere saves a random girl and bam he's accepted, really?
Then, it seems like everyone just starts deferring to him about the dragons. I know he's the only one with real knowledge about raising tamed dragons, but it's like no one else has ever had a thought, really? The mages send storms the Altans have swamp dragons that don't mind rain but they didn't think about sending them out in the storm until Kiron thinks about it? They ride dragons in the air where they might fall off and they don't think about tying themselves to the saddles until Kiron has his wing do it? Really?
Some of the story contradicted itself at the end as well. They made the tala ineffective so it can't be used to drug the dragons and both the Tian and Altan dragons fly off to freedom and everyone celebrates the victory and says the two sides are evenly matched now. Then, Ari and Nofret talk about how there will be more dragons for Sanctuary and how even without the drug tala they can tame down future dragons with the newer techniques they've learned like falconers use, but what about all those dragons that the Tians were training before Vetch/Kiron left Tia? They were still going through training and were being trained with the new techniques, so shouldn't they be tamer that the drugged up dragons; so even without the drugs, presumably Tia might have some dragons left while Alta has none? They might still be going through training, but they should still have a few, I would think.
Anyway, even with my issues with the book, it wasn't bad so I give it 3 stars.
Then, it seems like everyone just starts deferring to him about the dragons. I know he's the only one with real knowledge about raising tamed dragons, but it's like no one else has ever had a thought, really? The mages send storms the Altans have swamp dragons that don't mind rain but they didn't think about sending them out in the storm until Kiron thinks about it? They ride dragons in the air where they might fall off and they don't think about tying themselves to the saddles until Kiron has his wing do it? Really?
Some of the story contradicted itself at the end as well. They made the tala ineffective so it can't be used to drug the dragons and both the Tian and Altan dragons fly off to freedom and everyone celebrates the victory and says the two sides are evenly matched now. Then, Ari and Nofret talk about how there will be more dragons for Sanctuary and how even without the drug tala they can tame down future dragons with the newer techniques they've learned like falconers use, but what about all those dragons that the Tians were training before Vetch/Kiron left Tia? They were still going through training and were being trained with the new techniques, so shouldn't they be tamer that the drugged up dragons; so even without the drugs, presumably Tia might have some dragons left while Alta has none? They might still be going through training, but they should still have a few, I would think.
Anyway, even with my issues with the book, it wasn't bad so I give it 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2020
I enjoyed the book until about halfway through. Then I just wanted to finish it. I enjoyed the dragons and most anything about them, but when Kiron interacted with other humans I lost interest. Not sure why, the story itself is entertaining if a little simple. Maybe that's what it was. I would say that it's because I've read a variety of Lackey's books now and that her writing style and predictability is getting old, but that's not it, because I love most of her Valdemar books. Hmm. Well, anyways, the story is okay, a little less entertaining than the first Dragon Jouster book. I've heard it goes downhill from here, so I probably won’t read the next two books. I'd suggest reading the book only if you’re a die-hard fan of Lackey and want to read all her books.
June 7, 2020
3.5 This was a pretty basic dragon series book. A match for the first book. A bit predictable but still fun at times. Still feels like the Tian viewpoint was lacking there, would’ve enjoyed having Ari’s or another’s perspective on the situation.
November 24, 2025
Lackey does a great job of creating interesting and complex characters. And, a good dragon story is something I really enjoy. The world-building is not as strong as the characters but the author is consistent and offers a few interesting twists.
Dragon Jousters has some parallels with His Majesty's Dragon: there are two sides at war with each other, they use dragons to fight, and the dragon masters train as well as care for their dragons. Also, these dragons do not talk. Lackey has set this story in ancient Egypt, but there is little that distinguishes her world from a medieval world such as The Dragonbone Chair except for the rainy season and the summer season, and the style of the names.
One nice aspect of book 2 is that Lackey advances the story quite a bit. Our main character, Kiron, flies his dragon Avatre to the opposing side (Alta) and joins the dragon jousters on that side. He finds a few differences from the Tians, such as Altan's have desert and swamp dragons (who are slightly smaller). He meets a prince, Orest, and suggests Orest and a small cadre of boys be given dragons to tame themselves, and become fighters. He also meets the charming and strong willed Aket-ten, Orest's sister, and together they achieve more as a pair. Kiron's group of dragon riders become close friends with each other, as well as closely bonded with their dragons
The primary conflict in this book is not so much the Tian side, but the Magi. The Magi have taken over the government, and use the young priestesses called Winged Ones to work their magic. They use magic to call forth powerful storms and work their will on the Altans. Kiron rescues Aket-ten from being drained, bringing her on to help with the dragons. As the story progresses, we lose a valuable dragon jouster and it becomes more obvious that the Magi want to not only control the leaders but control the jousters as well.
Kiron, with the healer Heklatis, devise a way to ruin the tala that keeps wild dragons calm, and plan to end the war between the two peoples by removing the jousters. Another key character in this is Toreth's brother, Kaleth, who has visions of the future and acts as guide to their plans.
Kiron has become a savvy dragon trainer, and a clever player in the political game. Aket-ten is also a realistic female character who must overcome the expectations and limitations put on her.
Lackey's prose is clear and flows nicely but is not as poetic as Tad Williams or as formal as Naomi Novik's in her Dragons series. If you want a well-paced story with good characters, I think Jousters is enjoyable.
Dragon Jousters has some parallels with His Majesty's Dragon: there are two sides at war with each other, they use dragons to fight, and the dragon masters train as well as care for their dragons. Also, these dragons do not talk. Lackey has set this story in ancient Egypt, but there is little that distinguishes her world from a medieval world such as The Dragonbone Chair except for the rainy season and the summer season, and the style of the names.
One nice aspect of book 2 is that Lackey advances the story quite a bit. Our main character, Kiron, flies his dragon Avatre to the opposing side (Alta) and joins the dragon jousters on that side. He finds a few differences from the Tians, such as Altan's have desert and swamp dragons (who are slightly smaller). He meets a prince, Orest, and suggests Orest and a small cadre of boys be given dragons to tame themselves, and become fighters. He also meets the charming and strong willed Aket-ten, Orest's sister, and together they achieve more as a pair. Kiron's group of dragon riders become close friends with each other, as well as closely bonded with their dragons
The primary conflict in this book is not so much the Tian side, but the Magi. The Magi have taken over the government, and use the young priestesses called Winged Ones to work their magic. They use magic to call forth powerful storms and work their will on the Altans. Kiron rescues Aket-ten from being drained, bringing her on to help with the dragons. As the story progresses, we lose a valuable dragon jouster and it becomes more obvious that the Magi want to not only control the leaders but control the jousters as well.
Kiron, with the healer Heklatis, devise a way to ruin the tala that keeps wild dragons calm, and plan to end the war between the two peoples by removing the jousters. Another key character in this is Toreth's brother, Kaleth, who has visions of the future and acts as guide to their plans.
Kiron has become a savvy dragon trainer, and a clever player in the political game. Aket-ten is also a realistic female character who must overcome the expectations and limitations put on her.
Lackey's prose is clear and flows nicely but is not as poetic as Tad Williams or as formal as Naomi Novik's in her Dragons series. If you want a well-paced story with good characters, I think Jousters is enjoyable.
May 31, 2022
I really enjoyed the narrator--more than I did for book 1. Probably getting used to him! His accents are fun, though some of his characters sound a bit too similar.
A really nice and feel-good follow up to Joust. Right from the start, we get more insights into the culture--lots of nifty Egyptian inspired tidbits! Also, magic! There wasn't much magic in the first book, but it's all over the place here.
I really enjoyed seeing Vetch--now Kiron--as he is introduced to Altan society, and Altan Jousters. We meet a lot of new characters, new friends, and there's even a hint of romance. I've been reading a lot of Grimdark lately, so this story was a really nice break with it's more homey training sequences.
That's not to say it is entirely without conflict. About halfway through, politics set in, bringing tension and tragedy. I actually welcomed this change--again, too much Grimdark lately, so my instincts had been screaming warning at every shadow and hey! They weren't 100% wrong this time!
Also really nice having a cameo from at the very end, and I like the idea they came up with to solve their problems. Looking forward to seeing how it plays out in book 3.
A really nice and feel-good follow up to Joust. Right from the start, we get more insights into the culture--lots of nifty Egyptian inspired tidbits! Also, magic! There wasn't much magic in the first book, but it's all over the place here.
I really enjoyed seeing Vetch--now Kiron--as he is introduced to Altan society, and Altan Jousters. We meet a lot of new characters, new friends, and there's even a hint of romance. I've been reading a lot of Grimdark lately, so this story was a really nice break with it's more homey training sequences.
That's not to say it is entirely without conflict. About halfway through, politics set in, bringing tension and tragedy. I actually welcomed this change--again, too much Grimdark lately, so my instincts had been screaming warning at every shadow and hey! They weren't 100% wrong this time!
Also really nice having a cameo from at the very end, and I like the idea they came up with to solve their problems. Looking forward to seeing how it plays out in book 3.
June 24, 2024
Classic boy gets dragon
April 19, 2025
This series is SO GOOD I don't get why it's so hard to find. The universe is engaging, the characters so cool, and the DRAGONS are great!! 100% recommend.
November 19, 2020
I love the idea of this book and the change that occurs in the main character, Vetch/Kiron. But I had to make myself finish the book because it became very contrived and mundane and predictable after he reached his destination. I will still read the last book in the series just to see how the characters grew after this book. I love Mercedes Lackey's novels and I still have so many left to read.
June 23, 2017
I love this series. Truthfully, I believe this is actually the fourth or fifth time I've read it, and I keep coming back. That being said, this is definitely my least favorite book of the series. While I can appreciate the need to illustrate the Altan side of the conflict and demonstrate the rising stakes and corruption, I can't help but feel that the timeframe of the book was too short. It felt, for lack of a better word, rushed. Political machinations aren't really something that can be condensed down into a short span of time, and that's pretty much all this book is; political machinations condensed into a timespan of somewhere between a year and a half and two years. On top of that, the characters don't really change much from the beginning of the book to the end, possibly because of how short a time period it takes place in. Obviously, Kiron notes the changes that he sees occurring in his wing, but it rarely is demonstrated in actual interactions with any of them that the reader can see. There are obviously exceptions to this, but they just make the rest of the wing seem even more bland. Truthfully, though this book centers around Kiron and his wing, I have difficulty even remembering who is who amongst them; they just don't have enough life to me.
April 14, 2020
This is perhaps the second time I have read the book over the years, but somehow I never go beyond this book in this series. I own all four in the quartet, but I don't seem to have the motivation to go beyond this one. It continues the story of Vetch, now known by his rightful name of Kiron.
In this book he gains a few friends, true friends who don't necessarily just want to befriend him for what he has (the second ever tame dragon), but ones who come to respect him for what he has managed to accomplish.
While it doesn't really show up as much in this story, he is still taking much inspiration from his mentor and master from the Tian Jousters and he manages to get the members of his wing of Altan Jousters to understand just how much he feels he owes his former master and possibly unrealizing mentor, Jouster Ari of Tia.
Through hardship, death, conspiracy, and challenges of how to train and overcome the wrongs being asked of them, Kiron's wing of Jousters overcome the odds and manage to free themselves and others from those who would kill them for challenging their authority, for not conforming to traditions and the unchallenged certainty that those who plot to take over Alta will do so with the unspoken permissions of the rightful rulers.
In this book he gains a few friends, true friends who don't necessarily just want to befriend him for what he has (the second ever tame dragon), but ones who come to respect him for what he has managed to accomplish.
While it doesn't really show up as much in this story, he is still taking much inspiration from his mentor and master from the Tian Jousters and he manages to get the members of his wing of Altan Jousters to understand just how much he feels he owes his former master and possibly unrealizing mentor, Jouster Ari of Tia.
Through hardship, death, conspiracy, and challenges of how to train and overcome the wrongs being asked of them, Kiron's wing of Jousters overcome the odds and manage to free themselves and others from those who would kill them for challenging their authority, for not conforming to traditions and the unchallenged certainty that those who plot to take over Alta will do so with the unspoken permissions of the rightful rulers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2020
This has turned into a pretty simple Political Fantasy & I'm really enjoying it!
I'm really happy with the direction this series took in book 2, and now I'm super excited for books 3 & 4! (I'm surprised this is a 4 book series and not a trilogy, but we'll see what comes. I am appreciating the slower pacing and full storytelling Mercedes Lackey is building up here, so if she needs to tell the story in 4 parts and not 3, then I'll read them...)
What was great in Alta:
I love Kiron's growth into a bit of a leader with the Wing he created of boys, and Aket-Ten, of course.
They've built this little family together and now their off to build a Camelot together & fight oppression & war mongering. Very cool!
I'm really happy with the direction this series took in book 2, and now I'm super excited for books 3 & 4! (I'm surprised this is a 4 book series and not a trilogy, but we'll see what comes. I am appreciating the slower pacing and full storytelling Mercedes Lackey is building up here, so if she needs to tell the story in 4 parts and not 3, then I'll read them...)
What was great in Alta:
I love Kiron's growth into a bit of a leader with the Wing he created of boys, and Aket-Ten, of course.
They've built this little family together and now their off to build a Camelot together & fight oppression & war mongering. Very cool!
April 12, 2019
This book is the second of the Jousters series. The concept of these books is very interesting but I feel like the author isn't able to make it as good as it could be.
For starters, the writing is very repetitive. I found it was the same in the first book and the beginning of this one wasn't as bad. After the first 100 pages or so though, it just seemed like the story stopped and it was just details after details, things that had been repeated so many times before. This book to me felt like a sandwich with the bread being the best part of it.
Also, the amount of characters in this book just seemed too much for the authors abilities. There were so many names and they all looked the same! I still can't figure out who has which dragon. Sometimes, there's just a paragraph that will name all the characters as a reminder that they exist because, otherwise, you'd never hear about them!
I did give it 3 stars though because I do want to know what will happen next. The story itself is really good but I just wish the writing was more full of action.
For starters, the writing is very repetitive. I found it was the same in the first book and the beginning of this one wasn't as bad. After the first 100 pages or so though, it just seemed like the story stopped and it was just details after details, things that had been repeated so many times before. This book to me felt like a sandwich with the bread being the best part of it.
Also, the amount of characters in this book just seemed too much for the authors abilities. There were so many names and they all looked the same! I still can't figure out who has which dragon. Sometimes, there's just a paragraph that will name all the characters as a reminder that they exist because, otherwise, you'd never hear about them!
I did give it 3 stars though because I do want to know what will happen next. The story itself is really good but I just wish the writing was more full of action.
July 15, 2012
I didn't like this book as much as the first one but in general it was good and a few scenes were great.
I liked that we get to now more of the Altan culture and that we see how Vetch's Kiron's people live.
I loved the part about raising and training 8 baby dragons. ♥
I loved Kiron growing up and being a leader and finding friends.
I loved the fight in the end and Kiron saving Ari. ♥ Kashet remembering Kiron. ♥
I loved that there is a gay character and it is normal.
I so love that every dragon has its own personality and little quirks. ♥
I hated that once again a character I really liked got killed off. :/
The plan of Kiron, Toreth and the others - great! I loved how they planed everything and made back-up plans.
Other than that it was a typical "second" book. Not much action but much exploration of culture, land and people - which isn't a bad thing!
All in all, a good book.
I liked that we get to now more of the Altan culture and that we see how Vetch's Kiron's people live.
I loved the part about raising and training 8 baby dragons. ♥
I loved Kiron growing up and being a leader and finding friends.
I loved the fight in the end and Kiron saving Ari. ♥ Kashet remembering Kiron. ♥
I loved that there is a gay character and it is normal.
I so love that every dragon has its own personality and little quirks. ♥
I hated that once again a character I really liked got killed off. :/
The plan of Kiron, Toreth and the others - great! I loved how they planed everything and made back-up plans.
Other than that it was a typical "second" book. Not much action but much exploration of culture, land and people - which isn't a bad thing!
All in all, a good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2019
I felt a bit let down by this book. Everything was too easy for our hero and I never felt like he was in any danger or had any real obstacles to face. That’s probably why he had zero character growth in this book. I had the hardest time keeping the new dragon boys separated into 8 distinct people. Ditto their dragons. The love interest was boring and predictable. Oh, here’s a girl so I must fall in love with her because I don’t know any other girls and I’ve made it past puberty.
Overall, I felt like we got a rehash of book one where it’s mostly all dragon training. I don’t think it was poorly written, I was just ready for the dragons to go off and do cool stuff. Probably best for a younger reader (YA or even middle grade) or someone who just loves anything to do with dragons.
Overall, I felt like we got a rehash of book one where it’s mostly all dragon training. I don’t think it was poorly written, I was just ready for the dragons to go off and do cool stuff. Probably best for a younger reader (YA or even middle grade) or someone who just loves anything to do with dragons.
April 27, 2020
So far I'm finding this series peculiar in that the story progresses without a whole lot actually happening. In this book there if far more political chess going on, although the action did pick up in the last handful of chapters, which was a nice change from the lazy-river pacing of the majority of the book. I am enjoying the characters, although I feel that Kiron (and the others, really) istoo perfect. Too well prepared for everything, everyone works too well with each other at all times with no real flaws, everything works out too well for them too often.
And yet, in spite of all that, I still find myself compelled to continue reading. It's oddly relaxing.
And yet, in spite of all that, I still find myself compelled to continue reading. It's oddly relaxing.
January 30, 2020
The second in the series, this book is best read after the first, but I think there's enough context without. They even reiterate a bit of the last book. It ends at a reasonable spot, but definitely is best if you at least continue to book 3.
After a bit more journey and some sage advice, our hero reaches his homeland. He's welcomed, and provided for, and things go well, until a darker side emerges. This book chronicles the slow building of forces to fight against the established evil.
After a bit more journey and some sage advice, our hero reaches his homeland. He's welcomed, and provided for, and things go well, until a darker side emerges. This book chronicles the slow building of forces to fight against the established evil.
August 27, 2020
From slave to trainer of dragonriders, what a huge change of fortune for the slave boy formerly called Vetch. Still, it is a thrill to observe Kiron grow into the man and leader that he could be. For all that he has suffered, I can't help but think that Kiron would have been wasted as a farmer - he just has too many qualities of a noble leader.
July 29, 2011
The Dragon Jousters is a series about a serf who obtains a dragon egg, hatches it, and raises it as his own - revolutionizing the Dragon-Jousting industry, the driving force behind the war between his home country and the one that enslaved him.
April 11, 2012
I wanted to like this book. It combines everything I was obsessed with in 7th grade, but it just doesn't go anywhere. Lackey usually writes compelling characters in predictable circumstances, in this case the characters were less compelling and the plot semi stagnant.
March 20, 2017
Compared to the first book, this one is a huge step down. The formatting and style are vastly different which makes the plot and characters seem drab and flat.
A full review with all the details is available at ReadingOverTheShoulder.com
A full review with all the details is available at ReadingOverTheShoulder.com
August 7, 2023
A great addition to the series. I loved getting to know the old characters better, especially Kiron and Avatre, and getting to know the new characters. I have read this book several times before, and I will definitely read it again in the future. This is one of my favorite series of books.
October 10, 2018
Another fine adventure
This book picks up immediately after the action closes in book one of the series, Joust. The same themes resonate...honor, friendship, betrayal, good versus evil. Overall, a good adventure story that I look forward to seeing to the end.
This book picks up immediately after the action closes in book one of the series, Joust. The same themes resonate...honor, friendship, betrayal, good versus evil. Overall, a good adventure story that I look forward to seeing to the end.
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