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War of the Blades #1
Dragon Fate
Dragon Fate, the debut novel by J.D. Hallowell, is a heroic fantasy adventure in the classic tradition of the genre. Delno Okonan is a young former soldier eager to put the swords and strife of war behind him, when a chance encounter leaves him inextricably entwined in a tangled web of dragons, magic, and intrigue, as he struggles to find his place among dragons and men, and stave off a plot by renegade dragon riders that threatens all he now holds dear.
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 20, 2011
88 people are currently reading
1454 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Hallowell
5 books84 followersI'm a 60-ish father and husband who is fortunate enough to have lived an interesting and active life. I've had two fantasy series, the War of the Blades and The Legion of Riders, published, and I have several other fantasy and SF projects in the works. I like to keep many irons in the fire at once, so my work experiences include such diverse occupations as automotive mechanic, cowboy, photographer, psychiatric tech, paralegal assistant, bouncer, and medical billing clerk. I studied martial arts for over 30 years. I've been a soldier and an emergency medical technician, and I served as the chief of a volunteer ambulance squad. I was a diamond courier for a while, and later owned a working kennel where I trained dogs for law enforcement as well as personal protection, and most recently, I've trained service dogs, including two for myself. I don't get around much now (I've been shot, stabbed, blown up, bludgeoned, poisoned, and even had harsh language directed toward me, if you can believe it, and it takes its toll), but I write whenever I can. I have pretty wide-ranging interests and hobbies, including, but not limited to, history, archery, paleontology, cooking, RPGs (the games, not the weapons) and making jewelry. I live on the Space Coast of Florida with my wife, my son, and my Great Dane service dog, until I can convince the rest of my family and friends to move to Arizona.
If you want to get in touch with me to ask questions, leave comments or feedback, or request review copies or appearances, you can find me on the Web on Facebook, Google+, and Goodreads.com as (surprise, surprise) J.D. Hallowell, or you can e-mail me at JDHallowellBooks(insert "at" symbol here)gmail.com.
If you want to get in touch with me to ask questions, leave comments or feedback, or request review copies or appearances, you can find me on the Web on Facebook, Google+, and Goodreads.com as (surprise, surprise) J.D. Hallowell, or you can e-mail me at JDHallowellBooks(insert "at" symbol here)gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
March 4, 2013
You've got to love this author, and if you haven't read all of his books you are really missing out. The Dragon Fate series is one of the best indie fantasy series I've ever read. J.D. Hallowell has a wonderful way of describing his characters and worlds. You feel as though you are immersed in the story! You'll love how Delno meets his dragon, how they become close, and how he inherits his magical powers. You'll also be impressed by the level of description that also avoids the lengthiness of traditional fantasy series like Lord of The Rings. This was a great book, that I plan to read more than once! Pick it up for yourself, you will enjoy it! Two thumbs up for this talented author!
July 16, 2012
Delno doesn't know what to do with his life. He's an ex-soldier who doesn't have any job related skills. He just doesn't have any idea what he would like to do. Then he meets a dragon.....
I love the premise, and as the story unfolded it just got better. Loveable characters, fun magic and and a story that moves well. J.D.'s style of writing is much like Anne McCaffrey's; not a lot of hair-raising moments, killing or bloodshed; but a smooth, more realistic and enjoyable adventure. I am looking forward to the sequels!
I would give this a 4.5; didn't give it a 5 as it felt at times just a bit on the wordy side. Some of the slow times had to much explaining going on. This is something I feel Mr. Hallowell will improve on as he writes more and more stories.
I love the premise, and as the story unfolded it just got better. Loveable characters, fun magic and and a story that moves well. J.D.'s style of writing is much like Anne McCaffrey's; not a lot of hair-raising moments, killing or bloodshed; but a smooth, more realistic and enjoyable adventure. I am looking forward to the sequels!
I would give this a 4.5; didn't give it a 5 as it felt at times just a bit on the wordy side. Some of the slow times had to much explaining going on. This is something I feel Mr. Hallowell will improve on as he writes more and more stories.
May 3, 2015
I wonder if it is possible to have slice-of-life fantasy (or fantasy slice-of-life). Either way, that is essentially what this book is. A man stumbles upon a dragon and then goes on his merry way, eating, drinking, traveling, camping, occasionally talking to people, and learning about the care and upkeep of a dragon. It rolls along this peaceful path for a good 80% of the book (and I read it on a Kindle so it was actually 80%, as opposed to a generic long time expressed as 80%).
The anatomy, social and biological requirements, etc of the dragons was incredibly well thought out and detailed. The reader, along with Delno, learns a lot about dragons, how to be a good person, and even a little basic physics (though it's not termed that of course). I enjoyed that....or I did after I stopped waiting for it to turn into an action adventure along the lines of Eragon and accepted that Delno and Geneva's relatively peaceful daily life was the story. There was a little adventure in the last 20% of the book, but I thought it almost felt tacked on. Delno had an answer to every challenge, everything went according to plan, and with one notable exception he only met trustworthy friends who were more than willing to defer to his authority. There was never any sense that he was even taxed by anything he encountered. He was a little too perfect in every way for that. Oddly, though, since I had by that time decided that his actions were important more as an example of a moral existence than as a series of events I wasn't too bothered by his glittering perfection.
The writing was very descriptive. If you enjoy your fantasy a little more on the philosophical side this is the book for you. If you're looking for a heart stopping grand adventure this one might present a bit of a challenge.
The anatomy, social and biological requirements, etc of the dragons was incredibly well thought out and detailed. The reader, along with Delno, learns a lot about dragons, how to be a good person, and even a little basic physics (though it's not termed that of course). I enjoyed that....or I did after I stopped waiting for it to turn into an action adventure along the lines of Eragon and accepted that Delno and Geneva's relatively peaceful daily life was the story. There was a little adventure in the last 20% of the book, but I thought it almost felt tacked on. Delno had an answer to every challenge, everything went according to plan, and with one notable exception he only met trustworthy friends who were more than willing to defer to his authority. There was never any sense that he was even taxed by anything he encountered. He was a little too perfect in every way for that. Oddly, though, since I had by that time decided that his actions were important more as an example of a moral existence than as a series of events I wasn't too bothered by his glittering perfection.
The writing was very descriptive. If you enjoy your fantasy a little more on the philosophical side this is the book for you. If you're looking for a heart stopping grand adventure this one might present a bit of a challenge.
June 25, 2012
I was given a copy of Dragon Fate to review by the author, in exchange for providing an honest and objective review.
When I read the overview of Dragon Fate I was immediately intrigued. It sounded fantastic, and I was pleased when it did not disappoint. It is a modest length, and appropriate for its genre and content. I felt the pacing was spot on, I never got bored with the story, and I never felt rushed. Furthermore, the details never contradicted themselves and in such an extensive new world, that would be easy for a debut author to do.
I instantly liked our main character Delno, I was emotionally invested in the story and the characters very early into the story. I loved the fact that the author thoroughly built the world, the lore, and the different locales. I absolutely loved the bond between Delno and Geneava.
The plot was not only brilliantly revealed and constructed, but original and interesting to boot. The plot and the story as well as the depth to the characters is really what makes this book such a fantastic read.
What I had trouble with was the dialogue. At times I felt the dialogue was a bit forced. The characters are prone to large bouts of self reflection and great speeches, which while it does further the plot I would have preferred to have some of the dialogue and the characters development and epiphanies as the story progressed be a bit more implied and subtle. At the same time, several of the characters are really quite witty, and I loved their sharp retorts. I found that when the characters relaxed, their speech greatly relaxed and I was able to enjoy it more.
There were a few errors that could be caught by some additional proofreading, but they were not distracting or glaring.
I felt like the story ended in the perfect place. I wasn't left feeling unfulfilled, and at the same time I definitely want more. I surely hope there is a sequel in the works.
In summary I would rate the plot a 5, the characters a 4 the editing a 3 the world building a 5 and the cover a 4 granting an overall score of 4.2
When I read the overview of Dragon Fate I was immediately intrigued. It sounded fantastic, and I was pleased when it did not disappoint. It is a modest length, and appropriate for its genre and content. I felt the pacing was spot on, I never got bored with the story, and I never felt rushed. Furthermore, the details never contradicted themselves and in such an extensive new world, that would be easy for a debut author to do.
I instantly liked our main character Delno, I was emotionally invested in the story and the characters very early into the story. I loved the fact that the author thoroughly built the world, the lore, and the different locales. I absolutely loved the bond between Delno and Geneava.
The plot was not only brilliantly revealed and constructed, but original and interesting to boot. The plot and the story as well as the depth to the characters is really what makes this book such a fantastic read.
What I had trouble with was the dialogue. At times I felt the dialogue was a bit forced. The characters are prone to large bouts of self reflection and great speeches, which while it does further the plot I would have preferred to have some of the dialogue and the characters development and epiphanies as the story progressed be a bit more implied and subtle. At the same time, several of the characters are really quite witty, and I loved their sharp retorts. I found that when the characters relaxed, their speech greatly relaxed and I was able to enjoy it more.
There were a few errors that could be caught by some additional proofreading, but they were not distracting or glaring.
I felt like the story ended in the perfect place. I wasn't left feeling unfulfilled, and at the same time I definitely want more. I surely hope there is a sequel in the works.
In summary I would rate the plot a 5, the characters a 4 the editing a 3 the world building a 5 and the cover a 4 granting an overall score of 4.2
August 3, 2012
I...just...can't...go on...
I tried. I really, really tried to finish this book! I just can't. I just stopped at the 46% done mark, and honestly I'm surprised I even made it as far as I did. The book failed to capture my interest, and this far deep into the book, I don't feel it's worth any more of my time. When I got to around page 25, I thought about stopping, but decided to press on. Then, around page 75, the baby dragon hatched from the egg so I figured it was going to pick up...so I kept going. Now, around page 170 and still nothing has really happened in this book, I had to put it down. It was a tough decision, since Hallowell gave me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I feel really bad not finishing it, but I just can't. I am being honest in my review though!
Okay, so the story - from what I read - was very uninteresting. The idea is, I guess, an interesting one. Humans forming bonds with dragons and then spending their lives riding and being with the dragon. But, nothing happens in this story (so far)! I'm not sure if maybe the story does become eventful and exciting later on like the synopsis implies it does, but after 46% I don't really care anymore.
The main character is boring to me and undeveloped. The connection between him and the dragon is developing, but in an uninteresting way.
The writing is immature and there are a lot of errors in spelling and grammar, which doesn't help me want to keep reading! I don't really understand how there can be so many spelling mistakes...what happened to that program called spell check? I suppose the story is unique and creative, but I wish it had better quality of writing and a more interesting storyline.
So, I would not recommend this book. The fact that I couldn't finish it says a lot. But, if you want, go for it...let me know if you disagree with me.
Have you read this book? What did you think? Did you finish it? Share your opinions with me (and others who read this).
I tried. I really, really tried to finish this book! I just can't. I just stopped at the 46% done mark, and honestly I'm surprised I even made it as far as I did. The book failed to capture my interest, and this far deep into the book, I don't feel it's worth any more of my time. When I got to around page 25, I thought about stopping, but decided to press on. Then, around page 75, the baby dragon hatched from the egg so I figured it was going to pick up...so I kept going. Now, around page 170 and still nothing has really happened in this book, I had to put it down. It was a tough decision, since Hallowell gave me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I feel really bad not finishing it, but I just can't. I am being honest in my review though!
Okay, so the story - from what I read - was very uninteresting. The idea is, I guess, an interesting one. Humans forming bonds with dragons and then spending their lives riding and being with the dragon. But, nothing happens in this story (so far)! I'm not sure if maybe the story does become eventful and exciting later on like the synopsis implies it does, but after 46% I don't really care anymore.
The main character is boring to me and undeveloped. The connection between him and the dragon is developing, but in an uninteresting way.
The writing is immature and there are a lot of errors in spelling and grammar, which doesn't help me want to keep reading! I don't really understand how there can be so many spelling mistakes...what happened to that program called spell check? I suppose the story is unique and creative, but I wish it had better quality of writing and a more interesting storyline.
So, I would not recommend this book. The fact that I couldn't finish it says a lot. But, if you want, go for it...let me know if you disagree with me.
Have you read this book? What did you think? Did you finish it? Share your opinions with me (and others who read this).
April 1, 2016
Ouch. I wanted to like this book, but wow — it's almost painfully boring. It's pedestrian and nearly plotless. Besides bonding with a dragon hatchling, nothing much happens for the longest time. And the bonding scenes were sickly sweet, unlike the bonding of Temeraire with his rider in His Majesty's Dragon.
Very little tension for most of the book. No "big bad" till 2/3 into the novel, when a plot finally emerges. Any problem or challenge is quickly resolved by the ever-ready hero. And he performs his heroics "simply" (as in, he simply cut off his head). He calls everyone "my friend" and he "looks into their eyes" as a sign of his goodness and sincerity. Gah. Subtlety? Nuance? Not found.
Most of the book reads like this excerpt below, filled with italicized mental conversations with a "deart heart" telepathic dragon, and a lot of trivial details about nothing, like the bath water....or the meals... or technical details of dragon growth and development, or the weapons, or... Everything but a plot (till about 69%). See excerpt below.
*************
Delno woke early; there were still a couple of hours until dawn, but he couldn’t get back to sleep. He decided to have a bath before starting the day, since he had the time. He went to the bathing room and pumped the tub about a quarter full with cold water, then he used the second pump, which pulled water from a supply tank that was warmed by the kitchen stove, to pump it full of enough hot water to be comfortable before he got in to soak.
“Ah, you are awake, Dear One, I was hoping to have a chance to talk with you before you started training today.”
“What are you doing awake, Dear Heart? I thought you’d sleep long after the meal you had yesterday.”
While he was happy to have her company, he didn’t want her distressed in any way.
************
I've heard that book 2 is better, plot-wise, but I probably won't pick it up.
Very little tension for most of the book. No "big bad" till 2/3 into the novel, when a plot finally emerges. Any problem or challenge is quickly resolved by the ever-ready hero. And he performs his heroics "simply" (as in, he simply cut off his head). He calls everyone "my friend" and he "looks into their eyes" as a sign of his goodness and sincerity. Gah. Subtlety? Nuance? Not found.
Most of the book reads like this excerpt below, filled with italicized mental conversations with a "deart heart" telepathic dragon, and a lot of trivial details about nothing, like the bath water....or the meals... or technical details of dragon growth and development, or the weapons, or... Everything but a plot (till about 69%). See excerpt below.
*************
Delno woke early; there were still a couple of hours until dawn, but he couldn’t get back to sleep. He decided to have a bath before starting the day, since he had the time. He went to the bathing room and pumped the tub about a quarter full with cold water, then he used the second pump, which pulled water from a supply tank that was warmed by the kitchen stove, to pump it full of enough hot water to be comfortable before he got in to soak.
“Ah, you are awake, Dear One, I was hoping to have a chance to talk with you before you started training today.”
“What are you doing awake, Dear Heart? I thought you’d sleep long after the meal you had yesterday.”
While he was happy to have her company, he didn’t want her distressed in any way.
************
I've heard that book 2 is better, plot-wise, but I probably won't pick it up.
March 25, 2013
This is a terrific book. Solid story. Wonderful writing. Terrific characters. What I really enjoyed most about it was that the characters, particularly the dragon, had very rich personalities that felt real to me. I highly recommend this book for anybody who likes thoughtful fantasies.
July 12, 2012
This book took me on an adventure filled journey full of magic, intrigue and excitement. Overflowing with likeable and believable characters, Hallowell successfully depicts a traditional fantasy story that I thoroughly devoured in just a few days. Delno, a humble young man finds himself face to face with an old and pregnant female dragon and is immediately thrown into the world of the revered dragon riders, magical individuals blessed with longevity, unrivalled strength and a unique companionship filled with love and respect.
Delno was an extremely likeable character with a strong set of values and a longing to be free of heroism and leadership. He is an easy going, friendly and honest individual; a character that I took pleasure in reading about. Despite his status as a commoner of low birth he is truly a noble and heroic individual who is willing to fulfil his destiny and step into the role as a true born, influential leader who other men will follow loyally. I especially admired that he took no pride in killing and sees it as a necessity in war, but takes no pleasure in the act. I enjoyed the fact that the protagonist was a grown man who had actually experienced life in all its forms; it made a change from reading a fantasy based around a young boy, clueless with no life experience. Delno has witnessed death, suffering, has fought in wars and is an experienced soldier and man, both strong and independent.
Geneva, Delno’s female partner, is a sharp nailed, walking, talking (and flying!) dragon with a cocky attitude and a loving nature. Dragons are common creatures in fantasy with numerous depictions of them ranging from monstrous beasts to intelligent sentient beings; the latter being the depiction of Geneva in Dragon Fate. She is a sharp, witty creature and I enjoyed her character immensely especially when she made sarcastic comments to Delno. Despite being fun and light hearted, she is also a dangerous creature, capable of aggression and destruction who can hold her ground against seemingly greater opponents. I found it especially amusing that due to the close mental/spiritual connection between Delno and Geneva, and the inevitability of being privy to every emotion, she feels jealous over Delno’s possible interest in a female individual. By showing us readers Geneva’s jealousy, Hallowell successfully depicts Geneva as a conscious creature, able to feel human emotions. I enjoyed seeing the close relationship between Geneva and Delno evolve throughout the story and look forward to seeing that bond solidify in future tales.
The other characters just added a whole other dimension to the story and they each served an important purpose in moving the plot forward. I won’t divulge too much information about the other characters but throughout the story we are introduced too Nat, an extremely likeable character, an informative individual who isn’t all that he seems to be; Brock, an almost father like character, both loyal and firm; and Rita, feisty and independent, small in stature but aggressive with a sword. Hallowell did an excellent job of depicting a believable baddie and I found myself greatly disliking him from the beginning. He is depicted as being a twisted, bitter and sour man, discontented with life in general. Blinded by pride, he views others as lesser beings and wishes to rule them with an iron fist. He is tyrannical, arrogant, selfish and argumentative; an excellent portrayal by the author.
I thought the plot of the story was well structured and exciting enough that it kept me reading for hours even when I intended to put the book down. There was a fast paced storyline, with something always happening be it meeting new characters, learning new interesting information or getting caught up in a skirmish. I felt that the plot wasn’t lacking in anyway despite maybe the fact that there wasn’t enough action. There was a few instances in the novel where there was a small number of fighting scenes, mainly training practice and there was a skirmish or two towards the end but they all felt that they were resolved too quickly. I also felt that there wasn’t any real danger except in one fight in particular between two individuals who are supposedly meant to be “colleagues” of a sort. In that one fight I felt that there was a real threat as it was just so intense and the suspense was just evident in the whole scene from the use of language to the characters’ frantic movements. This scene in particular was quite a shocker and definitely served as the catalyst for the rest of the story. In my opinion I felt like this book, Dragon Fate was a starter novel, a tasty little starter that is building up towards hopefully an even tastier series filled with more danger, intrigue, deceit and excitement. It helped establish the characters, the setting and the storyline and all in all I enjoyed my journey with Delno, Geneva and co immensely.
In my opinion the most interesting part of the story was the mammoth amount of information divulged throughout. The narrative is so rich with the most fascinatingly imaginative facts regarding dragons. There is a detailed analysis of a dragon’s anatomy, a discussion regarding the dragon as possibly being a “six limbed” creature and I especially enjoyed the explanation of how a dragon breathes fire (down to a chemical reaction!). Plus there was the ingenious added bonus of the Dream State which I thought was a creative and original idea.
I couldn’t help but notice that there was a similarity between Dragon Fate and Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, Eragon in particular. Right from the beginning it was evident that some parts of the story was very similar to that of Eragon such as the dragon riders, dragon bond and the dragon mark but as the story progressed I thought less and less about the similarities and concentrated on the story as whole and found elements of it both imaginative and original. It is inevitable that fantasy authors will take inspiration from other tales and I believe that this is true about a lot of fantasy fiction. Despite my belief that the storylines are similar in parts, I thoroughly enjoyed Dragon Fate and thought it was an excellent example of a traditional fantasy story with a solid plot and a wealth of intriguing characters.
I would highly recommend this book to younger readers of fantasy who wants to read an exciting and adventurous traditional fantasy story and doesn’t want to get too bogged down in a complicated story. I also believe that lovers of the fantasy genre would enjoy Dragon Fate for its traditional fantasy setting and believable characters. It’s a fun and intriguing quick read, full of excitement and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series to check up on Delno, Geneva and the rest of the crew and hopefully begin another fun filled adventure.
Delno was an extremely likeable character with a strong set of values and a longing to be free of heroism and leadership. He is an easy going, friendly and honest individual; a character that I took pleasure in reading about. Despite his status as a commoner of low birth he is truly a noble and heroic individual who is willing to fulfil his destiny and step into the role as a true born, influential leader who other men will follow loyally. I especially admired that he took no pride in killing and sees it as a necessity in war, but takes no pleasure in the act. I enjoyed the fact that the protagonist was a grown man who had actually experienced life in all its forms; it made a change from reading a fantasy based around a young boy, clueless with no life experience. Delno has witnessed death, suffering, has fought in wars and is an experienced soldier and man, both strong and independent.
Geneva, Delno’s female partner, is a sharp nailed, walking, talking (and flying!) dragon with a cocky attitude and a loving nature. Dragons are common creatures in fantasy with numerous depictions of them ranging from monstrous beasts to intelligent sentient beings; the latter being the depiction of Geneva in Dragon Fate. She is a sharp, witty creature and I enjoyed her character immensely especially when she made sarcastic comments to Delno. Despite being fun and light hearted, she is also a dangerous creature, capable of aggression and destruction who can hold her ground against seemingly greater opponents. I found it especially amusing that due to the close mental/spiritual connection between Delno and Geneva, and the inevitability of being privy to every emotion, she feels jealous over Delno’s possible interest in a female individual. By showing us readers Geneva’s jealousy, Hallowell successfully depicts Geneva as a conscious creature, able to feel human emotions. I enjoyed seeing the close relationship between Geneva and Delno evolve throughout the story and look forward to seeing that bond solidify in future tales.
The other characters just added a whole other dimension to the story and they each served an important purpose in moving the plot forward. I won’t divulge too much information about the other characters but throughout the story we are introduced too Nat, an extremely likeable character, an informative individual who isn’t all that he seems to be; Brock, an almost father like character, both loyal and firm; and Rita, feisty and independent, small in stature but aggressive with a sword. Hallowell did an excellent job of depicting a believable baddie and I found myself greatly disliking him from the beginning. He is depicted as being a twisted, bitter and sour man, discontented with life in general. Blinded by pride, he views others as lesser beings and wishes to rule them with an iron fist. He is tyrannical, arrogant, selfish and argumentative; an excellent portrayal by the author.
I thought the plot of the story was well structured and exciting enough that it kept me reading for hours even when I intended to put the book down. There was a fast paced storyline, with something always happening be it meeting new characters, learning new interesting information or getting caught up in a skirmish. I felt that the plot wasn’t lacking in anyway despite maybe the fact that there wasn’t enough action. There was a few instances in the novel where there was a small number of fighting scenes, mainly training practice and there was a skirmish or two towards the end but they all felt that they were resolved too quickly. I also felt that there wasn’t any real danger except in one fight in particular between two individuals who are supposedly meant to be “colleagues” of a sort. In that one fight I felt that there was a real threat as it was just so intense and the suspense was just evident in the whole scene from the use of language to the characters’ frantic movements. This scene in particular was quite a shocker and definitely served as the catalyst for the rest of the story. In my opinion I felt like this book, Dragon Fate was a starter novel, a tasty little starter that is building up towards hopefully an even tastier series filled with more danger, intrigue, deceit and excitement. It helped establish the characters, the setting and the storyline and all in all I enjoyed my journey with Delno, Geneva and co immensely.
In my opinion the most interesting part of the story was the mammoth amount of information divulged throughout. The narrative is so rich with the most fascinatingly imaginative facts regarding dragons. There is a detailed analysis of a dragon’s anatomy, a discussion regarding the dragon as possibly being a “six limbed” creature and I especially enjoyed the explanation of how a dragon breathes fire (down to a chemical reaction!). Plus there was the ingenious added bonus of the Dream State which I thought was a creative and original idea.
I couldn’t help but notice that there was a similarity between Dragon Fate and Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, Eragon in particular. Right from the beginning it was evident that some parts of the story was very similar to that of Eragon such as the dragon riders, dragon bond and the dragon mark but as the story progressed I thought less and less about the similarities and concentrated on the story as whole and found elements of it both imaginative and original. It is inevitable that fantasy authors will take inspiration from other tales and I believe that this is true about a lot of fantasy fiction. Despite my belief that the storylines are similar in parts, I thoroughly enjoyed Dragon Fate and thought it was an excellent example of a traditional fantasy story with a solid plot and a wealth of intriguing characters.
I would highly recommend this book to younger readers of fantasy who wants to read an exciting and adventurous traditional fantasy story and doesn’t want to get too bogged down in a complicated story. I also believe that lovers of the fantasy genre would enjoy Dragon Fate for its traditional fantasy setting and believable characters. It’s a fun and intriguing quick read, full of excitement and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series to check up on Delno, Geneva and the rest of the crew and hopefully begin another fun filled adventure.
September 18, 2012
4.5 Stars!
Delno is a decorated veteran of war who is trying to determine his place in society when something happens that changes his life forever. He encounters a wounded female dragon and learns he has been chosen to "bond" with the dragon's unhatched baby.
What follows is a meticulous, well thought out adventure where you, the reader, get to experience the baby dragon's hatching, upbringing, training, and all the struggles the two of them endure as they both cope with learning what being bonded truly means.
I really enjoyed this book. It delves into the relationship between dragon and rider quite extensively. The kingdom that this takes place in has only a limited number of dragon riders, and whereas the riders should be looking out for the wellbeing of the inhabitants, not all have peaceful intentions and start causing strife with other riders. I found myself laughing out loud at the exchanges between Delno and his dragon, Geneva. I sided with Geneva and wanted Delno to try riding her much earlier than he should have.
The world-building was good. The different personalities of the characters were well defined. The best part was and is the relationship between human and dragon. I only had a few critiques. I noticed there were several areas that had excessive use of commas, stretching out some sentences to paragraph length. I was also curious about Delno's magic. New abilities kept popping up and I would have liked to have known how he knew what to do, whether he was instructed, or just had beginner's luck. Either way, it did little to distract from the story.
Being a dragon lover I will typically pick up any book that has dragons featured in it provided they aren't portrayed as evil. Love dragons? Love reading about them? I encourage you to give this one a try! Great job, J.D.!
Delno is a decorated veteran of war who is trying to determine his place in society when something happens that changes his life forever. He encounters a wounded female dragon and learns he has been chosen to "bond" with the dragon's unhatched baby.
What follows is a meticulous, well thought out adventure where you, the reader, get to experience the baby dragon's hatching, upbringing, training, and all the struggles the two of them endure as they both cope with learning what being bonded truly means.
I really enjoyed this book. It delves into the relationship between dragon and rider quite extensively. The kingdom that this takes place in has only a limited number of dragon riders, and whereas the riders should be looking out for the wellbeing of the inhabitants, not all have peaceful intentions and start causing strife with other riders. I found myself laughing out loud at the exchanges between Delno and his dragon, Geneva. I sided with Geneva and wanted Delno to try riding her much earlier than he should have.
The world-building was good. The different personalities of the characters were well defined. The best part was and is the relationship between human and dragon. I only had a few critiques. I noticed there were several areas that had excessive use of commas, stretching out some sentences to paragraph length. I was also curious about Delno's magic. New abilities kept popping up and I would have liked to have known how he knew what to do, whether he was instructed, or just had beginner's luck. Either way, it did little to distract from the story.
Being a dragon lover I will typically pick up any book that has dragons featured in it provided they aren't portrayed as evil. Love dragons? Love reading about them? I encourage you to give this one a try! Great job, J.D.!
November 4, 2012
I liked this a great deal although I did find it a little slow to start, however once the story got going it was good. The relationship between the dragons and the Riders is interesting and something I have not encountered before. Touching in many ways the magic between the two species is well described and not over done.
The main character is thrown in at the deep end and the story is an interesting journey of who and what he is and his relationship with his dragon, his comrades and others around him. A good man, often forced to do distasteful things, to preserve security and those who look to his guidance.
There were a lot of elements of humour but also of darkness in this story and the ending provides answers but also leaves the reader wanting more.
There were few editing issues and I did find the italics when the dragon and rider were speaking inconsistent in places but the minor typos and editing issues did not detract from the exciting story.
I look forward to further books from this author:)
The main character is thrown in at the deep end and the story is an interesting journey of who and what he is and his relationship with his dragon, his comrades and others around him. A good man, often forced to do distasteful things, to preserve security and those who look to his guidance.
There were a lot of elements of humour but also of darkness in this story and the ending provides answers but also leaves the reader wanting more.
There were few editing issues and I did find the italics when the dragon and rider were speaking inconsistent in places but the minor typos and editing issues did not detract from the exciting story.
I look forward to further books from this author:)
April 5, 2012
If you are a fan of Fantasy and dragon-lore, it would be hard to go wrong with Dragon Fate. Written in a style that slips by smoothly, you will soon be along for the journey before you know it. Action, adventure, and, of course, dragons. You will not be sorry for downloading this.
July 24, 2013
Dragon Fate is an exciting and adventurous read. One that'll keep you at the edge of your seat wanting more. I'm very excited and enthralled to start J.D. Hallowell's next War of the Blades book, Dragon Blade!
January 12, 2013
Dragon Fate by J.D. Hallowell is the first book in the War of the Blades trilogy. It bills itself as a “classic example” of a heroic fantasy adventure, and details the seemingly-chance encounter between a dying dragon and an aimless young man that results in the birth of a dragon who bonds to the young man. Together, the young man and baby dragon grow and develop in skill, knowledge and power – just in time to save the world.
The cover is excellent and evocative. The author’s style is relaxed and fits the genre pretty well. Nothing stands out as a glaring problem in terms of style. I think it suits its intended audience in this way, despite other minor problems. The author would have greatly benefitted from using an editor for this book; typos abound, as well as minor formatting issues such as using thought italics on both internal monologs and the connecting text between thoughts. The page formatting is off at the very beginning resulting in a huge whitespace, and a short acknowledgement section at the bottom of a page with one line carried over to another almost blank page. Still, these are not severe issues and I was able to chuckle and move on without feeling it was unreadable.
The book is written from the point of view of its main hero, Delno Okonan, formerly a skilled soldier and a national hero due to his exploits during a recent war. Delno doesn’t want to be a soldier anymore but has trouble finding his true calling until fate steps in and history comes full circle as he finds himself the bond-partner of a baby dragon, and is subsequently swept up into the much bigger picture going on.
Setting
The nations described have verisimilitude. They seem pretty well developed in terms of culture, history and conflict points. This is done better than in most fantasy settings, in fact. The history of the region is tightly wound into international relations and the various cultures, and creates believable rivalries and grudges.
Additionally, the author goes into great detail about dragons – their care and feeding, physiology, and so on. They, too, are tightly wound into the history and current events. He borrowed elements of both Dragonlance and Pern but put a refreshing spin on things. It does not feel like a rehash of tired tropes.
The system of magic used is likewise a fully-realized and well-integrated component of the setting. He provides a perfectly serviceable rationalization for magic, and it too is a core factor in history, culture and current events.
Between the tight history, believable and detailed nations, and thorough treatment of dragons and their place in history and current events, the setting of the book pops out and I really had a sense of the place and its people. I give the author very high marks for his setting.
Characters
The main character, Delno Okonan, starts out presenting himself as an aimless young adult who was very good at very little. But as the book progresses he is revealed to be a war hero from a recent border war, a highly capable leader with excellent (but not superhuman) fighting skill, and the respect of a nation. I found this progression a bit jarring. I think perhaps the author began writing without a clear view of who the character was, and then Delno morphed into what the story needed. Near the middle of the book his development as a character feels complete and his personality and motivations seem to have stabilized. This is very much like a new TV show where the characters haven’t quite found their feet yet. Nonetheless, Delno is a likeable character and the author’s writing skill salvaged what could have been a bit of a disaster with the characters.
The other main character of the book is Delno’s dragon, Geneva. She’s a bright young thing, and she and Delno share a connection that is stronger than that of most “bonded” dragons and their humans. This strength of bonding causes her to grow quickly due to the magic involved, and by the end of the book she’s on the cusp of being a mighty dragon indeed. She is fiercely defensive of Delno, but has her own personality. I enjoyed reading her parts and the author gracefully manages to avoid Geneva being overshadowed by Delno, without alternately overshadowing Delno. Well done!
Unfortunately, I thought many of the lesser characters in the book were a bit one-dimensional. This may be due to the strong focus on Delno and who he is as a person, but I found it distracting. The short version is that the other characters exist almost entirely as plot devices with little more character depth than a bridge or a castle. I hope that future books in the series broaden these supporting characters a bit. Also, as with many fantasy novels, in this book good guys are GOOD(tm) and bad guys are EVIL(tm). In the case of Delno it is because of a pretty well developed philosophy on life that he firmly adheres to, but this isn’t the case with most of the other characters. For example, the main villain of the book seems to reveal his hand a bit prematurely simply because he’s such an evil jerk, thereby allowing the hero and his loyal allies to figure out the villain’s schemes and react decisively, resulting in an easy win for the good guys.
Plot
I was, at first, disappointed with this. The book is billed as a heroic fantasy adventure, but this isn’t really the case. Throughout the first book there is very little physical conflict and most of what little there is seems to exist solely to develop the main character as a competent fighter.
I stopped being disappointed when I realized that the author took most of the first book to do what many fantasy novels do in the first chapter, which is, character and setting development. The focus of book one of the War of the Blades series is solidly on fleshing out the people, history, cultures and events of the setting, and on very thoroughly developing Delno and Geneva’s relationship and personalities. Another reviewer referred to this as a “slice-of-life” fantasy novel, and that’s an understandable view. Only a small section at the end finally reveals a major threat to their way of life and society, a confrontation of ideologies that puts the world in turmoil.
The threats to the world, physical, social and political, are established. The characters are developed into the people they will be when facing the upcoming challenges, which seem severe. The history of the world is laid out in a compelling fashion, and the connection of the past to current events (both to nations and to the main character) is clear and believable.
So, ultimately, the plot of the first book is very clearly to set the stage for the second book. In terms of conflict within the book, the only real challenge occurred toward the end. While I felt the Big Bad Guy showed his hand prematurely, the resulting conflict is well executed and certainly furthers the aim of the book, which seems to be to clearly set the stage for the second book.
However, I never felt like putting the book down and there weren’t any portions I felt I was slogging to get through. It was an easy page-turner.
Summary
This was a good book that earned the time I spent reading it. I enjoyed it very much and, while it is not a classic example of heroic fantasy, the sequels may capitalize on the groundwork so enjoyably laid in this book. The author writes well enough to pull that off, certainly. I’ll know if the promise is fulfilled when I read the other books in this series. I definitely will be reading them and, in the end, that’s the best thing one can say about book one of any series.
The cover is excellent and evocative. The author’s style is relaxed and fits the genre pretty well. Nothing stands out as a glaring problem in terms of style. I think it suits its intended audience in this way, despite other minor problems. The author would have greatly benefitted from using an editor for this book; typos abound, as well as minor formatting issues such as using thought italics on both internal monologs and the connecting text between thoughts. The page formatting is off at the very beginning resulting in a huge whitespace, and a short acknowledgement section at the bottom of a page with one line carried over to another almost blank page. Still, these are not severe issues and I was able to chuckle and move on without feeling it was unreadable.
The book is written from the point of view of its main hero, Delno Okonan, formerly a skilled soldier and a national hero due to his exploits during a recent war. Delno doesn’t want to be a soldier anymore but has trouble finding his true calling until fate steps in and history comes full circle as he finds himself the bond-partner of a baby dragon, and is subsequently swept up into the much bigger picture going on.
Setting
The nations described have verisimilitude. They seem pretty well developed in terms of culture, history and conflict points. This is done better than in most fantasy settings, in fact. The history of the region is tightly wound into international relations and the various cultures, and creates believable rivalries and grudges.
Additionally, the author goes into great detail about dragons – their care and feeding, physiology, and so on. They, too, are tightly wound into the history and current events. He borrowed elements of both Dragonlance and Pern but put a refreshing spin on things. It does not feel like a rehash of tired tropes.
The system of magic used is likewise a fully-realized and well-integrated component of the setting. He provides a perfectly serviceable rationalization for magic, and it too is a core factor in history, culture and current events.
Between the tight history, believable and detailed nations, and thorough treatment of dragons and their place in history and current events, the setting of the book pops out and I really had a sense of the place and its people. I give the author very high marks for his setting.
Characters
The main character, Delno Okonan, starts out presenting himself as an aimless young adult who was very good at very little. But as the book progresses he is revealed to be a war hero from a recent border war, a highly capable leader with excellent (but not superhuman) fighting skill, and the respect of a nation. I found this progression a bit jarring. I think perhaps the author began writing without a clear view of who the character was, and then Delno morphed into what the story needed. Near the middle of the book his development as a character feels complete and his personality and motivations seem to have stabilized. This is very much like a new TV show where the characters haven’t quite found their feet yet. Nonetheless, Delno is a likeable character and the author’s writing skill salvaged what could have been a bit of a disaster with the characters.
The other main character of the book is Delno’s dragon, Geneva. She’s a bright young thing, and she and Delno share a connection that is stronger than that of most “bonded” dragons and their humans. This strength of bonding causes her to grow quickly due to the magic involved, and by the end of the book she’s on the cusp of being a mighty dragon indeed. She is fiercely defensive of Delno, but has her own personality. I enjoyed reading her parts and the author gracefully manages to avoid Geneva being overshadowed by Delno, without alternately overshadowing Delno. Well done!
Unfortunately, I thought many of the lesser characters in the book were a bit one-dimensional. This may be due to the strong focus on Delno and who he is as a person, but I found it distracting. The short version is that the other characters exist almost entirely as plot devices with little more character depth than a bridge or a castle. I hope that future books in the series broaden these supporting characters a bit. Also, as with many fantasy novels, in this book good guys are GOOD(tm) and bad guys are EVIL(tm). In the case of Delno it is because of a pretty well developed philosophy on life that he firmly adheres to, but this isn’t the case with most of the other characters. For example, the main villain of the book seems to reveal his hand a bit prematurely simply because he’s such an evil jerk, thereby allowing the hero and his loyal allies to figure out the villain’s schemes and react decisively, resulting in an easy win for the good guys.
Plot
I was, at first, disappointed with this. The book is billed as a heroic fantasy adventure, but this isn’t really the case. Throughout the first book there is very little physical conflict and most of what little there is seems to exist solely to develop the main character as a competent fighter.
I stopped being disappointed when I realized that the author took most of the first book to do what many fantasy novels do in the first chapter, which is, character and setting development. The focus of book one of the War of the Blades series is solidly on fleshing out the people, history, cultures and events of the setting, and on very thoroughly developing Delno and Geneva’s relationship and personalities. Another reviewer referred to this as a “slice-of-life” fantasy novel, and that’s an understandable view. Only a small section at the end finally reveals a major threat to their way of life and society, a confrontation of ideologies that puts the world in turmoil.
The threats to the world, physical, social and political, are established. The characters are developed into the people they will be when facing the upcoming challenges, which seem severe. The history of the world is laid out in a compelling fashion, and the connection of the past to current events (both to nations and to the main character) is clear and believable.
So, ultimately, the plot of the first book is very clearly to set the stage for the second book. In terms of conflict within the book, the only real challenge occurred toward the end. While I felt the Big Bad Guy showed his hand prematurely, the resulting conflict is well executed and certainly furthers the aim of the book, which seems to be to clearly set the stage for the second book.
However, I never felt like putting the book down and there weren’t any portions I felt I was slogging to get through. It was an easy page-turner.
Summary
This was a good book that earned the time I spent reading it. I enjoyed it very much and, while it is not a classic example of heroic fantasy, the sequels may capitalize on the groundwork so enjoyably laid in this book. The author writes well enough to pull that off, certainly. I’ll know if the promise is fulfilled when I read the other books in this series. I definitely will be reading them and, in the end, that’s the best thing one can say about book one of any series.
December 17, 2013
Dragon Fate by J.D. Hallowell is an excellent fantasy novel. I actually read this book twice before writing my review and that isn't something that I do all that often due to the length of my TBR list. I'll have to say that I enjoyed the second reading immensely and easily see this series getting multiple more readings (the second book is just as good) in the future.
I really like the main character Delno. He is just a good guy and tries to do the right thing to the best of his ability. He is a famous war hero in his home country, but doesn't use that to really benefit himself in any major way. One day while trying to find some space to think about his future he runs into a dragon whose rider was killed and wants nothing more that to go off on her own and die. The issue is that she is with egg and cannot let herself go until she sees to her children. Delno helps and forms a bond with the egg that he helps deliver and becomes a Dragon Rider.
The relationship between dragon and rider is complex and complete, with each gaining a stronger ability with magic, telepathic communication, and the human getting a vastly longer lifespan. The fact that Delno raises his dragon, Geneva, from a hatchling allows J.D. to explain the various abilities that dragons have by watching Delno learn them. This prevented a huge info dump slowing down the story, which I always appreciate.
There are also some fantastic secondary characters. I really liked the way that Delno and Rita get along. I would have to say that Nat is my favorite though. The healer is full of surprises and his personality quirks make him amusing at times.
If you are at all a fan of the fantasy genre this is a book you should check out.
I really like the main character Delno. He is just a good guy and tries to do the right thing to the best of his ability. He is a famous war hero in his home country, but doesn't use that to really benefit himself in any major way. One day while trying to find some space to think about his future he runs into a dragon whose rider was killed and wants nothing more that to go off on her own and die. The issue is that she is with egg and cannot let herself go until she sees to her children. Delno helps and forms a bond with the egg that he helps deliver and becomes a Dragon Rider.
The relationship between dragon and rider is complex and complete, with each gaining a stronger ability with magic, telepathic communication, and the human getting a vastly longer lifespan. The fact that Delno raises his dragon, Geneva, from a hatchling allows J.D. to explain the various abilities that dragons have by watching Delno learn them. This prevented a huge info dump slowing down the story, which I always appreciate.
There are also some fantastic secondary characters. I really liked the way that Delno and Rita get along. I would have to say that Nat is my favorite though. The healer is full of surprises and his personality quirks make him amusing at times.
If you are at all a fan of the fantasy genre this is a book you should check out.
June 16, 2013
I truly loved this book. It has everything a good fantasy quest needs. It has romance, intrigue, adventure, Elves and magik.
It is a testament to the author that his incredible knowledge of dragons has brought this story to life. I love a story that has me feeling as if I am a part of it and I was not disappointed. I could feel the wind on my skin as I soared through the air upon the backs of dragons.
Delno is a strong character, with a humbleness that endears him to you while at the same time being a strong leader.
I always enjoy the journey of good versus evil and there were many interesting twists and turns. There was also a hint of elves and their knowledge being brought forward.
This book for me, is a wonderful fantasy quest with the main character Delno, bonding with his dragon Geneva and surrounded by his companions, Nat, Brock, Rita and a host of others coming together to fight against evil.
I am about to start reading book two and am eagerly looking forward to the further adventures of Delno and Geneva.
It is a testament to the author that his incredible knowledge of dragons has brought this story to life. I love a story that has me feeling as if I am a part of it and I was not disappointed. I could feel the wind on my skin as I soared through the air upon the backs of dragons.
Delno is a strong character, with a humbleness that endears him to you while at the same time being a strong leader.
I always enjoy the journey of good versus evil and there were many interesting twists and turns. There was also a hint of elves and their knowledge being brought forward.
This book for me, is a wonderful fantasy quest with the main character Delno, bonding with his dragon Geneva and surrounded by his companions, Nat, Brock, Rita and a host of others coming together to fight against evil.
I am about to start reading book two and am eagerly looking forward to the further adventures of Delno and Geneva.
May 18, 2013
Dragon fate was a very good read, one of the hardest to put down that I've read in some time. The characters are well written (nothing to gush about but well written), the story was very well thought out and is what set this book apart in my eyes over other dragon fantasy books I've read, the author does a good job of altering from the normal path that dragons take in this type of book and was enjoyable for me to read. The only draw back to me was the end of the book seemed to just get cut off or finished in a rush, but cant wait to read the next in the series.
March 4, 2014
Dragon Fate is at times slow.......but, ........
Dragon Fate is at times slow.......but, ........ that is just to make sure that the hook is in tight to reel you in. When the book took a turn to the fast track it held me so tight that I couldn't put it down. What a wonderful book it is, I can't wait to read the next installment. I think after all the things that J.D. Hallowell has done in his life, he has finally found his true calling.
Dragon Fate is at times slow.......but, ........ that is just to make sure that the hook is in tight to reel you in. When the book took a turn to the fast track it held me so tight that I couldn't put it down. What a wonderful book it is, I can't wait to read the next installment. I think after all the things that J.D. Hallowell has done in his life, he has finally found his true calling.
September 20, 2012
Excellent first novel. The characters were well rounded and fun to read about. I really enjoyed this one and look forward to the next.
June 16, 2013
I'm lost in the massive info dump of the first few chapters. So is my interest. Sorry, but not coming back.
June 3, 2013
The Good:
Hallowell definitely thought a lot about this book before and during the writing process. The highlight of and primary content in Dragon Fate is watching a dragon growing up. Throughout this journey the reader has to opportunity to learn about dragon anatomy, biology, chemistry, culture etc. Dragons being present in a fantasy novel is nothing novel (oh noes! The puns!). Mostly, however, they are involved mostly like any other non-character object would be in the world building process.
Author: “Let’s see here. In order to make a good fantasy novel I need magic, swords, elves, mountains, forests, bad guys, heroes… oh, and dragons.”
Dragon Fate not only uses dragons because it is the thing to do, but it is about dragons. Some would say that this book is a concise introduction to dragons. If you don’t know anything about dragons, read this book and you will know everything there is to know about them: growth rate, diet, flight, fire-breath, etc. I applaud Hallowell for putting so much thought and effort into what it means to be a developing dragon.
Something else that stands out in Dragon Fate is the relationship between dragon and rider. This is by far the best part of the book. The reader gets to experience their relationship as it buds and grows through the whole process of dragon development. The dragon and her rider have a special bond that is not easily broken (unless you consider death easy… and if you do, don’t spread it around unless you want to be locked in a padded room wearing nothing but a straight jacket).
The Bad:
I could sum this up just by saying “the first two thirds of the book,” but that would be boring and doesn’t explain a whole lot. Why did this book only deserve 2 stars? Well, it was a hard choice between 2 stars and 3 because the last third of the book is actually pretty good and definitely deserves 3 or maybe even 4 stars. This is where the plot starts picking up, and things happen, the story moves forward. For the first two thirds of the book, however, we are simply watching a dragon grow up. If you are a parent and you just loved sitting and staring at your kids while they grew, this may be the book for you. It is not necessary the growing up that is the problem, but the way that it was done.
Like I said, what was good about this book is all of the time and effort put into what it means to be a dragon growing up, but this unfortunately doesn’t translate into good writing. Most of the description was Delno (the protagonist) asking a question and the dragon, or someone else who knows a lot about dragons, answering. This leaves giant sections of the book for extensive dialogue and in-depth explanation of the inner workings of dragons. Unfortunately this is neither thought provoking or engaging from the reader’s stand-point. Have you ever had someone explain something to you with such great detail that your eyes begin to glaze over and you lose focus on what they are even saying? I can’t imagine how Delno didn’t experience this, because as a reader, I sure did. This is the only issue with this book, but it is a big one. If it takes two thirds of a book for the action and plot to finally start, many people will put it down not knowing if it will ever go anywhere. I was tempted a number of times to set it aside for something else more engaging, but I pressed on and found that eventually it gets better, but you have to drudge through a lot of less than engaging sections before getting there.
When a book is done, usually the plot ends. Yes, Dragon Fate has an ending, but I wouldn’t say it is a good one. There is some conclusion and certain elements of the plot get resolved, but a lot is left unanswered. I found myself wanting to know more about the characters in the story and the cultures of the world and less about the dragons and their anatomy. I suppose this leaves room for the sequel, but what was introduced was not finished in an climactic way. Because only the last third of book focused on plot and character development, a lot of it felt like Hallowell was done explaining about dragons and now just wanted to rush to the end to get the book over with.
There were a few spelling grammar errors that I noticed, but all in all this did not take away from the book. Mostly they were incorrect or missing words and there maybe 4 or 5 in the entire 377 page book. This, at least for me, was not a big issue at all, but it wouldn’t hurt for Hallowell to give it one more run through with the editor(s).
Hallowell definitely thought a lot about this book before and during the writing process. The highlight of and primary content in Dragon Fate is watching a dragon growing up. Throughout this journey the reader has to opportunity to learn about dragon anatomy, biology, chemistry, culture etc. Dragons being present in a fantasy novel is nothing novel (oh noes! The puns!). Mostly, however, they are involved mostly like any other non-character object would be in the world building process.
Author: “Let’s see here. In order to make a good fantasy novel I need magic, swords, elves, mountains, forests, bad guys, heroes… oh, and dragons.”
Dragon Fate not only uses dragons because it is the thing to do, but it is about dragons. Some would say that this book is a concise introduction to dragons. If you don’t know anything about dragons, read this book and you will know everything there is to know about them: growth rate, diet, flight, fire-breath, etc. I applaud Hallowell for putting so much thought and effort into what it means to be a developing dragon.
Something else that stands out in Dragon Fate is the relationship between dragon and rider. This is by far the best part of the book. The reader gets to experience their relationship as it buds and grows through the whole process of dragon development. The dragon and her rider have a special bond that is not easily broken (unless you consider death easy… and if you do, don’t spread it around unless you want to be locked in a padded room wearing nothing but a straight jacket).
The Bad:
I could sum this up just by saying “the first two thirds of the book,” but that would be boring and doesn’t explain a whole lot. Why did this book only deserve 2 stars? Well, it was a hard choice between 2 stars and 3 because the last third of the book is actually pretty good and definitely deserves 3 or maybe even 4 stars. This is where the plot starts picking up, and things happen, the story moves forward. For the first two thirds of the book, however, we are simply watching a dragon grow up. If you are a parent and you just loved sitting and staring at your kids while they grew, this may be the book for you. It is not necessary the growing up that is the problem, but the way that it was done.
Like I said, what was good about this book is all of the time and effort put into what it means to be a dragon growing up, but this unfortunately doesn’t translate into good writing. Most of the description was Delno (the protagonist) asking a question and the dragon, or someone else who knows a lot about dragons, answering. This leaves giant sections of the book for extensive dialogue and in-depth explanation of the inner workings of dragons. Unfortunately this is neither thought provoking or engaging from the reader’s stand-point. Have you ever had someone explain something to you with such great detail that your eyes begin to glaze over and you lose focus on what they are even saying? I can’t imagine how Delno didn’t experience this, because as a reader, I sure did. This is the only issue with this book, but it is a big one. If it takes two thirds of a book for the action and plot to finally start, many people will put it down not knowing if it will ever go anywhere. I was tempted a number of times to set it aside for something else more engaging, but I pressed on and found that eventually it gets better, but you have to drudge through a lot of less than engaging sections before getting there.
When a book is done, usually the plot ends. Yes, Dragon Fate has an ending, but I wouldn’t say it is a good one. There is some conclusion and certain elements of the plot get resolved, but a lot is left unanswered. I found myself wanting to know more about the characters in the story and the cultures of the world and less about the dragons and their anatomy. I suppose this leaves room for the sequel, but what was introduced was not finished in an climactic way. Because only the last third of book focused on plot and character development, a lot of it felt like Hallowell was done explaining about dragons and now just wanted to rush to the end to get the book over with.
There were a few spelling grammar errors that I noticed, but all in all this did not take away from the book. Mostly they were incorrect or missing words and there maybe 4 or 5 in the entire 377 page book. This, at least for me, was not a big issue at all, but it wouldn’t hurt for Hallowell to give it one more run through with the editor(s).
July 22, 2014
The book presents with an interesting idea, the life of a Dragon, in which the Dragon actually has character instead just being the usual object or obstacle to be bested, as is seen in most fantasy.
However - and this a is a truly massive however, of dragon size proportions - the book is just plain terrible. Leaving aside the grammatical issue that are prevalent to an extent far beyond the normal (and often sub-normal) self published fare; the book feels like it is trying to cram as many fantasy cliches in as is (in)humanly possible. These cliche's are then manhandled by cardboard cut out characters -no that implies the characters have some strength- by paper cut out characters.
I persevered through this assault on my eyeballs, taste and mental well being to finish this book. Why? Normally it is because try and finish each book I start, but this time it was so bad I felt I had to finish so I could write this review!
With so many 5* reviews for this putrescent pile of syphilitic war hog vomit I felt something was very, very, very wrong indeed. I feel like I have been conned out of the money paid, in fact there is no feeling about it. I have been. The author appears to be using means both fair and foul to generate positive reviews for this book.
It seems completely impossible that a book which drunken dyslexic monkey would be ashamed to have written after a night spent drinking lighter fluid could garner more than 3* from even the most generous of reviewers!
In short: do not buy this book.
However - and this a is a truly massive however, of dragon size proportions - the book is just plain terrible. Leaving aside the grammatical issue that are prevalent to an extent far beyond the normal (and often sub-normal) self published fare; the book feels like it is trying to cram as many fantasy cliches in as is (in)humanly possible. These cliche's are then manhandled by cardboard cut out characters -no that implies the characters have some strength- by paper cut out characters.
I persevered through this assault on my eyeballs, taste and mental well being to finish this book. Why? Normally it is because try and finish each book I start, but this time it was so bad I felt I had to finish so I could write this review!
With so many 5* reviews for this putrescent pile of syphilitic war hog vomit I felt something was very, very, very wrong indeed. I feel like I have been conned out of the money paid, in fact there is no feeling about it. I have been. The author appears to be using means both fair and foul to generate positive reviews for this book.
It seems completely impossible that a book which drunken dyslexic monkey would be ashamed to have written after a night spent drinking lighter fluid could garner more than 3* from even the most generous of reviewers!
In short: do not buy this book.
March 14, 2013
I started this book and put it down before I should have. It is a little slow to start but once it gets moving you will find it is a good tale. While there is just too much minutia for a five star review from me the characters are rich and the story is compelling. I liked the relationships that evolve as the hero learns his role as a new dragon rider.
The villain of the piece was a little cliche but that was only because he is not the main villain I believe. This first book clearly is leading us into a greater story scope and I for one will gladly read the next book to see just what will happen.
If you like knowing the daily in and out of being a dragon rider in this world then you will adore this story. If you want more action, well keep reading, you will get it.
The villain of the piece was a little cliche but that was only because he is not the main villain I believe. This first book clearly is leading us into a greater story scope and I for one will gladly read the next book to see just what will happen.
If you like knowing the daily in and out of being a dragon rider in this world then you will adore this story. If you want more action, well keep reading, you will get it.
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September 19, 2013I'm a little surprised (okay, suspicious) of the amount of 4-5 star reviews. Do...they not see how many of the dialogue tags aren't punctuated correctly? Or that there's outright missing punctuation within the first few pages? Because it's kind of hard to miss.
Or is it a tit-for-tat deal?
There may be a good story in there (I was hoping for one. I'm such a sucker for dragons) but even a casual glance shows this is in need of editing.
No official starred rating because I don't do that on samples.
Or is it a tit-for-tat deal?
There may be a good story in there (I was hoping for one. I'm such a sucker for dragons) but even a casual glance shows this is in need of editing.
No official starred rating because I don't do that on samples.
March 5, 2016
Childrens style fantasy about the bonded(/forced) love between a man and a dragon. The first 2/3 about the dragon growing, food, handshakes, and the reputation of the main character - a much better sounding story from before the start of this book. The last part is a sex (trying to mask as a love) story with the main character and another dragon rider and a show down with the only character that the main character doesn't like (in the entire book), who, of course, is a bad guy. Poorly paced, badly written, no suspense or surprises. Nothing, but a good premise
November 14, 2015
A fascinating history of a young soldier and his unlikely encounter with a dragon. It's a beautifully told narrative detailing a man's journey from a crossroads in his life. Delno must learn to understand the ways of magic and companionship with his new magical partner. I loved how the story is told, like a first person account of a lost history in a magical world. While driven by fantasy, the story and characters stay grounded in a familiar world.
August 29, 2013
This book was okay. Would I read the next book: maybe not. The book was filled with a lot of explanations and not enough action. I could skip parts and still know what was going on. The hero was predictable, but likable. The dragon was much more likable and was well described.
February 7, 2014
I'm very easy to please but this is one of the most disappointing books I've read. Very, VERY, cliche, nothing original, and a complete lack of depth. I bought both books because of the 4+ star review from Amazon but I won't read the second...
January 23, 2016
This was a wonderful story, well-written, and vivid in character driven plot and world building. The dragon-human bond was what kept driving me to turn pages and think about the story even when I wasn't reading it. If you enjoy fantasy or dragons, you should read this book.
October 25, 2013
I liked this book a lot. I loved the detailed descriptions of dragon lore. I will be reading the second book in this series.
February 27, 2018
I wasn't too sure how to rate this one.
Everything about it was fine. The writing is competent, the world building is good-there is a lot of thought put into the rearing and growth of Dragons. Though this kind of detailed world-building is still my least favorite, this was well-paced and with a friendly/casual kind of tone that doesn’t make you think school, so I really didn’t mind it too much.
The magic is thought out and works much like a wish to a Genie. You have to think through your intentions before using it, otherwise your wish to be the richest man on earth, may leave you being the only man on earth, kind of idea. In this way there are lots of restrictions on it and no one really can be too over-powered.
Same with the dragons, only a few have riders and they’re territorial and jealous of their bonded rider partners having friends. This didn’t stop the main character, Delno, from having a girlfriend later but everything was fine with lots of reassurance to his dragon partner.
And I think that is pretty much where I was stuck on the rating, everything was fine, all the time. In a lot of ways this felt more like a slice of life story than anything. We spend our time learning about the world, and the people, and the dragons, and everything is hunky dory for the most part, with only a few setbacks that were solved fairly quickly.
I guess for me, if I am sitting through lots of world building I either need a damn good character to keep me interested, or a really tight plot, and though I liked Delno and the world that was created, I think maybe it was just a bit too easy all around and maybe would have worked better for me if it hadn’t tried to be anything else but a guy learning to care for his Dragon.
So, think of this as a 3.5. I'm adding half a star because while this may not have been quite my cup of tea, it was pretty solid for a debut and its enjoyable slice of fantasy life feeling, might be perfect for someone else.
Other notes-
As a chicken person, I had a great big chuckle over the dragon being egg-bound and had a hard time not picturing feathery-butted dragons for awhile. And for those who are interested, it is a real problem- we have lost chickens to being egg-bound in the past.
Also- if my son was still a younger teen, I think he would have enjoyed this book a lot.
Everything about it was fine. The writing is competent, the world building is good-there is a lot of thought put into the rearing and growth of Dragons. Though this kind of detailed world-building is still my least favorite, this was well-paced and with a friendly/casual kind of tone that doesn’t make you think school, so I really didn’t mind it too much.
The magic is thought out and works much like a wish to a Genie. You have to think through your intentions before using it, otherwise your wish to be the richest man on earth, may leave you being the only man on earth, kind of idea. In this way there are lots of restrictions on it and no one really can be too over-powered.
Same with the dragons, only a few have riders and they’re territorial and jealous of their bonded rider partners having friends. This didn’t stop the main character, Delno, from having a girlfriend later but everything was fine with lots of reassurance to his dragon partner.
And I think that is pretty much where I was stuck on the rating, everything was fine, all the time. In a lot of ways this felt more like a slice of life story than anything. We spend our time learning about the world, and the people, and the dragons, and everything is hunky dory for the most part, with only a few setbacks that were solved fairly quickly.
I guess for me, if I am sitting through lots of world building I either need a damn good character to keep me interested, or a really tight plot, and though I liked Delno and the world that was created, I think maybe it was just a bit too easy all around and maybe would have worked better for me if it hadn’t tried to be anything else but a guy learning to care for his Dragon.
So, think of this as a 3.5. I'm adding half a star because while this may not have been quite my cup of tea, it was pretty solid for a debut and its enjoyable slice of fantasy life feeling, might be perfect for someone else.
Other notes-
As a chicken person, I had a great big chuckle over the dragon being egg-bound and had a hard time not picturing feathery-butted dragons for awhile. And for those who are interested, it is a real problem- we have lost chickens to being egg-bound in the past.
Also- if my son was still a younger teen, I think he would have enjoyed this book a lot.
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