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Riders of Fire #0
Amethyst Dragon
Lars vows he'll be a dragon rider one day, but the choices he'll face could break his heart.
When Lars is chosen to be the harpist for Master Mage Giddi’s wedding at Dragon’s Hold, he’s honored to play for the mages, dragon riders and the mighty dragons who rule the realm.
He vows one day he’ll also be a dragon rider and soar through the skies to protect Dragons’ Realm — and Lydia, the girl he loves.
Then strange new monsters attack Spanglewood Settlement. Lars must fight the village council to ensure their people are defended. Frustrated when the leaders won’t listen, Lars takes matters into his own hands.
But when he imprints with an amethyst dragon deep in Great Spanglewood Forest, Lars never suspects his actions could cost him the woman he loves.
And as he’s drawn deeper into danger, Lars is faced with choices that will shred his heart.
Soar on dragonback with the wind in your hair and your heart pounding! Get swept into danger, find romance and discover the new threat to Dragons' Realm. Grab your copy today!
When Lars is chosen to be the harpist for Master Mage Giddi’s wedding at Dragon’s Hold, he’s honored to play for the mages, dragon riders and the mighty dragons who rule the realm.
He vows one day he’ll also be a dragon rider and soar through the skies to protect Dragons’ Realm — and Lydia, the girl he loves.
Then strange new monsters attack Spanglewood Settlement. Lars must fight the village council to ensure their people are defended. Frustrated when the leaders won’t listen, Lars takes matters into his own hands.
But when he imprints with an amethyst dragon deep in Great Spanglewood Forest, Lars never suspects his actions could cost him the woman he loves.
And as he’s drawn deeper into danger, Lars is faced with choices that will shred his heart.
Soar on dragonback with the wind in your hair and your heart pounding! Get swept into danger, find romance and discover the new threat to Dragons' Realm. Grab your copy today!
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2023
98 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Mueller
69 books878 followersEileen Mueller is a USA Today multi-award-winning author of heart-pounding fantasy novels that will keep you turning the page.
Dive into her worlds, full of magic, love, adventure and dragons! Eileen lives in New Zealand, in a cave, with four dragonets and a shape shifter, writing for young adults, children and everyone who loves adventure.
Visit her website at www.EileenMuellerAuthor.com for FREE books, new releases or to become a Rider of Fire!
Awards:
2019 Two Storylines NZ Notable Book Awards - Ezaara & Dragon Hero
2017 Sir Julius Vogel Award, Best New Talent
2016 Sir Julius Vogel Award, Best Youth Novel
2017 finalist, Romance Writers New Zealand Chapter Short Story contest.
2013 winner, SpecFicNZ Going Global
2013 co-winner, New Zealand Society of Authors’ NorthWrite Collaboration
New Zealander of the Year Local Hero medalist.
Dive into her worlds, full of magic, love, adventure and dragons! Eileen lives in New Zealand, in a cave, with four dragonets and a shape shifter, writing for young adults, children and everyone who loves adventure.
Visit her website at www.EileenMuellerAuthor.com for FREE books, new releases or to become a Rider of Fire!
Awards:
2019 Two Storylines NZ Notable Book Awards - Ezaara & Dragon Hero
2017 Sir Julius Vogel Award, Best New Talent
2016 Sir Julius Vogel Award, Best Youth Novel
2017 finalist, Romance Writers New Zealand Chapter Short Story contest.
2013 winner, SpecFicNZ Going Global
2013 co-winner, New Zealand Society of Authors’ NorthWrite Collaboration
New Zealander of the Year Local Hero medalist.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 30, 2023
I find it rather ironic that after the successful hunt of two giant wild boars and another two smaller boars for the Hunter's feast, both Lars and David would agree that wild boar hunting really is rather a dangerous occupation.
Ironic? Yes, because Lars subsequently got to Dragon Hall to play his harp at Master Giddi's wedding.
I love the harp. That Lars would and could play such with intuitive feeling certainly stemmed me to regard him as a favourite character.
But that this wedding would lead to eventually also imprinting with an Amethyst dragon none could have foreseen.
Nor what training would eventually be involved. Or the danger following that would pale by far the dangerous boar hunting that Arbitrator Ronan commissioned Lars and David to do.
Too bad Lars did not always display such practical reality when it came to the romantic side but youthful inexperience can be blamed there.
When it comes to mesmerising, immersive young adult epic fantasy there are very few authors can hold a candle to Eileen Mueller and Amethyst Dragon once more proves why. The plot simply sparkles.
Enjoy.
Ironic? Yes, because Lars subsequently got to Dragon Hall to play his harp at Master Giddi's wedding.
I love the harp. That Lars would and could play such with intuitive feeling certainly stemmed me to regard him as a favourite character.
But that this wedding would lead to eventually also imprinting with an Amethyst dragon none could have foreseen.
Nor what training would eventually be involved. Or the danger following that would pale by far the dangerous boar hunting that Arbitrator Ronan commissioned Lars and David to do.
Too bad Lars did not always display such practical reality when it came to the romantic side but youthful inexperience can be blamed there.
When it comes to mesmerising, immersive young adult epic fantasy there are very few authors can hold a candle to Eileen Mueller and Amethyst Dragon once more proves why. The plot simply sparkles.
Enjoy.
November 29, 2023
I received a copy of this book from Action Fantasy Book Club.
This novel is a prequel to Riders of Fire Dragon Riders.
Have you ever wondered if dragons and people could get along? Wonder no more. Not only do they get along but some bond with each other and fight for their bonds people with mages helping too.
This was a really good read full of action and adventure with a gentle love story woven through it.
It is well written with believable characters that do not always say what they are feeling much like real life.
I will certainly be reading more of this series in the future.
This novel is a prequel to Riders of Fire Dragon Riders.
Have you ever wondered if dragons and people could get along? Wonder no more. Not only do they get along but some bond with each other and fight for their bonds people with mages helping too.
This was a really good read full of action and adventure with a gentle love story woven through it.
It is well written with believable characters that do not always say what they are feeling much like real life.
I will certainly be reading more of this series in the future.
November 29, 2023
Another delightfully constructed story. Lars and Lydia.
Lars has always loved Lydia, as she has loved him, but since her father hates him, he has little chance of being happily linked to her. He imprints with a dragon, through his abilities of music. And with dragon in tow, he battles Tharuks, and lost love. With Tharuks, raiding all over Spanglewood forest, Lars tries to mend his heart by rekindling his love for Lydia.
It really is wonderful to fill in the gaps, of the characters in the Riders of Fire series, that we all loved reading about. Look forward to more.
Lars has always loved Lydia, as she has loved him, but since her father hates him, he has little chance of being happily linked to her. He imprints with a dragon, through his abilities of music. And with dragon in tow, he battles Tharuks, and lost love. With Tharuks, raiding all over Spanglewood forest, Lars tries to mend his heart by rekindling his love for Lydia.
It really is wonderful to fill in the gaps, of the characters in the Riders of Fire series, that we all loved reading about. Look forward to more.
November 29, 2023
OH MY GOSH THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD! I could barely put it down. I already loved this world from the series, but this book was a much lighter, almost cozy, story set in the same world. This one is much more Romantasy rather than Epic, but sometimes that's exactly what I need. I immediately jumped back into finishing her other books when I got done with this one because it reminded me how much I adore these characters and this magical world! ❤️
June 27, 2025
It's time for the Summer Reading Challenge, as hosted by the Indie Fantasy Addicts group on Facebook, and so here we are with the first book I've read for this challenge. Let's dive in, and we'll see how my first indie fantasy book has gone this summer!
POV: Third person limited
POV Character(s): Multiple but primarily Lars and Lydia
Verb Tense: Past
Triggers: Mentions of drownings, death, depictions of battles and maulings
Spice Level: Low, kisses only
This is a YA fantasy book, the first in what appears to be a duology prequel to Mueller's series "Riders of Fire." It's an epic fantasy series, and this one would fall more under the romantic fantasy category as it does focus primarily on the relationship between the main characters, Lars and Lydia.
I really enjoyed diving into Mueller's world. You can tell she's spent time building this world and its lore as you read even the beginning of the book because it has plenty of mentions of things that I find myself itching to learn more about. We meet Lars, a simple tanner who's out on a hunt with his buddy David, having received the honor of being the hunters responsible for providing the feast for a Hunters Feast celebration in their home of Spanglewood Settlement. It's their responsibility to hunt the boars that will feed the entire settlement and allow the celebration to last well into the night, and so we jump right into the moment when a number of boars are charging into a clearing to attack the young men.
So as far as your typical story goes, this one launches us straight into some action and gives us some great information about both Lars and David. Lars is steady, tall, strong, and dependable, but he also cares deeply for his friend and tries to protect David, who suffered an injury in the past and now isn't quite as effective on the hunt as he used to be. David, on the other hand, is a jokester known for his ridiculous puns and crazy schemes, and he offers us a bit of comedic relief and gives Lars an extra perspective when he's spending too much time over-thinking things.
The characters in the story are pretty well-rounded. Lydia is the daughter of the settlement's leader, and she's pretty, vivacious, a gardener, and totally head over heels for Lars. Her father poses the greatest threat to her happiness with the man she loves as he has some secret grudge against Lars and makes no bones about his displeasure when the younger man is anywhere in his vicinity.
As far as side characters go, there were some delightful ones that Mueller introduced us to. David, of course, was the comic relief in most of his scenes, but there was also Marlies, a lovely dragon rider and healer whose compassion and physique made her a formidable opponent to Lydia without her even trying, and Seppi, a dragon rider who we meet when he and his dragon Septimor arrive at Spanglewood Settlement for the feast and enjoy the music.
Speaking of music, I liked that Lars is into music. It's fairly common for the burly, strapping young men to have more masculine hobbies, which he does as well, but to give him the ability to play the harp was a fun choice. He's a harpist, a tanner, and even a deft hand with a needle and thread as he practices embroidery on his leather products.
The story actually has what I'd consider mid-stakes. We follow Lars and Lydia and the progression of their relationship, but it's clear from the get-go they're in love with each other, even if they can't show it. The primary issue, of course, is Lydia's father. He refuses to let her spend time with Lars and keeps trying to get her to go out with the other village men he considers above Lars' station.
But there's another issue that throws a real wrench into things. The village is attacked by strange creatures no one's seen before, and Lars is the only one leading the charge to defend the settlement by setting up a perimeter watch. Despite his bravery and strategizing, Lydia's father refuses to give him any credit for his work. And so Lars continues to deal with disrespect until he happens upon a dragon in the forest.
The dragons in this book are really fun. They come in all sorts of colors, they mind-meld with their riders after imprinting with them, and they sometimes have special skills and abilities. For Lars, he meets "his" dragon and learns that dragons always take their name from a syllable in their imprinted rider's name; thus, he imprints with his dragon, Singlar.
I liked Mueller's take on dragons and the relationship between dragons and humans in this world. Dragon's Realm is actually ruled by a dragon, and it took me a hot minute to figure that out. But it's really fascinating how she's built this symbiotic relationship between humans and dragons and even placed a dragon as the ruler of the realm. Dragons speak to one another through their minds, some humans have the ability to mind-meld with other dragons and humans, and there are even mages who can cast magic and ride out to battle with the dragons and their riders.
I will say I wish I'd gotten a bit more info in this book. If you start in this prequel series, you'll find a lot of things aren't necessarily laid out with detail. For example, there are different colored groups of dragon riders. It's not explained why there are four groups or if it's based on their abilities, tasks, locations, or what. Based on the map at the front of the book, however, I'm guessing the different dragon rider groups are simply given color coded names to represent where they're stationed. (I could be wrong.) But it's things like that that are likely spelled out in the larger series of Dragon Rider books Mueller's written that I wish had gotten even a passing explanation in this one because it left me wondering what certain things were.
Aside from that, though, I have very little other criticism for this book. It was a relaxing read, fairly quick, and it made me curious about some of the side characters mentioned because I already know they have their own stories in other series Mueller's created for this world.
I'll certainly go and check out more of this series as I have time. It's been a fun read, and it was a nice, low-key dive back into fantasy.
POV: Third person limited
POV Character(s): Multiple but primarily Lars and Lydia
Verb Tense: Past
Triggers: Mentions of drownings, death, depictions of battles and maulings
Spice Level: Low, kisses only
This is a YA fantasy book, the first in what appears to be a duology prequel to Mueller's series "Riders of Fire." It's an epic fantasy series, and this one would fall more under the romantic fantasy category as it does focus primarily on the relationship between the main characters, Lars and Lydia.
I really enjoyed diving into Mueller's world. You can tell she's spent time building this world and its lore as you read even the beginning of the book because it has plenty of mentions of things that I find myself itching to learn more about. We meet Lars, a simple tanner who's out on a hunt with his buddy David, having received the honor of being the hunters responsible for providing the feast for a Hunters Feast celebration in their home of Spanglewood Settlement. It's their responsibility to hunt the boars that will feed the entire settlement and allow the celebration to last well into the night, and so we jump right into the moment when a number of boars are charging into a clearing to attack the young men.
So as far as your typical story goes, this one launches us straight into some action and gives us some great information about both Lars and David. Lars is steady, tall, strong, and dependable, but he also cares deeply for his friend and tries to protect David, who suffered an injury in the past and now isn't quite as effective on the hunt as he used to be. David, on the other hand, is a jokester known for his ridiculous puns and crazy schemes, and he offers us a bit of comedic relief and gives Lars an extra perspective when he's spending too much time over-thinking things.
The characters in the story are pretty well-rounded. Lydia is the daughter of the settlement's leader, and she's pretty, vivacious, a gardener, and totally head over heels for Lars. Her father poses the greatest threat to her happiness with the man she loves as he has some secret grudge against Lars and makes no bones about his displeasure when the younger man is anywhere in his vicinity.
As far as side characters go, there were some delightful ones that Mueller introduced us to. David, of course, was the comic relief in most of his scenes, but there was also Marlies, a lovely dragon rider and healer whose compassion and physique made her a formidable opponent to Lydia without her even trying, and Seppi, a dragon rider who we meet when he and his dragon Septimor arrive at Spanglewood Settlement for the feast and enjoy the music.
Speaking of music, I liked that Lars is into music. It's fairly common for the burly, strapping young men to have more masculine hobbies, which he does as well, but to give him the ability to play the harp was a fun choice. He's a harpist, a tanner, and even a deft hand with a needle and thread as he practices embroidery on his leather products.
The story actually has what I'd consider mid-stakes. We follow Lars and Lydia and the progression of their relationship, but it's clear from the get-go they're in love with each other, even if they can't show it. The primary issue, of course, is Lydia's father. He refuses to let her spend time with Lars and keeps trying to get her to go out with the other village men he considers above Lars' station.
But there's another issue that throws a real wrench into things. The village is attacked by strange creatures no one's seen before, and Lars is the only one leading the charge to defend the settlement by setting up a perimeter watch. Despite his bravery and strategizing, Lydia's father refuses to give him any credit for his work. And so Lars continues to deal with disrespect until he happens upon a dragon in the forest.
The dragons in this book are really fun. They come in all sorts of colors, they mind-meld with their riders after imprinting with them, and they sometimes have special skills and abilities. For Lars, he meets "his" dragon and learns that dragons always take their name from a syllable in their imprinted rider's name; thus, he imprints with his dragon, Singlar.
I liked Mueller's take on dragons and the relationship between dragons and humans in this world. Dragon's Realm is actually ruled by a dragon, and it took me a hot minute to figure that out. But it's really fascinating how she's built this symbiotic relationship between humans and dragons and even placed a dragon as the ruler of the realm. Dragons speak to one another through their minds, some humans have the ability to mind-meld with other dragons and humans, and there are even mages who can cast magic and ride out to battle with the dragons and their riders.
I will say I wish I'd gotten a bit more info in this book. If you start in this prequel series, you'll find a lot of things aren't necessarily laid out with detail. For example, there are different colored groups of dragon riders. It's not explained why there are four groups or if it's based on their abilities, tasks, locations, or what. Based on the map at the front of the book, however, I'm guessing the different dragon rider groups are simply given color coded names to represent where they're stationed. (I could be wrong.) But it's things like that that are likely spelled out in the larger series of Dragon Rider books Mueller's written that I wish had gotten even a passing explanation in this one because it left me wondering what certain things were.
Aside from that, though, I have very little other criticism for this book. It was a relaxing read, fairly quick, and it made me curious about some of the side characters mentioned because I already know they have their own stories in other series Mueller's created for this world.
I'll certainly go and check out more of this series as I have time. It's been a fun read, and it was a nice, low-key dive back into fantasy.
June 10, 2025
Amethyst Dragon is a prequel book to the Riders of Fire series.
This one follows Lars and Lydia, though we do get the odd pov scene from some of the other side characters which is fun.
Lars is a hunter, tanner and harpist and Lydia is the daughter of the villages arbitrator. Her father hates Lars and forbids them from being together. Cue the conflict for this romantic tale.
Lars is a nice guy. A bit of an underdog to start but then finds his niche in life. I enjoyed following along as Lars bonded with Singlar. Singlar is an awesome dragon. I think a sassy dragon companion/bond mate is one of my favourite things in a book so Singlar’s attitude was a highlight. There was a section (no spoilers) where I was so mad at Lars but he pulled it around. While I enjoy a romantic subplot it’s not usually the main focus for me so I would have loved to see more in depth of Lars training, learning to fight and ride a dragon but that’s obviously a me preference.
I also really enjoyed Lydia’s glow up. Initially to me she comes across a bit passive. Just a sweet village girl with no agency of her own. Which isn’t a bad thing, her father is a controlling jerk which can be hard to fight against. But I really liked seeing her inner strength shine through.
This one’s a nice easy read. A fun, sweet, cosy romantasy bonus read to the main series.
This one follows Lars and Lydia, though we do get the odd pov scene from some of the other side characters which is fun.
Lars is a hunter, tanner and harpist and Lydia is the daughter of the villages arbitrator. Her father hates Lars and forbids them from being together. Cue the conflict for this romantic tale.
Lars is a nice guy. A bit of an underdog to start but then finds his niche in life. I enjoyed following along as Lars bonded with Singlar. Singlar is an awesome dragon. I think a sassy dragon companion/bond mate is one of my favourite things in a book so Singlar’s attitude was a highlight. There was a section (no spoilers) where I was so mad at Lars but he pulled it around. While I enjoy a romantic subplot it’s not usually the main focus for me so I would have loved to see more in depth of Lars training, learning to fight and ride a dragon but that’s obviously a me preference.
I also really enjoyed Lydia’s glow up. Initially to me she comes across a bit passive. Just a sweet village girl with no agency of her own. Which isn’t a bad thing, her father is a controlling jerk which can be hard to fight against. But I really liked seeing her inner strength shine through.
This one’s a nice easy read. A fun, sweet, cosy romantasy bonus read to the main series.
November 29, 2023
I love all the books by Ms. Mueller, as I love dragons and more so dragon riders, however I do think that Ms Mueller surpassed herself in this beautiful romantic novel which is full of the usual dragon rider adventures, and dragons in all their glory, however the romance in this book is amazing. Lars is a simple tanner with a love of music and a greater love for Lydia who happens to be the daughter of the arbitrator of Spanglewood Settlement, an obnoxious man if ever there was one. He hated Lars with a vengeance and tried to make him look small every chance he got. However Lars was a bigger man than him and when he bonded with Singlar, the amethyst dragon, he vowed he’d come back for his beloved. However the cruel taunts of her father made him doubt his worth so much so that he nearly broke his word to her and left her heartbroken. Something our strong, courageous and man of his word had never done before let alone to the woman who’d stolen his heart. I love that Lars became so loved and respected and that we got to meet a lot of the characters we had met in the Riders of Fire series, and that we once again got to travel on dragonback into Dragon Hold which is always a great experience in its own right. I look forward to more of these prequel novels and our lovely dragons!
November 29, 2023
Eileen has given us yet another fabulous tale of dragons and riders, with each new page as exciting as the last! Woohoo!!
Compared to previous Riders of Fire books, this book is a bit heavier with regards to romance, but still faithfully follows the characters that fall under Eileen's pen. They're filled with integrity, bravery, honesty (if not always with themselves straight away!) and faith in family.
Lars and Lydia's story is (as is often in the fantasy realm) not an easy one but is definitely worth the trials the put them on the correct path.
There are many characters that stand out in the book, some familiar names and faces (and scales!) as well as some new ones. Temu is an adorable littling who I'll remember fondly whenever I'm told there will be cake! 😉 she made me giggle!
As always, Eileen has written a fabulous story that fills in a few gaps from the previous books. As always, I'm dying to read the next book!
Compared to previous Riders of Fire books, this book is a bit heavier with regards to romance, but still faithfully follows the characters that fall under Eileen's pen. They're filled with integrity, bravery, honesty (if not always with themselves straight away!) and faith in family.
Lars and Lydia's story is (as is often in the fantasy realm) not an easy one but is definitely worth the trials the put them on the correct path.
There are many characters that stand out in the book, some familiar names and faces (and scales!) as well as some new ones. Temu is an adorable littling who I'll remember fondly whenever I'm told there will be cake! 😉 she made me giggle!
As always, Eileen has written a fabulous story that fills in a few gaps from the previous books. As always, I'm dying to read the next book!
November 28, 2023
‘May your love soar upon dragon wings’
This book handles the romantic aspect in a very realistic way (no spoilers, merely my general opinion). Life partnership takes more than love; it’s also about shared values, lifestyle choices, family size & dynamics, etc. So many things need to be considered with the head in addition to the heart. I think this book sets a good example of that…more than most…and our youth need this message.
I like how the author incorporates how to treat people:
‘Everyone gets their hands dirty, whether it’s with dirt, blood or coin.’
Don’t look down on manual laborers – they feed you and build your shelters.
Fave line:
‘If I had a scale for every time someone’s asked me that today, I’d have a whole dragon by now.’
May you live a life in which you ‘leap like a frisky dragonet’ at how wonderful it is!
This book handles the romantic aspect in a very realistic way (no spoilers, merely my general opinion). Life partnership takes more than love; it’s also about shared values, lifestyle choices, family size & dynamics, etc. So many things need to be considered with the head in addition to the heart. I think this book sets a good example of that…more than most…and our youth need this message.
I like how the author incorporates how to treat people:
‘Everyone gets their hands dirty, whether it’s with dirt, blood or coin.’
Don’t look down on manual laborers – they feed you and build your shelters.
Fave line:
‘If I had a scale for every time someone’s asked me that today, I’d have a whole dragon by now.’
May you live a life in which you ‘leap like a frisky dragonet’ at how wonderful it is!
November 28, 2023
"From musician to dragon rider"!!! This is Lars story! Lars is a respected and talented harpest, however his dream is to become a dragon rider. He will come across a new and evil threat to the realm. He will find love. He will bond with a dragon. He will deal with a moral delimma.... The writing here is fresh and clever. Heartwarming, gripping and thrilling. A good mix of drama, action and humor is what I like and it's all here. So, immerse yourself in a world of dragons, riders and monsters. You won't be disappointed in this thrilling tale that will leave you spellbound until the final page. Be ready to ride the sky on dragonback, battle monsters and fall in love in this terrific story.... (Release date is Nov 29th 2023)!!!
November 29, 2023
Yet another excellent read from Eileen Mueller. This is the story of Lars, a very talented harpist who is invited to Dragons Hold to play at the wedding of Master Mage Giddi. He is totally awestruck by the sight of so many different coloured Dragons and their riders. He discovers and fights evil monsters. Then he see a purple speck in the sky and hears a voice in his head saying "there you are" the speck grows larger and an Amethyst Dragon sings in his head "Lars come fly with me" and so Lars imprints and becomes what he has always wanted to be .. a Dragonrider. But now he faces tough decisions, and what about the woman he's loved for years ? Plus there are more battles with the monsters.
If you want to know more...read the book, you wont be disappointed.
If you want to know more...read the book, you wont be disappointed.
December 19, 2023
A captivating story of an orphan boy who has now grown into a man and is still trying to find his place in the village. Being in love with the leader's daughter does not help things, especially since her father hates him to the extent that when Lars accidentally kills a monster on the border of the village the leader refuses to believe him and accuses him of lying.
Unfortunately for the village and the realm, Lars did not lie and soon the same creature attacks the village as Lars had found and the quest to save the village and the realm begins.
This is the first book I have read by this author and the story is captivating and I will be reading more from her in the future.
Unfortunately for the village and the realm, Lars did not lie and soon the same creature attacks the village as Lars had found and the quest to save the village and the realm begins.
This is the first book I have read by this author and the story is captivating and I will be reading more from her in the future.
February 6, 2024
Dragons are big. They have serious weapons that they can fight with. This story does not disappoint. They are the big weapon in fighting the enemy. They are very intelligent and very skilled.
But in spite of the name, this story is the love story of Lars and Lydia. The author very carefully lays the story out in such a way as to pull the reader deeply into the story. The twists and turns of their relationship mirror the twists and turns caused by life with dragons. Both protagonists show true courage, both to their emotions and to their ability to protect their world. This is a great story, particularly if you love war and love wrapped in a delightful tale.
But in spite of the name, this story is the love story of Lars and Lydia. The author very carefully lays the story out in such a way as to pull the reader deeply into the story. The twists and turns of their relationship mirror the twists and turns caused by life with dragons. Both protagonists show true courage, both to their emotions and to their ability to protect their world. This is a great story, particularly if you love war and love wrapped in a delightful tale.
December 7, 2023
Fantasy adventure with clean romance, endearing characters and dragons! The adventure and action in the story is equal to the charming nature of the romance, though often not under a happy circumstance, the likability of both new and previously introduce characters, and the friendships carried through and made new. Of course, a wonderful dragon involved plus all the dragon friends with their varied personalities!!! It’s a well-crafted story and a very entertaining read as is the whole series!
December 12, 2023
Great addition to the Dragon's realm
The story of Lars and Lydia is well written and enjoyable.
I frankly can not comprehend how authors write books in various time periods and get the facts to mesh.
But we get to see how two young people either so much to lose mature into young adults.
Be certain to read each of these "spin off" stories.
The story of Lars and Lydia is well written and enjoyable.
I frankly can not comprehend how authors write books in various time periods and get the facts to mesh.
But we get to see how two young people either so much to lose mature into young adults.
Be certain to read each of these "spin off" stories.
December 21, 2023
I enjoyed Amethyst Dragon for the most, but there were a few too many mentions of ‘I thought my heart would burst’. I rarely read romance so I don’t have any scale to judge that by. But, the dragon parts and the danger scenes were great.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
November 29, 2023
Lars!
Escape to Dragon's Hole with wonderful characters, that are like old friends. Experience love, romance, adventure, courage in this very unpredictable, easy to read story. Eileen brings real everyday life into her stories along with great world building.
Escape to Dragon's Hole with wonderful characters, that are like old friends. Experience love, romance, adventure, courage in this very unpredictable, easy to read story. Eileen brings real everyday life into her stories along with great world building.
December 31, 2023
Once again an amazing story. All Lars wants is to be a dragon rider, unfortunately it seems to come with danger. Will he lose his one true love before his dream comes true. Amazing fantasy as always.
December 1, 2023
Truly captivating
Amethyst Dragon is filled with all of the thrills and emotions of a truly good book!
From battles, bonding with a Dragon, and love!
Amethyst Dragon is filled with all of the thrills and emotions of a truly good book!
From battles, bonding with a Dragon, and love!
March 29, 2024
Enjoyable story.
A well written story that is hard to put down. It has a little of everything - young love, bravery, dedication, unbelieving elders, monsters and dragons.
A well written story that is hard to put down. It has a little of everything - young love, bravery, dedication, unbelieving elders, monsters and dragons.
June 28, 2024
Excellent book!
I liked this book very much.
It dragons and their riders in it with some loving
A young man finds love and becomes a dragon rider.
I liked this book very much.
It dragons and their riders in it with some loving
A young man finds love and becomes a dragon rider.
November 2, 2024
This is the first book I've read in Mueller's world of Fire dragons, and although this is a prequel, it is the prequel to a new spin off series, because much has obviously already happened and there is a history already written for some of the characters, so it did feel as if I entered the story half way.
Amethyst Dragon introduces us to Lars, a responsible lad, faling in love with his sweetheart, and determined to keep his village safe. Unfortunately, the village elders won't listen to him, deem him to be untrustworthy and beneath their notice. So Lars decides to protect the villagers himself.
There are some creepy monsters afoot, and Lars's path crosses with both the monsters and dragons, who enjoy listening to his harp playing. As Lars's world expands, he has some difficult decisions to make.
An enjoyabe coming of age tale and realising what is truly important to you admidst the chaos of change and battle. And of course, lots of lovely dragons to meet.
I definitely need to go back to the beginning of the first series to see how we arrived here!
Amethyst Dragon introduces us to Lars, a responsible lad, faling in love with his sweetheart, and determined to keep his village safe. Unfortunately, the village elders won't listen to him, deem him to be untrustworthy and beneath their notice. So Lars decides to protect the villagers himself.
There are some creepy monsters afoot, and Lars's path crosses with both the monsters and dragons, who enjoy listening to his harp playing. As Lars's world expands, he has some difficult decisions to make.
An enjoyabe coming of age tale and realising what is truly important to you admidst the chaos of change and battle. And of course, lots of lovely dragons to meet.
I definitely need to go back to the beginning of the first series to see how we arrived here!
March 4, 2024
I read this as part of the action fantasy book club.
This was a bit of a strange one - it was presented as a standalone entry into the Riders of Fire series, but it is quite obvious that there is a lot of lore and story to catch up on when reading it. Eileen Mueller does an admirable job of filling in the world and its history in a relatively short word count though, but I still probably would not recommend this as an entry point to the world, just because of the shear number of things presented as fete accompli without much background details.
Moving onto the story itself, this is a romance heavy YA story. Honestly, the romance did not work at all for me - it threw in all the tropes for these type of YA romantasies - obstructive father who does not think suitor is good enough, piss poor communication, oblivious love triangle. I honestly find these type of things more frustrating to read than anything. Beyond that the prose did not really work for me either - it was a bit too simplistic (which feeds into the YA style I know, but it left me feeling a bit flat, particularly being thrust into the world without any previous reading here).
Honestly, I think I started in the wrong place in this series, so I will be reading some more of the authors work to see if it helps. As always with these things YMMV. There is definitely an interesting world that has been built here so it will be interesting to see what else is done with it
This was a bit of a strange one - it was presented as a standalone entry into the Riders of Fire series, but it is quite obvious that there is a lot of lore and story to catch up on when reading it. Eileen Mueller does an admirable job of filling in the world and its history in a relatively short word count though, but I still probably would not recommend this as an entry point to the world, just because of the shear number of things presented as fete accompli without much background details.
Moving onto the story itself, this is a romance heavy YA story. Honestly, the romance did not work at all for me - it threw in all the tropes for these type of YA romantasies - obstructive father who does not think suitor is good enough, piss poor communication, oblivious love triangle. I honestly find these type of things more frustrating to read than anything. Beyond that the prose did not really work for me either - it was a bit too simplistic (which feeds into the YA style I know, but it left me feeling a bit flat, particularly being thrust into the world without any previous reading here).
Honestly, I think I started in the wrong place in this series, so I will be reading some more of the authors work to see if it helps. As always with these things YMMV. There is definitely an interesting world that has been built here so it will be interesting to see what else is done with it
June 26, 2025
Geesh, sometimes father's can be so blind, sometimes father's THINK they know what is best for their child without actually asking. And so it is with Lydia, her father is intent on her courting someone HE deems fit, which is definitely, according to him, not Lars. And it definitely doesn't help that her father is a hot shot in the village, he's the arbitrator. But both Lydia and Lars feel something for each other, something neither can act upon. I love Lars, he's so brave, he's a true friend, he's kind and smart and he's one heck of a hunter. Talking about friend's, David is the best anyone could ask for. Their friendship and support of one another is just gorgeous. But Lars is a nobody, a nothing in the eyes of Ronan, just an orphan who's a tanner and plays a harp. Well, good golly is THAT about to all change! He receives an invite to play at Giddi' handfasting, which had me cheering! And the reception Lars gets at Dragon Hold elicited lots of "aaaahhhh's", melting my heart, I love an underdog making good. He does that in abundance! And Lydia, well, I had serious doubts she'd develop a backbone and confront her very controlling father, but phew, EVENTUALLY she takes a stand... having to fend off yukky suitors and deadly monsters will do that for one.
I loved seeing Lars evolve, seeing him respected, I love seeing him come into his own, seeing his self worth bloom, I love his bond with Singlar and how much he feels, although, shards, for a minute there I thought Lars was fickle! Phew, what a relief to discover he's not, just mightily confused. And I absolutely adore Singlar, actually, what I do love reading an Eileen Mueller book is her Dragons, all of them. She "humanised" them in such a way, it's practically impossible not to love them or the complex normalness of the characters she creates. Ms Mueller has this incredible ability to bring out the "wow", the "ooo", the "nooo", the"aww", the"eew", the "sigh", in fact, every emotion on the spectrum!
A beautiful, heartening romantic tale, filled to the brim with dangers, with the unknown, with heart thumping action, in a wonderful coming of age story, set in a world I absolutely adore, one full of Dragons and their riders, with familiar characters that have already notched their way under my skin. And now I have added a few more to my collection, each one as loved as the rest. A standalone with heart, a standalone which will have you scrambling for the rest in this gorgeous series.
I loved seeing Lars evolve, seeing him respected, I love seeing him come into his own, seeing his self worth bloom, I love his bond with Singlar and how much he feels, although, shards, for a minute there I thought Lars was fickle! Phew, what a relief to discover he's not, just mightily confused. And I absolutely adore Singlar, actually, what I do love reading an Eileen Mueller book is her Dragons, all of them. She "humanised" them in such a way, it's practically impossible not to love them or the complex normalness of the characters she creates. Ms Mueller has this incredible ability to bring out the "wow", the "ooo", the "nooo", the"aww", the"eew", the "sigh", in fact, every emotion on the spectrum!
A beautiful, heartening romantic tale, filled to the brim with dangers, with the unknown, with heart thumping action, in a wonderful coming of age story, set in a world I absolutely adore, one full of Dragons and their riders, with familiar characters that have already notched their way under my skin. And now I have added a few more to my collection, each one as loved as the rest. A standalone with heart, a standalone which will have you scrambling for the rest in this gorgeous series.
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