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The Last Dragon Rider #1
Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider
From the author of Ultimate Level 1: When a bold teenager discovers a strange egg, he becomes the first human in generations to bond with a dragon.
Kaen is a typical teenage orphan in Ebonmount—toiling in a quarry for his keep as he yearns for adventure far beyond the confines of his laborious existence. But everything changes when he stumbles upon a bronze egg. From its shell emerges Pammon, a dragon, marking Kaen as the first human in generations to bond with such a creature and entwining his destiny with that of the elite adventurers’ guild. Suddenly thrust into a life he’s only dreamed of, Kaen embraces his bond with Pammon and what it truly means to be chosen by fate.
But as he steps onto the path once walked by his late father, the thrill of adventure is overshadowed by his quest for the truth behind the man’s mysterious death. Soon Kaen and Pammon’s journey becomes one fraught with peril, filled with both the promise of discovery and the ever-present risk of loss. Together, they must navigate their bond, the guild’s expectations, and the reality that every flight soars on the wings of danger.
Serving up breathtaking exploits as well as the true heart of a family drama, Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider is perfect for fans of Christopher Paolini and Rick Riordan alike.
The first volume of the hit LitRPG adventure series—with almost two million views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
Kaen is a typical teenage orphan in Ebonmount—toiling in a quarry for his keep as he yearns for adventure far beyond the confines of his laborious existence. But everything changes when he stumbles upon a bronze egg. From its shell emerges Pammon, a dragon, marking Kaen as the first human in generations to bond with such a creature and entwining his destiny with that of the elite adventurers’ guild. Suddenly thrust into a life he’s only dreamed of, Kaen embraces his bond with Pammon and what it truly means to be chosen by fate.
But as he steps onto the path once walked by his late father, the thrill of adventure is overshadowed by his quest for the truth behind the man’s mysterious death. Soon Kaen and Pammon’s journey becomes one fraught with peril, filled with both the promise of discovery and the ever-present risk of loss. Together, they must navigate their bond, the guild’s expectations, and the reality that every flight soars on the wings of danger.
Serving up breathtaking exploits as well as the true heart of a family drama, Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider is perfect for fans of Christopher Paolini and Rick Riordan alike.
The first volume of the hit LitRPG adventure series—with almost two million views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
539 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2024
187 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 26, 2024
4.5 stars ...
Let me preface this with ...
I am not a gamer.
Never have been,
never will be.
Therefore,
I went into this with a little trepidation.
I really had no idea what to expect
from my first "LitRPG" story.
The blurb sounded fun so ... 🤷♂️
I loved it!! 👍😁👍 Super fun story with excellent characterizations and a well-developed, layered plot that never got dull despite being well over 500 pages (22 hour audiobook ... narrated so very well by Eric Michael Summerer). I am absolutely gonna be finishing this trilogy. If you enjoy this genre, whether you're a gamer or not, give this a read/listen! 🐉🐲🐉🐲🐉
Let me preface this with ...
I am not a gamer.
Never have been,
never will be.
Therefore,
I went into this with a little trepidation.
I really had no idea what to expect
from my first "LitRPG" story.
The blurb sounded fun so ... 🤷♂️
I loved it!! 👍😁👍 Super fun story with excellent characterizations and a well-developed, layered plot that never got dull despite being well over 500 pages (22 hour audiobook ... narrated so very well by Eric Michael Summerer). I am absolutely gonna be finishing this trilogy. If you enjoy this genre, whether you're a gamer or not, give this a read/listen! 🐉🐲🐉🐲🐉
April 11, 2024
Great story! it was fun from start to finish!
I really like this story. Karen and Pammon are definitely well rounded characters. I really enjoy the effort to build the full world while still leaving things hidden just beyond the next page.
That said, there were a few minor editorial issues with peoples names, and in one or two cases the sentence appeared to be in the wrong order. Not enough to detract from the overall story, but issues that do need some work.
I really like this story. Karen and Pammon are definitely well rounded characters. I really enjoy the effort to build the full world while still leaving things hidden just beyond the next page.
That said, there were a few minor editorial issues with peoples names, and in one or two cases the sentence appeared to be in the wrong order. Not enough to detract from the overall story, but issues that do need some work.
December 30, 2024
I keep trying LitRPG, and so far only Dungeon Crawler Carl has made the cut for me. I tried this one mostly because the author wrote an interesting post on reddit and I was impressed at his volume of output and publishing success, so as I often do, I was curious to see what makes a successful litrpg author.
Sigh. The title is the biggest yellow flag: is "Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider" a title that looks generated by ChatGPT or what? Sadly, so does the writing. It's as generic a LitRPG as I can imagine. The opening is a female dragon escaping from some kind of master/dominant dragon with her egg, and being chased by his harem, before hiding her egg and then doing a suicide dive into a volcano.
And so later, a Farmboy of Destiny finds the dragon egg and I can see how the story is going to go from here.
Besides Generic Fantasy Plot #317b, the LitRPG elements are very intrusive and completely unnecessary.
Besides the amateurish writing (yes, I am judging all those unnecessary dialog tags), these "look up your stats" moments happen throughout the first few chapters, with absolutely no explanation. Are they all in a VR world? Why are they in a litrpg world where people (and dragons) literally watch Numbers Go Up as they go about their lives? Why do farmers and miners talk about joining the "Adventurers Guild"? I am still new to this genre and it seems a lot of litrpgs do this, simply dump you into a world that works like that, but this doesn't work for me.
If you are asking, why do you keep reading this genre you evidently don't enjoy, it's because I feel like it could be done well, and the premise has a light appeal to me conceptually. It just appears that the recipe for most litrpg authors is "Pump out books at fast as possible and make Numbers Go Up."
Sigh. The title is the biggest yellow flag: is "Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider" a title that looks generated by ChatGPT or what? Sadly, so does the writing. It's as generic a LitRPG as I can imagine. The opening is a female dragon escaping from some kind of master/dominant dragon with her egg, and being chased by his harem, before hiding her egg and then doing a suicide dive into a volcano.
And so later, a Farmboy of Destiny finds the dragon egg and I can see how the story is going to go from here.
Besides Generic Fantasy Plot #317b, the LitRPG elements are very intrusive and completely unnecessary.
"I'll pass the archer test easily. I can hit most of the animals I shoot at," Kaen declared.
Hess smiled and crossed his arms. "Can you hit them when they are running, and you are running? What about when it is attacking you? When your nerves freeze, and everything in you tells you to escape. Can you make those same shots when someone yells in your ear?" Hess asked.
Kaen opened his mouth, but suddenly found no words coming out. He thought about that for a moment.
Skill Archery Status
[Archery 8]
"My archery skill is an eight! That is really good!"
Hess shook his head.
He almost said Son but he caught himself.
"Kaen, that is an average skill for a boy who shoots animals in the woods that do not know he is there. For an adventurer, you need at least a fifteen or higher."
Besides the amateurish writing (yes, I am judging all those unnecessary dialog tags), these "look up your stats" moments happen throughout the first few chapters, with absolutely no explanation. Are they all in a VR world? Why are they in a litrpg world where people (and dragons) literally watch Numbers Go Up as they go about their lives? Why do farmers and miners talk about joining the "Adventurers Guild"? I am still new to this genre and it seems a lot of litrpgs do this, simply dump you into a world that works like that, but this doesn't work for me.
If you are asking, why do you keep reading this genre you evidently don't enjoy, it's because I feel like it could be done well, and the premise has a light appeal to me conceptually. It just appears that the recipe for most litrpg authors is "Pump out books at fast as possible and make Numbers Go Up."
November 24, 2025
First, let me say that I finished another series by this author (Ultimate Level 1) and loved it. So I'm truly disappointed to realize that this book was not good at all.
It's set in a totally derivative world (elves, dwarves, dragons, etc.) and it's the most cliched dragon story there is (boy from a small village finds a dragon egg and bonds with it). That's not the worst part, though. A well told story arc can be enjoyed again and again.
But this one was so boring--there was almost never any real risk to the main character. Even worse is that the characters themselves were unrealistic. A few examples: in his tiny village, he doesn't remember the name of one of the other people, a 17 year old gives advice and courage to a 50 year old mentor about women, the crowd universally loves and celebrates the new kid who gets a special reward, people on the road share a single backstory point then say let's not talk about it anymore--and don't talk about anything for the rest of the journey. Lazy writing, all.
His other series is in a classic world, but has truly interesting characters and great nuances to the world and politics. So, skip this one and read the other.
It's set in a totally derivative world (elves, dwarves, dragons, etc.) and it's the most cliched dragon story there is (boy from a small village finds a dragon egg and bonds with it). That's not the worst part, though. A well told story arc can be enjoyed again and again.
But this one was so boring--there was almost never any real risk to the main character. Even worse is that the characters themselves were unrealistic. A few examples: in his tiny village, he doesn't remember the name of one of the other people, a 17 year old gives advice and courage to a 50 year old mentor about women, the crowd universally loves and celebrates the new kid who gets a special reward, people on the road share a single backstory point then say let's not talk about it anymore--and don't talk about anything for the rest of the journey. Lazy writing, all.
His other series is in a classic world, but has truly interesting characters and great nuances to the world and politics. So, skip this one and read the other.
January 26, 2026
I picked up Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider: A LitRPG Progression Fantasy by Shawn Wilson during one of Audible’s 2-for-1 sales. I decided to give it a try for a few reasons: I’ve enjoyed almost every dragon rider book I’ve read, I generally like a good LitRPG story, and I’m always drawn to the start of a promising series. While there have been a few LitRPG books I couldn’t get through for one reason or another, this one does not disappoint.
In this fantasy world, dragons exist, but most are wild, and there hasn’t been a new dragon rider in over 200 years until Kaen. The story quickly pulls you in as Kaen and Pammon grow together, facing battles and challenges that slowly forge an unbreakable bond between them. As I read this book, I often forgot it was a LitRPG because of how smoothly the story flows; the only times I was reminded of the genre were when Kaen referenced his stats.
From beginning to end, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging story with plenty of exciting moments. I liked it so much that I ended up buying extra credits to continue the series right away. I’ll definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future.
In this fantasy world, dragons exist, but most are wild, and there hasn’t been a new dragon rider in over 200 years until Kaen. The story quickly pulls you in as Kaen and Pammon grow together, facing battles and challenges that slowly forge an unbreakable bond between them. As I read this book, I often forgot it was a LitRPG because of how smoothly the story flows; the only times I was reminded of the genre were when Kaen referenced his stats.
From beginning to end, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging story with plenty of exciting moments. I liked it so much that I ended up buying extra credits to continue the series right away. I’ll definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future.
April 28, 2024
Like a LitRPG Eragon. Dragons and humans almost never bond anymore, so it's quite the surprise when young Kaen finds an egg and bonds with his dragon Pammon. Kaen had always hoped to follow in his late father's footsteps and join the adventurers' guild. His connection with Pammon just kicks it off even earlier than expected. Life as an adventurer will not be easy, but Kaen and Pammon have an important role to play. The future seems bright for these two.
This was a fun read. I enjoyed Kaen's connections with Pammon and with his father figure, Hess. It was nice to follow along as Kaen builds the bond with Pammon and learns the necessary skills to succeed as an adventurer. There's plenty of action and a perfect set up for the next installment. Maybe a bit long, but still quite enjoyable overall.
I received a free copy of this book via Podium Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a fun read. I enjoyed Kaen's connections with Pammon and with his father figure, Hess. It was nice to follow along as Kaen builds the bond with Pammon and learns the necessary skills to succeed as an adventurer. There's plenty of action and a perfect set up for the next installment. Maybe a bit long, but still quite enjoyable overall.
I received a free copy of this book via Podium Team and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 16, 2025
The start was quite similar to Eragon. I couldn't help but compare it to that, since Eragon is quite dear to my heart. Things start to switch more towards the litrpg side of the story around the middle.
I found the writing quite simple. The story, the character growth, the levelling up, everything feels basic. It did make for an easy read though. This book desperately needs development editing.
The author overuses the word "breath". He uses it 172 times in this book, and while that may not seem like a lot, given this book is over 500 pages long, I couldn't help but notice it each time it was used. Especially as he uses it similarly almost every time.
I did not enjoy the dragon's speech. The sentences were very short and stiff.
This book was very stat lite. Something I liked. Others might not.
I found the writing quite simple. The story, the character growth, the levelling up, everything feels basic. It did make for an easy read though. This book desperately needs development editing.
The author overuses the word "breath". He uses it 172 times in this book, and while that may not seem like a lot, given this book is over 500 pages long, I couldn't help but notice it each time it was used. Especially as he uses it similarly almost every time.
I did not enjoy the dragon's speech. The sentences were very short and stiff.
This book was very stat lite. Something I liked. Others might not.
May 25, 2024
Amazing Story (full of feels)
I honestly can’t remember the last book I read that tugged on my feelings more than this. It brought me back to the days when I read Eragon and was enthralled as a child. Except this book far surpasses everything about it. The plot, the story, the characters, and the emotions invoked are on a level of their own.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone that loves dragons, the bonds that develop through adversity, amazing combat scenes, thoroughly fleshed out characters (Hess is the man), and a world you can easily envision. Plus solid humor!
10/10, the best book I’ve read in years.
I honestly can’t remember the last book I read that tugged on my feelings more than this. It brought me back to the days when I read Eragon and was enthralled as a child. Except this book far surpasses everything about it. The plot, the story, the characters, and the emotions invoked are on a level of their own.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone that loves dragons, the bonds that develop through adversity, amazing combat scenes, thoroughly fleshed out characters (Hess is the man), and a world you can easily envision. Plus solid humor!
10/10, the best book I’ve read in years.
December 27, 2024
Really about 3.5 but I rounded up.
It needs editing. These folks run around winking so much it’s almost like they have some kind of winking condition. It gets so prevalent that I started counting. Even multiple times in the same convo
There are def some sentences and grammatical errors that need to be addressed.
Then we have the 17 yo that every woman wants.
And lastly, somehow he is super smart and can easily outwit folks that are hundreds of years old.
So overall it’s just, OK. Something to read when you are filling time between series you really like (this author has other series that are better).
It needs editing. These folks run around winking so much it’s almost like they have some kind of winking condition. It gets so prevalent that I started counting. Even multiple times in the same convo
There are def some sentences and grammatical errors that need to be addressed.
Then we have the 17 yo that every woman wants.
And lastly, somehow he is super smart and can easily outwit folks that are hundreds of years old.
So overall it’s just, OK. Something to read when you are filling time between series you really like (this author has other series that are better).
May 23, 2025
I mean wow! What a fantastic start to a dragon rider litRPG. This story had me from the first page. The characters were engaging and interesting. I will admit as the story unfolds I thought it was going to be a lot like another very popular dragon rider story but thankfully it was not. The way everything comes together in this book and what we learn about the characters was interesting and gripping. The emotional side was border line tear jerking as well, which is always a plus for the reader to be truly invested in the story and characters. I can tell you I will for sure be reading book two very quickly.
July 25, 2025
I was really hopeful this book but quite disappointed. Everything just conveniently goes too well for Kaen with no real troubles or issues. Get a dragon, has a special life stone, has special parents, levels insanely fast so he’s never in trouble, gets amazing gear, becomes rich from a bet, gets straight to silver rank, gets to immediately start a school, gets more gear from a vault, everyone love him…Not to mention the cringy dialogue. I felt like the book was aimed at 8 year olds.
Really gutted on how I felt about it, was very hopeful for a littpg dragon rider book.
Really gutted on how I felt about it, was very hopeful for a littpg dragon rider book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2025
an Epic adventure
I picked this book up after reading all the ultimate level 1 volumes available and while anxiously waiting for g for the next one to be released, I wanted to see what else the author had written as I am really enjoying the story. I had trouble putting this book down, so I didn’t. Read it in 2 days and will be getting the next book after writing this review. Love the story so far and the humor and heart put into it. 👍. Highly recommend this book!
I picked this book up after reading all the ultimate level 1 volumes available and while anxiously waiting for g for the next one to be released, I wanted to see what else the author had written as I am really enjoying the story. I had trouble putting this book down, so I didn’t. Read it in 2 days and will be getting the next book after writing this review. Love the story so far and the humor and heart put into it. 👍. Highly recommend this book!
July 11, 2024
Heart and soul
Loved this book. In time where this genre is all about being something “fresh and new” ; it’s amazing to have such heart and and real emotion that doesn’t have to be restrained from your typical male characters. Great story telling and compelling story line. Loved every moment!!
Loved this book. In time where this genre is all about being something “fresh and new” ; it’s amazing to have such heart and and real emotion that doesn’t have to be restrained from your typical male characters. Great story telling and compelling story line. Loved every moment!!
September 15, 2024
This is super basic and TBH it reads like it was edited with AI. Lots of the phrasing is awkward but technically correct. It seems like it rarely uses 'don't' and keeps "do not" and the language of the characters is off.
MC is turning 18 and he gets to outsmart high-ranked adventures when he's only killed a few monsters. Talks to them as if he knows better or more about adventuring.
MC is turning 18 and he gets to outsmart high-ranked adventures when he's only killed a few monsters. Talks to them as if he knows better or more about adventuring.
December 12, 2024
Sorry, not my jam.
The plot feels like it advances "just because" and not for real reasons, the Mc ain't questening anything and just does as told even after we were told he is a troublemaker that never listens.
I mean, the worldbuilding looks cool, and I am interested in the plot, but I just find myself wondering off the book each time I read it.
The plot feels like it advances "just because" and not for real reasons, the Mc ain't questening anything and just does as told even after we were told he is a troublemaker that never listens.
I mean, the worldbuilding looks cool, and I am interested in the plot, but I just find myself wondering off the book each time I read it.
April 17, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book! From start to finish, I was completely hooked. The story was very interesting, exciting, heartwarming, and well-written. The main characters were very intriguing and relatable. Definitely waiting for the next book!
March 9, 2025
Strong Story
Wilson has balanced strong characters and dramatic plot twists into an excellent tale. A wonderful progression novel with challenging situations that make for a great read. Well done.
Wilson has balanced strong characters and dramatic plot twists into an excellent tale. A wonderful progression novel with challenging situations that make for a great read. Well done.
April 11, 2024
Fun story with heart
Dragons are awesome. This story is setting up the beginning of an epic, and I really want to see where it goes.
Dragons are awesome. This story is setting up the beginning of an epic, and I really want to see where it goes.
September 17, 2024
love love love ❤️
I could not put this book down and will be downloading the second book immediately. Can’t wait to find out what comes next. Highly recommend!
I could not put this book down and will be downloading the second book immediately. Can’t wait to find out what comes next. Highly recommend!
January 1, 2025
I laughed, I cried
I can't remember the last time I read a book this good. The characters were relatable, and the plot is fresh and interesting.
I can't remember the last time I read a book this good. The characters were relatable, and the plot is fresh and interesting.
October 25, 2025
It has a good story, but as an adult woman, I personally couldn't enjoy it. I was definitely not the target audience, but if I was an angsty teenage boy that really enjoyed fantasy/RPGs.......
November 15, 2025
Ive read the first two books, and where the story is captivating (Very Eragon) the writing is repetitive and juvenile. I would say it's very YA minus the random cursing which isn't even imaginative.
December 2, 2025
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews