Rise of the Dragonwitch

by Timothy K. Clark

A world of myths. A battle for survival.

War is brewing in Tir Na, a hidden world teeming with the mythical creatures and legends humanity thought were just stories. For college student Finley Maguire, life takes a drastic turn when she’s kidnapped from NYC and thrown into this dangerous, medieval realm on the other side of the sun.

Prophecy says Finley is the savior destined to stop a mad king from becoming an immortal emperor.

There’s just one problem... Finley is no hero.

Feisty, untrained, and very much not prepared for any of this, she’s pulled into a whirlwind of brutal training, court intrigue, deadly alliances, and beasts straight out of nightmares. From fiery dragons to cunning knights, every corner of Tir Na challenges her will to survive.

Caught between the role she never asked for and the fear she can’t shake, Finley must decide if she’ll rise to become the legend they need… or watch the world fall apart while she’s still figuring out how to hold a sword.

A story of courage, dangerous magic, unlikely alliances, and one very reluctant hero, Rise of the Dragonwitch brings a fresh, fierce voice to epic fantasy.

Genres: Fantasy

648 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 11, 2024

About the author

Timothy Clark is an author, digital marketing expert, public speaker, and video and multimedia producer. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, he spent 13 years in Los Angeles working in film as a screenwriter, director and editor on independent productions. He graduated from Otterbein University and lives in Dublin, Ohio, with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Chapter Chirp (Jessica) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rise of the Dragonwitch follows college-aged Finley Maguire, who’s made to feel like a disappointment by her family, a self-described recovering introvert, and a bit of smart Alec. After a long night of partying one night with a friend in NYC, Finley notices a tall robed man eyeing her outside of the party. In a panic, she tries to clumsily run from the mysterious man but is eventually caught and kidnapped. When she comes to, she realizes that she is no longer in NYC, but a strange realm that she comes to know as Tir Na. Finley is told that she is part of a prophecy that will save Tir Na from the evil King who is trying destroy the realm in a power-hungry madness. The biggest problem though, Finley has never been special nor a hero, or so she thinks. With the help of a rag-tag group of warriors, Finley begins grueling training sessions that will push her beyond the limits she thought possible of herself. Will she be able to uphold the Scholomance Prophecy and become what the world of Tir Na needs in order to save the realm or will she crumble under the pressure of becoming someone she is not?

When I say that I wish I had started this series sooner, I genuinely mean it. Author Timothy K. Clark expertly paints the vivid world of Tir Na, bringing the reader into the story alongside its characters. Along with the strong world building, the colorful array of characters and creatures that you encounter throughout the story help breathe a unique freshness into the storyline. I loved that the warriors and Finley together were a rag-tag group trying to essentially save the world when nobody else believed in them. I personally love a good underdog story and watching this group muster strength, perseverance, and the belief in themselves while they trudge through so many ups and downs together gave me all the feel goods that kept me eagerly cheering them on. I will say that there were also some twists that I didn’t seem coming, but I loved each and every bit of the tension and suspense that these turns brought. This was a phenomenal read, so good in fact that I immediately went and bought a physical shelf trophy as well as a physical copy of the next book which I can’t wait to start. Highly recommending to readers who appreciate good character arcs, brilliant world-building, and fantasy at its finest!

[Rachel Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding epic fantasy debut! I truly fell for the dynamic group of characters and the action-packed story. The witty banter frequently had me chuckling, and the unexpected twists added an extra spark to the narrative.

Thank you Timothy K Clark for my gifted copy! What a treat!

Plot - 5
Writing and Editing - 5
Character Development - 5
Personal Bias - 5
Final Score - 5

[Twinkle.butt.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg I love

Listen. When a book hooks me in the first three paragraphs, I know I’m either about to lose sleep… or my sanity. Possibly both.

Rise of the Dragon Witch said “Adventure is coming,” and then actually delivered. No false advertising. No slow warm-up where I’m politely waiting for something to explode. We were in it immediately tension crackling, stakes rising, and magic simmering like it’s about to boil over.

The opening? Elite.
The promise of danger? Immediate.
The follow-through? Oh, it followed through.

This book has that high-fantasy energy where destiny is knocking, dragons are looming (as they should), and power is never simple or safe. The atmosphere pulls you in fast you can feel the world expanding around you, layered with history, threat, and that delicious “something big is coming” feeling.

And let’s talk about the dragon witch element. Because that’s not a soft title. That’s power. That’s consequence. That’s “I will burn this entire kingdom down if necessary” energy and I was absolutely here for it.

The adventure doesn’t stall. The momentum keeps building, and just when you think you’ve caught your breath? Nope. We’re running again. It’s the kind of pacing that makes you say, “Okay just one more chapter” at midnight… and then suddenly it’s 2 a.m.

[KathrynAlyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a BIG book, but honestly, it’s completely fitting for the epic fantasy this story truly is. This gave me Brandon Sanderson meets Game of Thrones, with a healthy dose of sarcasm and hilarious moments thanks to the FMC.

Finally, an FMC who is genuinely hilarious! Finley’s dialogue was EVERYTHING. She had me cackling so many times.

Imagine throwing a twenty-something, slightly spoiled, passive-aggressive New Yorker into a world completely unlike anything she could have imagined. No restaurants. No hair conditioner. No cars. LOL. And somehow, she handles it all with the BEST sarcasm and humor. I loved her.

This world is HUGE, and there are SO many beings and creatures to discover. The worldbuilding is incredibly descriptive, and poor Finley gets to experience basically ALL of it because she’s supposedly chosen, which means training. And apparently part of that training involves making the poor girl walk or run approximately the entire damn book. Like… girl, I am tired FOR you.

I fell in love with more than just Finley, though. This entire cast of characters was amazing. Braylor is definitely my favorite, but Frip, Temurr, Cira, Gunnr, Kasuma and Pherric all brought something special to the story. This group seriously stole my heart.

And Finley’s character development? EPIC. Watching her grow into someone bigger, stronger, more dangerous, and far more powerful than she ever imagined she could become was one of my favorite parts of the book. She starts out searching for her purpose, and by the end… I think she may have finally found it.

Throw in a found family, a love interest, dragons, political tension, betrayal, incredible fight scenes, and a world packed with creatures and magic, and this was one hell of an epic ride.

I absolutely loved this adventure, and I cannot wait to see what Book 2 brings! Give me more Finley, more Braylor, more of this world, and PLEASE give this girl a chance to sit down for five minutes. lol

[Zachary Shomper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rise of the Dragonwitch was a solid read! I definitely enjoyed the characters in this book and the world building was awesome and very descriptive! The only thing that didn’t make it higher for me was the bits of comedic relief from the main character. That’s only because I’m a stickler for comedic relief in an epic fantasy. If you enjoy comedic relief then you’ll have no problem! Regardless, it was still a great book and had some strong characters that help bring it to life! I would definitely recommend!

[Tiphaine Figeac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really really enjoyed this book. I took my time to read as I am a very slow and mood reader so I took few breaks in between. But the book was really good and entertaining and characters are enjoyable really! Lots of happening which I needed at the time I read it.
The world building is great and I need read book 2 now.

[Natalie Sette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a debut - and it did take me about 250 pages to REALLY get into it, but once I was, I was completely sucked in and couldn’t put it down.

Reading this was like watching someone’s author voice develop in real time, and develop well! I am immediately picking up the sequel!

[Dana Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost didn’t read this

And that would’ve been a mistake. I enjoyed every single moment of this book. And you will too, so read it!

[Sheryl Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, good book. Yes, read this. Yes, you will lose sleep because you have to finish reading the battle scenes.

[Breana Sprinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

We start the story with an amazing sequence of somebody dying then jump back to see an ominous figure chasing Fin.
Both incredible action scenes in brief.
Afterwards, I looked forward to seeing how we got to those moments.

Fin is somebody who has those upper class parents that really lay on the pressure.
Especially the father. The mother seems to be too unstable from the description of her drunkenness. Yet, the fmc just wants to be free to choose her own career path.
I'm not sure about wealthy society pressure but I do know everyone wants to be in control of their own destinies. Their own paths forward. Which honestly, destiny is a tricky thing.

The way that it added a little bit of a Sci-Fi element was nice. The difference between how Finley and Pherric (people of Tir Na) see things. Where Finley saw a metal space station and elevator. Pherric saw a World Serpent created by God-like entities to hide their world from that of Terra (Earth).
Which apparently is following the same pattern around the Sun as our planet always blocked from view.
This is a true testament to the world-building which is something that I look forward to in any story. The author created believable details in order to explain the world simply.

I also believe the fact that Ter Na having made less progress than Terra also makes it believable that different creatures could have come to exist than our world also.
As well as similar but different customs.

The author even accounts for mass and gravity differences. Which again is a great detail that adds to the plausibility of the world-building.

Mentions of places called "Pandemonia" and "El Dorado". So is one chaotic and the other a city made of gold? They did mention that right when I said it. I mean that was the first thing to crossed my mind.

But you get a mix.
You get a mix of Space Travel, Mythology, Medieval Europe, Merlin/Camelot, and various other things. The author clearly did research on various myths to combine them on Ter Na.

I must note another beautiful factor of the world building that takes into account that it's a different planet by presenting things like other worldly forestry and animals.
I will leave many surprises out of my review.

Noteworthy also is the way the author describes an environment in as much detail as possible. Especially when showing Pherric working alchemy in a lab. Sights, Scents. Even describing a cluttered table or work zone can make a story feel more alive.

Appreciate the main character being terrible at things before getting better instead of automatically being great always.
Love training sessions. It shows that it takes hard work & endurance to get places.

When people talk about the politics of books, this is another example of what we mean. This book covers the atrocities people face and the irony of helping with comments or posts behind a screen versus taking real action. In person action, despite the potential dangers. Despite the risk to one's own life. Finely witnesses the difference between her reality and that of these warriors she's faced with getting to know. Seeing them in action stand up for their people and those of other places.

In case you aren't okay with blood or vomit, I'll let you know that it's present.
I'm fine with it.
Sometimes people have hemophobia or emetophobia.
This book doesn't shy away from darkness during battle scenes either.
It's got some gore to it.

eCopy was gifted.
My opinions are always my own & honest regardless of ARC, Review, Newsletter, or Purchased copies.
Review was left voluntarily.

[Anam Ciall · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want world building that is immersive --and includes the geological features of Hell, (not to be confused with NJ) , and a plot that keeps you up reading at 2AM (several days in a row), because it is that freaking good--grab this! The protagonist, Finley is the unwilling participant in a family of (not her) choice situation. Imagine Thanksgiving dinner with *that* side of the family, except --you were invited because they require you save them! Also, you have to hunt your own dinner! Hospitality also includes letting you get attacked so you 'learn something'. If you want a witty smart-arsed , wholly unprepared protagonist that absolutely wants anything except, main character energy -- you'll love Finley. I absolutely do! Every character is well written, and has strong unique voices, but there is Pherric. I'd like to point out that Pherric's optimism and lofty explanations are truly inspiring and also, frequently ill-timed. I had to remind myself to set my coffee down, swallow it before I choked laughing. I absolutely love Pherric. I haven't seen anyone else mention that Pherric is basically the college-age guy you play DnD with in your 40s, who keeps rolling low initiative for poor Finley! I do not want to add spoilers. The middle of the book, there is a scene that is...I cried. There is betrayal, intrigue, and a bit of slow burn *sic*. This novel is paced well. It is funny. The character and story archs are fantastic. The readers get to watch Finley develop and grow. I just started reading book two, and I am eagerly awaiting book three!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this chosen-one story, Finley is brought against her will to the world of Tir-Na to help bring down a mad king on track to becoming emperor.

The one-page prologue had me hooked, and things just got better the longer I read!

Finley was definitely the highlight of this book. She is witty, bossy, headstrong and overall a very entertaining character to follow. She also has a much more realistic approach to hero-training than what I typically see: she doesn’t easily acquire any skills, she struggles and suffers a lot, and she has a hard time staying determined. She also finds it difficult and disturbing to actually apply what she has learned, i.e. taking a life. It made her that much more relatable.

The world is a hodgepodge of myths, creatures and legends found on Earth. As Fin is new to the world of Tir-Na, we learn about it at the same time as her.

There are also a lot of unforgettable side characters which form a ragtag motley crew that truly shouldn’t work, but somehow does.

Although, having incredible characters might not be the best thing considering how brutal and devastating the author’s storytelling is! I am not sure I will ever emotionally recover from a certain chapter.

The theme of overcoming differences to work towards a greater good was very present, and is quite timely. I enjoyed how it was presented and interwoven within the story.

Finally, for those of you who, like me, sometimes struggle with visualizing fighting or battles, I can confirm that these scenes were really well written and easy to follow and picture.

Oh, and also? These are not your run-of-the-mill dragons. They are wild, savage, extremely dangerous beasts, and I love them dearly.

[Kayla Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my reintroduction to epic fantasy after a long break, and I have to say, it reminded me why I love the genre.
Finley is kidnapped and taken through a portal into a world not dissimilar to medieval Earth. Once there, she comes across many different races of people, united by one goal: kill the mad king before he wipes out every race different from his own.
This was a refreshing take on the chosen one trope. Finley is feisty and deeply human. I love that she doesn’t suddenly come into her power but instead fumbles through training exercises while complaining the entire time. Definitely how I would be in a fantasy novel, although I’d probably be even more inept.
And then the dragons! Terrifying! A long history of hatred and destruction. But still so sweet. I worry about myself because I would still totally pet one of those dragons!
This story has everything: mythical creatures, aforementioned dragons, epic battles and court intrigue. But at its heart, it’s a story of found family, with characters you genuinely want to spend time with.
I cannot wait to dive into book 2.

[Lisa M Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first fantasy book I have read about dragons in a long time. Not giving spoilers, but the characters came to life with their individual personalities, to the point where it’s one of those stories where you forget one person is writing them all, because they each stand out. I’ve always admired fantasy writers creating a series, because there’s so much planning involved in the depth of such an intense saga. I enjoyed the twists and turns I didn’t expect, and how the dragons were brought into the story as I had always envisioned them since I was a child—strong and dangerous. There are friendships, bonds, romance and action throughout this book, and I found myself not wanting to put it down. I really love the way the man character (Finley) grew and changed as she went along, becoming what you always hope she has the potential to be, kicking ass and taking names. I am definitely going to read this talented author’s next book about where they take it from here.

[Joe McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book for a few reasons; 1. Read that it was author's first effort and that made me curious, 2. Reviews mentioned some of the humor and sarcasm in protagonist's mannerisms and I'm still needing something lighter after Robin Hobb's books, and 3. Dragons of course. This book certainly hits many of the standard fantasy tropes, but I don't think of that as a bad thing. I found it well written and entertaining. I believe that making the reader feel is the main point of writing/reading and this book did. It took a while, but towards the end of the story I found myself really caring for the characters and even spilled a tear or three. This was a good book and I will read the next.

[R.L. Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's talk epic fantasy. The plot itself was compelling --college student plucked from modern day NY and taken on a journey involving dragons, quests, and plenty of fighting-- but what hooked me from the first page was the characters. The MC, Finley, has an incredibly strong narrative voice that drives the story forward effortlessly. She's witty, flawed, and just so easy to love (I want to be friends with her in real life)! She's also hilarious. I laughed at something she said every time I picked this book up. Even the side characters are each distinct and memorable. I couldn't help but care about all of them. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for their next fantasy read. Hands down five stars.

[Anita · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

3.75⭐️’s

I was throughly entertained by this story. I definitely recommend if you like books about dragons, dragon riders, other worlds..