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Rise of the Dragonwitch
A world of myths. A battle for survival.
War is brewing in Tir Na, a hidden world teeming with the creatures and legends humanity thought were mere myths. For college student Finley Maguire, life takes a drastic turn when she’s kidnapped from NYC and thrust into this dangerous, medieval realm on the other side of the sun.
Prophecy claims Finley is the savior destined to stop a mad king from ascending as an immortal emperor, but there’s one problem—Finley is no hero. Feisty and untrained, she’s thrust into a whirlwind of intense training, court intrigue, deadly alliances, and beasts straight out of our nightmares. From fiery dragons to cunning knights, every corner of Tir Na challenges her will to survive.
Caught between the reluctant role of leader and her own fear, Finley must decide if she’ll embrace the legend they need her to become—or risk losing everything to the mad king’s ruthless ambition. A story of courage, fantastic creatures, unlikely unions, and a battle for survival, Rise of the Dragonwitch brings a fresh, fierce voice to epic fantasy.
War is brewing in Tir Na, a hidden world teeming with the creatures and legends humanity thought were mere myths. For college student Finley Maguire, life takes a drastic turn when she’s kidnapped from NYC and thrust into this dangerous, medieval realm on the other side of the sun.
Prophecy claims Finley is the savior destined to stop a mad king from ascending as an immortal emperor, but there’s one problem—Finley is no hero. Feisty and untrained, she’s thrust into a whirlwind of intense training, court intrigue, deadly alliances, and beasts straight out of our nightmares. From fiery dragons to cunning knights, every corner of Tir Na challenges her will to survive.
Caught between the reluctant role of leader and her own fear, Finley must decide if she’ll embrace the legend they need her to become—or risk losing everything to the mad king’s ruthless ambition. A story of courage, fantastic creatures, unlikely unions, and a battle for survival, Rise of the Dragonwitch brings a fresh, fierce voice to epic fantasy.
646 pages, Paperback
Published December 14, 2024
About the author
Timothy K. Clark
3 books27 followersTimothy 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.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 6, 2026
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!
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!
January 17, 2025
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
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
February 13, 2026
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.
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.
May 4, 2026
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!
March 30, 2026
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.
The world building is great and I need read book 2 now.
March 22, 2026
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!
Reading this was like watching someone’s author voice develop in real time, and develop well! I am immediately picking up the sequel!
January 3, 2026
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!
And that would’ve been a mistake. I enjoyed every single moment of this book. And you will too, so read it!
February 23, 2025
Yes, good book. Yes, read this. Yes, you will lose sleep because you have to finish reading the battle scenes.
March 12, 2026
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.
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.
May 26, 2025
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.
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.
July 1, 2026
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.
March 12, 2026
3.75⭐️’s
I was throughly entertained by this story. I definitely recommend if you like books about dragons, dragon riders, other worlds..
I was throughly entertained by this story. I definitely recommend if you like books about dragons, dragon riders, other worlds..
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews