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DragonFire and Other Nonsense
When you face the end, who will you become?
Wick the now-human and Archer the broken seraph awaken in a burning city, and that's the least of their troubles.
Archer can't manage to talk to his brother about their losses back home. His fruit drink concoctions still taste nothing like his mother's did, and on top of it all, something in the forest seems to be hunting him down.
Wick struggles to keep his head above water, striving to help his own people and navigate increasingly complicated relationships, all while doing his best to stop Archer from spiraling.
Oh, and the dragonkin army has presented an ultimatum: surrender the Heather Stones or die.
Refugees flood the Valley of the Centaurs, taking up resources that they don't have and asking questions that no one can answer. Wick and Archer's enemies, old and new, crowd to their doorstep, looking for help. They have just a few weeks to prepare for battle with an enemy they hardly understand, and with no working Heather Stones left to help them, Aro is running out of options.
In the face of so much grief, is it worse to be bitter, or broken?
Wick the now-human and Archer the broken seraph awaken in a burning city, and that's the least of their troubles.
Archer can't manage to talk to his brother about their losses back home. His fruit drink concoctions still taste nothing like his mother's did, and on top of it all, something in the forest seems to be hunting him down.
Wick struggles to keep his head above water, striving to help his own people and navigate increasingly complicated relationships, all while doing his best to stop Archer from spiraling.
Oh, and the dragonkin army has presented an ultimatum: surrender the Heather Stones or die.
Refugees flood the Valley of the Centaurs, taking up resources that they don't have and asking questions that no one can answer. Wick and Archer's enemies, old and new, crowd to their doorstep, looking for help. They have just a few weeks to prepare for battle with an enemy they hardly understand, and with no working Heather Stones left to help them, Aro is running out of options.
In the face of so much grief, is it worse to be bitter, or broken?
- GenresFantasy
442 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 8, 2025
2 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 4, 2025
No matter what the cost was, he would pay it. Aro, and all the people in it, had to go on. Even if it meant something else wouldn't.
Ugh. What a book. I am SO pleased to say this is by far the best book of the series. The wait was very worth it. I dearly love and appreciate the first two book of the Scorch Trilogy but honestly this book touched me in such a personal way. Reading about Archer and Fowl and their tremendously rocky relationship was so emotional. There are a lot of things I enjoyed but that stood out violently.
This is a beautiful end to a trilogy. The passion for truth and light Bethany has shines through in a very special way. It kept it's delightful humor while mixing in a lot of hard stuff and painful moments.
Sidenote: The Twill/Wick shipper in me was made tragically satisfied with this book <3
Ugh. What a book. I am SO pleased to say this is by far the best book of the series. The wait was very worth it. I dearly love and appreciate the first two book of the Scorch Trilogy but honestly this book touched me in such a personal way. Reading about Archer and Fowl and their tremendously rocky relationship was so emotional. There are a lot of things I enjoyed but that stood out violently.
This is a beautiful end to a trilogy. The passion for truth and light Bethany has shines through in a very special way. It kept it's delightful humor while mixing in a lot of hard stuff and painful moments.
Sidenote: The Twill/Wick shipper in me was made tragically satisfied with this book <3
April 8, 2025
Good endings make me cry and good gosh this was a good ending 🥲
Bethany lures you in with shenanigans and rivers in bags and then proceeds to pound you so full of emotions and found family and all the angst. What does it mean to stick by those you love and fight even when it feels futile. So much goodness and truth and shenanigans
Bethany lures you in with shenanigans and rivers in bags and then proceeds to pound you so full of emotions and found family and all the angst. What does it mean to stick by those you love and fight even when it feels futile. So much goodness and truth and shenanigans
April 8, 2025
I read Bethany Meyer's three Aro books while trudging through some yet undiagnosed medical challenges in myself and my household, as well as other various trials of life. The reason we read good fiction is that it reminds us that everyone is trudging through something fearful, and gives us strength to hope. We hope for better days to come, we hope for restored relationships, we hope for our enemies to be scattered. The best fiction shows us this and more. GK Chesterton made the case that good story shows us a foundational truth in the world: there are enemies, and there is a limit to the strength of the enemy.
From "The Red Angel," Chapter XVII of Chesterton's Tremendous Trifles (1909):
The timidity of the child or the savage is entirely reasonable; they are alarmed at this world, because this world is a very alarming place. They dislike being alone because it is verily and indeed an awful idea to be alone. Barbarians fear the unknown for the same reason that Agnostics worship it--because it is a fact. Fairy tales, then, are not responsible for producing in children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; fairy tales do not give the child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already, because it is in the world already. Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.
Read and Hope.
From "The Red Angel," Chapter XVII of Chesterton's Tremendous Trifles (1909):
The timidity of the child or the savage is entirely reasonable; they are alarmed at this world, because this world is a very alarming place. They dislike being alone because it is verily and indeed an awful idea to be alone. Barbarians fear the unknown for the same reason that Agnostics worship it--because it is a fact. Fairy tales, then, are not responsible for producing in children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; fairy tales do not give the child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already, because it is in the world already. Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.
Read and Hope.
April 8, 2025
Originally published at Scribes & Archers
(Required disclaimer that though I received a free copy to review, the following opinions are my own.)
Prior to reading DragonFire and Other Nonsense, I went back and reread both Robbing Centaurs and Other Bad Ideas and World Saving and Other Disasters–and I’m quite happy to have done so, both because they’re fun in their own right and because I was able to note details and plot threads that were introduced in prior books and fulfilled in DragonFire and Other Nonsense.
It can be difficult to review a sequel without massive spoilers, but this book has plenty of heart underneath the plot points to make the task easier.
DragonFire is the longest and most intense book in the series; everything else ramps up toward and prepares for this climax–and, boy, what a climax it is.
While Meyer does a great job through the majority of the series of matching the level of plot intensity to the level of emotional intensity (for the characters and the reader), I think that most shines through in DragonFire and Other Nonsense. It can be difficult to pull off such heightened action and emotion–especially where both are involved–without overwhelming the reader or coming across as melodramatic, but Meyer does a beautiful job in DragonFire of including enough peaceful moments to keep things balanced and ensuring that all of the higher action and emotion feels incredibly meaningful. (Part of this, of course, is laid out through the previous books, as she gets you invested in the characters while the stakes are lower so that you care when things come to a head.)
Look, a lot of what I’m going to talk about in this review is heart and emotion, because that is definitely a strong point of this book. It’s rare that a book makes me feel a whole lot for the characters–and even more rare if a book gets me to tear up or outright cry. While I did not cry while reading DragonFire, I did tear up once or twice and I certainly felt a great deal–both empathizing with and worrying for the characters. Meyer manages to capture very real emotions on the page, translating them into meaningful prose and dialogue that makes you realize, “I’ve felt that.”
On a more superficial note, the world expands in this book! Y’all know I love a good expansive world. I started to wonder about the world outside Aro during my reread of World Saving and Other Disasters, and I felt well-rewarded by DragonFire and Other Nonsense. Paradoxically, DragonFire is perhaps the most geographically contained book of the series. Do with that what you will (or, you know, just go read the trilogy).
DragonFire and Other Nonsense is the strongest Scorch book in terms of its writing, which contributes to its effectiveness in the emotional department. While the previous books are not, as a whole, poorly written, DragonFire takes the series to a new level and offers probably the most immersive and rewarding reading experience of the series (Robbing Centaurs competes, but its tone is so different that it would be a difficult comparison)–which secures the skillful storytelling and helps DragonFire and Other Nonsense stand up as a fulfilling end to the trilogy’s arc.
I would be remiss to finish this review without dedicating time the characters, as they are the beating heart of the entire Scorch trilogy. Archer and Wick, as well as their friendship, grow and develop so much over the course of the trilogy, and DragonFire brings their arcs to a beautiful conclusion that makes perfect sense for each of them. They contribute so much to one another’s growth, and seeing the culmination of their friendship and all they’ve been through and learned is such a satisfying ending to their story (even if I wished that story could just never end, lol). Not only that, but the side characters drawn together (and those newly introduced) in DragonFire and Other Nonsense contribute their own depth and influence to the main story and the main character arcs, in addition to being engaging on their own merit, and DragonFire offers the opportunity to get to know a number of them more deeply–especially Fowl, Twill, and Ongel.
Overall, DragonFire and Other Nonsense is just an excellent book as well as an excellent trilogy conclusion, and I would highly recommend checking out the Scorch trilogy if you haven’t already!
(Required disclaimer that though I received a free copy to review, the following opinions are my own.)
Prior to reading DragonFire and Other Nonsense, I went back and reread both Robbing Centaurs and Other Bad Ideas and World Saving and Other Disasters–and I’m quite happy to have done so, both because they’re fun in their own right and because I was able to note details and plot threads that were introduced in prior books and fulfilled in DragonFire and Other Nonsense.
It can be difficult to review a sequel without massive spoilers, but this book has plenty of heart underneath the plot points to make the task easier.
DragonFire is the longest and most intense book in the series; everything else ramps up toward and prepares for this climax–and, boy, what a climax it is.
While Meyer does a great job through the majority of the series of matching the level of plot intensity to the level of emotional intensity (for the characters and the reader), I think that most shines through in DragonFire and Other Nonsense. It can be difficult to pull off such heightened action and emotion–especially where both are involved–without overwhelming the reader or coming across as melodramatic, but Meyer does a beautiful job in DragonFire of including enough peaceful moments to keep things balanced and ensuring that all of the higher action and emotion feels incredibly meaningful. (Part of this, of course, is laid out through the previous books, as she gets you invested in the characters while the stakes are lower so that you care when things come to a head.)
Look, a lot of what I’m going to talk about in this review is heart and emotion, because that is definitely a strong point of this book. It’s rare that a book makes me feel a whole lot for the characters–and even more rare if a book gets me to tear up or outright cry. While I did not cry while reading DragonFire, I did tear up once or twice and I certainly felt a great deal–both empathizing with and worrying for the characters. Meyer manages to capture very real emotions on the page, translating them into meaningful prose and dialogue that makes you realize, “I’ve felt that.”
On a more superficial note, the world expands in this book! Y’all know I love a good expansive world. I started to wonder about the world outside Aro during my reread of World Saving and Other Disasters, and I felt well-rewarded by DragonFire and Other Nonsense. Paradoxically, DragonFire is perhaps the most geographically contained book of the series. Do with that what you will (or, you know, just go read the trilogy).
DragonFire and Other Nonsense is the strongest Scorch book in terms of its writing, which contributes to its effectiveness in the emotional department. While the previous books are not, as a whole, poorly written, DragonFire takes the series to a new level and offers probably the most immersive and rewarding reading experience of the series (Robbing Centaurs competes, but its tone is so different that it would be a difficult comparison)–which secures the skillful storytelling and helps DragonFire and Other Nonsense stand up as a fulfilling end to the trilogy’s arc.
I would be remiss to finish this review without dedicating time the characters, as they are the beating heart of the entire Scorch trilogy. Archer and Wick, as well as their friendship, grow and develop so much over the course of the trilogy, and DragonFire brings their arcs to a beautiful conclusion that makes perfect sense for each of them. They contribute so much to one another’s growth, and seeing the culmination of their friendship and all they’ve been through and learned is such a satisfying ending to their story (even if I wished that story could just never end, lol). Not only that, but the side characters drawn together (and those newly introduced) in DragonFire and Other Nonsense contribute their own depth and influence to the main story and the main character arcs, in addition to being engaging on their own merit, and DragonFire offers the opportunity to get to know a number of them more deeply–especially Fowl, Twill, and Ongel.
Overall, DragonFire and Other Nonsense is just an excellent book as well as an excellent trilogy conclusion, and I would highly recommend checking out the Scorch trilogy if you haven’t already!
November 23, 2025
This trilogy is refreshingly wholesome. The whimsical tall-tale-around-a-campfire tone and snarky banter made it thoroughly enjoyable. The real gem of the story lies in the author’s talent for writing true heart into characters you can’t help rooting for as they navigate world saving mischief, and wade through the complexities of family and friendship. This might be most appreciated in the YA crowd, but really anyone looking for a fantasy adventure that employs humor and chaos to traverse the volatile waves of camaraderie, altruism, diplomacy, battle, familial discord, grief, and yes heists, (with the most reluctant anti-heroes), is in for a treat.
I liked that the journey of Wick and Archer’s friendship growing from the ground up across the series felt genuine. Also, Archer’s character growth was such a bittersweet yet satisfying arc, you can tell he learns a lot (often the hard way, but he gets there). His character is surly and combative yet along the way… well I won’t spoil it, but just know it’s worth reading.
(My favorite summary of the series was in a post by the author:
Book 1: unwitting shenanigans duo try to stop the apocalypse
Book 2: shenanigans duo is now having a terrible time
Book 3: oh no, now there are dragons)
I liked that the journey of Wick and Archer’s friendship growing from the ground up across the series felt genuine. Also, Archer’s character growth was such a bittersweet yet satisfying arc, you can tell he learns a lot (often the hard way, but he gets there). His character is surly and combative yet along the way… well I won’t spoil it, but just know it’s worth reading.
(My favorite summary of the series was in a post by the author:
Book 1: unwitting shenanigans duo try to stop the apocalypse
Book 2: shenanigans duo is now having a terrible time
Book 3: oh no, now there are dragons)
May 24, 2025
When I first picked up the Scorch Trilogy, I thought it would be a fun book series.
It was.
But what I did not know, is that it would also become a story with some of my favorite friendships in fiction.
If you like stories of friendships, of brokenness and siblings and healing, of redemption through pain, and of silver through fire, then my friends, pick up these books. You’ll laugh through the first one. You’ll hold onto the second. And you’ll smile and feel a little glimmer in your eye through the third.
And it won’t be from pollen.
I definitely recommend, for anyone who has been looking for soul-filled stories. Because with these, you will indeed start out with something fun.
And you will end with a little bit of your heart a little bit filled with a little bit of something that tastes like fighting dragons for the sake of tomorrow.
We need more of that.
And this was my favorite in the series.
It was.
But what I did not know, is that it would also become a story with some of my favorite friendships in fiction.
If you like stories of friendships, of brokenness and siblings and healing, of redemption through pain, and of silver through fire, then my friends, pick up these books. You’ll laugh through the first one. You’ll hold onto the second. And you’ll smile and feel a little glimmer in your eye through the third.
And it won’t be from pollen.
I definitely recommend, for anyone who has been looking for soul-filled stories. Because with these, you will indeed start out with something fun.
And you will end with a little bit of your heart a little bit filled with a little bit of something that tastes like fighting dragons for the sake of tomorrow.
We need more of that.
And this was my favorite in the series.
March 5, 2025
A thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the Scorch trilogy which you should not miss if you enjoyed the first two.
Bethany is known for putting her characters through the proverbial cheese grater -- and, don't get me wrong, Archer and Wick have some rough moments in this book -- but actually the scenes which most brought me to tears were the moments of reconciliation, catharsis, and redemption. This isn't a book the glorifies the dark of this world, but acknowledges it - and triumphs over it, joyfully.
To have written three books of this quality at this yet still early stage of life is quite an accomplishment. Bethany is an author to keep an eye on in the future. I can't wait to see the depth and richness that comes to her work with more years of experience living & writing.
Bethany is known for putting her characters through the proverbial cheese grater -- and, don't get me wrong, Archer and Wick have some rough moments in this book -- but actually the scenes which most brought me to tears were the moments of reconciliation, catharsis, and redemption. This isn't a book the glorifies the dark of this world, but acknowledges it - and triumphs over it, joyfully.
To have written three books of this quality at this yet still early stage of life is quite an accomplishment. Bethany is an author to keep an eye on in the future. I can't wait to see the depth and richness that comes to her work with more years of experience living & writing.
April 8, 2025
I think I want my therapist to read this book. There kept being huge moments of truth in the dialogue of this book. I feel changed.
Bethany painted not only an action packed, visually compelling story of war, but also a story of grief, loss, companionship, reconciliation, and anything you could hope to see in a book about a bunch of friends trying to save the world.
I cried. A bunch. I think DragonFire and Other Nonsense represents how real people respond to terrible conditions and that's an incredible thing to see in fiction. I absolutely loved it.
Bethany painted not only an action packed, visually compelling story of war, but also a story of grief, loss, companionship, reconciliation, and anything you could hope to see in a book about a bunch of friends trying to save the world.
I cried. A bunch. I think DragonFire and Other Nonsense represents how real people respond to terrible conditions and that's an incredible thing to see in fiction. I absolutely loved it.
April 8, 2025
This whole series gets 5 stars from me. It's uniquely funny & whimsical with characters you can't help but love. In this book we see tons of personal growth as they've tried and failed to save the world, more than once. They humbly press on against all odds. This book begins with complete disaster as much of the world is on fire and they have to travel and unite to fight the scorch, still trying to save the world and help refugees, as well. We really get to see our bad boy seraph with the broken wing go from zero to hero. It's a painful part of the story for him as he wants to make amends with the one family member that's still alive. We see him face his own mistakes & weaknesses to decide he's willing to forsake his life to save the world. We also learn more about the scorch & the dragonkin in this wild ride of a grand finale.
April 8, 2025
This book was amazing!!! I already adored this series before, but this was such a fantastic conclusion to Wick and Archer's story! This series is so different from the majority of fantasy currently being released today. So it's certainly worth reading. It was so refreshing to read something that was not driven by romance but rather a whimsical world, deep characters, and above all a solid plot!! Not only was this last book exciting from start to finish but it was also filled with such deep emotion. Bethany Meyer was able to convey intense emotions so masterfully, that it made me feel kind of like I was suffering with the characters. It really gave me a new appreciation for her writing. She is amazing, and I can't wait to read what she writes next!
May 13, 2025
An excellent end of the trilogy.
I loved this book, the conflict (main and personal), the growth of our favorite boys, and all the new characters. I especially loved the family tension and resolution between Archer and Fowl.
Meyer’s writing is so easy to read, I blew through this book in just a few days (due to limited reading times, otherwise I would have finished it on day 1). I had to know if they won in the end!
I loved this book, the conflict (main and personal), the growth of our favorite boys, and all the new characters. I especially loved the family tension and resolution between Archer and Fowl.
Meyer’s writing is so easy to read, I blew through this book in just a few days (due to limited reading times, otherwise I would have finished it on day 1). I had to know if they won in the end!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews