A War of Wyverns: Elke opstand ontstaat in het duister (A Language of Dragons Book 2)

A Language of Dragons #2

by S.F. Williamson, Angelique Verheijen (Translator)

A War of Wyverns is het meeslepende vervolg op het razend populaire A Language of Dragons van S.F. Williamson. Een verhaal vol plottwists, liefde, verraad en geheimen!
Vivien Featherswallow heeft een geheime drakentaal ontcijferd en daarmee onbedoeld een burgeroorlog ontketend, waarin mensen en draken lijnrecht tegenover elkaar staan. Nadat ze premier Wyvernmire heeft verslagen en uit Bletchley Park is ontsnapt, is ze het gezicht van de opstand geworden… en de meest gezochte crimineel van het land. Maar wat kan ze nog betekenen voor het verzet als ze moet onderduiken?
Op zoek naar antwoorden reist Vivien naar de afgelegen Schotse eilanden om een mysterieuze, lang vergeten drakensoort te vinden... Zijn deze draken de sleutel tot het definitieve einde van de oorlog of verwoesten ze alles wat haar nog dierbaar is?
Over A Language of
'Dit was echt een geweldig boek! Het doet denken aan Babel, maar dan Young Adult en met draken.' Boekhandel Het Colofon
'Het dark academia-drakenboek waar mijn hart naar verlangde. Een must-read voor fantasyfans overal ter wereld.' Aisling Fowler

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Young Adult, Romantasy, Historical, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy

381 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2026

About the author

S. F. Williamson is fascinated by the way languages are born and was surrounded by them long before she undertook a degree in French and Italian.

From her Grandma’s rolling Scottish R’s and her Nan’s ability to slip from English to Welsh, to the dialect spoken in the French village she grew up in, Steph has always known that languages are creatures that live and move and breathe.

As a child she learned that speaking them meant accessing ideas, traditions and people she would only otherwise know from a distance. Her debut novel, A Language of Dragons, is inspired by her work as a literary translator and the fact that no matter how intimately a linguist knows their languages, some meaning is almost always lost in translation. A graduate of Bath Spa University’s MA Writing for Young People programme, Steph now lives in France with her husband and two cats.

Reviews

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action packed sequel to A Language of Dragons , A War of Wyverns will have you on the edge of your seat, gasping at every twist & turn, utterly breathless and itching for more.

It’s an emotional rollercoaster of rebellion, triumph, and heartbreak. Filled with stunningly beautiful prose that weaves together a lush setting with meaningful commentary about languages and the erasure of culture through assimilation.

Did I mention there are even MORE dragons in this one? Wyverns, new dragon species, mini mail delivering dragons, Dracovols, and of course our beloved pink dragon, Chumana. I would like to humbly request that the author put out an illustrated Encyclopedia of Dragons!

This is fast-paced & plot-driven, heart-pounding, emotional, and utterly addictive. I read it in less than 24 hours and immediately wanted to start a re-read of A Language of Dragons!

I cannot tell you how excited I am that there are more books to come in this series. I’m seated, ready, and just a bit desperate for the next book!

I’ve pretty much given all of the reasons to love this book above, but for those who prefer my list style reviews here you go…

What’s to love…
- REBELLION
- DRAGONS! SO MANY DRAGONS!
- heart-pounding and action-packed
- emotional
- meaningful commentary on languages and culture erasure
- Shocking reveals and so many twists and turns
- Plot-driven and easy to binge
- A perfect YA book that will appeal to adult readers as well.
- A swoony little romantic subplot

What might not work for some…
- this is plot-driven, and those that prefer character-driven stories might have a hard time with this one. The character work is good, but not quite as in depth as it could be!
- the romance is definitely a sub-plot. If you’re looking for a romantasy this is not it. If you want an awesome dragon-filled fantasy with lots of action and a hint of romance, this IS the one!

5⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Audio Narration: 4/5 Solid performance. Inflection and pacing are great. Pausing is a bit excessive at the end of each sentence, but not enough to make this performance frustrating. Voice variation is really good! I especially enjoyed her male and dragon voices!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book & ALC. All opinions are my own.

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

« What is it about politics that make people believe only what they want to believe? »

Oh I have never felt this conflicted about a book! I don’t know if I liked it or not to be quite honest. After rating the first book 5 stars, I’m definitely feeling let down :(

I love love loveeee how many dragons there are in this series. It’s PACKED with dragons! The politics were also amazing to read about and way more present than the first book. It also reads super easily! I read this in less than a day.

But I went into this thinking it was a duology… and about 75% in, I realized it couldn’t be because nothing was resolved. And then I learned it changed to a trilogy with interconnected duologies? I don’t know how I feel about this. I’m not sure if I want to continue :( I didn’t feel particularly entranced by this one.

While I absolutely loved the romance in the first instalment - I actually despised it in this one :( the problems seemed to come out of no where and the mmc was so unstable it was hard to follow. The fmc was communicating but he was just ignoring her and it all made me feel extremely uneasy.

I loved that the importance of language was predominant in this instalment. It was a central part of the story and consisted of the entire novel, I would say. Unfortunately, it did make for an underwhelming read because it became repetitive.

I was disappointed by the third act. I have a hard time believing the adults didn’t come with better solutions in all those years… and thus had to rely on the teenagers. The battle was definitely the highlight of the ending but even then, Viv watched everything from a distance. My other complaint is that it was really lacking in friendships, cute interactions between friends and even character development.

Even after writing this review, I still cannot tell you if I liked this sequel or if I will continue with this series. I wish it would’ve been a duology :(

‼️ Mild spoiler here ‼️
What was up with the sprung up marriage proposal at the very end? He spent the whole book ignoring and dodging her and he thought to fix it with an engagement 🤡 i’m so happy she denied

—-•pre read
Started this upon receiving it (I rarely do this so you can imagine my excited for this sequel)

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ★— Never have I been more proud of myself for knowing the difference between wyverns and dragons than when I saw the title of this sequel!

A War of Wyverns contains much of what I loved in the first installment. Vivian once again gets to use her very big brain to work through the conundrums thrown her way, there’s plenty of dragon (and here, wyvern) lore, rich dragon and wyvern–human interactions, and some genuinely adorable moments of connection between these two groups! The political tension and looming conflict that began in the first book take on an even larger role in this one, with Vivian now fully aware of what’s at stake and actively trying to help prevent Britain from sliding deeper into war.

Where the book faltered a bit for me was in some of the interpersonal relationships. I found myself missing many of the bonds that were given more space in the first book. While the focus on an impending war makes that understandable, the reduced emphasis on friendships and quieter character moments was something I really felt, and it did impact my enjoyment. I also wasn’t entirely sold on the romantic subplot presented in the book.

The story truly shone whenever it leaned into its language-focused elements. Watching Vivian apply her aptitude and talent to communicate with the wyverns and learn more about their culture was easily the highlight of it all for me! The glimpses into how language reflects a group’s values, history, and worldview were beautifully handled, and whenever the book returned to those moments, I was fully engrossed.

I’m very excited for the third and final book in the trilogy and can’t wait to see how everything ultimately comes together!

🎧 Audiobook Note
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
The narrator was lovely and made this such a smooth and enjoyable listening experience.
I also found that the different dragon characters, including their accents, were especially well done and aided in bringing those distinct personalities to life for me!

___________

Thank you to HarperCollins for the ARC, and to HarperAudio for the ALC, both in exchange for my honest review.

[BookishByTammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
This is honestly such a well crafted YA fantasy novel with dragons, politics and a corrupt government. The storyline is fast paced and was a perfect continuation to the first book.

So you might be thinking why didn’t I rate this 5⭐️ Honestly It’s just because I’m not the target audience for this book. It does read very young.
I think it would be perfect for 14 and 15-year-olds so if you’re looking into this series for a teenager, I would say absolutely go for it but as an adult reading this, the themes in this book are very much written for a YA brain

For example, this has interesting and valid discussions on language and translation but in a very accessible/understandable way whereas an adult discussion of this theme would Babel by RF Kuang

I still highly recommend this to either teenagers that read fantasy or are trying to get into fantasy as it is an entertaining and engaging read for younger minds

[Val~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank HarperCollins and Edelweiss for this advanced reader copy of A War of Wyverns by S. F. Williamson. Just like the first book, A Language of Dragons, this is amazing! Chumana is so fierce, yet so loving. Vivien's internal and external journey are a representation of what is currently happening to many of us. This book also shows how powerful community can be, and how important it is to acknowledge change in our lives in different ways. The perspective of language as a weapon and as a political tool for power is pretty well showcased, and also very well researched because it's based on real history. I loved the introduction of the Hebridean Wyverns and Dragons from different parts of the world. I also liked the book design because you can find excerpts from Clawtail's diary, newspapers, and from the radio. I cried, I laughed, I loved! Such an incredible reading!!! 6 stars!!!

[Cups and Thoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you harper YA for the arc ☺️✨

this was PACKED! full of political tension and intrigue 😮‍💨😮‍💨 what stood out most to me was the way the dragon hierarchy and species were explored in this! it’s SO complex and detailed, and most impressively — it was VERY original and refreshing! i remember tabbing book 1 for all the interesting dragon linguistic / academia elements, but book 2’s tabs looked a little different because they were all for the dragon species and behaviors! it’s SO interesting!!! i’ve never read any dragon book like this before and i had so much fun!

the characters though were driving me nuts 😩😩 i hate everyone… except ruth and marquis 😔✊🏼 i’m so ready for book 3 cause that ending?!?! steph how could you 😩😩😩 book 3 let’s goooo!!

[Rebecca Riddell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does Viv remain a whiney, indecisive pain in the butt? Why is there no growth over two whole books? I have never encountered a main character with such a hero complex who literally throws a tantrum every time she cannot be the one person to save everything.
How can we make sure the readers know just how Scottish these Scottish dragons are? AH YES HAVE THEM MAKE TWEED.
Chaumana was this books only saving grace.

[Dan Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book three when?!?! 🔥

[Tahls · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible sequel! Packed with action, twists, tension and anticipation. I just love this world and characters so much.

Viv’s struggles with crossing ethical boundaries, her identity and relationships really heightened the angst and emotion. I ate up all the lore and how the importance of preserving and speaking native languages was portrayed, highlighting the uniqueness they hold and is lost through translation. It was all so fascinating.

The stakes absolutely skyrocketed in this, it was non-stop! I was enthralled from start to finish. I can’t WAIT to see how this series concludes.

[Bailey Chadwick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually quite enjoyed A Language of Dragons when it came out, mostly because it was different. Academia based as opposed to action, it was a nice breathe of fresh air while reading tons of other fantasy books at the time. I didn't think it was brilliant, but I was entertained.

I was very excited to read A War of Wyverns and was really hoping my small issues with book 1 would be addressed and that the story would be even better. Sadly, it was not. A War of Wyverns was very slow without any development of the characters at all. Vivienne continues to be a moron about pretty much everything. Nearly every other secondary character we met in book 1 is barely in book 2 and therefore left me questioning why it was important that I knew them at all. We barely get any time with dragons. We get lots of (boring) time with wyverns were they explain how to make tapestries. And then a super rushed ending to what I thought was the 2nd and final book of a series.

Did you also think this was a finished duology? Yup, me too. It was advertised as such for months and months. But nope, the decision was made for a 3rd book at some point (but only recently announced to the readers) which REALLY bothers me when publishing houses decide to do this. And the thing is, this book felt like it could have been done in 2 books. Easily. But this weird epilogue is tacked on to give it a cliffhanger. I will not be reading book 3. Which sucks because I think the idea was solid, the execution was weak.

[Zana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first novel. I wanted more linguistics and more dragons and less teen drama and bumbling around.

This was very typical YA fantasy with the young heroes taking on the weight of the world while adults were off being stupid. The first person POV didn't help since the author was going for a large-scale epic war type of series. Instead, the whole thing felt like a contained fight.

Also, it was giving Hollywood movie with all the action scenes. While they were visually cool, it felt like the characterization and relationship building suffered because of this.

Henrietta Meire did really well with the dragon voices, especially the Hebridean Wyverns. Honestly, she was the reason that I kept going. While Viv might be annoying at times (in typical smart teenager fashion), the audiobook narrator managed to capture that personality trait, along with Viv's other emotions (fear, anger, etc.) It was really cool to listen to.

I'm not sure if I'll pick up the final book. We'll see.

[Sorina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A War of Wyverns" by S.F. Williamson is the sequel to "A Language of Dragons".

I received an advance reader copy from HarperCollins Children's Books and an audiobook from HarperAudio Children’s.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Vivien is a translator, but also the face of the rebellion against the corrupt government and invading Bulgarian dragons.
The end of the first book left her also broken hearted, after loosing the love of her life.

The story continues after the end of "A Language of Dragons", with Viv working with the rebellion and she finds out that a lot of things were kept from her.
She has a good development as a character and goes though a lot.

The book if filled with action and has a fast pace, but in some chases it was too overwhelming for me.

I alo listened to the audiobook narrated by Henrietta Meire.
She did a good job with the narration and managed to capture Viv personality very well.

There are a few twists in the story that surprised me and some secrets are revealed.
Even if there is some romance in the story, this is a small part.

I am glad that an author's note is included at the end of the story as it made understand how this fantasy story with dragons and wyverns is relevant to our society.

[Jill Rattray · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m torn how to rate this, I thought the plot was decent and the character development was good.

My problem with this book is the way it treats Scotland. Honestly, the attitude of the author feels very colonial. The Hebrides, the Gaelic language and traditions like walking the tweed are used by the author as part of the story, what she does not include is actual Scottish people, in any major roles. So you get English people and supernatural creatures talking about Gaelic culture but no-one who is actually from the Hebrides or anywhere else in Scotland.

There were a few things that suggested she did her research, but didn’t really understand language issues in Scotland. She is aware that Scots and Gaelic are separate languages, I’ve come across more than one author who did not. But she did keep calling Gaelic ‘Scottish Gaelic’, I’ve heard this before usually from people who think Irish is called Irish Gaelic, nope it’s just Irish. The Scots language gets absolute lip service, I got the feeling the author knows it’s a language spoken in Scotland but she has no grasp on how it works within Scotland. To that end I found the idea of an upper class Englishman at the start of the twentieth century being a Scots speaker less believable than dragons existing. I also don’t think she understood that Gaelic and Scots are spoken in different parts of the country.

There’s an author’s note where the author perpetuates the lie that Gaelic is no longer spoken in Scotland. And she also ignores the fact that there are thriving movements revitalising both Gaelic and Scots, and that in 2025 the Scottish Languages Act was passed making Gaelic and Scots official languages of Scotland.

I think the author’s colonial attitude isn’t just directed at Scotland. There is a dragon with a Welsh name but that’s the only mention of Wales, there’s no Welsh characters at all.

It all feels like the author thinks Gaelic culture is quaint but only if English people tell the story, Scots and Welsh people have no place in this British story.

[Dawid Wrobel · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 cause I actualy finished it

Slog to get through. Only redeeming quality is the wyvern lore in the midpoint of the book.

Characters fall flat. Viv is useless and annoying and has a hero complex and does nothing. Side characters being removed would change nothing. Feels like a constant mishmash of new ideas that then get abandoned halfway through for the next new thing. So many logical leaps that it was hard to take anything seriously. The "Secret Plans" and "Plan Bs" that the adults came up with are baffling for a rebellion you want me to believe was years in the making and relies on some dumbass teens. The romance was so forced in this book. Hilarious retconned ending just to justify another terrible drawn out book three.

Dissapointing cause the core idea and concept of the book is great, but the execution leaves everything to be desired.

[Paulina · Rating 2 out of 5]

★★.5

a war of wyverns felt like a step down from the first book. the world-building and lore are still impressive - the dragons, wyverns, politics, and languages are intricate and interesting - but the story itself fell flat for me. the first half dragged quite a bit, with moments that should have been exciting feeling uneventful, and i often had to push myself to keep reading

the plot only really picks up around the halfway point, leading to a big war scene at the end. this was the part i genuinely enjoyed, even if our main character mostly just watched from a distance. while the action was well-written, it didn’t quite make up for the slow pacing and lack of tension earlier in the book

the romance didn’t work for me either. atlas being brought back after seemingly dying felt like a forced choice, and their relationship throughout the book came across as awkward and unnatural. there’s a lot of hand-holding, hugs, and stolen kisses, but the real issues between them are never addressed, making the progression feel forced and disconnected from the story

overall, a war of wyverns has a rich and intricate setting with dragons and political intrigue, but the slow pacing, underwhelming plot development, and forced romance made it a harder read than i expected

[Aishah Humaira' (Mermaird ♡) · Rating 5 out of 5]

what the hell
WHAT THE HELL

—

“Rebellion happens in the shadows”, and in this book, there were more shadows than light to its people.

I had been so full of fascination when I read the first book of this series, A Language of Dragons, mainly because I have always been interested with language and translations. Even with dragons in it, the politics mirror our real world so much so I could not help but empathise with Vivien Featherswallow and the other rebels’ missions. The ending of the first book felt like a slap to the face, but nothing truly prepared me for the events unfolding in the sequel, A War of Wyverns.

It started with Viv questioning why she was not properly sent to do her part in her mission, to her being captured and directly thrown to be mauled by the enemies’ hands. For a brief moment, something that I had hoped for in the first book actually happened, a reunion bittersweet and betraying, but then things just went downhill extremely fast. I was at the edge of my seat, devouring this book, heart filled with hope that at least I could smile at the end of it all.

I was wrong. There were more pains than I could count of—dead rebel dragons and children littering the grounds because of the war was too much, too real—and I lost not one but two of my favourite characters, so it had not been a joyful ride. What I can say is that despite the violence wrought by the dragons, humans are capable of being more evil than that. The brilliant wyverns were pushed to seek hiding because of the cruelties of humans, and the war that happened also started from humans’ greed to be the most powerful. It disgusted me to my core because that is exactly how our world is built on too.

I started reading A War of Wyverns thinking I would get a closure, but I guess I will have to wait with a gaping wound in my heart until the next book comes out ( • ᴖ • ｡)

Thank you Times Reads for sending me this book! I owe it to you guys for this heartbreak 💔

[Temi (temisreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️
I am conflicted on how I feel about this one. While the world building continued to expand to really impressive heights with more dragons, wyverns, political moves, and language backgrounds, the plot of this one fell a bit stagnant. The first half of this dragged a lot and I found I was only interested in the moments with the dragons. The story does pick up in the second half and actually had some pretty entertaining actions scenes with the dragons!

My issue with this book is one of the issues I had with book 1 and that is our FMC Vivien. I found her to be incredibly selfish in book one and sadly that continues in this book. She always has to be the one to come up with the world saving plan and if she doesn’t she is insufferable to every one around her. I also did not enjoy the romance in this one. Bringing back a character just to force a romance into this story felt weird and awkward. The interactions in the romance felt stilted and unnatural throughout.

The shining light of this book is Chumana, as she was in book 1. The relationship that Vivien has with this dragon is the heart of the book and I loved the love hate relationship they had. There is an emotional scene with these two that made me cry in the end.

I went into this book thinking it was the ending to a duology but about halfway through realized that simply could not be the case because there was so much left unsaid and unresolved. It definitely leaves many storylines up in the air and while I am slightly intrigued about how this story will continue, I am also left feeling a bit underwhelmed. The narrator does do a fantastic job with the audiobook especially with all the dragon and wyvern voices so if I continue the series, it will definitely be on audio!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins, and Harper Audio Children’s for the eARC and ALCs in exchange for my honest reviews!

[Chloë · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my god this was phenomenal!!!!
the feeling the battle scenes gave me was the same thing I felt watching the Narnia battle scenes in the films as a kid, but on steroids.
This made me breathless, it made me cry, it made me angry. What a follow on!!
Finding out at the end how much research has gone into this and how it draws from real life conflicts and real life language is incredible.

[fayths bookcase ୨୧⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

RAGE BAIT YOUR KIDDING OH MY GOD

[Chezza's life · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ffs, loved this and now need book 3 lol

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️
I liked this better than book 1! but unfortunately I think this series is not for me :(

I just really can’t stand the characters, Vivien and Atlas are both so irritating and make such strange choices the whole book

The plot and world building also just doesn’t work for me, things just sort of happen? We’re trying to merge some messaging from Babel with the Mockingjay rebel imagery (literally Vivien is used as the face of the rebellion and given a bird theme name, i don’t really understand why) and then with WW2 dragons. And it just didn’t work together

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!

[Mari G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sooo heartbroken!!! Ugh I cried way too much. Imma blame it on being pregnant lol love this series. I need the 3rd book!!

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! A War of Wyverns was everything I was hoping it would be after devouring A Language of Dragons earlier this year. Williamson continues to blend fantasy and historical fiction, creating a unique world full of action and complex characters in the center of the rebellion. Her prose is truly beautiful, making A War of Wyverns an emotional story filled with pain, triumph, and self-discovery as these young characters navigate the war.

This installment was definitely more plot driven than character driven, and after the first few chapters the action starts and does not stop until the very last page. The war is here, and a majority of the book is the rebels fighting, trying to find allies, or strategize new paths to victory. While I tend to love character driven stories, I actually really enjoyed how plot heavy this was. I personally feel like having a more character development heavy first book was a nice interlude to the sequel, and gave space to focus more on propelling the story forward. The war was incredibly well written as well. You could feel the apprehension, fear, grief, and helplessness in every page, raising the intensity and totally enthralling me. Amongst all of this we still get what so many loved in A Language of Dragons: linguistics, translations, and subtle commentary on the power of language and knowledge. It remains to be a unique twist to the tried and true element of dragons, and I love it.

I'm so happy I was able to read an advanced copy of this book. It was a beautifully written, emotional rollercoaster, and I can't wait to see how the trilogy concludes in the next book. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own. Expected publication is 1/6/2026.

[Maud🐉 · Rating 5 out of 5]

as a former translation student and forever dragon enthusiast, i LOVE this series

[Bookish Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been eagerly waiting for this sequel ever since turning the last page of A Language of Dragons, so I was incredibly excited to be able to read it a couple of weeks early!! Somehow, I’d convinced myself this would be the end of a duology and was mentally preparing to say goodbye to all these characters (not that I was ready for that at all)… until the ending proved me very wrong. And, oh my gosh, those final chapters completely turned everything on its head, with twists that make you desperately need the next book now.

A War of Wyverns picks up a few months after the heartbreaking events at the end of A Language of Dragons. Viv is working undercover in London, studying a mysterious species of wyverns and trying to piece together a language that has left barely any trace behind. These wyverns are believed to be key to the fight for Britain (but why??), and Viv’s task is to bring them over to the rebels’ side. At the same time, secrets begin to surface, making Viv question even those closest to her.

It was such a joy to return to this alternative version of Britain, where dragons live alongside humans - not peacefully at the moment, but in a unique way unlike that of any other fantasy book I can think of. As with the first book, one of my favourite aspects is how much agency the dragons have: fully independent beings, not bound to humans in the traditional dragon–rider way we often see (and love) in fantasy. Getting more time with familiar characters, especially Chumana and Viv herself (who is facing quite the crisis about her own identity and role in the war), was a highlight too. And the twists! Not just the ones at the end, but that reveal around the 25% mark too - loved it!

It’s hard to say much more without giving spoilers, so I’ll leave it at this: A War of Wyverns is a fantastic sequel, packed with action, revelations, and plenty of dragon chaos. It was absolutely worth the wait, and now I’m counting down until the next book.

4.5 stars rounded up!

[eternallove · Rating 2 out of 5]

So conflicted, more so saddened after finishing this sequel to one of my most beloved dragon fantasies.

A Language of Dragons was beautiful. It balanced the themes of linguistics, fantasy elements, romance, and truly morally grey conflicts within every character. It was written with, what I felt, so much attention and care that it was so emotionally beautiful, and at times tragic. Yet, it all made me love the story more so.

Here, with A War of Wyverns, it’s the total opposite. This felt like reading Yarros’ Onyx Storm: A commercial sequel created for the purposes of financial gain that erased or changed everything that made the original so good only for fan service and additional sequels in the future. Within the first five to six chapters, all the consequences of the first volume that was meant to stay permanent and force our main character to grow from her pain——a story that would’ve been actually interesting and powerful as pain becomes strength——was thrown away. The entire time as I was reading, I was wondering what gravity did anything hold anymore? It not only ruined everything I felt and loved about A Language of Dragons, but also made me care so much less about A War of Wyverns. I was then disinterested and no longer attached.

The romance here felt forced. Every single moment the author could sneak some sort of romantic action in, it was pushed to the maximum as much as YA could get. Once again, forced romance ruined everything that was built up in A Language of Dragons. This repeated cycle continued throughout multiple aspects of this series I once loved . . . Now these parts are just reversed or abandoned.

A War of Wyverns has some redeeming qualities besides its failure to recapture emotional strength and plot tension. The world-building, lore, and variety of dragons grew vast. While the characters that returned were barely at the forefront, the background of the setting and history replaced them instead. I can tell where the story will go from here in a third volume, but the question is if it’s needed? Was this sequel even needed?

That’s for you as the reader to determine. Personally, and heartbreakingly, I will not be continuing the series after this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.

[aila ✧.* · Rating 4 out of 5]

idk why everyone is such a hater of this series bro it's lowkey fire. the dragons are so cool and the linguistics of it all... yes ma'am.

i am such a sucker for any book with dragons, especially because a lot of the books nowadays that advertise dragons are romantasies that have maybe one (1) dragon in the whole book and it's just there for character development. but this series actually gives the dragons cultures and languages depending on their species, gives them their own mental communication system, gives them personalities, thoughts, feelings, relationships, rights, makes them part of society, etc. i love it. i ate up the first book and i ate up this book too.

now i will say it struggled a bit more being the middle of the series. i was under the impression that this was a duology and it kinda felt like the author was too until the last 50 pages or so. plot-wise i wouldn't say that too too much happened, but it was really enjoyable nonetheless. i loved meeting the wyverns, their society was super cool and intricate, and you could tell that the author researched about the island and area. in the notes she talks about the history or language in scotland and that was super interesting especially to see what the war in the book was based off of.

unfortunately my girl viv still wasn't entirely likeable. i will say she was a lot better in this one than the first book, but still not my most favourite character ever. but i'm just here for the dragons so whatever. her relationship with atlas was pmo so bad though like can there just not be romance in a book for once please 🥀 sometimes it's just not necessary like i do not care bro i want more dragons. i am still a sophieviv truther c'mon now 🗣️

SPOILERS IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH! SKIP AHEAD!!!

now i of course have to talk about my baby my love my chumana. we don't deserve you queen! rip to a diva. i had the feeling she was going to get killed off but it still hurt really bad. she better come back in the next book (i'm gaslighting myself). also why was my girl lowkey the victim of a hate crime... bury your gays affecting the dragons now too huh... poor daria. no because i clocked their tea immediately 😛 lesbian dragons yes ma'am!!! unless i read that vibe wrong but i don't think i did????? pls lmk guys it was a little unclear...

SPOILERS OVER

anyway i'm sooo excited for book 3! another year's wait is criminal bc wdym another war???? hello??? and we'll get international dragons too!!! i hope we get some canadian dragons i wanna see them. we're in the commonwealth we gotta help britannia! lock in guys! anyway live laugh love dragons <3

[Christina Pilkington · Rating 4 out of 5]

After such an explosive ending to A Language of Dragons, A War of Wyverns took a little while to get going. The slow start as well as a plot twist I wasn’t the biggest fan of had me worried about how much I would enjoy this book.

But about a third of the way in, we’re introduced to the wyverns and their importance to the war efforts, and that’s when this book started to shine! I adored learning about this new species, their culture and traditions, their family dynamics and they special way they communicate with each other.

My favorite sections of this book was the commentary about language and how it can be a tool of both power and oppression. Vivien loves her job as a translator, but she begins to understand that language is a living thing, and that while it’s important to have a written record as a part of the preservation process, a language can only truly be preserved if it’s shared orally with those who can understand and speak the language and within the context of cultural values. There’s always an element of language that will be lost when translating from one language to another, and some thoughts and ideas cannot adequately be translated at all between different languages.

I tandem read this book, and I’d highly recommend the audio! The narrator, Henrietta Meire, who also narrates the first book, did an amazing job. Her accent and pacing helped immerse me in the story as it’s set in the UK, and it added to my overall enjoyment.

If you love leaning different languages or learning about them, and if you enjoy stories with dragons or wyverns, I’d highly recommend this series! There is a romance element to the story which wasn’t my favorite part, but it doesn’t play a central role.

*Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollin’s Children’s Books for the digital and audio arcs. All opinions are my own.

[Kate Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to start the new year, this book was a masterpiece.

S.F. Williamson understands the power of words; she expertly weaves them into powerful weapons to pierce your heart in so many different ways.

I didn't think it could get better than book one, I'm still reeling from the fact that this is a debut series and its written so masterfully I would think that S.F would have multiple series under her belt. I will be buying every single book she writes and eagerly awaiting the next.

I'm not sure I have the words myself to express exactly what this book means to me. I also can't say much considering it would be full of spoilers.

There are so many beautiful and amazing quotes that will sit with me, but I will leave you with one:

"We are no longer rebels or linguists or Bulgarians. We are simply a blur of pink in the sky. Four recruits and two dragons who are, in this brief singular moment, as light and carefree as swallows."

I cannot recommend this series enough, I feel like everyone needs to read it.

This book will live rent free in my mind forever.

[Odette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore the Ddraig Gochs.

Anyway the story. I love the themes. I like Vivian, I understand her motivations though some of this comes from some very detailed thoughts in the text which often comes with books in 1st pov.

Altas I liked much less in this. At first I thought he was haunting the narrative very suspiciously. Turns out I was right to be sus. Either way I even liked Ralph more.

I love how fleshed out this world is becoming. The language element is so special and I always appreciate that throughline to Williamsons writing.

The setting is immersive and I always enjoy a good twist, especially when I don't see it coming. Overall a very enjoyable experience.

I got my book early in the post but I purchased it myself, all thoughts are my own