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Wounds in the Sky #0.5
Dragon Dodgers
Librarian's Note: this is an alternate cover edition for ASIN B00OW2ATIK.
"When there is life on ground, there is death in the sky"
Dragons rule the land and mankind hides underground. Only a brave few dare to cross the great outdoors - Surface Runners.
Captain Targon of the Dragon Dodgers has Ran the Surface for far too many years, but he has finally found the mother of all jobs. In the hope of becoming rich beyond his wildest dreams, he has dragged his men all the way across the continent, to a land they've never been. But the men are tired of their Captain's secrecy and exhausted by the long and dangerous journey. There are whispers within the Company and some believe that a change of leadership is required.
Has Targon finally found the job that will allow him to leave his Surface Running days behind? Or is he taking the Dragon Dodgers to their doom?
Dragon Dodgers is the first in a series of novellas leading up to the Wounds in Sky Fantasy series. Release of the first novel length book in the series is scheduled for Q1 2015.
"When there is life on ground, there is death in the sky"
Dragons rule the land and mankind hides underground. Only a brave few dare to cross the great outdoors - Surface Runners.
Captain Targon of the Dragon Dodgers has Ran the Surface for far too many years, but he has finally found the mother of all jobs. In the hope of becoming rich beyond his wildest dreams, he has dragged his men all the way across the continent, to a land they've never been. But the men are tired of their Captain's secrecy and exhausted by the long and dangerous journey. There are whispers within the Company and some believe that a change of leadership is required.
Has Targon finally found the job that will allow him to leave his Surface Running days behind? Or is he taking the Dragon Dodgers to their doom?
Dragon Dodgers is the first in a series of novellas leading up to the Wounds in Sky Fantasy series. Release of the first novel length book in the series is scheduled for Q1 2015.
83 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2014
28 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
V.R. Cardoso
8 books159 followersI remember writing short stories on my dad's old Mac SE 30. He would then print a few copies at the office so I could distribute them to my class. This was in elementary school. I mostly ripped off everything that I read or watched. I remember having a hero that was suspiciously similar to Indiana Jones, except his name came from a book cover standing on the shelf behind the computer.
I grew up on a healthy diet of fantasy novels, video games, and daydreaming. After graduating in business, I spent a few years cranking out headlines, scripts, and silly ideas in an advertising agency in Lisbon. Having written about pretty much everything, from laxative pills to car insurance, I decided it was time to start writing about what I truly enjoy. So I've taken the plunge and I'm now self-publishing my works of fiction.
I also eat a lot of crepes.
I grew up on a healthy diet of fantasy novels, video games, and daydreaming. After graduating in business, I spent a few years cranking out headlines, scripts, and silly ideas in an advertising agency in Lisbon. Having written about pretty much everything, from laxative pills to car insurance, I decided it was time to start writing about what I truly enjoy. So I've taken the plunge and I'm now self-publishing my works of fiction.
I also eat a lot of crepes.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 21, 2015
***I RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW***
What a great story. Mr. Cardoso does a great job of creating a world and characters that immediately capture your interest and a need to know more. This is a unique take on all things dragon.
The characters develop well and are easily relatable. Their personalties will remind you of people you know.
This book has a great balance of thrills, action, adventure, drama, mystery and even a little romance and horror. The plot keeps you guessing while subplots have lots of twists and turns. Some things you just won't see coming.
I like Mr. Cardoso's writing style and will be reading more of his work. I can't wait for the next book in this series to find answers to the questions that are driving me crazy.
I can happily recommend this book to young adults and seniors and everyone in between. KUDOS Mr. Cardoso on a story well told.
What a great story. Mr. Cardoso does a great job of creating a world and characters that immediately capture your interest and a need to know more. This is a unique take on all things dragon.
The characters develop well and are easily relatable. Their personalties will remind you of people you know.
This book has a great balance of thrills, action, adventure, drama, mystery and even a little romance and horror. The plot keeps you guessing while subplots have lots of twists and turns. Some things you just won't see coming.
I like Mr. Cardoso's writing style and will be reading more of his work. I can't wait for the next book in this series to find answers to the questions that are driving me crazy.
I can happily recommend this book to young adults and seniors and everyone in between. KUDOS Mr. Cardoso on a story well told.
Read
January 24, 2015I REALLY LIKED IT
I’m straddling the I’m Indifferent rating and the I Really Liked It rating. I’d say the first half of the book was a bit rough, but after the middle it smoothed out some and I really liked it. I rounded up because I enjoyed the premise of the story. Had a few things been different, it might have even moved up to my I Loved It rating.
First, the dialog formatting. Now, this could very well be a cultural difference in styling, but, for me, it was highly bothersome while reading. First, the dialog tags were as follows:
“You have to take me.” Enrig Said.
Or: “You want excuses,” He told Merriqh. “fine.”
When you’re so accustomed to reading dialog formatted a certain way, any variance becomes distracting. And there was a lot of dialog. I couldn’t ease into my reading trance because it didn’t flow right and my brain kept pausing to say “What? Oh, okay. Continue.” Another issue was that the paragraphs were not indented. This made reading short dialog sections difficult. It jumbled together and sometimes you had to go back because you got off from who was talking. These things are simple fixes that would ease the flow of reading dramatically and would have easily solidified this as a I Really Liked It. Again, this could be a cultural difference, but I’ve never read a book that had it formatted like this one. And as I said, when you read tons of books, it’s going to throw you a bit.
Second, it felt rushed, especially in the beginning. The initial dialog felt a tad bit forced in order to get things moving. I wish there had been more setting and slower scenes. This does not mean I wanted more description, but would have liked everything to unroll a bit slower so I could adjust to this new world. It’s an incredibly short book so it had room for it. It would have helped developed the story more in the beginning and had me concerned for the characters from the get go. That said, the middle smoothed out a bit and the scenes were more detailed, especially toward the end.
Which brings me to the all things I enjoyed about this book.
First, the entire story idea was brilliant. Dragons rule the land and people live in caves. Dragon Dodgers is a group of Runners that carry messages across the “surface” for cash, also sometimes venturing into trinkets or goods. Since not a lot of people travel—because of the hungry dragons—Runners are basically badasses. The Dragon Dodgers are a motley group led by the Captain. Fun so far? You bet! Then it gets better. He’s not loved by all his people, so there’s some dissension in the ranks. It keeps you on your toes. Of course you’re rooting for the Captain, but the people disagreeing with him had some valid points. So it makes Captain a likable, flawed character. Half way through this book I was definitely a fan of the story. Again, if those distracting errors hadn’t been there and the book slowed down and flowed a bit better, I would have been all over this.
Second, there were two characters whose backgrounds were explored, and I found each to have an engaging history, especially the Captain. What they’ve been through is heartbreaking, and Captain’s situation is understandable and I felt a huge swell of pity for him.
Lastly, I never, ever saw that ending coming. Never. So kudos for throwing me for a complete loop! Love that!
So overall, I recommend reading a sample on Amazon. If the dialog tags and formatting doesn’t bother you, give it a go. I can say that I will definitely be checking out the next book because the story was engaging and different.
You can see this and other reviews on my website: http://booksbylkevans.com
I’m straddling the I’m Indifferent rating and the I Really Liked It rating. I’d say the first half of the book was a bit rough, but after the middle it smoothed out some and I really liked it. I rounded up because I enjoyed the premise of the story. Had a few things been different, it might have even moved up to my I Loved It rating.
First, the dialog formatting. Now, this could very well be a cultural difference in styling, but, for me, it was highly bothersome while reading. First, the dialog tags were as follows:
“You have to take me.” Enrig Said.
Or: “You want excuses,” He told Merriqh. “fine.”
When you’re so accustomed to reading dialog formatted a certain way, any variance becomes distracting. And there was a lot of dialog. I couldn’t ease into my reading trance because it didn’t flow right and my brain kept pausing to say “What? Oh, okay. Continue.” Another issue was that the paragraphs were not indented. This made reading short dialog sections difficult. It jumbled together and sometimes you had to go back because you got off from who was talking. These things are simple fixes that would ease the flow of reading dramatically and would have easily solidified this as a I Really Liked It. Again, this could be a cultural difference, but I’ve never read a book that had it formatted like this one. And as I said, when you read tons of books, it’s going to throw you a bit.
Second, it felt rushed, especially in the beginning. The initial dialog felt a tad bit forced in order to get things moving. I wish there had been more setting and slower scenes. This does not mean I wanted more description, but would have liked everything to unroll a bit slower so I could adjust to this new world. It’s an incredibly short book so it had room for it. It would have helped developed the story more in the beginning and had me concerned for the characters from the get go. That said, the middle smoothed out a bit and the scenes were more detailed, especially toward the end.
Which brings me to the all things I enjoyed about this book.
First, the entire story idea was brilliant. Dragons rule the land and people live in caves. Dragon Dodgers is a group of Runners that carry messages across the “surface” for cash, also sometimes venturing into trinkets or goods. Since not a lot of people travel—because of the hungry dragons—Runners are basically badasses. The Dragon Dodgers are a motley group led by the Captain. Fun so far? You bet! Then it gets better. He’s not loved by all his people, so there’s some dissension in the ranks. It keeps you on your toes. Of course you’re rooting for the Captain, but the people disagreeing with him had some valid points. So it makes Captain a likable, flawed character. Half way through this book I was definitely a fan of the story. Again, if those distracting errors hadn’t been there and the book slowed down and flowed a bit better, I would have been all over this.
Second, there were two characters whose backgrounds were explored, and I found each to have an engaging history, especially the Captain. What they’ve been through is heartbreaking, and Captain’s situation is understandable and I felt a huge swell of pity for him.
Lastly, I never, ever saw that ending coming. Never. So kudos for throwing me for a complete loop! Love that!
So overall, I recommend reading a sample on Amazon. If the dialog tags and formatting doesn’t bother you, give it a go. I can say that I will definitely be checking out the next book because the story was engaging and different.
You can see this and other reviews on my website: http://booksbylkevans.com
May 30, 2015
This novella begins by throwing you directly in the action of the story. Enrig, a fourteen year old boy, wants to venture above his underground home with a group of Watchers. The Watchers are watching for dragons. Enrig's real goal is to become a Runner. The Runner's travel on the surface from place to place, evading the dragons as they go. It can be a lonely life, but also full of adventure.
It was great being thrown right into the story. I often wish that full length novels would do this more. Sometimes it can be too slow getting into the world and the setting, but here we're thrown right in and introduced to the world right away. For a novella of this length it was a necessity, but it also worked really well and grabbed my attention. Sometimes too slow of a buildup can leave me wanting more.
The main bulk of the story follows Enrig as he embarks on a quest with a group of Runners fronted by Captain Targon. We witness fights among the Runners, attacks by dragons, and overall adventure. It has a nice Lord of the Rings feel to the adventure and some elements similar to The Hobbit, particularly in reference to the dragons and their lairs and attacks. I really liked these similarities. It wasn't a copy of another story, but rather pulled elements from some great works that are still loved today.
The main drawback for me in this story was that I felt I never became attached to the characters. Probably due to the length of the story, the development of the characters meant that none of them were able to reach their full potential. This left me without much connection to any of the characters. The story would be more powerful if I had been able to become more fully invested.
I did really enjoy reading this and look forward to future stories set in this world. The ending was somewhat surprising and a nice twist. I highly recommend this to lovers of the fantasy genre.
I received a free copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.
All of my reviews can be found on my blog www.courtneysreads.blogspot.com
It was great being thrown right into the story. I often wish that full length novels would do this more. Sometimes it can be too slow getting into the world and the setting, but here we're thrown right in and introduced to the world right away. For a novella of this length it was a necessity, but it also worked really well and grabbed my attention. Sometimes too slow of a buildup can leave me wanting more.
The main bulk of the story follows Enrig as he embarks on a quest with a group of Runners fronted by Captain Targon. We witness fights among the Runners, attacks by dragons, and overall adventure. It has a nice Lord of the Rings feel to the adventure and some elements similar to The Hobbit, particularly in reference to the dragons and their lairs and attacks. I really liked these similarities. It wasn't a copy of another story, but rather pulled elements from some great works that are still loved today.
The main drawback for me in this story was that I felt I never became attached to the characters. Probably due to the length of the story, the development of the characters meant that none of them were able to reach their full potential. This left me without much connection to any of the characters. The story would be more powerful if I had been able to become more fully invested.
I did really enjoy reading this and look forward to future stories set in this world. The ending was somewhat surprising and a nice twist. I highly recommend this to lovers of the fantasy genre.
I received a free copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.
All of my reviews can be found on my blog www.courtneysreads.blogspot.com
October 16, 2017
Genre - Fantasy/Novella
Pages - 80
Oh what gems I find on my Kindle from days past. I’ve had this little story on my Kindle since 2015 and just got around to reading it. “Dragon Dodgers (Wounds in the Sky, Prequel) by V.R Cardoso was quite a lovely, enjoyable, and a very quick read. Fast paced story and interesting characters throughout. A very nice start to this series. V.R. Cardoso does a splendid job in developing a world of make believe that is easy to digest and get lost in along with some unique and unusual characters. I am looking forward the next book in this series “The Dragon Hunter and Mage (Wounds in the Sky, Book One)”.
Synopsis (from back cover): Life on the Ground, Death in the Sky.
Dragons rule the land and mankind hides underground. Only a brave few dare to cross the great outdoors - Surface Runners.
Enrig of Saggad longs to leave his underground home, seeking adventure and freedom on the surface, far away from the caves of his youth and the reprimands of his addled mother. Joining the Watch seems promising, but what he really dreams of is becoming a Surface Runner, evading Dragons and running across the land for treasure and glory. It is a far flung wish for one as young as he, until a chance encounter lands him in the lap of the Dragon Dodgers, a Company of Surface Runners on a very special mission. Will Enrig be allowed to join them? And if he is, will he find anything other than death?
Pages - 80
Oh what gems I find on my Kindle from days past. I’ve had this little story on my Kindle since 2015 and just got around to reading it. “Dragon Dodgers (Wounds in the Sky, Prequel) by V.R Cardoso was quite a lovely, enjoyable, and a very quick read. Fast paced story and interesting characters throughout. A very nice start to this series. V.R. Cardoso does a splendid job in developing a world of make believe that is easy to digest and get lost in along with some unique and unusual characters. I am looking forward the next book in this series “The Dragon Hunter and Mage (Wounds in the Sky, Book One)”.
Synopsis (from back cover): Life on the Ground, Death in the Sky.
Dragons rule the land and mankind hides underground. Only a brave few dare to cross the great outdoors - Surface Runners.
Enrig of Saggad longs to leave his underground home, seeking adventure and freedom on the surface, far away from the caves of his youth and the reprimands of his addled mother. Joining the Watch seems promising, but what he really dreams of is becoming a Surface Runner, evading Dragons and running across the land for treasure and glory. It is a far flung wish for one as young as he, until a chance encounter lands him in the lap of the Dragon Dodgers, a Company of Surface Runners on a very special mission. Will Enrig be allowed to join them? And if he is, will he find anything other than death?
January 19, 2015
Dragon Dodgers (Wounds in the Sky Prequels: Book One) by V.R. Cardoso
I was given a copy of this book for review.
This was very nearly a four star for me. I think the book has heaps of potential and I will certainly be following V.R. Cardoso's following novellas. I loved the detail. This is right up the alley for fans of Lord of the rings and Game of Thrones. Cardoso's description of the setting creates a believable world and the whole surface runner plotline is original and interesting. What prevented me from giving it four stars were the more technical issues. I felt sometimes, especially in the start of the book, the pacing was not quite right. Several times I felt the reactions of the characters was not authentic and it interrupted the flow of my reading.
In saying all this, once I got to the third chapter it became easy to read and I was quickly at the end and wanting more because, OH BOY, I was not expecting that to happen! You'll see what I mean once you read it.
I would recommend this for anyone wanting a satisfying read and I think this author will bring out some great future works!
I was given a copy of this book for review.
This was very nearly a four star for me. I think the book has heaps of potential and I will certainly be following V.R. Cardoso's following novellas. I loved the detail. This is right up the alley for fans of Lord of the rings and Game of Thrones. Cardoso's description of the setting creates a believable world and the whole surface runner plotline is original and interesting. What prevented me from giving it four stars were the more technical issues. I felt sometimes, especially in the start of the book, the pacing was not quite right. Several times I felt the reactions of the characters was not authentic and it interrupted the flow of my reading.
In saying all this, once I got to the third chapter it became easy to read and I was quickly at the end and wanting more because, OH BOY, I was not expecting that to happen! You'll see what I mean once you read it.
I would recommend this for anyone wanting a satisfying read and I think this author will bring out some great future works!
February 8, 2017
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I accepted to review this book on a whim as it involved dragons. I thought this novella had a great start, as anything that starts out with a great tragedy to force the protagonist into making a decision is always a brilliant way to start off a story. I did however find that the action lagged towards the middle. The novella is a journey story similar to Lord of the Rings, with an ultimate goal at the end. Although the journey would have been perfect for a full length novel, I felt that it dragged on a little too much for a novella, as the main action happened in the last ten pages. I felt there needed to be less build up and more action, as the journey felt more like it should have belonged in a novel.
I thought Enrig was a great protagonist, as although Captain Targon made his goal of becoming a runner difficult, he remained persistent, eventually wearing Targon down enough to agree to accept him onto the team. I also loved that he refused to be called a liar, and faced dangerous consequences to prove to his companions that he had told them the truth.
I loved the ending of the book and found it really shocking as it was the last thing that I was expecting to happen. I'm usually able to tell where a plot is going, and often correctly guess how a story will end, but with Dragon Dodgers I had not expected it to end the way it did at all. I would love to see how Enrig's journey as a runner continues in future novellas. As the series is also expanding into novels, I would also be interested in reading those too. I would recommend this series for fans of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
I accepted to review this book on a whim as it involved dragons. I thought this novella had a great start, as anything that starts out with a great tragedy to force the protagonist into making a decision is always a brilliant way to start off a story. I did however find that the action lagged towards the middle. The novella is a journey story similar to Lord of the Rings, with an ultimate goal at the end. Although the journey would have been perfect for a full length novel, I felt that it dragged on a little too much for a novella, as the main action happened in the last ten pages. I felt there needed to be less build up and more action, as the journey felt more like it should have belonged in a novel.
I thought Enrig was a great protagonist, as although Captain Targon made his goal of becoming a runner difficult, he remained persistent, eventually wearing Targon down enough to agree to accept him onto the team. I also loved that he refused to be called a liar, and faced dangerous consequences to prove to his companions that he had told them the truth.
I loved the ending of the book and found it really shocking as it was the last thing that I was expecting to happen. I'm usually able to tell where a plot is going, and often correctly guess how a story will end, but with Dragon Dodgers I had not expected it to end the way it did at all. I would love to see how Enrig's journey as a runner continues in future novellas. As the series is also expanding into novels, I would also be interested in reading those too. I would recommend this series for fans of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
January 22, 2015
Dragon Dodgers takes the reader on a wild ride. Cardoso has built a world where dragons are large, fierce, and where they act the way dragons should, they rule the surface. The people hide underground and struggle to exist above ground with the exception of the runners.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story with one exception. It was too short. Can’t wait for whatever comes next.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story with one exception. It was too short. Can’t wait for whatever comes next.
August 8, 2015
This is a fantastic debut! Fast-paced, both tense and witty and with a sharp attention to the worldbuilding. Even though it's a novella we can sense that the whole mythology is already deeply established and that the author plans to take us on a grand surface run.
Looking forward to the next adventure!
Looking forward to the next adventure!
August 13, 2021
Enrig a fourteen-year-old boy becomes a watcher for dragons. The community has to live underground as it is too dangerous to go above, but the watchers are on the lookout for the dragons, so the community can gather food. Enrig is given a lookout on the Northwest Watch with his cousin. What Enrig really wants is to become a surface runner, to live outside. Surface runners collect things to sell to merchants. He sees a dragon in the southeast quarter, but the watchers there do not see it. He and his cousin run to tell the people who are collecting food to run, the dragon appears and so do the surfaces runners, he is saved by the runners. Led by Captain Targon the leader of the Dragon Dodgers. They take him on as an apprentice.
I really liked this story, It was exciting from the dragon start. Didn't take a break from the reading. The characters are great and relatable. A few twists and turns.
I really liked this story, It was exciting from the dragon start. Didn't take a break from the reading. The characters are great and relatable. A few twists and turns.
September 20, 2023
Excellent introduction sequel!
Who doesn’t like an action packed dragon adventure? Dragon Dodgers filled all of my requirements for that very reason. The characters don’t have a lot of background but, there’s enough to make you want more of the protagonist’s story, especially after this thrill ride.
Please note that the dragons are not the good creatures that they sometimes are in this tale.
Purchased from Amazon
Who doesn’t like an action packed dragon adventure? Dragon Dodgers filled all of my requirements for that very reason. The characters don’t have a lot of background but, there’s enough to make you want more of the protagonist’s story, especially after this thrill ride.
Please note that the dragons are not the good creatures that they sometimes are in this tale.
Purchased from Amazon
July 29, 2017
Subterfuge and deceit
Be careful for what you wish for as it may be more than you want. Just when you think it is someone else.. wham.. Who would have thought. In the end good overcomes evil with rewards beyond the wildest dreams.
Be careful for what you wish for as it may be more than you want. Just when you think it is someone else.. wham.. Who would have thought. In the end good overcomes evil with rewards beyond the wildest dreams.
April 7, 2018
Loved it, the only imperfection: too short, I wanted it to last longer...
Nice plot, vivid and intense.
Nice plot, vivid and intense.
January 12, 2015
Dragons rule the sky and humans have been driven underground. A group of dragon dodgers set out to find a way to kill the dragons. Along the way they start to fight with each other as it looks like the poison they search for doesn't exist. An entertaining fantasy novella.
September 29, 2016
Honestly, it's a bit of a let down compared to The Dragon Hunter and the Mage. Wouldn't recommend except if you want some more info on the world this series is set in. Despite that, I actually did really enjoy the twist at the end, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
March 19, 2015
Dragon Dodgers
Holy cow! An author with a toilet togune. I felt like I was back in junior high. I just cannot drag my brain through such garbage.
Holy cow! An author with a toilet togune. I felt like I was back in junior high. I just cannot drag my brain through such garbage.
September 15, 2015
I hate doing this
I'm not familiar with the characters or the storyline but I have read plenty of different types of Dragon books and stories. This is a nice rainy day read
I'm not familiar with the characters or the storyline but I have read plenty of different types of Dragon books and stories. This is a nice rainy day read
February 15, 2016
A good little read. I'd be interested in reading the follow-up.
March 7, 2017
I am coming up and out!
Adventurous, short and sweet! A fast paced story with a heroic ending. I liked the self discovering hero and the mix of the good, the bad and the ugly crews. Read it and enjoy.
Adventurous, short and sweet! A fast paced story with a heroic ending. I liked the self discovering hero and the mix of the good, the bad and the ugly crews. Read it and enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews