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Dragonrealm #1
Firedrake
In the ultimate war between humans and fiery, shape-shifting beings, Duke Toma, bent on utter supremacy, has unleashed every conceivable evil on the world of the Dragon Kings. Only one person will dare to challenge him: Cabe Bedlam, a mere youth cast adrift in a world where none can be trusted. Yet at his command is a formidable arsenal...a fierce warrior tradition imparted by regal, still-living forebears...the fabulous gifts of witch Gwen, the ravishing lady of the Amber...and the magical Horned Blade, the sword that promises its bearer total mastery over the many menacing forms of man and beast.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1989
30 people are currently reading
712 people want to read
About the author
Richard A. Knaak
287 books1,486 followersRichard A. Knaak is the bestselling author of Dragonlance novels, the Dragonrealm and Black City Saint series (his own creations), six novels for Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series, and six works in the Warcraft universe. He has also written several non-series fantasy books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 11, 2008
I first read this book when I was in the sixth or seventh grade, and I loved it. It turned out to be the start of an entire series, which I loved even more, until it sadly died off. The author has revived it in the form of six PDF stories available through his website (http://www.sff.net/people/knaak/annou...), which I have not yet picked up, but certainly plan to. I decided to re-read these mostly as a form of comfort food…we lost the family dog earlier in the week, and I wanted something that would cheer me up. Born to Kvetch, the next book in my queue, didn’t seem to do the trick. So I went with this.
So, right, the book.
Firedrake begins a series of tales set in the Dragonrealm, a world ruled (at least, at the start of the series) by a race of shapeshifiting Dragons. Several generations ago, a group of human sorcerors, calling themselves the Dragon Masters, rose up and tried to free humanity from the Dragon Kings’s rule. They failed, and the Dragon Kings still rule, but the war has left them weakened. So when the find that Cabe Bedlam, descendent of the leader of the Dragon Masters, is alive and well, they decide he needs to be destroyed quickly. Things go downhill from there very fast, both for Cabe, the Dragon Kings, and the Dragonrealm.
This isn’t a deep series, but it’s fun. Lots of fun. Knaak has created a very interesting world, and Firedrake gives only the barest glimpses into the world’s history and nature. There are a ton of memorable characters floating around, from Darkhorse (a magical being composed of the Void), Shade (a cursed immortal warlock), various Dragon Kings, and the Gryphon (a humanoid pseudoshapeshifter). Cabe Bedlam himself, unfortunately, isn’t quite as interesting…he’s mostly just a Luke Skywalker archetype, right down to the evil faather. Of course, his father is crazy and utterly irreedemable, but the basic idea is pretty similar.
This is one of Knaak’s earlier books, and it does show. The writing is a little clumsy at times, and the Dragonrealm is inhabited by an annoying number of indescribable magical servants. Fortunately, these servants don’t DO much…but the large number of indescribable things running around started to get a little wearing. But overall, it flows pretty well, and I enjoy the almost cinematic way in which he presents certain scenes. This could actually be turned into a really fun movie in this day and age, though I doubt it would happen, or happen correctly.
Even with the occasionally clunky writing, I still love this book. I remember the series getting better as it goes along. I'll find out soon, I suppose. It’s always nice to visit old friends.
Also, I have to say that Knaak was one of the cooler authors I've ever met. He signed a book for me at Gen Con one year, and was very friendly to a starry-eyed 17 year-old with visions of becoming a writer. Cool guy.
So, right, the book.
Firedrake begins a series of tales set in the Dragonrealm, a world ruled (at least, at the start of the series) by a race of shapeshifiting Dragons. Several generations ago, a group of human sorcerors, calling themselves the Dragon Masters, rose up and tried to free humanity from the Dragon Kings’s rule. They failed, and the Dragon Kings still rule, but the war has left them weakened. So when the find that Cabe Bedlam, descendent of the leader of the Dragon Masters, is alive and well, they decide he needs to be destroyed quickly. Things go downhill from there very fast, both for Cabe, the Dragon Kings, and the Dragonrealm.
This isn’t a deep series, but it’s fun. Lots of fun. Knaak has created a very interesting world, and Firedrake gives only the barest glimpses into the world’s history and nature. There are a ton of memorable characters floating around, from Darkhorse (a magical being composed of the Void), Shade (a cursed immortal warlock), various Dragon Kings, and the Gryphon (a humanoid pseudoshapeshifter). Cabe Bedlam himself, unfortunately, isn’t quite as interesting…he’s mostly just a Luke Skywalker archetype, right down to the evil faather. Of course, his father is crazy and utterly irreedemable, but the basic idea is pretty similar.
This is one of Knaak’s earlier books, and it does show. The writing is a little clumsy at times, and the Dragonrealm is inhabited by an annoying number of indescribable magical servants. Fortunately, these servants don’t DO much…but the large number of indescribable things running around started to get a little wearing. But overall, it flows pretty well, and I enjoy the almost cinematic way in which he presents certain scenes. This could actually be turned into a really fun movie in this day and age, though I doubt it would happen, or happen correctly.
Even with the occasionally clunky writing, I still love this book. I remember the series getting better as it goes along. I'll find out soon, I suppose. It’s always nice to visit old friends.
Also, I have to say that Knaak was one of the cooler authors I've ever met. He signed a book for me at Gen Con one year, and was very friendly to a starry-eyed 17 year-old with visions of becoming a writer. Cool guy.
October 12, 2011
Great book, great cover.
If you like dragons, it's a must-read.
If you like dragons, it's a must-read.
November 3, 2015
I have abandoned this book on the last 15 pages. I could not bring myself to finish it.
The premise of this book definitely has potential. Dragons attempting to enslave the world (or at least control it), politics, different types of creatures and magic working together.
However, I feel as though some things are too campy. There seem to be a lot of 'all-powerful' beings with insane powers that can't do much against the main bad guy because he is more 'all-powerful'. The main character never really accomplishes anything other than accidentally being the right guy in the right place without any idea of what's going on. He never realizes his full power and there is no indication other than his 'get out of jail free' switch turning on when he is in a bind.
As for the supporting characters you are not given enough time with them to feel them out. Relationships between certain characters are sprung on you without much basis.
All in all it seemed as though the author was trying to jam as much into this book as he could without adequate descriptions or build up. I would not recommend this book, and maybe in the distant future I will finish the last 15 pages, but it is not this day.
The premise of this book definitely has potential. Dragons attempting to enslave the world (or at least control it), politics, different types of creatures and magic working together.
However, I feel as though some things are too campy. There seem to be a lot of 'all-powerful' beings with insane powers that can't do much against the main bad guy because he is more 'all-powerful'. The main character never really accomplishes anything other than accidentally being the right guy in the right place without any idea of what's going on. He never realizes his full power and there is no indication other than his 'get out of jail free' switch turning on when he is in a bind.
As for the supporting characters you are not given enough time with them to feel them out. Relationships between certain characters are sprung on you without much basis.
All in all it seemed as though the author was trying to jam as much into this book as he could without adequate descriptions or build up. I would not recommend this book, and maybe in the distant future I will finish the last 15 pages, but it is not this day.
July 30, 2017
Overall this was a really fun read with some interesting ideas. We follow Cabe Bedlam and a host of other characters who live in a world ruled by the Dragon Kings, a race of dragons who can shape shift. A group of warlocks known as the Dragon Masters attempted to defeat the Dragon Kings, taking over rule of their own kingdoms, and failed. The reader enters the story long after this failure, following a descendant of the leader of the Dragon Masters.
The world in this is extremely fascinating. My main drawback is that not a lot was developed. These really cool places would be visited and then ignored a page later, which was frustrating. It would have been nice to see some of these places in more detail. The world had some similarities to other fantasy novels that I've read, but it seemed to have its own twist on things. There was the Void, which was a non-place that housed demons, which was really interesting. There were undead people who could be controlled by the people who had woken them, though I was never sure if it was the person who had killed them or not. And each of the Dragon Kings ruled a different portion of the land, where the cultures and landscapes varied. We didn't get to see very many of these kingdoms, however.
The characters in this were not very well developed. They were interesting and had a lot of potential, but I didn't really think that any of them changed. Cabe makes discoveries about himself and morphs into something else, but without a lot of exploration or advancement. It's the same for most of the other characters as well, particularly Gwen. My favorite of the characters was Darkhorse, a demon from the Void who goes against his nature and helps man. I don't know that he developed all that much, but he was fascinating to read about.
The writing and structure of the story are definitely different that what I am used to reading. I haven't read a lot of older fantasy books, tending to stick with more modern publications, so I'm sure a lot of the style has to do with the time period. Once I was used to the way it was told it was an easy read and well written. More explanation about some of the world and further development of the characters are the main issues that I have with this one.
I read this in the first volume of Legends of the Dragonrealm . This volume contains the next two novels in the series, which I plan to continue and read in the near future.
The world in this is extremely fascinating. My main drawback is that not a lot was developed. These really cool places would be visited and then ignored a page later, which was frustrating. It would have been nice to see some of these places in more detail. The world had some similarities to other fantasy novels that I've read, but it seemed to have its own twist on things. There was the Void, which was a non-place that housed demons, which was really interesting. There were undead people who could be controlled by the people who had woken them, though I was never sure if it was the person who had killed them or not. And each of the Dragon Kings ruled a different portion of the land, where the cultures and landscapes varied. We didn't get to see very many of these kingdoms, however.
The characters in this were not very well developed. They were interesting and had a lot of potential, but I didn't really think that any of them changed. Cabe makes discoveries about himself and morphs into something else, but without a lot of exploration or advancement. It's the same for most of the other characters as well, particularly Gwen. My favorite of the characters was Darkhorse, a demon from the Void who goes against his nature and helps man. I don't know that he developed all that much, but he was fascinating to read about.
The writing and structure of the story are definitely different that what I am used to reading. I haven't read a lot of older fantasy books, tending to stick with more modern publications, so I'm sure a lot of the style has to do with the time period. Once I was used to the way it was told it was an easy read and well written. More explanation about some of the world and further development of the characters are the main issues that I have with this one.
I read this in the first volume of Legends of the Dragonrealm . This volume contains the next two novels in the series, which I plan to continue and read in the near future.
August 5, 2014
Although Knaak is a wizard as far as creating worlds and fantastical beings goes, he is sadly lacking in both character development and writing style. I found "Firedrake" easy to read, but at times it was quite dull. Knaak's language lacks both brilliancy and originality. His prose is such that I know several fanfiction authors who could do a great deal better. He somehow manages to sap all of the dramatic potential out of his action scenes, so that they end up sounding like he was bored when he was writing them.
The story centers around character Cabe Bedlam, with whom we are really not given a lot of space to become acquainted. He meets Gwyn, the "Lady of the Amber", with whom he fairly swiftly falls in love, without any more build-up than a brief consideration of her physical beauty. This is both cheesy and lacks believability.
The plot twists that happen during the course of the novel give the reader the impression that they are supposed to be surprising, yet they are all entirely predictable. There was not one plot twist during the course of the novel that I had not foreseen, and although I am an experienced reader, it is not too hard to surprise me.
In summary, this novel was perfectly average, and would probably be a good fit for more inexperienced readers, perhaps readers who care more about world building than characters or plot.
The story centers around character Cabe Bedlam, with whom we are really not given a lot of space to become acquainted. He meets Gwyn, the "Lady of the Amber", with whom he fairly swiftly falls in love, without any more build-up than a brief consideration of her physical beauty. This is both cheesy and lacks believability.
The plot twists that happen during the course of the novel give the reader the impression that they are supposed to be surprising, yet they are all entirely predictable. There was not one plot twist during the course of the novel that I had not foreseen, and although I am an experienced reader, it is not too hard to surprise me.
In summary, this novel was perfectly average, and would probably be a good fit for more inexperienced readers, perhaps readers who care more about world building than characters or plot.
September 26, 2022
Ohnivý drak je prvá kniha z celkom populárnej série Dragonrealm od Richarda A. Knaaka, ktorá obsahuje už 15 kníh, pričom na ďalších troch knihách autor práve pracuje. Ohnivý drak je kniha, ktorá buď zaujme alebo nie. Je to v porovnaní s ostatnými knižnými sériami jednoduché dielo s novým originálnym svetom.
Dej: Cabe je obyčajný čašník v meste Mito Pica. Zo svojho detstva si veľa nepamätá. Je vychovávaný svojim "otcom" Hadeenom (lovec) a vedie pokojný, i keď ťažký život. Cabe žije vo svete zvanom Dračia ríša.
...viac na: http://overdeadbooks.blogspot.sk/2014...
Dej: Cabe je obyčajný čašník v meste Mito Pica. Zo svojho detstva si veľa nepamätá. Je vychovávaný svojim "otcom" Hadeenom (lovec) a vedie pokojný, i keď ťažký život. Cabe žije vo svete zvanom Dračia ríša.
...viac na: http://overdeadbooks.blogspot.sk/2014...
September 11, 2015
Este libro no pudo tener más clichés típicos de un mal Anime de fantasía porque no le dió el tiempo al autor.
May 27, 2013
After reading Shade, it was a must to find out how everything happend. The start of the series is amazing. Anyone who loves dragons this is a must read.
June 28, 2020
I first read this book when I was eleven, and liked it so much that I named my dog after the main character (Cabe) and stole my favorite character (Darkhorse) to use in online roleplays, as eleven year olds are wont to do.
Unfortunately, it did not live up to the memory.
The writing style is bad--passive voice, excessive adverbs, and generally clunky sentences abound. The dialogue feels stilted, in some places painfully so. Upon meeting our first female character, her 'ample figure' is referenced three times on one page; things don't improve much on the female character front from there. The female love interest's salient characteristics are being really hot and also emotional 🙄. Though to the author's credit, the male characters aren't much better, lmao.
I still liked Darkhorse, and to a lesser extent Shade. They were the most original part of the story, and I wish they'd played a larger role.
I have no interest in reading more of these books, though. If I weren't compulsively driven to finish everything I start, I wouldn't have finished this one.
Unfortunately, it did not live up to the memory.
The writing style is bad--passive voice, excessive adverbs, and generally clunky sentences abound. The dialogue feels stilted, in some places painfully so. Upon meeting our first female character, her 'ample figure' is referenced three times on one page; things don't improve much on the female character front from there. The female love interest's salient characteristics are being really hot and also emotional 🙄. Though to the author's credit, the male characters aren't much better, lmao.
I still liked Darkhorse, and to a lesser extent Shade. They were the most original part of the story, and I wish they'd played a larger role.
I have no interest in reading more of these books, though. If I weren't compulsively driven to finish everything I start, I wouldn't have finished this one.
September 16, 2024
A very fun take on a very fantasy-style story. The plot does what you think it will do, sometimes deviating for a minute into something new, before continuing along. Loved the mixing of different races and magics, if also getting a laugh out of the fact that armadillos are cannon in this world. Specifically them, no other animals (aside from horses/ordinary fantasy creatures ofc) are mentioned. Darkhorse was a fun character, the villains were moustache curling bad and a little dumb, but it made for entertaining reading regardless.
Would recommend this book for sure, especially if you're just getting into fantasy.
Would recommend this book for sure, especially if you're just getting into fantasy.
January 10, 2014
This is the book that introduced me to the Dragonrealm. This is the first novel of the many others about the Dragonrealm. I got the "Legends of The Dragonrealm" book, so it's this book along with two others in one big pocket book.
This book is amazing. You get the rich exploration (with your mind) of the Dragonrealm that Richard creates in front of you. Then you get to follow the poor Cabe Bedlam on a journey into who he really is and what he is destined to be.
This might sound as a cliché, i give you that. But the book is in a league of it's own. All the characters that get introduced, Shade, Gryphon, Lady of the amber, Toma, Toos & many more stick with you in your mind.
I could sometimes see myself in many of Cabe's actions. This book is something every fantasy lover should read!
This book is amazing. You get the rich exploration (with your mind) of the Dragonrealm that Richard creates in front of you. Then you get to follow the poor Cabe Bedlam on a journey into who he really is and what he is destined to be.
This might sound as a cliché, i give you that. But the book is in a league of it's own. All the characters that get introduced, Shade, Gryphon, Lady of the amber, Toma, Toos & many more stick with you in your mind.
I could sometimes see myself in many of Cabe's actions. This book is something every fantasy lover should read!
October 24, 2017
I think that this is a fun little read. It was pretty self contained and not overly lengthy. It builds a rather beautiful world that you beg the author to explore. There are a few cheesy things that can be expected from the author's experience at the time. The time period was likely also a factor in this. Thankfully the book doesn't drag too much and largely focuses on the action to help counteract these. I read this as part of a collection of the first three books. Looking forward to Ice Dragon.
January 16, 2018
For me this is one of those books which you open and don't close till you read the last page. I loved this story, its quite dynamic with interesting twists of the plot. My favourite character is without doubt the Dark Horse. Also I was quite intrigued by Shade, but as far as I write this review after reading a couple of books of Dragonrealm, now Shade is a much more tragic character for me, and his fate is perhaps the only thing in Dragonrealm that I'll never be able to forgive our author here...
July 28, 2012
This book was a little full of clichés but there was nothing in particular that I didn't like about it. I enjoyed the approach to the dragons- the variety in levels of drakes was neat. The addition of Darkhorse and the Gryphon made for an interesting cast of characters. The romance felt a little rushed, mushy and necessary but the rest of the content was good.
August 31, 2012
A great book that started me reading and finishing the series.
April 7, 2013
Quiero volver a retomar el genial pasatiempo de leer, y que buena manera de comenzar con esta saga. A pesar que leía un poco cada día, me atrapo sin duda la manera como narra.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2013
My favorite book
August 3, 2025
Recenze: Ohnivý drak od Richard A. Knaak
Tahle kniha ležela v mé knihovně opravdu velmi dlouho – až do těchto letní prázdnin, kdy jsem se k ní konečně dostala. Jedná se o klasický fantasy příběh o hrdinovi, který zjistí, že není tak obyčejný, jak si původně myslel. Zápletka, která je tak typická pro tento žánr – buď ji budete milovat, nebo vám už bude připadat ohraná.
Za mě to ale dost vyvažoval fakt, že hlavní motiv příběhu jsou draci a po této stránce jsem opravdu dostala vše co jsem chtěla. Na začátku jsem měla velký problém se ponořit do děje a zorientovat se v novém světě. Tempo mi přišlo příliš rychlé a děj odsýpal takovým tempem, že jsem se chvílemi cítila ztracená. Postupem času se to ale zlepšilo, a jak kniha pokračovala, dokázala jsem se do dračího království opravdu ponořit.
Z postav jsem si hodně oblíbila čaroděje Simona, jehož minulost byla velmi zajímavá. Velice se mi líbil i hlavního záporák Azran. Naopak jediná postava, kterou jsem nemohla překousnout, byla hlavní ženská postava Gwen. Působila na mě dojmem, že je v příběhu jen proto, aby neustále vykřikovala: „Ty jsi zlý, nemám tě ráda!"
Také musím zmínit, že děj je dost předvídatelný, což by některé veterány ve fantasy žánru mohlo odradit.
Podtrženo sečteno – zde je moje hodnocení:
---{ Děj }---
☐ Tápání ve tmě
☐ Pomalejší rozjezd
☑ Drží pohromadě
☐ Poutavý a dobře vystavěný
☐ Vrstvený jako epická sága
☐ Strhující až do poslední stránky
---{ Svět / magie / lore }---
☐ Povrchní kulisy
☐ Známé vzory bez překvapení
☑ Příjemné prostředí, ale ne hluboké
☐ Propracovaný svět s vlastními pravidly
☐ Originální a komplexní svět, který si žije vlastním životem
☐ Tak detailní, že bych si ho mohl zapsat do atlasu
---{ Postavy }---
☐ Plní funkci, ale nezaujmou
☐ Sem tam někdo zaujme
☑ Uvěřitelné a dobře napsané
☐ Silná psychologická hloubka
☐ Budete si je pamatovat ještě dlouho
☐ Skutečnější, než reální lidé
---{ Styl psaní }---
☐ Strohé a nevýrazné
☐ Funkční, ale bez jiskry
☑ Čtivý s atmosférou
☐ Bohatý jazyk a cit pro detail
☐ Styl, který podtrhuje žánr i emoce
---{ Tempo }---
☐ Táhne se jako mlha v močálech
☑ Občas kolísá
☐ Vyvážené tempo, drží pozornost
☐ Rychlé, ale srozumitelné
☐ Hltá se ve dne v noci
---{ Magický systém }---
☐ Není moc vysvětlený
☑ Spíš slouží příběhu, než aby ho formoval
☐ Má svá pravidla a působí věrohodně
☐ Originální a dobře promyšlený
☐ Fascinující systém, který je radost objevovat
---{ Konflikt / záporáci }---
☐ Bez napětí
☑ Jednoduché rozdělení dobra a zla
☐ Srozumitelné motivace, přirozený vývoj
☐ Morálně šedé zóny, které nutí přemýšlet
☐ Nepředvídatelné a silné osobnosti na obou stranách
---{ Emocionální dopad }---
☐ Bez většího otisku
☑ Některé momenty zaujmou
☐ Umí vyvolat napětí, dojetí i radost
☐ Silné scény, které zůstanou v hlavě
☐ Emoční horská dráha
---{ Délka / rozsah }---
☐ Příliš stručné na fantasy
☐ Dalo se zkrátit
☑ Odpovídající příběhu
☐ Delší, ale zaslouženě
☐ Sága, na kterou si vyhradíte čas
---{ Doporučení pro... }---
☑ Fantasy nováčky
☑ Nenáročné čtení
☐ Milovníky klasické fantasy
☐ Čtenáře temné nebo epické fantasy
☐ Fanoušky propracovaných světů a sáhodlouhých příběhů
---{ Celkové hodnocení (0–10) }---
☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☑ 6 ☐ 7 ☐ 8 ☐ 9 ☐ 10
Tahle kniha ležela v mé knihovně opravdu velmi dlouho – až do těchto letní prázdnin, kdy jsem se k ní konečně dostala. Jedná se o klasický fantasy příběh o hrdinovi, který zjistí, že není tak obyčejný, jak si původně myslel. Zápletka, která je tak typická pro tento žánr – buď ji budete milovat, nebo vám už bude připadat ohraná.
Za mě to ale dost vyvažoval fakt, že hlavní motiv příběhu jsou draci a po této stránce jsem opravdu dostala vše co jsem chtěla. Na začátku jsem měla velký problém se ponořit do děje a zorientovat se v novém světě. Tempo mi přišlo příliš rychlé a děj odsýpal takovým tempem, že jsem se chvílemi cítila ztracená. Postupem času se to ale zlepšilo, a jak kniha pokračovala, dokázala jsem se do dračího království opravdu ponořit.
Z postav jsem si hodně oblíbila čaroděje Simona, jehož minulost byla velmi zajímavá. Velice se mi líbil i hlavního záporák Azran. Naopak jediná postava, kterou jsem nemohla překousnout, byla hlavní ženská postava Gwen. Působila na mě dojmem, že je v příběhu jen proto, aby neustále vykřikovala: „Ty jsi zlý, nemám tě ráda!"
Také musím zmínit, že děj je dost předvídatelný, což by některé veterány ve fantasy žánru mohlo odradit.
Podtrženo sečteno – zde je moje hodnocení:
---{ Děj }---
☐ Tápání ve tmě
☐ Pomalejší rozjezd
☑ Drží pohromadě
☐ Poutavý a dobře vystavěný
☐ Vrstvený jako epická sága
☐ Strhující až do poslední stránky
---{ Svět / magie / lore }---
☐ Povrchní kulisy
☐ Známé vzory bez překvapení
☑ Příjemné prostředí, ale ne hluboké
☐ Propracovaný svět s vlastními pravidly
☐ Originální a komplexní svět, který si žije vlastním životem
☐ Tak detailní, že bych si ho mohl zapsat do atlasu
---{ Postavy }---
☐ Plní funkci, ale nezaujmou
☐ Sem tam někdo zaujme
☑ Uvěřitelné a dobře napsané
☐ Silná psychologická hloubka
☐ Budete si je pamatovat ještě dlouho
☐ Skutečnější, než reální lidé
---{ Styl psaní }---
☐ Strohé a nevýrazné
☐ Funkční, ale bez jiskry
☑ Čtivý s atmosférou
☐ Bohatý jazyk a cit pro detail
☐ Styl, který podtrhuje žánr i emoce
---{ Tempo }---
☐ Táhne se jako mlha v močálech
☑ Občas kolísá
☐ Vyvážené tempo, drží pozornost
☐ Rychlé, ale srozumitelné
☐ Hltá se ve dne v noci
---{ Magický systém }---
☐ Není moc vysvětlený
☑ Spíš slouží příběhu, než aby ho formoval
☐ Má svá pravidla a působí věrohodně
☐ Originální a dobře promyšlený
☐ Fascinující systém, který je radost objevovat
---{ Konflikt / záporáci }---
☐ Bez napětí
☑ Jednoduché rozdělení dobra a zla
☐ Srozumitelné motivace, přirozený vývoj
☐ Morálně šedé zóny, které nutí přemýšlet
☐ Nepředvídatelné a silné osobnosti na obou stranách
---{ Emocionální dopad }---
☐ Bez většího otisku
☑ Některé momenty zaujmou
☐ Umí vyvolat napětí, dojetí i radost
☐ Silné scény, které zůstanou v hlavě
☐ Emoční horská dráha
---{ Délka / rozsah }---
☐ Příliš stručné na fantasy
☐ Dalo se zkrátit
☑ Odpovídající příběhu
☐ Delší, ale zaslouženě
☐ Sága, na kterou si vyhradíte čas
---{ Doporučení pro... }---
☑ Fantasy nováčky
☑ Nenáročné čtení
☐ Milovníky klasické fantasy
☐ Čtenáře temné nebo epické fantasy
☐ Fanoušky propracovaných světů a sáhodlouhých příběhů
---{ Celkové hodnocení (0–10) }---
☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☑ 6 ☐ 7 ☐ 8 ☐ 9 ☐ 10
July 6, 2020
Okay so I was going to read the volume that has the first three novels of this series, but it's taken me now over two months to read the first half of it and I don't plan on taking another two months to finish it, so I've decided to make peace with my completionist side and only finish the second novel. ANYWAYS onto the actual review:
I read the first three books when I was in sixth grade and loved them, and now I look back on that and wonder how I could have such poor taste in books. The wordbuilding is as expansive as the world of Game of Thrones, but lacks its cohesion and intrigue. The characters felt flat (especially the main one, which is never a good thing), and the only main female character is a powerful sorceress who's constantly outmatched by the main character and praised for her beauty for most of her page time (oh also, the main character fell in love with her despite the fact that she was the lover of his grandfather). This very well could be a culture in which beauty for women is held above all other qualities, but it's not balanced well since there are no female characters that are strong. GoT manages this quite well--there's a sexist culture balanced with the presentation of female characters who are, in some instances, far stronger than the male characters around them, making it clear that the author's beliefs do not correlate with the beliefs of his characters. In Firedrake, there is no such balance, so it comes off feeling really uncomfortable at times.
If that weren't enough, the writing style is absolutely boring. Any excitement that the climactic scenes could have is leached out by clunky prose and unrealistic dialogue. Sometimes things are withheld from the reader so it's like oh who's the one winning this confrontation, but that technique just slows down an already slow-moving narrative.
The one thing that's preventing this from dipping lower into the 1-star range is that the world-building is pretty interesting. Shapeshifting dragons is (apparently) somewhat of a cliche, but it's cool to see their political structure even when it's not clearly fleshed out.
Overall, this book felt like a more magical, less engaging, and hollower version of Game of Thrones.
2/5 stars
I read the first three books when I was in sixth grade and loved them, and now I look back on that and wonder how I could have such poor taste in books. The wordbuilding is as expansive as the world of Game of Thrones, but lacks its cohesion and intrigue. The characters felt flat (especially the main one, which is never a good thing), and the only main female character is a powerful sorceress who's constantly outmatched by the main character and praised for her beauty for most of her page time (oh also, the main character fell in love with her despite the fact that she was the lover of his grandfather). This very well could be a culture in which beauty for women is held above all other qualities, but it's not balanced well since there are no female characters that are strong. GoT manages this quite well--there's a sexist culture balanced with the presentation of female characters who are, in some instances, far stronger than the male characters around them, making it clear that the author's beliefs do not correlate with the beliefs of his characters. In Firedrake, there is no such balance, so it comes off feeling really uncomfortable at times.
If that weren't enough, the writing style is absolutely boring. Any excitement that the climactic scenes could have is leached out by clunky prose and unrealistic dialogue. Sometimes things are withheld from the reader so it's like oh who's the one winning this confrontation, but that technique just slows down an already slow-moving narrative.
The one thing that's preventing this from dipping lower into the 1-star range is that the world-building is pretty interesting. Shapeshifting dragons is (apparently) somewhat of a cliche, but it's cool to see their political structure even when it's not clearly fleshed out.
Overall, this book felt like a more magical, less engaging, and hollower version of Game of Thrones.
2/5 stars
October 20, 2020
Fantasía+dragones+un elegido=este libro
Este libro de fantasía nos presenta un mundo en donde los Dragones son los gobernantes, unos dragones inteligentes y con habilidades metamórficas. Pero parece que la era de los dragones ha llegado a su fin.
Si te gustan algunas de las cosas de las que nombre en la ecuación de arriba te puede gustar este libro, o quizás no. Me explico, hay dragones, hay un romance, hay conspiraciones politicas y hay un personaje muy poderoso pero nada de eso está profundizado.
Es solo el primer libro de la saga, pero nunca entendí por qué los dragones debían caer y por qué nuestros protagonistas eran mejores que ellos. Puede ser que continúe con la saga, pero las probabilidades son bajas, si alguien leyó el siguiente puede decirme si mejora o no.
Pasé un buen rato siguiendo las aventuras de Cabe Bedlam, pero me quedé con ganas de más. No es que sea un "mal" libro, si se va con ganas de pasar un buen rato y conocer un mundo interesante este libro le puede gustar.
Este libro de fantasía nos presenta un mundo en donde los Dragones son los gobernantes, unos dragones inteligentes y con habilidades metamórficas. Pero parece que la era de los dragones ha llegado a su fin.
Si te gustan algunas de las cosas de las que nombre en la ecuación de arriba te puede gustar este libro, o quizás no. Me explico, hay dragones, hay un romance, hay conspiraciones politicas y hay un personaje muy poderoso pero nada de eso está profundizado.
Es solo el primer libro de la saga, pero nunca entendí por qué los dragones debían caer y por qué nuestros protagonistas eran mejores que ellos. Puede ser que continúe con la saga, pero las probabilidades son bajas, si alguien leyó el siguiente puede decirme si mejora o no.
Pasé un buen rato siguiendo las aventuras de Cabe Bedlam, pero me quedé con ganas de más. No es que sea un "mal" libro, si se va con ganas de pasar un buen rato y conocer un mundo interesante este libro le puede gustar.
March 9, 2019
Asi spíš kvůli celkovému vyznění, než protože to bylo tak dobré, dávám tři hvězdy. Celou dobu mne totiž štval použitý jazyk příběhu: přeskakoval v momentalním dění, chvílemi jsem měla problémy rozlišit, co se právě děje na řádcích a podobně. Neumím odhadnout, nakolik je to chyba textu a za co může překlad, ani se o to nebudu pokoušet. Jsem však v tomto gardu mírně zklamaná: skvěle hodnocenou knihu si zkrátka představuji jinak.
Svět, příběh - opět je třeba brát v potaz dobu vzniku. Potud dobrý, byť šílené deus ex machina, respektive Nathan ex machina je něco, co skousávám jen nerada. Příliš mnoho náhod a slepého plácání se, spoléhání autora na čtenářovo povědomí světa nebo jen čistě dobrou vůli, že celou věc sežere i s navijákem - ne, tohle úplný vrchol rozhodně není. Přijdu si ochuzená o vygradování celého příběhu; jakmile se Cabe a Paní dostanou ke Zlatému a dojde k poslední bitvě, je tato vylíčena jen velmi neuspokojivě. Skoro jako by ani nestála autorovi za vylíčení, prostě blesk/plesk, Zlatý se zhroutí a nazdar. To i souboj mezi Azranem a Cabem vyjde zajímavěji a to nejen díky momentu driftování Cabe-Nathana Nicotou.
Není to špatné, ale je to jen dobré, aspoň pro mne a z hlediska textu. Příběh je košatý a zábavnější (i když začít do něj hrabat, jak mám ve zvyku u svých textů, asi se taky povážlivě otřese), jako zábava na cestování nebo dovolenou, případně k marodění do postele stačí.
Svět, příběh - opět je třeba brát v potaz dobu vzniku. Potud dobrý, byť šílené deus ex machina, respektive Nathan ex machina je něco, co skousávám jen nerada. Příliš mnoho náhod a slepého plácání se, spoléhání autora na čtenářovo povědomí světa nebo jen čistě dobrou vůli, že celou věc sežere i s navijákem - ne, tohle úplný vrchol rozhodně není. Přijdu si ochuzená o vygradování celého příběhu; jakmile se Cabe a Paní dostanou ke Zlatému a dojde k poslední bitvě, je tato vylíčena jen velmi neuspokojivě. Skoro jako by ani nestála autorovi za vylíčení, prostě blesk/plesk, Zlatý se zhroutí a nazdar. To i souboj mezi Azranem a Cabem vyjde zajímavěji a to nejen díky momentu driftování Cabe-Nathana Nicotou.
Není to špatné, ale je to jen dobré, aspoň pro mne a z hlediska textu. Příběh je košatý a zábavnější (i když začít do něj hrabat, jak mám ve zvyku u svých textů, asi se taky povážlivě otřese), jako zábava na cestování nebo dovolenou, případně k marodění do postele stačí.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2022
Normally, I'm all about books being more tightly plotted with less deconstruction. Too many books in modern fantasy literature are getting bloated as writers show off their worldcraft and the story gets a little lost in the exploration, or characters spend more time talking than doing. Firedrake is a reminder that going too far the other way wasn't a good thing either.
Knaak has introduced a really cool world in the Dragonrealm, with loads of conflicts and potentially interesting characters, unpleasant villains, etc. He's got a few characters that have real potential to be interesting protagonists. But this time, I don't think he's spends enough time with any of it to really make the book sing.
Cabe is ostensibly the lead, a character of destiny, but he goes from being confused innocent to powerful warlock with very little growth. Gwen is a powerful warlock cast forward in time with history and a reputation from the last war, but gets little enough screen time and a soppy (and vaguely creepy) love story instead of real development. The Gryphon does better, maybe because he's a such a unique figure, but could still benefit from having a bit more time to explore his unique nature and abilities.
It's interesting enough and creative that you want it to be better, frankly. Probably needed another 100 pages to do it proper justice, because Knaak is a better writer than this (as shown by the enjoyable Dragonlance books he wrote).
Knaak has introduced a really cool world in the Dragonrealm, with loads of conflicts and potentially interesting characters, unpleasant villains, etc. He's got a few characters that have real potential to be interesting protagonists. But this time, I don't think he's spends enough time with any of it to really make the book sing.
Cabe is ostensibly the lead, a character of destiny, but he goes from being confused innocent to powerful warlock with very little growth. Gwen is a powerful warlock cast forward in time with history and a reputation from the last war, but gets little enough screen time and a soppy (and vaguely creepy) love story instead of real development. The Gryphon does better, maybe because he's a such a unique figure, but could still benefit from having a bit more time to explore his unique nature and abilities.
It's interesting enough and creative that you want it to be better, frankly. Probably needed another 100 pages to do it proper justice, because Knaak is a better writer than this (as shown by the enjoyable Dragonlance books he wrote).
July 5, 2024
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
I'm finally going through my physical library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
I'm finally going through my physical library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
August 1, 2020
Humans have been ruled by dragons for centuries. Many years ago a group of sorcerers styled themselves dragon masters and sought to bring an end to the rule of the dragons. Unfortunately betrayal caused that battle to be lost. Generations later Cabe Bedlam, the grandson of the leader of the dragon masters, is thrust into the think of what promises to be another dragon war. Except that while he has magical powers, he's never been trained.
There were a variety of characters but they were spread over different locations for a time. The book is rather disjointed because of this and I as a reader never really felt there was a strong connection to the main character.
There were a variety of characters but they were spread over different locations for a time. The book is rather disjointed because of this and I as a reader never really felt there was a strong connection to the main character.
January 11, 2020
This was an early book of Knaak and you can tell. There's not much showing and a lot of telling (e.g. "he could tell she was upset" vs. "her eyes flashed in anger"). But the story was fun with good surprises and I like the world he's created.
I read this partly out of nostalgia. I stumbled across one of the books in this series many years ago in a used bookstore. I liked it a lot but never found any of the others in the series--then eventually forgot about it. But then I ran across this on Amazon and it all came back. So I'm going to see if the rest of the series is as good as I remember.
I read this partly out of nostalgia. I stumbled across one of the books in this series many years ago in a used bookstore. I liked it a lot but never found any of the others in the series--then eventually forgot about it. But then I ran across this on Amazon and it all came back. So I'm going to see if the rest of the series is as good as I remember.
February 15, 2026
A pretty fun fantasy novel with evil talking dragons. Knaak has a knack (heh) for writing action scenes and it was very refreshing reading a fantasy book that just STARTS without a bunch of exposition at the beginning. The biggest weakness of this book is Knaak's dialogue and plotting which is just amateurish at times. That said, as a palate cleanser this did the job as I just wanted something quick that was heavy on action scenes. I'll give the next book a shot and hope that things improve. A VERY GENEROUS 3.0 stars.
March 27, 2018
Nice opening outing, for the series.
Has a lot of plot threads working.
Many characters as well as races begin being introduced.
Good, evil, and some characters fitting somewhere in between.
Dragon kings that can change into men.
Sorcery, different kingdoms.
As plots intertwine.
Cabe Bedlam starts to discover his past.
If all works out.
Will finish with the Lady of Amber by his side.
Main plot points tied up. While leaving plenty of room, for more to come.
Has a lot of plot threads working.
Many characters as well as races begin being introduced.
Good, evil, and some characters fitting somewhere in between.
Dragon kings that can change into men.
Sorcery, different kingdoms.
As plots intertwine.
Cabe Bedlam starts to discover his past.
If all works out.
Will finish with the Lady of Amber by his side.
Main plot points tied up. While leaving plenty of room, for more to come.
April 12, 2023
Tarina kiinnostava, mutta teksti ajoittain sekavaa ja hidasta luettava. Käännöksestä näki myös hyvin, että teksti on käännetty paljolti suoraan englannista. Ihan hauska kirja kuitenkin :-)
The story and the plot are interesting, but the finnish translation isn't the best and the language seemed more like "straight english to finnish" rather than "easygoing, well-written finnish". However, it was nice to read :-)
The story and the plot are interesting, but the finnish translation isn't the best and the language seemed more like "straight english to finnish" rather than "easygoing, well-written finnish". However, it was nice to read :-)
December 21, 2024
This was a heavy plot driven book. The world building is amazing. This book felt so lore and rpg vibes. It starts a bit confusing but you just gotta run with it and it slowly, very slowly starts to piece together. It’s a total classic. As someone who is a huge fan on World of Warcraft, this book was just has badass. Richard A Knaak is UNDERRATED.
I just wish a little bit more substance for the lady.
I just wish a little bit more substance for the lady.
February 12, 2022
The story was interesting and the characters kept me engaged. Parts felt like the story shifted forward suddenly, leaving me feeling like something was left behind on the editing floor, or that the author wasn't sure how to navigate between to story points. This kept it from being a much higher rating, but didn't prevent me from really enjoying the book overall.
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