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The Alaris Chronicles #1
The Dragon Orb
For 100 years it protected them…
…and now the magical barrier is about to fail.
What waits on the other sidee?
Bakari is nerdy and awkward. At 15, he’s lived at the Wizard Citadel for most of his life. Everything seems to be working out like he’d hoped. He just got promoted to Level 1 and despite being painfully shy, he has a friend.
Kharlia knows medicine.
And he really likes her.
When Bakari finds an ancient map that marks a source of power, he must check it out. With Kharlia by his side, they wander through the Kingdom toward the spot on the map. The trip isn’t what they expect.
Magical creatures have made it through the barrier.
Should they fight or flee?
Bakari knows they are in trouble. He isn’t a battle wizard. As they struggle against the beasts, the worst thing Bakari can imagine happens.
Will they survive?
You’ll love this first book in The Alaris Chronicles, because of the beautifully woven story with diverse characters, great adventure, and political intrigue.
Get it now.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2017
611 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Mike Shelton
24 books190 followersMike was born in California and has lived in multiple states from the west coast to the east coast. He cannot remember a time when he wasn't reading a book. At school, home, on vacation, at work at lunch time, and yes even a few pages in the car (at times when he just couldn't put that great book down). Though he has read all sorts of genres he has always been drawn to fantasy. It is his way of escaping to a simpler time filled with magic, wonders and heroics of young men and women.
Other than reading, Mike has always enjoyed the outdoors. From the beaches in Southern California to the warm waters of North Carolina. From the waterfalls in the Northwest to the Rocky Mountains in Utah. Mike has appreciated the beauty that God provides for us. He also enjoys hiking, discovering nature, playing a little basketball or volleyball, and most recently disc golf. He has a lovely wife who has always supported him, and three beautiful children who have been the center of his life.
Mike began writing stories in elementary school and moved on to larger novels in his early adult years. He has worked in corporate finance for most of his career. That, along with spending time with his wonderful family and obligations at church has made it difficult to find the time to truly dedicate to writing. In the last few years as his children have become older he has returned to doing what he truly enjoys - writing!
Other than reading, Mike has always enjoyed the outdoors. From the beaches in Southern California to the warm waters of North Carolina. From the waterfalls in the Northwest to the Rocky Mountains in Utah. Mike has appreciated the beauty that God provides for us. He also enjoys hiking, discovering nature, playing a little basketball or volleyball, and most recently disc golf. He has a lovely wife who has always supported him, and three beautiful children who have been the center of his life.
Mike began writing stories in elementary school and moved on to larger novels in his early adult years. He has worked in corporate finance for most of his career. That, along with spending time with his wonderful family and obligations at church has made it difficult to find the time to truly dedicate to writing. In the last few years as his children have become older he has returned to doing what he truly enjoys - writing!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
February 7, 2017
The Dragon Orb (The Alaris Chronicles Book 1) by Mike Shelton is an awesome fantasy tale for young adults but teens and adults will love it too, I know I did and I am 60! There is plenty of action, fighting, intrigue, magic, creatures of all kinds, and a touch of romance. Best of all, a dragon egg! I love the ending but I am NOT telling you that but needless to say, I want the next book! I loved the well developed characters and the many twists in the plot. Wonderful. Great read!
June 16, 2017
Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bakari is a scholar wizard going on his first adventure in the fantasy world of Alaris. Tasked by the High Judge to figure out the problem with the barrier that protects them from the surrounding lands he finds more than he bargained for with the Dragon Orb. Alli and Roland two apprentices training to be a battle wizard and a counselor wizard attend to their mentors as they help to deal with a rebellion of kingsmen. As these three wizard friends follow their hearts will they end up on opposite sides of the power struggle?
The thing this book has going for it is two things: characters and world. While they still have problems there were still some shining elements...
-Alli's battles were quite cool (she makes a great battle wizard) and the magic used throughout was quite good with several different moments. (The magic system included animal bonding and battle enhancement.)
-Some of the plot worked well with the characters' personalities... Roland has a magical scene that was really excellent. Bakari goes through something quite traumatic. Erryl meets someone cool. Daymian is almost rubbed out.
-There are multiple POVs - I LOVE this! This is one of the reasons I picked this up and that part of the narrative was quite successful. I felt the different characters (which are more that the 3 leads) and the side characters like Erryl and Daymian sucked me into their parts of the story. I also loved Kharlia and I'm not going to lie I enjoyed the little romance she added (she didn't have a POV).
-For a morally gray character Roland grew on me. He felt flat in the beginning but the more interactions I had with his the better he got and I liked the role he played in the end even if it felt too adultish. Alli was a neglected character and too much was made of her beauty. I felt like she is a potential love interest for the future just to have a female main character. Her stats were great - her fights were the best in the book and I wish more had been explored with her (she had grand potential!)
-Bakari is by far my favorite character! I thought the way he was diverse was so intelligent. He came from an area where people had darker skin then the barrier cut them off. It wasn't made a big deal of except when he runs into someone he likes who shares this commonality with him - smart choice, very believable! I loved that he could remember everything and that he went with his instincts when using magic. The foreshadowing moments with him were really fun! He just jelled as a character from the very beginning and carried me through some of the stuff that I didn't like as well.
So what happened?! Why the missing 2 stars?
-Politics centered world.
While the info dumping in the beginning was heavy handed I did really appreciate the world building the author was trying to do. The government was very simply explained and the ideas were easy to grasp. There was too much politics for my taste. It wasn't hard to understand but became dry and boring the more politics centered the story became. Really the right amount of explaining vs. complexity was used but the whole subject smacked of an adult story. The idea of a judges system is one I admire and I thought it contrasted well with the idea of a king wizard. The politics became the world (which I don't like), otherwise it resembles the classic medieval world in which many wizarding stories are set (nothing new).
-Totally telling = boring writing.
Telling is fine for a middle grade book but YA readers are used to more showing at least some of the time. I wasn't a particular fan of the way things were described though, like this example:
And this example:
-Contrivances all over the place!
The characters read as college aged kids. Sure their stat said 16 but Roland acted like he routinely had relations with maids and women of all sorts. Alli killed with no problem. Bakari is the only one who truly felt his age and experience (or lack of it). Erryl was a great potential character but he was used badly just to show us what could happen to Bakari. Daymian was a grown man and the High Judge with too much page time that should have been spent on the kids.
The descriptions above aren't bad but they are totally telling, there is no subtext where the reader can intuit their own ideas about what is being felt, thought and said. When you say a character is going to go to such and such and then they do it with only a problem or two that is very boring and unsurprising. It's a problem for me when I'm not surprised at much of what happened or at least feeling some engagement or suspense. I didn't expect twists (look at the title!) but it shouldn't be easy to guess what is going to happen because of the way the story is written.
Contributing to this telling problem was the reasons the characters made some of the decisions they did was quite limp. Really they only chose to do some things because that's what the author wanted them to do (i.e. they didn't have much of a reason). This lack of motivation makes for a very flat read. (Lack of motivation is a problem of too much telling and relying on the reader to "just believe" what they are told by the character).
As I got to the end of this book I started to seriously question why this title and cover... I was admittedly drawn to the idea of a dragon orb and a diverse protagonist. The cover is pretty and reminds me of Dungeon and Dragons covers when they were big, which is spot on for this story. Still if the orb were cast into a more mysterious position from the start of the book instead of the clear end that was coming would I have enjoyed the story more?
BOTTOM LINE: If you like D&D and love settling in for that kind of read then this is the book for you.
Bakari is a scholar wizard going on his first adventure in the fantasy world of Alaris. Tasked by the High Judge to figure out the problem with the barrier that protects them from the surrounding lands he finds more than he bargained for with the Dragon Orb. Alli and Roland two apprentices training to be a battle wizard and a counselor wizard attend to their mentors as they help to deal with a rebellion of kingsmen. As these three wizard friends follow their hearts will they end up on opposite sides of the power struggle?
The thing this book has going for it is two things: characters and world. While they still have problems there were still some shining elements...
-Alli's battles were quite cool (she makes a great battle wizard) and the magic used throughout was quite good with several different moments. (The magic system included animal bonding and battle enhancement.)
-Some of the plot worked well with the characters' personalities... Roland has a magical scene that was really excellent. Bakari goes through something quite traumatic. Erryl meets someone cool. Daymian is almost rubbed out.
-There are multiple POVs - I LOVE this! This is one of the reasons I picked this up and that part of the narrative was quite successful. I felt the different characters (which are more that the 3 leads) and the side characters like Erryl and Daymian sucked me into their parts of the story. I also loved Kharlia and I'm not going to lie I enjoyed the little romance she added (she didn't have a POV).
-For a morally gray character Roland grew on me. He felt flat in the beginning but the more interactions I had with his the better he got and I liked the role he played in the end even if it felt too adultish. Alli was a neglected character and too much was made of her beauty. I felt like she is a potential love interest for the future just to have a female main character. Her stats were great - her fights were the best in the book and I wish more had been explored with her (she had grand potential!)
-Bakari is by far my favorite character! I thought the way he was diverse was so intelligent. He came from an area where people had darker skin then the barrier cut them off. It wasn't made a big deal of except when he runs into someone he likes who shares this commonality with him - smart choice, very believable! I loved that he could remember everything and that he went with his instincts when using magic. The foreshadowing moments with him were really fun! He just jelled as a character from the very beginning and carried me through some of the stuff that I didn't like as well.
So what happened?! Why the missing 2 stars?
-Politics centered world.
While the info dumping in the beginning was heavy handed I did really appreciate the world building the author was trying to do. The government was very simply explained and the ideas were easy to grasp. There was too much politics for my taste. It wasn't hard to understand but became dry and boring the more politics centered the story became. Really the right amount of explaining vs. complexity was used but the whole subject smacked of an adult story. The idea of a judges system is one I admire and I thought it contrasted well with the idea of a king wizard. The politics became the world (which I don't like), otherwise it resembles the classic medieval world in which many wizarding stories are set (nothing new).
-Totally telling = boring writing.
Telling is fine for a middle grade book but YA readers are used to more showing at least some of the time. I wasn't a particular fan of the way things were described though, like this example:
"Her full, pouty lips and small nose made her young face look vulnerable, but the power in her stance was unmistakable. He saw in her eyes an intriguing intelligence and an understanding of everything going on around them."
And this example:
"Bakari found Kharlia to be a nice traveling companion. Despite the distractions of feeling her sweet breath on the back of his neck and having her arms wrapped around him, he liked that she was talkative, affable, and knowledgeable about many things. Most of all, Bakari was delighted at her love of learning. In this, they quickly shared a deep bond."
-Contrivances all over the place!
The characters read as college aged kids. Sure their stat said 16 but Roland acted like he routinely had relations with maids and women of all sorts. Alli killed with no problem. Bakari is the only one who truly felt his age and experience (or lack of it). Erryl was a great potential character but he was used badly just to show us what could happen to Bakari. Daymian was a grown man and the High Judge with too much page time that should have been spent on the kids.
The descriptions above aren't bad but they are totally telling, there is no subtext where the reader can intuit their own ideas about what is being felt, thought and said. When you say a character is going to go to such and such and then they do it with only a problem or two that is very boring and unsurprising. It's a problem for me when I'm not surprised at much of what happened or at least feeling some engagement or suspense. I didn't expect twists (look at the title!) but it shouldn't be easy to guess what is going to happen because of the way the story is written.
Contributing to this telling problem was the reasons the characters made some of the decisions they did was quite limp. Really they only chose to do some things because that's what the author wanted them to do (i.e. they didn't have much of a reason). This lack of motivation makes for a very flat read. (Lack of motivation is a problem of too much telling and relying on the reader to "just believe" what they are told by the character).
As I got to the end of this book I started to seriously question why this title and cover... I was admittedly drawn to the idea of a dragon orb and a diverse protagonist. The cover is pretty and reminds me of Dungeon and Dragons covers when they were big, which is spot on for this story. Still if the orb were cast into a more mysterious position from the start of the book instead of the clear end that was coming would I have enjoyed the story more?
BOTTOM LINE: If you like D&D and love settling in for that kind of read then this is the book for you.
November 8, 2018
I was given this book to read as a judge for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off.
Dragon Orb is an adventurous book about friendship, that revels in as many YA tropes as it can find.
Alaris is a kingdom separated from the rest of the world by a magical barrier. But the barrier is failing. Not to mention that there are rebellious factions within Alaris determined to undermine the ruling structure, traitors even at the highest levels of wizardry, and rumours of new powerful wizards appearing.
Stepping into this crucible we have three young wizards: Roland, Bakari, and Alli. Each of them is powerful in their own way, and each will have a part to play(ish) in the conflict to come.
Dragon Orb is very much Young Adult fantasy. Our three main characters are all fairly standard YA protagonists. They're different to everyone else around them, hiding huge magical powers, held back by restrictive authority figures, rebellious, awkward in social situations, and (in the case of both Roland and Alli) arrogant to the point of madness. As the story progresses, the three characters are thrust together to form strained friendships, as they attempt to both stop a rebellion and investigate the collapsing barrier.
I struggled with this book. I'm not a big fan of traditional YA characters or story structure, and that's exactly what Dragon Orb gave me. I found it predictable, not very interesting, and filled with characters who talked more like computer game NPCs who had information to deliver, than real people. To top it off, the female characters (including one of the protagonists) felt like they were only there to give the male characters romantic interests.
I'm pretty sure if you like YA and fantasy, this book could be a big hit for you. But it was not my taste.
Dragon Orb is an adventurous book about friendship, that revels in as many YA tropes as it can find.
Alaris is a kingdom separated from the rest of the world by a magical barrier. But the barrier is failing. Not to mention that there are rebellious factions within Alaris determined to undermine the ruling structure, traitors even at the highest levels of wizardry, and rumours of new powerful wizards appearing.
Stepping into this crucible we have three young wizards: Roland, Bakari, and Alli. Each of them is powerful in their own way, and each will have a part to play(ish) in the conflict to come.
Dragon Orb is very much Young Adult fantasy. Our three main characters are all fairly standard YA protagonists. They're different to everyone else around them, hiding huge magical powers, held back by restrictive authority figures, rebellious, awkward in social situations, and (in the case of both Roland and Alli) arrogant to the point of madness. As the story progresses, the three characters are thrust together to form strained friendships, as they attempt to both stop a rebellion and investigate the collapsing barrier.
I struggled with this book. I'm not a big fan of traditional YA characters or story structure, and that's exactly what Dragon Orb gave me. I found it predictable, not very interesting, and filled with characters who talked more like computer game NPCs who had information to deliver, than real people. To top it off, the female characters (including one of the protagonists) felt like they were only there to give the male characters romantic interests.
I'm pretty sure if you like YA and fantasy, this book could be a big hit for you. But it was not my taste.
September 4, 2019
Lord of the Rings meets Eragon
Fans of Lord of the Rings and Eragon would love this book. Shelton has created a wonderful fantasy world for readers to dive into. I throughly enjoyed this book!
Fans of Lord of the Rings and Eragon would love this book. Shelton has created a wonderful fantasy world for readers to dive into. I throughly enjoyed this book!
November 26, 2024
This had a lot of potential, but just didn't have the right execution. I wanted to like it, it has dragons a powerful girl wizard, and kids being badasses, but I feel I'd have liked this loads better as a teenager or preteen. I don't think I was the right target audience for this one, but it was a fun read. 2.5 ⭐ rounded up.
March 1, 2017
Review: THE DRAGON ORB by Mike Shelton
(The Alaris Chronicles Book 1)
THE DRAGON ORB is the first in a new series which I categorize as YA fantasy (based on the ages and maturity levels of the three protagonists). AllI, Roland, and Bakari are youthful wizards in Alaris, a land ruled by judges. Alli is a battle wizard, Roland a counselor wizard, and Bakari a scholar-wizard. When a rebellion commences, and the barrier falls, all three must demonstrate talent, courage, and resolution.
(The Alaris Chronicles Book 1)
THE DRAGON ORB is the first in a new series which I categorize as YA fantasy (based on the ages and maturity levels of the three protagonists). AllI, Roland, and Bakari are youthful wizards in Alaris, a land ruled by judges. Alli is a battle wizard, Roland a counselor wizard, and Bakari a scholar-wizard. When a rebellion commences, and the barrier falls, all three must demonstrate talent, courage, and resolution.
October 19, 2017
The magical barrier is diminishing and people are looking to take advantage of it. Some people don't like the Chief Justice system that's in place and now is their chance to bring change. But it's unwanted change and they need to be stopped.
Powerful wizards with special abilities are rare, but three have already appeared. There's Bakari who can remember everything he's ever read, Ally who's a powerful and death-dealing battlemage, and then, Roland who has a large supply of magic and can even talk into people's minds. One of their hardest challenges is working together, but everything changes when secrets are exposed.
I loved how each character has their own unique personalty. Roland is cocky and handsome. Ally is confident and enchanting. Bakari is nerdy and awkward. Put these three together and there was bound to be tension. I also enjoyed that there was enough action to keep the story engaging. The fighting and suspense were prevalent.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of wizards, magic, and fantasy. This was a great read and I look forward to the next one.
Powerful wizards with special abilities are rare, but three have already appeared. There's Bakari who can remember everything he's ever read, Ally who's a powerful and death-dealing battlemage, and then, Roland who has a large supply of magic and can even talk into people's minds. One of their hardest challenges is working together, but everything changes when secrets are exposed.
I loved how each character has their own unique personalty. Roland is cocky and handsome. Ally is confident and enchanting. Bakari is nerdy and awkward. Put these three together and there was bound to be tension. I also enjoyed that there was enough action to keep the story engaging. The fighting and suspense were prevalent.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of wizards, magic, and fantasy. This was a great read and I look forward to the next one.
April 26, 2022
I read this book some years back and ended up DNF-ing it mainly due to the writing, which basically tells you straight up on what's occurring without any nuance whatsoever, and characters that don't actually behave like people, but more like walking talking info-dumpers.
This is one book where it really would have made more sense to follow one character instead of having 4 POVs. For a book that is less than 300 pages in length, it really did not need 4 characters narrating this thing (2 of which being essentially the same character). Bakari is a well-defined protagonist who was suited enough to carry the whole book. In fact, he winds up doing exactly that anyway.
Let's talk about the characters.
Bakari is easily the best not because he's the main character, but because he is the only character that isn't insufferably annoying, defined by gender, or just utterly pointless. I like him because he uses his head instead of choosing to fight his way out of a jam, and is the most rational of the group. All of this kind of factors in with the fact that Bakari has a photographic memory and remembers everything from what he's read to conversations to encounters etc... so this makes him the most resourceful main character you can ask for. He is still prone to mistakes and is near useless in a fight against mercs, robbers, and thieves, but this is what makes his character so interesting. Just seeing how he would react in different situations is what kept me going with this book.
Roland is by far the most insufferable character imaginable. Arrogant, a bully, and some sort of cringe-fueled cliched version of a ladies' man whereas I pictured him acting like Johnny Bravo. I was just counting the moments where Roland would be decked in the face and put in his place.... but it never happens. In fact, the opposite kept happening, where Roland kept getting his way.
I never understood Allie's point in this book. She's essentially just Roland with a bit more discipline, but also she's very much just "the 'tuff' female character." Her character could still be part of the book, but she absolutely does not need a POV. Cutting out her POV in this book would change nothing. In a way, I feel like Roland and Allie add nothing to the story. You can remove both and the story will still pan out the same way.
The prose is what really bothered me. There's no nuance, everything is just told to you. Character motivations, the actual plot--all told to you. It makes this YA book come off like one of those spoon-fed Middle Grade novels. In the end, that's exactly what this book is. a Middle Grade fantasy novel.
This is one book where it really would have made more sense to follow one character instead of having 4 POVs. For a book that is less than 300 pages in length, it really did not need 4 characters narrating this thing (2 of which being essentially the same character). Bakari is a well-defined protagonist who was suited enough to carry the whole book. In fact, he winds up doing exactly that anyway.
Let's talk about the characters.
Bakari is easily the best not because he's the main character, but because he is the only character that isn't insufferably annoying, defined by gender, or just utterly pointless. I like him because he uses his head instead of choosing to fight his way out of a jam, and is the most rational of the group. All of this kind of factors in with the fact that Bakari has a photographic memory and remembers everything from what he's read to conversations to encounters etc... so this makes him the most resourceful main character you can ask for. He is still prone to mistakes and is near useless in a fight against mercs, robbers, and thieves, but this is what makes his character so interesting. Just seeing how he would react in different situations is what kept me going with this book.
Roland is by far the most insufferable character imaginable. Arrogant, a bully, and some sort of cringe-fueled cliched version of a ladies' man whereas I pictured him acting like Johnny Bravo. I was just counting the moments where Roland would be decked in the face and put in his place.... but it never happens. In fact, the opposite kept happening, where Roland kept getting his way.
I never understood Allie's point in this book. She's essentially just Roland with a bit more discipline, but also she's very much just "the 'tuff' female character." Her character could still be part of the book, but she absolutely does not need a POV. Cutting out her POV in this book would change nothing. In a way, I feel like Roland and Allie add nothing to the story. You can remove both and the story will still pan out the same way.
The prose is what really bothered me. There's no nuance, everything is just told to you. Character motivations, the actual plot--all told to you. It makes this YA book come off like one of those spoon-fed Middle Grade novels. In the end, that's exactly what this book is. a Middle Grade fantasy novel.
February 19, 2018
2.5 stars.
My blog: A Magical World Of Words
This is a wonderfully sweet fantasy. The characters are so cute, the relationships heartwarming and relatable, and the racial diversity is excellent.
The plot is tight and the pacing is good. There's lots of action, too. I also love the political dynamics of the world, and the world itself is well-imagined.
But the writing and dialogue almost ruined the book for me. The writing is so awkward and amateurish, and the dialogue is unrealistic, packed with info-dumps, and generally just cringy.
My blog: A Magical World Of Words
This is a wonderfully sweet fantasy. The characters are so cute, the relationships heartwarming and relatable, and the racial diversity is excellent.
The plot is tight and the pacing is good. There's lots of action, too. I also love the political dynamics of the world, and the world itself is well-imagined.
But the writing and dialogue almost ruined the book for me. The writing is so awkward and amateurish, and the dialogue is unrealistic, packed with info-dumps, and generally just cringy.
February 28, 2017
The fate of an entire kingdom rests on three young people. Fantastic fantasy story that takes you away to another world. Perfect for young adults, teens and adults as well. I'm seventy and have never stopped loving these kind of books. Love the dragon egg. Received the book as an ARC and a pleasure to review.
April 22, 2017
Shelton does it again
Once again we find author Shelton, of cremillion fame, creating a vast world to be explored. . First with horses, now dragons. Three young hero's , one female (yay), are trained in three disciplines of the art of wizardry . Battle, council, scholar. The story is a barrier between kingdoms to be or not to be broken. It is swell written narrative .and look forward to the next installment ! Is Alli more powerful than Roland? Thx Mike.
PS stop speeding up the endings, so what if the novels are 500 words longer we are seeing your vision! Read this new series folks , ull b glad u did!
Once again we find author Shelton, of cremillion fame, creating a vast world to be explored. . First with horses, now dragons. Three young hero's , one female (yay), are trained in three disciplines of the art of wizardry . Battle, council, scholar. The story is a barrier between kingdoms to be or not to be broken. It is swell written narrative .and look forward to the next installment ! Is Alli more powerful than Roland? Thx Mike.
PS stop speeding up the endings, so what if the novels are 500 words longer we are seeing your vision! Read this new series folks , ull b glad u did!
April 25, 2017
Enjoyable
Well written . I enjoyed it very much would recommend to anyone who likes fantasy series books. This book is very good . Only thing I disliked was the death of a very good character but it is possible that the character comes back later very interesting
Well written . I enjoyed it very much would recommend to anyone who likes fantasy series books. This book is very good . Only thing I disliked was the death of a very good character but it is possible that the character comes back later very interesting
January 22, 2020
I like the book but didn't love it. This just jumps around to much from character to character to character and again to another character. When it does that, the story doesn't flow and parts of it becomes sooooo boring. You could have gotten rid of a few of the characters and stuck with 3 and the story would have flowed and became less boring. This is a series so I probably will read the next. Ok reading everyone!
February 22, 2017
Like in the Cremolino Prophecy trilogy, Mike Shelton manages to sweep us into a world full of imagination, adventure, and magic.
There is a conspiracy thriving to push the kingdom into turmoil, and this is closely linked to a barrier which has separated the Elvyn land and the kingdom for 150 years, but which is now coming down.
What will be the consequences?
We have various characters: the good ones, the evil ones, and those on who the verdict is still out.
The chief characters are young wizards, supported by other young people. They need to do something to save their country from civil war. Whose side will they take? Can they be influenced in one way or the other, or are they at liberty to choose their loyalties themselves?
I really enjoyed this novel, it has everything you can wish for, but there is one thing that made me
subtract a star: this story would be very unsatisfying as a stand-alone, and although it doesn't end in a complete cliffhanger, it is clear that it needs more books to fully explain the goings-on.
I hope we won't have to wait for too long for the sequels, and I hope there'll be an audio version at some point, too.
This was an Advance Reader Copy, provided to me by the author. Many thanks.
There is a conspiracy thriving to push the kingdom into turmoil, and this is closely linked to a barrier which has separated the Elvyn land and the kingdom for 150 years, but which is now coming down.
What will be the consequences?
We have various characters: the good ones, the evil ones, and those on who the verdict is still out.
The chief characters are young wizards, supported by other young people. They need to do something to save their country from civil war. Whose side will they take? Can they be influenced in one way or the other, or are they at liberty to choose their loyalties themselves?
I really enjoyed this novel, it has everything you can wish for, but there is one thing that made me
subtract a star: this story would be very unsatisfying as a stand-alone, and although it doesn't end in a complete cliffhanger, it is clear that it needs more books to fully explain the goings-on.
I hope we won't have to wait for too long for the sequels, and I hope there'll be an audio version at some point, too.
This was an Advance Reader Copy, provided to me by the author. Many thanks.
April 12, 2017
Loved it
It started off slow, I'm not taking a star away for that. Once it got going, it was great. I didn't want to put it down. Eagerly awaiting the next book. Seriously, I'm really impatient, need it, like now please.
It started off slow, I'm not taking a star away for that. Once it got going, it was great. I didn't want to put it down. Eagerly awaiting the next book. Seriously, I'm really impatient, need it, like now please.
August 2, 2017
There is something about this book that I really enjoyed. The writing was simple and yet effective and there was lots of description to help the world building along.
The plot was well thought out and included everything that a good fantasy world needs - history, culture, politics, magic, adventure and intrigue.
It is so refreshing to see such diversity in what I would class as a middle grade read. I think it's so important as a reader to be exposed to as much diversity as possible and our lead protagonist is a person of colour and as far from the stereotypical hero as you could get: More geek than gym class hero, Bak is a scholar wizard with the particular ability to recall anything he has seen or read.
All of the characters were interesting with their own back stories and struggles, and I think there is something for everyone to connect to and sympathise with. The main protagonists are all young apprentices and wizards but there is also a good deal of content including their mentors and the adult political leaders - there's treason and power plays happening all over the place. It's a kingdom on the brink of civil war and perhaps these young wizards possess the power to hold their country together.
In any book I very much dislike it when world building is flat and there is one version of history that everybody can absolutely agree on. Thankfully that is certainly not the case here. I love that there are conflicting histories contained in the world building and it's also great to see the major social and cultural groups aren't monolithic. It makes the world far more realistic and easier to relate to in that way.
Now obviously I only rated this book 3 stars (more like 3.5). So here's the negatives for me:
The writing didn't quite flow as I would have liked it and it definitely wasn't as... emotional? ... as I would usually prefer. It's narrated in a very matter-of-fact style which made it difficult for me to connect to and didn't elicit too much emotion from me as a reader. The dialouge came off as stilted at times and the actual words just weren't wielded as deftly as they could have been.
Even with the negatives there was just something about this book that kept me engaged and interested in reading more. The premise of the entire story, the interesting characters, the complexity and the plot carried it along for me.
It's a great coming-of-age story for readers of all ages and is a solid and promising start to a new exciting fantasy series.
"...in time, you learn it doesn’t matter what others think of you if you are acting in accordance with what you think is best."
March 30, 2017
Excellent start to a exciting series
Lots of action and adventure as well as political intrigue and good world building all ingredients of epic series . Well fought battle scenes make this book stand out, from the very beginning . A young female battle wizard takes on multiple fighters and cleans up the town without harming the innocent. Always a good start in my book. As many great epics do this book started from multiple directions and ended up as a clash toward The end. We come to know many characters , we lose some , some we will always be left with the question. Definite good versus evil , with some who walk a middle path more closely than others .
There are some spelling errors and poor word choices in the book that I would love to have seen edited and cleaned up but the book reads so well that you ignore the mistakes and keep going .
I was given a copy of this book originally to review honestly , but I ended up buying a copy because I know I won't want to read it again as Future installments come out.
Lots of action and adventure as well as political intrigue and good world building all ingredients of epic series . Well fought battle scenes make this book stand out, from the very beginning . A young female battle wizard takes on multiple fighters and cleans up the town without harming the innocent. Always a good start in my book. As many great epics do this book started from multiple directions and ended up as a clash toward The end. We come to know many characters , we lose some , some we will always be left with the question. Definite good versus evil , with some who walk a middle path more closely than others .
There are some spelling errors and poor word choices in the book that I would love to have seen edited and cleaned up but the book reads so well that you ignore the mistakes and keep going .
I was given a copy of this book originally to review honestly , but I ended up buying a copy because I know I won't want to read it again as Future installments come out.
April 8, 2017
Espionage
Government in strife, espionage is at hand with assassination attempts, unsurper power hunger with magic but one's true to themselves are there to balance the stuggle.
Government in strife, espionage is at hand with assassination attempts, unsurper power hunger with magic but one's true to themselves are there to balance the stuggle.
February 11, 2017
Disclosure: I received an ARC kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fantasy is not my favorite genre, so I was hesitant to read this book when the opportunity presented itself, but in the end I was glad I did. You are thrown into the action from the very first pages. While reading, you can lose yourself in the story. At one point I looked and saw I was 88% through (pages numbers are not available on this version of the book). The next thing I know I am on the last page. This book had my interest all the way through. I am actually looking forward to the next book so I can continue the adventure!
Fantasy is not my favorite genre, so I was hesitant to read this book when the opportunity presented itself, but in the end I was glad I did. You are thrown into the action from the very first pages. While reading, you can lose yourself in the story. At one point I looked and saw I was 88% through (pages numbers are not available on this version of the book). The next thing I know I am on the last page. This book had my interest all the way through. I am actually looking forward to the next book so I can continue the adventure!
March 1, 2017
A thrilling magical tale full of adventure in a fantastic, imaginative world. There is a threat hanging above the kingdom, dangerously sneaking its way in and slowly transforming a rebellion into open war. The protective barrier is about to fail, and it is upon the shoulders of three young wizards to bring their wits together and save the kingdom. But the barrier collapse shows a different picture than expected, and now they have to cope with consequences and new situations in the best way they can manage.
This story is very skillfully written. The story pulls you in, regardless of your age and reading preferences, and holds you firmly as the storyline twists and turns. All three main characters, Alli, Bakari and Roland, are complex, believable, with distinct and unique personalities, showing both their strengths and flaws. The story is really action-packed, full of suspense and drama. Cannot wait for the next book in this series!
I have received an ARC from the author and provide a voluntary and honest review.
This story is very skillfully written. The story pulls you in, regardless of your age and reading preferences, and holds you firmly as the storyline twists and turns. All three main characters, Alli, Bakari and Roland, are complex, believable, with distinct and unique personalities, showing both their strengths and flaws. The story is really action-packed, full of suspense and drama. Cannot wait for the next book in this series!
I have received an ARC from the author and provide a voluntary and honest review.
February 9, 2017
A wonderful and adventurous tale and trip into a land of fantasy and magic.
December 16, 2019
Masterfully written with the epic magical combat of Maas’ Throne of Glass series, sprinkled with the political intrigue and phenomenal world building of Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice. I can see why this was a RONE award finalist! What a fantastic read full of magic and adventure! Roland and Alli were my favorite characters. I loved their fiery attitudes and kickass fighting skills. But the story . . . wow . . . it grips you right from the start and weaves you further into its web until that last final moment, leaving you wanting more!
March 1, 2017
A wonderfully creative story chocked full of magical creatures! Young wizards in training find themselves thrust into a war fated to happen long before they were born. And now it is up to them to untangle lies, deceit, and twisting of history. These characters are amazing and I was happily drawn into this action packed storyline. Beautifully written, this book has my imagination soaring with whats to come! This voluntary review is based against an advance copy.
March 17, 2018
This was a wonderful book. I found myself immediately drawn in by the way the author described the characters and the POV switching between the 3 main characters. I really enjoyed that aspect the most because the author was able to really build those characters up and you relate more to them when you see things from their points of view.
The three main characters are all quite different too. Alli is a beautiful and powerful apprentice battle mage, Roland is a suave counsellor wizard's apprentice, and Bak is a scholar wizard who remembers everything he has ever read but lacks the easy confidence that Roland and Alli both exude. Together they travel with their mentors and each other in an effort to support their Chief Justice against the wicked plots for a Wizard King. They will have to figure out where their loyalties lie and do it while facing betrayal, deaths, and political power moves that could destroy their way of living as they know it.
I like how the author wrote this to have intrigue, but also to be an easy read. That's why I'm drawn to YA books and I appreciate that here. There is an obvious bad guy, but with all the politics happening between the Chief Justice system and the ones who want their own system in place, it gives the reader a chance to kind of decide for themselves what they like and through the characters the benefits of it all and why they are fighting to keep their Chief Justice in power. As if political intrigue wasn't enough, the barrier that has separated the Elvyn and human world for 150 years is weakening... what will happen? You have to read it!
The only thing I would say is I don't know if I would categorize this as YA. It felt a little mature to me in some instances with Alli killing without hesitation and Roland being with a different maid each night. They are young for that kind of thing. Maybe if Mike had made them to be more like 19? I liked their characters and these qualities in them made them interesting to me, but I remember thinking to myself if this was truly a YA book or maybe I'm just getting old and they aren't like they used to be.
The three main characters are all quite different too. Alli is a beautiful and powerful apprentice battle mage, Roland is a suave counsellor wizard's apprentice, and Bak is a scholar wizard who remembers everything he has ever read but lacks the easy confidence that Roland and Alli both exude. Together they travel with their mentors and each other in an effort to support their Chief Justice against the wicked plots for a Wizard King. They will have to figure out where their loyalties lie and do it while facing betrayal, deaths, and political power moves that could destroy their way of living as they know it.
I like how the author wrote this to have intrigue, but also to be an easy read. That's why I'm drawn to YA books and I appreciate that here. There is an obvious bad guy, but with all the politics happening between the Chief Justice system and the ones who want their own system in place, it gives the reader a chance to kind of decide for themselves what they like and through the characters the benefits of it all and why they are fighting to keep their Chief Justice in power. As if political intrigue wasn't enough, the barrier that has separated the Elvyn and human world for 150 years is weakening... what will happen? You have to read it!
The only thing I would say is I don't know if I would categorize this as YA. It felt a little mature to me in some instances with Alli killing without hesitation and Roland being with a different maid each night. They are young for that kind of thing. Maybe if Mike had made them to be more like 19? I liked their characters and these qualities in them made them interesting to me, but I remember thinking to myself if this was truly a YA book or maybe I'm just getting old and they aren't like they used to be.
June 30, 2017
The Dragon Orb by Mike Shelton is a fantasy story about 3 young wizards: Bak, Roland and Alli. Each of them has slightly different skills and magic but they are all extremely powerful.
Bak is already a wizard, a scholar wizard to be exact. His speciality is knowledge. He remembers everything he's ever read and is very intelligent.
Roland is a counsellor wizard's apprentice, training to be a counsellor wizard. His role would be to offer advice to the Chief Judge or other people in authority regarding a variety of issues. Despite being only 16 years of age he is supremely confident in his abilities and feels he could specialise in an number of different fields and therefore he should no longer be an apprentice.
Alli is also still an apprentice and she is training to be a battle wizard. Her training involves learning how to fight both with weapons and magic.
The Dragon Orb follows these 3 youngsters as they find themselves at the centre of a plot to overthrow the Chief Judge and the current legal system in favour of a Wizard King. They quickly find out that they will need to decide where their loyalties lie and that not everyone can be trusted!
This book felt like it was aimed at a young audience, possibly middle grade age. Because of this it wasn't exactly what I was expecting and didn't deliver on everything I hoped for.
The world building and character development were great but the story telling was a bit flat and unexciting. Everything that happened was expected as it was clearly signposted by the characters thoughts and feelings.
I did enjoy some elements of the story as the characters were engaging. I found Alli particularly fascinating and her fight scenes were well choreographed however she was not featured in this book enough in my opinion.
Overall the book had enough content to keep me reading until the end and I was left wanting to know what happened to the characters next which is why I have rated it 3 stars despite the lack of excitement.
The author kindly provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bak is already a wizard, a scholar wizard to be exact. His speciality is knowledge. He remembers everything he's ever read and is very intelligent.
Roland is a counsellor wizard's apprentice, training to be a counsellor wizard. His role would be to offer advice to the Chief Judge or other people in authority regarding a variety of issues. Despite being only 16 years of age he is supremely confident in his abilities and feels he could specialise in an number of different fields and therefore he should no longer be an apprentice.
Alli is also still an apprentice and she is training to be a battle wizard. Her training involves learning how to fight both with weapons and magic.
The Dragon Orb follows these 3 youngsters as they find themselves at the centre of a plot to overthrow the Chief Judge and the current legal system in favour of a Wizard King. They quickly find out that they will need to decide where their loyalties lie and that not everyone can be trusted!
This book felt like it was aimed at a young audience, possibly middle grade age. Because of this it wasn't exactly what I was expecting and didn't deliver on everything I hoped for.
The world building and character development were great but the story telling was a bit flat and unexciting. Everything that happened was expected as it was clearly signposted by the characters thoughts and feelings.
I did enjoy some elements of the story as the characters were engaging. I found Alli particularly fascinating and her fight scenes were well choreographed however she was not featured in this book enough in my opinion.
Overall the book had enough content to keep me reading until the end and I was left wanting to know what happened to the characters next which is why I have rated it 3 stars despite the lack of excitement.
The author kindly provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2018
Here we have two self-opinionated teen wizard apprentices, both full of themselves, but with good hearts, Roland is all about himself and for himself while Allison seeks to help others by trying to end the small pockets of fight the rebels were strategically starting. She wants to lessen the people's' sufferings, but with a rebellion fast approaching, such thoughts seem very elusive.
These young wizards needed to get their act together and focus on what was right and not just follow the way of the wizards blindly, even though their mentors were all in support of the fast approaching rebellion. Unknown to them things had escalated faster than they had thought, along with fellow wizard Bakari, they were thrust into an incoming war of which they had to choose sides. It was imperative that they save their homeland by protecting the barrier.
They had never been outside of their realm, due to the protective shield that was surrounding their homeland but what was it protecting them from, was it from the other realms.
There is that saying, that nothing lasts forever and it seems like their protective barrier which lasted for over one hundred years was going down. They were being pushed into the open forcefully by the masterminds of the fast escalating rebellion but was the rebellion a bad thing or was it the right way, is it best to allow the barrier to drop and allow themselves the freedom to explore other realms, or are they in danger from the other realms, so many questions unanswered. A great story filled with exciting action adventures, deceitfulness, greed, anger, hatred distrust all mixed in with a bit of young love.
These young wizards needed to get their act together and focus on what was right and not just follow the way of the wizards blindly, even though their mentors were all in support of the fast approaching rebellion. Unknown to them things had escalated faster than they had thought, along with fellow wizard Bakari, they were thrust into an incoming war of which they had to choose sides. It was imperative that they save their homeland by protecting the barrier.
They had never been outside of their realm, due to the protective shield that was surrounding their homeland but what was it protecting them from, was it from the other realms.
There is that saying, that nothing lasts forever and it seems like their protective barrier which lasted for over one hundred years was going down. They were being pushed into the open forcefully by the masterminds of the fast escalating rebellion but was the rebellion a bad thing or was it the right way, is it best to allow the barrier to drop and allow themselves the freedom to explore other realms, or are they in danger from the other realms, so many questions unanswered. A great story filled with exciting action adventures, deceitfulness, greed, anger, hatred distrust all mixed in with a bit of young love.
March 30, 2018
This is another book I got from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of my opinion on the book. The book is called The Dragon Orb and it is written by Mike Shelton. The book was released on January 15, 2017 and the rest of the books in the series (The Dragon Rider and The Dragon King) were released shortly thereafter.
The book takes place in a kingdom called Alaria, a kingdom cut off by a magical barrier from the outside world for one hundred fifty years. Now, the barrier is failing and the kingdom is being taken over by a power hungry wizard who wanted to overthrow the current government and become king of all the land and will do anything to achieve this. The story follows three young wizards with extraordinary strength. There is Roland, a Counselor wizard apprentice by name but gifted in scholar wizardry and battle wizardry too, there is Allie, an extremely gifted battle wizard apprentice, possibly stronger than any other. Then, there is Bakar, a scholar wizard with a perfect memory. Throughout the story, they have to choose sides, question their wizard mentors, and are right in the middle of a civil war for Alaria.
I recommend this book a lot. Like a lot of other books, it is well written and the dialogue is believable. It has an intriguing story, and is definitely worth the read. I will probably end up reading the rest of the books later because I really enjoyed the books.
Please check out my other reviews at: https://dragons-lair-book-blog.blogsp...
The book takes place in a kingdom called Alaria, a kingdom cut off by a magical barrier from the outside world for one hundred fifty years. Now, the barrier is failing and the kingdom is being taken over by a power hungry wizard who wanted to overthrow the current government and become king of all the land and will do anything to achieve this. The story follows three young wizards with extraordinary strength. There is Roland, a Counselor wizard apprentice by name but gifted in scholar wizardry and battle wizardry too, there is Allie, an extremely gifted battle wizard apprentice, possibly stronger than any other. Then, there is Bakar, a scholar wizard with a perfect memory. Throughout the story, they have to choose sides, question their wizard mentors, and are right in the middle of a civil war for Alaria.
I recommend this book a lot. Like a lot of other books, it is well written and the dialogue is believable. It has an intriguing story, and is definitely worth the read. I will probably end up reading the rest of the books later because I really enjoyed the books.
Please check out my other reviews at: https://dragons-lair-book-blog.blogsp...
July 22, 2019
I am not going to lie. I picked this book up not because of a good review but because of a bad one. Rob Hayes entire review of this book was bashing on the YA genre. I have always felt like the YA genre gets a reputation even though most books could be categorized as such.
Lets be clear The Dragon Orb is not a bad book because its YA in fact I feel like Shelton sneers at the YA genre, taking YA 'tropes' and making it completely unbearable.
I am 100% fine with the 'chosen one' trope or having a bunch of kids who have unbelievable talent in their generation be friends but this book has the chosen one trope but that person is an arrogant asshole who is constantly telling everyone how much better he is. And its worse because there is a female clone of him who also complains about how much better she is and gets upset when her seniors admonishes her.
Rob Hayes comments that 'the female characters felt like they were only there to give the male characters romantic interests.' That is 100% the case! They honestly threw in a female just so Bakari can have a love interest there is no other reason.
This book doesn't even do friendship correctly Bakari and Roland doesn't actually seem like friends with any chemistry or connection they seem like they became friends because no one likes Roland and Bakari spends all his time in the library.
One of their first conversations one on one is Roland berating Bakari saying "I saved him! What have you done?!" that was a big yikes from me
Lets be clear The Dragon Orb is not a bad book because its YA in fact I feel like Shelton sneers at the YA genre, taking YA 'tropes' and making it completely unbearable.
I am 100% fine with the 'chosen one' trope or having a bunch of kids who have unbelievable talent in their generation be friends but this book has the chosen one trope but that person is an arrogant asshole who is constantly telling everyone how much better he is. And its worse because there is a female clone of him who also complains about how much better she is and gets upset when her seniors admonishes her.
Rob Hayes comments that 'the female characters felt like they were only there to give the male characters romantic interests.' That is 100% the case! They honestly threw in a female just so Bakari can have a love interest there is no other reason.
This book doesn't even do friendship correctly Bakari and Roland doesn't actually seem like friends with any chemistry or connection they seem like they became friends because no one likes Roland and Bakari spends all his time in the library.
One of their first conversations one on one is Roland berating Bakari saying "I saved him! What have you done?!" that was a big yikes from me
November 26, 2018
The Dragon Orb(The Alaris Chronicles #1) by Mike Shelton
Blurb- The fate of a kingdom rests on the shoulders of three young wizards who couldn't be more different.
Bakari is a brilliant scholar wizard who's more at home in a library than a battlefield. Alli is a beautiful young battle wizard whose grace in battle is both enchanting and deadly. Roland is a counselor wizard with a seemingly limitless depth of untapped power -- and the ego to match it.
As the magical barrier protecting the kingdom of Alaris from dangerous outsiders begins to fail, and a fomenting rebellion threatens to divide the country in a civil war, the three wizards are thrust into the middle of a power struggle.
When the barrier comes down, the truth comes out. Was everything they were taught about their kingdom based on a lie? Will they all choose to fight on the same side, or end up enemies in the battle over who should rule Alaris?
The most attracting feature is the front cover of the book. Second comes the intriguing and composing plot the book is based upon. I was basically a Fan of 'Lord of the Rings' and that's why I was hooked with it since the very beginning. It was unputdownable for me. It was an engaging and pleasing read for me. Definitely recommendable for Fantasy lovers. Thank you.
Blurb- The fate of a kingdom rests on the shoulders of three young wizards who couldn't be more different.
Bakari is a brilliant scholar wizard who's more at home in a library than a battlefield. Alli is a beautiful young battle wizard whose grace in battle is both enchanting and deadly. Roland is a counselor wizard with a seemingly limitless depth of untapped power -- and the ego to match it.
As the magical barrier protecting the kingdom of Alaris from dangerous outsiders begins to fail, and a fomenting rebellion threatens to divide the country in a civil war, the three wizards are thrust into the middle of a power struggle.
When the barrier comes down, the truth comes out. Was everything they were taught about their kingdom based on a lie? Will they all choose to fight on the same side, or end up enemies in the battle over who should rule Alaris?
The most attracting feature is the front cover of the book. Second comes the intriguing and composing plot the book is based upon. I was basically a Fan of 'Lord of the Rings' and that's why I was hooked with it since the very beginning. It was unputdownable for me. It was an engaging and pleasing read for me. Definitely recommendable for Fantasy lovers. Thank you.
June 13, 2018
I’ve given *good* books a single star before, for example The Great Gatsby just doesn’t float my boat no matter how many times I read it, but I’ve never actually regretted purchasing a book quite like this before. Perhaps it just wasn’t for me, there’s a lot to love here: magic, spellcasting and, spoiler alert, a dragon. Maybe I somehow just got a bad kindle download (Is that a thing? Still new to this non-physical book malarkey!) but the editing is appalling. Chapter 23 happens twice in the book, but the scenes either side are also repeated, rendering the 66-71% mark an unpleasantly long Groundhog Day scenerio. The characters were too cliche for my liking, the plot choppy (Chapter 23 redux doesn’t help!) and the general editing needs some serious tlc (We reach a dramatic plot point and everyone is screaming. No yelling, shouting, etc. Everyone screams. ‘She screams hysterical’ is just one of many edit oops moments.
There is a lot to love here, but this wasn’t for me. The Chapter 23 debacle was insurmountable. The plot isn’t especially enthralling - do not read the title if you don’t want to know the climax of the story! (The Orb is a dragon. Hmm.) The characters failed to engage me.
All in: Fun idea but not sold on the execution.
There is a lot to love here, but this wasn’t for me. The Chapter 23 debacle was insurmountable. The plot isn’t especially enthralling - do not read the title if you don’t want to know the climax of the story! (The Orb is a dragon. Hmm.) The characters failed to engage me.
All in: Fun idea but not sold on the execution.
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