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The First Dragon Rider #1
Dragon God
The new world is calling...Neill Torvald is desperate to prove himself—his father’s warlord kingdom depends on him. When a vicious attack on the way to the Draconis Order monastery nearly kills him, it becomes clear that grave trials await him on this path.Jodreth, the wise monk who saves his life, advises caution upon entering the sacred halls. His mission is to learn arcane magic from the monks that will help to cement his father’s power, but Neill will need more than magical arts alone to navigate the challenges before him.Among the monks’ students, Neill meets the lovely and mysterious Char, who senses evil deep within the ranks of the Draconis Order’s members. She takes him to a dragon she has raised, Paxala, and the three of them become fast friends. Neill soon grows in strength as he and his fellow students gain ancient knowledge, and his closeness to Char blossoms into something more.But when Neill ’s brothers grow impatient and attack the monastery in a bid to seize power, he will have to decide where his loyalties with his warlord father’s domain, or the new friends he has made in the wider world.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2017
763 people are currently reading
909 people want to read
About the author
Ava Richardson
157 books436 followersAva Richardson writes epic page-turning Young Adult Fantasy books. She creates lovable characters and drops them into intricate worlds that are barely contained within your eReader. Ava has written 21 YA dragon fantasy series, including her bestselling series Return of the Darkening and her recent series, Destia's Dragon Shifter War.
She grew up on a steady diet of fantasy and science fiction books handed down from her two big brothers – and despite being dog-eared and missing pages, she loved escaping into the magical worlds that those authors created. Her favorites were the ones about dragons; where they’d swoop, dive and soar through the skies of these enchanted lands.
She grew up on a steady diet of fantasy and science fiction books handed down from her two big brothers – and despite being dog-eared and missing pages, she loved escaping into the magical worlds that those authors created. Her favorites were the ones about dragons; where they’d swoop, dive and soar through the skies of these enchanted lands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 24, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Niell Torvald is on a mission is to learn arcane magic from the monks of the Draconis Order monastery that will help to cement his father’s power, but Niell will need more than magical arts alone to navigate the challenges before him. Among the students, Niell meets Char, who senses evil deep within the ranks of the Order’s membership. She takes him to a dragon she has raised, Paxala, and the three become fast friends. But when Niell’s brothers grow impatient and attack the monastery in a bid to seize power, he will have to decide where his loyalties lie: with his warlord father’s domain, or the new friends he has made in the wider world.
The short review...
Dual POV stories always intrigue me. I especially enjoy it when we get a girl's POV vs a male's POV. Char and Niell made Dragon God really enjoyable because I liked them as people. They felt really authentic to their back history which worked really well to inform who they were and how they reacted to being drafted into the Draconis Order. This added to the fact, I love dragons. I especially love dragon books about raising a dragon. Dragon God had a little dragon raising and I loved all these moments with Char. I even liked it when Niell became involved too.
There was also a TON of politics. Well at least there was a lot of setup for politics. Many characters were introduced and villains were setup to use politics with these Draconic monks. Nothing really came of these politics except for a battle that didn't need all of this political setup. This formed the bulk of Niell's POV and it was rather boring in places. At other moments everything felt quite rushed and easy, much like a middle grade book is at times.
So we end up with an adult framed story and a middle grade read, it will throw some readers off, even though it has potential. The next book will really be the gauge because if the author does some plotting with all of this setup the following books will make for a depthful read!
Cover & Title grade -> A-
For an indie cover this is gorgeous!! Ava Richardson knows what she is doing when it comes to cover design. I was totally drawn to Dragon God because of the art. And happily so... My only problem with it is that the setting in the cover seems off. I know there was a large cavern that the red dragon lived in but it was under a waterfall. And the kind dragon lived in one under ground but the red dragon wasn't there...
Why you may enjoy Dragon God and the following books in the First Dragon Rider series?
-The Dragon Culture.
Most of the time dragons are portrayed as one of two ways... Friends and companions to humans or monsters who humans must fight. This world bridges both of those dragon tropes and positions dragons are more human than creature, being both good and bad. It's an intriguing idea!
-Medieval World.
This world certainly hearkens back to the traditional old world style fantasy with castles, swords and war mongering. It also incorporates the magic and dark sorcery that is so popular in fantasy right now. While this isn't totally fresh it's setup in a way that takes on a personality of its own.
-All the Political Characters.
Right now we get a ton of introductions with a bunch of political vignettes. I feel like all of these secondary characters have great potential to add to the dragon rider story. Sure it isn't quite achieved in Dragon God but the setup is in place to take us places!
As a Writer...
Many readers and thus writers misunderstand the purpose of a multiple POV story. Multiple POVs are NOT meant to split one story arc into two. It's meant to showcase aspects of the world that you wouldn't naturally see from a single POV. You should have complete story and character arcs from each of the POVs. Simpler arcs or well known trope arcs are perfect for one or the other POVs as they are don't need as much development. Thus the world building can be concentrated on with that POV. It's a great way to give depth to a story without overloading one character.
What I enjoyed Char and I liked Niell but neither POV had enough of a story.
Char was all about this red dragon and I was really interested in what would happen with her. While something DID happen in the end I didn't feel like enough happened in between WITH Char. Niell's story was really lacking in plot, a lot of time spent telling us about the world and agonizing about his role at the order. He had a large role to play in the end with Char but I wish that he had more of his own events.
There were plenty of characters and there could have been a whole lot more intrigue and plotting between the different political parties.
Dragon God is a solid start to a middle grade transitioning into YA story that has the potential for unusual depth and breathe to the story. The dragons are truly a superior aspect and well worth revisiting the medieval setting of the story. Char and Niell are dragon riders to watch!
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
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April 27, 2018
I really liked this book. The beginning threw me off a bit due to the fact that a lot of fantasy-esque terms were used that hadn't been introduced or explained, however they come into play further within the book. I'm not all too familiar with the fantasy genre other than Lord of the Rings, so I didn't know quite what I was in for with this book but given that I really enjoy Dragonheart I was interested in what this book had to offer.
I won't go too much into detail as I don't want to spoil this book, but it has some really tense and thrilling chapters! Once I had moved past my initial confusion (which if you've read my other reviews I'm quite good at being confused by things) the book really began to draw me in. Whilst Neil Torvald is the adventurous and somewhat stubbornly loyal protagonist type, I was amazed to find that he wasn't written to be some stereotypical good-at-everything-he-does leading role! Don't be put off by this concept though - I found that it added more depth to the character, showing us the hardships and accomplishments that went along with all of the difficulties in learning new skills. It also paved the road to introducing new characters, instead of slotting them into the immediate role of sidekick.
The pacing of the book is easy to keep up with, I didn't find myself getting bored at any point and I could easily see this as a story that would become a film. The introduction of dragons happens in two different contexts, one being personal introduction and another being scholarly. These two contexts really introduces the listener/reader to the different ways that dragons are treated in the book and also the conflicting personalities of certain characters.
I came to really enjoy the narration! Tiffany Williams narrates each character incredibly well, reflecting the personalities into her voice. Each characters voice was significantly different and it was easy to distinguish which character was speaking without context clues. Williams mirrored the suspense of the story itself in her voice which added a really impressive atmosphere to the audiobook.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ava Richardson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
I won't go too much into detail as I don't want to spoil this book, but it has some really tense and thrilling chapters! Once I had moved past my initial confusion (which if you've read my other reviews I'm quite good at being confused by things) the book really began to draw me in. Whilst Neil Torvald is the adventurous and somewhat stubbornly loyal protagonist type, I was amazed to find that he wasn't written to be some stereotypical good-at-everything-he-does leading role! Don't be put off by this concept though - I found that it added more depth to the character, showing us the hardships and accomplishments that went along with all of the difficulties in learning new skills. It also paved the road to introducing new characters, instead of slotting them into the immediate role of sidekick.
The pacing of the book is easy to keep up with, I didn't find myself getting bored at any point and I could easily see this as a story that would become a film. The introduction of dragons happens in two different contexts, one being personal introduction and another being scholarly. These two contexts really introduces the listener/reader to the different ways that dragons are treated in the book and also the conflicting personalities of certain characters.
I came to really enjoy the narration! Tiffany Williams narrates each character incredibly well, reflecting the personalities into her voice. Each characters voice was significantly different and it was easy to distinguish which character was speaking without context clues. Williams mirrored the suspense of the story itself in her voice which added a really impressive atmosphere to the audiobook.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ava Richardson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
September 13, 2017
The cover art captured me right away! I was very interested to see this dragon in action. The title also gave away that someone would eventually ride a dragon. I was a little surprised at the twist and who ended up riding which dragon (no spoilers here). Just something that I thought was well done.
I liked the story. The world had some complicated politics, which I also like to see. The writing style was good and kept me reading.
I enjoyed the character development of this book at the beginning, and I liked the writing style, the characters were fairly believable, in that there were some things I liked about them and some things that drove me crazy (like real people).
The one thing I found difficult about this book was that the pacing felt a little lopsided at times. What I mean by that is there would be a long segment where very little seemed to happen other than meeting the characters, then the build up to the climax seemed like a lot happened in a short amount of pages, and it ended abruptly.
The End
I liked the story. The world had some complicated politics, which I also like to see. The writing style was good and kept me reading.
I enjoyed the character development of this book at the beginning, and I liked the writing style, the characters were fairly believable, in that there were some things I liked about them and some things that drove me crazy (like real people).
The one thing I found difficult about this book was that the pacing felt a little lopsided at times. What I mean by that is there would be a long segment where very little seemed to happen other than meeting the characters, then the build up to the climax seemed like a lot happened in a short amount of pages, and it ended abruptly.
The End
September 27, 2017
“I was a friend to dragons. It was like one of those old fairy tales. I was a dragon-friend, me, Neill of Torvald!” -Ava Richardson, Dragon God
The Draconis Order monastery helps hold together the three kingdoms ruled by three brothers. When rumors of war and contention between the three kingdoms, a child from each noble is sent to the monastery to learn and in turn bring the kingdoms together. But no one knows where the Draconis Order gets their magic from or why the dragons are on their side. Dragon God, written by Ava Richardson, is a fun story that follows Neill through his struggles at the monastery and the dragons just outside the walls.
Young Neill Torvold, the illegitimate son of a warlord, is sent on a private mission to find out the secrets of the Draconis Order to help his father, but when many challenging obstacles begins to face him can he succeed? Upon entering the Draconis Order monastery and realizing that many of the noble families have also sent one of their children to become a Draconis monk, he begins to go through the different tasks given to find out what type of monk they will be: Scribe, Protector or Mage. Neill tries to make friends while at the monastery but has a hard time due to his background, but after following Char, a princess of the North, he learns of her secret... A dragon!
This was a fun book to sit down and read. I love dragons and like to read books with them in it, when I saw that the trilogy is called The First Dragon Rider, I almost expected it to be similar to Eragon (written by Christopher Paolini) but I did not see many similarities. I enjoyed the parts with the dragons in them. The book does bounce between Neill (main) and Char and is easy to follow along with. There were a few characters that I felt like were all too similar in their mannerisms and I didn’t like when it came to parts with them in it. I still haven’t decided if I want to finish reading the rest of the trilogy.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Go to my website at InkTeller.com to read more reviews!
The Draconis Order monastery helps hold together the three kingdoms ruled by three brothers. When rumors of war and contention between the three kingdoms, a child from each noble is sent to the monastery to learn and in turn bring the kingdoms together. But no one knows where the Draconis Order gets their magic from or why the dragons are on their side. Dragon God, written by Ava Richardson, is a fun story that follows Neill through his struggles at the monastery and the dragons just outside the walls.
Young Neill Torvold, the illegitimate son of a warlord, is sent on a private mission to find out the secrets of the Draconis Order to help his father, but when many challenging obstacles begins to face him can he succeed? Upon entering the Draconis Order monastery and realizing that many of the noble families have also sent one of their children to become a Draconis monk, he begins to go through the different tasks given to find out what type of monk they will be: Scribe, Protector or Mage. Neill tries to make friends while at the monastery but has a hard time due to his background, but after following Char, a princess of the North, he learns of her secret... A dragon!
This was a fun book to sit down and read. I love dragons and like to read books with them in it, when I saw that the trilogy is called The First Dragon Rider, I almost expected it to be similar to Eragon (written by Christopher Paolini) but I did not see many similarities. I enjoyed the parts with the dragons in them. The book does bounce between Neill (main) and Char and is easy to follow along with. There were a few characters that I felt like were all too similar in their mannerisms and I didn’t like when it came to parts with them in it. I still haven’t decided if I want to finish reading the rest of the trilogy.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Go to my website at InkTeller.com to read more reviews!
April 3, 2018
DNF - Review to come later.
December 5, 2020
Bless Ava Richardson and her many dragon trilogies.
If the Greybeards was your favorite quest-line in Skyrim then this is the book for you.
Side note: It seems I mistakenly read the sequel trilogy before this one, but I enjoyed both. So perhaps these can be read out of order, but won’t be as enjoyable.
If the Greybeards was your favorite quest-line in Skyrim then this is the book for you.
Side note: It seems I mistakenly read the sequel trilogy before this one, but I enjoyed both. So perhaps these can be read out of order, but won’t be as enjoyable.
July 29, 2017
A book to read , is this book indeed
This is a really good book to read it kept me entertained and it seems like I couldn't put it down were wondering what would happen next
This is a really good book to read it kept me entertained and it seems like I couldn't put it down were wondering what would happen next
August 17, 2018
INTENSE, INTRIGUING ADVENTURE IN A WORLD OF YA FANTASY.
Watching Niell grow and begin to find himself was inspiring in some places and just fascinating in others. This was a boy becoming a man and learning that there sometimes is more than just family and loyalties. Sometimes those things can change and grow as one grows. Ava Richardson gave a world that was filled with intriguing elements a touch of the old blended with the fantasy of a well developed imaginations. Tiffany Williams did a spectacular job with bring to life the characters that Ava placed before us in this senses catching story. You will be lured in by the story of dragon, magic, quests, friendship and so much more.
Watching Niell grow and begin to find himself was inspiring in some places and just fascinating in others. This was a boy becoming a man and learning that there sometimes is more than just family and loyalties. Sometimes those things can change and grow as one grows. Ava Richardson gave a world that was filled with intriguing elements a touch of the old blended with the fantasy of a well developed imaginations. Tiffany Williams did a spectacular job with bring to life the characters that Ava placed before us in this senses catching story. You will be lured in by the story of dragon, magic, quests, friendship and so much more.
June 6, 2019
Really hard to finish.
I had a very difficult time getting through this book for many reasons - but the three major complaints of mine are as follows. Number one, the two main characters (Char and Neill) tend to think the dialogue that they should be speaking rather than speak in almost every scene that they are in. As a result, they are incredibly ineffective characters, both in advancing the plot and in protecting themselves. In fact most of the time they have to be rescued by other random characters spontaneously appearing. Complaint number two, almost every adult (unless they are a character that randomly shows up to save Neill or Char) is the same cookie cutter extreme mustache twirling racist jerk. It’s infuriating to read the same bias and “wahahaha look at me I’m so evil in an obviously evil way and no one calls me out on it” attitude. It makes the world and the story unbelievable. And number three, every revelation and rescue and combat exciting event is over in less than a paragraph. An entire army, the best army in the Middle Kingdom deserts and runs from an adolescent dragon in one paragraph, fleeing a battle scene that was built up over a few chapters. The quarter master is killed by having two of his fingers cut off - no explanation provided. The revelation that the abbot has been brainwashing and hypnotizing his students into a fanatic army happens in one paragraph. But we can spend page after page of Neill being a fool in thinking that the power of magic comes from an ornament or some scrolls and oh how he worries about his father and his brothers - by the way his brothers are also mustache twirling bad guys too with the same racist attitude towards Neill for the one and only time they appear in the novel.
I wanted to like this book because it didn’t have lots of adult theme material. But I’m so tired of reading about dragons being described in bird like description of cawing and shrieking and tilting their head like a bird.
Very disappointed with this book and honestly don’t care what happens to the characters. The title is a lie too, no dragon riding occurs until the final few pages of the final chapter. Avoid this bigoted, racist version of an evil hogwarts and read something else.
I had a very difficult time getting through this book for many reasons - but the three major complaints of mine are as follows. Number one, the two main characters (Char and Neill) tend to think the dialogue that they should be speaking rather than speak in almost every scene that they are in. As a result, they are incredibly ineffective characters, both in advancing the plot and in protecting themselves. In fact most of the time they have to be rescued by other random characters spontaneously appearing. Complaint number two, almost every adult (unless they are a character that randomly shows up to save Neill or Char) is the same cookie cutter extreme mustache twirling racist jerk. It’s infuriating to read the same bias and “wahahaha look at me I’m so evil in an obviously evil way and no one calls me out on it” attitude. It makes the world and the story unbelievable. And number three, every revelation and rescue and combat exciting event is over in less than a paragraph. An entire army, the best army in the Middle Kingdom deserts and runs from an adolescent dragon in one paragraph, fleeing a battle scene that was built up over a few chapters. The quarter master is killed by having two of his fingers cut off - no explanation provided. The revelation that the abbot has been brainwashing and hypnotizing his students into a fanatic army happens in one paragraph. But we can spend page after page of Neill being a fool in thinking that the power of magic comes from an ornament or some scrolls and oh how he worries about his father and his brothers - by the way his brothers are also mustache twirling bad guys too with the same racist attitude towards Neill for the one and only time they appear in the novel.
I wanted to like this book because it didn’t have lots of adult theme material. But I’m so tired of reading about dragons being described in bird like description of cawing and shrieking and tilting their head like a bird.
Very disappointed with this book and honestly don’t care what happens to the characters. The title is a lie too, no dragon riding occurs until the final few pages of the final chapter. Avoid this bigoted, racist version of an evil hogwarts and read something else.
September 25, 2017
Loved it
Loved the book and want more. Cannot wait till book 2. I want more time between female dragon Paxala and Neil. Need more saving of the dragons. Please make longer and more pages of that free book that was on Facebook. I want to know more about south kingdom and how dragon and rider bond relationship is and see how they are treated and if they are truly good and why only one rider. Hope they be more deep relationship though and see how true bond is and how south kingdom protects it people. Also wonder how training is. Will be pre ordering book 2. Love to see more dragon communication and magic and what bond they got as it kind of confusing but I believe I know what Neil has. Though not sure due to Char relationship with Pax and able to talk to her and sit in front I think? Book 2 here I come. Wish it was book 3 series. One issue took to long to get to dragon part. I wanted it in beginning or few chapters in.
Loved the book and want more. Cannot wait till book 2. I want more time between female dragon Paxala and Neil. Need more saving of the dragons. Please make longer and more pages of that free book that was on Facebook. I want to know more about south kingdom and how dragon and rider bond relationship is and see how they are treated and if they are truly good and why only one rider. Hope they be more deep relationship though and see how true bond is and how south kingdom protects it people. Also wonder how training is. Will be pre ordering book 2. Love to see more dragon communication and magic and what bond they got as it kind of confusing but I believe I know what Neil has. Though not sure due to Char relationship with Pax and able to talk to her and sit in front I think? Book 2 here I come. Wish it was book 3 series. One issue took to long to get to dragon part. I wanted it in beginning or few chapters in.
August 21, 2017
Warring realms of man, magic & dragons
Realms of !an , magic and dragons intermingled when treachery and evil try to combine and overthrow one Prince for two others.
Realms of !an , magic and dragons intermingled when treachery and evil try to combine and overthrow one Prince for two others.
April 8, 2022
Neill auf Kursänderung (Hörbuch)
Großartiger Auftakt einer neuen Serie aus der Ideenschmiede von Ava Richardson.
Das stilsichere Cover stammt auch hier von Joemel Requeza. Das Hörbuch wird von Benjamin Brunken sehr gut gelesen.
Auch wenn anfangs viele Personen diesen Fantasy-Roman besiedeln, so bekomme ich doch rasch einen Überblick über das Geschehen.
Das Hörbuch wird aus der Ich-Perspektive der Protagonisten erzählt. Mal von Neill Torvald und mal von Char Neferette .Sie begegnen sich im Kloster des Draconis - Ordens zum ersten Mal.
Zuerst ist es nicht so klar,aus welcher Perspektive gerade erzählt wird,doch im Verlauf wird es klarer.
Das erste heimliche Zusammentreffen von Chars handaufgezogenen Drachen, das rote Drachenmädchen Paxala mit Neill ist faszinierend und spannend zugleich.
Über acht Stunden hat mich diese Geschichte gefesselt und ich hatte fantastische und spannende Unterhaltung mit dem ersten Teil der Trilogie um den ersten Drachenreiter. Ich bin absolut begeistert und kann es Fantasie-Anfängern auch nur empfehlen.
Fazit:
Für große und kleine Drachenfreunde geeignet.
Großartiger Auftakt einer neuen Serie aus der Ideenschmiede von Ava Richardson.
Das stilsichere Cover stammt auch hier von Joemel Requeza. Das Hörbuch wird von Benjamin Brunken sehr gut gelesen.
Auch wenn anfangs viele Personen diesen Fantasy-Roman besiedeln, so bekomme ich doch rasch einen Überblick über das Geschehen.
Das Hörbuch wird aus der Ich-Perspektive der Protagonisten erzählt. Mal von Neill Torvald und mal von Char Neferette .Sie begegnen sich im Kloster des Draconis - Ordens zum ersten Mal.
Zuerst ist es nicht so klar,aus welcher Perspektive gerade erzählt wird,doch im Verlauf wird es klarer.
Das erste heimliche Zusammentreffen von Chars handaufgezogenen Drachen, das rote Drachenmädchen Paxala mit Neill ist faszinierend und spannend zugleich.
Über acht Stunden hat mich diese Geschichte gefesselt und ich hatte fantastische und spannende Unterhaltung mit dem ersten Teil der Trilogie um den ersten Drachenreiter. Ich bin absolut begeistert und kann es Fantasie-Anfängern auch nur empfehlen.
Fazit:
Für große und kleine Drachenfreunde geeignet.
April 27, 2018
Reviewed on Behalf http://bookaddict.live,
The story centred on a young lad of 16, Neill who is the third son of a Warlord in the middle kingdom, because he is also a bastard he has been picked on by his older brothers all his life. His father loves him dearly, but he has always felt ashamed all his life.
When the Draconis order Monastery calls for the three Kingdoms young people to be sent for training. Neill Torvalds is sent by his father to find the Draconis magic secrets to help his father.
When he arrives, he finds he is not treated any better, but meets char who has looked after dragon from an egg. Paxala and Char become very good friends to Neill. This is the first book in a new magical series.
The narration was superb with all the different voices, it brought to life a magical world where miracles could still happen to those who believe.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ava Richardson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
The story centred on a young lad of 16, Neill who is the third son of a Warlord in the middle kingdom, because he is also a bastard he has been picked on by his older brothers all his life. His father loves him dearly, but he has always felt ashamed all his life.
When the Draconis order Monastery calls for the three Kingdoms young people to be sent for training. Neill Torvalds is sent by his father to find the Draconis magic secrets to help his father.
When he arrives, he finds he is not treated any better, but meets char who has looked after dragon from an egg. Paxala and Char become very good friends to Neill. This is the first book in a new magical series.
The narration was superb with all the different voices, it brought to life a magical world where miracles could still happen to those who believe.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ava Richardson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
June 8, 2019
The story itself was good, if a bit typical of the genre, but I found it to be very slow and writing itself dry with a lot of over explaining yet almost no character development. Not sure if I’ll read next one.
December 7, 2017
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I was sucked into a wonderful world with great characters that left me wanting more.
A great Fantasy read.
I was sucked into a wonderful world with great characters that left me wanting more.
A great Fantasy read.
June 12, 2018
This was a very fun dragon fantasy novel! The characters drew me in right away and the setting was interesting – a high mountain monastery! Niell is charming in his insecurities and his bumbling ways. He’s trying very hard to do the right thing but the trick is figuring out what the right thing is – obey his father’s commands or stay true to his new found friends. Tough place for the lad to be in too, being a bastard son of a War Lord.
Char I really liked right away. She’s also bastard born and a bit of an outcast in the male-dominated world of dragon tending. She’s a little older than Niell and has been at the monastery for about a year (if I recall correctly) so she already knows some of the pitfalls that Niell will blindly stumble into. Her new room mate Sigrid is a first year as well. Char also has a wondrous and dangerous secret – a young dragon named Paxala! She rocks!
The plot has a good balance of action, character building, magic system building, politics, and bad guys needing a pounding. My one little quibble is with Niell. As much as I like him, he did come off a little angsty or whiny here and there. He’s rather touchy, feeling out of place, and even small ribs from his friends have him questioning his place at this dragon monastery.
Not all is well in the Three Kingdoms just as all is not well at the dragon monastery. There’s a chief dragon, who is supposedly the father of all the dragons. He’s a heavy handed ass, but a very dangerous one. Honestly, how would you go about putting this bully in his place? Well, that’s a good question that Niell and his friends might have to face. The monastery has a range of characters. Some are bull-headed sexist men, some hate everyone equally, some are sympathetic but don’t feel they can change it all over night, and some have hidden agendas and are quite dangerous.
All around, this is a great addition to the dragon fantasy genre. 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Tiffany Williams gave a very good performance for this novel. She had perfect voices for both Niell and Char. The rest of her character voices were each distinct and well done. Her male characters sound masculine. She did great with the dragon voices as well, including their whistles and scree! cries. 5/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ava Richardson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Char I really liked right away. She’s also bastard born and a bit of an outcast in the male-dominated world of dragon tending. She’s a little older than Niell and has been at the monastery for about a year (if I recall correctly) so she already knows some of the pitfalls that Niell will blindly stumble into. Her new room mate Sigrid is a first year as well. Char also has a wondrous and dangerous secret – a young dragon named Paxala! She rocks!
The plot has a good balance of action, character building, magic system building, politics, and bad guys needing a pounding. My one little quibble is with Niell. As much as I like him, he did come off a little angsty or whiny here and there. He’s rather touchy, feeling out of place, and even small ribs from his friends have him questioning his place at this dragon monastery.
Not all is well in the Three Kingdoms just as all is not well at the dragon monastery. There’s a chief dragon, who is supposedly the father of all the dragons. He’s a heavy handed ass, but a very dangerous one. Honestly, how would you go about putting this bully in his place? Well, that’s a good question that Niell and his friends might have to face. The monastery has a range of characters. Some are bull-headed sexist men, some hate everyone equally, some are sympathetic but don’t feel they can change it all over night, and some have hidden agendas and are quite dangerous.
All around, this is a great addition to the dragon fantasy genre. 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Tiffany Williams gave a very good performance for this novel. She had perfect voices for both Niell and Char. The rest of her character voices were each distinct and well done. Her male characters sound masculine. She did great with the dragon voices as well, including their whistles and scree! cries. 5/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ava Richardson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
August 31, 2018
*I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ava Richardson. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it. **
Fantasy is my jam, ya’ll, and I tend to leap without looking when it’s dangled in front of me, so when I got the email for the “Dragon God” audiotour, I jumped on it. Because really, nothing is more representative of the genre than dragons, right? There are so many iterations of them, and the potential to make them unique is almost limitless. While I admit I had some reservations about this being a YA book (not my favorite genre), Ms. Richardson presented a good story.
“Dragon God” was full of well developed, interesting characters and a plot that was worth the somewhat sluggish start. Some of the 'twists' were a bit predictable and some of the character roles were a tad trope-y, but as this was geared towards a younger audience, I'm not bothered overmuch. I enjoyed the first-person perspective more than I normally do (I find that POV tends to be less descriptive and detailed for the reader). Niell’s development was satisfying, and I found myself rooting for him and being proud of him from very early on; the kid has faced a lot of crap from his brother, yet he grows into someone who is loyal and dependable. Heroes like that, the ones who struggle and toil and preserver despite challenges, are my favorites in all of fiction. While I’d like to have seen more of the dragons and left with fewer questions, I’m hoping book 2 will give me the answers and background I’m looking for.
Ms. Williams was a nice narrative choice for this story, and she did the characters justice. Her tone, pace, and emotion were just right, and she drew me in rather quickly. The audio quality was professional, with no weird, distracting background noises, cheesy sound effects, or awkward pauses to jar me out of the experience. I’d definitely be interested in hearing more from this narrator!
Bottom line: YA still isn’t my favorite genre, but “Dragon God” was a nice surprise. The characters were likeable and easy to connect with, the plot was interesting, and the narrator was great. I recommend this to anyone who loves dragons, epic fantasy, and characters they can root for and/or those who enjoy some of the tried-and-trues like “Dragon Riders of Pern”.
Fantasy is my jam, ya’ll, and I tend to leap without looking when it’s dangled in front of me, so when I got the email for the “Dragon God” audiotour, I jumped on it. Because really, nothing is more representative of the genre than dragons, right? There are so many iterations of them, and the potential to make them unique is almost limitless. While I admit I had some reservations about this being a YA book (not my favorite genre), Ms. Richardson presented a good story.
“Dragon God” was full of well developed, interesting characters and a plot that was worth the somewhat sluggish start. Some of the 'twists' were a bit predictable and some of the character roles were a tad trope-y, but as this was geared towards a younger audience, I'm not bothered overmuch. I enjoyed the first-person perspective more than I normally do (I find that POV tends to be less descriptive and detailed for the reader). Niell’s development was satisfying, and I found myself rooting for him and being proud of him from very early on; the kid has faced a lot of crap from his brother, yet he grows into someone who is loyal and dependable. Heroes like that, the ones who struggle and toil and preserver despite challenges, are my favorites in all of fiction. While I’d like to have seen more of the dragons and left with fewer questions, I’m hoping book 2 will give me the answers and background I’m looking for.
Ms. Williams was a nice narrative choice for this story, and she did the characters justice. Her tone, pace, and emotion were just right, and she drew me in rather quickly. The audio quality was professional, with no weird, distracting background noises, cheesy sound effects, or awkward pauses to jar me out of the experience. I’d definitely be interested in hearing more from this narrator!
Bottom line: YA still isn’t my favorite genre, but “Dragon God” was a nice surprise. The characters were likeable and easy to connect with, the plot was interesting, and the narrator was great. I recommend this to anyone who loves dragons, epic fantasy, and characters they can root for and/or those who enjoy some of the tried-and-trues like “Dragon Riders of Pern”.
March 1, 2025
Ava Richardson has once again captured my heart with Dragon God, an epic adventure that delivers everything I crave—dragons with personality, high-stakes intrigue, and a reluctant hero facing impossible choices. From the very first chapter, I was completely swept away into Neill Torvald’s world, feeling every ounce of his struggle to prove himself under the shadow of his ruthless father. His journey to the Draconis Order monastery was supposed to be his chance to claim his destiny, but from the moment an ambush nearly kills him, it’s clear his fate is far more dangerous than he ever imagined.
Neill’s transformation throughout the book kept me glued to the pages. He starts as a young man burdened by expectation, but as he uncovers the dark underbelly of the Order, he’s forced to decide who he really wants to be. Then there’s Char—fierce, intelligent, and beautifully complex—who, along with her dragon Paxala, stole my heart. Their bond is the kind of deep, unbreakable connection that makes dragon rider stories so addictive. Char’s warnings of corruption within the Order had me questioning everything, and every moment between her and Neill was charged with tension, trust, and the spark of something more.
The world-building is stunning, the battles are heart-pounding, and the betrayals cut deep. I lived for the moments of magic woven seamlessly into the story and the way Richardson makes dragons feel like more than just creatures—they are characters with their own will and power. Every twist had me gripping my Kindle, and by the end, I was desperate for the next book.
If you love books that blend intense action, dangerous secrets, and the kind of slow-burn alliances that leave you breathless, Dragon God is an absolute must-read. I need more of Neill, Char, and Paxala—like, yesterday!.
Neill’s transformation throughout the book kept me glued to the pages. He starts as a young man burdened by expectation, but as he uncovers the dark underbelly of the Order, he’s forced to decide who he really wants to be. Then there’s Char—fierce, intelligent, and beautifully complex—who, along with her dragon Paxala, stole my heart. Their bond is the kind of deep, unbreakable connection that makes dragon rider stories so addictive. Char’s warnings of corruption within the Order had me questioning everything, and every moment between her and Neill was charged with tension, trust, and the spark of something more.
The world-building is stunning, the battles are heart-pounding, and the betrayals cut deep. I lived for the moments of magic woven seamlessly into the story and the way Richardson makes dragons feel like more than just creatures—they are characters with their own will and power. Every twist had me gripping my Kindle, and by the end, I was desperate for the next book.
If you love books that blend intense action, dangerous secrets, and the kind of slow-burn alliances that leave you breathless, Dragon God is an absolute must-read. I need more of Neill, Char, and Paxala—like, yesterday!.
January 9, 2025
Such a Good, Complex Story!!
I've read or listened to many books and audiobooks by this talented young adult fantasy author, and like the rest of her books, this one did not disappoint. I love how even though she writes dragon fantasy (a very specific subgenre!), she can make them all so different! This book is definitely an atypical spin on magical academy stories that became so popular after Harry Potter. While this book mostly takes place at a place of learning, it is not an academy. Rather, it's a teaching monastery. (And some of these monks can kick booty!) Quite often, this author’s books look at prejudice from different angles. This book certainly has that aspect. The protagonist is the illegitimate son of a powerful warlord, and his father is sending him to this monastic school in the hopes of his son figuring out information in these halls of surprising power that could help him. Ulterior motive! Neil is shunned for a variety of reasons, and at times it's unpleasant to watch. It's amazing how watching prejudice in action in fiction helps you see how truly ugly it is and its effects on people and even how it ripples out to damage the society that would keep people down because of prejudice. This book has a delicious complexity where we’re not quite sure for a long time what precisely is going on with the higher-ups at the monastery and what their goals and endgame actually are. Surprisingly dark motives and aspirations, but so well done. If you like well-written young adult dragon fantasy, you can't go wrong with any book by Ava Richardson, and that includes this one!
I received a promo code for this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.
I've read or listened to many books and audiobooks by this talented young adult fantasy author, and like the rest of her books, this one did not disappoint. I love how even though she writes dragon fantasy (a very specific subgenre!), she can make them all so different! This book is definitely an atypical spin on magical academy stories that became so popular after Harry Potter. While this book mostly takes place at a place of learning, it is not an academy. Rather, it's a teaching monastery. (And some of these monks can kick booty!) Quite often, this author’s books look at prejudice from different angles. This book certainly has that aspect. The protagonist is the illegitimate son of a powerful warlord, and his father is sending him to this monastic school in the hopes of his son figuring out information in these halls of surprising power that could help him. Ulterior motive! Neil is shunned for a variety of reasons, and at times it's unpleasant to watch. It's amazing how watching prejudice in action in fiction helps you see how truly ugly it is and its effects on people and even how it ripples out to damage the society that would keep people down because of prejudice. This book has a delicious complexity where we’re not quite sure for a long time what precisely is going on with the higher-ups at the monastery and what their goals and endgame actually are. Surprisingly dark motives and aspirations, but so well done. If you like well-written young adult dragon fantasy, you can't go wrong with any book by Ava Richardson, and that includes this one!
I received a promo code for this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.
February 22, 2019
Dragon Gods is the first book of the First Dragon Rider Trilogy. I read it following finishing Dragon Sickness because I am obsessed with dragons.
The book starts out with what feels like a superfluous letter from Neill's father explaining what is going on basically: that Neill is being sent to the Draconis Monastery in hopes to learn the secrets of the mysterious monks.
I say it is superfluous because within the first chapter of the actual story it's pretty obvious.
The overall feel of this book made me wonder if it was one of the first few books Richardson had written and I was slightly shocked to find out that it was not. There is a lot of repetition and multiple pages that say the exact same thing as the previous pages just in a handful of different words.
Richardson also kept switching between the POV of Neill and Char and sometimes it took a page or two in order to figure out exactly whose view the chapter was from.
Despite the repetition, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The characters, although sometimes remarkably annoying, had quite a bit of growth through the book and I'm hopeful they will continue to move forward.
I gave it four stars because there's definitely room to improve, but I'll definitely read the second one (I already downloaded it from Kindle Unlimited). I might not recommend it fanatically, but of someone is looking for a good, relatively quick read, I'll definitely point them in the direction of this book.
The book starts out with what feels like a superfluous letter from Neill's father explaining what is going on basically: that Neill is being sent to the Draconis Monastery in hopes to learn the secrets of the mysterious monks.
I say it is superfluous because within the first chapter of the actual story it's pretty obvious.
The overall feel of this book made me wonder if it was one of the first few books Richardson had written and I was slightly shocked to find out that it was not. There is a lot of repetition and multiple pages that say the exact same thing as the previous pages just in a handful of different words.
Richardson also kept switching between the POV of Neill and Char and sometimes it took a page or two in order to figure out exactly whose view the chapter was from.
Despite the repetition, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The characters, although sometimes remarkably annoying, had quite a bit of growth through the book and I'm hopeful they will continue to move forward.
I gave it four stars because there's definitely room to improve, but I'll definitely read the second one (I already downloaded it from Kindle Unlimited). I might not recommend it fanatically, but of someone is looking for a good, relatively quick read, I'll definitely point them in the direction of this book.
September 10, 2024
This author has an awesome writing style. Her stories will draw you right in & keep the pages turning. Her characters are very interesting and there are some great dragons.
Char was a princess but some considered her a b__st__d. Her fathers wife was unable to have children so her father took another wife and she provided heirs for him. Neil Torvid was in the same situation with their families. They both were sent to the Draconis Order monastery to learn from the monks & their master, The Abbott. Char at least had 1 thing to help her through. Paxala the dragon she had found as a baby and was raising. Then Char showed her dragon to Neill & the three became fast friends but only Char could mind speak with Paxala. Then as their sessions began, it didn't take long for them to figure out that something evil was going on. Most of the monks were mean and The Abbott was no better. Being able to care for Paxala was becoming difficult. Char was being kept busy with no free time at all. Neill was doing his best with Paxala and trying to keep up with his own stuff. Trouble was brewing on his side of the family. He received word his father was ill. His awful brothers decided to attack and it all explodes.
A great story. I am looking forward to book 2.
Char was a princess but some considered her a b__st__d. Her fathers wife was unable to have children so her father took another wife and she provided heirs for him. Neil Torvid was in the same situation with their families. They both were sent to the Draconis Order monastery to learn from the monks & their master, The Abbott. Char at least had 1 thing to help her through. Paxala the dragon she had found as a baby and was raising. Then Char showed her dragon to Neill & the three became fast friends but only Char could mind speak with Paxala. Then as their sessions began, it didn't take long for them to figure out that something evil was going on. Most of the monks were mean and The Abbott was no better. Being able to care for Paxala was becoming difficult. Char was being kept busy with no free time at all. Neill was doing his best with Paxala and trying to keep up with his own stuff. Trouble was brewing on his side of the family. He received word his father was ill. His awful brothers decided to attack and it all explodes.
A great story. I am looking forward to book 2.
August 2, 2025
I love a good dragon book, and this is a fun short read, but is a part of a MUCH LARGER collection. I read a trilogy by Ava Richardson a while back, and decided I would like to read the whole collection if I got the chance. Well...there was a book sale, and now I'm taking on the challenge! Dragon God was a fun start! We get to follow Neill as he tries to prove his worth and find his identity in this world as he was born from his warlord father's unfaithful activities...Sent to find the magical secrets from the monks in the Draconis Order, Neill hops he can gain his father's favor. One of the students, miss Char, has some secrets of her own, and Neill finds himself becoming more than friends with her. Their secrets are tied to the world of Dragons, and everyone has a political angle in this book. It's short. It's fun. It was a great start to a much larger series. There is so much ground to cover. Dragons are a huge part of this book and series, but I don't want to spoil anything. I'm looking forward to seeing how Neill, Char, Paxala and the rest navigate this world as they get pulled by family ties who all want to benefit from what these kids have learned and experienced. Kingdoms fighting kingdoms. It's going to be good.
October 11, 2022
Story background
The story you are trying to tell isn't backed go by the facts you have set out. There is so much that makes no sense and you haven't supported it. Why is the question. Why it makes not sense. Your prose is lovely. You have hits. But this book at least, I've read others which I have really enjoyed. But I think I will not read the whole series because you only have a bare minimum of the background set up. And I do not think you will bring the reasons out out to have any context. Why are there over all cruel, why if they find a young man and woman after hours they are looking at it as a crime equal to torture or death. Why simply because of bigotry you have the staff treating the students as they have, gender bloodlines personal magic, there is nothing that puts anything into context. On the other hand. If you did, you have set the story up to be really fascinating. And complex. Unique interesting. You have it all to write a superior book. I think this series could have been top notch. But if I was a teacher I would say go back and start over with the basics. The core structure. Then fill in the details and you would have a great book.
The story you are trying to tell isn't backed go by the facts you have set out. There is so much that makes no sense and you haven't supported it. Why is the question. Why it makes not sense. Your prose is lovely. You have hits. But this book at least, I've read others which I have really enjoyed. But I think I will not read the whole series because you only have a bare minimum of the background set up. And I do not think you will bring the reasons out out to have any context. Why are there over all cruel, why if they find a young man and woman after hours they are looking at it as a crime equal to torture or death. Why simply because of bigotry you have the staff treating the students as they have, gender bloodlines personal magic, there is nothing that puts anything into context. On the other hand. If you did, you have set the story up to be really fascinating. And complex. Unique interesting. You have it all to write a superior book. I think this series could have been top notch. But if I was a teacher I would say go back and start over with the basics. The core structure. Then fill in the details and you would have a great book.
February 4, 2018
AUDIOBOOK edition
An interesting twist on the dragon rider story. Recommending to younger listeners.
It is heavy on the human side and very little on the dragon side. I would have likes a bit more background story on the dragons and how they came to be in that crater. A bit confused though... Are they captive? Why are the monks feeding them? Are they bad or are they good? Are they used by the abbott or are they using him?
I liked that Niell is given a chance to prove himself, how he grows in character and he turns out to be an honest, loyal young man despite the many injustices thrown his way from a young age. Finally befriending Char and then her dragon, then their rescue opens up opportunities for him. Left with many questions though which hopefully will be answered in the next book. - 4 stars
I liked Ms. Williams' voice she uses in the story-telling style that many young listeners would enjoy. - 4 stars
An interesting twist on the dragon rider story. Recommending to younger listeners.
It is heavy on the human side and very little on the dragon side. I would have likes a bit more background story on the dragons and how they came to be in that crater. A bit confused though... Are they captive? Why are the monks feeding them? Are they bad or are they good? Are they used by the abbott or are they using him?
I liked that Niell is given a chance to prove himself, how he grows in character and he turns out to be an honest, loyal young man despite the many injustices thrown his way from a young age. Finally befriending Char and then her dragon, then their rescue opens up opportunities for him. Left with many questions though which hopefully will be answered in the next book. - 4 stars
I liked Ms. Williams' voice she uses in the story-telling style that many young listeners would enjoy. - 4 stars
September 9, 2024
Neill wird von seinem Vater einen Kriegsherren in das Koster des Draconis-Ordens geschickt. Er soll dort für seinen Vater spionieren und ihm die Geheimnisse des Ordens mitteilen.
Neill freundet sich dort mit Char an und ihrem Drachen Paxanna.
Paxanna ist ein roter Drache. Einer der nicht im Krater existiert in dem der goldene Drachenbulle Zaxx das Sagen hat.
Ein Interessanter Ansatz und völlig anders als andere Drachengeschichten. Ein Orden der sich der Rettung von Drachen widmet. Lauter Mönche die sehr wohl auf Standesunterschiede achten. Drachen die von einem Bullen kontrolliert werden. Ein zwielichtiger Abt bei dem man nicht weiß was er im Schilde führt. Dazu kommt noch zerstrittene Königreiche.
Ich fand diese Geschichte sehr spannend und bin gespannt darauf wie es weitergeht.
Neill freundet sich dort mit Char an und ihrem Drachen Paxanna.
Paxanna ist ein roter Drache. Einer der nicht im Krater existiert in dem der goldene Drachenbulle Zaxx das Sagen hat.
Ein Interessanter Ansatz und völlig anders als andere Drachengeschichten. Ein Orden der sich der Rettung von Drachen widmet. Lauter Mönche die sehr wohl auf Standesunterschiede achten. Drachen die von einem Bullen kontrolliert werden. Ein zwielichtiger Abt bei dem man nicht weiß was er im Schilde führt. Dazu kommt noch zerstrittene Königreiche.
Ich fand diese Geschichte sehr spannend und bin gespannt darauf wie es weitergeht.
April 1, 2022
In dem Buch geht es um Neil, der für seinen Vater zu dem Draconis Orden gehen soll. Dort trifft er Char mit der er sich anfreundete und auch mit einem Drachen!
Mit hat das Buch gut gefallen und es war richtig schön spannend. Neil und Char sind beide sehr sympathisch. Jedoch konnte man manchmal die Sicht der beiden erst spät unterscheiden. Das Ende hat mir besonders gut gefallen und es hat das ganze nur verbessert.
Das Cover ist nicht so meins, aber es ist in Ordnung.
Fazit: Insgesamt ein wirklich gutes Buch, dass viel Potential in weiteren Bänden hat.
Mit hat das Buch gut gefallen und es war richtig schön spannend. Neil und Char sind beide sehr sympathisch. Jedoch konnte man manchmal die Sicht der beiden erst spät unterscheiden. Das Ende hat mir besonders gut gefallen und es hat das ganze nur verbessert.
Das Cover ist nicht so meins, aber es ist in Ordnung.
Fazit: Insgesamt ein wirklich gutes Buch, dass viel Potential in weiteren Bänden hat.
January 21, 2018
Am not a big fan of books about dragons and such, but I have to admit that this one kept me totally entertained and needing to hear what would happen next. It had a seamless flow to it and very easy to understand without leaving you confused. The author did an excellent job writing this and the narrator did an excellent job telling it. A great novel for the young readers who like stories like this one.
January 28, 2018
I found this book to be very slow in the beginning. It took me a long time to read it however the second part redeemed the story as the pace really picked up.
I'm reading this one along with my 13 year old son and the agrees with me on the pacing. He read book 2 already and asked for 3 so I'm guessing he likes the series. I'll be reading book 2 shortly.
Another issue I had with the book is that it needed another round of editing. I found several mistakes.
I'm reading this one along with my 13 year old son and the agrees with me on the pacing. He read book 2 already and asked for 3 so I'm guessing he likes the series. I'll be reading book 2 shortly.
Another issue I had with the book is that it needed another round of editing. I found several mistakes.
September 30, 2019
Ok my first Ava Richardson novel, her dragons are different, there are some similarities, but as of now
I am enjoying the mystery of this particular universe, wherein these magnificent Dragons are just "that", no geniuses, no breath abilities(as of now), no magical affinity...........but the male protagonist, what the heck are you Neill.............coward, Char is more of a warrior than you............
So waiting for the second book...................
I am enjoying the mystery of this particular universe, wherein these magnificent Dragons are just "that", no geniuses, no breath abilities(as of now), no magical affinity...........but the male protagonist, what the heck are you Neill.............coward, Char is more of a warrior than you............
So waiting for the second book...................
February 19, 2020
(Review for full trilogy)
The story is good, enjoyable and rather gripping towards the end. However it falls down in writing quality. One example is that throughout the trilogy, the author cannot decide on the gender of a pony (referred to as he, she and it sometimes in the same sentence!) Clearly a small publisher and the book has not been QA'd. Does not stop you enjoying the story however, a good set up for the large number of books by this author set in this universe.
The story is good, enjoyable and rather gripping towards the end. However it falls down in writing quality. One example is that throughout the trilogy, the author cannot decide on the gender of a pony (referred to as he, she and it sometimes in the same sentence!) Clearly a small publisher and the book has not been QA'd. Does not stop you enjoying the story however, a good set up for the large number of books by this author set in this universe.
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