Chicago firefighter Ethan DePaolo expected to die when a flaming building collapsed on him during a rescue. Instead, he was teleported away by the watchful god of a fantasy world and asked to be a hero once more.
Armed with magic tattoos and his trusty fireman’s axe, Ethan sets out to rid this new world of the dragon scourge. But when his magic works in unexpected ways, he learns he has unmatched power to dominate his winged serpent enemies.
Or anyone else that stands in his way.
Disclaimer: Dragon Slayer is a pulp sword and sorcery novel written in the spirit of Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, and Fritz Leiber. The novel contains extreme violence and a harem of beautiful sorceresses that the hero sleeps with, so it is not meant for readers under the age of 18.
Normally I like the books of MSE a lot, but this one didn't cut it for me. Ethan is too boy-scout to my tastes and the novel gave me the impression of reading a Japanese light novel. I don't think I will buy the next one.
So, this has got to be the first book by this auther that I didn't really like. I loved the world and all the characters except for the MC. He was pretty much an idiot. The whole time he was there in the world all he did was complain about going back, after he started getting some magic under his belt, all he wanted to do was stay. Then also the way he handles situations seemed very blase. Instead of being a grown adult it was more like he was a 12 year old in a man's body. He really didn't do anything for the story other than help advance plot points. The other characters around him were pretty much the uplifting things. The world building was pretty good and the obvious double crosses that are coming up are about as subtle as neon lights. All in all, the MC is pretty much an isakai manga character being thrown into a western format. The only major difference is that the MC of this book has sex. That's seriously about it.
To sum it up. Here is the MC. Guy who is from Earth. -> Transported to another world -> Told to fight Dragons -> No idea how the world works so just going to do the Earth thing and not try to adjust but do things the "Earth" way -> manage to win - > gets full of himself -> bangs chicks -> fights and wins again (barely)- > plot ratchets up by upping the danger zone -> end book.
Like that's about it. The MC doesn't give you any real reason to have a vested interest in him other than his "tragic" back story (but of course there is!) .
I can say that I'll be skipping the rest of this series unless someone tells me that the MC gets a major upgrade.
MSE's other books are a lot better than this....I guess I was just expecting more fleshed out characters like in his Star Justice Series.
This author is a master at making interesting action packed worlds. He may not be very good at may sometimes flub things by making the protagonists dumb for the sake of the plot but when he get it's right he really, really, gets it right. 5/5 a real must read for fans of the genre.
Wasn't my cup o' tea. That's it. Not a bad book, which is why I won't rate it low. I want everyone to read it for themselves and see if it fits their tastes. My view may be colored by the fact that I listened to the audiobook, instead of reading the book. The narrator's voice just didn't strike me very well. Thinking back on it, the story is really enjoyable and the dialogue is nice. I know a lot of folks who really enjoy this series, but since I primarily only get the time to listen to books, then not enjoying the narrator is a bit of a dealbreaker for me. The funniest thing is that I've enjoyed the same narrator on the Space Knight series (which will continue, thankfully), so perhaps I just needed more time to adjust to the voice or the narrator grew on me. See why I refuse to go below a 4? It's an enjoyable book/story. Don't let me bring you down because I may dislike a certain aspect. Read on and enjoy, by all means.
A pleasant read, but not deep, and very formulaic. With the subtitle including “harem” you might expect more out of the sexual encounters, but it turns very superficial. If there is a reason for the attraction beyond shared magic, it is not made clear in the first book. Scenes start with promise, but degenerate to “all night, many positions” rather abruptly, which is something of a letdown. Even the fade to black is a better approach, allowing the imagination better reign, perhaps with nonspecific “thanks forlast night” comments. Worth reading the second book to see if skills and plots evolved after getting past world building. There are some hints that might be developed .
I do not understand all the 5 star reviews. The story and characters are very shallow. Ethan was chosen to be the hero because he was a hero? He just got out of the academy and had gone on his first fire call, and this god chose him as the best hero he could summon?? And the way the amulet talks to him, is very lame, what I would expect from a trashy $5 street walker. This could be a great novel, if the author took the time to rewrite it and put more depth into the characters. As it is, the writing is elementary, the plot is lacking, but I did read it all the way through, and I will check out the 2nd book. Hopefully the writing gets better.
Fun read, ...unless you think too much about it A lite fun little bit of not much. I'd say that its all over the place, but it doesn't really go anywhere that much. One of the earlier works by MSE that he has more than eclipsed in later books. This book contradicts itself over and over. The MC is clever then he's an idiot. He says he has no martial arts at all, then he's had training. He's a first day rookie, then it's implied he's not. If that kind of inconsistency bothers you, look elsewhere. If, on the other hand you have no regard for the hobgoblin of little minds, lay back and dig this B-movie book with boobs and dragons.
If you want to experience a few hours of laughter and relaxation then you can't go wrong with a book by MSE! How he keeps so many series going at once is a mystery to all who follow him. But I have to admit that they are fun! As I've said before, very much in the footsteps of the early Robert Jordan before he got onto his Wheel of Time. Only kinder I think. MSE shows that, despite his harem fantasies, he's a good person. May he continue to be as prolific in the future as he has been in the past!
Ever been a guest passenger in an Indy car? Yeah, this is a little like that. You’ve got a good idea on what’s about to happen, but the actual ride as you scream around the track is indescribably awesome. This story has a pace as subtle as a NASA liftoff, and yet the story remains fun and interesting. The characters are blurs in the window, but aren’t too flat. The dragon action is well written- the whole book is, really - and then the dragon interaction makes for further, em, interest. Yeah... Interest. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Recommended.
It could be perceived as cheesy, and I could see where someone might say that. But you already know going into this what the book is about soooo honestly you can't give it a bad review. It's great quality and well thought out with a fun and original spin on dragons, magic and general badassery. It never feels like it's dragging on and the whole time you're dying to know me. Me, I've already stayed up all night reading this damn thing, and I'm contemplating just pulling the all nighter and getting started on book 2!
This new series by Michael-Scott Earle is very exciting, and I can't wait to see where he goes from here. Towards the middle of the book (no spoilers) I began to worry that the protagonist would become OP in later installments (not yet), but by the end, I feel that those concerns have been alleviated in a very unexpected way. Overall, very original, fast paced, action packed, and filled with beautiful women. What more could you ask for?
I loved this book. Of all fantasy books I have read, this was by far the best I have read. The characters come to life as if you were their. This read reminds me of the writing style of Louis La'Amour. As an old Bosuns mate told me "you can smell the gunpowder and shit". This has the same effect in your mind but in a medieval world. Please hurry and get the next volume out.
I wanted to like this book more And I went ahead and read the second in the series.
But, the story line seems a little simplistic. 'I'm a firefighter after seeing my parents die in a fire.' and there is little development of the Ethan DePaolo before he goes directly into killing his first dragon. There needs to be much more development and earning of his capabilities to make it credible.
Great ideas abound for this book but unlike the usual 5 stars MSE usually gets i found the pace of this good but a bit rushed and i would of liked some more details and a bit more of background. This wont stop me getting book 2 but this series is still in its infancy so hopefully as the characters become more familiar then it will rank high in the MSE book collection
The dragon slayer is a folktale book written in comic book form. This means that there is not a lot of words on every page. This is good for early readers because it is less intimidating than a full page of words. This is also good for early readers because there is a lot of detailed pictures explaining what is happening in the story. This will help readers understand what is happening in the story.]
And so we start another great new series from MSE. We are slowly returning to the golden age of sci-fi/fantasy as he breaks open multiple series of pulp fantasy stories. This is s worthy addition to his work! Plan to stay up all night to finish this one!
I've been a fan of Michael Scott Earle awhile now in other related genres. This is his first pure Fantasy, and it does not disappoint. Good story, hints of a longer storyline to come, and mysteries on how he does what he does. Looking forward to see what our firefighter does next!
A great introduction to a new series by MSE. It sets up for another interesting harem based series with multiple plots and twist. I can't wait to see what happens in book 2. This is a pulp fantasy fiction style work with some modern day twists that seem to work. Very much in the style of Conan the Barbarian (books and movies).
This is not a seriously heavy book. Best read with hot chocolate while snuggling on the couch with a fire or on a hammock swinging in the summer breeze. Great plot progression, as with all his books, and the characters were decently filled out. I really enjoyed this trip to a new world with rather unique concepts.
A nice story, well crafted and clearly told. The action flowed evenly and the fight scenes were explained with just the right amount of detail. The characters were adequately explained with room to develop. The relationships were adult in nature but without the overly described sexual encounters; which are many times adolescence and repetitive. Already on book two.
Ethan "The Axe" is transported to another world by its weakened God to be a hero and save the humans from greedy dragons. His protective nature leads him to collect his harem in an unusual way. I like the action, humor, and love\lust. Will he be able to influence his latest acquisition from betraying him? I look forward to the next book.
Enjoyed the book. A good first book in a new series. Another top-notch book with a enjoyable protagonist. The authors first fantasy book in a while and in am very happy he has returned to the format
Unique plot, entertaining characters and snappy dialogue. If you have read the Star Justice series, you will enjoy Dragon Slayer. I look forward to the next book in the series.
One minute he is fighting a fire in Chicago next he is on a different planet to fight dragons. Now he has to fight the frost dragon and win some magic so he can fight the next one.
I wasn't so sure about this book when I first read about it on his Facebook page. I am happy to say it's a great book and I can't wait for more and to see Ethan's story progress.
Completed it one sitting, while at work. The story drew me in immediately from the first hundred words. The firefighter-to-hero-savior thing was refreshing ams new. Can’t wait for the next installment. *****
More! More! More, I say! How is it possible that one mind can hold all of these incredible stories inside his head! Dragon slayer is a beautiful beginning to an epic tale!
A light and insubstantial story that reads like a D&D adventure summary. Not bad, but not worth spending money on. If you have kindle unlimited it is ok for an afternoon read.