Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
From the fires of war, a queen must rise.

Against all odds, Eva and her friends are alive. And they’ve returned home with the only chance the Windsworn have of defeating the Smelterborn.

Hope, however, will prove to be short-lived and bittersweet.

An army of iron golems marches west and nothing can stop them. To survive the coming war, the gryphon riders must stand with old enemies against the ancient darkness. As the fighting begins, a small band makes their way east on a desperate quest: to destroy the source of the Smelterborn’s power once and for all. Chances are, none of them will make it out alive.

Eva and Fury will be tested like never before. Heroes will fall. Kingdoms will shatter. The price of victory has never been higher.

Will Eva succeed in driving back the darkness or will everything she loves be crushed beneath the iron fist of the Smelterborn?

Don’t miss the epic conclusion of the Gryphon Riders Trilogy!

212 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2017

110 people are currently reading
82 people want to read

About the author

Derek Alan Siddoway

28 books116 followers
Derek Alan Siddoway is the author of Teutevar Saga, a medieval western/frontier fantasy series, and Gryphon Riders, a young adult fantasy trilogy. He was born and raised in the American West at the foot of the Uinta Mountains. An Undaunted and Everyday Author, Derek spends his free time reading, obsessively filling notebooks, adventuring outdoors and celebrating small victories. He's also a sucker for Star Wars and football, namely the University of Utah and Minnesota Vikings.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
99 (47%)
4 stars
65 (31%)
3 stars
40 (19%)
2 stars
4 (1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Janne Janssens.
184 reviews72 followers
June 27, 2020
Thank you to the author and Undaunted Publishing for sending me these audiobooks in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

1. Windsworn ✰✰✰✰
2. Windswept ✰✰✰✰
3. Windbreak ✰✰✰✰

The Gryphon Riders Trilogy is a very entertaining fantasy series. We follow the adventures of Eva, a young orphan girl raised by a blacksmith, who she loves as a father. She is fierce, has her own opinion, but isn't afraid to show emotion. I loved her. Letting the characters grow emotionally and at the same time keep their personalities consistent throughout three books isn't an easy writing job, I can speak from experience. However, Derek Alan Siddoway succeeded in the character development departement! And in the world building department as well, for that matter.
Dragons have always been my favourite fantasy creature. But I am glad this wasn't another dragon story. Gryphons are so cool! They should get more stories of their own!
Plot wise, the author really managed to keep my attention while binge listening the complete trilogy. Their was the right amount of action, a strong female lead, a little bit of romance, just enough to be appropriate for the young audience. It all happened a bit quickly in the beginning, but on the other hand I like stories that get into action quickly.

Because I listened to the audiobooks, I want to give some credits to Kate Rudd, who narrated these three books. She did an amazing job. It's crazy how she can give each character a different voice that fits them well, both female and male characters. Voice acting is a real talent!
Profile Image for Kris.
976 reviews12 followers
November 20, 2018
So I have come to the end of this series. Windsworn and Windswept blew me away (get it?!). This third book slightly less so, but I still really enjoyed it.

I like how the author tells a story, but manages to avoid a lot of fluff. The world building is not extensive, but developed enough to picture it in your imagination. I enjoyed the plot and the characters, especially our main character Eva, who I have a lot of love for. I love the gryphons, as I have not come across them in many books before and it makes a nice change. All three of these books feel pretty straightforward, but they are a lot of fun.

The only niggle I have is that the love interest in these books does not really work for me. It certainly is not the centre of the story, which is its saving grace, but I really did not feel the romance at all.

The resolution of the battle did not leave me completely satisfied either, but other than that, this was a strong third book and I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Profile Image for Courtney.
344 reviews66 followers
July 12, 2020
I was sent the audiobook by the the author and Undaunted publishing for an honest review.

Windbreak is the third and final installment in the Gryphon Riders trilogy. This series as a whole was very straight forward with not a ton of filler which was nice and probably what made them such quick listens for a fantasy series! I thought this series was a fun and easy listen and a nice break from some of the heavier fantasies that I read! I thought the narrator Kate Rudd did a great job distinguishing her voice for different characters and I found that I enjoyed her voice overall!

Now for Windbreak, I think this one was as enjoyable as the others! I grew to love Eva and her character arc as well as all the other characters. There was one part of the book I was expecting something to happen and it never did which made me sad (lol) but overall I enjoyed this final installment even if it was a little sad.

I think the only thing I didn’t love was the romance. I like bother characters but at times, their relationship felt forced and I’m just happy it wasn’t always the center of attention!
Profile Image for GuineaPigFalconer.
439 reviews9 followers
October 15, 2024
A satisfying conclusion to a fun YA fantasy series. And I think this trilogy has helped to pull me slightly from my reading slump, so I’ll take that win!
Profile Image for Andy Gonzalez De M.
46 reviews1 follower
August 30, 2022
Great book! Action packed! It’s a fitting ending to the trilogy, I think. Though the ending felt a little rushed, some of the emotions that were expressed through out the last two books came to a somewhat abrupt ending, cut too short for me… but overall it is a fantastic story, with action, heartbreak, redemption, villains that you love to hate, heroes that you love to love… very cool book!
Profile Image for Namrata Ganti.
516 reviews51 followers
March 23, 2019
This started off with a review request for book #1, but turned into a marathon reading session of the entire series!

Windsworn (Gryphon Riders Trilogy #1), introduces us to Eva, a young girl who chances upon a thief in possession of a Gryphon egg. This part of the story will remind the reader of the Eragon series ( if you are a fan ), but later on the story takes on it's own identity and the reader is taken on a wonderful adventure of discovery and learning. The entire series follows Eva's journey as she learns to be a Gryphon rider, gains the trust of her Gryphon and forges new friendships. Having earned the trust of some of her peers and teachers, Eva, embarks on a journey to save the world from those seeking to destroy the Windsworn.

The plot thickens in Windswept (Book #2), where Eva discovers the truth behind her parentage and the chance that her father might be alive. Throwing caution to the winds, she takes off on a journey with some friends against all orders to discover the truth. Finally, in Windbreak (Book #3), Eva and the Windsworn must stand against the Smelterborn and also unite with others whom they previously considered to be enemies. Having learnt the secret to destroying the golems, Eva must do what she can to end it all. What ensues is a thrilling war that will have the reader on the edge of their seats.

Throughout the series, we follows Eva on her journey of growth, self-discovery and the search for the truth. This coming of age series is filled with adventure and action. The war sequences are well written and the entire plot comes together very well throughout the three books. The author keeps the plot simple but ensures that the reader is hooked until the end of not just a book, but the entire series. The supporting characters are well crafted and add a lot of spice to the book.

I am grateful to have been given the chance to read and review these books and I do recommend them for fans of fantasy adventures. Do give this series a shot!
Profile Image for Literary Lioness.
110 reviews8 followers
January 1, 2022
Eva has never been one to sit on the sidelines. Yet, her uncles have put her there why she learns the rules of the kingdom. So, when the smelterborn threaten the Eastern borders, Eva itches to get on the battlefield.

Then when the unimaginable happens, Eva knows she cannot standby any longer. Leading her small band of friends and loved ones, she takes them on a journey she hopes will save them all.

The final installment to The Gryphon Riders Trilogy, Derek Alan Siddoway’s Windbreak concludes the magnificent story. Adding emotional aspects to the adventure and battles spun throughout the trilogy, Derek is flawless with the ending. Ensuring no questions remain for his readers, Derek leaves no stone unturned.

True to his ability as an effective story teller, Derek keeps the interest flowing with non-stop action, as well as weaving mystery and enchantment within. Plus, with only a few instances of profanity, some slow-burn romance, as well as little spelling and grammatical errors, a rating of 5 out of 5 stars is given.

As with the other books in the trilogy war is still the main plotline. So please take caution if affected by the following: mangled and bloody bodies, slavery, raids, ambush, murder, assassination, betrayal, foster care, prisoner of war, hand to hand combat, sword and knife fighting, and sacrifice.

An astonishing finish to The Gryphon Riders Trilogy, Windbreak is the heroic finale readers expected and more.

Thank you to #Windbreak, #GryphonRidersTrilogy, and #DerekAlanSiddoway for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest review.

Original Post found at: https://www.literarylioness.net/post/...

Review of the first book in this series, Windsworn, can be found at: https://www.literarylioness.net/post/...

Review of the second book in this series, Windswept, can be found at: https://www.literarylioness.net/post/...
Profile Image for Judi.
298 reviews6 followers
October 16, 2018
I really didn't expect to enjoy this series since it seemed to be very YA. But, boy was I wrong! While, yes, it's definitely YA, it's still a gripping story about one of my favorite mythical characters, the Gryphons. These young folks that imprint a gryphon and become Windsworn riders are as adventurous as you'd expect young people to be when you add in a mythical creature to ride with, train with and fight with. Similar in take to the typical Dragonriders of Pern, they take on their own personalities, which vary significantly since they are a very diverse group coming from all different peoples.

This shows how young people can group together and become fast friends regardless of where they come from or what their race is, and they cling together as warriors fighting for the lives of their families and friends from all over their world. They are strong and stalwart in their determination to beat down the adversary, who is quite the vicious adversary!

I applaud Derek Alan Siddoway for his ability to take an old storyline and make it new and fresh, and definitely his own. I had moments of joy, laughter, confusion, pain, fear, desolation and excitement, which is quite the list of emotions to put me through in one book! I laughed, I cried and I held my breath not knowing when would be their last moment on their planet. That's not an easy thing to do with me.

I've come to realize there are a lot of YA novels out there that can reach out and grab you just as hard as any "adult" book. Sex is not necessary, and in some circumstances not even wanted, and YA books do very well to recognize when to leave out the unnecessary. Derek is one who does this very well. I'm really looking forward to his next project. I may even be willing to try out his fantasy/western mix that he seems to enjoy so much. :-)

Very well done, Derek Alan Siddoway! Very well done indeed!
Profile Image for Alyssa Stockwell.
193 reviews2 followers
June 4, 2018
I have really liked this series and Windbreak was no different. I enjoyed seeing Eva's growth from a shy, blacksmith's adopted daughter into a strong heroine and leader.

I wish that the author would have made the book a little longer and added more details. I would have been happy if it had been 300-400 pages and included more story about the big battle rather than skimming through it to get on to Eva's adventure. I also would have liked to see more interactions with the Juarag. The relationships between all of the main characters, especially Eva with Tahl & Soot, could have been developed more. The author told us that Eva & Tahl were in love but I never really felt it. Same with the relationship between Eva & Soot. Sometimes I really had a hard time deciding if they had a father/daughter relationship or an orphan/ward relationship.

I think that there are things that can make this book (and series) even better but it is still a great story and I definitely recommend it.
Profile Image for Stephen Levesque.
2,794 reviews
March 19, 2018
What a great series!!!!!!!! Just wish the author put more in at the end showing how they got back and the reception they received. Jumping from the end of the battle and to the wedding and the crowning, left a lot of story untold. But other than that, you will fall in love with the characters and the story. Great Reading Everyone. PS: I probably should say after reading Darkness won and how the author Jill told the ending there was great, it went beyond the ending battle and told the story of the aftermath. I compare all ending books to this and probably should not! Outstanding, Great Read, I read in in one siting again, couldn't put it down.
Profile Image for Gayreth Walden.
439 reviews10 followers
January 3, 2018
The best of fantasy!

A satisfying and epic conclusion to The Gryphon Riders trilogy. An incredible and irresistible story. I felt the characters to be so real and I became totally emersed in the Altaris world. Battles, magic, love, loss, prophecy and the fight against unimaginable evil. You will never forget the wondrous Gryphons and their riders! Even though this journey has ended, I still want more. Will the Gryphons ever return? I certainly hope so! I give this book and the whole trilogy the highest recommendations! You will love it!
Profile Image for Gay Deputee.
244 reviews3 followers
January 14, 2018
Wonderful conclusion to the trilogy.

I am going to cheat a bit and first will remark on his book, Birds of a Feather, which was a quickie about Eva's dad when he was exiled. That did a fine job of allowing the reader to get to know him and feel a bond of kinship with him.

Then, as I read book 3, i felt that bond and could more relate with Eva concerning her dad. I enjoyed every page of all the books and hope others find them as enjoyable as I.
Profile Image for Eleanor Shepherd.
210 reviews9 followers
April 4, 2019
Get your tissues ready

Seriously good story telling. I read the trilogy in three days. Loved the concept and the in-depth characterizations. There's the unexpected life change for the blacksmith's daughter when a stranger forces a red dragon egg into her arms. Then she's swept away to train as a Gryphon rider. Action, suspense, magic, mysteries and romance. Written well. Oh and keep the tissues near by!
Profile Image for R.J. Batla.
Author 11 books175 followers
December 21, 2017
Epic conclusion to the series.
Wow what a great ending to a great series. Eva’s journey from smith assistant to where she ends up is a great adventure both for her and the reader. I couldn’t put the book down-action, adventure, magic, and the final chapter in this coming of age tale. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Keith Beasley-Topliffe.
778 reviews9 followers
October 20, 2020
The first book, Windsworn, was about training (and young love, this being a YA book). The second, Windswept was about fighting (and young love). The third still has plenty of fighting (and somewhat more mature love), but deals with deeper themes of redemption and sacrifice, yet still ends with a wedding. It would have been even better with better proofreading.
Profile Image for Elaina Myers.
356 reviews2 followers
January 19, 2018
Excellent book and series!

I enjoyed the story very much, though of course there were some sad points; it is war after all. I especially liked that the characters rode griffins! I love dragons, but it was neat to see something different. :)
2 reviews
February 4, 2018
Loved all 3 books......little sad that was the end...oh well , Maybe there is another Gryphon Riders story in the future. For the world out there if ya aint read them you are wrong...DAS keep up the good work.

9 reviews
April 6, 2018
A good read

This was an entertaining read. I enjoyed the gryphons. The characters were likeable. I would have liked to see a map of the area. I read the whole trilogy one after another.
Profile Image for Ashley Kough.
Author 3 books
April 24, 2018
"Thank you for being my friends" Seppo's humbleness well stick with me for days to come! The author did an excellent job of telling his story. I enjoyed all three books and am going to highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys fantasy and adventure.
24 reviews
June 21, 2018
This whole trilogy was wonderful!

I love dragon rider tales and this was a great addition and a truly epic adventure. The occasional oversights in proofreading or editing didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of the books and I loved the ending.
65 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2020
Fantastic

The trilogy meets all expectations. Young and old alike, This author created a story that spans generations. This story telling at its finest. Plan on not stopping until all three books are read.
85 reviews
January 3, 2021
Perfect fantasy get away.

Absolutely loved it. Fantastic. Brilliant story line,fast paced, suitable for any age, rip roaring adventure with little bit of romance. Perfect escapism. Would highly recommend.
75 reviews
January 24, 2025
Enchanting!

This series was fantastic with enchanting characters and very descriptive locations! Each book flowed into the next seamlessly! The only thing that I didn't like was that it ended too soon!! Hopefullt, Derek will continue the story with more generations!
13 reviews
January 4, 2018
AMAZING!

A world of adventures and friends. Cant wait for more of this world from the author. Never saw Starwars but cant imagine its any better!
Profile Image for Bill Tillman.
1,672 reviews81 followers
January 29, 2018
Windbreak: Gryphon Riders Book Three

Impressive conclusion to the trilogy, Eva becomes the crowned queen of the land. That's all you get from me, read all three books!
Profile Image for Krystal Urquhart.
18 reviews1 follower
October 22, 2018
Ausom

Great reading!!!but don't start at night or you won't be sleeping you'll be reading.Loved all three . I hope there. Will be more to come.
314 reviews
May 16, 2020
Good finish to the trilogy. There was an excess of fighting, that wore me down. I had to skim over much of the fighting.
Profile Image for Veronica.
1,012 reviews5 followers
December 29, 2020
A fitting ending to a great trilogy. There is unexpected heartbreak along the way, as well as action, loyalty, and mistakes leading to personal growth. I’m hoping to see more of the gryphons and their riders.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.