Dragon Hero

Riders of Fire #2

by Eileen Mueller

★★★★★ “I could barely breathe for the first 100 pages.” ★★★★★ "I loved this book and Ezaara. Can’t wait for the next one.” ★★★★★ “ The cliff-hangers were killing me .”

If you love epic coming-of-age fantasy, heart-pounding adventure, true love and dragons, Ezaara — Riders of Fire is for you.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Young Adult, Fiction

366 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2018

About the author

Eileen Mueller is a USA Today multi-award-winning author of heart-pounding fantasy novels that will keep you turning the page.

Dive into her worlds, full of magic, love, adventure and dragons! Eileen lives in New Zealand, in a cave, with four dragonets and a shape shifter, writing for young adults, children and everyone who loves adventure.

Visit her website at www.EileenMuellerAuthor.com for FREE books, new releases or to become a Rider of Fire!

Awards:
2019 Two Storylines NZ Notable Book Awards - Ezaara & Dragon Hero
2017 Sir Julius Vogel Award, Best New Talent
2016 Sir Julius Vogel Award, Best Youth Novel
2017 finalist, Romance Writers New Zealand Chapter Short Story contest.
2013 winner, SpecFicNZ Going Global
2013 co-winner, New Zealand Society of Authors’ NorthWrite Collaboration
New Zealander of the Year Local Hero medalist.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Ezaara but Dragon Hero is even better!!

Tomaaz doesn’t believe in dragons, until the dragon queen abducts his twin sister, Ezaara.


Fan art by The Magic Book Corner

And he is in for an even ruder awakening when he finds out his parents have been dragon riders too. But his grief doesn't end here. Tragedy strikes and Tomaaz is forced to act.
He sets off on a dangerous quest to save his mother, a quest that will lead him straight into the heart of Zens' realm.

This book is a lot darker than Ezaara and yet, the author still manages to retain a light enough YA tone, adequate for a younger audience.

Told in different POVs, this sequel beautifully interlaces 3 main storylines in a way that will have you constantly at the edge of the seat, waiting to see what happens next.

I personally loved that of Tomaaz the most.
He is such a wonderfully written and complex character, that you cannot help but root for him from the very first page. Flawed, but brave and unbelievably compassionate!! I love the way he was written.

Fast paced and downright addictive, Dragon Hero will give you a tale full of flawed heroes and amazing dragons, hopeless battles and daring rescues, loyalty, perseverance and, above all, compassion.
And it is all so full of feeling!!

Twists and turns that you won't see coming, intrigue and heartbreak and above all, family, friendship and love! Eileen Mueller gives you all this and much more!

I read Dragon Hero in one single sitting and jumped straight into the sequel. Because it is enchanting!!

If you are a fan of dragons The Riders of Fire Series is a MUST READ!!

And Dragon Hero in particular is fantastic!!

Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just scraped a 4; it was definitely much better than the first book of this series but there were still some glaring errors in the writing which unfortunately knocked a star off. There was much more depth to this story and at times it was really gripping, but sometimes the inconsistency of events between this book and Ezaara were noticeable and jarring. Despite this, there were really good moments and the story seemed much better paced. I enjoyed the significant dark themes and the venture into Death Valley was captivating and devastating to read. There have also been hints of Wizard magic in this world so I am interested to read on and discover more.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series, the characters are engaging, the world building, action scenes intense, the details gruesome, yet, Eileen Mueller shows her skills and talent by forcing me to the point of no return, lost hope and depression, then masterfully bringing me back to a balance, still on the razors edge, but that is why I read. I look forward to beginning book three asap and thank you Eileen Mueller for sharing your skillful, incisive writing talent.

[Kevin Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not all that often that you see a second in series that improves on the first, but this one manages it easily! It takes all the structures established in book one, builds on them, improves them, and brings depth and sense to almost everything that was problematic in the first book!

As before, Caitlin Davies gives us an excellent performance. She has a great assortment of voices with excellent vocal inflections and solid tempo shifts throughout. My one complaint (apart from not liking her choices for the Dragon voices) is that one of the character voices is not consistent. Or, more specifically, her accent is not consistent. She goes back and forth between neutral (US) and Irish accent, which was a bit jarring.

Now, clearly these two books were originally meant as a single book, as many of the events depicted here happen concurrently with book one.

I can't help thinking it would have made a much more compelling and satisfying experience if read as a single volume. But as it is, I would say that no reader should stop after book one. This one is such an intrinsic part of the story that is difficult to understand book one without this one for context.

That said, this book gives us a deep dive into the characters we met in book one that disappeared right at the start. I actually find myself liking these characters (and storyline) quite a bit more than those in Ezaara.

Much like the first book, we have a strong coming of age arc complete with a romance subplot that turns out to be far different from what was expected.

Although this romance is almost as fast as that in book one, I actually enjoyed this one a lot more. I think it's in the particulars of how it all happens, that this one just feels a lot more believable. It has a much realer feel to it.

There are definitely some weighty topics being dealt with and at times this book get very dark. It almost brought me to tears more than once, yet had me laughing out loud at others.

There are a few elements that are a touch on the predictable side and the abruptness of the POV switches are sometimes a bit jarring, but elsewise the writing is absolutely fantastic.

The final climax is tense, suspenseful, and exciting, and left me feeling thoroughly satisfied. This is the kind of emotional response I expect from an awesome book!

At this point, I can't recommend this series strongly enough! Now I'm off to read book three.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Artfully built world full of adventure. Every advance is rich with showing-not-telling conflict and hard-won resolved plots. This epic journey for a dragon-rider family to save the world will satisfy anyone who enjoys reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy but craves character-driven plots. While Ezaara is the Main Character of Book 1, her twin brother Tomaaz is the Main Character of Book 2; the two coming-of-age books perfectly complement one another, yet each can stand alone. Book 3 will be needed to fully conclude this epic trilogy. Mueller is clearly a gifted writer.

[Susan1566 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast easy read with lots of action, good story and characters. Classed as YA the main characters are all late teens or early 20’s, but the story still has lots of action, some fairly violent. It’s written well enough that I don’t think of the characters as being young unless it’s mentioned

[Robin Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good I almost couldn't put it down. I can't wait for "Dragon Rift" book 3 in the "Riders of Fire" collection. I just hope it keeps going we need another writer like "Anne McCaffrey"! this book was given to me by Eileen Mueller And I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, impossible to think the second book could be even better. A dragon steals Ezaara’s sister. How will she be saved. Loved it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Further adventures of our teen, dragon riding heroes. Some interesting twists and turns in this one. We are introduced to another part of the Realm - a society of women living underneath a desert. Also an increase in pairing off in romantic relationships.

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eileen Mueller really picks up the pace in Dragon Hero and this is definitely a good thing. It's a distinctly darker book than the previous instalment, but still manages to keep the tone of a young adult novel. From Ezaara we shift perspective to her brother, Tomaaz, as he gets a rude awakening to a world completely unfamiliar to him when his sister is taken from their village by a dragon. Having been brought up to loathe and detest dragons and their riders, it is quite a shock to discover that his parents were at one point in their lives, dragon riders themselves. Flitting between the view points of Tomaaz, his father, Hans and his mother, Marlies, Dragon Hero is not just a coming of age story but expands to a far wider view point.

The three plot lines interlace and weave in and out of each other, with characters coming together only to strike off in different directions. I far preferred the characterisation of Tomaaz to his sister, Ezaara, finding him less prone to making stupid and easily foreseeable errors. Despite the two characters being twins, Tomaaz is presented as a far more mature and reliable character even when thrust deeply out of his comfort zone. He doesn't trust blindly or run in half cocked and he doesn't believe everything some flattering half-wit tells him. It makes for a far more engaging read with a character you can truly empathise with. Additionally, the parents are far more fleshed out here rather than just being minor bit players who have more of a background role in the story. The interactions between parent and child make for some excellent coming of age moments.

Whilst I have quite enjoyed my forays into this world so far, this is the first book that truly engaged me, drawing me into the universe and refusing to let go. It's as though the series has grown into itself somewhat, offering more depth and varying shades of grey to the universe. The only part this really falls down is the bad guy; that does seem a tad black and white. He's bad because he's bad without any real motivation other than the standard evil dominion of the world malarkey that is thrown about. I do like the imagination shown with the tharuks though and their motivations for serving such a brutal master are perhaps more believable. All in all, a really enjoyable read and I look forward to reading on.

[Lemurkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent follow up to the gripping Ezaara, Dragon Hero brings in another storyline: the brother Ezaara left behind. It is a darker, more mature read than its predecessor, as Tomaaz enters into the horror of Zens's realm in an effort to piece his family back together. There is love, loyalty, perseverance and determination against odds that stack higher and higher against him. It held me spellbound until the last page, then left me feeling bereft and hungry for the next adventure!

I am excited to see where this story goes next!

[Jas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riders of Fire 2 is a really fascinating and clever book, and a bit unusual, in that it isn’t a direct sequel to Book 1.
In Book 1, we heard a lot about how Marlies killed one of Queen Zaarusha’s Hatchlings. In this book, rather than continuing forward with the story, we are actually taken back in time to when Marlies was still a Dragon Rider at Dragons Hold, and we get to see what actually happened with the Marlies and the Dragon egg. We also learn that Marlies used to be one of Zaarusha’s most trusted spies/infiltrators in the war against the Tharuks, as well as the Master of Healing.
It is so well told, and continues to showcase the incredible world building that has gone into this series, the depth of story building and timelines that the Author has created and all the characters surrounding it.
The story then gets really interesting as we learn that Marlies was actually contacted by Zaarusha at the point that she came and collected Ezaara the very first time in the clearing. She offers Marlies a deal, enter Death Valley, find and free her son, and all will be forgiven. Of course, Death Valley is the location of Zens army, the stronghold of the Tharuks.
Marlies does not hesitate, having being wracked with guilt for the past 20yrs over what she has done.
During the start of this story, when we return to the present, we get to read about what happened at Lush Valley once Ezaara was taken, the impact on this village that thinks Dragons are nothing but monsters.
We get to see a lot more of the villagers, especially a miserable old sod called Bill, and his ‘daughter’ Lovina, who is oddly quiet, never really talks, seems like she has been drugged almost.
Hans and Tomaaz go with Marlies to Death Valley, as it is foreseen that this is the only way that she will be able to complete her mission, but due to circumstances, Hans can’t go on, and soon, it is only Mother and son that have to go into the treacherous Valley of Death.
There are a lot of commonalities between Death Valley and the Hobbits journey into Mordor in Lord of the Rings. The feel of the place, the greyness, Tharuks instead of Orks, the utter despair that the place brings. And that for the most part Tharuks are as dumb as Orks!
One of the really interesting things about Mueller’s Tharuks though, is that she has created multiple variants of them. Of course there are the standard brutes that the army is made up of in droves, used for crushing villages, and useful cannon fodder. But there are also Trackers and Mind-Benders. Trackers can hunt you like a shark with a scent for blood a mile away, only further. They are able to track anything, through scent, mainly, but good ones have developed other skills over the years. And they don’t give up until either you are found, or they are dead. The mind-benders do just that, they reach into your mind and twist things, inserting horrible illusions, making friend into foe and foe into friend.
In this book, Tomaaz spends a lot of time in Death Valley, and we get to see how the Tharuks operate, how they run, how there are stronger and weaker ones, and how there are thousands of slaves being worked to death.
This is a very powerful and emotive story, one of suffering and pain, as we see the other side of the coin, those that are in the leash of Zens, and being worked to death. It is a gripping, and stunning sequel, and incredibly well written.
The character work is again, extraordinary, as Mueller has created these beautiful, captivating, characters, from the different Humans, to Dragons, and even the few Tharuks, each is just a stunning masterpiece unto themselves, and as a collective, the character writing makes for a true masterclass in how to create a Character driven Fantasy Series.. There is so much depth to the characters, so much passion, the emotions, from the highs of the love between some, to the utter terror, fear and despair at the other end of the spectrum for others. Mueller creates these characters and lets you know what they are feelling so effortlessly, you can really feel it with them.
I think the really great test of this is one of the Tharuk Characters (without giving away spoilers). The Tharuks emotions are primal, almost animalistic, but so very true for the character that is being portrayed, it is just so well done.
The other aspect (and I have mentioned this previously), that is just outstanding, is the world building. The depth and level of detail, from the herbs used to create healing remedies, to the layouts of the different locations, the details of all the different Dragons, the complexity of the map, with all of its villages (Names, Populations, Leaders, Representatives), it is all so meticulously described, and it just adds so much extra to the story. It makes a story about Dragons and Monsters, that is pure Fantasy, actually come alive, and seem real, because there is so much accuracy to things, how could it not be?
It allows you to totally lose yourself in this incredible world, this amazing story, and get totally captivated by Dragons, Monsters, Heroes (and I use this as a Gender neutral term), and Villians. When you read a story like this though, if the separation between reality, and fantasy gets stretched too thin, sometimes it can snap, and you can lose interest as it just gets too silly, too unreal, having a level of realism still attached to the story, as in the Human’s can still be injured, need to be healed, the healing herbs come from somewhere, someone collects them, prepares them, there is a Healer who knows their craft etc. this level of realism just makes the story so much more fun.
Overall this sequel was almost better than the first book, I thought that the characters and story had matured a bit, and it is just amazing work, and this is a series that is going to be on peoples bookshelves for decades to come. Remember Muellers name – she is going to one of the Legends of Fantasy in the Future.

[Craig Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the series! I mean, dragon riders? What's not to love!
So, this adventure takes place around the same time as book 1, except instead of following Ezaara, it follows her brother in the events he faces while she's off on her own adventure. It eventually connects and has them both on the same timeline. But the world building, and characters are brilliant in this series. I loved the story line, the personalities, and the dragons of this world! I am definitely now a fan of the author, and as always, the narrator did a fantastic job! How could she not? She also did the Dragon Blood series. I can't wait to check out the rest of this series!

[Amanda Sagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eileen has done it again with this fast paced book 2 in the Riders of Fire series.
The main storyline is about Tomaaz and his journey to save his mother and father and get back to his sister. The secondary storyline is of Tomaaz's parents, Marlies (who we met in a prequel book) and Hans.
As easy to read as the previous book, this is just as much of a page turner and has left me itching to know what happens next!

[Charlotte K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Riders of Fire series (Ezaara is book one) but can be read as a stand alone - although you get more out of it if you've read book one.

I loved Ezaara, but Dragon Hero was even better! The brave compassionate Tomaaz is a wonderful 'Dragon Hero'. The story has twists and turns and non-stop action.

Bring on book three!

[Stacy Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

Read two books in this series and loved them both! Eileen is an amazing author and they say she writes..you can see and almost smell the story!

[Melinda Cater · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be completely honest I put off reading the 2nd book in the Riders of Fire series by Eileen Mueller 100% because I absolutely adored book 1: Ezaara! And After reading it and before picking up book 2 I realized that book 2 revolves around the POV’s of Ezaara’s family rather than around Ezaara and Roberto, whom I had adored in book 1. This led me to be afraid that there was no way that Dragon’s Hero could be as good as Ezaara. *sighing deeply and shaking my head at myself* I absolutely couldn’t be more wrong. Dragon’s Hero was just as magnificently written, heroing, exciting, and all around magical as Ezaara (if not more)!

While Ezaara has imprinted with and trains to become the Queen’s Rider, a whole lot of craziness begins to unfold in Lush Valley. Bill, a traveling merchant, is bent on convincing the whole village that Hans (Ezaara and Tomaaz’s father) is a dragon Lover (which he is, but these people in Lush Valley are crazy when it comes to dragons and being in cahoots with them can get you burned at the stake) and has fed Ezaara to a dragon. All the while, Hans is trying to convince the village that a Tharuk attack is imminent. Marlies, Ezaara and Tomaaz’s mom, has finally talked to Zaarusha and has agreed to try to rescue Zaarusha’s son from Death Valley alone. There are so many secrets revealed in this book. So many twists and turns and there is never a boring or dull moment.

My favorite character was Tomaaz. I really didn’t think it would be possible for Eileen to write a character that I loved more than Roberto and then she went and wrote Tomaaz and then again, I realized I was wrong. Tomaaz was the sweet, loving, brother that couldn’t help but sacrifice to take care of and heal anyone and anything that needed it. He was the definition of altruistic and I loved every page he was written on. I adored how his relationship with Lovina developed and blossomed throughout the story and and their love story definitely rivaled Ezaara and Roberto in book 1.

So if you enjoy a wonderful story full of love, family, compassion and best of all, Dragons than The Rider’s of Fire series was written for you (although, you should probably start with book 1: Ezaara…but it’s up to you…no pressure…start where you want…lol). These books are filled with so much excitement, secrets, fighting, bonds, blood, crazy evil and fabulously written romances, and you are going to love every minute!

[Elizabeth Lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first part of the journey chronicled Ezaara’s dangerous path to become a dragon rider, but this second journey centers on the rest of her family. As we journey with them, it’s apparent there’s more than a physical resemblance that binds them and so there’s no mystery why the dragons chose this family to help them stand against the coming threat.
Tomaaz (Ezaara’s brother) is exceptional although he wouldn’t see it that way. He has a painful “growing spurt” in a single night and then several life changing ones in just a matter of days afterwards. His sister disappears. She is taken by a dragon, but not really… His family he knew… well he finds out he didn’t know anything or at least that’s what it feels like. Family secrets spill out. His mom has to leave now too on what sounds like a doomed mission. His father could be the next loss. In a little more than a day, his whole family is stripped from him. The town he has grown up in becomes so consumed against his family that they ignore the deadly threat marching closer. Is it possible to withstand such multiple personal assaults, when literally everything falls apart at once around you?
Tomaaz shows us the answer. The same courage and inner strength we watched from Ezaara, shines from him. He pushes through his shattered inner world to save those who he cares about and never stops fighting to do so. He sees too with gentle eyes those that need his help, ones that others have deemed unreachable. His spirit hears and answers the cries of those whose screams have been muffled, eventually to be silenced altogether. Like Lovina. Like one who has seemingly succumbed to Zen’s’ hold. Once his eyes are opened, he can’t unsee it. It crushes his spirit, to behold the full horror of what Zen has already done. The lives massacred. The walking dead, their minds and wills, imprisoned by Zen’s hold. Rather than shrink from what must be done, Tomaaz is willing to endure the unthinkable and to sacrifice whatever it takes to stop it.
A dragon flame it may not be, but the fire that courses through this family’s line is every bit as intense and a force to be feared. One can only hope it will be enough to withstand what Commander Zen has in store for them.

[Sara Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting in the same place and time as Ezaara, the first book in the Riders of Fire series, Dragon Hero follows the journeys of Tomaaz (Ezaara's brother) and Hans and Marlies (Ezaara's parents). We finally get to hear the backstories of Hans and Marlies, as well as meet some of the people and dragons that were a part of their previous lives as dragon riders. Tomaaz is a complex, wonderful character. He has so much heart and an incredibly strong moral compass. While Ezaara explored Dragon's Hold and ventured outside to the Wastelands briefly, Dragon's Hold gives us a much closer look at Lush Valley as well as the journey to and life in Death Valley.

The thing is, while Ezaara has my heart, Dragon Hero dug so much deeper into the story and the lore of Dragon's Realm. After failing to reach Ezaara before she set off with Zaarusha, Marlies sets off on her own quest for the Dragon Queen, to rescue the queen's son in Death Valley or die trying. Along the way, she meets up with some old friends from her dragon rider days and attempts to subvert tharuk trackers and mind readers and ultimately Zens himself. In the meantime, Lush Valley is under attack, Hans is falsely imprisoned, and Tomaaz is thrown into the the midst of a world he has never known before. Those he once thought were friends turn against him; those he rarely thought of became the most significant people in his world.

Great bravery is required of Tomaaz, but kindness is not. Still, he consistently makes choices that show compassion toward any and all in need. He is a remarkable young man, so much more than the typical male teen hero. And his compassion causes even more suffering to both him and those he loves, and yet shows he is willing to make morally right choices, regardless of the personal consequences.

A special thanks to Eileen Mueller for gifting me a free copy of this audiobook. I have reviewed it of my own accord because it's amazing and I couldn't not.

[Paula Dyches · Rating 5 out of 5]

My New Favorite Dragon Series!

So, this series is now a favorite! This one is a little reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings crossed with a dragon rider story. I definitely recommend reading the first book before this one, not because you'll be lost but because both stories overlap beautifully. The first story is primarily about Ezaara and this book is about her twin Tomaaz. After Ezaara is taken away to become the new Queen's Rider Tomaaz and his parents are left behind to prepare the town for a tharuk attack and adventures of their own. The tharuks remind me a bit of the orcs from The Lord of the Rings just hairier. There was more questing to this story with loads of action/adventure and a little bit romance.

Caitlyn Davies does a fantastic job with the narration and I can't wait to listen to more by her.

As a parent reviewer I really don't have any complaints, there's no bad language or sex. The only caution I have is there is a lot of violence in this book, it shows brutal human slavery (beatings, being druged, tortured and killed) probably PG13ish to R if it was made a movie depending on how graphic the director would make it. I would also caution that this could be a trigger for those who are sensitive to abuse, there is an abusive father and daughter relationship in this series so be mindful of that. I would say it's written for older middle school aged readers, YA and up... adults will absolutely love it! Please make these into movies!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Lee Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot on the heels of the first book, Ezaara, the second book in Eileen’s Mueller’s Riders of Fire series is now available. Another vibrant quest from two-time Sir Julius Vogel Award winner Eileen Mueller, Dragon Hero is the story of Ezaara’s twin brother, Tomaaz, and begins the moment Ezaara is swept away from Lush Valley by the Dragon Queen. The twin’s mother, Marlies, sets off that very night on a strange quest that will take her into the heart of their stronghold of Commander Zens, and his brutal army of cloned tharuk warriors (think bipedal warthogs with superpowers). Delaying long enough to help save his childhood village from marauders, Tomaaz then sets off to save his mother and on the way uncovers his family’s secret, a fledgling love, and a faithful friend. Much darker than the first title in the series, this episode builds nicely on the world-building and characterisation of the first book, and yet can still be read as a stand-alone text. There are the familiar fantasy tropes the readers of dragon quests will love, including a flawed and ill-informed hero, a down-trodden damsel, hopeless battles and daring rescues, as well as a good dose of magic. However, despite fitting firmly in its genre, this new adventure has sufficient that is fresh and original to keep the reader turning the pages. And that Christian Bentulan cover is magnificent. Recommended for fans of epic journeys and redemption.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous book..! This tale covers Ezaara folks and her brother. Living in Lush Valley everything is not what it seems. Marlies and her family had left Dragon Hold when she had inadvertently caused the death of the queens dragonette, but had she really ?
There's a traitor in lush valley and no one expects it to be someone in league with the Zens and their creatures the Tharuks. Tharuks have mind benders and trackers. They use numlocked to make humans into zombie like creatures and use poison.
Queen Dragon has charged Marlies with a quest that could mean her death but should she succeed all will be forgiven. Tharuks attack Lush Valley and everything that Tomaaz folks had kept hidden from him must be told. How can Tomaaz be a dragon rider when he can't stand heights, how can a traitor have a slave that could be Tomaaz love..? This tale is full of twists, turns, intrigue and heartbreak. This is a must read for anyone who loves dragons!

[Zora Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll begin by warning that if you just finished devouring the first book in the series, then the first few chapters are going to be boring as the book begins in the same place only in a different point of view. The way the story begins you could probably start with this book, though you will miss out on all the hints, backstory, and other tidbits... likely making the story much less satisfying and making book one lose much of its suspense when you backtrack to pick up that thread of the story.

That said, Caitlin Davies is quickly climbing the ranks of my favorite narrators and the same can be said for the author, Eileen Mueller. The way they weave the points of view and tap into the essence of the characters is very nice and keeps you on your toes. So if you are looking for an action packed story full of family, friendship, and love, then this is most definitely something you should give a shot.

[RJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heart-warming dragon adventure splits into multiple plotlines. The first volume was about Ezaara. This volume revolves around her twin brother Tomaaz with sub-plots concerning his father, mother, and Lovina. Tomaaz and his father Haanz must prepare Lush Valley for the coming tharuk attack. Tomaaz befriends Lovina, a village girl who has been abused by her guardian; igniting new feelings in Tomaaz. Tomaaz’s mother Marlise has been quested to save the dragon queen’s son in an effort to repay her debt to the queen. The evil Commander Zens and his army of tharuks continue to threaten Dragon’s Realm. Several twists and turns add to the excitement and expand the story. It’s a wonderful tale that holds your attention throughout. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Sharon Hughson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a rare thing to find a second book in a series that’s better than the first. Or perhaps when the first book garners only three stars, I don’t read the second.
In any case, there was no melodrama or contrived tension in this book. It starts in Lush Valley at the same place as book one, but it gives us the tale of Ezaara’s family. Lots of fighting, subterfuge and new magical twists and additions.
It isn’t perfect. The story should have ended sooner than it did but the author had to extend it by a few chapters to give a hook for the next book. Series written in this way irritate me and reinforce the fact that the author knows their characters and storytelling aren’t strong enough to keep readers coming back.
Since I bought the first three books, I’ll be reading on.

[Ramona Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marlies and Hans had been Dragon riders before they moved to Lush Valley. No one not even their children knew this about them Marlies blamed herself for the death of Zaarusha dragonet. She and Hans had run over the death of the dragonet. They discovered that Ezaara had been taken by Zaarusha and they didn't know why. Using a calling stone they called Zaarusha and discovered she wanted Marlies to go and save her son and Zen. It's a well written book and the book should be read in order because are spoilers in the books if you read them out of order. The story is compelling and I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book. It's a good book...

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon Hero book two in A Dragons’ Realm series is an amazing book in an amazing series. I’ve already read all the books that are available in this series and this book is even better than the first two, there’s non stop action, amazing heroes, dragons and humans, and plenty of wonderful characters. I couldn’t stop reading and I found myself holding my breath in the dangerous and scary parts, it’s really wonderful finding such a great dragon series again. I recommend this book to all teens and adults, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it and want to read this series over and over again.

[Linda Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This family is destined for greatness and dragons

This family is destined for greatness and dragons. To bad the parents had not taught their children they were being trained to become dragon riders. The fighting technics they were taught were what their parents had learned as children and as dragon riders before their mother the healer had done the unthinkable and killed a dragon egg. And ran. Fantastic story. From start to finish. Although never finishes. Ready for more. Everyone has story and want that story right now. Again best of reads. Fantastic.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so pleased that I continued on with this series because I couldn't put book two down. The constant action kept the pace moving swiftly and smoothly, but I was most pleased to find that this book flashes back to fill in what had happened with Ezaara's family after she imprinted with her dragon. I found that I really enjoyed the constant shifting of view points, and even learned that I am surprisingly growing quite fond of Tomaaz and his compassionate, unyielding spirit. I am in a hurry to start book three.

[Gayreth Walden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic second book of the Riders of Fire series. I enjoyed this book tremendously. Getting to know Tomaaz, Marlie and Hans better. (Ezaara's twin brother and parents). And of course the evil Zen and his monstrous Tharuks. A story of beautiful dragons and incredible characters in challenging circumstances. It is full of intense action, friendship, love, tragedy and magic. Exciting and entertaining. Can't wait for the next book!