Dragon War

Riders of Fire #5

by Eileen Mueller

Ezaara and Roberto are desperately trying to hold back armies of dark mages on dragonback…

The realm is in chaos. People are dying.

Then Commander Zens breaches the realm gate, bringing his army of shadow dragons and tharuks to the heart of Dragons’ Hold. And Master Giddi, the most powerful mage in the realm, attacks—now bound to Zens’ will.

How can Dragons’ Realm fight back?

Will everything Ezaara holds dear be lost?

Dragon War is the fifth book in the thrilling Riders of Fire young adult epic fantasy series. If you like strong heroines, nail-biting action and dragons, then you’ll love this adrenaline ride.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dragons

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 18, 2020

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

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dreaded day had arrived and war with Zen's abominations was imminent, and all hands were on deck, pun intended as Roberto and a group of valiant warriors were ironically enough travelling with Amato, Roberto's hated father through a back entrance to Zen's death valley on the Captain's boat. What they had no idea of, was that simultaneously Zens had taken all of his war worthy abominations through a portal by using Anakisha's ring, directly to Dragon Hold and was also using a back tunnel to do so. The hold fell almost immediately once the tharuks broke through and riders and dragons fled for their lives but were harassed all the way through the wood to Mage's Gate. Many lost their lives during the hard fought battles where the shadow dragons, their cloned mage riders and tharuks just kept on coming no matter how many were taken down. In the meantime back at Zens laboratory, discoveries were made and riders and mages made sure everything was wiped out before Zens return, having no idea where everyone had gone to. The difference that swayed this war was that the dark fought through hatred and with malice but the light fought with love and the strong bond between the riders and their dragons. Allies arrived to aid in the war from all over the realm, and Taliesin and Leah managed to get the paiua juice they so desperately needed, even though for some this arrived too late. But Zens had his strongest weapon yet, he had Giddi, the dragon mage and he had him under his sway through the methimium crystal beetles burrowing deep into his nervous system, but Giddi was powerful and doing his utmost to retain a bit of his mind free from domination. Zens had come from Earth where technology and science had replaced magic so cloning and DNA manipulation and other things he had used in his laboratory were commonplace on Earth but way beyond what the riders and mages could fathom. This book gives us a great battle, some very sad losses but also some great moments of joy and romance. It gives us an ending in a way, but I am still looking forward to reading book 6 which should give us a look into the future of Dragon Hold and hopefully wind up all loose ends of which there are so many in such a beautifully intricate saga!

[Amanda Sagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved a free copy of this per my request and here's my honest review (I have not been paid for this review)

Eileen has managed to wow the socks off me once again in this powerfully, action filled page turner!
The war that's been building between the dragons and their riders and Zens is finally coming to a head with Zens managing to create more of his shadow dragons and Tharuks as well as capturing more and more slaves and he's discovered a way to turn our own beloved dragons, riders and mages against their own (😲) while the whole of dragon hold prepares to take the fight to him.
Can Ezaara, Zaarusha, Roberto, Erob and the rest of the mighty dragons win the fight against this deadly enemy? All I can say is that you have to read the series! You seriously won't regret it! I haven't done a single bit of adulting today whilst reading this part of the series!

[Susan1566 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was a great series, lots of action, good characters, good story, magic and dragons. Easy reading, everything is clear and makes sense. Highly recommend

[Rae Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crying

I sat here laughing and crying and then sobbing laughing again. I think I even yelled out, scaring my cats. Lived this series! Thank you!

[dennis youngblood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Master mage and medics (spoilers!!)

This book has it all from Massive battle scenes, tragic losses, master Mages and Earth Docters and microchips!! Renewed loves, new loves, lost loves, and found loves! Lots of love to beat back all the hate that Zens has created and brought upon Dragon's Hold and the entire realm. Yes after the horrible battles, the people of the realm are finding peace and it's a suitable happy ending. But what if imprinting of their daughter and the sea Dragon? Another book coming? I sure hope so!!! I loved this series!!!!

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book for my honest review. So here it is-

This book was amazing. Every page kept me on edge and wanting more. I loved the character development and storyline. This is definitely one of my favorite series. It was filled with emotions and was just absolutely amazing. Eileen is a talented author and it shows with her fantastic books. I can't wait for more.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again another wonderful read. I was sad to see so many characters I have come to love die. I even shed a few tears with this one. I am glad Zens is finally defeated, it is good to know that Dragon's Realm will be safe now. I can now wait for Sea Dragon, that is going to be a wonderful book.

[Stacy Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

I loved this whole series...Eileen really developed world a characters...you become engrossed in the world and the story...she gives you all the feels!She has become one of my favorite authors!

[Robin Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this 1. I don't know what to say, I'm looking forward to more about the Dragon Riders and there Families.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so stuck reading this bool to the end. I had to read it as much as I could at lunch at work I had to keep going to see what would end the story.Awesome read. Loved it!

[Mary Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book, couldn't put it down

[Melinda Cater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon War is the absolutely EPIC conclusion to the struggle between Dragons’ Realm and the completely evil Commander Zens! And when I say epic I absolutely mean EPIC! This final struggle had everything an Epic War should have:

A truly devistating and complete evil✔️
Perfectly written heroes and heroins willing to risk everything to save their friends, family and world ✔️
Heroism ✔️
Dragons ✔️
Love✔️
Great Sacrifice ✔️
Death and Dispare ✔️
And most importantly of all…
Hope ✔️

This book pulled out all the stops and made me feel all the feels. I quite literally laughed, felt overjoyed, despaired, cried and ultimately finished with my heart soaring (like a dragon) with unabounding hope for the future of Dragons’ Realm and all Mueller’s amazing characters.

One of my very favorite aspects of this novel imparticular was Mueller’s ability to write devistating sacrifices and losses but somehow leave you feeling like you could move on and feel hopeful despite it. I mean, it was a war and characters were definitely going to have to die to maintain an aspect of realism and authenticity but Mueller was able to make these deaths count for something and lead you to feel an overall sense of ease and hope for the future despite great losses. I usually don’t like a lot of death in the novels I read, but Mueller handled the deaths of war beautifully and masterfully!

Another aspect I truly love about Mueller’s Riders of Fire books is how she perfectly balances the overall story with all of the fabulously written romances. She often doesn’t just give us one well written romance but multiple. (And we all know I do love a fantastically written romance or two or…) In Dragon War, I can think of at least six different and distinct romances, off the top of my head and they all intertwine beautifully to enhance the overal story of good vs evil and sacrificing for the greater good. Neither the romances nor the main story itself overshadow the other. They merely blend and combine together to enhance the overall novel.

Favorite character?! How am I suppose to even come close to choosing a favorite character? There are just too many amazing characters is this book to choose from…hmmmm…instead I think I will talk about a couple of characters that truly surprised me.

The first character that comes to mind is Tharuk 274. Now I don’t want to give too much away about him, but he was a completely unexpected and absolutely appreciated character in this novel to me. I enjoyed him immensely from the moment he was introduced in the series until his final development in Dragon War. I was completely and thoroughly impressed with the character arc Mueller created for him.

Another Character that was an absolute pleasant surprise was Mazyka. After reading Master Mage I was overjoyed to have Mazyka brought into this story. She is a fabulous character and definitely a favorite of mine and my heart soared with joy when she made her appearance.

So, if you enjoy a great story complete with heroic and sometimes devastating adventures, harrowing battles filled with dragon fire, mage flame, and sacrifice, heroes and heroins you adore and can’t help but rally around, and the terrible evil you can’t wait see come to a bloody end then you have to read The Riders of Fire! You will not be left disappointed!

[Elizabeth Lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When will you learn that there’s more power in love than there ever will be in hate or vengeance?’ (Dragon War)
The answer lies in this last journey as the full depths of Commander Zen’s’ darkness takes hideous form, and the defenders of Dragons’ Realm must give everything to have any hope of saving their world. Zen takes life and perverts it into something so unnatural it sickens us, and then he tosses it aside when he has used it all up, delighting in his power. Perhaps worse than the black dragons and the cloned mages Zen has created are the other casualties of his war. Many in Dragon Realm are forced to face their pasts again and have the choice to remain stuck or find healing and forgiveness. In a sense they were all prisoners of Zen in varying degrees and felt the horror of his hold. Roberto and Alena wrestle with forgiving a father who made their life a living nightmare while under Zen’s control and reconciling that with the tortured soul of a man that now desperately tries to make amends for all the ugliness. Roberto struggles with his own demons as he recounts all the crimes he did while under Zen’s’ control when his own father gave him to Zen, and at times Roberto sees himself as no better than Zen when he stares too long into this abyss of the past. Ezaara’s brief moment of feeling the full force of Zen’s control and the unthinkable that it prompted her to do still haunts her mind. Now Master Giddi is a slave to the will of Zen, the monster he had fought all his life against and the one who took away his wife. The stories continue of the lives Zen has destroyed and the terrible imprints he has left on the spirits of those in Dragons’ Realm.
Despite it all, there is the power to conquer even Zen’s’ cruelty, his seemingly unbreakable hold. That power has been forged for some time now, and it comes to a head in this final battle that we experience every second with those at Dragons’ Realm. It’s the strength of looking into the ugliness of the past and seeing it for what it is, but finding a way to make peace with it so it doesn’t consume your soul anymore. It’s fighting for the future that’s within reach, no matter how painstakingly hard every step is to get there. Sometimes regrettably, it’s a path of tears, of saying goodbye, because you have to give more than you ever wanted to beat the darkness. It’s about unbreakable bonds that are made of love, forgiveness, and sacrifice. It’s a final breathtaking dragon ride with Ezaara and Robereto, plummeting us to the valley of despair as the darkness threatens to close in but then ascending us to the mountaintop of hope as the light triumphantly pours forth over the battlefield.

[Gayreth Walden · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional rollercoaster! So well crafted!

I am in awe of the writing skill Eileen Mueller has and the way she brought all the characters and dragons together in a grand conclusion in this story arch! Everything goes together neatly with an absolutely stunning end. I felt I was with all my favorite characters and dragons as I was drawn in from the first page to the last page. This is a powerful, unique, edge of your seat, fast paced experience, with unforgettable characters and plenty of twists and turns. Also, excellent scripted epic battle scenes! I found myself laughing and crying during much of this book! This is an enjoyable and captivating read. If I could give it ten stars, I would. I highly recommend this book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon War is book five in the Riders of Fire series and it’s almost all action with Zen and his creatures taking the war to the dragons and their riders. Eileen has made many of the main characters personalities and skills grow so much throughout this series, that I felt as if I was losing friends and family during the war. Characters I met or heard of earlier reappeared and almost all of Dragon Realms inhabitants fought to reclaim their land, a truly amazing end to a brilliant series. I’m looking forward to few more books about the characters, it looks like it may be like Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series. I voluntarily reviewed this book and I recommend it to all who enjoy their fantasy with dragons.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Against overwhelming odds

This KU library selection is the culmination of Zens' work to reopen the world gate, a portal to Earth, his homeworld. He has created an army of tharuks, beasts which have spread across Dragons' Realm destroying villages and villagers. He has cloned dragons and mages, increasing the devastation. And he has finally captured and turned Master Giddi, the strongest mage in the realm, with his yellow beetle like arrow tips. But Ezaara and Roberto are still alive and will be leading their people and dragons against Zens and his deadly creatures. They just have no idea of the overwhelming odds they will be facing.

[Linda Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragons die, Riders die, Friends die, families torn apart - less

Dragons die, Riders die, Friends die, families torn apart - less each time the shadow dragons attack. But we can’t stop fighting. Can’t stop trying. We must rally, must call on every friend we can think of. We can’t let Zen turn us against each other. It’s so hard when you see friends turn to enemies right in front of you. To see family die to save you. When will it end. This leaves you willing something good to happen at the end and you must read to find if it does. This story hits every emotion you have. And some you didn’t know you could find. I’m ready for next. Tears wiped and nose blown.

[Ramona Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragon wars the fifth book in the Riders of Fire. It's a well-written book and it details the trials and tribulations that the Dragon riders go through in the final war with Zen. It ties some things that would leave some things open for further books to come. I highly recommend this book it's a great read...

[Patricia A Spring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragons

Dragons, adventure, romance and fantasy all tied together in an action packed story with loads of surprises. This one was hard for me because it was the dragon war and had lots of blood and gore that thankfully the reader can skim or skip, but the death of children I have difficulty with. No stars deducted for personal issues and war doesn't just pick combatants, so

[Sedna Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a hold book filled with payoffs and brilliant battles. I love how each character ended their arcs well and how Zens was finally defeated. Yet I did find it odd that the author ended it the way she did. Makes me wonder what the final book in this set is going to be like. Yet I found the characters and their journeys satisfying, especially Tomaaz and Lovina and Ezaara and Roberto.

[MGB · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author gives you quite the trip around Dragon Realm. A geography lesson, a history lesson, a lesson in moral courage, in love, dedication and more battle action than you can imagine.

This is a true epic battle of good versus evil. Lots of nuance, tactics and strategy. It’s heartbreaking at times but also uplifting. Definite pull to your emotions.

[Cherish Kasner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extraordinary experience to behold! Zens is so evil, it is hard to believe anything could rise against him. The book shows some of the harsh realities of war and grips you in an emotional journey. I was enraptured and I couldn't put it down.

[Quilting Tangent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action Packed! Dragons Realm is in an all out war with Zens. In this fast paced, unpredictable story. Wonderfully written, you feel like you are part of the fight to save Dragons Realm. Looking forward to the next book.

[Tomas Grizzly · Rating 4 out of 5]

80%
An action-packed finale to an enjoyable series with good pacing. Despite some issues I had with the series (moments when I'd welcome more details and characters that were often holding to their grudges way too strongly) and some tropes I'm not too fond of, I enjoyed the journey.

[Kris Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final Dragon War Book

I've thoroughly enjoyed this series. Well written with strong likable characters. I'd like to see more follow with other stories

[Denika Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Dragon War, the ending was perfect.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read all the books in the series, and I want more, it feels that the story is not yet finished, I kind of expect a continuation of characters and stories.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The war has begun and will they be able to eliminate Zens and his creatures. Lives and loved ones will be lost but allies will be gained. A very intense and a real page turner. Very unpredictable and will keep you reading till the end.