Trial by Sorcery

Dragon Riders of Osnen #1

by Richard Fierce

Dragons can be dangerous ... if you don't bond with them first.Eldwin wants to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Dragon Guard, but not for the glory. With his family dead and their lands dying, the opportunity to join the dragon rider school is all he has. But before Eldwin can bond with a dragon and guard the skies, he must pass three tests to prove his worth.Compassion, magical aptitude, and armed combat.He's determined to pass, but his maimed arm is a constant reminder of his disadvantage. Will the obstacles Eldwin faces keep him from reaching his dreams, or will he finally see what it's like to ride the skies?An ISFAB top 10 finalist!Fans of Sarah K.L. Wilson's Dragon School, Christopher Paolini's Eragon and Anne McCaffrey's Dragon Riders of Pern will feel right at home.Trial by Sorcery is the first episode of the series Dragon Riders of Osnen.Dragon Riders of Osnen Book 1: Trial by SorceryBook 2: A Bond of FlameBook 3: The Warrior's CallBook 4: The Coin of SoulsBook 5: Wings of TerrorBook 6: Eyes of StoneBook 7: Tooth and ClawBook 8: A Servant of SoulsBook 9: Smoke and ShadowBook 10: The Dark Rider

About the author

Richard Fierce is a fantasy author best known for his novella The Last Page. He's been writing since childhood, but became seriously vested in it in 2007. Since then, he's written several novels and a few short stories.

In 2000, Richard won Poet of the Year for his poem The Darkness. He's also one of the creative brains behind the Allatoona Book Festival, a literary event in Acworth, Georgia.

A recovering retail worker, he now works in the tech industry when he's not busy writing.

He has three step-daughters, three huskies and two cats.

His love affair with fantasy was born in high school when a friend's mother gave him a copy of Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

Reviews

[Sara Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trial by Sorcery is the first of Richard Fierce's books that I've read. It's a solid story, well written, engaging, and maintains a steady pace. Fierce is a good writer and grabs the reader's attention from the beginning. The story began with Eldwin, the underdog, standing up for someone who was being mistreated and then being bullied himself. While not born into nobility, Eldwin's father had been part of the Dragon Guard, which gives Eldwin hope that he can also be a dragon rider. In order for this to occur, Eldwin must be admitted to the dragon rider's academy. In order to be part of the academy, he must pass three tests, while simultaneously fighting off bullies and solving a deadly mystery.

The book felt a bit like Harry Potter - if The Goblet of Fire were the entrance exam instead of a school competition. Eldwin's new friend Maren was almost exactly Hermione (except when it came to the rules - she broke all of them). The tests also reminded me of the trials in Divergent. They seemed to get into people's heads, rather than just provide a straightforward, same-for-everyone process. But while the story didn't feel original, I still really enjoyed it. I mean, who wouldn't want Hogwarts students to all become dragon riders and ride out together to track the undead Voldemort?

Eldwin was annoying at times, and definitely has room to grow, but he is still a kid and I am hopeful that future books will show a progression in his character. Also, there was too much commentary about his thoughts. This is one of my pet peeves - I don't want to be stuck in a teenager's head and can usually assume what they are thinking by what the said, thus no need for explanation. I liked Maren a lot. She was interesting and I bought into her back story about wanting to prove herself on her own terms. I didn't really feel like I got to know the other characters, and the ending was a bit of a twist, leaving Eldwin's future companions uncertain, but I still expect the next book in the series will delve a little deeper into a few of them. There is also a plot concerning a false king that is never completely explained, so I have high hopes that the rest of the series will veer away from the Hogwarts feel and be more original.

I received a free copy of the audiobook from the narrator who did an amazing job and have reviewed it because I thought it was worth reviewing.

[Wonda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, this is usually right in my wheel house, who doesn't love dragon riders? But the choppy sentences were too much for me, also the urge to go watch Scary Movie every time the main characters hand is brought up!

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trial by Sorcery is the first book in the Dragon Riders of Osen series. If you’re looking for an interesting beginning to a dragon-themed story, then this one is definitely worth checking out.
Trial by Sorcery focuses on a young man by the name of Eldwin. Eldwin is a commoner by birth, but with the passing of his father in battle he was given the standing of noble. Too bad the title of “noble” is just that. Yeah, it came with a few things along with it, but if coin isn’t one of them...then you really don’t have much.
Eldwin desires to be a dragon rider. But can he past the tests required to become one? He makes a friend along the way, but even she has her secrets. Secrets seem to be swirling all around, and danger is looming in the darkness. Something big is coming...and if they don’t get prepared...they won’t survive what’s to come.
Trial by Sorcery is a good start to the series. The pacing of this book is pretty quick, so make sure you hang on tight. There isn’t a lot of getting to know the characters. Readers who are looking for that will be disappointed, but for some the storyline will make up for that.
This book has a surprise twist near the end, but one thing is for sure...you’ll be eager to get your hands on book two and find out what happens next.
4.5 out of 5 stars

[Iseult Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me

I love stories about dragon riders and dragons, and I was intrigued by the idea of this book. A young man travels to the city to join the king’s army of dragon riders like his father. It sounded great.

Unfortunately there is practically nothing about dragons in this book. Instead it’s a weird kind of school story, except it’s not like a school or an army. There’s no teaching or training. There is a provost like a university and curates with a temple but no religious connection.

There is one chapter which describes in detail how the hero uses a library card catalogue system.

The hero knows nothing about dragons, his father, the war his father died in or the kingdom where he lives, although in fairness he might have had his memory magically erased. However, I won’t be continuing with the series to find out if that’s true.

Also, bizarrely, the nobility in this world is conferred on those with blond hair. I’m not sure how that works at all.

[Nicholas Kittel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not much of a reader so I wanted something easy and fun to get the habbit started. Saw this as a cheap (free) book that might be interesting because who doesn't like dragons. It kept me interested and actively reading until I finished it. That doesn't happen often. I didn't have high hopes as it was free. Now I'll probably buy the second because I need to know what happens next. It's not award winning but I certainly enjoyed myself.

[Alfred Muller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well crafted

Dragons, magic, espionage. What's not to like. Fierce crafts a well paced story with interesting characters and a page turning plot. Eldwin has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. You can't help but love him and root for him as he goes through the trials.
Only book one and I am hooked.

[Alan Boggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trials

Some surprises and some sorrow. There are three tests they must complete but there are some problems beforehand testing begins. A good book.

[Marika K · Rating 1 out of 5]

So bleak and emotionless, it has to be AI

[Chris Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eldwin has always wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps and become a great dragon rider. Before he is even able to start, he has 2 disadvantages.
First he it Low-Born, no noble status. And second, one of his hands is mangled. The only thing he has going for him is that his father was a great dragon rider and is a Noble by Deed. He quickly becomes friends with a girl who is constantly looking for trouble. Eldwin does well in the 3 tests but lets his anger get the best of him in the third. Will he make it?

A well written story but not a great one. The plot could use some work and more adventure would make it more interesting.

[Melinda Cater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trial by Sorcery was a fantastic first book in a series I Cannot wait to continue. The story was fast paced, action packed, intense at moments, with several secrets to be revealed and plot twists to be discovered. Within a few sentences I found myself completely immersed in the world that Fierce had created and I couldn’t put the book down until I had finished it.

Eldwin is determined to join the Dragon Riders of Osnen and become a Dragoon like his late father before him. The only problem is his mangled and deformed hand, but he refuses to let his disability hinder him and will stop at nothing to take up his place at the school. Upon arrival he chances upon a guard making unwanted advances toward another hopeful and steps in to defend her. This girl, Meran, soon becomes the friend he truly needs during his time at the school. The hopefuls must succeed in passing 3 trials before they will be admitted as true students and these trials will lead Eldwin and Meran down a new path neither one anticipated. Could the man that Eldwin’s father died defeating really be returning? Who is Meran really? And who is the Necromancer they have discovered? You will just have to read this intriguing first novel to find out.

The world building was extremely interesting, the plot intriguing, but my favorite aspect, the aspect that completely drew me in were the Characters. I absolutely adored both Eldwin and Meran. Eldwin was a fabulous character. He knew what he wanted and he knew what he had to do to achieve it. Meran was the somewhat reckless girl that if he let her, she could get him and herself into a whole mess of trouble. But the two were perfect for each other. Enough alike to get along, enough different to keep their story and their lives interesting. There was a light romantic quality to their relationship, but it was absolutely sweet and wonderfully written.

My absolutely only complaint about this story is that it was TOO short. I could definitely have read more in this 1st book. But, lucky for me, there are quite a few novels written in the series so I am doing a happy dance to celebrate that. I will definitely be continuing this series. I just have to know what happens next.

So if you love a well written story, where the characters take center stage and you can’t help but love, adore, and root for them, with an intriguing plot that draws you in and holds you captive, and you can’t wait to discover what happens next than you just have to read Trial by Sorcery!

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this short fantasy novel. It starts out like most dragon rider academy stories, but veers off and becomes something totally different, with a wonderfully unexpected twist at the end that I definitely didn't see coming. The world building is very good and definitely added a lot to the backdrop of the story, and I quite enjoyed Eldwin's character. It's unusual for the main character of a fantasy novel to be so reticent and constantly considering what's "safe" and following the rules. At first, I felt it was a little overdone, but as the story progressed and the character developed, it actually added a lot, because it made his decisions and the times when he did, in fact, break the rules, far more powerful moments. Maren is a fun side character, who is more in line with the quintessential Harry Potter style rule-breaking student, and I enjoyed how she kept getting Eldwin into trouble, and also showed him how to live a little. Her getting into trouble also forced Eldwin to make some of those all-important decisions to take matters into his own hands and do what was right. That said, he's far from perfect, which made him into a well-rounded character, and the fact this story doesn't have the expected HEA of ultimate success adds a lot to the story. This is the start of Eldwin's journey and I'm glad he's not the typical fantasy hero who gets everything right.

I did feel the disability representation could have been handled better. There was a lot of attention placed on the "freak show" element from other people around Eldwin, while focus on how it affected his day to day life and was a simple part of his existence, not to mention the backstory of how it happened, were mostly ignored. I feel, if I'd actually been able to connect with that part of the character's existence, it would have made the story pack a more powerful punch and gone from interesting to unforgettable.

A good book. Definitely worth a read for those who enjoy dragon rider fantasy and want something a little different.

[Jordan Encee · Rating 2 out of 5]

So to begin, I would love to ask, who doesn't like dragons? I know I do because, to put it simply, they are cool. However, are they cool enough to carry the whole story? Sadly no, and this book proves it. My biggest issue with the book is it's world-building or lack thereof.
The book gives me no reason to want to become a Dragon Rider. We, as readers, are thrown into this fantasy world with very little explanation. I don't understand the kingdom well enough other than it exists. The Dragon Riders are a thing and are fantastic, but that's all we really get from it. Magic also exists, which is at least explored a little bit better. Though I wish the world and the dragons were explored just as much. For a book that is about, you know, "Dragon Riders," there is very little "dragon riding." In the end, we finally got to experience that part, but of course, it was short-lived and squeal-bait.
The characters were charming, though. I did like the main character and his noble yet innocent personality. The plot of the school and the rise of the False King made sense. Some revelations of some characters' backstories were also fun.
Overall, the biggest issue with this book is the fact we do not explore more of the world. The kingdom is the setting and should have made readers want to see it or understand its landscape. The plot should have expanded on the False King and the history of the Riders and its kingdom more. Lastly, the Dragon Riders should have been explored a lot more. Maybe start with a prologue with some action from the Dragon Riders fighting the False King—something to make the reader want to become a Dragon Rider. Because, as of right now, dragons are cool; but I don't really care for the world.

[Tristen Kozinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trial by Sorcery is a solid read but can at times feel a bit rushed due to the brevity of the narrative. It's not a long story which by definition necessitates a more concentrated plot, but the result is several fairly major plot points (such as the missing princess's identity) just happening.
The prose and characters are solid, with reasonable complexity and chemistry between our leads, but the plot is a little lackluster. The school setting is a well explored archetype and there's not enough done to really make use of or innovate upon it. The antagonist's plot exists in the narrative, but doesn't really drive it, existing more as an ancillary narrative to our MC progressing through the trials and resolving in a rather un-impactful fashion, with no real climax, or objective to prevent. The larger plot in general suffers a similar weakness; events happen, decisions are made, and they all make sense, but they don't synergize; there's no personal journey our MC embarks upon, no change that the plot forces upon him, or he upon the world. It is a story where nothing meaningful changes, and the most impact moment/plot point occurs at the end of the story and mostly without buildup or interaction with the MC apart from his being the primary actor in it.
This may sound overly critical, and that is not my intention. Trial by Sorcery is fine, and generally enjoyable, it just never reaches any grand heights of emotion, drama, tension, or action. It also has barely any scenes/interactions with dragons.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eldwin is an orphan whose father had been killed in battle whilst riding his dragon, he had been a dragoon, and now Eldwin was signing up to take the testing trials of the dragon academy in order to follow in his father's footsteps. However, Eldwin had a mangled hand which always gave him grief, either through bullying or lost opportunities. Upon entering the academy he met a young girl called Maren, who seemed to be quite fearless, and a troublemaker but she was fun to be with, but will she get them thrown out for misbehaviour? Can Eldwin pass all of his three tests in order to be accepted at the academy? He just had to do this no matter how hard, as he had nothing to go back to. He was low born and quite poor, and though his father was a war hero the lands he'd left him were worthless. I just love dragons, dragonrider tales and coming of age stories such as this one. I am really rooting for Eldwin, who I feel will not give up on his dream no matter what, and I look forward to reading the rest of this young adult dragon fantasy.

[Deeanna West]

Trial by Sorcery by Richard Fierce
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I did like it but would have loved just a little more.

We follow Eldwin as he undertakes some trials to become a dragon rider. Just like his father.
I liked the trials. The concept of them was interesting and felt unique.
I also liked the ending twist. It was great. I didn’t see it happening that way at all and love what it sets up for the next book.

There’s a trope I don’t like and it’s when the kid is following in a parent/siblings footsteps yet that person tells them absolutely nothing. It’s usually explained why they don’t communicate, but it drives me crazy as it just doesn’t seem likely to me. Eldwin’s dad was a famous dragon rider hero, that was his life. But he shared none of that with his son? Nothing at all?

This was a short read and with that often comes a bit less depth into the characters, but I’m hoping Maren gets a bit more fleshed out in the next book.

I think overall I enjoyed it enough to continue onto book 2 and see how that is.

[Alan Behan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome Dragons

A cracking and most enjoyable read, a dream to follow in his father's footsteps and become a dragon guard, a young low born Eldwin, a noble only by name, after the death of his family he is giving the opportunity to take the tests to become a dragon rider, but Eldwin has a deformity, a maimed hand, ridiculed by other students that he won't make it or be able to fight in combat from dragon back, he is determined to prove them all wrong, when he befriends Maren, the Kings own daughter, she is an adept in magic, a friendship and bond that Eldwin will need and help get him through the three tests, danger and a necromancer, will Eldwin become a dragon rider, if he fails his memories will be erased, a fantastic coming of age book, I can't wait to see where this series takes Eldwin and Maren, great plot and setting, who doesn't love a good dragon story, the narration by Andrew McDermot is quality, highly recommended.....🐲🐉😁⚔

[Leigh]

This is definitely a book geared toward younger readers, which made it a quick read to get through.

Eldwin is a young man whose father was a Dragon Rider - and who died ten years ago facing the Fallen King. Now Eldwin comes to the city for his own chance of becoming a dragon rider, and must undergo three challenges. Along the way, he gets a glimpse of a …prophecy?, makes an unlikely ally, and deals with discrimination as he is both poor and disabled. While we learn that his right hand was not always like that, we don’t know what happened.

This dragon rider academy book didn’t feel too much like an academy book, as most of it focused on the trials and not the school aspect. And the trials took place over less than a week. We don’t see many of the characters beyond Eldwin and Maren. There wasn’t much interaction with dragons this book either. Hope that comes more in the next book.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

#YA #ComingofAge #SwordandSocerery #Academy #Dragonriders #blinkandyoumissit

Summary: Due to his father’s acts of valor, our hero has a chance to enter Dragon Rider School—if he can pass three entrance tests and some underhanded scheming from other student hopefuls.

Pros: So this has a similar format/style as one of Sarah K.L Wilson’s more episodic Dragon-rider reads. You get a quick intro to the world/characters and maybe one completed story beat.

I liked the princess and what we saw of the dragons/school. The MC seems to have some room to grow, but we’re only getting started.

Cons: It goes by so quickly that it’s harder to say if I’m hooked, but there are some good ideas here.

Conclusion: Nice quick read. Get it if you liked Sarah KL Wilson’s Dragonrider books or something similar!

[Barbara Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eldwin desperately wants to live up to his dead father's reputation and become a dragon guard. He must first face three challenges at the school.

Eldwin must overcome a physical handicap that will likely prevent him from succeeding. He meets a young girl that he has a crush on who will accompany him on many adventures along his perilous journey.

The story is entertaining but short. It is the first book in a series so hopefully, the characters will become fleshed out as the series moves along. A few twists and turns but rather an abrupt ending. Recommended especially for middle-grade and young adult audiences.

[Liz Delton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable fantasy-school type story, which was about novella length. Eldwin wants to be a dragoon like his late father, who died a hero, thus conferring nobility onto Eldwin ("Noble by Deed") which was interesting, except the lands he was given are dead, along with the rest of his family. He has nothing, and getting into the dragon-riding school is everything for him.
I enjoyed the take on the school/trials trope, giving it a Harry Potter-esque vibe. My only complaint was its length! I would have loved to explore the citadel more, and find out more about the dragoons. With the skillful twist of an ending, and Eldwin's persevering character, I think this is a great start to a series.