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The Guardian
A human with dragon magic. A dragon desperate for his magic to return. A promise of revenge that ties them together…
One of only ten humans with dragon magic, seventeen-year-old Alvis Witt is forced to hide his identity as a Talisman Wielder when all he wants is to fight alongside the resistance group, Linless. Then Alvis gets his chance to use his secret magic to rescue the dangerous and notorious dragon, Rae Bremmet, from the country’s heavily guarded prison. What seems like a simple mission twists into a series of events that leaves Alvis and Rae with a thirst for revenge for everything their corrupt homeland has stolen from them.
But Alvis and Rae can only agree on one thing—they fight best when they fight alone.
One of only ten humans with dragon magic, seventeen-year-old Alvis Witt is forced to hide his identity as a Talisman Wielder when all he wants is to fight alongside the resistance group, Linless. Then Alvis gets his chance to use his secret magic to rescue the dangerous and notorious dragon, Rae Bremmet, from the country’s heavily guarded prison. What seems like a simple mission twists into a series of events that leaves Alvis and Rae with a thirst for revenge for everything their corrupt homeland has stolen from them.
But Alvis and Rae can only agree on one thing—they fight best when they fight alone.
410 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2021
12 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 29, 2020
LOVED LOVED LOVED 💖💖💖 Gay magic dragon boys!! Prepare yourself for fun and feels!
Want to read
May 7, 2021"The Simon Snow Trilogy meets Hunter x Hunter" AJWHSKHJD
A COMBINATION I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED AHAHA i love it
A COMBINATION I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED AHAHA i love it
May 7, 2022
2.5
I feel guilty giving this a bad review because it's self-published and I really want to support self-published authors but honestly... this just wasn't very good. The magic system is barely explained, the characters are all quite cringe-y and cliché, and the final fight climaxes in one of the most ridiculous and cliché ways. It just wasn't really what I was expecting at all. It feels like it's inspired a bit by Pokemon, with the the battles that take place, but it was honestly pretty boring and I just wanted more from this.
I feel guilty giving this a bad review because it's self-published and I really want to support self-published authors but honestly... this just wasn't very good. The magic system is barely explained, the characters are all quite cringe-y and cliché, and the final fight climaxes in one of the most ridiculous and cliché ways. It just wasn't really what I was expecting at all. It feels like it's inspired a bit by Pokemon, with the the battles that take place, but it was honestly pretty boring and I just wanted more from this.
March 11, 2021
Just finished reading it and I could not put it down! I’m extremely excited to see the next books in this series. The world built in this book is vibrant and Interesting, and the characters are wonderful and heartfelt. Very proud to have been a part of the indiegogo for this book and no doubt I will be a long time fan of the series and anything else Erin writes.
May 8, 2021
This book is in desperate need of more appreciation. I haven't heard anyone talk about it and it's absolutely a crime.
Magic, dragons, magical bonds with dragons, dragon-fighting tournament, if this stuff sounds any good to you, definitely pick this book up. Oh right, it's also very queer and features a super sweet MLM romance.
The book is written with a dual POV, both main characters getting their POV chapters, which made me feel like I know them both very well. I loved how they both needed to work through their issues and get to know each other better to be able to work as a team at all. Overall we had a whole cast of well-written, lovable characters, even though we were mainly focusing on the two main ones. The magic system was really interesting and I love the idea of people being able to change into dragons. I will admit I initially only wanted to pick this up because of the stunning cover but honestly, it was so worth it. And after the reveal at the end, I can't wait for the second book in the series and I'll be on the lookout for ARCs.
Absolutely go pick this up.
Magic, dragons, magical bonds with dragons, dragon-fighting tournament, if this stuff sounds any good to you, definitely pick this book up. Oh right, it's also very queer and features a super sweet MLM romance.
The book is written with a dual POV, both main characters getting their POV chapters, which made me feel like I know them both very well. I loved how they both needed to work through their issues and get to know each other better to be able to work as a team at all. Overall we had a whole cast of well-written, lovable characters, even though we were mainly focusing on the two main ones. The magic system was really interesting and I love the idea of people being able to change into dragons. I will admit I initially only wanted to pick this up because of the stunning cover but honestly, it was so worth it. And after the reveal at the end, I can't wait for the second book in the series and I'll be on the lookout for ARCs.
Absolutely go pick this up.
April 24, 2021
AMAZING READ! ✨🥺💕⚔️🐉
Did I finish the book in 2 days? Yes.
Do I regret it? Absolutely NOT.
I’m a sucker for YA LGBTQ novels and I was so excited to read this when I first heard it was coming out (small pun intended).
But like.
Wow. I’m seriously blown away by this book. All the emotions and relationships that were built up felt completely earned and I found myself on the edge of my seat to see what would happen to Alvis and Rae. I love them!! And I will protect them with all my heart. I don’t wanna leave a spoiler review because I want everyone to read this book!
At the end I was so happy but also I’m craving SO MUCH MORE! Can’t wait to read what else is in store for these amazing characters.
Thanks for creating a magical world where these characters exist! 💖💖💖
Did I finish the book in 2 days? Yes.
Do I regret it? Absolutely NOT.
I’m a sucker for YA LGBTQ novels and I was so excited to read this when I first heard it was coming out (small pun intended).
But like.
Wow. I’m seriously blown away by this book. All the emotions and relationships that were built up felt completely earned and I found myself on the edge of my seat to see what would happen to Alvis and Rae. I love them!! And I will protect them with all my heart. I don’t wanna leave a spoiler review because I want everyone to read this book!
At the end I was so happy but also I’m craving SO MUCH MORE! Can’t wait to read what else is in store for these amazing characters.
Thanks for creating a magical world where these characters exist! 💖💖💖
October 15, 2022
I was a part of crowdfunding this book and I'm a little embarrassed with how long it took me to get through it, but all in all I enjoyed it!
I always love when books show a new take on magic systems and bond dynamics - I'm looking forward to how this can be expanded on with the continuation of the series.
I will say I think that this is a book that I would have enjoyed a lot more if I had read it when I was back in school, since this is filled with characters and tropes I absolutely would have ate up back then. Nevertheless, it still held up for me with its character banter and imagery.
I always love when books show a new take on magic systems and bond dynamics - I'm looking forward to how this can be expanded on with the continuation of the series.
I will say I think that this is a book that I would have enjoyed a lot more if I had read it when I was back in school, since this is filled with characters and tropes I absolutely would have ate up back then. Nevertheless, it still held up for me with its character banter and imagery.
April 18, 2021
Soo good. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend this book
November 29, 2021
big fan of when cian got his eye punched into ocular pulp. that boy really deserved it.
January 2, 2025
At its core, The Guardian is, without a doubt, inspired by the authors love of anime and nerdom. Normally, that wouldn’t be a bad thing. It’s normal, and to some extent expected that your works are inspired by things that bring you joy. Unfortunately, this novel teetered too close to the very thin line between the overtness of fanfiction and the originality of a cultivated world.
Alvis, one of our leads, is from a poor family in a rundown part of town. He’s queer, a factoid that is harped on a bit too much for my own liking when we are introduced to his then boyfriend, Miller. Perhaps it’s my own experiences as a queer person, but I prefer for a character’s queerness to simply be innate and present, rather than mentioned every time he sees a vaguely attractive male figure, but I digress. Alvis was born a Chosen One which is apparently a very big deal, as his mother was one before him prior to her passing. The exact particulars are murky, as the novel by-and-large sacrificed worldbuilding and detail in favor of the action scenes and fighting sequences. The core plot of the story is kicked off when Alvis discovers that his father, a mechanic, is a part of a rebel cell, Linless and they have a mission to infiltrate Zen, a stronghold of a country, and liberate a Guardian (that’s the word for the Dragon Shifters) from its capital, Nerwen City.
The search and rescue culminates once more in the introduction of Rae, a Guardian who is also known as the ”Bloodied Champion” because of his reputation in the fighting ring. Fast-forward to safety and another kingdom hop over, and we learn that the intention of Linless is to show the might of a Pact, which is essentially when a Guardian and human, called a Charge, soul link themselves together. Their intention is to take a Chosen One, Alvis, and a powerful Guardian, Rae, and bind them to become the greatest Pact known to current history.
At a glance, it’d be simple to see where people would be attracted to a book like this. And it wasn’t a miserable read, by any means. But it is packed to the brim with clichés, some repetition that bridges on monotonous and romance that seems gratuitous or verges on queer-baiting. My biggest grievance, however, is how much the magic system and history is skirted around. Save for a few one off lines and a chapter or two, we’re left to piece together everything on our own, making the world and its history feel disjointed to a degree.
I’m rating this 2.5 stars, but rounding it up to 3. Am I curious to see where this story goes? Yes. Do I really feel like I’ll be missing something if I don’t? Not particularly.
★★★☆☆ / 2.5 out of Five
Alvis, one of our leads, is from a poor family in a rundown part of town. He’s queer, a factoid that is harped on a bit too much for my own liking when we are introduced to his then boyfriend, Miller. Perhaps it’s my own experiences as a queer person, but I prefer for a character’s queerness to simply be innate and present, rather than mentioned every time he sees a vaguely attractive male figure, but I digress. Alvis was born a Chosen One which is apparently a very big deal, as his mother was one before him prior to her passing. The exact particulars are murky, as the novel by-and-large sacrificed worldbuilding and detail in favor of the action scenes and fighting sequences. The core plot of the story is kicked off when Alvis discovers that his father, a mechanic, is a part of a rebel cell, Linless and they have a mission to infiltrate Zen, a stronghold of a country, and liberate a Guardian (that’s the word for the Dragon Shifters) from its capital, Nerwen City.
The search and rescue culminates once more in the introduction of Rae, a Guardian who is also known as the ”Bloodied Champion” because of his reputation in the fighting ring. Fast-forward to safety and another kingdom hop over, and we learn that the intention of Linless is to show the might of a Pact, which is essentially when a Guardian and human, called a Charge, soul link themselves together. Their intention is to take a Chosen One, Alvis, and a powerful Guardian, Rae, and bind them to become the greatest Pact known to current history.
At a glance, it’d be simple to see where people would be attracted to a book like this. And it wasn’t a miserable read, by any means. But it is packed to the brim with clichés, some repetition that bridges on monotonous and romance that seems gratuitous or verges on queer-baiting. My biggest grievance, however, is how much the magic system and history is skirted around. Save for a few one off lines and a chapter or two, we’re left to piece together everything on our own, making the world and its history feel disjointed to a degree.
I’m rating this 2.5 stars, but rounding it up to 3. Am I curious to see where this story goes? Yes. Do I really feel like I’ll be missing something if I don’t? Not particularly.
★★★☆☆ / 2.5 out of Five
August 5, 2021
This was really good. I so enjoyed it. RTC
February 14, 2022
This book was so amazing! The story is captivating, the characters are completely lovable in their own way and the world building is so well done. I haven't devoured a book this fast in so long. Definitely recommend it to everyone!
I wrote a more detailed, with a bit of spoilers, be warned, on my blog if you're interested in reading more of my opinion https://msdartanya.wixsite.com/msdart...
I wrote a more detailed, with a bit of spoilers, be warned, on my blog if you're interested in reading more of my opinion https://msdartanya.wixsite.com/msdart...
July 3, 2021
The author set out to give us an anime-inspired story and this is exactly that. However, for me the anime elements don’t translate too well into a fantasy book.
I really like the premise of the book. Dragon shifters and humans bonded together in order to bring out the most of their abilities. That brings up the magic system which is very loose. I can see the shonen anime inspiration, but personally it was a little too chaotic for me in a fantasy book. I also think the fantasy terminology in the story is a little uninspired.
There are a lot of characters that are quickly introduced and described in a way I felt distracting. The strongest characters are obviously the main duo and I enjoy them. There are some nice tender moments, but not enough to convince me of their romance. I think that is something that could have waited to happen in a sequel.
A majority of the book is kind of a training arc of sorts for the two main characters which is a little underwhelming for me. To me, the climax of the plot felt like it shoehorned the villain back in to add some much needed conflict before the book ended.
3 stars because I feel the author delivered on what she set out to do. I think this book would be wonderful as a tv show, that with more world-building would be comparable to shows like The Dragon Prince on Netflix. This would work excellent as a first season, but as a book it was a little underwhelming to my tastes.
I really like the premise of the book. Dragon shifters and humans bonded together in order to bring out the most of their abilities. That brings up the magic system which is very loose. I can see the shonen anime inspiration, but personally it was a little too chaotic for me in a fantasy book. I also think the fantasy terminology in the story is a little uninspired.
There are a lot of characters that are quickly introduced and described in a way I felt distracting. The strongest characters are obviously the main duo and I enjoy them. There are some nice tender moments, but not enough to convince me of their romance. I think that is something that could have waited to happen in a sequel.
A majority of the book is kind of a training arc of sorts for the two main characters which is a little underwhelming for me. To me, the climax of the plot felt like it shoehorned the villain back in to add some much needed conflict before the book ended.
3 stars because I feel the author delivered on what she set out to do. I think this book would be wonderful as a tv show, that with more world-building would be comparable to shows like The Dragon Prince on Netflix. This would work excellent as a first season, but as a book it was a little underwhelming to my tastes.
November 16, 2021
Anime fanfiction crossed with a terrible CW drama with all of the worst tropes of YA novels on full display. An absolute bore and agonizing pain to read.
Alvis is the only character with any kind of depth though he still feels like a walking cliché for the most part. All of the other characters are just hollow and ten minutes after finishing the book, you won't even remember their name.
Dialogue was so bad that several times I had to just close the book and walk away. Why does Alvis talk like he's in a 90's skater movie when everyone else speaks normally?
Action is boring and lacks any kind of tension; the climax of the final fight is flat-out ridiculous. The last ten pages are so blatantly lifted out of Bleach that it's hilarious.
The absolute atrocious attempt at queerbaiting. The romance in this book is so forced and unconvincing that even I'm offended; and I'm straight.
Alvis is the only character with any kind of depth though he still feels like a walking cliché for the most part. All of the other characters are just hollow and ten minutes after finishing the book, you won't even remember their name.
Dialogue was so bad that several times I had to just close the book and walk away. Why does Alvis talk like he's in a 90's skater movie when everyone else speaks normally?
Action is boring and lacks any kind of tension; the climax of the final fight is flat-out ridiculous. The last ten pages are so blatantly lifted out of Bleach that it's hilarious.
The absolute atrocious attempt at queerbaiting. The romance in this book is so forced and unconvincing that even I'm offended; and I'm straight.
June 26, 2021
The good first: I really enjoyed all parts of it! Good characters, good story, good world! But while it was one of those books that gets better the further in you get, it was also quite obvious that it was Erin's first book. I can't put my finger on exactly what it was that bothered me, just something about the language and the way plot points were delivered. I do believe this series can be really good though! As I said, the book got more captivating the more I read, but I hope the next installment will be a bit better at explaining the lore and turn the text to a bit more of a natural flow. All in all, I'm very happy to have contributed to making this book a reality, and I hope Erin keeps writing and evolving!
May 2, 2021
The Guardian by Erin Lee
This is a great book! The saying about not putting all of your eggs in one basket does not apply here. All of the elements to a really terrific story are right here: dragons, guardians, wielders, chosen ones, action, adventure, tragedy, joy, romance, and dragons. Terrific.
So all of these wonderful characters must work together to try to save their race. They don't really like each other, but they have to work together. Cian is humiliated and his honor and respect are destroyed by Linless, so he is seeking revenge at the same time that Alvis and Rae are trying to learn to be a team. It is a typical story, but so well told. I cannot wait for more!
This is a great book! The saying about not putting all of your eggs in one basket does not apply here. All of the elements to a really terrific story are right here: dragons, guardians, wielders, chosen ones, action, adventure, tragedy, joy, romance, and dragons. Terrific.
So all of these wonderful characters must work together to try to save their race. They don't really like each other, but they have to work together. Cian is humiliated and his honor and respect are destroyed by Linless, so he is seeking revenge at the same time that Alvis and Rae are trying to learn to be a team. It is a typical story, but so well told. I cannot wait for more!
June 6, 2021
This was. Fun read and a really nice character introduction!! I’m looking forward to the next books!!! This book gave a shonen manga vibe but with a romance lil twist hanging in the background and I’m can’t wait to see how their relationship as guardian and charger grows as much their personal one.
April 19, 2021
Great visceral raw action, environment & character descriptions (even side characters you get more care for than in the hands of some other storytellers -avoiding spoilers) world building. Great fun. Would be very much welcome exploring this world more some day.
April 5, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! I found the world and all the relationships interesting. I was impressed that the ending left me wanting more but not feeling unsatisfied.
April 24, 2021
NO BOOK HAS THE RIGHT TO BE SO SWEET
This book crushes you and heals you and kills you and revives you. I loved it. I cannot wait to move on to the next.
This book crushes you and heals you and kills you and revives you. I loved it. I cannot wait to move on to the next.
January 15, 2023
General Overview
A book that was not for me. I got through one section of it and just had to put it down. I'm sure it has its audience, but I'm just not it.
Style
Ms Erin Leet did a commendable job considering this is her first novel, but it is lacking in certain areas. I feel she has good concepts and an good enough way of presenting them. However some of the detail she wishes to highlight, and her characters all feel a bit, well obvious, a bit basic.
Once again, as summarised in the beginning, this book is not for me. I was recommended it by a friend, and knew it was YA, so out of my wheelhouse yes. But, this does not excuse weak writing. Her narrative style all seems a bit vague. Her characters dialogue, very obvious.
Story
Alvis Witt is blessed, or cursed on your point of view with Dragon Magic. One of a rare few in a world who has taken the powers of these majestic beasts. Their might is used by the rich to subjugate the poor. Pulled into a rebellion, and saving Rae, a...
Well this is sort of where I got to, and sort of where I also struggle to explain exactly how the setting works. There are breaks of exposition throughout the start, explaining how the settings magic works. But it was all just unclear. Alvis has Dragon magic, but Rae is a 'dragon' who is human, and not a blood and scales dragon? I was struggling to figure out what/how everything was working in regards to the magic of the world.
Besides this there was the start of a very standard, 'Cruel Empire/Corporation Vs Plucky/Mysterious Rebel Faction.' story. I feel if the author had been better able to explain and sell her setting, I would have seen where this was all heading.
Final Thoughts
For a young audience, I would recommend other novels first.
A book that was not for me. I got through one section of it and just had to put it down. I'm sure it has its audience, but I'm just not it.
Style
Ms Erin Leet did a commendable job considering this is her first novel, but it is lacking in certain areas. I feel she has good concepts and an good enough way of presenting them. However some of the detail she wishes to highlight, and her characters all feel a bit, well obvious, a bit basic.
Once again, as summarised in the beginning, this book is not for me. I was recommended it by a friend, and knew it was YA, so out of my wheelhouse yes. But, this does not excuse weak writing. Her narrative style all seems a bit vague. Her characters dialogue, very obvious.
Story
Alvis Witt is blessed, or cursed on your point of view with Dragon Magic. One of a rare few in a world who has taken the powers of these majestic beasts. Their might is used by the rich to subjugate the poor. Pulled into a rebellion, and saving Rae, a...
Well this is sort of where I got to, and sort of where I also struggle to explain exactly how the setting works. There are breaks of exposition throughout the start, explaining how the settings magic works. But it was all just unclear. Alvis has Dragon magic, but Rae is a 'dragon' who is human, and not a blood and scales dragon? I was struggling to figure out what/how everything was working in regards to the magic of the world.
Besides this there was the start of a very standard, 'Cruel Empire/Corporation Vs Plucky/Mysterious Rebel Faction.' story. I feel if the author had been better able to explain and sell her setting, I would have seen where this was all heading.
Final Thoughts
For a young audience, I would recommend other novels first.
June 22, 2023
This book was amazing, and I will continue to read it over and over again. I love how Erin doesn't rush the romance and shows an accurate depiction of grief without over or under exaggerating it. I also love her wording and world building. I formed a bond with all the characters, whether it was love. My only problem is that there's no more. I can't wait for the next book. I'm buying it as soon as it's out.
August 2, 2021
SOBBING IN THE CLUB AT HOW GODDAMN GOOD THIS BOOK WAS!!!!! Oh my lawd i love it, i love it a million times over, it's beautiful and precious and everything i could have ever hoped for. i can't wait for the next one.
March 25, 2022
I really love this book. Without spoiling the details, I adore the way you get to see Alvis's and Rae's character growths, especially Rae's. Would highly recommend. Can't wait for more in this series!
February 17, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was so different from what I expected a dragon book to be, which made it all the better as it's plot was original and didn't feel like another generic fantasy book. I really hope there's more to come for Rae and Alvis.
Read
April 19, 2022DNF @ 46 pgs
December 11, 2024
➝ 4 stars
should this book really be getting 4 stars? mmm, probably not. but i’ve always been more of a vibey reader who rates based on personal enjoyment of the story more than anything else. that being said, i don’t think that there’s any possible way you could read this entire book and not be made painfully aware of the absolutely insane amount of errors that littered this book.
i had originally assumed, with this being an independently published book and all, that a lot of the grammatical errors and misused words were simply due to the author not having an editor to catch such things during the revisionary process (tho it is still slightly appalling to think about a literate adult miswording so very many things). so imagine my actual shock when i found out that this book had not one, but TWO different editors look over the writing prior to publishing. i can’t quite grasp how that’s even possible, but it’s definitely more than a little concerning.
technical issues aside, i found that i did still enjoy much of this story for what it was. the world-building was fascinating, albeit a tad confusing, and the storyline was intriguing, tho lacking in any sort of firm structure for future goals. the real stars of the show here, however, were undoubtedly all of the spectacular characters.
alvis and rae had the makings of such promising MCs. they had two very distinct personalities, interests and ways of thinking, and that all came together to create a relationship that seemed both perfectly balanced and yet frustrating to deal with. they certainly had their growing pains (an understatement lol), but i love that they got to a much stronger place in their pact by the end of the story. i was also pleasantly surprised to see just how invested i got in all of the other pacts as they would keep popping up throughout the book. i found myself really wanting to dive a little deeper into some of those relationships as well, particularly tal and aella’s and lamont and zaile’s. they were all just so freaking cute together!!! 💞💞💞
this review is getting long, so i’ll just wrap it up by saying that i wish we had gotten a slightly more complete ending to really conclude things, but i know that this book was never meant to be a standalone 😕 at this point i’m fairly certain that the author has no intentions of continuing on with the series, which is definitely a shame, but understandable given the low readership. i really enjoyed my reading experience overall and can already imagine that these characters will probably stick with me for a good long while 🤍
should this book really be getting 4 stars? mmm, probably not. but i’ve always been more of a vibey reader who rates based on personal enjoyment of the story more than anything else. that being said, i don’t think that there’s any possible way you could read this entire book and not be made painfully aware of the absolutely insane amount of errors that littered this book.
i had originally assumed, with this being an independently published book and all, that a lot of the grammatical errors and misused words were simply due to the author not having an editor to catch such things during the revisionary process (tho it is still slightly appalling to think about a literate adult miswording so very many things). so imagine my actual shock when i found out that this book had not one, but TWO different editors look over the writing prior to publishing. i can’t quite grasp how that’s even possible, but it’s definitely more than a little concerning.
technical issues aside, i found that i did still enjoy much of this story for what it was. the world-building was fascinating, albeit a tad confusing, and the storyline was intriguing, tho lacking in any sort of firm structure for future goals. the real stars of the show here, however, were undoubtedly all of the spectacular characters.
alvis and rae had the makings of such promising MCs. they had two very distinct personalities, interests and ways of thinking, and that all came together to create a relationship that seemed both perfectly balanced and yet frustrating to deal with. they certainly had their growing pains (an understatement lol), but i love that they got to a much stronger place in their pact by the end of the story. i was also pleasantly surprised to see just how invested i got in all of the other pacts as they would keep popping up throughout the book. i found myself really wanting to dive a little deeper into some of those relationships as well, particularly tal and aella’s and lamont and zaile’s. they were all just so freaking cute together!!! 💞💞💞
this review is getting long, so i’ll just wrap it up by saying that i wish we had gotten a slightly more complete ending to really conclude things, but i know that this book was never meant to be a standalone 😕 at this point i’m fairly certain that the author has no intentions of continuing on with the series, which is definitely a shame, but understandable given the low readership. i really enjoyed my reading experience overall and can already imagine that these characters will probably stick with me for a good long while 🤍
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