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Kings and Sorcerers #1
Rise of the Dragons
Kyra, 15, dreams of becoming a famed warrior, like her father, even though she is the only girl in a fort of boys. As she struggles to understand her special skills, her mysterious inner power, she realizes she is different than the others. But a secret is being kept from her about her birth and the prophecy surrounding her, leaving her to wonder who she really is.
When Kyra comes of age and the local lord comes to take her away, her father wants to wed her off to save her. Kyra, though, refuses, and she journeys out on her own, into a dangerous wood, where she encounters a wounded dragon—and ignites a series of events that will change the kingdom forever.
15-year-old Alec, meanwhile, sacrifices for his brother, taking his place in the draft, and is carted off to The Flames, a wall of flames a hundred feet high that wards off the army of Trolls to the east. On the far side of the kingdom, Merk, a mercenary striving to leave behind his dark past, quests through the wood to become a Watcher of the Towers and help guard the Sword of Fire, the magical source of the kingdom’s power. But the Trolls want the Sword, too—and they prepare for a massive invasion that could destroy the kingdoms forever.
With its strong atmosphere and complex characters, RISE OF THE DRAGONS is a sweeping saga of knights and warriors, of kings and lords, of honour and valour, of magic, destiny, monsters and dragons. It is a story of love and broken hearts, of deception, of ambition and betrayal. It is fantasy at its finest, inviting us into a world that will live with us forever, one that will appeal to all ages and genders.
When Kyra comes of age and the local lord comes to take her away, her father wants to wed her off to save her. Kyra, though, refuses, and she journeys out on her own, into a dangerous wood, where she encounters a wounded dragon—and ignites a series of events that will change the kingdom forever.
15-year-old Alec, meanwhile, sacrifices for his brother, taking his place in the draft, and is carted off to The Flames, a wall of flames a hundred feet high that wards off the army of Trolls to the east. On the far side of the kingdom, Merk, a mercenary striving to leave behind his dark past, quests through the wood to become a Watcher of the Towers and help guard the Sword of Fire, the magical source of the kingdom’s power. But the Trolls want the Sword, too—and they prepare for a massive invasion that could destroy the kingdoms forever.
With its strong atmosphere and complex characters, RISE OF THE DRAGONS is a sweeping saga of knights and warriors, of kings and lords, of honour and valour, of magic, destiny, monsters and dragons. It is a story of love and broken hearts, of deception, of ambition and betrayal. It is fantasy at its finest, inviting us into a world that will live with us forever, one that will appeal to all ages and genders.
Audiobook
First published December 22, 2014
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About the author
Morgan Rice
584 books3,373 followersMorgan Rice is the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of the epic fantasy series THE SORCERER’S RING, comprising seventeen books; of the #1 bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, comprising twelve books; of the #1 bestselling series THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY, a post-apocalyptic thriller comprising three books; of the epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS, comprising six books; of the epic fantasy series OF CROWNS AND GLORY, comprising 8 books; of the new epic fantasy series A THRONE FOR SISTERS, comprising eight books (and counting); and of the new science fiction series THE INVASION CHRONICLES. Morgan’s books are available in audio and print editions, and translations are available in over 25 languages.
TURNED (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals), ARENA ONE (Book #1 of the Survival Trilogy), A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1 in the Sorcerer’s Ring) and RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Kings and Sorcerers—Book #1) are each available as free downloads!
Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!
TURNED (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals), ARENA ONE (Book #1 of the Survival Trilogy), A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1 in the Sorcerer’s Ring) and RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Kings and Sorcerers—Book #1) are each available as free downloads!
Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,077 reviews
April 27, 2015
Based on what I’ve read in this book, I have to ask; how does the author have best seller status (according to their Amazon page)?
This is the first book in a series, although for all the satisfaction you get from following it to the bitter end I would be more inclined to say it’s a rather lengthy first instalment of a serial. There's not enough closure for this to be a 'stand alone' read.
Somewhere in this poorly written book there is a halfway decent story, but with a title of 'Rise of the Dragons', there’s not much dragon.
The story follows four different paths and by the end you start to see where they’ll knit together. But mostly it’s about Kyra, a teenage girl with a pre-destined fate. However, there's also a traveller name Merk, a boy called Alec forced in to what’s effectively national service, and there’s some trolls who are trying to break into the human world, but aren’t very interesting to read about.
What frustrated me the most about this book was the complete and utter lack of editing! It’s littered with grammatical mistakes, and page after page is so completely over written with so much ‘tell’ that you start to feel a bit patronised.
And the repetition … it’s almost predictable. For example, whenever we read about Merk, who is on a constant journey, there’s the line: “Merk hiked and hiked.” I counted it at least three times.
And when Kyra is fighting in one chapter she always hit her opponents in the “solar plexus”, not the gut, or the stomach or the ribs … Pass the thesaurus!
For an author with such an impressive catalogue of novels behind them, I have to ask why this book is so poorly put together; are they all like this? I downloaded two others by Morgan Rice, but really don’t think I could stand to read them now.
Clean this book up with a thorough prune and edit and you could retain the whole story and reduce it by at least a third.
This is the first book in a series, although for all the satisfaction you get from following it to the bitter end I would be more inclined to say it’s a rather lengthy first instalment of a serial. There's not enough closure for this to be a 'stand alone' read.
Somewhere in this poorly written book there is a halfway decent story, but with a title of 'Rise of the Dragons', there’s not much dragon.
The story follows four different paths and by the end you start to see where they’ll knit together. But mostly it’s about Kyra, a teenage girl with a pre-destined fate. However, there's also a traveller name Merk, a boy called Alec forced in to what’s effectively national service, and there’s some trolls who are trying to break into the human world, but aren’t very interesting to read about.
What frustrated me the most about this book was the complete and utter lack of editing! It’s littered with grammatical mistakes, and page after page is so completely over written with so much ‘tell’ that you start to feel a bit patronised.
And the repetition … it’s almost predictable. For example, whenever we read about Merk, who is on a constant journey, there’s the line: “Merk hiked and hiked.” I counted it at least three times.
And when Kyra is fighting in one chapter she always hit her opponents in the “solar plexus”, not the gut, or the stomach or the ribs … Pass the thesaurus!
For an author with such an impressive catalogue of novels behind them, I have to ask why this book is so poorly put together; are they all like this? I downloaded two others by Morgan Rice, but really don’t think I could stand to read them now.
Clean this book up with a thorough prune and edit and you could retain the whole story and reduce it by at least a third.
August 12, 2022
Morgan Rice has written a true book of fantasy with dragons, adventure, and the endless battle of good vs evil.
RISE OF THE DRAGONS is book one in the Kings and Sorcerers series. First published in 2015, but forever remembered as an outstanding read!
RISE OF THE DRAGONS is book one in the Kings and Sorcerers series. First published in 2015, but forever remembered as an outstanding read!
January 19, 2015
I must have somehow gotten a pre-released, unedited version, because this was perhaps the worst written fantasy novel I've read. Full of flagrant and elementary grammar errors, the author seems to prefer simply telling us what a character is thinking rather than showing us through intelligent dialogue. Clearly any character development is also for suckers. I am shocked to discover that this comes from a best-selling author! What?! I'm embarrassed for the genre.
June 22, 2016
I am proud of myself for finishing this book.
First, the good. The story was pretty interesting, and there were plot elements that I'd never read before.
And now the bad. The writing was almost ridiculously bad. 1 - The author repeated descriptions over and over, like she was just trying to up her word count. 2 - The dialogue was awkward and choppy. 3 - The characters' inner thoughts were downright idiotic. For instance, Kyra disobeys her father. When he finds out, he angrily storms away from her. She follows in his wake wondering "What could possibly be wrong with him? Is he stressing about tonight's festival?" 4 - There is a merc named.... wait for it... Merk! 5 - The book is filled with run on sentences. There are more commas in one sentence of this book than in the entire Constitution. Okay, that's obviously an exaggeration but you get my point. I would have to go back to the beginning of a sentence to figure out what she was talking about by the end of the sentence.
This book does not read like a finished work of literature. It's more like a first draft for a high school English paper.
First, the good. The story was pretty interesting, and there were plot elements that I'd never read before.
And now the bad. The writing was almost ridiculously bad. 1 - The author repeated descriptions over and over, like she was just trying to up her word count. 2 - The dialogue was awkward and choppy. 3 - The characters' inner thoughts were downright idiotic. For instance, Kyra disobeys her father. When he finds out, he angrily storms away from her. She follows in his wake wondering "What could possibly be wrong with him? Is he stressing about tonight's festival?" 4 - There is a merc named.... wait for it... Merk! 5 - The book is filled with run on sentences. There are more commas in one sentence of this book than in the entire Constitution. Okay, that's obviously an exaggeration but you get my point. I would have to go back to the beginning of a sentence to figure out what she was talking about by the end of the sentence.
This book does not read like a finished work of literature. It's more like a first draft for a high school English paper.
May 27, 2022
4 Stars ✨!
“Strength is not defined in times of peace. It is defined in hardship. Embrace your hardship, do not shy from it. Only then can you overcome it.”
Rise of the Dragons follows multiple Povs- 15 year old Kyra the only daughter to Commander Duncan, who used to be the Kings Champion- longs to be a warrior just like him. Growing up as the only girl at her fathers fort among her brothers and fathers men, what else could she possibly want? But her father has other plans for her and is withholding a secret from her about her birth and a prophecy. Kyra starts to realize that she’s different and feels a mysterious power and strength within her growing and yearns to understand what makes her different. One day a local lord comes to to take her away, but her father refuses and decides to wed her to a local in order to save her. Kyra finds out and runs away.
Meanwhile, 15 year old Alec, sacrifices himself to the draft in place of his brother who is handicapped and is taken to the wall of flames to be a guard to ward off the army of Trolls to the east. Merk, a mercenary who is trying to put his dark past behind him, journeys through woods to become a watcher of the towers to help guard the sword of flames, the magical source of the kingdoms power.
I found Rise of the Dragons to be a very interesting read. I just so happened to come across it as a bonus borrow audio on hoopla and thought I would give it a try, even though the reviews are hit and miss. It’s a simple clean light fantasy with likable characters. Its a tale about honor, kings, trolls, knights, family, war and DRAGONS.
I can tell by this first installment that the saga is just getting started. I found the the atmosphere to be intriguing and full of action to keep the pacing moving forward. I really liked Kyra as the main character and the compassion she had along with her ability to think things through at such a young age. I recommend the audio version, and I will definitely be returning to this world to see how things progress as the series builds.
“Strength is not defined in times of peace. It is defined in hardship. Embrace your hardship, do not shy from it. Only then can you overcome it.”
Rise of the Dragons follows multiple Povs- 15 year old Kyra the only daughter to Commander Duncan, who used to be the Kings Champion- longs to be a warrior just like him. Growing up as the only girl at her fathers fort among her brothers and fathers men, what else could she possibly want? But her father has other plans for her and is withholding a secret from her about her birth and a prophecy. Kyra starts to realize that she’s different and feels a mysterious power and strength within her growing and yearns to understand what makes her different. One day a local lord comes to to take her away, but her father refuses and decides to wed her to a local in order to save her. Kyra finds out and runs away.
Meanwhile, 15 year old Alec, sacrifices himself to the draft in place of his brother who is handicapped and is taken to the wall of flames to be a guard to ward off the army of Trolls to the east. Merk, a mercenary who is trying to put his dark past behind him, journeys through woods to become a watcher of the towers to help guard the sword of flames, the magical source of the kingdoms power.
I found Rise of the Dragons to be a very interesting read. I just so happened to come across it as a bonus borrow audio on hoopla and thought I would give it a try, even though the reviews are hit and miss. It’s a simple clean light fantasy with likable characters. Its a tale about honor, kings, trolls, knights, family, war and DRAGONS.
I can tell by this first installment that the saga is just getting started. I found the the atmosphere to be intriguing and full of action to keep the pacing moving forward. I really liked Kyra as the main character and the compassion she had along with her ability to think things through at such a young age. I recommend the audio version, and I will definitely be returning to this world to see how things progress as the series builds.
January 8, 2019
The author has some good ideas but the story is spoiled by what I can only assume was the lack of a reliable editor (if it was edited at all). For an author with such an impressive list of books to her name, this was not what I was expecting.
I am tempted to read book 2 to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I wouldn't be inclined to recommend her work to anyone else based on this book. I may be doing her a disservice but this book over-explained a lot and was riddled with errors of all sorts. I'll give a couple of examples just to give people an idea of what to expect.
Kyra held up the bow and weighed it in her hand, in awe at how it fit in her hand.
Bracers ran from her wrist to her elbow, and as they were clasped into place with a click, they fitted perfectly.
They were like part of her skin. They were so light yet so strong, protecting her from wrist to elbow.
She landed face first in the dirt. She was pretty, perhaps eighteen, but desheveled, her hair a mess, dirt and leaves in it, her clothes ragged and torn.
She could hear the dragon's voice in her mind's eye.
I'm sorry but this isn't a good advertisement for the author's talent. I won't be in any hurry to sample book 2, I'm afraid.
Thanks for reading.
I am tempted to read book 2 to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I wouldn't be inclined to recommend her work to anyone else based on this book. I may be doing her a disservice but this book over-explained a lot and was riddled with errors of all sorts. I'll give a couple of examples just to give people an idea of what to expect.
Kyra held up the bow and weighed it in her hand, in awe at how it fit in her hand.
Bracers ran from her wrist to her elbow, and as they were clasped into place with a click, they fitted perfectly.
They were like part of her skin. They were so light yet so strong, protecting her from wrist to elbow.
She landed face first in the dirt. She was pretty, perhaps eighteen, but desheveled, her hair a mess, dirt and leaves in it, her clothes ragged and torn.
She could hear the dragon's voice in her mind's eye.
I'm sorry but this isn't a good advertisement for the author's talent. I won't be in any hurry to sample book 2, I'm afraid.
Thanks for reading.
February 8, 2018
Sometimes you find some nice hidden gems amongst the free books on iBooks and this is definitely one of them. I was initially drawn in because of the dragon on the cover and I’m a sucker for dragons! The story wasn’t without its faults but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless! I quite enjoyed the main character and the way she thought, I really related to her on that level.
November 20, 2018
Don't bother.
Bad.
Really bad.
The author took a plot that could have been exciting and made it boring and bland with poor writing skills.
I had kindle count. The lead characters emotional state was described by referencing her heart 74 times
Bad.
Really bad.
The author took a plot that could have been exciting and made it boring and bland with poor writing skills.
I had kindle count. The lead characters emotional state was described by referencing her heart 74 times
April 5, 2024
This was a Spotify (??) listen, because I was super curious about Spotify audio books so I picked a freebie that sounded good.
I listened to the whole thing in a day (while playing Minecraft - classic) and it was okay. Based on other reviews, it seems audio is the way to go, because the narrator brought life to a story that otherwise might have been a chore to get through.
The language is definitely inconsistent, but since I was listening, I wasn't too bothered. It was easy for me to zone in and out without missing much of the story.
I wasn't particularly invested in any of the characters, so this was more like a background read? Just a chill lil fantasy adventure to drone in my ears.
Still not sure what the deal was with the dragon, though, and I'm getting really over stories that sell themselves to me with the presence of dragons and then short change the dragons, giving me a bunch of human drama instead.
Nothing particularly memorable about this story at all, and I don't think I'd want to read a physical copy. But it was an easy, short-ish listen that was free, so I can't complain.
Not a fan of Spotify for audiobooks, though. Stay in your lane, mate.
I listened to the whole thing in a day (while playing Minecraft - classic) and it was okay. Based on other reviews, it seems audio is the way to go, because the narrator brought life to a story that otherwise might have been a chore to get through.
The language is definitely inconsistent, but since I was listening, I wasn't too bothered. It was easy for me to zone in and out without missing much of the story.
I wasn't particularly invested in any of the characters, so this was more like a background read? Just a chill lil fantasy adventure to drone in my ears.
Still not sure what the deal was with the dragon, though, and I'm getting really over stories that sell themselves to me with the presence of dragons and then short change the dragons, giving me a bunch of human drama instead.
Nothing particularly memorable about this story at all, and I don't think I'd want to read a physical copy. But it was an easy, short-ish listen that was free, so I can't complain.
Not a fan of Spotify for audiobooks, though. Stay in your lane, mate.
February 23, 2015
DANG! DANG! DANG! Why you wonder? As I finished this glorious adventure of Kyra a 15 year old daughter of Commander Duncan, who longs to be trained as a true warrior but is unable because she is a girl, I find my desire to hear more of this tale... My husband hearing me shout Dang asked what was wrong...." to be continued" is all I said. Yep the story is that good.
Filled with delightful imagery of life in this medieval town this coming of age story has a man dealing with the day to day dealings of their town, the demands of an evil Lord Governor, the threat of trolls invading nearby and his daughter whom is more like him than he cares to admit. To top it all he also must deal with the prophesy of her destiny.
We are also introduced to Merk a man longing to escape his dark past and a 16 year old young man named Alec whom has taken his brother's place for Military service as a watcher to the Flame. The Flame is all that keeps the trolls from overtaking their realm.
I await to see how Merk and Alec's lived play out in this tale but if the continued story is as good as the first book there be a treat to behold. I look forward to the rest of the story. Thank you Morgan Rice but DANG! Lol.
Filled with delightful imagery of life in this medieval town this coming of age story has a man dealing with the day to day dealings of their town, the demands of an evil Lord Governor, the threat of trolls invading nearby and his daughter whom is more like him than he cares to admit. To top it all he also must deal with the prophesy of her destiny.
We are also introduced to Merk a man longing to escape his dark past and a 16 year old young man named Alec whom has taken his brother's place for Military service as a watcher to the Flame. The Flame is all that keeps the trolls from overtaking their realm.
I await to see how Merk and Alec's lived play out in this tale but if the continued story is as good as the first book there be a treat to behold. I look forward to the rest of the story. Thank you Morgan Rice but DANG! Lol.
October 25, 2016
I have thought long and hard about what to write in this review. While I found this book thoroughly tedious and dull, I am conscious that it is self-published and I got this one free on my kindle, so maybe I should not be too harsh. Writing a book is hard, this person gave it a go and so maybe some leniency is required.
Maybe I should stay my sword in its scabbard (one of the few clichés I don't remember being in the book...)
But if self-published authors are ever going to be as respected as those of the old publishing houses, then we have to judge them on the same criteria. Anyone who finishes a novel should be proud of their achievement, but if you ask others to pay for it (it is available in paperback for £5)and to spend time reading it, then your work must be judged by the same standards as any other piece of literature. Not doing so, would be doing it a disservice.
And with that in mind...
This book is terrible. There is a total lack of characterization for nearly everyone in this book. Those few for whom there has been some attempt to give a personality too are either so inconsistent or so clichéd you cannot connect with them as a real person.
As an example:
The narrative itself is very weak. There is little tension despite us being constantly reminded of the impending doom. The storyline is unfocused and wanders about all over the place, hinting at things that will be important in later books, while not really telling us what is important in this one. (Actually, we do get told a lot about what is important... it just never seems to be that related to the actual events going on.)
So I didn't enjoy the narrative, I didn't connect (or meet) with any characters, but maybe the writing style was enjoyable?
What do you think?
There were some good ideas in this book. I did quite like the border of fire (I don't think that's a spoiler) as a concept for example, but the characters were so weak I wasn't engaged, the narrative was too unfocused to build drama or tension, and the writing style was clunky and pretty poor. It needs a good edit, as does this review... but I'm nothing if not a hypocrite.
Maybe I should stay my sword in its scabbard (one of the few clichés I don't remember being in the book...)
But if self-published authors are ever going to be as respected as those of the old publishing houses, then we have to judge them on the same criteria. Anyone who finishes a novel should be proud of their achievement, but if you ask others to pay for it (it is available in paperback for £5)and to spend time reading it, then your work must be judged by the same standards as any other piece of literature. Not doing so, would be doing it a disservice.
And with that in mind...
This book is terrible. There is a total lack of characterization for nearly everyone in this book. Those few for whom there has been some attempt to give a personality too are either so inconsistent or so clichéd you cannot connect with them as a real person.
As an example:
The narrative itself is very weak. There is little tension despite us being constantly reminded of the impending doom. The storyline is unfocused and wanders about all over the place, hinting at things that will be important in later books, while not really telling us what is important in this one. (Actually, we do get told a lot about what is important... it just never seems to be that related to the actual events going on.)
So I didn't enjoy the narrative, I didn't connect (or meet) with any characters, but maybe the writing style was enjoyable?
What do you think?
There were some good ideas in this book. I did quite like the border of fire (I don't think that's a spoiler) as a concept for example, but the characters were so weak I wasn't engaged, the narrative was too unfocused to build drama or tension, and the writing style was clunky and pretty poor. It needs a good edit, as does this review... but I'm nothing if not a hypocrite.
May 9, 2015
At about 4/5ths of the way in, it got ridiculous. Up until that point I would have rated it 4 stars.
I did finish it, despite my growing frustration.
I did finish it, despite my growing frustration.
March 15, 2015
Very short review to come.
I had no real expectations of this book. The synopsis sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a try. I finished it in one day and it was so disappointing. It almost seemed like the author was in a tearing hurry to get done with this story. Things progress far too quickly in the book and there were times when I wasn't entirely sure as to how much time had passed. There are three narratives and it seemed like each was progressing at a different pace. Also the main protagonist, Kyra, she is clearly different (Rice makes sure to tell us this numerous times, just in case we missed it the first few times) and she does seem to have powers but she knows nothing about them. Her father clearly knows whats happening and instead of telling her, he tells her to seek her uncle and ask him. Gee thanks, that's helpful.
This was an epic waste of time.
I had no real expectations of this book. The synopsis sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a try. I finished it in one day and it was so disappointing. It almost seemed like the author was in a tearing hurry to get done with this story. Things progress far too quickly in the book and there were times when I wasn't entirely sure as to how much time had passed. There are three narratives and it seemed like each was progressing at a different pace. Also the main protagonist, Kyra, she is clearly different (Rice makes sure to tell us this numerous times, just in case we missed it the first few times) and she does seem to have powers but she knows nothing about them. Her father clearly knows whats happening and instead of telling her, he tells her to seek her uncle and ask him. Gee thanks, that's helpful.
This was an epic waste of time.
November 15, 2016
Terrible.
Just terrible.
Just terrible.
January 31, 2017
When I saw just how prolific Morgan Rice's catalog of books was (17 installments in 1 series alone), I didn't have high expectations for this debut of a different series. It's a good thing I kept them low.
There's promise of a decent story, but you mostly get poorly and overwritten tripe. The author is a fan of telling, not showing. Grammatical mistakes abound with incorrect words, improper punctuation, repeated words or phrases, and just about any other common mistake you might find with lower quality indie works. It's rife with poor writing skills.
All the characters are one dimensional and refuse to change in the slightest throughout the entirety of the story other than the protagonist Kyra who experiences the barest minimum amount of growth. You know exactly the type of person every other character is from the beginning, whether noble or kind or evil or pompous. Naturally, the only soldier who is mean and arrogant from the start ousts himself as the Judas of the group because the ending events need a catalyst.
There was the primary POV of Kyra and three other minor POV characters that pop up here and there. I'll say that two of those three are more interesting than the predominant plotline of this first installment, while the other is so godawfully cringeworthy that my eyes were almost stuck out of focus. Evil Troll is evil for sake of being evil with a dumb and evil plan that somehow works because it has to for later books down the line.
I could have taken notes on every single point of contention I had with this book and written my own on the inconsistencies and nonsensical elements, but you get the idea. I'll say that there was just enough to keep me interested that I kept going and wanted to finish the story, but it's very unlikely I'll continue the series barring extreme boredom and finding it free to download. 1.5/5 rounded up to 2/5.
There's promise of a decent story, but you mostly get poorly and overwritten tripe. The author is a fan of telling, not showing. Grammatical mistakes abound with incorrect words, improper punctuation, repeated words or phrases, and just about any other common mistake you might find with lower quality indie works. It's rife with poor writing skills.
All the characters are one dimensional and refuse to change in the slightest throughout the entirety of the story other than the protagonist Kyra who experiences the barest minimum amount of growth. You know exactly the type of person every other character is from the beginning, whether noble or kind or evil or pompous. Naturally, the only soldier who is mean and arrogant from the start ousts himself as the Judas of the group because the ending events need a catalyst.
There was the primary POV of Kyra and three other minor POV characters that pop up here and there. I'll say that two of those three are more interesting than the predominant plotline of this first installment, while the other is so godawfully cringeworthy that my eyes were almost stuck out of focus. Evil Troll is evil for sake of being evil with a dumb and evil plan that somehow works because it has to for later books down the line.
I could have taken notes on every single point of contention I had with this book and written my own on the inconsistencies and nonsensical elements, but you get the idea. I'll say that there was just enough to keep me interested that I kept going and wanted to finish the story, but it's very unlikely I'll continue the series barring extreme boredom and finding it free to download. 1.5/5 rounded up to 2/5.
August 29, 2016
An enjoyable enough, although unchallenging read of a story that fails to deviate from predictable tropes. It stands as a fine example that anyone who dreams of being a published author can now be so.
I can only hope that those who read this book feel compelled to write a better book in which we are not directly told the characters feeling and one in which suspense is allowed be built up.
I can only hope that those who read this book feel compelled to write a better book in which we are not directly told the characters feeling and one in which suspense is allowed be built up.
September 2, 2025
Listened on Audiobooks and really enjoyed the story
June 5, 2017
“Rise of the Dragons” is billed as a “sweeping new epic fantasy,” though there are reasons I would disagree with that statement. While it is possible to figure out that this is (or should be identified as) a YA fantasy novel, it is not described as such. More on that later.
The initial part of the book introduced many characters, parading one name after another until I found myself questioning if I would need to remember all of them or would I have forgotten who each was when they crossed the pages again. This was compounded by the name choices, many of which began with an “A” – Anvin, Aidan, Arthfael, Alec, Ashton. In a story with multiple characters, careful choices would have helped readers with the struggle to keep track of everyone.
The writing style was both good and distracting. The author moved from “fantasy speech” to everyday speech in the blink of an eye, and terms were used that would be unfamiliar to Kyra (the story’s heroine) and those in her world (as an example, gymnast was used to describe Kyra). Many of the characters speak like Kyra’s father, Duncan: “Out with it, then. Bad news grows only more stale with time.” Contrast that with Merk, a former Mercenary/assassin: “Sometimes, boys, you just pick the wrong man to mess with.” The collision of fantasy speech with modern day jargon can instantly jolt a reader out of the story.
The author does take the time to regularly add to the history of the world, such as when describing how Duncan and other warriors had been torn apart and scattered throughout the lands when their king had surrendered to the Pandesians. I thought the dribbles of information released here and there about Kyra were excellently employed, grabbing my interest and forcing me to continue turning the pages. The ongoing descriptions of the main character as well as the glimpses into her thoughts made for entertaining reading and kept adding to the reasons why I found it hard at times to set the book down. For me, this was the main strength of the book.
Other items of the plot were not as successful. The Flames and how it is guarded is somewhat similar to George R. R. Martin’s Night Watch and The Wall, and the use of a dragon in the story might cause readers to note another similarity with the same “Song of Fire and Ice” series. The plot is predictable, and the unexplained battle powers that Kyra exhibits make her akin to a superhero. I was grateful that Rice did wrap up much of the story in this book. Yes, there are questions that are not answered, but the author did not rely upon a cliffhanger ending to gain buyers for book two. I also commend the author for demonstrating that you can write an entire book without lacing every other paragraph with oaths and vulgarities. For those who are curious, there are no sex scenes in the novel, either, although there are small hints that Kyra might a relationship in future books.
If considered a YA story and series, it is easier to forgive some of the items listed above. Kyra’s powers, the language style inconsistencies, and the use of previously successful plot elements in other books are not the crucial errors they might be if aimed at an older set of readers. This made it difficult to assess stars to this book, and I feel it is only fair to award two ratings. If you are a reader of fantasy and you like your stories tightly written with a lot of originality in the world-building, I would rate this as a three-star offering and leave it up to you if you wish to read it. If you are a lover of YA novels, this is an entry book that you will probably enjoy. As a YA novel (which is what I consider Rise of the Dragons” to be) this would be a four-star.
The initial part of the book introduced many characters, parading one name after another until I found myself questioning if I would need to remember all of them or would I have forgotten who each was when they crossed the pages again. This was compounded by the name choices, many of which began with an “A” – Anvin, Aidan, Arthfael, Alec, Ashton. In a story with multiple characters, careful choices would have helped readers with the struggle to keep track of everyone.
The writing style was both good and distracting. The author moved from “fantasy speech” to everyday speech in the blink of an eye, and terms were used that would be unfamiliar to Kyra (the story’s heroine) and those in her world (as an example, gymnast was used to describe Kyra). Many of the characters speak like Kyra’s father, Duncan: “Out with it, then. Bad news grows only more stale with time.” Contrast that with Merk, a former Mercenary/assassin: “Sometimes, boys, you just pick the wrong man to mess with.” The collision of fantasy speech with modern day jargon can instantly jolt a reader out of the story.
The author does take the time to regularly add to the history of the world, such as when describing how Duncan and other warriors had been torn apart and scattered throughout the lands when their king had surrendered to the Pandesians. I thought the dribbles of information released here and there about Kyra were excellently employed, grabbing my interest and forcing me to continue turning the pages. The ongoing descriptions of the main character as well as the glimpses into her thoughts made for entertaining reading and kept adding to the reasons why I found it hard at times to set the book down. For me, this was the main strength of the book.
Other items of the plot were not as successful. The Flames and how it is guarded is somewhat similar to George R. R. Martin’s Night Watch and The Wall, and the use of a dragon in the story might cause readers to note another similarity with the same “Song of Fire and Ice” series. The plot is predictable, and the unexplained battle powers that Kyra exhibits make her akin to a superhero. I was grateful that Rice did wrap up much of the story in this book. Yes, there are questions that are not answered, but the author did not rely upon a cliffhanger ending to gain buyers for book two. I also commend the author for demonstrating that you can write an entire book without lacing every other paragraph with oaths and vulgarities. For those who are curious, there are no sex scenes in the novel, either, although there are small hints that Kyra might a relationship in future books.
If considered a YA story and series, it is easier to forgive some of the items listed above. Kyra’s powers, the language style inconsistencies, and the use of previously successful plot elements in other books are not the crucial errors they might be if aimed at an older set of readers. This made it difficult to assess stars to this book, and I feel it is only fair to award two ratings. If you are a reader of fantasy and you like your stories tightly written with a lot of originality in the world-building, I would rate this as a three-star offering and leave it up to you if you wish to read it. If you are a lover of YA novels, this is an entry book that you will probably enjoy. As a YA novel (which is what I consider Rise of the Dragons” to be) this would be a four-star.
May 10, 2025
Free Kindle download. YA coming of age book with a Dragon with a strong female lead. I wanted to like this book, the story itself is alright, although a fairly common tale. It took me a while to put my finger on it, but I think this is an example of being told the story rather than shown the story. Still if you can happily gloss over some of the telling, then it is an enjoyable enough tale, and can hold your interest.
June 10, 2015
Rise of the DragonsRise of the DragonsI didn't want to finish this book at all; it just frustrated me from start to finish. But I did manage to finish it, hence the two stars.
There were many glaring editing issues in this. For example, the distance from Volis to the Flames is described as one day on horseback. But the main character, Kyra, was able to walk that distance in a matter of hours, in a blizzard. The distance from Volis to Andros is about 100 miles, but it only took minutes for a whole army to get there.
The book was so repetitive, it seemed like two rough drafts mushed together. Alec would put down his hammer, then a paragraph later he puts it down again. And how many times did Rice write "Kyra knew her life would never be the same again"?
The troll king describing trolls as uglier than humans really disgusted me. Trolls would describe the humans to be uglier than them. We're so puny and smooth compared to them.
This book is a classic what not to do when writing a story - too much tell, hardly any show. I wasn't sure if I was reading a story or character bios.
The story showed so much promise if only it was edited more thoroughly. The entire writing was rushed, characters barely put together, the world building flimsy at best. I won't bother with the rest of this series.
There were many glaring editing issues in this. For example, the distance from Volis to the Flames is described as one day on horseback. But the main character, Kyra, was able to walk that distance in a matter of hours, in a blizzard. The distance from Volis to Andros is about 100 miles, but it only took minutes for a whole army to get there.
The book was so repetitive, it seemed like two rough drafts mushed together. Alec would put down his hammer, then a paragraph later he puts it down again. And how many times did Rice write "Kyra knew her life would never be the same again"?
The troll king describing trolls as uglier than humans really disgusted me. Trolls would describe the humans to be uglier than them. We're so puny and smooth compared to them.
This book is a classic what not to do when writing a story - too much tell, hardly any show. I wasn't sure if I was reading a story or character bios.
The story showed so much promise if only it was edited more thoroughly. The entire writing was rushed, characters barely put together, the world building flimsy at best. I won't bother with the rest of this series.
December 29, 2017
For somebody who has written so many books this one is definitely not her greatest efford.
The premise and storyline did intrigue me and were not that bad. And I certainly did sort of like the characters. But they did not develop at all and you only get to know them on the surface.
But that did not make this a 2 star rating. What did was the extremely bad writing and/or editing. So many words and phrases repeated themselfs it was most annoying. At some point Kyra doesnt feel like she doesnt belong, you will read an entire alinea why she feel like that and that will end again with the phrase that she doesnt feel like she belongs. Or she hits two men in the solar plexus on almost the same page. And even though English is not my native tongue even I could detect numerous grammatical errors.
Needless to say I will not continue this series.
The premise and storyline did intrigue me and were not that bad. And I certainly did sort of like the characters. But they did not develop at all and you only get to know them on the surface.
But that did not make this a 2 star rating. What did was the extremely bad writing and/or editing. So many words and phrases repeated themselfs it was most annoying. At some point Kyra doesnt feel like she doesnt belong, you will read an entire alinea why she feel like that and that will end again with the phrase that she doesnt feel like she belongs. Or she hits two men in the solar plexus on almost the same page. And even though English is not my native tongue even I could detect numerous grammatical errors.
Needless to say I will not continue this series.
April 4, 2017
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The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Let's see...I think I feel like reading a book about dragons. Cool! Here's one! It has a dragon on the cover and is called Rise of the Dragons! Perfect.
Hmm. No dragons on the first page.
10% done...no dragons yet.
20% done. Still no dragons.
30% done. Nope.
40% done. There's one!
Never mind. He only lasted 2 pages.
99% done...The dragon's back...
...for 1 paragraph.
The end.
This book was awful. Nothing happens. Don't read it.
Happy reading...of something else.
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Let's see...I think I feel like reading a book about dragons. Cool! Here's one! It has a dragon on the cover and is called Rise of the Dragons! Perfect.
Hmm. No dragons on the first page.
10% done...no dragons yet.
20% done. Still no dragons.
30% done. Nope.
40% done. There's one!
Never mind. He only lasted 2 pages.
99% done...The dragon's back...
...for 1 paragraph.
The end.
This book was awful. Nothing happens. Don't read it.
Happy reading...of something else.
January 23, 2015
Rise of the Dragons features some fairly common devices in fantasy these days: dragons (of course), a feisty female protagonist (once an exception, now more of a norm), a quest, and a coming of age story set against the backdrop of a desperate mission.
If you take these elements of formula fantasy genre writing and apply them here, outwardly the result sounds much like many other books. But the real test of a work that is different lies in what the author does with the characters, setting, and plot: how characterization is handled, how struggles are depicted, and - most importantly - how much a reader can relate to the various conflicts and influences of the protagonists.
Herein lies the opportunity for riches - and Rise of the Dragons succeeds in incorporating depth and an intriguing twist into a plot which could otherwise all too easily have been considered a too-predictible approach.
Now, many fantasies paint pictures of other worlds. The better ones immerse readers in those worlds - as Rise of the Dragons does from the start. It's difficult to paint an environment rich enough to actually feel the crunch of snow beneath one's feet, the unusual landscape of 'purple pine trees', and the efforts of a girl who 'never fit in' to accept not the domestic duties expected of girls, but the warrior powers she's inherited from her father Morgan Rice. But the saga succeeds - right from the start - in creating this all-important scene, juxtaposing Kyra's strengths and interests with the physical environment and social influences around her.
Immersion: it's what a superior fantasy is all about - and this feel is evident in a story that begins, as it should, with one protagonist's struggles and moves neatly into a wider circle of knights, dragons, magic and monsters, and destiny.
It's easy to create formula writing that's predictable. Moving from one-dimension to three-dimensional thinking, however, takes attention to detail and streamlining characters, settings, and purposes in such a way that readers feel involved in the story and its outcome; not distanced in the role of the dispassionate observer.
It's all too easy to use action-packed adventure to overcome a lack of protagonist development, but Rise of the Dragons avoids this common trap and takes the higher road of involvement - and that's what makes this series opener a recommended winner for any who enjoy epic fantasy writing fueled by powerful, believable young adult protagonists.
If you take these elements of formula fantasy genre writing and apply them here, outwardly the result sounds much like many other books. But the real test of a work that is different lies in what the author does with the characters, setting, and plot: how characterization is handled, how struggles are depicted, and - most importantly - how much a reader can relate to the various conflicts and influences of the protagonists.
Herein lies the opportunity for riches - and Rise of the Dragons succeeds in incorporating depth and an intriguing twist into a plot which could otherwise all too easily have been considered a too-predictible approach.
Now, many fantasies paint pictures of other worlds. The better ones immerse readers in those worlds - as Rise of the Dragons does from the start. It's difficult to paint an environment rich enough to actually feel the crunch of snow beneath one's feet, the unusual landscape of 'purple pine trees', and the efforts of a girl who 'never fit in' to accept not the domestic duties expected of girls, but the warrior powers she's inherited from her father Morgan Rice. But the saga succeeds - right from the start - in creating this all-important scene, juxtaposing Kyra's strengths and interests with the physical environment and social influences around her.
Immersion: it's what a superior fantasy is all about - and this feel is evident in a story that begins, as it should, with one protagonist's struggles and moves neatly into a wider circle of knights, dragons, magic and monsters, and destiny.
It's easy to create formula writing that's predictable. Moving from one-dimension to three-dimensional thinking, however, takes attention to detail and streamlining characters, settings, and purposes in such a way that readers feel involved in the story and its outcome; not distanced in the role of the dispassionate observer.
It's all too easy to use action-packed adventure to overcome a lack of protagonist development, but Rise of the Dragons avoids this common trap and takes the higher road of involvement - and that's what makes this series opener a recommended winner for any who enjoy epic fantasy writing fueled by powerful, believable young adult protagonists.
January 26, 2024
Decent story... terrible writing... but the guy narrating is decent to listen to.
will-not-finish
January 18, 2015DNF
I didn't get very far into the story, before I couldn't take any more. The main character talks about how humble she is, then beams brightly anytime she gets any praise for her many perfect skills.
The beginning consists of a sentence or two of dialogue, then paragraph after paragraph of back story; another sentence or two or dialogue, and more back story. It introduces new characters not by SHOWING us their relationship with the main character, but by giving us a few paragraphs that lay out how much this person loves/hates the MC, and why. The characters themselves are very cliche.
I didn't get very far into the story, before I couldn't take any more. The main character talks about how humble she is, then beams brightly anytime she gets any praise for her many perfect skills.
The beginning consists of a sentence or two of dialogue, then paragraph after paragraph of back story; another sentence or two or dialogue, and more back story. It introduces new characters not by SHOWING us their relationship with the main character, but by giving us a few paragraphs that lay out how much this person loves/hates the MC, and why. The characters themselves are very cliche.
November 6, 2019
Trigger warning alert " attempted rape"
The book has a solid story line when it comes to kyra's story... as she is the main heroine of the series... her tale is solid and consistence ... i also love the way the author portrayed her as a strong female who is willing to do what is to be done to protect her family and people but still keep to her moral codes and is not afraid to show her weaker side sometimes.
the other 2 heroes (am assuming here) story line was a bit confusing especially Alec since a little of his history was given compared to Merk who we get to know his background story.
All in all am looking forward to reading the 2nd part and to see what's gonna happen to them 3.
The book has a solid story line when it comes to kyra's story... as she is the main heroine of the series... her tale is solid and consistence ... i also love the way the author portrayed her as a strong female who is willing to do what is to be done to protect her family and people but still keep to her moral codes and is not afraid to show her weaker side sometimes.
the other 2 heroes (am assuming here) story line was a bit confusing especially Alec since a little of his history was given compared to Merk who we get to know his background story.
All in all am looking forward to reading the 2nd part and to see what's gonna happen to them 3.
January 11, 2022
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A book that definitely needs some strong editing, and really has not a whole lot new to offer the field.
A book that definitely needs some strong editing, and really has not a whole lot new to offer the field.
April 13, 2023
Este libro tiene sus puntos fuertes y sus puntos muy debiles, creo que plantea mundo muy interesante pero hay cosas que me descolocaron,hubo unos problemas de continuidad que no son nada importante o alarmante pero que note, a veces la narracion iba por un buen punto y por momentos decaia, uno de los villanos me da el "soy muy malo muah muah" y ya... no habia mas motivo que ese, incluso cuando te daba la sensacion que iba a existir un MOTIVO del porque quiere lo que quiere no te lo dicen, asi que los capitulos en los que aparecio (gracias a dios fueron muy pocos y cortos) era un "ok eres malo ya entendi", aparte de eso, algo que me gusta es que no plantea a un unico enemigo, nos cuenta que hay cosas mas grandes y que no conocemos, lo que esta muy bien, solo espero que ya en el proximo libro cuando nos muestren mas de Visubius (porque justamente ya este personaje se va a involucrar mas en la historia) me den mas que un "malo malo quiero ver el mundo arder" porque si no voy a tener que tirar la toalla.
Tienes sus puntos malos, si, ¿probablmente se merezca un 2,5 en ves de 3? Si, ¿me engancho un monton y no podia parar de leer? tambien, asi que voy a estar leyendo el siguiente libro con esperanzas.
(Alguien que le haga una re-edicion a este libro, lo necesita, es del 2015 piedad)
Tienes sus puntos malos, si, ¿probablmente se merezca un 2,5 en ves de 3? Si, ¿me engancho un monton y no podia parar de leer? tambien, asi que voy a estar leyendo el siguiente libro con esperanzas.
(Alguien que le haga una re-edicion a este libro, lo necesita, es del 2015 piedad)
July 9, 2020
Yo escuche este audiolibro y la verdad al principio me aburrió mucho pero despues se va poniendo bueno.
La historia trata de Kyra una chica de 15 años que vive en una fortaleza junto con su padre y mucho guerreros mas, asi que ella también quiere ser uno de ellos, sin embargo ella tendrá que enfrentar a su familia y hasta guerreros de su padre para demostrarles que puede ser una chica y a la vez una guerrera.
Bueno Kyra comenzara una aventura en la cual se encuentra con un dragón pero sobre todo tendra que enfrentar la verdad de quien realmente es ella, Kyra es la única que puede derrotar a los pandesianos y al señor gobernador que desde hace muchos años invadieron Escalón.
En fin me pareció una lectura entretenida pero hasta ahi, no fue la gran cosa...😕
La historia trata de Kyra una chica de 15 años que vive en una fortaleza junto con su padre y mucho guerreros mas, asi que ella también quiere ser uno de ellos, sin embargo ella tendrá que enfrentar a su familia y hasta guerreros de su padre para demostrarles que puede ser una chica y a la vez una guerrera.
Bueno Kyra comenzara una aventura en la cual se encuentra con un dragón pero sobre todo tendra que enfrentar la verdad de quien realmente es ella, Kyra es la única que puede derrotar a los pandesianos y al señor gobernador que desde hace muchos años invadieron Escalón.
En fin me pareció una lectura entretenida pero hasta ahi, no fue la gran cosa...😕
September 6, 2024
“I’m not like other girls” if it was written by a man. Lots of unended plot lines so you def need to read the other ones to make it make sense. Idk if I would tho
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