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Dragon Train Rebellion
Dragon Train Rebellion picks up the story two years after the end of Dragon Train (Book 1). Jaiden has returned to his father's farm in the village of Hilltop and both try to get along better but their poor relationship mostly returns to what it had been. Two years before, after discovering he can communicate mentally with Skye, the huge blue dragon, Jaiden had set out on a quest to help her and her family escape their enslavement by humanity. The blue dragons' first act of freedom was to make their way to Septrion, a vast desert north of the more verdent human lands of plains and mountains. However, it's a grim existence living in the desert and the dragons begin to prepare to fight for their freedom and return to their traditional lives in mountain caverns.
Skye visits Jaiden to enlist him in their cause since he had expressed earlier that he didn't want to be left out of any dragon effort to gain freedom for all dragons and not just the few who have escaped or survived the last Dragon War, years earlier. Jaiden works closely with Skye and her mate, Caerulus and is assigned to train for battle with Trigger, an escaped silver dragon who is smaller and can fly in tighter manuevers than the blue dragons. Their relationship is rather rocky because Jaiden's inexperience is viewed by Trigger as a hindrance.
Among the small community of dragons are the Founders who are much older by several decades than the Novis, the newly escaped dragons. Though the Founders had survived defeat in the Dragon Wars, they still desire to even the score with the help of the Novis. Jaiden finds the powerful Founders rather scary but equally fascinating.
Then shock spreads like a wildfire among all the dragons of Septrion when Skye and Caerulus' children are abducted by a sneak attack by humans. Jaiden and Skye make a mad dash to the nearby human town of Lynden to rescue the young dragons before they are taken to Portville, the site of the Big Barn, the main holding facility for the blue dragons who are forced to tow human-built trains. Between Jaiden and Skye's efforts, the two younger dragons are rescued but Jaiden and the older male dragon, Baldric, are taken prisoner to Portville.
Jaiden ends up in a dungeon fortress along with an old man and young woman in cells next to his. All are accused of aiding dragons and are labeled "dragon lovers." Jaiden is hesitant to share much with the other two people but slowly develops a basic trust for them. Ubel, the prison warden seems to convince Jaiden to betray the dragons and lead his band of prison guards to Lynden and attack the dragons. However, Jaiden conceives a plan to alert the dragons his is coming with a human attack force. He discovers how to communicate mentally with Baldric at a distance of a few miles and later with Skye to warn her of the coming attack.
As Ubel and his guards march into the desert, Jaiden's warning to the dragons allows them to ambush the humans and kill all of them while rescuing Jaiden and his new companions. Jaiden feels responsible for letting Baldric get taken by the humans, though Skye does not blame him. Undiscouraged, Jaiden convinces the sarcastic and reluctant Trigger to fly him straight to Portville to rescue the young dragons. On the way, he picks up three farm boys who had helped Skye and him free Caerulus and the children two years earlier.
Before Jaiden, Trigger and boys devise a way to rescue Baldric, Skye and Caerulus rush to Portville to assist in the rescue. A fierce fight with with human workers and guards in the Big Barn, near the train station, results in the boys and dragons escaping with Baldric. Back at Septrion, everyone prepares for the war to come. In gratitude, Skye gives Jaiden a crossbow, something he's always wanted and feels he will need soon.
Skye visits Jaiden to enlist him in their cause since he had expressed earlier that he didn't want to be left out of any dragon effort to gain freedom for all dragons and not just the few who have escaped or survived the last Dragon War, years earlier. Jaiden works closely with Skye and her mate, Caerulus and is assigned to train for battle with Trigger, an escaped silver dragon who is smaller and can fly in tighter manuevers than the blue dragons. Their relationship is rather rocky because Jaiden's inexperience is viewed by Trigger as a hindrance.
Among the small community of dragons are the Founders who are much older by several decades than the Novis, the newly escaped dragons. Though the Founders had survived defeat in the Dragon Wars, they still desire to even the score with the help of the Novis. Jaiden finds the powerful Founders rather scary but equally fascinating.
Then shock spreads like a wildfire among all the dragons of Septrion when Skye and Caerulus' children are abducted by a sneak attack by humans. Jaiden and Skye make a mad dash to the nearby human town of Lynden to rescue the young dragons before they are taken to Portville, the site of the Big Barn, the main holding facility for the blue dragons who are forced to tow human-built trains. Between Jaiden and Skye's efforts, the two younger dragons are rescued but Jaiden and the older male dragon, Baldric, are taken prisoner to Portville.
Jaiden ends up in a dungeon fortress along with an old man and young woman in cells next to his. All are accused of aiding dragons and are labeled "dragon lovers." Jaiden is hesitant to share much with the other two people but slowly develops a basic trust for them. Ubel, the prison warden seems to convince Jaiden to betray the dragons and lead his band of prison guards to Lynden and attack the dragons. However, Jaiden conceives a plan to alert the dragons his is coming with a human attack force. He discovers how to communicate mentally with Baldric at a distance of a few miles and later with Skye to warn her of the coming attack.
As Ubel and his guards march into the desert, Jaiden's warning to the dragons allows them to ambush the humans and kill all of them while rescuing Jaiden and his new companions. Jaiden feels responsible for letting Baldric get taken by the humans, though Skye does not blame him. Undiscouraged, Jaiden convinces the sarcastic and reluctant Trigger to fly him straight to Portville to rescue the young dragons. On the way, he picks up three farm boys who had helped Skye and him free Caerulus and the children two years earlier.
Before Jaiden, Trigger and boys devise a way to rescue Baldric, Skye and Caerulus rush to Portville to assist in the rescue. A fierce fight with with human workers and guards in the Big Barn, near the train station, results in the boys and dragons escaping with Baldric. Back at Septrion, everyone prepares for the war to come. In gratitude, Skye gives Jaiden a crossbow, something he's always wanted and feels he will need soon.
246 pages, Paperback
Published December 30, 2022
About the author
Rj The Story Guy
5 booksRJ the Story Guy has lived in the Middle Rio Grande Valley for most of his life. He belongs to Southwest Writers and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. He wrote a New Mexico-based fantasy series for group-ups that were Finalists in the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards in the Fantasy/Science Fiction category between 2013 and 2017. Turning to writing children’s books, in late 2019, he published Trixie Finds Her People, the beginning of a series of books based on a family’s experiences with their rescue dog. Already the book has earned Finalist status in the international 2020 Next Generation Indies Book Awards for the Animals/Pets category and also Finalist in Children’s category of the 2020 New Mexico Press Women’s Communications Awards. He is currently working on a dragon story for young teen readers.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 14, 2023
Overview.
A Good Teen and YA story.
This book is the second in the Dragon Train series. It begins two years after the events of Dragon Train.
It is an original take on dragons. There was, many years before, a war between dragons and humans. The humans won and enslaved the dragons, treating them badly and making them pull their trains.
The humans–most of them–are unaware that dragons are intelligent and can speak to each other through telepathy.
Story.
Jaidon is visited by the Dragon, Skye, whom he rescued from the dragon train along with her mate and three youngsters. She wants his help in freeing the dragons from slavery.
Jaidon goes with her to where the free dragons live–a less than hospitable place, where he is enlisted to help.
I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it there.
Characters.
Jaidon is a believable character. He has problems with his father, as many teenagers do, but he is loyal in his determination that the dragons should not be enslaved. He is likeable and brave, too.
The dragons all have different personalities. Skye seems to look on Jaidon as one of her own children and there are occasions when he thinks she is behaving like a mother. Her mate is not quite as certain of Jaidon as Skye, but is willing to trust him, in order to gain dragonkind’s freedom.
And there is one very scary dragon who has never been enslaved. He is a huge blue called Helmut. He has his doubts about Jaidon, but decides that he has to trust him, but only up to a point.
Writing.
RJ draws a clear picture of the dragons and their situation. He makes us feel sympathy for them. I think there is just enough description of the surroundings for us to be able to envisage it.
He certainly makes Helmut scary!
There were not many typos, although I did notice a few, but the grammar and punctuation were flawless.
A Good Teen and YA story.
This book is the second in the Dragon Train series. It begins two years after the events of Dragon Train.
It is an original take on dragons. There was, many years before, a war between dragons and humans. The humans won and enslaved the dragons, treating them badly and making them pull their trains.
The humans–most of them–are unaware that dragons are intelligent and can speak to each other through telepathy.
Story.
Jaidon is visited by the Dragon, Skye, whom he rescued from the dragon train along with her mate and three youngsters. She wants his help in freeing the dragons from slavery.
Jaidon goes with her to where the free dragons live–a less than hospitable place, where he is enlisted to help.
I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it there.
Characters.
Jaidon is a believable character. He has problems with his father, as many teenagers do, but he is loyal in his determination that the dragons should not be enslaved. He is likeable and brave, too.
The dragons all have different personalities. Skye seems to look on Jaidon as one of her own children and there are occasions when he thinks she is behaving like a mother. Her mate is not quite as certain of Jaidon as Skye, but is willing to trust him, in order to gain dragonkind’s freedom.
And there is one very scary dragon who has never been enslaved. He is a huge blue called Helmut. He has his doubts about Jaidon, but decides that he has to trust him, but only up to a point.
Writing.
RJ draws a clear picture of the dragons and their situation. He makes us feel sympathy for them. I think there is just enough description of the surroundings for us to be able to envisage it.
He certainly makes Helmut scary!
There were not many typos, although I did notice a few, but the grammar and punctuation were flawless.
June 14, 2023
Targeted for YA-Teens I am an adult and absolutely love reading this fantasy adventure series so far. RJ The Story Guy whisks you back effortlessly into his medieval-style world, where humans and dragons exist. RJ writes in a refreshing way making his characters down-to-earth and relatable, especially in our young protagonist Jaiden, who has no clue about being a hero and second-guesses himself constantly but knows right from wrong and is passionate about correcting them.
RJ describes the dragons in majestic glory, from the large “Blues” to the more serpent-like “Golds and Silvers.” giving each a personality and a soul.
If you are looking for a wholesome book for your young pre-teen or have a teen that loves dragons, I highly recommend Dragon Train Rebellion, and don’t forget to read Book 1, Dragon Train, first!
RJ describes the dragons in majestic glory, from the large “Blues” to the more serpent-like “Golds and Silvers.” giving each a personality and a soul.
If you are looking for a wholesome book for your young pre-teen or have a teen that loves dragons, I highly recommend Dragon Train Rebellion, and don’t forget to read Book 1, Dragon Train, first!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews