Rick Riordan Presents: Fury of the Dragon Goddess

Adventures of Sik Aziz #2

by Sarwat Chadda

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents a second earth-shattering adventure based on Mesopotamian mythology by Sarwat Chadda, author of City of the Plague God .

While on vacation in London, Sikander Aziz gets his hands on the mythic tablet of destinies. Naturally Sik uses it to get his brother Mo back among the living. His wish is granted, but at a terrible cost. Sik’s troubles multiply a billionfold when the tablet is stolen by the elder god of insanity, Lugal, who brings back Tiamat, the great chaos dragon and mother of all monsters.

Nothing less than the fate of the world is at stake when a Muslim boy takes on the ancient gods of Mesopotamia in this action thriller by a master storyteller.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology, Adventure, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens

384 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2023

About the author

Sarwat Chadda has lived and traveled throughout the world, from China to Guatemala. He’s been lost in Mongolia, abandoned at a volcano in Nicaragua and hidden up a tree from a rhino in Nepal. Not to mention being detained by Homeland Security in the US and chased around Tibet by the Chinese police. Maybe he just has that sort of face.

Anyway, now he’s trying to settle in one place and stay out of trouble. Hence his new career as a writer. It’s safe, indoors and avoids any form of physical danger.

Throughout his travels, Sarwat has soaked up the myths, legends and cultures of far away places. Now, with the Ash Mistry series, he aims to bring these unfamiliar tales of ten-headed demons and blue-skinned heroes back home and put them beside the exploits of Achilles and Thor. His heroes are Prince Rama and the demon-slaying Kali. Isn't it about time you met them too?

Reviews

[Marisa Pierucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing story in this series. It wasn’t supposed to be a series apparently but boy am I glad a sequel was written! The Mesopotamian gods and goddesses are fascinating and I love the insight into the Muslim religion and culture. We need more books like this that share different perspectives and teach us that underneath it all, all anyone really wants is a loving family and loyal friends. This one will be added to my classroom shelf for sure! Thank you to Disney and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED City of the Plague God, the first in this series. In this second book, Sik Aziz goes on vacation to London, expecting to hang out with his friend, but ends up with the mythical "Tablet of Destinies" which allows him to bring his brother Mo back to life. This is where the problems begin. The relationship described between Mo and Daoud was out of the blue - not even hinted at in the first book. Sik had finally seemed to come to terms with Mo's death - which took a LOT of work on his part, a lot of grieving and healing - and that was all just discounted with how it was handled in this book. The Mesopotamian gods introduced in this book were nowhere near as cool as those in the first book. And, the destruction was so complete in this one, that I have a hard time understanding how it was going to be explained away to the average Londoner.

What I did like was how the relationship between Sik and Belet continued to develop as they are there for each other and help each other grow. I did like Rabisu and found her to be a nice comic relief.

Sadly, this one just didn't live up to the first one for me. It was entertaining, but not nearly as intricately plotted or well-paced. I was wavering between three and four stars, but the ending just about ruined it for me. I loved the picture on the wall of the deli (I'm trying to not give spoilers!) but the overall resolution just left me feeling let down after everything the family went through in the first book.
3 1/4 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Eris]

Oh, the impatience in my soul. So many books marked "2023" when? WHEN?

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

So many ups and downs in this one but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride!

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adventures of Sik Aziz #2. Fury of the Dragon Goddess

Alright! Here we go. Sik is visiting Dauod in England. Ravisu (a demon) is also there, she is left over after defeating Nergal apparently, and is mostly here for comedic effect and poor planning on the writer’s part. No really, she is just THERE with no explanation.

Belet arrives as well with Kasusu, Sik admits to himself that he has a crush on her (Why? Since when?). They round out their relationship a bit but make it cliché at the same time; she is a friend, spoiled brat, and warrior all at the same time.

The gang heads off to try and get a rare tablet but the party is interrupted by a man on fire (Lugal). They get out and the tablet is retrieved, but the group seems to have suffered from some personality changes.

Sik and Mo are reunited. Sik freaks out despite just seeing him as a spirit in the previous book, but in THIS one he has been alive the whole time but hidden in Iraq. Only the demon finds this strange. The book awkwardly glosses over how Dauod and Muhammad were partners, instead calling them “friends” this time around (even before interacting with the tablet).

Oh! Turns out this book is so topsy-turvy because the tablet is altering with destiny timelines, this is not very well executed and simply causes confusion. We are ⅓ into this book and Lugal has less impact than Nergal, isn’t a dragon supposed to be in this book? We get a magic rock instead.

Nergal is back since the tablet is breaking reality down. Ishtar is back and deli boy is a confident character now. Praise Allah we are not hurt and that none of that matters as we need special people to translate the tablet or something?? Flower god man (Belet’s ‘dad’) is helping them. 50% in and the dragon is here yeaaaa let's do this! Psych! They go to World’s End pub! And get some hints to where Belet is since she got kidnapped (yes really). Sik fights with Ravisu and goes on his own. Lugal (Belet’s ‘dad’ (timeline issues)) captures him and he gets free.

Lugal wants to bring back Tiamat. Yes we know, I'm sure he won't succeed. The timelines start getting more fuzzy so now Sik is on his own and has battle experience now.

Sik and Belet fight. The timelines swap their personalities so Belet yells at him for being pampered and I can't help but think they did this so that SIK wasn't the one calling her out on her privilege and questioning his unwarranted crush on her. They make up and head for Lugal. LOVE will stop him. This book is short but so long.

Break the rock, return to normal? Too easy. Sik is mad with “love” (cough -obsession- cough) for his brother. He refuses to let his brother stay dead and jumps into the either to save his timeline copy.

They defeat Tiamat and it is implied that reality is reset. Sik changes everything to get Mo back and we don't know what kind of ripple effect that has on the world but it seems to have worked out in his favor.

This ending is lackluster. Belet and him hold hands (Their relationship being romantic makes no sense, she is simply the only woman AROUND), Mo is back, Dauod is off being famous (contradictory to his character in the previous book where he stayed at the deli to help everyone and loved Mo), Ravisu is tossed aside cause she isn't needed anymore. It was all very anticlimactic.

If anything, please make Ereshkigal be the next villain cause Sik keeps messing with lives. But hey, that would make too much sense.

Also, this kid held the literal timekeeping rock for creating history and changing it, and you're telling me the only thing he wrote on it to alter -anything- is that his brother was alive. REALLY!? Nothing else at all????

--

I truly didn’t care about these characters and their flimsy connections to each other that grew MORE flimsy as the destiny timelines swap ‘em around.

There was a significant lack of Mesopotamian mythology in this book about Mesopotamian mythology. The poorly paced hatred aimed at western culture got old fast- we get it now please talk about Mesopotamia I beg of you. We only touch on Iraq (barely the other countries that used to be Meso) when it's about present wars and never its history.

I said this in my last review but why can't we just have a character of culture and not religion, it takes me out of the tale so fast to have them question everything. Or at least weave it into the story better like the Meso tale of the flood vs Moses, tree of knowledge, etc. But nooo we have to slow down to talk about Allah again (and again).

Much like the past book in this series, it’s hypocritical. We had one example where the book demonized people/governments owning artifacts while at the same time Belet’s family boasts a collection of them but nooo that’s differentttt. It will talk about family and belonging but uses ‘love’ as an acting chess piece more than anything since this book makes memories useless with the timelines swapping. ‘War is bad’ unless we do it to stop these gods ahahaha, etc.

“I've often found myself trying to see the good in so-called bad guys. Maybe because we Muslims are usually portrayed as villains. I don't feel like a bad guy-” This quote is so misplaced when half of the villains in this series show up for five minutes and leave. This quote belongs in a biopic not a tale of fighting monsters beside a pigeon eating demon.

If you're gonna be sour about culture and history, just talk about the Iran Contra, Isis, the CIA, and 9/11 rather than tip toe around it in this pathetic manner. Was there a timeline where war didn’t happen? Why did the destiny swapping make everything the same but change who it affected. Go hard if you're gonna talk about this stuff.

Instead we get “Grrr this famous place in England used to be used for war and that's why the bad guy is using it because history and grrr, did Allah make these gods? Who am I if not Muslim?, It's hard for me to be in a country that dislikes Muslims due to their history that I won't mention in this book, sob cry grr” okay sweety now sit down we have a dragon to “fight” and other cultures and religions to ignore. Ugh.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read City of the Plague God back in 2021, I thought it was just going to be a single book. Even Sarwat Chadda, said COTPG was a one-and-done type of deal. But there was enough demand for a sequel, that Sarwat felt he had to deliver. And he did. While Fury of the Dragon Goddess is a sequel to City of Plague God, it wouldn't hurt to read The Loneliest Demon, Sarwat Chadda's story from The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities anthology book beforehand. Because the character of Rabisu, who was first introduced in that story, plays a major role in this book.

Most of the sequel's action takes place in London, England, as a opposed to the 1st book's setting of NYC. However there is a scene showing an alternate timeline set in NYC. And the book ends there. Sikander "Sik" Aziz, who is now 14-years old, has been invited to spend the summer in London by his friend Daoud, former deli worker turned model and actor. Rabisu tags along due to a situation involving Lady Gaga. (It'll make sense if you read the book.) They are eventually joined by Belet, adopted daughter of Ishtar. She's a demon slayer. Rabissu is a demon. Those two immediately don't get along. There's also a subplot involving Rabisu having a crush on Daoud.

The villain of Fury of the Dragon Goddess is Lugal, the Mesopotamian God of insanity. He wants to use to an artifact called the Tablet of Destinies to resurrect his mother, Tiamat, the titular dragon goddess. Another new Mesopotamian character introduced in Fury of the Dragon Goddess is Demuzi, God of Flowers. He was Ishtar's husband, effectively making him Belet's adoptive father.

Sik gets his hands on the Tablet first. And in doing so, he inadvertently brings his deceased brother, Mo, back from the dead. If you read City of the Plague God, this might seem like a bit of character regression. Because in the previous book, Sik and Mo's ghost go on adventure in Kurnigi, the netherworld, which ultimately helps Sik accept that his brother is gone. In this book, though, Sik couldn't be happier to have Mo back. At first, that is. You see, Mo being alive didn't just change his fate, but everyone's. In this new timeline, Sik and Mo's Refugee parents never made it out of Iraq. They died from tuberculosis in a Refugee camp there. Sik and Mo got adopted and raised by Ishtar. And Belet is raised as the daughter of Lugal. The two different versions of Sik battle for control of his destiny. I'll admit, this aspect reminded me somewhat of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Lugal manages to raise Tiamat. But Sik and Mo defeat both of them. The timelines are reset, with Mo remaining alive, and both brothers returning to New York. Furry of the Dragon Goddess may have been an unexpected sequel, but it was also perfect. At this point, I don't see why there wouldn't now be a third book in the Adventures of Sik Aziz series. Of course, only time will tell if that actually happens.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is the second book in the series, each book can be read alone, and although this story references some things that occurred in the first book, there's enough explanation that this can be your entry into the adventures of Sik. I loved the first book as Sik learns he is immortal and that Bergal wants to capture him for the secret of immortality. Belet, the adopted daughter of Ishtar also shows up to help him, as does the warrior turned gardener, Gilgamesh. I knew very little of Mesopotamian mythology, so this was a fun way to learn and I really liked that besides this whole fighting to save humanity (or at least New York City), he is also dealing with the loss of his older brother, who was always his hero.

There is an author's note that mentions he did not initially intend for this to become a series, but I'm so glad he decided to add this second book. Part of what made the first book so powerful was that he had to come to terms with his brother's loss, which he did. So, the fact that his brother Mo returns took a little getting used to. But I'm glad I gave it a chance, because I liked how the author took their story--it was not how I would have predicted things to go, but it worked for me. I read some reviews that didn't like that Mo returned because it seemed to fly in the face of all that happened in the first book, but I think the author did a good job of Sik continuing to deal with his grief, and that even with Mo back, he still had to continue working through all of this. In my mind, it's telling readers that grief is complex and there is no right or wrong way for it to be dealt with (or lived with).

But a hero is nothing without a crew Sik's Scooby Doo gang was quite the mixed crew. I loved that without Sik, none of these folks would have ever happened across each other and think, "Hey, let's work with each other!" In fact, he had to spend some time keeping Belet and Rabisu from killing each other, lol. Daoud was good for comic relief, although I had a tendency to metaphorically roll my eyes at him. Kasusu (the sword) was also good for comic relief, and as I mentioned before, I liked the few conversations that Mo had with Sik. I also liked that the author included information about Belet's past and her issues with abandonment. Several times Sik would think how lucky he was even though she was the one with infinite financial resources because he had the one thing that money can't buy--a good family who cared about him.

Overall, I thought the first book was slightly stronger, but I'm so happy this book was written! I would love to read more books in this setting!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Donna Metler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

One of the things I appreciate most about Rick Riordan is that, after creating a world in "familiar" mythologies, instead of branching off into different cultures, he amplified members of that culture in writing based on their own heritage legends.

This is one of those books. This is a sequel to an earlier book, so there were some places I felt like I was coming in at the middle, but I was able to follow it.

Aziz is moving on in his life. Which now includes immortality, a demon friend, and a girlfriend/friend who is the daughter of Ishtar, as well as working in his family's deli. When he goes to a high end auction to help Belin regain an artifact that hee mother wants out of the public's hands, he accidentally starts a cascade of changaz in the past and present.

This is a book that fans of Percy Jackaon will enjoy. It also gives a cultural view often absent in middle grades literature. Well done.

[Wendelle]

Sarwat Chadda remains a spellbinding storyteller.
In this sequel, Sikander Aziz was meant to enjoy a carefree vacation with Daoud, who has been leading a jetsetting lifestyle thanks to his modeling contracts and Vogue endorsements. However, their fun plans are disrupted when Sikander lands upon the tablet of destinies, a Mesopotamian tablet wherein one could divine-- and rewrite-- the fate of nations, and also lands a vengeful god fast on his tracks as a bonus. Lugal is the god of insanity who has watched humanity over millennia and deemed them unworthy. He plans to restore his mother, the dragon goddess of pure chaos Tiamat, to this universe from her exile and in so doing undo the binding that his brother and sister gods had enforced upon her.
The scenes in this book are fantastic, from the initial encounter with Lugal in the British museum, the alternative history where Nergal succeeds in building a plague empire over America and Europe, the image of the basmu serpent slinking and unwrapping up a London tower, Rabisu and Sikander's visit to the End of the world pub. The bond of affection among Sikander, Mo, Daoud and Belet is palpable, and Rabisu's fish-out-of-water hilarity hits the target everytime. On a deeper level, Sikander meditates on the harmony of all religions and religious narratives, and I like how the plans of Lugal the erstwhile villain were defeated by his own change of heart, change of mind, instead of a clash of force. Sarwat exhorts us to understand other people and go into their minds and perspectives, including those who have been deemed mentally troubled. I hope his message finds its mark.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐ CW: violence, war mention, refugee camp mention, natural disasters

Fury of the Dragon Goddess by Sarwat Chadda is book two in the Adventures of Sik Aziz series. Another great middle grade book! This is the sequel to City of the Plague God, and we get to revisit Mesopotamian history, mythology, and gods.

We follow Sik while he is visiting family friend and hot celebrity, Daoud in London. Sik is also there with Rabisu, a demon that has become a friend, although she doesn't quite understand all the human rules, and has a penchant for eating random birds and trash. Belet also shows up intent on finding a priceless clay tablet her mother Ishtar was searching for before her death.

With 'Handsome Ones' Daoud's status, he is able to get them all into an exclusive and illegal auction, where all hell breaks loose. Sik manages to get the tablet, but it has the unexpected side affect of granting his wish for something to have never happened. Things get wibbly-wobbly after that, and the gang is fighting against the end of the world. Again. This was a fast paced read with so much action! I love that the central theme is all about making your own destiny and about the importance of showing kindness and generosity to strangers.

We get to meet some awesome new gods and goddesses, along with demons. Chadda also makes commentary on how the British basically looted every country they went to and that the British museum is full of stolen goods. He also has a moment of acknowledging the horror of Bethlem (or Bedlam) Hospital, and the stigmatization of mental illness. I love learning more about Mesopotamian history and mythology!

This a great series if you're looking for middle grade books with Muslim heroes.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Inhalt
Sik lebt weiterhin mit dem Trauma, seinen Bruder Mo verloren zu haben. Als er von einem Artefakt erfährt – einer mysteriösen Steintafel, die angeblich die Vergangenheit verändern kann – scheint plötzlich alles möglich. Die Chance, Mo zurückzubringen, ist zum Greifen nah. Doch dieser Wunsch hat seinen Preis.
Die Tafel setzt eine uralte Macht frei: Lugal, ein Gott des Wahnsinns, der schon bald Chaos unter den Menschen stiftet. Und als wäre das nicht genug, erwacht auch noch eine Drachengöttin, die nichts Geringeres im Sinn hat, als den gesamten Kosmos zu vernichten. Gemeinsam mit seinen Freunden Belet und Daoud muss Sik nicht nur gegen göttliche Mächte kämpfen, sondern sich auch seiner eigenen Wut, seinem Schmerz und seinem Gewissen stellen.

Charaktere im Fokus
Sikander Aziz
Sik ist alles andere als ein typischer Fantasyheld. Er kämpft nicht mit Schwertern, sondern mit Mitgefühl, Einfühlungsvermögen und einem klaren moralischen Kompass. Seine Stärke liegt nicht in körperlicher Überlegenheit, sondern darin, anderen zuzuhören, Brücken zu bauen und den Schmerz nicht zu verdrängen, sondern anzunehmen. Sein innerer Konflikt – zwischen dem Wunsch, Mo zurückzuholen, und der Erkenntnis, dass manche Dinge vielleicht nicht rückgängig gemacht werden sollten – verleiht der Geschichte emotionale Tiefe.
Belet
Belet ist impulsiv, kämpferisch, verschlossen – das genaue Gegenteil von Sik. Sie ist es, die zuerst angreift und später nachdenkt. Aber gerade durch Siks Einfluss beginnt sie zu erkennen, dass wahre Stärke auch in der Fähigkeit zur Verletzlichkeit liegt. Ihre Entwicklung im Buch ist besonders berührend, weil sie lernen muss, Vertrauen zuzulassen.
Daoud
Daoud bringt nicht nur Humor und technisches Know-how in die Gruppe, sondern auch einen analytischen Blick auf die Welt. Er ist das Herzstück der Freundesgruppe und sorgt dafür, dass das Tempo zwischen den actionreichen Momenten nicht zu düster wird.
Lugal & die Drachengöttin
Nach dem starken Gegenspieler Nergal im ersten Band war die Messlatte für den neuen Antagonisten hoch. Doch Lugal überzeugt auf ganzer Linie: Er ist grausam, aber nicht wahnsinnig – seine Taten folgen einer verstörenden Logik, die den Leser dazu bringt, seine eigenen moralischen Grenzen zu hinterfragen. Die Drachengöttin wiederum ist mehr als ein bloßes Monster – sie steht sinnbildlich für eine kosmische Macht, die sich nicht kontrollieren lässt. Eine Urgewalt, die sich nicht mit einfachen Heldentaten besiegen lässt.

Stil und Themen
Sarwat Chadda hat einen unverkennbaren Schreibstil: dynamisch, bildhaft und ehrlich. Seine Sprache ist leicht zugänglich, aber nie banal. Er schafft es, Humor und Ernsthaftigkeit nahtlos miteinander zu verbinden. Inmitten göttlicher Kämpfe und fantastischer Elemente spricht er gleichzeitig hochaktuelle Themen an:
• Postkolonialismus & kulturelles Erbe: Das Buch spart nicht mit Kritik an westlicher Aneignung von Geschichte. Museen, die Raubkunst ausstellen, und Länder, die sich weigern, diese zurückzugeben, stehen exemplarisch für eine verdrängte koloniale Vergangenheit.
• Rassismus & Migration: Sikanders Familie betreibt ein Deli, lebt in einer Einwanderer-Community – und wird doch ständig an den Rand gedrängt. Chadda erzählt diese Realität ohne Larmoyanz, sondern als Teil der Welt, in der seine Figuren leben.
• Krieg & Trauma: Die Geschichte thematisiert den Irakkrieg, Verlust und generationsübergreifende Traumata – nicht vordergründig, aber eindrücklich und sensibel.

Höhepunkt: Der Dritte Akt
Was Sarwat Chadda besonders auszeichnet, ist sein Gespür für das Finale. Der dritte Akt dieses Buches ist ein mitreißender Höhepunkt, sowohl emotional als auch erzählerisch. Die Spannung steigert sich kontinuierlich, doch was wirklich heraussticht, ist, wie Sik seine Gegner besiegt – nicht durch Gewalt, sondern durch Menschlichkeit. Es ist ein Finale, das den Leser nicht nur mitreißt, sondern auch bewegt.

Pluspunkte auf einen Blick
✔ Ungewöhnlicher Held: Empathie statt Muskelkraft
✔ Starke weibliche Figuren mit echter Entwicklung
✔ Kulturell vielfältig, respektvoll und authentisch
✔ Klare Haltung zu schwierigen Themen wie Kolonialismus, Rassismus, Krieg
✔ Ein Finale, das Gänsehaut hinterlässt
✔ Humorvoll, spannend und tiefgründig zugleich
✔ Perfekte Balance zwischen Action und Herz

Fazit
„Der Zorn der Drachengöttin“ ist ein Meisterstück der modernen Urban Fantasy. Sarwat Chadda gelingt es, Mythen, moderne Themen und persönliche Geschichten zu einem fesselnden Abenteuer zu verweben, das lange nachhallt. Besonders beeindruckend ist, wie viel Herz und Gewissen in dieser Geschichte steckt – ohne dabei auf Spannung, Humor oder fantastische Elemente zu verzichten.
Für Fans von Rick Riordan, aber mit mehr Tiefe, mehr Realität und mehr Seele.

5 von 5 Sternen!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great series!! And the audio was perfectly done. Such a treat.

[Eric Fliter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed City of the Plague God and was excited when I found out there was going to be a sequel after all. Mesopotamian mythology tends to get passed over as a source for fantasy novels so I love that Chadda is introducing younger readers to it.

There were things about Fury of the Dragon Goddess that I liked, but unfortunately it just didn’t quite live up to the first book, at least for me. This book has one of those plots where the hero gets the opportunity to undo something tragic that happened in the past, only for it to have negative consequences in the present. That’s a tricky plot type to tackle and the issues I had were all connected to that.

The story ends up undermining Sik’s struggles in the first book to come to terms with Mo’s death. Even though Sik brings Mo back at the beginning, it has the trade-off of Sik losing other people important to him. Yet Mo is also sort of amnesiac (to best describe it) when he first returns which leads to a lot of things having to be reexplained to him. Meanwhile Sik has to learn what else has been negatively affected in the present. Mo and Daoud’s romantic relationship, which was barely hinted at in the first book, also has to basically be reestablished instead of getting expanded on. Sik’s change of the past drastically affects Belet as well and a lot of the book gets taken up by Sik’s struggles to reconnect with her. These details result in the story focusing a lot on people from the first book and it really only introduces a few new gods, many of whom feel a little flat. Lugal in particular feels kind of weak as a villain which isn’t good when you consider that he’s the god of chaos and the main antagonist.

An exception to that is the demon ally Rabisu and I think she was my favorite character in this book. I especially loved her interactions with Daoud. She honestly feels more beneficial to the team than any of the gods and goddesses. Dumuzi was also portrayed in a creative way, which I liked.

There were still good things about this book, and I’m having a hard time deciding whether to give it three or four stars. Chadda’s strength is being able to write a good fantasy story with Mesopotamian deities that doesn’t undermine the Muslim faith of the main character. He also explores other topics in this book such as abuse, the refugee experience, historical treatment of mentally ill people, and ethical issues of archaeology and museums. But the time-altered plot was confusing at parts and the lack of new characters plus the reinventing of the main team��s relationships with each other left me feeling bored at times. The ending also clashes with the first book in a way I don’t like, though I can also see it setting up a possible conflict with a certain deity for a potential third book.

[August ✡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5 stars.
This book was a bit more fuzzy in my mind compared to the first… I’m not sure how I feel about the retcon for that certain detail.
I wish I could actually see the fact the two are best friends, because from my pov it’s not that clear. It seems like it’s intended to be in line of percybeth kind of friend/relationship, but it fell pretty flat on that front.

[Yas (whatifitsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich habe mich so sehr gefreut, als ich gesehen habe, dass es eine Fortsetzung zu Sikander geben wird. Meiner Meinung nach wird die Mesopotamische Religion nicht genug wertgeschätzt. Umso doller habe ich mich darüber gefreut, wie toll das Buch geworden ist!
Sik ist weiterhin so ein guter Hauptcharakter, der seine Schwächen eher eingesteht als dass er seine Stärken feiern würde. Seine Liebe zu seiner Familie wird nur noch mehr betont – sie macht immerhin den ganzen Plot des Buches aus.
Schade finde ich nur, wie wenig seine Beziehung zu Belet richtig beschrieben wird. Besonders dann, wenn es da Entwicklungen gibt. Es ist wahrscheinlich der Handlung geschuldet, aber mir waren es zu wenig Szenen zwischen den beiden.
Dafür hat Sik jetzt eine neue, irrwitzige Begleiterin, die ihm im Kampf gegen den Bösewicht hilft – der es in sich hat. Dafür, dass ursprünglich keine Fortsetzung geplant war, kann man sehen, dass die Welt Sarwat Chadda einfach nicht aus dem Kopf gehen wollte. Wie schön für uns!

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved "The City of the Plague God", Chadda's first book about Sik and the world of Mesopotamian legend. So I couldn't wait to read this sequel. And I did enjoy it, but it didn't grab me as much as the first one did. I was also somewhat disappointed by some plot twists, especially the ending. While the first book dealt well with Sik's grief over Mo's death, I felt like this book negated that.
Still, despite not being blown away, I did enjoy "Fury of the Dragon Goddess" and would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoyed Sik's first adventure.
Review based on an eArc received through NetGalley.

[Megan Chasteen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now!

I really liked City of the Plague God, the first book in this series, and this was a solid follow-up! The London setting was perfect, and the entire time I read it I just wanted to go back to London and explore.

Sik is such an endearing character and I want to hug him. He goes through it in this book, and while reading, you can tell that Chadda has so much love for Sik and his story. Without giving too much away, I loved the take on how much the present could be different if one thing about the past were changed. This could spark many interesting conversations! Also...my jaw straight-up dropped at a couple of parts!

I can't wait to get this for my classroom, and I recommend it for middle-grade readers and mythology fans!

[Bibliohiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I enjoyed Sarwat Chadda’s first book and the sequel doesn’t disappoint! This one has more gods and bad guys to explore. I’ve always enjoyed reading mythologies and how writers put their own unique spin on them.

[sev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait for it to come out!

[Hannah DCamp]

I'M SO EXCITED

[Michael Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having not read a lot of the Rick Presents books this year, I decided to get back into them with the next book in the Mesopotamia series. Just like the first, it was an interesting read. Also, I would recommend reading the Rick Presents book The Cursed Carnival and other Calamities before this book. While not required to enjoy the story, it has characters and references that first appear in one of the short stories.

After saving New York from the Plague god and stopping a minor crisis, Sikander can’t wait for his vacation in London. Accompanied by his friend Daoud and his demon companion Rabisu, Sikander hopes to put his worries behind him for a bit and also see Belet after what feels like an eternity. Unfortunately for Sik, nothing is ever that easy. When Belet discovers that an ancient tablet her mother Ishtar was searching for is in London, Sik puts his vacation on hold to help. When Sik gets his hands on said tablet, his greatest wish is fulfilled, having his brother Mo back. Despite the good news, this changes the history of several others, leading to everyone’s destinies being rewritten. Even worse, Sik finds out that the god of insanity Lugal is after the tablet, also called the tablet of destinies, in order to revive his mother Tiamat, the primordial dragon goddess. With the world descending into chaos, its up to Sik to help his friends save not only the world, but stop their destinies from being changed forever.

First off, I loved how the author had Sik narrate the story as if he was talking to the reader directly. Between the interesting references (both from today’s culture and ones to Ricks own work) and great use historical places and objects, I felt intrigued and entertained throughout the story. Each chapter was also described in a way that had the right balance of detail that kept up with the pacing.

Just like the last story, Sik is forced into situations that would make any sane person sweat. From battling new kinds of monsters to discovering new things about himself both physically and spiritually, the author did a great job making Sik again feel like a believable protagonist. I also enjoyed seeing the character development from the others such as Belet. You could tell like in other stories how much they changed in such short spans of time.

The use of the tablet of destinies was a nice touch to the story, as it allowed the reader to also think about how much we are all connected. While the tablet didn’t get used at the level I thought it would, the few times it did were still powerful. Even when the tablet wasn’t used, the things Sik learned from its uses were shown very well. I loved how each example allowed interesting scenarios while including a few cameos.

If you are worried that there won’t be much action with all of the lore and lessons, don’t worry. Sik’s adventure is filled with not only new interesting mythology, but also has some action sprinkled in. Maybe not as much as some would like, but given the adventure, it was fine with me.

One complaint was that the adventure felt like it was over before it really began. Also, part of the ending, while sweet felt like it contradicted the ending of the last book. Regardless, the adventure was still a great entry to the series. I hope this isn’t the last we see of Sik and his friends.

[K.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Though not required reading, as her backstory is explained in Dragon Goddess, I highly recommend checking out Sarwat’s story “The Loneliest Demon,” which can be found in the Cursed Carnivals and Other Calamities anthology, for an introduction to Rabisu, who plays a major role in this novel.

Though New York City was a perfect backdrop for Sikander’s first adventure, I loved seeing him travel to London for his second. It was good seeing Sik get out of his comfort zone, even if half his mind is back with his parents at the deli. His relationships with Belet and Daoud grew substantially throughout the last book, and it was nice to see them all come back together to solve a new problem---namely, a mysterious tablet that can alter the course of Sik’s life (as well as everyone else’s).

Nergal was such a fantastic antagonist in Plague God that I wondered how Lugal would measure up. Without a doubt, this particular character surprised me both with his brutality as well as with his logic. Sik must endure several hardships throughout this book, and they were so intense and spoke so honestly about the tragedies of the world. In fact, I would go so far as to say that is a hallmark of Sarwat Chadda’s writing. He is unapologetically honest about the topics at hand, whether he mentioned the Iraq war, America’s history of racism, or Britain’s tendency to pilfer ancient history and refuse to send it home, Sarwat didn’t bother pulling punches, and it was refreshing to see someone refuse to dance around these subjects.

Sik and Belet work well together because they balance each other out. So many female characters are present in stories to soften the edges of a male character, and yet the roles are reversed in Fury of the Dragon Goddess. It’s Belet who wants to fight first and ask questions later. She’s the one who refuses to open up because vulnerability is for the weak. And it’s Sik who teaches her that empathy and compassion are an asset. He is the one who reminds her that there’s another way that doesn’t involve fists and swords.

The last thing I’ll say is that Sarwat Chadda knows how to write a third act. In each of these two books, the climax and conclusion enraptured me. Though his writing throughout the book was action-packed, full of humor, and heavy with emotional reveals, the final battle always soars above the rest. Both times, I was surprised and impressed with how Sik handled his enemies. If there's another installment in this series, I know I'll pick it up on pub day.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Fury of the Dragon Goddess from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.
I have been a big fan of Rick Riordan’s mythology series since its inception and had the advantage of my familiarity with Greek and Egyptian mythology to assist me when reading his books. Sarwat Chadda’s book challenged me in that I had no background regarding Mesopotamian deities and found myself taking time away from the reading to look up the gods, goddesses, and creatures so I could follow the plot more. The basic premise is that the book’s protagonist, teenager Sik Aziz, is in London with his demon sidekick Ribisu (who is the comic relief in the novel) hoping just to relax and recuperate from his recent adventures in NYC in which he saved the world from Nergal, the ancient god of plagues. Not having read it, I had to fill in the missing pieces which at times, was confusing.
Sik’s vacation is interrupted when Belet, his friend from home and his secret crush (did I mention she’s the adopted daughter of the goddess Ishtar?) arrives, pulling all of the characters into a frantic search for the Tablet of Destinies in order to save the world once again. At times the main characters’ adventures are too rushed and non-sequential, and to me, the ending was rushed, leaving many unanswered questions. I hope that the author plans at least a trilogy as the destruction of London at the end of this novel is going to be difficult for anyone to explain away.
The plot twist, which centered around Sik’s brother Mo who was supposedly killed while working in Iraq, was the catalyst for the character’s adventures in London, but it just didn’t seem to fit. Again, not having read the first book, I am at a disadvantage. I really am curious to see how the issue of Mo will be explained away if the author does write a third book, as it was not handled well at the end.
Overall, the book was enjoyable and as a teacher, it is a book that I’d recommend to my students and purchase for my classroom.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

City of the Plague God was an excellent book. The characters were relatable. The mythology was well explained and accessible to everyone. I was one of the people who hoped the story would continue. I now regret that hope.

Nothing was done to quickly reestablish the characters in the book or to serve as reminder of who was who and what happened in the first book. There were also no clues to remind me of the mythology on which this story was based. I spent most of the book confused because I didn't remember the background knowledge I was supposed to have in order to understand what was happening.

The pacing of the story was also off. I would turn the page and suddenly not know what was happening. I would have to reread the last chapter in order to figure out what had happened only to see that I had missed either one sentence or even nothing and that the story had just charged forward without warning.

One of my favorite reasons for reading the Rick Riordan Presents books is that I get to be exposed to different cultures and mythologies without harsh criticisms of other cultures. This book did not necessarily do that. There were a few pointed remarks that were made that, while not unnecessarily unfair, may not be needed in a book meant for children ages 8 through 12. There were also sources of ignorance about other cultures that went on far too long in order to prolong the "silliness" of an idea. I would caution parents to be prepared. These issues were not in the first book in this now series so I am unsure why they arose now.

One last note, the glossary was helpful, and I appreciated how all the Arabic, Islamic, and Mesopotamian terms were scattered in the writing. I just found it odd that some of the words were broken and descriptions were broken up. It is clearly a table with the lines missing between the columns. There must have been a better way to format it.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so fantastic! It hooked me from the very beginning and never let up. I felt such a wide range of emotions during this story - I laughed out loud, got chills, and teared up more than once. Sik is one of the best main characters I’ve read in a long time, and I loved his point of view. While this book is the second in a series, it can be read on its own (although I highly recommend reading City of the Plague God first, as it is also an amazing book). Chadda does a great job of reviewing the highlights of the previous story without it feeling repetitive for readers. The action is nonstop in this, and the humor is completely on-point for a middle grade novel.

The humor, action, and mythology all work together for a very Percy Jackson-esque vibe, but what puts the story even more over the top is its excellent representation of Islamic, Arabic, and Mesopotamian mythology. I really enjoyed reading this particular book on my kindle, as I could look up meanings and translations of different expressions in the story, but the author also includes a glossary at the end for readers of the physical version. This book does more than just introduce the reader to Mesopotamiam myths. It debunks stereotypes and myths of Islamic culture and believes and really highlights the love and joy at the heart of this culture and faith.

Honestly, I loved everything about this novel. I am really excited to share it with my students in the library this year! If you loved Percy Jackson back in the day and/or would like to learn about another branch of mythology and/or just enjoy a good story with a lovable main character, found family, and the importance of selfless love, pick up this book! You won’t regret it!

[Nfeldbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to start this review off by saying that I loved City of the Plague God, so my standards going into Fury of the Dragon Goddess were extremely high. On the whole, this sequel didn’t quite live up to my expectations, which was almost solely due to the realization of the plot.

This installment does have many strengths - for one, Chadda's writing style is excellent. His writing is so fun and full of humor that you can’t help but enjoy yourself while you read. Plus, the characters, especially Daoud and Belet, are much more fleshed out in this book.

But as I mentioned, I have reservations about the plot - specifically the confrontations with the antagonists. I personally felt that the moralistic approach in those moments was heavy-handed, and that the resulting actions of the antagonist in their final scene lacked enough justification. But my biggest issue was with the very end of this book; it didn’t feel impactful to me due to a lack of overall consequences.

While the first book was also intended as middle grade, it felt so well plotted and fleshed out to me that I felt it could be easily consumed by a middle grade, YA, or even adult audience. This sequel feels very much like only an early middle grade read. But despite this, Fury of the Dragon Goddess remains a fun and fast-paced addition to the series, and I would definitely recommend that those who enjoyed City of the Plague God also continue on to read this book.

I received a digital Advance Reader’s Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.75/5 stars.

[Sabine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vermutlich weiß man hierzulande einiges über griechische, römische und gegebenenfalls nordische Göttersagen. Dazu trugen nicht zuletzt die Buchreihen des Autors Rick Riordan um Percy Jackson und Co bei. Dass Riordan nun die Buchreihe - Sikander gegen die Götter - von Sarwat Chadda empfiehlt, zeigt, in welche Richtung der Roman sowohl inhaltlich als auch sprachlich geht. In Chaddas Buchreihe steht der 14-jährige Sikander im Mittelpunkt, der sich mit mesopotamischen Göttern anlegt. Sikander ist kein typischer Held, wenngleich er unsterblich ist. Er ist der Sohn irakischer Einwanderer, die in Manhattan einen Schnellimbiss betreiben. Anders als seine Freundin Belet, die Tochter der Göttin Ishtar, ist er weniger risikobereit und mit weniger Selbstbewusstsein ausgestattet, was den jungen Helden sehr liebenswert macht. Sie begleitet er in Band 2 zusammen mit dem Model Daoud und der Dämonin Rabisu auf eine illegale Auktion von Kunstgegenständen in London, um eine antike Tontafel zu ersteigern. Dabei zieht er zwar den Zorn der Götter auf sich, aber er hat auch die Möglichkeit auf die Vergangenheit einzugreifen und seinen geliebten Bruder Mo rückwirkend vor dem Tod zu bewahren. Das Buch ist ein rasantes, spannendes Fantasy-Abenteuer. Gespickt ist es mit vielen Einblicken in die mesopotamische Mythologie und garniert mit morbidem Humor und zynischen Dialogen. Fans von Percy Jackson werden auch diese Buchreihe lieben (und sollten mit Band 1 beginnen).

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide through NetGalley.
Sik is looking forward to a quiet vacation in London as this sequel begins. Reader who read the first book will suspect how far from quiet this trip will be from the start. Several characters return - Belet, Daoud, Rabisu - to join the new battles. The challenge to get an ancient stone tablet unleashes forces of chaos beyond what they faced before. They must challenge two of the most ancient gods and goddesses to save the world from complete annihilation. In the end, Sik succeeds and even changes some circumstances for his family.
The pace was a bit slow and some of the transitions were choppier than I prefer. However, Chadda knows his subject and offers a clear look at Mesopotamian mythology. This book took violence up several levels without clear resolution provided. Readers will understand the point that the gods involved are those of chaos but this felt more like mass slaughter at times. Readers were not subjected to full descriptions of gory deaths but the implications were certainly there. Again, I acknowledge these are violent gods being portrayed but some of the scenes feel extraneous to the plot points. The final chapter felt rushed and the resolutions felt incomplete.
Others will appreciate this sequel more but it had more potential than follow through.

[Goldensammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auch von diesem Band gefällt mir das Cover wieder sehr gut. Der Schreibstil lässt sich auch wieder flüssig lesen und ich bin nur so durch das Buch geflogen.
Sikander wollte eigentlich einen entspannten Urlaub bei Daoud in London verbringen und sich die Sehenswürdigkeiten anschauen, aber ehe er sich versieht steckt er schon im nächsten Abenteuer und muss wieder die Welt retten. Dabei hat er sich doch nur gewünscht, dass sein verstorbener Bruder Mo wieder bei ihm ist, was mit einer antiken Steintafel funktioniert hat, mit der man die Vergangenheit verändern kann.
Die Charaktere sind sehr gut ausgearbeitet und ich konnte ihre Handlungen nachvollziehen. Auch die Schauplätze in London so bildlich beschrieben, dass ich mir alles bildlich vorstellen konnte. Ich mochte Sikander wieder sehr gern und auch das er immer an das Gute in den Menschen sehen will hat mir gut gefallen. Er setzt sich für seine Freunde ein und hilft auf seine Art wo er kann. Sikander, Belet, Daoud und auch die Dämonin Rabisu könnten unterschiedlicher nicht sein, aber wenn es darauf ankommt, dann halten sie zusammen und unterstützen sich gegenseitig.
Mich hat die Geschichte wieder sehr gut unterhalten, da sie spannend und trotzdem auch humorvoll geschrieben ist. Ich hoffe, dass wir noch weitere Abenteuer mit Sikander und seinen Freunden erleben dürfen.

[A.J. Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fury of the Dragon Goddess book 2 is a Middle Grade Urban/Contemporary Fantasy novel in the Adventures of Sikander Aziz duology.

First up, yes I'm knocking points off for books STILL having a reference for Harry Potter, and it's one that could've been easily replaced with stuff like Merlin or any other middle grade with a magical school book. But whatever. Anyway, book 2 was as hard hitting as book 1. Despite Sik coming to the UK to relax and tour London, Belet comes over with a mission for them, find a wish granting tablet for her mother, and things just go from bad to worse for them. Accidentally making a wish to bring a brother back from the dead, but at the cost of losing someone dear to them both, a wrathful god seeking a tablet to restore an ancient dragon goddess that will bring about the end of the world, all while Sik must battle two versions of himself in order to see what's now ahead, and how to best stop it before the world ends, along with all of existence. This book made me ugly cry a few times and my son's speech has gotten better. Was very much surprised to learn at the end that CotPG was only ever meant to be one book, now turned duology. Will there be more? I don't know, with this ending, I'm happy either way, but I look forward to reading more from this author.