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Dragons of Starlight #2
Warrior
For years, tales of DRAGONS from another world kidnapping and enslaving humans have been circulating in Jason Masters’ world, while for a slave girl named Koren, the stories of a human world seem pure myth. Together, these two teens will need to bridge two planets in order to overthrow the draconic threat and bring the lost slaves home. The Dragon Prince Has Hatched The stakes are raised when the foretold prince is crowned. While Koren and Jason race to the Northlands of Starlight to find the one person who can help them free the human slaves, Elyssa and Wallace strive to locate Jason and assist his quest. Soon, all four discover that the secrets of Starlight extend much further than they had imagined. Meanwhile, Randall and Tibalt have returned to Major Four and find themselves teamed with the dragon Magnar, who has arrived to help thwart the governor. No one knows how the prophecy will be fulfilled, but one thing is more than ever, the survival of the dragons depends on humankind, and they will do anything to prevent the slaves from escaping.
432 pages, Paperback
First published December 29, 2010
38 people are currently reading
1224 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Davis
98 books983 followersBryan Davis is the author several speculative-fiction series, including Dragons in Our Midst, Oracles of Fire, Children of the Bard, Dragons of Camelot, The Reapers Trilogy, The Time Echoes Trilogy, Tales of Starlight, Dragons of Starlight, the Oculus Gate, Not So Famous Dog Tales, Astral Alliance, and Wanted: Superheroes.
Bryan and his wife, Susie, have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.
Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including fantasy, theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor.
Bryan and his wife, Susie, have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.
Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including fantasy, theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor.
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October 22, 2022
Video Review: https://youtu.be/Wew-Ghpcz4Y
For some reason the first few chapters felt very meandering (though this could also have something to do with the odd mood I was in at the time of starting it…) but it picked up and carried on well.
Strangely I remembered more action in this book the first time I read it but it really doesn’t have much? It feels almost like a more setup continuation of the first book while still managing to be interesting and well paced and continues the story. Though this may be because all the main characters are separated for the majority of the book which I’m not a huge fan of.
Speaking of the characters, can I say I’m extremely frustrated with them and want to shake them for the sometimes STUPID choices they make yet also sympathize and understand WHY they are making those horrible choices at the same time? It’s a strange feeling I’m not used to having unless I’m reading a Bryan Davis book, lol. He somehow manages to make deeply flawed and relatable characters you love but also want to slap at the same time. It’s a gift that I really enjoy for some odd reason. 😂
Except for Taushin. Goodness I forgot how annoying, cruel without being obvious about it, and manipulative this dragon is! Maybe that was on purpose, haha. But he can die slowly, cut into a million pieces for all I care. He deserves it. 😡🔥
Looking forward to continuing!
(and as a side note, what was the publisher thinking in the redesigns of these covers?! They’re so ugly they’re almost distracting, which is why I chose the old cover version so I wouldn’t have to look at that ugly image all the time…)
‼️Content‼️
Language: wench
Violence: fighting with swords (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a girl’s tongue had been cut out in the past; a character has a memory of a woman being burned at the stake; characters nearly drown; characters kill dragons (not detailed); a character is burned to death with light (not detailed); a dragon was flogged (nothing is shown aside from a few non detailed injuries); a girl nearly falls on stakes in the floor; wolves attack characters; characters chop wolves’ heads off and one head dangles off a character’s arm for a bit (not detailed); a slap to the face; clawed hands try to attack/grab characters; a mention that a boy was burned to death; burns/wounds on children (not detailed); a mention of birds ripping apart and killing a deer (not shown or detailed); a character is tortured with shocks (not detailed)
Sexual: it’s implied a character’s mother and other humans are forced to be “breeders” to produce more slaves for the dragons (never shown or detailed); kisses on the cheek, knuckles, and the top of the head
Drug/Alcohol: slaves are drugged; a glowing orb hypnotizes dragons and people
Other: magic; magical creatures, places, objects, and abilities; people are enslaved by dragons; characters are tied and chained up; characters use magically enhanced fingers for communication; a character is an evil sorceress; some characters are spirits and one indwells a boy for a bit; a girl’s dead body is magically “stored” in a stasis state; in the past dragons were enslaved to humans; a dragon uses a connection to see through a girl’s eyes; death; a character is threatened to make another cooperate; a character is an emotional and mental manipulator
For some reason the first few chapters felt very meandering (though this could also have something to do with the odd mood I was in at the time of starting it…) but it picked up and carried on well.
Strangely I remembered more action in this book the first time I read it but it really doesn’t have much? It feels almost like a more setup continuation of the first book while still managing to be interesting and well paced and continues the story. Though this may be because all the main characters are separated for the majority of the book which I’m not a huge fan of.
Speaking of the characters, can I say I’m extremely frustrated with them and want to shake them for the sometimes STUPID choices they make yet also sympathize and understand WHY they are making those horrible choices at the same time? It’s a strange feeling I’m not used to having unless I’m reading a Bryan Davis book, lol. He somehow manages to make deeply flawed and relatable characters you love but also want to slap at the same time. It’s a gift that I really enjoy for some odd reason. 😂
Except for Taushin. Goodness I forgot how annoying, cruel without being obvious about it, and manipulative this dragon is! Maybe that was on purpose, haha. But he can die slowly, cut into a million pieces for all I care. He deserves it. 😡🔥
Looking forward to continuing!
(and as a side note, what was the publisher thinking in the redesigns of these covers?! They’re so ugly they’re almost distracting, which is why I chose the old cover version so I wouldn’t have to look at that ugly image all the time…)
‼️Content‼️
Language: wench
Violence: fighting with swords (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a girl’s tongue had been cut out in the past; a character has a memory of a woman being burned at the stake; characters nearly drown; characters kill dragons (not detailed); a character is burned to death with light (not detailed); a dragon was flogged (nothing is shown aside from a few non detailed injuries); a girl nearly falls on stakes in the floor; wolves attack characters; characters chop wolves’ heads off and one head dangles off a character’s arm for a bit (not detailed); a slap to the face; clawed hands try to attack/grab characters; a mention that a boy was burned to death; burns/wounds on children (not detailed); a mention of birds ripping apart and killing a deer (not shown or detailed); a character is tortured with shocks (not detailed)
Sexual: it’s implied a character’s mother and other humans are forced to be “breeders” to produce more slaves for the dragons (never shown or detailed); kisses on the cheek, knuckles, and the top of the head
Drug/Alcohol: slaves are drugged; a glowing orb hypnotizes dragons and people
Other: magic; magical creatures, places, objects, and abilities; people are enslaved by dragons; characters are tied and chained up; characters use magically enhanced fingers for communication; a character is an evil sorceress; some characters are spirits and one indwells a boy for a bit; a girl’s dead body is magically “stored” in a stasis state; in the past dragons were enslaved to humans; a dragon uses a connection to see through a girl’s eyes; death; a character is threatened to make another cooperate; a character is an emotional and mental manipulator
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July 7, 2024Dnf idk what page
This was okay, but not great. There's other things I would rather read.
This was okay, but not great. There's other things I would rather read.
May 8, 2012
If I could give this a negative rating, I would. I wanted to like this book. I won it from Goodreads' FirstReads, and am nothing if not honest so I was determined to give it a fair shot. Nevermind that I gave the first book two stars because It Had Issues, I approached this one with an open mind.
IT DIDN'T WORK.
Every point I made about what was wrong with the first book made a reappearance. Setting (where are we? Would it kill the author to give us a description?), characters (they're all awful. More on that in a minute), and just the writing itself (a prime example of something mentioned in Rapture Ready: there's a tendency to let Christian media/products slide in the quality department). And then there are ever MORE problems. Go down and read all my status updates. That should tell you enough right there, but let me expound because someone has to explain why such a highly-rated book is junk.
First off, noticeable because it's not the first book in the series: little to no backstory is given. We jump in immediately with Jason and Koren and Arxad and Wallace and WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? The book follows, in turn, four different sets of companions doing four different things. That's a lot to remember by itself, but then you add in a complete lack of any reminder. If you had bought/read the books as they came out, you would have had about a year in-between the first and second book--I did, between picking the first up at the library and then winning this one. So while I don't need to know every single thing that happened before, I expect a certain amount of information. Like maybe what the relationship between the two planets/worlds are. Or what the characters are trying to accomplish and why, since that's crucial to the plot of this book.
As before, the writing is just plain bad. People don't feel like characters. Jason and Koren, the main characters, are particularly obnoxious moralizing/pseudo-Christianese spouters. And not only does the language have a heavy-handed, unrealistic cadence to it, the words often don't sound right. Modern phrases/words are mixed in with a very deliberate/contraction-less style and it's jarring. This is a problem with everyone.
Even worse are the dragons, Arxad and Magnar. Virtually every conversation involving either of them--and EVERY conversation between them--is stilted, foreshadowing, on-the-nose, and forced. I just can't take anything involving them seriously from a story standpoint because they're so utterly awful.
The storytelling is so forced. Take Uriel, for example. Jason and Koren have met up with a guy as they travel. Said guy knows that they're not exactly out for a picnic. And then there's a very random, unfitting scene that goes something like this:
Again, setting stuff up isn't done. Unless you have just read the previous book or have an excellent memory, you might find it hard to remember why the egg/starlighters/extane gas/[insert any freaking part of the story] is important. Scenes with Koren and Taushin-the-evil-or-something-dragon-prince are really, really bad, with the added bonus of making you feel like time is passing, without telling you what's going on.
And then, of course, we have the way-too-obvious Jesus-analogue dragon, Alaph (an anagram of "Alpha"? Wow, so subtle) and all that goes with him. The story is set up to have Jason tested, and of course we readers understand that he's being tested by Jesus/Alaph so the test(s) make perfect sense...
...If you were reading this as some weird devotional-allegory instead of a work of fiction that is supposed to have an actual story. This situation was entirely aggravating, and parts of it showed up multiple times.
Imagine if you were out shopping, and got a call from a friend asking you to pick up a coat from the dry-cleaners. When you pick it up, you discover it's been accidentally doused in radioactive material and also weighs five hundred pounds. You barely make it to the door when you decide it's not worth it, and the coat is locked in fifteen different boxes and buried a mile underground so it'll be nigh impossible to get to.
When you meet your friend, they tell you that the coat actually cured cancer AND brought kittens back to life AND stopped people from using the express line at the grocery store if they have more than twenty items, AND it was the only one in the world. And they knew it would freak you out and that you'd think you were essentially walking with death and that it'd be almost too heavy, but refused to tell you anyway because they wanted to see how good a friend you are.
Do you see how ridiculous that is?! That is the same logic as this book, people.
I just...I tried, I did, but it's just so bad. How was this published? Where were the editors? This is exactly the sort of book that ensures I don't seek out Christian fiction. Don't waste your money, or your time.
IT DIDN'T WORK.
Every point I made about what was wrong with the first book made a reappearance. Setting (where are we? Would it kill the author to give us a description?), characters (they're all awful. More on that in a minute), and just the writing itself (a prime example of something mentioned in Rapture Ready: there's a tendency to let Christian media/products slide in the quality department). And then there are ever MORE problems. Go down and read all my status updates. That should tell you enough right there, but let me expound because someone has to explain why such a highly-rated book is junk.
First off, noticeable because it's not the first book in the series: little to no backstory is given. We jump in immediately with Jason and Koren and Arxad and Wallace and WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? The book follows, in turn, four different sets of companions doing four different things. That's a lot to remember by itself, but then you add in a complete lack of any reminder. If you had bought/read the books as they came out, you would have had about a year in-between the first and second book--I did, between picking the first up at the library and then winning this one. So while I don't need to know every single thing that happened before, I expect a certain amount of information. Like maybe what the relationship between the two planets/worlds are. Or what the characters are trying to accomplish and why, since that's crucial to the plot of this book.
As before, the writing is just plain bad. People don't feel like characters. Jason and Koren, the main characters, are particularly obnoxious moralizing/pseudo-Christianese spouters. And not only does the language have a heavy-handed, unrealistic cadence to it, the words often don't sound right. Modern phrases/words are mixed in with a very deliberate/contraction-less style and it's jarring. This is a problem with everyone.
Even worse are the dragons, Arxad and Magnar. Virtually every conversation involving either of them--and EVERY conversation between them--is stilted, foreshadowing, on-the-nose, and forced. I just can't take anything involving them seriously from a story standpoint because they're so utterly awful.
The storytelling is so forced. Take Uriel, for example. Jason and Koren have met up with a guy as they travel. Said guy knows that they're not exactly out for a picnic. And then there's a very random, unfitting scene that goes something like this:
Uriel: I noticed you and Jason were traveling as a pair without a chaperone. Are you married or betrothed?
Koren: No. We're doing this thing.Propriety, which doesn't seem to exist here anyway, takes a backseat to saving our freaking lives.
Uriel: Ah. Well, even though it's not relevant to anything at all I also thought you should know that if you're looking for a man, Jason would be a really good one. He is is strong and would take care of you and is a manly manly man.
Koren: Um. Thinking:I totally agree and will cry myself to sleep because it will never be me.
Again, setting stuff up isn't done. Unless you have just read the previous book or have an excellent memory, you might find it hard to remember why the egg/starlighters/extane gas/[insert any freaking part of the story] is important. Scenes with Koren and Taushin-the-evil-or-something-dragon-prince are really, really bad, with the added bonus of making you feel like time is passing, without telling you what's going on.
And then, of course, we have the way-too-obvious Jesus-analogue dragon, Alaph (an anagram of "Alpha"? Wow, so subtle) and all that goes with him. The story is set up to have Jason tested, and of course we readers understand that he's being tested by Jesus/Alaph so the test(s) make perfect sense...
...If you were reading this as some weird devotional-allegory instead of a work of fiction that is supposed to have an actual story. This situation was entirely aggravating, and parts of it showed up multiple times.
C: Jason, you must do this.
Jason: I don't understand.
C: You just have to do this.
Jason: This really makes no sense. Can you explain or give me more information?
C: No, I can't. You're not allowed to know.
Jason: *Does something ridiculously difficult, messes up/fails because nothing is explained*
Alaph: That was a test, and you failed.
Jason: Oh shoot. I'm now very sorry and have learned my lesson. C, did you know this?
C: Yes, but I was not allowed to tell you, Jason. You really should have followed my instructions anyway.
Imagine if you were out shopping, and got a call from a friend asking you to pick up a coat from the dry-cleaners. When you pick it up, you discover it's been accidentally doused in radioactive material and also weighs five hundred pounds. You barely make it to the door when you decide it's not worth it, and the coat is locked in fifteen different boxes and buried a mile underground so it'll be nigh impossible to get to.
When you meet your friend, they tell you that the coat actually cured cancer AND brought kittens back to life AND stopped people from using the express line at the grocery store if they have more than twenty items, AND it was the only one in the world. And they knew it would freak you out and that you'd think you were essentially walking with death and that it'd be almost too heavy, but refused to tell you anyway because they wanted to see how good a friend you are.
Do you see how ridiculous that is?! That is the same logic as this book, people.
I just...I tried, I did, but it's just so bad. How was this published? Where were the editors? This is exactly the sort of book that ensures I don't seek out Christian fiction. Don't waste your money, or your time.
March 9, 2024
Another great adventure in the Starlight series!
I really enjoy following Jason in his quest to free the slaves from the dragons. I also really appreciate that there are a few different story lines going on as that helps keep the story moving since not much time passes in each book. I also really love the new character who joined the adventure at the end.
There are several female characters in the story that present some interesting dynamics. The fact that many of them are Starlighters or something similar gives them unique roles in the story that continue to unravel. I'm also more curious than ever about this hypnotic effect they seem to have on the men around them. So many questions about the Starlighters.
See this review and more on my Substack: https://momsmusings.substack.com/i/14...
The struggles that many characters have that reveal what they believe about good and evil are intriguing. The choices that Koren had to make regarding aiding the newly hatched king or not were interesting to watch unfold. And seeing Jason make choices and change decisions based on his motivations had me on the edge of my seat.
Even though the world is fascinating and the writing is immersive, I am not typically an adventure reader. So many of the action scenes cause me to get lost and confused. I also didn't remember a lot of the characters from the first book so forgot how they were connected to each other, though some of that did come back as I read.
I'm happy to keep these books on my shelves as an option for my kids to read in the future.
I really enjoy following Jason in his quest to free the slaves from the dragons. I also really appreciate that there are a few different story lines going on as that helps keep the story moving since not much time passes in each book. I also really love the new character who joined the adventure at the end.
There are several female characters in the story that present some interesting dynamics. The fact that many of them are Starlighters or something similar gives them unique roles in the story that continue to unravel. I'm also more curious than ever about this hypnotic effect they seem to have on the men around them. So many questions about the Starlighters.
See this review and more on my Substack: https://momsmusings.substack.com/i/14...
The struggles that many characters have that reveal what they believe about good and evil are intriguing. The choices that Koren had to make regarding aiding the newly hatched king or not were interesting to watch unfold. And seeing Jason make choices and change decisions based on his motivations had me on the edge of my seat.
Even though the world is fascinating and the writing is immersive, I am not typically an adventure reader. So many of the action scenes cause me to get lost and confused. I also didn't remember a lot of the characters from the first book so forgot how they were connected to each other, though some of that did come back as I read.
I'm happy to keep these books on my shelves as an option for my kids to read in the future.
June 13, 2011
I like this series by Bryan Davis, but then I have a soft spot for dragons, and a Christian fantasy with dragons characters intrigues me. I like the world here, and I do like the various human and dragon characters. There's a surprising number, and surprising number of "sides" at work here.
In this the second book about humans from one world working to free humans enslaved by dragons in another, a prophesied dragon egg is born, who claims to want to lead both dragons and humans into prosperity. Blind as he is, he needs both the vision and powers of Koren, a "Starlighter" with the ability to produce visible storytelling images that seem to hypnotize man and dragon alike. She doubts his motives however, given he keeps her chains. Meanwhile other dragons and humans, some noble, some allies of convenience, work behind the scenes, as the true meaning of "Starlight" becomes known.
It's a bit hard to explain without detailed spoilers. The sheer number of different characters might have been my main problem in keeping up with the story, but I'm looking forward to ready the next volume and seeing what happens (yes, this book merely sets up the next one). There's a message of faith in and following God's will here, as far as I can tell. But given that we're not sure what's going to happen next, I'll leave the moral of the story on the backburner.
So overall, a different Christian fantasy. Definitely good for fans of Davis' previous novels.
In this the second book about humans from one world working to free humans enslaved by dragons in another, a prophesied dragon egg is born, who claims to want to lead both dragons and humans into prosperity. Blind as he is, he needs both the vision and powers of Koren, a "Starlighter" with the ability to produce visible storytelling images that seem to hypnotize man and dragon alike. She doubts his motives however, given he keeps her chains. Meanwhile other dragons and humans, some noble, some allies of convenience, work behind the scenes, as the true meaning of "Starlight" becomes known.
It's a bit hard to explain without detailed spoilers. The sheer number of different characters might have been my main problem in keeping up with the story, but I'm looking forward to ready the next volume and seeing what happens (yes, this book merely sets up the next one). There's a message of faith in and following God's will here, as far as I can tell. But given that we're not sure what's going to happen next, I'll leave the moral of the story on the backburner.
So overall, a different Christian fantasy. Definitely good for fans of Davis' previous novels.
November 19, 2011
After rescuing the miners from Starlight and sending them back to Darksphere, Jason remains on Starlight to continue to try to free the humans there. Elyssa returns as well, leaving Randall and Tibalt on Darksphere. While Koren continues to fight against the captivity of the new king of the dragons, Jason travels to the Northlands to seek the white dragon and try to find a way to bring out the freedom of his people. Meanwhile, the former dragon king and the dragon priest travel to Darksphere, seeking a way to overthrow the black dragon, fearing he means to destroy them all.
While I wasn’t as enthralled with the second book in the series as I was the first, it was a good book. There is so much going on that it was hard to find a few snippets to use to describe the action – there are many plot strings running through this series, all of which are just starting to come together to create a cohesive tapestry in this book. Fans of science fantasy, worlds containing dragons, and desperate, perilous quests should enjoy this book.
While I wasn’t as enthralled with the second book in the series as I was the first, it was a good book. There is so much going on that it was hard to find a few snippets to use to describe the action – there are many plot strings running through this series, all of which are just starting to come together to create a cohesive tapestry in this book. Fans of science fantasy, worlds containing dragons, and desperate, perilous quests should enjoy this book.
November 19, 2011
I won this ARC in a Goodreads First Read giveaway!
**This review contains spoilers from the first book, so you may not want to read this if you haven't read Starlighter yet.**
This is the second installment in the Dragons of Starlight series. It is not really one that you can read without having read the first book in the series. At the end of Starlight, Koren has allowed herself to be recaptured by the dragons, with Jason in tow. At the Zodiac, Koren and Jason manage to trick Magnus and Zena into letting Arxad take them to the Northern lands, after Koren reveals through a story a way in which to reopen the portal Uriel used many years ago. Randall and Tibalt lead the group of children and adults from Starlight to Darksphere through the portal to freedom. While back in Darksphere, Randall and Tibalt intend to find out exactly how large the conspiracy to kill Randall's father was, and to find a way to make those responsible pay. Once the former slaves are safe, Elyssa and Wallace head to Zodiac to attempt to rescue Jason and Koren, not knowing they had already engineered their own escape.
In Warrior, the three different stories continue, and others develop. Randall and Tibalt continue to investigate Randall's father's death, Jason and Koren continue their northward journey, and Elyssa and Wallace go to the Zodiac. However, they all soon discover nothing is as it seems, and the truth is not as obvious as they would have thought. This book continues the theme that love doesn't require chains, explores the ideas of what it means to be free, when is it not good to be honorable (in other words, is it just being prideful to worry about your image?), and that knowledge (specifically of one's own history) is power. It also deals with an interesting scenario of the heroes trying to convince the slaved humans that they can be free, and that the myths of Darksphere are actually true.
This book is one of those examples of the journey being more important than the destination. Nothing much actually gets accomplished, but the journey reveals a lot about all of the characters as well as much of the history of Starlight. I was impressed at how Bryan Davis manages to weave the various plots together and keep it all organized. In this exploration of the characters it was interesting to see the layers of each, and how none are all good or all bad. I felt like more could have been developed with Randall and Tibalt, it almost seemed like they got short-changed compared to the other stories, but I think that may have bogged down the book too much. Besides the well-developed characters, the dilemmas that each face are thought-provoking, and I found myself often wondering what I would do in their situations. None of the choices they have to make in their treks are easy, and many don't have a right or wrong answer. The complexity of not only the characters, but also the situations they find themselves in, made this book a real pleasure to read. This is a well-written, thought-provoking book that will be enjoyed by both adults and young adults.
The only reason I don't give this book 5 stars is that it really is a transitional book. As mentioned above, not a lot gets accomplished or resolved, rather, it mainly serves as an exposition of what you need to know about the characters and the worlds to fully understand what will happen in the future. I found it very interesting, but it does not seem to advance the story as much as I would have expected, considering the pace of the first book. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed Warrior, and I really look forward to reading the third book in the series.
**This review contains spoilers from the first book, so you may not want to read this if you haven't read Starlighter yet.**
This is the second installment in the Dragons of Starlight series. It is not really one that you can read without having read the first book in the series. At the end of Starlight, Koren has allowed herself to be recaptured by the dragons, with Jason in tow. At the Zodiac, Koren and Jason manage to trick Magnus and Zena into letting Arxad take them to the Northern lands, after Koren reveals through a story a way in which to reopen the portal Uriel used many years ago. Randall and Tibalt lead the group of children and adults from Starlight to Darksphere through the portal to freedom. While back in Darksphere, Randall and Tibalt intend to find out exactly how large the conspiracy to kill Randall's father was, and to find a way to make those responsible pay. Once the former slaves are safe, Elyssa and Wallace head to Zodiac to attempt to rescue Jason and Koren, not knowing they had already engineered their own escape.
In Warrior, the three different stories continue, and others develop. Randall and Tibalt continue to investigate Randall's father's death, Jason and Koren continue their northward journey, and Elyssa and Wallace go to the Zodiac. However, they all soon discover nothing is as it seems, and the truth is not as obvious as they would have thought. This book continues the theme that love doesn't require chains, explores the ideas of what it means to be free, when is it not good to be honorable (in other words, is it just being prideful to worry about your image?), and that knowledge (specifically of one's own history) is power. It also deals with an interesting scenario of the heroes trying to convince the slaved humans that they can be free, and that the myths of Darksphere are actually true.
This book is one of those examples of the journey being more important than the destination. Nothing much actually gets accomplished, but the journey reveals a lot about all of the characters as well as much of the history of Starlight. I was impressed at how Bryan Davis manages to weave the various plots together and keep it all organized. In this exploration of the characters it was interesting to see the layers of each, and how none are all good or all bad. I felt like more could have been developed with Randall and Tibalt, it almost seemed like they got short-changed compared to the other stories, but I think that may have bogged down the book too much. Besides the well-developed characters, the dilemmas that each face are thought-provoking, and I found myself often wondering what I would do in their situations. None of the choices they have to make in their treks are easy, and many don't have a right or wrong answer. The complexity of not only the characters, but also the situations they find themselves in, made this book a real pleasure to read. This is a well-written, thought-provoking book that will be enjoyed by both adults and young adults.
The only reason I don't give this book 5 stars is that it really is a transitional book. As mentioned above, not a lot gets accomplished or resolved, rather, it mainly serves as an exposition of what you need to know about the characters and the worlds to fully understand what will happen in the future. I found it very interesting, but it does not seem to advance the story as much as I would have expected, considering the pace of the first book. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed Warrior, and I really look forward to reading the third book in the series.
August 9, 2012
Woah, after finishing Starlighter, I wondered how the book could get any better. But it did!
This book continues from Starlighter, when Taushin, the prophesised prince from the black egg hatches. He's gotten a hold of Koren and is using chains to force her to love him. Meanwhile, Jason and Elyssa are trying to free the slaves while Randall and Tibalt have returned to Darksphere/Major Four to try and raise an army.
The tightly written storyline from Starlighter continues in Diviner, and I don't think I need to say anymore about it. What interests me are the characters and themes in the book.
As for characters, well, my favourite character is shaping up to be Elyssa. She's no Mary-Sue, but she's got a lot of admirable qualities. Koren, on the other hand, I wanted to slap at various points of time. Sometimes, that girl just wallows in self-pity. On the other hand, the other Starlighter, Cassibrie, is interesting, and I wonder what she's going to do.
On the other hand, Randall has moved from the selfish and stuck up boy first seen in Starlighter to a courageous person. Jason, having been good from the start, has been maturing through his journey. He makes not a few mistakes, but he always shows that his heart is in the right place (okok, I admit that Koren has her heart in the right place most of the time. I have to reasonable explanation as to why she sometimes irks me).
Two of the themes in this series are love and free will. Others include sacrifice and courage, but I think that the idea of love and free will is the most prominent and interesting in this book. Thanks to Taushin, we get to here his twisted version of how chains can mean love. Koren, on the other hand, has to resist Taushin's seductive logic with what she knows to be true - that you can't force love.
The problem, therefore, lies in ignorance. If let's say, someone who doesn't know better wants to play with fire, is it better to place chains on him to prevent him from hurting himself? Is this called Love? And when you expand that concept to cover placing chains on someone to teach him to love (all outcomes are supposed to be positive here), it does get really confusing.
Here's what I think. I agree that love cannot be forced. I think that one of the reasons the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was placed in the garden was to let Adam and Eve choose to love God and obey his command by giving them the choice to do otherwise. God is a God of love, but He also wants us to love Him using our own free will, not using any sort of chains.
Needless to say, a book this thought-provoking should be read. Combined with a strong plot and well-rounded characters and there isn't much of a reason why you shouldn't read this book.
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for a free and honest
review.
First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
This book continues from Starlighter, when Taushin, the prophesised prince from the black egg hatches. He's gotten a hold of Koren and is using chains to force her to love him. Meanwhile, Jason and Elyssa are trying to free the slaves while Randall and Tibalt have returned to Darksphere/Major Four to try and raise an army.
The tightly written storyline from Starlighter continues in Diviner, and I don't think I need to say anymore about it. What interests me are the characters and themes in the book.
As for characters, well, my favourite character is shaping up to be Elyssa. She's no Mary-Sue, but she's got a lot of admirable qualities. Koren, on the other hand, I wanted to slap at various points of time. Sometimes, that girl just wallows in self-pity. On the other hand, the other Starlighter, Cassibrie, is interesting, and I wonder what she's going to do.
On the other hand, Randall has moved from the selfish and stuck up boy first seen in Starlighter to a courageous person. Jason, having been good from the start, has been maturing through his journey. He makes not a few mistakes, but he always shows that his heart is in the right place (okok, I admit that Koren has her heart in the right place most of the time. I have to reasonable explanation as to why she sometimes irks me).
Two of the themes in this series are love and free will. Others include sacrifice and courage, but I think that the idea of love and free will is the most prominent and interesting in this book. Thanks to Taushin, we get to here his twisted version of how chains can mean love. Koren, on the other hand, has to resist Taushin's seductive logic with what she knows to be true - that you can't force love.
The problem, therefore, lies in ignorance. If let's say, someone who doesn't know better wants to play with fire, is it better to place chains on him to prevent him from hurting himself? Is this called Love? And when you expand that concept to cover placing chains on someone to teach him to love (all outcomes are supposed to be positive here), it does get really confusing.
Here's what I think. I agree that love cannot be forced. I think that one of the reasons the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was placed in the garden was to let Adam and Eve choose to love God and obey his command by giving them the choice to do otherwise. God is a God of love, but He also wants us to love Him using our own free will, not using any sort of chains.
Needless to say, a book this thought-provoking should be read. Combined with a strong plot and well-rounded characters and there isn't much of a reason why you shouldn't read this book.
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for a free and honest
review.
First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
March 17, 2017
Great! Would read again.
April 16, 2020
An enjoyable read! I still have the same complaints as I did for the other books in the series, of the weak/submissive female characters and poor character development in general...but the story is picking up pace at this point and it's easier to get into it and overlook those things.
Plus, Taushin makes an interesting antagonist. He's clearly cruel yet he makes some excellent points in his defense, making him relatable. The conflict between him and Koren is well done.
Plus, Taushin makes an interesting antagonist. He's clearly cruel yet he makes some excellent points in his defense, making him relatable. The conflict between him and Koren is well done.
did-not-finish
March 4, 2023DNF 31%
There's been too much time since I read the first one and this far in I still can't remember who these people are or why they're important. There's life zero recap of the first book.
Also the transitions are horrible. Jason let's go off a rock at one point, puts his feet down immediately, and is now on the edge of a waterfall nowhere near said rock.
Just one example of how poorly this is written. Characters are dry and I can't be bothered to care.
There's been too much time since I read the first one and this far in I still can't remember who these people are or why they're important. There's life zero recap of the first book.
Also the transitions are horrible. Jason let's go off a rock at one point, puts his feet down immediately, and is now on the edge of a waterfall nowhere near said rock.
Just one example of how poorly this is written. Characters are dry and I can't be bothered to care.
July 29, 2020
Fantastic read, wonderful messages!
This series grabs your attention and you can really relate to the characters, while understanding the powerful messages throughout the book. You'll learn acts of courage, selflessness, power of love, free will and more! Highly recommend, wholesome story telling at it's best!
This series grabs your attention and you can really relate to the characters, while understanding the powerful messages throughout the book. You'll learn acts of courage, selflessness, power of love, free will and more! Highly recommend, wholesome story telling at it's best!
February 24, 2024
This book was completely enjoyable. You may see other reviews on this that are particularly bad, those are just people who are very critical. My opinion on this is that the author is amazing at writing and this is a great book. If you are just in for the ride, not here for criticism or praise, then this faith-based book is perfect for you. I find this series also more directed to younger teenagers. Thank you for taking time to read this!!!! :)
July 30, 2024
I wish I could say that I enjoyed this book, but I didn't. Half way through the book I gave up. The book just wasn't interesting enough to make the readers want to finish it. After that I lost all interest in finishing the series.
September 27, 2019
Have book 3 at the ready, because nothing is solved in this one. Good, tho, but I prefer a few less cliffhangers. I'll keep reading, tho, b/c I really do care what happens to the characters.
April 6, 2021
3.5 stars
July 26, 2022
This book was okay I wish it was more !
July 6, 2024
6/10 Pretty Good
October 15, 2011
This book begins pretty might right where the last book left off, which I think is a good thing. It helps us jump right into the story line without having to try too hard to remember where we left off.
I wasn't too happy with this book though. While the first book immersed us into the world, this book began in the world and jumped back and forth between the plane of dragons and enslaved humans, and the world where humans currently live as free people, it just didn't seem to be full of the same descriptive properties of the first novel. I felt like I wanted to know more and to experience more rich imagery than I was receiving.
Also, for me the story was kind of slow. It seemed to me that while we learn many surprising things about the dragon world, prophecies and the startling truth about a few characters, it just didn't pick up until we're almost at the end and we're trying to find out what is going to happen with the dragon plot. We're left wondering which set of dragons to cheer for, and we're left wondering what will happen to Tibber and Elyssa back on Darksphere. There are many more holes opening up that will have to be filled by the next book because there are just so many things that are left open.
While I enjoyed reading this one, I felt that it could have been written in a more appealing manner. Fight scenes between humans and dragons seemed quite rushed, weren't descriptive and were over before you realize what's going on. The first book had a much slower pace which I think suited it better. It's much easier to immerse yourself in the first and much harder than in this one.
Thanks to Goodreads for allowing me to read and review this book.
I wasn't too happy with this book though. While the first book immersed us into the world, this book began in the world and jumped back and forth between the plane of dragons and enslaved humans, and the world where humans currently live as free people, it just didn't seem to be full of the same descriptive properties of the first novel. I felt like I wanted to know more and to experience more rich imagery than I was receiving.
Also, for me the story was kind of slow. It seemed to me that while we learn many surprising things about the dragon world, prophecies and the startling truth about a few characters, it just didn't pick up until we're almost at the end and we're trying to find out what is going to happen with the dragon plot. We're left wondering which set of dragons to cheer for, and we're left wondering what will happen to Tibber and Elyssa back on Darksphere. There are many more holes opening up that will have to be filled by the next book because there are just so many things that are left open.
While I enjoyed reading this one, I felt that it could have been written in a more appealing manner. Fight scenes between humans and dragons seemed quite rushed, weren't descriptive and were over before you realize what's going on. The first book had a much slower pace which I think suited it better. It's much easier to immerse yourself in the first and much harder than in this one.
Thanks to Goodreads for allowing me to read and review this book.
August 13, 2011
DRAGONS OF STARLIGHT: WARRIOR
By Bryan Davis
The black egg has and the blind dragon prince – Taushin is ready to fulfill the prophecy. But Taushin needs Koren and her Starlighter abilities to the enable him to resurrect the fallen star Exodus. But can Koren believe anything that Taushin tells her?
Meanwhile Jason continues his journey into the Northlands and the realm of the White Dragon, where, according to Cassabrie, he will be tested. If Jason fails what will be the fate of the “lost ones” on Starlight and what will befall Koren?
Down to the south Elyssa and Wallace are determined to save their friends but instead find a mystery. The body of the previous Starlighter, Cassabrie, is preserved beneath the dragon’s Zodiac and for some strange reason Elyssa is drawn to it. There is also a strange book that draws Elyssa into its story so that she can make it visible to Wallace.
On Major Four Randal and Tibalt have troubles of their own. They have been captured while trying to uncover the truth about Governor Prescott’s murder and the location of Randall’s mother.
Who is lying and who is telling the truth? Can these warriors discover it before everything is lost? What they chose will determine the fate of two worlds!
By Bryan Davis
The black egg has and the blind dragon prince – Taushin is ready to fulfill the prophecy. But Taushin needs Koren and her Starlighter abilities to the enable him to resurrect the fallen star Exodus. But can Koren believe anything that Taushin tells her?
Meanwhile Jason continues his journey into the Northlands and the realm of the White Dragon, where, according to Cassabrie, he will be tested. If Jason fails what will be the fate of the “lost ones” on Starlight and what will befall Koren?
Down to the south Elyssa and Wallace are determined to save their friends but instead find a mystery. The body of the previous Starlighter, Cassabrie, is preserved beneath the dragon’s Zodiac and for some strange reason Elyssa is drawn to it. There is also a strange book that draws Elyssa into its story so that she can make it visible to Wallace.
On Major Four Randal and Tibalt have troubles of their own. They have been captured while trying to uncover the truth about Governor Prescott’s murder and the location of Randall’s mother.
Who is lying and who is telling the truth? Can these warriors discover it before everything is lost? What they chose will determine the fate of two worlds!
December 2, 2011
This book was an excellent continuance of the first book in the series. This is the book that I originally won so it was a bit confusing when I first started reading it. I went out and purchased the first book in the series and went from there.
This book went a bit further into the character's lives and it's a bit weird to think that everything happening has just been within a few days. The main characters are still Koren (Starlighter), Jason (the hero),and Elyssa (The Diviner). We are introduced more to two more human characters Wallace and Cassabrie. It's was a bit slow going in the beginning, but picked up the pace a few chapters in. It is hard to imagine an adult having to make some of the decisions these young characters have to make. I couldn't put the book down and just had to know what was going to happen next!
This is a great book and I really think if you have enjoyed any other books written by Bryan Davis, then you will not be disappointed with this series. I have to wait to read the next book in line as I don't own it yet, but I can say I really am excited to read what happens next.
This book went a bit further into the character's lives and it's a bit weird to think that everything happening has just been within a few days. The main characters are still Koren (Starlighter), Jason (the hero),and Elyssa (The Diviner). We are introduced more to two more human characters Wallace and Cassabrie. It's was a bit slow going in the beginning, but picked up the pace a few chapters in. It is hard to imagine an adult having to make some of the decisions these young characters have to make. I couldn't put the book down and just had to know what was going to happen next!
This is a great book and I really think if you have enjoyed any other books written by Bryan Davis, then you will not be disappointed with this series. I have to wait to read the next book in line as I don't own it yet, but I can say I really am excited to read what happens next.
October 31, 2011
I received this book as a First-Reads winner. Sweet!
There is so much going on with each character seemingly heading in different directions. But all working together for the common goal. There is much frustration, wanting them to succeed, but there are so many obstacles they encounter along each path in this second adventure of the Dragons of Starlight. It was difficult to put the book down but I had to give up reading when my eyes would cross from trying to read quickly through to the end of each trial that Jason, Koren and the others had to struggle through. There is intrigue, back history with moments (once again) of wondering who is friend or foe and the bitter struggle of good vs. evil. Alas, I say this with much GRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr the ending leaves me hanging!!!!!! I need book 3 ASAP! Another fun read that makes you think with much to chew upon as well as enjoying the ride.
There is so much going on with each character seemingly heading in different directions. But all working together for the common goal. There is much frustration, wanting them to succeed, but there are so many obstacles they encounter along each path in this second adventure of the Dragons of Starlight. It was difficult to put the book down but I had to give up reading when my eyes would cross from trying to read quickly through to the end of each trial that Jason, Koren and the others had to struggle through. There is intrigue, back history with moments (once again) of wondering who is friend or foe and the bitter struggle of good vs. evil. Alas, I say this with much GRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr the ending leaves me hanging!!!!!! I need book 3 ASAP! Another fun read that makes you think with much to chew upon as well as enjoying the ride.
April 9, 2011
Book Review: Warrior
Author: Bryan Davis
Another excellent book by Mr.
Davis. A wonderful read for YA and Adult as well. The struggles that each character faces is something young adults can relate too as they travel their journey through life. I was left on the edge of my seat wondering what choice they would make. In fact I almost sent a message to Mr. Davis to yell at him for writing such a suspenseful book, because I spent a few nights having trouble putting the book down so I could go to sleep.
He has skillfully melded the Christian journey with fantasy to create a truly unique world and it’s characters.
Definitely a must read for young Christians trying to find their way in the world.
Happy Reading
Christina Weigand
http://www.weigandchris.com
Author: Bryan Davis
Another excellent book by Mr.
Davis. A wonderful read for YA and Adult as well. The struggles that each character faces is something young adults can relate too as they travel their journey through life. I was left on the edge of my seat wondering what choice they would make. In fact I almost sent a message to Mr. Davis to yell at him for writing such a suspenseful book, because I spent a few nights having trouble putting the book down so I could go to sleep.
He has skillfully melded the Christian journey with fantasy to create a truly unique world and it’s characters.
Definitely a must read for young Christians trying to find their way in the world.
Happy Reading
Christina Weigand
http://www.weigandchris.com
April 8, 2016
In episode two of "Make it weirder"...Jason is possessed, our character meet a bunch of magical ghosts, and the prophesied black dragon pops out of his egg with a plan to rule the world. Yeah, it gets pretty weird.
I really did enjoy how this book incorporated points that it touched on in the last book. For example, actually turns out to be important. Great foreshadowing there. Also, the tension built up by multiple stories at the same time really worked out well.
That's about how much good I can think of. The pace is still ruined by explanations, although the setting still remains unclarified. And I suspect there is a religious element coming in to this, given how much the characters seemed focused on praying.
I really did enjoy how this book incorporated points that it touched on in the last book. For example, actually turns out to be important. Great foreshadowing there. Also, the tension built up by multiple stories at the same time really worked out well.
That's about how much good I can think of. The pace is still ruined by explanations, although the setting still remains unclarified. And I suspect there is a religious element coming in to this, given how much the characters seemed focused on praying.
January 17, 2012
Goodreads win yay :)
I never read the first book so the beginning was definitely a bit confusing because the author did not discuss about Starlight/Starlighter was. However, after reading on, I felt like I was in the story and I didn't want to put the book down. There were too many characters though and sometimes that made me a bit confused of who I was reading about.
I think this is my first time reading about dragons and I found it quite interesting. I liked the story-line too of humans/starlighters trying to save the human race from dragons.
I enjoyed reading this book and hope you will too :)
Can't wait till I receive the 3rd book "The Diviner"----Hope it comes in my mail very soon!!!
I never read the first book so the beginning was definitely a bit confusing because the author did not discuss about Starlight/Starlighter was. However, after reading on, I felt like I was in the story and I didn't want to put the book down. There were too many characters though and sometimes that made me a bit confused of who I was reading about.
I think this is my first time reading about dragons and I found it quite interesting. I liked the story-line too of humans/starlighters trying to save the human race from dragons.
I enjoyed reading this book and hope you will too :)
Can't wait till I receive the 3rd book "The Diviner"----Hope it comes in my mail very soon!!!
December 10, 2011
I won this through the Goodreads First Reads program. I hadn't read the first book, but I was still excited to read this one! I really loved the characters in this book. I could relate to them so well. And by the end, I was screaming for them to make the decisions that I wanted them to make. The novel really sucks you in. My only problem with the book is that it was kind of slow in the middle, and it ends with a cliffhanger. I definitely want to go back and read the first one, and I would recommend this book to anyone! :)
January 4, 2012
I won this as a first reads on goodreads. I wasn't sure at first if I would like it. Came close to not finishing it but I did. Good thing to as it turned out to be a good book. I have not read the first book in this series but that didn't matter. It is a delightful world of dragons and humans working together to set a world right and go against evil forces. You really don't get to lost from the first book if you haven't read it. It just kinda fills in as you read the things that have already happened.
August 4, 2012
This is a goodreads givaway book review.
Really liked this book. I loved how it went between the different worlds. i thought it the idea of dragons owning/ruling humans was a neat concept. Loved all the main characters (even though there were quite abit). At times it was slow reading. But over all i couldn't put the book down. There are a ton of plots and mysteries to be solved. This book makes you want to the next book in the series. Can't wait to see what he has in store for the next books.
Teenagers will love these books.
Really liked this book. I loved how it went between the different worlds. i thought it the idea of dragons owning/ruling humans was a neat concept. Loved all the main characters (even though there were quite abit). At times it was slow reading. But over all i couldn't put the book down. There are a ton of plots and mysteries to be solved. This book makes you want to the next book in the series. Can't wait to see what he has in store for the next books.
Teenagers will love these books.
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