M. R. Mathias

I just want to start by saying, maybe this wasn't the book for me.
First, the things I liked about the book.The author did a very good job with world building. With the opening scenes in the forest, you become quickly thrust into the story. Very, very descriptive writing. There were also some likable characters. I liked Zah, Lemmy & mainly the dragons. The dragons ability to feel love and sadness were the only truly moving points of the story for me. The one thing that I can say I liked the show more best about the book was the dialogue. I actually laughed out loud in a few spots.
Some things that I struggled with. The Royal Dragoneers is told from many points of view. Moving back and forth so often caused me a challenge with really latching on to one particular character. I also felt that in some portions of the story, the description & world building went on a little too long, in particular one long scene describing a castle.
On the whole, I want to emphasize, for my tastes, The Royal Dragoneers was just an" okay" book. show less

After reading the Wardstone trilogy and loving the grand sweeping adventure, I was hesitant to start the Vanx Malic series because I had seen the length of the novels and they seemed suspiciously lacking. I honestly believed there was no way Mathias could conjure up a story as good as Wardstone with such teeny tiny novels. 'They'll be underdeveloped, I'll be annoyed' was my general train of thought.

However, after I finally relented and read a few chapters, the look of glee could not be taken show more off my face.

Nope, it's not Wardstone, it's bloody Vanx Malic, and I couldn't be happier with that. Sure, it took me a while to actually like him, or any of the characters to be honest, but once the wildwoods come in to focus, the whole rag tag bunch became my new best friends for a few hours. And I am definitely getting myself a haulkatten to ride to the supermarket... Those cheap pot noodles will be all mine farg it, grubby hand off!

There are some oddities in the narrative (how does he know the beer in the inn has no smell iwhen he is riding in a cart?) and sometimes the phrasing is slightly off kilter with what I believe is just some under cooked editing. Overall though, that kind of thing can be pretty much ignored when the story is just so adventurous, the characters so engaging and the whole thing just so damned fun! I felt like an adult kid for the duration. Woods, check! Grubby city, Check! Sailing scene, check! Dungeon, check! Underground tunnels, check! Perfection.

And now I ashamed I was so negative about the length (I am a bit of a page count snob!), because it was perfect for this sort of romp. It just snapped of the screen in rapid fire, and the short format just adds to that feeling of 'holy crap, that just happened!'

This is definitely going to be a fun ride to be delved into when I need a bit of levity in life. I think I need some more levity right now actually.. Oh look, Dragon Isle just appeared on my reader! How fortuitous! show less

If you haven't read the first book in this trilogy, The Sword and the Dragon, what are you waiting for? This so far has been the most exciting and vivid adult fantasy series I have ever read. Warning, there are spoilers for The Sword and the Dragon ahead, so if you haven't read it, stay away. I simply cannot do this review spoiler-free, but I will not spoil anything for K,Q,H,&F.

This book is an awesome continuation of the amazingness that was the first part of the trilogy. And let me warn show more you once again, this is no quick or easy read. It is a long series. But every second is worth it. K,Q,H,&F is a little bit shorter than the first book, but it still took me three days to get through. And I read fast.

During the first book, some of the characters I loved were killed. I was not a happy girl. But I still adored the book. There was an evil, evil villain and I was afraid that this book wasn't going to be able to stand up to the first book. But it did.

With the introduction of a couple of new characters, Oarly (a dwarf), and Phen (a young magician), there were amazing characters to love again. Also, the depth of King Mikhail and Hyden Hawk continued to grow. If that were even possible. I was also pleased to see that King Jarrek played a larger role in the story this time. I love King Jarrek, he's brave, tough,and loving, and one of my favorite secondary characters.

As for the villain aspect, I didn't find Ra'Gren or Shaella quite as intimidating or evil as Pael, but there were enough villains and conflict for it not to really matter. Plus you have the growth of Gerard in the Nethers and he is growing into a more evil villain by the minute. There was an incredible amount of action and the battle scenes were terrific.

Now that I am fully into the trilogy, I can state how amazed I am by the world building and the details. I am in awe of M.R.'s ability to work in details and descriptive passages without them ever being tedious or taking away from the story itself. That takes great talent and for this reason I am one of his biggest fans. Of course there are other reasons too, but I think he is one tremendously talented writer, and I hope he never stops.

I was ridiculously happy to obtain one of the first copies of this book before it was released to the public. And it was everything I had hoped it would be and more. This is a book for a person who loves books and reading. A book for someone who adores words and the English language. This is a book to savor. With a fantastic plot, a beautifully detailed world, and characters that jump right off the page (and I mean literally, Oarly was running around my living room and then he tried to feed me a cinder pepper, bad dwarf), this novel would make J.R.R Tolkien proud. I would without a doubt, recommend it to everyone I know. You are missing out if you do not read it. show less

The First Dragoneer by MR Mathias, is a fun adventure story for middle-grade and older. Two young boys face that time when the world changes, when they have to grow up; and though their world is very different from ours, their feelings will be familiar to many readers. March will leave to find his fortune elsewhere. Bren will stay to fulfill his family obligations. And each imagines they’d rather be the other.
The author creates a pleasing “other world” with words that are close enough show more to familiar to avoid that sinking alien-ness that so easily alienates readers. March calls Bren a “giboon” and imagination furnishes the image—nicely done. Meanwhile the hunting and tracking skills of our own world work just as well when entering forbidden caves in another.
As boys will everywhere, each tries to act unafraid in the quest for just one last adventure. Each sees the other as confident. And each is just a little too curious.
The danger, when it comes, is swift and vividly described. The author certainly writes a good fight scene, and an aftermath that’s all too plausibly painful.
The First Dragoneer is a nicely complete novella in its own right, and a good introduction to the author’s Dragoneers Saga; intriguing fantasy, fun characters, and lots of questions to carry the story onward. show less