Cover Image: Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron

Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron

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A wonderful dystopian YA novel! Full of action and friendship. I loved this story so much! I would recommend it to any age group. Our hero is wonderfully complex with a strong set of morals and dreams of becoming a knight.

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I'm really glad I decided to read the entirety of this book. At first I wasn't really interested enough - I felt that the writing was too dense and overcomplicated, especially for a middle-grade book, and that I couldn't properly connect to the characters and the world.
But gradually I got used to the writing style and I've started liking our main group of characters a lot! They were all so lovely and wholesome! The world that the author created has some really unique aspects, vivid imagery that blew my mind and also some steampunk elements. There was constantly something going on, and I could never predict what our group will do next.
It was really fun to embark on this big, overwhelming journey, full of danger and hope with such an entertaining cast of characters!

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3.5 *** rounded up.

This review contains spoilers.

This is a middle grades fantasy adventure story with some really cool steam punk world building and nice art.

What worked:
The characters and the mix of technology and fantasy elements

The main character is a 13yo named Theo. Theo is a pretty talented mechanic. (Think young Anakin Skywalker without the force in a medieval steam punk setting). He wants to become a steam knight. I'm 100% here for steam knights. Very cool. Knights ride inside armored mechs.

Weaponry has a pretty big range... there are plasma tipped lances and flame throwers at one point with a shotgun popping up later.

The belief system is an interesting mix of Norse and Celtic elements. Later on there are angels too.

The most fantastic thing about this book is the art. There are illustrations of a lot of characters and some silhouette style renderings of different scenes. In this case, the writing was clear enough that readers could picture things like mechs, etc, but it's really cool to flip a page and see the art and think, "yep, that's exactly how I thought that would look."

There's a talking bird character named Ollie who kind of reminded me of Iago from Aladdin (if he was crazier and not a bad guy).

Theo's boss is... not super nice. When the dragon shows up, the adults all suddenly have very pressing non-dragon hunting business to attend to. Theo ends up working with a disabled knight and a girl.

The dragon wants to go elsewhere and just be a dragon. The real bad guy is a shady knight. This book has a lot of cool visual elements that are really brought to life both in the text and in the art.

Overall, it's pretty entertaining. I had fun reading it as an adult. It will likely appeal more to boys than girls. The cover is amazing.

What didn't work:
This book isn't easy to categorize based on age and that makes it hard to recommend (which is unfortunate, because I do like it). It does appeal to adults, but it doesn't fit neatly into established categories for younger readers.

Typically, older kids won't read about a main character who is younger than they are. (The exception is Harry Potter, but in general, kids ages 8-12 will read about kids ages 11-13 in middle grades, and your 13-15 year olds will want to read about main characters ages 15-18 in YA). Theo is 13, but the book has references to alcohol and uses the word "seduce" more than once. I personally don't care and I'd let my kids read it, but it is something to be aware of.

Thank you to netgalley and the author/ publisher for a free review copy. My opinions are my own.

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This is a middle grade book set in a steampunk world about an orphan named Theo who aspires to be a Steam Knight. The story was very well-written with great friendships, interesting plot and great worldbuilding. The author doesn't overuse terminology to describe the steampunk setting. There is a fantastic friendship between Theo and Riley. The book had a great main cast and all of the supporting characters were also very well-written.

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I read Theo Paxstone as during the first summer of Covid lockdowns when I was looking for something fun to occupy my mind. This book delivered. The steampunk elements have just the right complexity for Middle Grade readers and the pace keeps you engaged through the end.

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I loved Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron. It was well paced with lots of detail given about the authors world. It was exciting and fun with great characters and mechanics explained.

I can’t wait to read another from James Turner.

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I was so incredibly excited for this book. The premise sounded very interesting and I really wanted to give it a try, unfortunately this was definitely not for me. I am sure a lot of people will love this story.

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I enjoyed reading this book, the pacing and the characters were amazing and the story followed in a clean manner. The illustrations also added to the story allowing me to picture the events as they were happening

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I always enjoy a good underdog story, and Theo escaping the futility of existing with a greedy junkyard boss fits that description. His special talents for mechs and building things aren't superpowers, but they make him an unassuming hero. The most interesting part of the book is the relationship between Theo and Riley. They're very competitive in gaining Sir Bentham's favor, and Riley especially tries to take advantage of situations. Theo can't figure out the problem until he discovers Riley's secret. Sir Drake is another interesting character, although there are numerous hints along the way that he's not an honorable man. In contrast, Sir Bentham is an extremely honest and noble knight, but he can't physically handle the skills of a warrior. He's lost his legs, but his knowledge is invaluable. The plot boils down to rescuing the princess, but it's clear something's going on with the dragon. In the end, Theo and Riley unlock the mystery of its behavior and use that information to make a plan. The book contains plenty of action and adventure, so it can be enjoyed by most middle-grade readers. I highly recommend you give it a shot.

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A fun, quick read although slow to get going in parts. The characters are likeable and I can see how many young boys may be able to relate to and be inspired by Theo.

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I received a free eARC of this book in return for an honest review; thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

I could not finish this book. I really wanted to - I like steam punk, I like fantasy novels with a plucky young protagonist. I really liked the premise but I just wasn’t hooked by the writing style and I got bogged down and all of the extra details that were added in the beginning. It was a really slow read and I just couldn’t stay interested enough to finish.

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I've never read a Steampunk story before this one but I really enjoyed this book as an introduction to the genre. I love the cover. Theo Paxstone a 13-year-old orphan works as an apprentice in a junk yard, though he dreams of a different life of knights and adventures.

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🐉 Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron by James Turner 🐉
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Young Theo Paxstone aspires to a better life. A mechanic at a steam mech repair shop, he slaves away under the sharp eye of the ruthless Master Grimes, along with dozens of other orphan boys. The biggest and meanest of them, Grant, has in it for Theo and his best friend, Ollie, the shop’s parts-spotter cockatoo. The chatty bird helps keep Theo going, as every day is a struggle for survival.
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This was such a high fantasy based book. If you’re a big fan of fantasy then I highly suggest this. This book would be perfect for all you adventure loving people.

Such a lovely middle grade story about a 13 year old boy named Theo who dreams of being a knight. He’s accompanied by a cockatiel who serves as his messenger but also a very loyal friend. Later on he meets a knight in which he goes on a journey with. This is where the adventure begins.

I really appreciate this book and thought it was such a fun and enjoyable ride. It was full of many surprises and lovely moments. Honestly I really thought it was a great read. I really loved how it had some steampunk vibes to it and I really think that added such a unique twist to it.

My only problem would be that this book was a bit on the lower read for me. I normally read YA or Adult, but I decided to give this story a shot. It was a good one, but I would suggest this for children. Also, I read an e-book and there were a few problems with it. The writing style wasn’t my favorite. Still a great read and storyline.

I think this is the perfect book for parents to read with their children. It’s such an adventure throughout the whole story with these great characters. Children will definitely enjoy this because of the dragon, knight, adventure, and overall the whole storyline.
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Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
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**I was provided an e-book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and James Turner**

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Thank you netgalley for providing me digital arc of this book in an exchange of honest review.

Keywords: middle grade, fantasy, steampunk

Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron is a children book about a young orphan named Theo and his adventure. He is smart and capable mechanic who dreamt about being a knight in shining armor.

The story is simple and easy to read. It's also fun and quite engaging with interesting characters on board. It's a cute short read. Recommeded for young readers.

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I really struggled to write my review for this book. This was a fun, middle-grade adventure set in a steampunk fantasy world, with dragons, sorcerers, various other creatures including a talking bird (who I thought was wonderful and deserves a big ole mention here). The story was very easy to read, and the illustrations were really well done, but I found myself struggling to figure out what age range this book is for. (Obviously anyone can enjoy this, but I’ll explain why I’m confused).

So the story is easy to follow, the dialogue is simplistic and it’s accessible for younger readers. However, there were some really complicated words thrown in here which just didn’t fit. I thought the world itself was wonderful, but the many different religions told to us weren’t explained fully, and therefore felt complicated also. These reasons, on top of the several death scenes (which on some occasions were quite graphic), is why I’ve given this 2 stars. It’s as if the book is trying to target too many audiences all at once and it just didn’t work for me, which I’m really sad about!

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I was very, very pleasantly surprised reading this book. I was not sure what to expect, when I first got it from Netgalley but I'm very pleased with what I ended up with. I loved the writing and the main character, Theo, and the worldbuilding. It was a mix of medival times and steam punk and I had never thought of combining those two.
I'm happy to say that it totally works.
At times the book got a little long but there were no overcomplicated explanations of the technology. The plot was complex and I was immersed in the story. I would definitely read more by this author, I had a great time readin this book.

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Not great, not horrible. A bit on the young side, even for the suggested reading age-group. If you have younger readers interested in the genre, this might be a good choice. Not recommending for purchase.

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I like the premise of this book a lot. The mix of steampunk, magic,and medieval themes had me very interested and I feel like it has potential. Yet, I couldn't make it through. I made it about a third of the way in and I just couldn't connect with the story. I kept finding myself dragging and wanting it to move on or for the main characters to just stop squabbling and get on with it. I may try it again in the future.

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Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron is a fun fantasy story designed for younger readers, but one that adults will enjoy too. Set in a post-apocalypse world, where the old world of technology and science has fallen into myth and legend, the story follows young orphan Theo. Theo is stuck working in the junkyard shop of Master Grimes, worked in sweatshop like conditions for long hours. Whilst there are many downsides of his life, this does mean that Theo has learnt to become a mechanical genius.

Having secretly worked on his own steam knight armour in a hidden corner of the junkyard, Theo dreams of one day getting to be a steam knight, piloting a huge suit of armour equipped with flaming lances and missiles. The steam knights are definitely one of the cooler parts of the book, and uses the post apocalypse fantasy element of the world to full effect, giving us massive mech armour that lumber into battle firing gatling guns and clashing with huge swords.

When the royal family comes to the city, complete with a huge following of steam knights, Theo thinks that he'll get the chance to sneak away from the junkyard and watch the knights in action during the tournament. Unfortunately, before the festivities can really get underway a massive dragon attacks, killing many knights and kidnapping the princess.

During the attack Theo finds a trapped knight, Sir Bertham, and helps to free him from the burning wreckage alongside Bertham's squire Riley. After helping the old knight Bertham buys Theo's freedom from Master Grimes, and gives Theo the opportunity to join him and Riley on their mission to rescue the princess from the giant dragon.

The quest that the three of them set out on, saving a princess from a dragon, is one of the most clichéd ones around, but James Turner manages to make it feel fresh and interesting. This is in large parts thanks to the setting, and the small events that beset the group along the way. The four of them have to contend with huge mutant wolves, monstrous lake creatures, and even evil knights on their journey. Along the way we also get to learn a little more about the characters, and we learn that Riley and Bertham have some secrets to them.

The characters and story have enough twists and turns in them to keep events interesting, and prevents the plot from falling into any of the expected clichés. The setting and world is fairly interesting, and James Turner gives the sense that he's thought a lot about the world and the history, even if it doesn't always get the spotlight in the story itself. There's a lot of references to places and events that we never see, and often don't get explained in any real depth. This makes the world feel bigger than just what we're seeing, but there is a downside to this, the world feels big, but not hugely deep. We never learn what happened to the old world, why some people have powers, if those powers are magic or down to some technological advance or mutation. I can't help but feel that some more time could have been given over to these elements, but then it becomes a matter of having to fill the reader in on history without it feeling too dull or like a history text. It's a fine line to walk, and whilst it mostly works here, there were a fair few times I wanted more.

Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron is a book that will appeal to most age groups, and would be a great book for a parent to read with their kid.

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"It's the end of the school year, a summer of reading" is what I tell my students as I am preparing their summer homework package. Trying to pinpoint the kinds of books that can be enjoyed with prepared activities to follow up their reading. Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron by James Turner perfectly fitting summer read for Middle School Students and up. A medieval steampunk adventure that doesn't labor with boredom but also doesn't cheapen its exploits with lame humor, the writing by James Turner strikes a balance of wit, intrigue, and well-rounded characters, perfect for students looking to get into steampunk novels.

Theo Paxstone and the Dragon of Adyron is a world of knights, dragons, weaponized machines, and Theo, our young hero in a world of soldiers, class system with a minor commentary of the struggles of the working class, the rich with all of their advantages and how to best a dragon that is terrorizing your village. Theo life is an everyday struggle to outwit the orphan boys, working for "the man" in this case Master Grimes and having a cockatoo for a best friend, page after page a reader's appreciation will grow.

James Turner created a fun world for young readers to get into and to imagine the words on the pages coming alive placing themselves in Theo's shoes because summer is the time to exercise that imagination that is constricted by exams and quizzes during the school year.

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