What a ride! This book sucks you in and never lets go. The world building is amazing and Annie and Lee feel so very real. I loved the political intrigue and cant wait for the next book.

Who doesn’t love a story about dragons?!

“Inspired by Plato’s Republic and told from a dual point of view, the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons.”

Fireborne is a dazzling debut into a land where suffering, atonement, and political retribution are a norm. The hope of future peace lands lands on the shoulders of two orphaned dragon riders. Suffering from the loss of their families, Lee and Annie bonded at the orphanage where they met.

I look down at this boy, vulnerable, at my mercy, and think, To the ends of the earth I will protect you.

Fast forward some years later to the fight for Firstrider. These scenes reminded me of the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter. Having been born as a Stormscourge and son to the man who burned Annie’s family, tensions rise as the fight for Firstrider commences. But something else looms in the horizon…rumors of another dragon fleet from the old regime have surfaced.

Will Lee betray his family to fight for the government he was raised in for most of his life? Or will he fight with blood?

What makes this story different from other dragon novels is that the reader can feel the emotions of the dragons. The bond between dragon and rider is so intense, it almost serves as a link to the souls. I want a dragon.

On a side note…does anyone else like Power and think he may turn “good guy”?! And does anyone else love Duck?!

Munda brings us a captivating story of political unrest, revolution, and the chance to create history. I’m excited for the next installment!

I really enjoyed this book about dragonriders. I heard some people say that it is based on the Russian Revolution. If so, the resemblance is very slight. The world built by Munda is very unique, and is not in any way based on Russia. I also enjoyed all the politics in the book and the struggles the main character Lee faces as he tries to figure out where his loyalties lie.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book since I haven’t read either Game of Thrones or the Red Rising series, so I was going into this blind. The thing that did grab my interest was the background of both Lee and Annie and the fact that there are dragons in the book.

Told in the aftermath of a revolution that has changed how the country lives instead of under the rule of the Dragon Lord, in a new possible freedom and ranking among the citizens.

Lee hides that he is the surviving son of the Dragon Lord, raised as an orphan alongside Annie who was orphaned due to an order given by the Dragon Lord.

Lee and Annie are both vying for the role of First Rider, but they are in each other’s way. Both have worked their way up the ranks during the trials, which seems to put a bit of a strain on their friendship since they both have their own reasons for wanting this spot.

The peace that people have slowly comes to an end when it is found out that a neighboring country also has dragon riders and that they were against the revolution and want to bring back the rule that the Dragon Lord instilled. During this time Lee is confronted with the decision to stand by his family or fight against them.
The fact that Lee must keep his secret from Annie and his friends while having this internal conflict as to which side to choose shows that not everything is black and white. Lee makes a choice which may or may not be what’s best for the people

I was hoping that there was going to be more with the dragons, but I understood that they were not the main focus of this book, but I do hope that there will be more in the next book since there is a war that is brewing.

Book 2 is slated to be out sometime in 2020.

Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger…with dragons!!!

 I didn’t need to know another single damn thing to convince me to pick this book up. Nothing. And that snap decision gave me what is probably one of the most well written, intellectually captivating, heart wrenching and exhilarating books I have had the privilege to read this year.

 I was actually avoiding reading Fireborne because I have been let down so many times recently by books I had such high hopes for but I finished this in a day and my only regret was that I didn’t start it sooner. I am in awe at how well Munda has painted this world and these characters in a way that fully immerses the reader and takes you on a breathtaking ride that you will never want to forget.

I think I have a touch of whiplash from the twists but I wholly look forward to seeing where this rollercoaster of a story takes me next!

 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest opinion.

This was such a surprisingly grounded, even-handed look at revolution and its toll, emotional and material, on the survivors. While very much a cross between the Harry Potter and <a href="http://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2017/03/18/red-rising-red-rising-1-by-pierce-brown/">Red Rising</a> books -- except with dragons instead of magic or advanced technology -- it felt at its heart closer akin to Jo Walton's <a href="http://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2016/08/30/the-just-city-by-jo-walton-2/">The Just City</a>, another story of radical experiment in government that threatens to go horribly awry. Whereas TJC was a cautionary tale, however, Fireborne is an epic in the heroic mold, eventually becoming as lyrical and deeply moving as the classical poetry it "quotes", inspired by Virgil's Aeneid (also, the made-up poetry was beautiful and appropriate, which already sets Fireborne head and shoulders over most of its peers that try and fail to do the same.)

Told from the points of view of Lee, last surviving son of an aristocratic family murdered in the revolution, and Annie, orphaned daughter of a peasant family murdered because they could not meet their pre-revolutionary lord's production quota, the story begins as the two have advanced through training to become squadron leaders of dragon riders. They and several others will square off in sanctioned tournaments to see who becomes flight commander and de facto heir to Atreus, the revolutionary leader who betrayed his patrician roots to lead the uprising. But not all of the previous regime were exterminated: some survived even as Lee did, and are plotting their vengeance in exile.

Lee and Annie are best friends but have a complicated relationship burdened by rivalry and secrets. I liked that the emotions were never pat, and especially liked how the friendship between Annie and Crissa worked out. To be honest, I thought the beginning of this book rather shaky, but around the time that Cor yells at Lee that Crissa doesn't deserve to be a consolation prize, I was all in (even tho I maybe envisioned Crissa as Hailey Bieber from then on out, lol.) There are parts I wish had worked out differently, but what did happen worked in service to the story being told, one less of dragons and their heroic riders -- tho that was engrossing too -- and more of the real costs of regime change and war.

Rosaria Munda doesn't make the easy choices when it comes to her narrative, which gives us readers a far richer experience than works by authors who go for tidy conclusions. Fireborne is meaningful social commentary in the guise of fantasy fiction, and I was dead impressed by Ms Munda's skill at examining particularly the French and Russian revolutions through this lens. I'm very much looking forward to reading more, tho am also so, so happy that this book reads complete on its own. Cliffhangers are all well and good but stories that can stand on their own are just so much more satisfying. Really terrific debut.

An exciting young adult fantasy featuring rivalry, romance, revenge and a dragon or two for good measure, FIreborne by Rosaria Munda is a gripping read. The book tells the story of two young dragon riders, Lee and Annie , who befriended each other as children in an orphanage, and are now on the verge of becoming leader and second in command of the nation's dragon army. Though good friends , the pair are very different and come from vastly different beginnings, Lee was the youngest son of the aristocratic ruling family, and the only member of the family who survived the rebellion which overthrew them. Abandoned in the orphanage, he has hidden is heritage, and worked his way to the top on his own merit, Annie is also the only surviving member of her family, though their humble rural home life was hugely different to Lee's ,and her family was killed as a punishment for supposedly hiding food during a famine, instead of using it to pay their taxes. Both are scarred by being forced to watch their families die, and both are determined to show the world that they belong, and that they have the courage and skill to lead the army, but only one of them can end up on top. To further complicate matters, Lee comes to realise that some members of his extended family may have survived, and they intend to take back the crown. Torn between his past and his possible futures he faces an impossible choice.
This book had so much great world building, I loved the idea of a magical society that had been torn down and replaced, at least in theory, by a meritocracy, it is not something that I have seen done before , and it is done really well here. The author has clearly put a lot of thought into the whole political system, and I found it fascinating.
The characters of Lee and Annie are wonderful, complex, nuanced and fully rounded. I loved the fact that I could not decide which way Lee would go when faced with his biggest choice, and felt like this was a testament to the author's skill, I also really liked the dynamic between the two, and especially it's complexity, given the history of their families.and the professional rivalry between them. The secondary characters were also well handled, and better realised than the main characters in some books I have read, The pacing is phenomenal, I was completely hooked, and genuinely surprised at several points, The complexity and character development put this book at the top of my YA fantasy list for this year, and it is a book I know I am going to recommend a lot, and read again as I eagerly await the next in the series.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Fireborne follows the story of Lee and Annie, two childhood friends who grew up together and their journey during the new regime in Callipolis. Although both of them were from the same orphanage and shared common goals when they were younger, the differences in their family backgrounds were too big to fill in the gap that started to arise as they grew older. Fueled by personal ambitions, fierce competitions, twisted lies, political intrigues, and emerging wars, Lee and Annie must choose between the family that they were born into or the one that they found along the way.

Hands down, Fireborne is one of the most solid debuts that I read this year. I’ve been discovering a lot of good books lately, but this one is truly a gem. Today’s review is going to be a bit different than my usual format because there are a lot of areas that I want to cover and talk about without causing any confusion, in case you haven’t got a chance to devour into this epic universe yet.

➤ Let’s start with how this book pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons. I don’t think if there’s any precise statement to explain this book aside from this one. If you’re intrigued to read this book after looking at that bold statement, let me convince you why you should continue your intention. The resemblance of Aegon Targaryen on Lee comes from Lee’s bloodline as the aristocratic family, commonly known as Dragonlords during the old regime. In this regime, Dragonlords are highborn in society and they had the birthright to ride dragons. After his family was murdered by revolutionaries and the regime changed, Lee joined the training to prove his worth to ride the dragons, but oftentimes, he still pondered whether he must compete for a title that should be his birthright. There are more resemblance of Aegon on Lee when the story got deeper, but I can’t really mention it without dropping spoilers! Meanwhile, the resemblance of Hermione Granger on Annie comes from Annie’s intelligence, hard works, and determination. Although she often got underestimated by her fellow classmates, even her teachers (it’s basically how Snape taking points from Gryffindor every time Hermione answered his questions in class!), for being a lowborn (um, Mudblood?!), she continuously improved herself to achieve her goals. #HustleHard

➤ But maybe, you don’t care about Aegon or Hermione. Maybe, you’re just fond of the dragons. That’s alright, too. Because if you do, Fireborne is the story set in a dragon land that you don’t want to miss. The dragons featured heavily in this story and I can assure you that you’ll enjoy every single second of it. My favorite part is the fact that the dragons weren’t just appeared for the sake of ‘coolness’ for being a dragon, but rather how it was blended so naturally with the characters, the plot, and the overall worldbuilding. We got a glimpse of the existence of dragons during the old regime through the characters’ throwback, a glimpse of how they choose their rider (much like how the wands choose the wizard!) through their first encounter, and a glimpse of how they become emotionally connected with their riders through the competition to become the Firstrider,

➤ And lastly, character-wise, plot-wise, and writing-wise, Fireborne is truly a masterpiece. I couldn’t find anything that I dislike about this book. I enjoyed every scene that was delivered, every intrigue and secret that was revealed, and every character that was involved. There’s no wasted potential in this debut. The complicated relationship between Lee and Annie was delivered beautifully. It was a slow-burn romance that I’m longing to read. The convoluted political intrigue which was the major plot in this story was extremely well-built, as they were no rights or wrongs because everyone has their own motives and reasons to be avenged. And Munda delivered all of these gracefully through her dazzling writings. This entire book is an absolute golden, but I always enjoyed the quotation that the characters took from the fictional literature in this story, which also the title of this series, The Aurelian Cycle. These proses give me chills and I wish I could read the book itself (especially now that it is banned in Callipolis!).

The bottom line, Fireborne is an epic fantasy that you don’t want to miss. It’s an incredible first of the series that will leave you craving for more dragon duel, political secrets, and swoon-worthy romance.

"There was greatness in them. But with that greatness came arrogance, and with that arrogance corruption, and with that corruption downfall."

A tale of friendship, understanding, suffering, atonement, dragons, and revolution.

A brutal revolution changed the lives of all its citizens. Gone were the dragonlords of past, and in their place a new system. A self-proclaimed better system was put into place. But nothing is ever as black and white as it seems.

In some ways, Lee & Annie reminds me a bit of Day & June, from the Legend Trilogy, star-crossed due to the tragedies that befell one of their family's as a result of the others.

While the premise and overall idea was a promising one, the execution was just okay for me. I liked but did not love the book in its entirety. But I do believe I like it enough to tune in for what comes next.

Rosaria Munda’s debut novel Fireborne has everything I love in a fantasy: complex characters, exquisite world building, political intrigue, and most importantly, dragons! Fireborne follows two main characters, Annie and Lee, both of whom were orphaned during a brutal revolution that took place when they were just young children. Lee’s family was part of the aristocracy and was therefore murdered by the revolutionaries when they launched their attack, while prior to that, Lee’s father executed Annie’s whole lowborn family to make an example out of them for their fellow villagers. Both Annie and Lee were spared execution themselves only so that they could serve as witnesses to what had happened and report back to their people. Lee’s true identity is hidden for his own protection, and he and Annie eventually end up in the same orphanage together and immediately become friends.

When we first meet Lee and Annie, they are young adults and they are also Dragonriders, which is truly every bit as cool as it sounds. The characters really do ride dragons, which gave me a combination Game of Thrones/How to Train Your Dragon vibe that I loved. Lee and Annie are still the best of friends, but they are also both excellent Dragonriders and so are also friendly rivals for the title of Firstrider, a title that all Dragonriders aspire to.

Their world changes, however, when it is learned that there are survivors from the old regime and they’ve decided they want their city back. This puts Lee in an almost impossible situation – he must decide whether to fight for or against his birth family. Will he and Annie end up on opposite sides of this war that is threatening their way of life? And If Lee chooses to fight for his birth family, does Annie have what it takes to fight against her best friend?

It took me a couple of chapters to really get into Fireborne but then I was just glued to it and finished it in less than two days. Annie and Lee are both such likeable characters. I was sympathetic to them both because of what they had gone through as children but also loved watching them achieve success and literally soar as Dragonriders. I also loved watching their relationship evolve – they’re friends, they’re family, and at times, even felt like possibly a little more than that. Lee was an especially fascinating character to me because of the complication of his hidden identity and what a wildcard he is when it comes to the old regime trying to return to power. There’s plenty of gut-wrenching, emotional moments as Lee considers the choice he has to make.

Aside from Annie and Lee, I also really liked the rest of the Dragonriders fleet, especially Duck, who is just a sweetheart. Power, another rider and rival of Lee’s, is kind of an ass at times, but I still found him very entertaining. The best part of the Dragonriders though were the actual dragons. I was fascinated by the way everything worked, from the way the dragons chose their riders, to how the tournaments worked to decide who would ultimately be first rider. I thought the author did a fantastic job with her attention to detail here – from the rules of the tournament with its full heat kill shots versus glancing penalty shots, and especially with the fire suits with built-in coolants that the riders wore. It felt like she thought of everything and it really brought the contests to life. Between the glorious images of dragons flying through the air and the exciting contests between the riders, I found myself flying through the pages to see who would come out on top. I loved everything about this aspect of the fantasy world in Fireborne.

I’m also a big fan of political intrigue, so seeing what’s going on behind the scenes as the Dragonriders prep for possible war was a big selling point for me too. I’m always drawn to those scenes where alliances are formed while other alliances are called into question and tested. In the case of Fireborne, this led to a question that ultimately left me with food for thought: If the new regime starts doing the same things that the old regime was doing, are you any better off now than you were then?

Even with everything I’ve written, I’ve still barely scratched the surface of the many layers of Rosaria Munda’s Fireborne. It’s an emotional novel about revolution, rivalry, and family that is sure to captivate you.

It is 2:54 am Sunday morning and I'm heartbroken in the best possible way. This book is epic, exhilarating, and emotionally raw. Both Lee and Annie are strong, flawed, and fighting to rid themselves of the guilt and horrors that have weighed them down. Annie is the knight in shining armor that every girl aspires to be. She takes command despite her insecurities. She fights for what she wants despite being best friends with Lee, who seems like the golden boy who deserves it more than she does. But she doesn't let that stop her. She endures the humiliation, always be underestimated and proves those people wrong. She's such an inspiration! Even in her darkest moments she finds a way to pull through. She cares for Lee as much as he cares for her and together, they push each other to be their best. They hold each other accountable and heal each other's wounds. And what can I say? Their friendship is beautiful. One of my favorite scenes has to be the ballroom scene. Lee experiences such a bitter sweet moment remembering times of the old but Annie reminds him to live in the now and this scene definitely made me tear up a bit. And the trial that Lee has to endure just to prove himself was utterly horrifying. That also left me near tears. The last 25% of the book will leave you in the floor in a sobbing mess, but it's totally worth it. This book is incredibly amazing and pulls your heartstrings until you're a sobbing mess. But it's also an incredibly beautiful tale of friendship, courage and the hard choices we have to make in hopes of making a better future.

I feel gutted reading this. The pace was a little slow but it was necessary and I think that if you're not a patient reader, don't bother. It started off the way it wanted to, and luckily for me I fell in love with what I was getting from the first few pages: a story of two people who must choose to grow apart or stay together.

A lot of my grief came from the injustice of it all and how everyone was okay with the aftermath (everyone being the citizens, the people who labored the revolution). I always have a hard time dealing with anything "bad" and the mention of children, and continuing to be reminded by what people were okay with and what they constantly screamed for only put me in a darker funk. I escape to read and facing this only made me think of the very things I'm trying to run away from. No one likes having to admit that not doing anything is the same as joining in. I'm glad the ending happened the way it did, it tried to stay true to its sad tale while still giving a happy ending.

I personally really enjoyed this but my critique would be a slightly slow pace with the age being just a little too young. I cannot honestly imagine a twelve-year-old reading this and all the horrors it comes with, but that's just me.

It's not the end of the year yet, but I think that "Fireborne" will be my favorite 2019 release that I've read (It's a tough call between "Spin the Dawn" and this one). It was SO GOOD. Amazing. Fun. Exciting. Think of a positive description word--- this book is it!

I didn't have very high expectations going into "Fireborne". I feel like there have been too many books and tv shows marketed as "If you like Game of Thrones, you'll love this!" This has been the first book with that tagline that I have really liked, and not because I think that it felt anything like something from GoT. I think "Fireborne" stands on its own just fine. :)

"Fireborne" centers around two students that are competing for the role of Firstrider, the potential future leader of their country and leader of the dragon military. The story really starts nine years earlier when the ruling class of dragonlords are overthrown and replaced with a meritocracy. The first student , Lee, is a surviving dragonlord's son, hiding behind a new name and trying to find his place in this new society. The second is Annie, whose family was destroyed by a dragon and its dragonlord when she was younger.
I loved both of these characters, as well as the supporting cast. Their struggles and achievements were believable, and their stories were interesting. I felt myself really rooting for the characters. Although dragons are a large part of the story, their is much more focus on the human characters and their interactions. I would love to see more about the dragons later in the series.

For me, this is one of those books that I wish I could read again as if it was the first time. I loved this book so much that I read through it as fast as I could, staying up WAY past my bedtime in order to finish. Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Rosaria Munda, this book was fantastic. I am a little bit in love with you for writing it ;).

This book surprised me. I guess it was one of those instances when you really shouldn't judge a book by its cover? I definitely didn't think that Fireborne was going to be as epic as it turned out to be.

This is very much a character-based fantasy (think similar to An Ember in the Ashes) where the focus isn't so much on the plot, or the story-world, but rather on the characters' choices and how they define themselves. I loved both Annie and Lee, and seeing how their story developed--both together and separately. This book was so deep--and I absolutely loved it. Another thing I appreciated was the emphasis on the emotional toll of violence, without becoming graphic. Very well handled.

If you're a fan of upscale political fantasy like Dark of the West by Joanna Hathaway, or The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I highly recommend picking this book up. You're in for a treat. And no cliffhangers here, though it's clear the story will continue in sequels.

Content: Some profanity, infrequently used. Semi-frequent violence (non-graphic), with some instances being very emotionally-heavy. Some kissing (it gets rather passionate later on), but still fairly non-graphic.

WOW!!!! this book has simultaneously ripped me apart and sown me together. The intricacies of the class system and overall revolution themes are well written and will easily spark your emotions.
Between Lee and Annie - I found my-self ripped in two cheering for each and both together.
The writing is a kind that aligns the reader with each plite . The story is one of twists, turns, and overall “what the actual fuck ness “ surprise that will have you engaged to the final word! I screamed and cried! I cussed and nearly broke my phone.....
this is not a book to be missed! If this is not on your TBR list ... I’m just going to say it, you are NOT living your life right! Seriously, get this book as soon as it hits shelves! And be prepared to soar on the backs of dragons and never come down!

* I was provided an arc by NetGalley in exchange for a review*

This book is not only gorgeous, but the writing is phenomenal. What a great start to this series. It’s exciting and suspenseful, and has well thought out characters whose journey is amazing to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest.

At first, the world of Fireborne confused me. The story takes place 9 years after a long-ruling regime was ended via slaughter. Sometimes I found it hard to understand a certain character’s station in life or their motivation, because bit by bit were told how the world used to be, and how it is now. I had mix feelings about this book until we really got to know our main characters: Annie and Lee.

I loved Annie and Lee and their beautiful comparison/contrast. They both came from strongly different backgrounds, and had such different ways of thinking. Deep down though, they really wanted the same thing, and therefore it was hard to say that ones’ actions were right and the others’ wrong. I really enjoyed both of their POVS equally – which rarely happens.

I also liked the wide cast of side characters. Because they each had their own unique tune and essential piece of the story, they were easy to keep track of and interesting to learn more about.

Fireborne wasn’t a quick read. There’s a lot of details that went into building the world, along with fleshing out the characters with backstories, motivations, etc. This is a book that I could definitely see myself rereading in the future. Even though I read this book pretty slowly and absorbed it well, I bet there’s still some little things I didn’t catch, or deeper understandings that a second-time-through would help me uncover.

Gripping and tense, Fireborne had me on the edge of my seat! Although slightly slow in the beginning, it picked up quickly. I enjoyed the strong character development as well as the themes of leadership and morality that it explores. I can't recall the last time I read a YA fantasy novel about what happens after a new regime comes to power.

Fireborne alternates between the perspectives of Annie and Lee, and both of them are compelling, complicated characters. Annie is a low-born orphan who feels out of place and must find the confidence to step up to be a leader. Lee carries the heavy secret of being an heir from the old regime while striving to be a better person than his father. The relationship between Lee and Annie is also complex, as they care for each other deeply but their personal histories place them on opposite sides. Munda captures their individual emotions so well that I was nerve-wracked throughout the story. The intermittent background stories of how the new regime came to power and Annie and Lee's childhood in the orphanage added additional depth to the story.

Aside from Lee and Annie, I loved Crissa and found Power and Atreus to be especially intriguing. There are some other characters that I would've liked to see fleshed out more, like Hane and Cor. Of course, I loved the dragons and their bonds with their riders. Although there is a lot of romantic tension, there are few romantic moments in the story and I didn't mind. (Instead of star-crossed lovers, I prefer a complicated but unwavering friendship.)

Overall, this was such an action-packed read I couldn't put down and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

**I was provided an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Rosaria Munda presents to us in Fireborne a world that is still recovering from revolution. The oligarchy of the dragonborn has been overthrown in favor of a merit-based class system determined by testing. We join the narrative where the new dragonriders, or Guardians as they're known, are composed of both low born and high born students that are being ranked in a tournament. We follow Lee, one of the few surviving dragonborn who has adopted a new name to hide his true identity, and Annie, daughter of a highland serf. Both Annie and Lee are dragon riders and their loyalty to their families, society, and each other are explored in Fireborne.

I felt completely validated in learning that Munda was inspired by Virgil and Plato in writing Fireborne; the parallels are both apparent and well-executed. Munda managed to build a well-developed world with distinct culture while also developing her characters to the point that readers are attached to both Lee and Annie. There is no clear "winner" and the amount of grey space in which Munda operated regarding the old and new regimes was beautifully and tactically done.

This book, while definitely entertaining in the dragon riding aspects and the interpersonal relationships front, has an inherent amount of political intrigue which may be offputting for some readers. I happened to really like the political portions and they worked for me.

I am so grateful that Munda allowed the romance, which was apparent, to develop at the pace and in the manner she did. It was very appropriate that the romance take a backseat, and refreshing that it was allowed to do so. Munda also allowed Annie to be a fully realized character without the romantic relationship being key to her person, despite how very integral Lee is to her development.

Overall, this book was a refreshing take on classic dragonriding within the fantasy genre, and I would be happy to see where the rest of the series goes.

Lee and Annie are orphans, surviving victims of the Revolution, when powerful families and dragonlords were killed during a coup to return power to the commoners and put an end to the famine. Lee is a dragonlord who is posing as a peasant, while Annie saw her family burned to death by a dragonlord’s dragon.

At only eight years old, Lee and Annie meet at an orphanage and forge an unlikely bond. They grow up together and share the same dreams. Ten years later, they participate in a tournament to be part of the Fourth Order. This is their chance to make a name for themselves, a chance to become a Firstrider, a commander of the dragon fleet, ready to fight all enemies to the new regime. As they near their goals, their pasts resurface, putting them at odds. A threat from another city is going to test both their characters and their bond, especially when the threats come from other survivors of the Revolution, Lee’s family.

This book has a wonderful premise. This plot is original, and I adored the unique use of dragons and how the riders communicate with the dragons. The backstory is detailed and well thought through, making it easy for readers to project themselves into the fantasy world. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the conflicts, including the internal conflicts, that both characters faced, which kept me on my toes.

I am not much into political intrigues and strictly political talk, but this book treated these well. The flashbacks provide insights into how the two characters became so close; however, while these were interesting, they slowed down the story at times. I loved the complexity of the relationship between Lee and Annie and the fact that Annie is not portrayed as a typical hero. She has her own demons and her own fights to win, and she is both strong and vulnerable at the same time. Lee also faces many challenges, and I started to root for him early in the book. Both characters are relatable yet flawed.

The only thing I did not enjoy about the story was the romance. The second love interests each character has were too much. I loved the relationship between the two main characters, which is complex, intense, and genuine. I guess it depends on whether you enjoy love triangles. This was not for me, but romance and pacing issues aside, this book was a fun read. I believe that the next book will be even stronger in action and with the romance, but that’s only a guess. I recommend that you read it. If you have not already, you will fall in love with dragons.