Ascendant: review

I am so excited to tell you all about this amazing LitRPG book perfect for fans of Eragon! Thank you Books Forward for the chance to be on this tour!

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Michael is ‘that guy’ who enjoys - well, enjoyed... - discussing the mad fan theories of Game of Thrones even more than the books or show, and knows more about World of Warcraft than is probably healthy.

You can contact him at michael@thedragonsblade.com

www.michaelrmiller.co.uk

Title: Ascendant

Author: Michael R. Miller

Publisher: Monolith Books

Genre: Dragons, Coming of Age Fantasy

Page Count: 552

Get it here: Amazon/B&N/Audible/Kindle

The start of a new dragon rider epic combining the best of Eragon and Pern with the hard magic of Brandon Sanderson and Will Wight.

Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean.

Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.

But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows.

Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon's magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.

Reasons to read: DRAGONS, a unique magic system, and did I say DRAGONS?

Personal rating: This book is going to be living in my head for years to come.

Big thanks to Books Forward for my spot on this book tour and for introducing me to one of my favorite books of the year to date. I've also been introduced to the genre of fantasy and sci-fi called Lit RPG and let me just say, I AM IN LOVE. I'm a huge RPG gamer (most recently, Fenyx Rising), so I was tickled at the experience of reading this book. The problem is, there is so much I loved that I'm afraid this review will become as long as the book, so I'll touch upon a few things and you all can feel free to ask me privately about anything else you want to know!

When it comes to books about dragons I often find them lacking. I'm promised dragons but said dragons become part of the background without much characterization. That is not the case with this book, so if you want dragons you've come to the right book. It takes all the tropes and gives them new life. Holt is a teen who works as a cook (but dreams of being a rider because WHO WOULDN'T?), but his life is turned around when he rescues a dragon egg and discovers a bond he never dreamed of. Paired up with two dragon riders, he escapes an attack on his city and journies to find his father, whom he hopes has escaped and fled to safety. In the meantime, he develops a bond with Ash (his little white blind dragon), Brode, an older rider, and Talia, a royal turned rider with a bone to pick with Holt. Brode gives Holt the training and encouragement he needs to strengthen his magic with Ash and acts as a sort of wizened character while Talia takes a bit longer to warm up to Holt.

The writing is incredible and does its job of taking me to a new world. The pacing and progression are great as well as the character's voices and the obstacles they faced. I particularly enjoyed the relationship with the three riders as well as Ash as he learns about his own magic. Their travels are what reminded me so much of the RPGs I love and the names of the magic strikes were *chef's kiss* and made me want to dig out my old FF games (especially FF 8 which is did not beat and I kick myself every day for it).

The book is rather long, but I can say I didn't feel it drag or get boring not once. In fact, I didn't want it to end.

I have the book in front of me as I write this review and I keep running my hand over the cover almost as if to say, "Don't you worry. I'll take good care of you forever and ever and ever." I want to dive into book two ASAP. I cannot recommend this book enough. I feel so honored to have found it.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐