Review: Old Friends and New Adventures
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 8, 2014
Mathias has certainly established himself as a significant voice in the YA genre, particularly in the magic, mayhem, and adventure niche. I thoroughly enjoyed The Rise of the Dragon King, and despite the fact that it is clearly intended for younger readers, there is plenty for anyone to enjoy, particularly old fantasy lovers that still can't put a book down if there are dragons, wizards, and a new fantasy world to explore. I have read a few other Mathias book in the past, and I must admit that I enjoyed those a bit more than this one. I felt like some of the writing felt a bit flat in this 5th Dragoneer book, although it was still a highly entertaining read. The new characters were a breath of fresh air and it was interesting to see how they folded into the established plot lines of characters that have been around for a few installments already. I think that takes a lot of skill from an author, which I certainly admire in Mathias. Blending new ideas and seamlessly making them work with old characters can be challenging, but this author has the talent to draw a reader into every new adventure. Although there were some rough spots in the Rise of the Dragon King, I'll certainly chase down the next Mathias book and try again. I'm a sucker for this sort of adventure, and perhaps I identify with King Richard a bit more than I care to admit....it's a great series and I'd recommend it for anyone, whether you're young or young at heart - it's worth the read.