“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead...Article One, Section One, The Dragon Rider’s Codex…The thousands of twenty-year-olds waiting outside the gate to enter their chosen quadrant for service are the smartest and strongest in Navarre. Hundreds of them have been preparing for the Riders Quadrant, the chance to become one of the elite, since birth. I’ve had exactly six months.”
That’s from the first page of Rebecca Yarros’ fantasy novel Fourth Wing. The main character, Violet Sorrengail, was preparing all her life to be a Scribe, but her mother (the commanding general) has ordered her to train to be a fighter, one of the elite dragon riders.
When she starts training, she is smaller and weaker than her fellow
students. They train for months to learn to not only fight in hand-to-hand battles but also from the back of a dragon. At the end of the training the dragon chooses its rider. Those found lacking might be instantly incinerated by a dragon.
Each rider also has a magical gift that is enhanced by their dragon’s power. Violet’s gift takes longer than usual to manifest itself but is quite powerful when it does.
And amidst the training, Violet finds herself romantically drawn to
one of the wing leaders. Along with some pretty tense fight scenes, there are also some pretty steamy love scenes….so, really, something for everyone!
This is the first in a series, so if you’re looking for a fantasy series to get lost in, then you must read Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.
