Novice Dragoneer

Dragoneer Academy, Book 1

By: E. E. Knight

Narrated by: Nicole Poole

Length: 16 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

In the first book in an exciting new coming-of-age fantasy series from the author of the Age of Fire series, an impoverished girl enters into a military order of dragonriders, but her path won't be as easy or as straightforward as she expected.

Fourteen-year-old Ileth grew up in an orphanage, and thanks to her stutter was never thought to be destined for much beyond kitchen work and cleaning. But she's dreamed of serving with the dragons ever since a childhood meeting with a glittering silver dragon and its female dragoneer. For years she waits, and as soon as she is old enough to join, Ileth runs away to become a novice dragoneer at the ancient human-dragon fortress of the Serpentine.

While most of her fellow apprentices are from rich and influential families, Ileth must fight for her place in the world, even if it includes a duel with her boss at the fish-gutting table. She's then sent off to the dragon-dancers after a foolish kiss with a famously named boy and given charge of a sickly old dragon with a mysterious past. But she finds those trials were nothing when she has to take the place of a dead dragoneer and care for his imprisoned dragon in enemy lands...

©2019 Eric Frisch (P)2019 Tantor

She’s 14yrs old

I’m going to assume Mr. Knight forgot how old Ileth was, or that there’s a cultural barrier I cannot and will not break.

Ileth does battle against a sweaty fat guy in nothing but a shirt, described as titillating. She also becomes a sweat dancer for the dragons to sooth them. For those unfamiliar. Male dragons in “The Age of Fire” series like the smell of human woman, because of how similar it is to the smell of female dragons.

Ileth also has a love interest or two, one of which almost has sex with her against a barn wall. She’s 14. She is groped by the same fat guy she fought (attempted violation.) She was violated within the Lodge she was born in.

There’s plenty more wrong with the book, but this I believe is the most important of the books faults.

This story not a favorite

However, love Nicole Poole she is my favorite narrator and made this story tolerable and entertaining. Thank you Nicole.

Great narrator, lackluster book

The narrator is excellent, she does a good job with voices and is pleasant to listen to. The book itself presents as a fantasy novel about dragonriding but the dragons are a very small part of the story and most of it is just about a very mundane life of a 14 year old at a boarding school with school drama. The story picks up at the end but is otherwise dull and drags on with describing what's essentially day to day chores. The main character, a 14 year old girl mind you, is also weirdly sexualized and harassed constantly by what seems like at least half of the male characters in the book and it's just uncomfortable to listen to and rarely adds anything to the story. The Age of Fire series the author previously wrote is much better.

awesome book

This book does a fantastic job of bringing us back to this world with a new story told from a different view point. I will be listening to this again.

can't praise this book enough!

this is one of my favorite books. i rarely reread books, but i read the paper book every 6 months or so & i listen to the audiobook about as often. i live how real Ileth is. she's flawed, but she grows throughout the story. the ending gets me every time. :) the author "tells" a little more than he "shows" but i enjoy the difference in writing voice and the lack of literary bloat.

Very interesting

E. E. Knight never stops impressing me with his books. I didn’t know that this is still in the same realm as Dragon Champion which is one of my favorite series!

Slow to Get Rolling, but Flows Well

I generally don't believe in "wait until it gets good". I tried to read the eBook first and couldn't get past the Kindle sample, but my friends insisted Novice picks steam after the first third so I figured I'd drop a credit to grab this book for free.

The prose is smooth as silk throughout, but the opening is dry, meandering, and awkwardly dense in the wrong spots. I don't think the main character has enough drive or charisma to carry a tale, but once the excellent supporting cast starts to roll in the book gathers its legs and takes off.

Played at 120% speed, the story is easy enough to chew through. But there are other books that don't need 6 hours to grab you - Like Dragon Champion for example.

amazing

honestly I really loved the book. I don't know how more people don't get into this series. E.E. knight is amazing and his work is great

Enjoyed greatly.

Really enjoyed this audio book. Immediately bought the next one. It was a nice change of pace within dragon based novels.

I loved it!!!

I admit that out of bordom and a want to read or listen to another book made me want to and I'm glad I did. I think it's a beautiful story and I can't wait for the next book. Beautiful book ending and well, I cried, I cried happy and sad tears. Wonderful sad and happy tears.