Return of the Dragon Riders

Book Two of the Dragon Stone Saga

By: Kristian Alva

Narrated by: Adam Chase

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's Summary

The evil emperor Vosper gathers his troops in the east, poised to conquer the entire continent. His target is the rebel city of Parthos, a constant thorn in his side, and the last sanctuary of the Dragon Riders. Besieged from all sides, the remaining Dragon Riders come out of hiding. Forced to fight for their lives, they leave the safety of the desert, traveling across the land to gather intelligence and shore up forgotten alliances. At the center of it all is Elias Dorgumir, the key to an ancient prophesy, and Vosper will do anything to get his hands on him. Is it too late for the Dragon Riders to save Elias and stop Vosper from destroying the only refuge they have left?

©2012 Defiant Press (P)2013 Defiant Press

And it just gerts better as it goes along...

OK...now I am a fan. Characters in the volumes one and two seen initially seeming to be somewhat insignificant save their presence as "window dressing" like extras in a movie now speed to the forefront with visibility and purpose. Some clues to the future are provided which makes you want to know what is coming. Story leads you, teases you and runs like a movie in your mind. The narration is excellent at expressing the emotions of the characters whether stated or not in the prose.

Adventure, treachery, winged beasts, & more!

Where does Return of the Dragon Riders rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Oh.. hmm.. tough question. I listen to a lot of audiobooks. I read (print, ebook, & audio) more than 100 books a year. So, let's say we put this in the top 200 of all the audiobooks I have ever listened to.

What did you like best about this story?

The treachery, past and present. It really added an underlying cruelty to the story that rang true to life and counterbalanced Elias's innocence and trust of others.

Have you listened to any of Adam Chase’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, Book 1 in this series. He did a great job, once again.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I had to break it up due to a daily farm life routine.

Any additional comments?

Book 2 picks up right where Book 1 left off. Elias is pulled up into a new world. one where great things are expected of him because of this prophesy. Pf course, this makes him a major target for the evil Vosper and his allies. The few remaining dragon riders have one last refuge, the city of Parthos. Elias and his new friends face many foes in this book and sometimes Elias isn’t too sure who his friends are.

While we have yet to meet the evil Vosper, we do get to see plenty of his badguy handy work, from the past, and in Elias’s present. More info about Elias’s parentage is revealed to the readers. Thorin, Elias’s halfling friend from Book 1, is still around providing advice, support, and the occasional comedic relief. The dragon riders themselves area mixed bag, some being extremely serious all the time. Others have a little fun. Some new magic users are recruited and some young dragons are looking to make a match with human riders.

There’s plenty of action in this novel and it is well-paced with comedic moments and serious moments. I like that the point of view shifts around and we get to spend time in different heads. Elias is a well-meaning teen who wants to think the best of nearly everyone. Many of the other characters are not so trusting. In fact, there is a hidden traitor among them, which added suspense to the story.

Overall, this was a very good follow up to Book 1. I am very much looking forward to Book 3.

Narration: Chase did a great job once again. He has distinct male and female voices and does accents. He also had several opportunities to portray strong emotions in this book, which he did very well.

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, any book in a series let's you hungry for more

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love them all but I really like the dwarf. His character has color and knowledge,

Have you listened to any of Adam Chase’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first in Adam Chase 's performance. I must say I enjoyed it emencely.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, it left me wanting to get to the next book

Any additional comments?

The writers description of the torcher of the dragons bought tears to my eyes.
It was so real. What a way to make us feel their pain.