To Light The Dragon's Fire

Dragons, Griffons and Centaurs, Oh My!

By: Margaret Taylor

Narrated by: Fred Wolinsky

Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

Independent and feisty Terra Heegan is on the verge of sacrificing everything to save her family's struggling trucking company. But, she wants one last hoorah before settling into a loveless marriage. With her sister, Lanni, Terra takes a trip into the Mountains of Wyoming to explore one of the few places left on Earth where adrenaline and wit are the only things that can keep her out of trouble...

Everything is in place. The pieces have all been set and all Evil needs is one last ingredient to rule everything. The love of a human with fire-red hair and silvery eyes that will... Light The Dragon's Fire.

©2014 Margaret Taylor (P)2014 Margaret Taylor

How To Light the Dragon’s Fire? With a Touch

Terra and her twin sister, Lanni, are going on one last exploration before Terra gets married. Terra loves to rock climb and since Lanni won’t let her go alone, off they go to the mountains together. While climbing Terra discovers a cave and goes in, Lanni follows. They don’t see the dark tunnel leading downward as they accidentally slide through it.

The two women come out into another world or another dimension? Captured, they are taken to the King, who happens to be a real Dragon King when not in humanoid form. Terra is a very outspoken woman and demands answers and wants to know how to get back home. King Draven has other thoughts since he had an immediate attraction to Terra. This is not something he thought would ever happen.

His best friend and adviser is Arin, a Chimera. Lanni is attracted to him although, he likes her he does not feel he is good enough. More surprises in store to keep you guessing and turning pages.

I like the strong male and female leads in this series. They set each other off so well. Their banter and chemistry spark. Characters are well developed and all have a strong drive to survive. There is a lot of magic in this world and many different fantasy creatures that can change to humanoid when they want. I liked the twist that had a Black Unicorn as the villain. He also has plans for the two women, if he can get them away from King Dravon.

I was not real happy with the reader, Fred Wolinski. His voices left a lot to be desired. Some were actually funny. His voice for Draven was too high. Everyone assumes that a huge powerful Dragon has a deep and powerful voice. I didn’t like the female voices either. They sounded too fake, high and silly. He does do a good evil witch though.

With that said I did like the book very much and will probably get the kindle version for the rest of the series.The plot is different and there are a lot of subplots. Unexpected twists and new characters give it added excitement and tension.
I highly recommend this book as the first book is action-packed and edge of your seat reading. This is a read that will capture your attention and won’t let you go.

There were no audio issues with the production. The audio was clear.

Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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Strong Women take on Another World!

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

Yes, but only if you love fantasy and have an open mind to other worlds.

What was one of the most memorable moments of To Light The Dragon's Fire?

I love the interaction between the twin sisters and the "threads" that connect them. They are twins but are each strong in their own way. The men of this world have never seen anything like them before.

What does Fred Wolinsky bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mr. Wolinsky brings passion and order to the story. I was never confused during the narration as each character has a distinct voice. This must have been especially difficult since two of the characters are twins!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

When Lanni "died." I didn't know how her twin would be able to survive in this strange world.

Any additional comments?

Since the end of Book 1 left many unresolved issues, I am looking forward to seeing them play out in Book 2. I am also hoping that the excellent narration by Fred Wolinsky continues throughout the series.

Non-stop Dragon's ride for sure!

To Light The Dragon's Fire: Dragons, Griffons and Centaurs, Oh My! By Margaret Taylor. Narrated by Fred Wolinsky.

Oh my, is how I felt Margaret Taylor has written the beginnings of a fantastic series. A lot was packed into this slightly 7+ hour audiobook. I fell in love with every character from the good guys to the bad guys. Even though I routed for the good guys all the way thru the book.

So let me get started here! The beginning is a great place! Twin sisters out on a last adventure hiking the mountains of Wyoming. That’s before one of them, Terra is going to be married in a few days to a man she really is not that in love with. Then why get married? Well, for Tara it is was a way to save her dad’s dying company. The other is Lanni her sister who feels that she is past the age for any true romance. Well, the girls enter a cave finding themselves falling down thru the shifting sand in the tunnel.

Well, they certainly did find themselves in a whole different world for sure. Terra thought for sure it was a last minute fantasy gift that her sister bought her before she got married. Lanni told her no. The girls find that they were indeed thrown into an adventure that they were not too happy about at first. But, as it proceeded for one reason or another they could not help thinking that they seem to know they were supposed to be here. Meeting the King as they entered the strange world. How dare Terra be so drawn to the King Draven? King Draven in all words is one hot king! Well described. Though I did not feel that the cover truly portrayed him. Then Lanni found herself also falling for Aaron, Draven’s right hand man. Well, the girls soon find out they are not quite as human as they thought. Each man also are drawn to these girls. But, why? The girls find trouble constantly. First, with the bad man that needs these 2 girls! Why was it so important that he have both girls? Well, it is a fantasy filled with magic. This story is filled with a lot of fun, danger and not so fun characters that it all balances well for the story to work the way it does. This series is meant for ADULT reading. There are some spicy wording throughout the book with not sex scenes but the impromptu of wanting it by Draven and Aaron for the girls. So just be warned.

I did at one point find myself a tad confused when they use other names for the girls. Happened when Draven and Aaron spoke of the girls by these other names. But, I did finally catch on. So it was not a truly a deal breaker to stop listening to this audio.

I felt this book was a bit of Eragon, a dash of Deborah Harkness’s All Soul’s Series, and a dash of Terah Edun, Crown Series.

All I can say is that this other world is one fantasy I did not want to stop listening to. Knowing that this is the first in the series of books did not stop me from listening to this book! Not that I did not know that this was not a stand-alone book. I was not happy with the abrupt ending. I know there was some unhappy reviews to this fact. However, if they read the reviews they would have seen this. Don’t let this sway you from not reading this series. It is not like there is not another book readily available for you not to continue. It also is not like that oh she is describing a book I read already. No it has its own unique qualities that you will enjoy as much as I did. However, as far as the audio version there is only one so far. Though you can still dive into the next book! I just wish it ended a bit more fulfilling.

Now the narrator, Fred Wolinsky. His performance was first class. I felt the way he portrayed each characters voice was so believable. The girls were okay voices but it is no different if this was a female narrator doing male voices. The not so human characters he gave each of them amusing voices. I really hope that Fred continues the series of this book! Nothing is more disappointing when a new narrator starts a new book. Takes a bit to either to get use to or I just don’t finish listening to the series.

This audio was provided to me by the narrator and in no way was I influenced. The review above is solely my opinion of not only the book but the narration of it. I always welcome comments and if my review was helpful or not in you listening to this book please let me know.

Exciting and sexy

What made the experience of listening to To Light The Dragon's Fire the most enjoyable?

Lanie and Terra are strong women, matched with equally strong men. The other characters are also captivating. The evil versus good and the supernatural themes are all very thrilling. The romance is tender and exciting. The story moves along quickly, with constant twists and turns. The narrator does a great job with pacing, characters, and emotions.

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

He always does a great job at distinguishing each character with voice, tone, personality, and accent. He is also good with the narration parts, filling it with emotion and drama.

Any additional comments?

Get this book if you like paranormal romance! I can't wait to hear book 2.

Needs new narration

Well, I am not sure what to say about this book. If you rerecorded it with different narrator I would probably like I the story.
I was given this audio ok I'm exchange for an honest review.

a very good story

the story was ver good, the characters were well written. my only complaint was the narrator . at first I thought he was computer generated.

Really comes to life

If you could sum up To Light The Dragon's Fire in three words, what would they be?

intriguing fantasy adventure

Who was your favorite character and why?

There were a lot of wonderful characters and all the main characters had complex and very real personalities. While some of the creatures were colorful and fun, if I had to pick one person, I would pick Lani -- one of the twins, who are the main characters of the story. She had a real inner strength along with a compassion.

What about Fred Wolinsky’s performance did you like?

I loved all the different voices that he created -- very versatile, with each voice really bringing out the personality of each character. It helped me visualize the characters and their interaction, as well as keep them distinct. I always knew who was talking. His narration voice was also pleasant to listen to, and full of emotion, moving the story along in a captivating way.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There was several moments that really tore my heartstrings -- especially a moment near the end, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

Any additional comments?

The book has a complicated plot (and I have a feeling that future books will get more complicated), but it all makes sense and falls into place. Margaret Taylor has created a fascinating world and peopled it with well thought out characters. I never got bored, and look forward to the next book. The narration by Fred Wolinsky helped bring it to life and keep it moving. I hope he narrates the next book.

The Narrator Distracted Me

First, because I like to know before starting a story, this has a cliffhanger. I did not see it mentioned in the synopsis otherwise I wouldn't have started the book until I determined if I wanted to buy the complete series.
I tried to get into the story but sometimes I didn't know what was happening. The author didn't always successfully convey the situation properly right off.
Now the narrator is another story. I often found myself being distracted away form the story by his cadence. He ended every sentence that wasn't spoken by one of the characters in the same tone of voice. He would be talking normal or slightly higher pitched and then end low. It started driving me crazy after about 10 minutes. I almost didn't finish the book because of it.

Romance, Adventure, Fantasy, and even some Humor

The author creates a world of dragons, shapeshifters, chimera, harpies, unicorns, satyrs, and all sorts of fun creatures. Twin sisters, Terra and Lani stumble into this world and find that they are a part of a prophecy to save this world from being overtaken by the evil unicorn Golix. They get involved with the shapeshifter dragon king, Draven, and his chimera advisor, Arin. I like that the women are just as strong as the men, and sometimes the women are the rescuers. The story takes a wild ride, full of surprises.

The narrator, Fred Wolinsky, does an incredible job creating believable voices for the myriad of character -- some humorous, some romantic, some evil, some heroic -- but all appropriate. I can easily tell who is speaking. His narrative is also full of drama and emotion that moves the story along at a good pace, and makes you want to keep listening.

I can't wait to hear how the story continues. I hope that the next book in the series comes out soon on audio.

Shifters & Chimeras, Oh My!

Twin sisters Terra and Lanni Heegan go caving in the wilds of Wyoming. For Terra, it is her last hurrah before entering into a loveless marriage. However, things take a turn pretty quickly and soon they are swept up in another world where shifters and chimeras rule. They will each face numerous foes, and perhaps even find a mate.

Draven is a shifter and lord of the land. He is use to being obeyed and his every word taken seriously. That is, until he is presented with two examples of the mythical being known as human. Terra is pretty sure Lanni has set this up. Perhaps it is with actors. Perhaps it is one of those all submersive vids that you can buy. Maybe even a dose of mushrooms. So when she doesn’t take Draven seriously, things go awry. He has to shift into his dragon form to save her from a nasty fall. Unfortunately. Draven’s guards take Terra’s actions as an act of aggression and she and Lanni are tossed in a dungeon, only to be rescued by an unlikely being.

The action picks up really quickly and Terra and Lanni, neither of the shrinking violet variety, do their best to hold their own. Periodically, they are being rescued. Sometimes they do the saving. Draven and his wing man (Arin) make a good duo for the twins to alternately argue with and fight evil side by side. The world building is full of fantastical creatures, such as talking animals, all sorts of chimeras, the shifters, and magical creatures who don’t appear to do any shifting (like the unicorns and rhocs). Arin is a bit of an outcast as he is part of a small group of beings that are never fully human, always retaining some traits of what they shift into. So I pictured him as looking a little like the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, but more disgruntled and trimmer, being the war commander he is.

While Terra is a bit more kick ass than Lanni, they both contribute to the plot and are not simply there as romantic interests. They do tend to do more thinking than the men, but this is required by someone if they are to outwit their foes. And the foes are many, with several of them hidden.

My one quibble is that Lanni becomes a trauma medic without having had any hands on training or experience, but just from having read a medical book or two. At one point, a character is injured, passes out, and Lanni stitches this character up. That’s fine. Lots of people can do stitches in a pinch. Once the character wakes, she goes on to say how they must have had some internal bleeding. Uh… well, if that is the case then it is pure luck they didn’t die and that the bleeding either stopped on it’s own, or slowed enough to leave the injured stable until a real medic could be called.

The romance is a light thread that carries throughout the book. For some of the characters, the connection is made really swift, and others it takes a while. It did not detract from the plot and in certain instances, added to it. There’s also a touch of modern and just over the horizon tech. I liked how this was done lightly, so that we could stay focused on the characters and the plot and not get hung up on whether this was fantasy or science fiction. The ending left us on a very dramatic note (which I liked) and then a bit of a cliffhanger. So be ready to jump right into Book 2 because there is plenty of plot left to unfold and resolve!

The Narration: Fred Wolinsky did a good job with all the character voices. I especially liked his slightly furry voice for Aaron (and since he has whiskers and a kind of leonine face it totally fit). His female voices were believable and he had a range that allowed for distinct characters. There was a true challenge in doing voices for Terra and Lanni (who are twins) and yet making them distinct for the listener and he met that challenge with excellence.