Novice Dragoneer

Written by E.E. Knight

Narrated by Nicole Poole

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 . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Nov 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781494535438

Reviews for Novice Dragoneer

[sennebec · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A rich delight of a fantasy. Lleth and her pluckiness remind me of Tamora Pierce's heroines. She begins her adventure braving unknown lands, drenched clothing and no food or water. When she arrives at the Serpentine, desperately hoping to gain acceptance as a novice, she's turned away because she's a few hours past midnight on the one day such are accepted. Not to be denied, she sits in a side doorway for days until she intrigues someone inside enough so she's admitted. What follows is a series of events, some funny, others scary to the point where they're life threatening. There's never a dull page in this book. Fantasy lovers will feast on it, as will dragon lovers and readers who love a strong teen heroine. I hope the next book in the series is up to the same standard.

[eyes92c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

True Grit!One thing I can say about Ileth is that she has determination, almost to the point of foolishness. Ileth is a Cinderella figure in her village with the emphasis on Cinders. She knows little but had work and nothing about kindness. As an orphan without a known paternal name and a person with a stutter, she's not only the butte of jokes, she's labeled as the daughter of a whore due to her affliction.Having idolized dragons by the actual meeting with a dragon as a seven year old child, at fourteen Ileth leaves her village and journeys to the Serpentine gate at the Accademy, to put herself forward for training as a potential Dragoneer. She needed to arrive by Midsummer's Day. Her late arrival has her having to seek other means of being noticed. I did feel for her.After this quite solid beginning, I was disappointed at the slower pace of the novel.All Ileth wanted to do was become part of the Accademy. Unfortunately trouble kept finding her, but yet those challenges also took her into places she might never have gone. Ileth it seems is one of those people who's a lightning wand for disturbances, things just keeping happening to her. From her entering the dragon hold to becoming a dragon dancer and more, Ileth was never still.Apart from Ileth's first encounter, dragons seemed to take forever to appear. When one did take up Ileth's time it was in a completely unsuspected way. I loved Lodger, the wise older dragon. The way he and Ileth bonded was natural and became something precious. Some thought dragons were more like pets, but a couple of small references made me discount that. Ileth is an exceptional hero, made the more enjoyable for her straight thinking and hard headed northern ways. There were moments when I felt teary. The ending is perfect.I look forward to seeing her future unfold.A Berkley ARC via NetGalley