Rogue

By Julie Kagawa

We fled into the desert, the roar of St. George behind us, the head of a dying dragon resting in my lap.
 
From the limitless imagination of bestselling author Julie Kagawa comes the next fantastic adventure in THE TALON SAGA

Deserter.
Traitor.
ROGUE.

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day...or start an all-out war?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: May 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781488797835

Julie Kagawa

Born in Sacramento, CA, Julie Kagawa moved to Hawaii at the age of nine. There she learned many things; how to bodyboard, that teachers scream when you put centipedes in their desks, and that writing stories in math class is a great way to kill time. Her teachers were glad to see her graduate. Julie now lives is Louisville, KY with her husband and furkids. She is the international and NYT bestselling author of The Iron Fey series. Visit her at juliekagawa.com.

Reviews for Rogue

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An improvement over the first, but the love triangle is nausea inducing.

[jwitt33 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.I am in total awe of the amazing Ms. Kagawa, as I've mentioned before, but even I wondered how she was going to take dragons and assimilate them into the everyday contemporary world as sleeper agents, even if they had learned how to look, talk and act human. The catch is, dragons can mimic humans, but they don't have the emotions to back up the feelings. Until Ember Hill, that is. She embraces life 100%, both her dragon side and her human side, and finds the constraints of the dragon hierarchy in Talon (the group of dragons all over the world who work together to prevent the extinction of their race), too much to accept. At the end of the first book, Talon, she goes rogue with the very sexy dragon Cobalt, human name Riley, and vows to break her human boyfriend, Garrett, out of the worst place a dragon can go: into the belly of the beast, which in this case is a compound crawling with soldiers from the Order of St. George, an order put in place hundreds of years ago with the sole purpose of eradicating all dragons from the face of the earth. As Garrett got to know and love Ember, he realized that the Order had been lying to him all of his life about how all dragons were evil, even hatchlings, and had to be killed, and as Ember learned more about Talon from Riley, she realized that they were doing the same thing, only with humans. Because Garrett helped Ember, Riley and two young hatchlings escape from a much older dragon, Lilith, who was a Viper, which is a dragon assassin sent out to hunt and kill rogue dragons, he was caught by his own Order, and scheduled to be put to death by firing squad because he maintained that the soldiers were wrong about all dragons, which was considered treason. And while Riley would love nothing more than to get rid of the annoying human who had feelings for his Ember, he goes with her to break Garrett out before he is executed, Yes, people, this is exciting stuff!!!I haven't even mentioned Ember's twin, Dante, who is team Talon through and through, and who turned Ember in when she was leaving to go rogue and asked him to join her, but in his defense, he doesn't see Talon for what it is and honestly believed that Lilith would bring Ember back alive and he would be able to make her see the light and drink the Koolaid and join Talon 100%. But you guessed it, that doesn't go down quite as planned and he ends up scrambling to save face and come up with a new plan to bring her back. He is determined to become one of the executives of Talon eventually, and maybe even run the organization one day, but will he sacrifice Ember to do it? Once again, Ms. Kagawa has proven that she is a master storyteller by weaving romance, both between two dragons and an unheard of human and dragon, intrigue, action, and much, much more. I already love this series and can't wait to read more. I give this book a very, very enthusiastic 5 stars!!!!!

[eyes92c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

'here be dragons--with a difference'Having received an ARC for Rogue, I raced through 'Talon' first to put myself squarely in the picture. What a great series! Kagawa has taken a different slant on dragons from other writers. The clever play on the St. George legend, establishing a group dedicated to dragon eradication from that myth, is symbolically awesome. In Talon we were introduced to the major players, Ember and Dante (love the fire associated names) the Talon hatchlings in training, Garrett Xavier Sebastian the Order of St George soldier and Riley (Cobalt) the rogue dragon. In 'Talon' Garrett saves Ember from the Talon assassin, Lilith. In doing so he has become a traitor to the Order of St. George and will be executed. Here, the tables are turned. Ember is determined to save Garrett. She must convince Riley to help extract Garrett from the secret St George compound deep in the desert...or else she will go alone!Ember is gutsy, loyal and determined.I am fascinated that Ember as human is attracted to Garrett, but her dragon side is called to Riley. How will that play out? There is definitely an intriguing attraction at work here and I am looking forward to the resolution, whatever it maybe.'Rogue' gives us more of the back story to the rogue dragon, Cobalt (Riley and his motivations. In doing so the machinations of the Talon organization is beginning to be revealed to us.Dante is digging himself further into the organizational structure of Talon, always in the mistaken belief he can save Ember from herself and Talon will allow her to be redeemed.Questions have arisen around the sureness of racial enmity and the fundamental beliefs of Talon and the Order of St George, and now the inconsistencies, possibly hinting at collusion at high levels?The action is fast and furious. A further instalment of unmitigated emotion and excitement!A NetGalley ARC

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

ROGUE is the second book in the Talon Saga. Ember has gone rogue and is with Cobalt (Riley). However, Ember's first self-appointed task is to rescue Garret from the Order's headquarters. She feels that she owes it to him because he didn't kill her when he had a chance. The escape works but now Garret, Ember, Riley and Wes have both the Order and Talon on their trail. They flee to Las Vegas and hope to get lost in the crowds.The story is told from multiple viewpoints. Ember, Riley, Garret, and Ember's brother Dante all take center stage at various points in this book. We even get a look back at what made Cobalt (Riley) go rogue himself. The story is filled with action, betrayals, and a love triangle that causes Ember a lot of difficulty. This was an excellent story that leaves me aching for the next book.

[arkhamreviews · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Actual rating: 1.5 out of 5After being rather taken by Talon, I have to say that I was disappointed with this story. While Rogue is a lot faster paced and contains some well-written action sequences, it's just not as memorable as its prequel and really fails to develop its concepts into anything new.Talon laid the foundations of a rather interesting and original world, one where shapeshifting dragons control the economy in secret and marines who following the teachings of Saint George mercilessly hunt them down in order to "protect" the oblivious humans from them. I really hoped that Rogue would show more of the inner workings of both of these worlds but, until the epilogue, we didn't really discover anything new about either.In fact, the novel didn't really have a plot at all. Following the rescue of Garret, which happened far sooner than I thought it would, the novel spends over three hundred pages following Ember, Garret and Riley on the run to Las Vegas where the are forced to escape from both of the factions chasing them. I'm surprised, thinking back, how little happened over the course of this novel. I'd like to say that this time was spent developing the characters but this wasn't really the case.The characters were the best thing about Talon but this time they seemed liked really different people. Ember's naivety used to be both understandable (given her sheltered upbringing) and endearing but now it's just frustrating. She does stupid things over and over again, putting everyone in danger and leading people around by the nose for what amount to really selfish reasons.The male characters are all worse still, forever bickering and trying to control Ember. Each of them seem to have her pegged as some kind of delicate flower that needs constant protection and seem reluctant to let her do anything alone. The vague love triangle from the first book has also now blossomed, yet I didn't feel any chemistry between any of the characters. I do rather like Garret still but Ember's attraction to Riley seems very weak as the two don't even really share any romantic moments together.All in all, I'm really disappointed. The novel made all of the same mistakes as its prequel and a whole bunch more besides. I intend to read the third book when it's released next month but I'm no longer optimistic about how it will turn out.

[nicolesch-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book, but there wasn't any improvement between it and Talon. It has the same flaws.

Ember: Ember is annoying. She is so hotheaded that she will endanger everyone she cares about just because she's too bored to stay in a hotel room. The dragon part of her has become much weirder than it was in Talon. In both books she refers to her dragon half as though it's a different person than she is. The main problem with this is that when she is a dragon she still seems like the human Ember. If she's always going to be talking about how her dragon wants something different then her human part, then when she is a dragon, there really ought to be a difference in the narration.

Garret: I like Garret. He's tortured, interesting and wrestling with what he was brought up to believe, and what he can see before his eyes. Add to that that he has fallen in love with Ember, and his problems are heartbreaking. I hope that his running off to see if Talon and the Order of Saint George are working together doesn't prevent him from being in the next book in the series.

Riley/Cobalt: Okay, let's be clear; I don't like Riley. I didn't like him in the last book, I don't like him in this one. He seems to think that Ember belongs to him. He treats her like a child, not telling her what he's doing or what's going on, but then expects her to behave in a mature way. While you might argue that he was waiting to treat her like an adult until she acted like one, often if you treat someone like a child then they will act without maturity. In the last book, there was a moment when I thought Cobalt was going to force himself on Ember. There was nothing like that in this book, but I still really don't like this character. I like what he is doing; trying to get dragons away from Talon, and, in the flashbacks I did like his narrative, but when he's with Ember, his behavior is just unpleasant.

Dante: I get the strong impression that Dante doesn't mean to be cruel, or betray Ember. The irritating thing is that each believes the other has betrayed them, making it so that there is probably no way for them to reconcile. Before I thought that Dante may have come out of the organization, but now it's clear that he is too deep in it to do anything of the kind. Plus, he's too ambitious. It's like hearing Harry Potter from Percy Weasley's point of view. Dante fully intends to come out on top. I wonder when he's going to attempt the assassination of the Elder Wyrm. I don't hate Dante. I certainly like him better than I like Riley, but he is headed down a bad path. Unless he, like Percy Weasley, has a change of heart (which seems much less likely in Dante than in Percy), then I think he's going to come to a bad end, even if he has usurped the Elder Wyrm's position by the time he does.

Wes: This is an interesting character, and one I'd like to hear more about. He's sarcastic and bitter, making him an unpleasant character, but somehow, he is still likeable in a way that Riley is not.

Mist: Mist is another interesting character with a lot of potential. Crazy though it might sound, I kind of hope that she might be a love interest for Dante.

There weren't a lot of other characters, and we didn't know them well enough to care when they betrayed the main characters. I do sort of hope that we see Tristan again, because he was interesting.

I only have one other comment, and that's the same one that I had with the first book: Saint George. Why? Why does the evil organization have to be named after a Catholic saint? I know, I know, legend says that Saint George killed a dragon, but can't the author come up with a more creative name for the organization? One that doesn't put me on the defense against possible anti-Catholicism?

[pascale1812 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

To be fair, Rogue turned out to be nearly exactly as I expected of Talon's sequel. There was Garret's rescue, the confrontation with Dante, and a whole lot of romantic mush and angst. However, it wasn't terribly satisfying. Several times, going into a scene, I was excited by the potential for description or character bonding. But....then the chapter would pass and the big moment never really came.

Ember was too lukewarm to actually choose Garrett or Riley for most of the book, and it created an odd atmosphere where the little dragon girl enjoys each moment she has with each of them without being overly concerned about choosing, or jealousy, or any ramifications until the end when she is abruptly faced with a choice. Frustrating? Yes.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read a few of Julie Kagawa's novels now and they always stand out for their pacing and plot. I may love other books and authors more, but there's something enjoyable about reading an author who really knows how to deliver a story like this one. It took me a while to make my way back to this series, but I fell back into the story and these characters lives with little trouble and I completely enjoyed the adventure of dragons disguised as humans and an eternal war between two secret organizations. This was a fun read and I hope to enjoy more of this author's novels.

[composingcomposer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book, but there wasn't any improvement between it and Talon. It has the same flaws.

Ember: Ember is annoying. She is so hotheaded that she will endanger everyone she cares about just because she's too bored to stay in a hotel room. The dragon part of her has become much weirder than it was in Talon. In both books she refers to her dragon half as though it's a different person than she is. The main problem with this is that when she is a dragon she still seems like the human Ember. If she's always going to be talking about how her dragon wants something different then her human part, then when she is a dragon, there really ought to be a difference in the narration.

Garret: I like Garret. He's tortured, interesting and wrestling with what he was brought up to believe, and what he can see before his eyes. Add to that that he has fallen in love with Ember, and his problems are heartbreaking. I hope that his running off to see if Talon and the Order of Saint George are working together doesn't prevent him from being in the next book in the series.

Riley/Cobalt: Okay, let's be clear; I don't like Riley. I didn't like him in the last book, I don't like him in this one. He seems to think that Ember belongs to him. He treats her like a child, not telling her what he's doing or what's going on, but then expects her to behave in a mature way. While you might argue that he was waiting to treat her like an adult until she acted like one, often if you treat someone like a child then they will act without maturity. In the last book, there was a moment when I thought Cobalt was going to force himself on Ember. There was nothing like that in this book, but I still really don't like this character. I like what he is doing; trying to get dragons away from Talon, and, in the flashbacks I did like his narrative, but when he's with Ember, his behavior is just unpleasant.

Dante: I get the strong impression that Dante doesn't mean to be cruel, or betray Ember. The irritating thing is that each believes the other has betrayed them, making it so that there is probably no way for them to reconcile. Before I thought that Dante may have come out of the organization, but now it's clear that he is too deep in it to do anything of the kind. Plus, he's too ambitious. It's like hearing Harry Potter from Percy Weasley's point of view. Dante fully intends to come out on top. I wonder when he's going to attempt the assassination of the Elder Wyrm. I don't hate Dante. I certainly like him better than I like Riley, but he is headed down a bad path. Unless he, like Percy Weasley, has a change of heart (which seems much less likely in Dante than in Percy), then I think he's going to come to a bad end, even if he has usurped the Elder Wyrm's position by the time he does.

Wes: This is an interesting character, and one I'd like to hear more about. He's sarcastic and bitter, making him an unpleasant character, but somehow, he is still likeable in a way that Riley is not.

Mist: Mist is another interesting character with a lot of potential. Crazy though it might sound, I kind of hope that she might be a love interest for Dante.

There weren't a lot of other characters, and we didn't know them well enough to care when they betrayed the main characters. I do sort of hope that we see Tristan again, because he was interesting.

I only have one other comment, and that's the same one that I had with the first book: Saint George. Why? Why does the evil organization have to be named after a Catholic saint? I know, I know, legend says that Saint George killed a dragon, but can't the author come up with a more creative name for the organization? One that doesn't put me on the defense against possible anti-Catholicism?

[evelynnygren · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This books was very interesting as Ember has gone in too deep to be pulled back out to Talon. It was a good read and I think that the trouble she gets into is far greater than she can bare.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Dragons, war, betrayal, and so much more….seriously epic tale of Ember, Dante, Garrett and Cobalt/Riley.Opening Sentence: “I stood before a silent, watchful table, six pairs of eyes on me, keen gazes ranging from suspicious to appraising as we waited for the charges to be declared.”The Review:Ember, Garrett, Dante and Cobalt/Riley are back in book 2 shortly after the epicness of book one ends. From this point forth if you haven’t read Talon please stop and go read Talon because you won’t want to be spoiled. Ember convinces Riley to go in and they save Garrett before he is executed by the order. From there the three of them plus Wes go on the run, trying to outwit both the order and Talon. Meanwhile Dante is plotting and planning to recapture Ember and kill Riley.Ember, Garrett and Riley end up in Vegas trying to find ways to stay ahead of the order, when they hear rumors of a dragon sighting. They end up trying to rescue two hatchlings, and well you have to read the book…seriously! This book is action from the beginning until the very end. It’s fast paced and flies by.Julie Kagawa picks a subject and writes it in such a way that you just fall in love. I like dragons but have not liked a ton of dragon books, especially those with shifters. However, these aren’t shifter’s per se, they have a human form that they have learned over time to in order to blend in and hide from the Order of Saint George but these are most definitely dragons. This is a complex tale that she is weaving in which you really don’t have any idea who the good guys are, the dragons (Talon) are ruthlessly in control of the dragon world, forcing hatchlings into jobs and breeding them if they fail at those jobs. They also kill those who try to leave the fold or who really fail at their jobs. The humans (Order of Saint George) are just as ruthless in their pursuit of dragons, only drawing the line at waiting to see them in their true form before killing them. Riley/Cobalt is trained Basilisk that is trying to help and hide dragons from Talon.It’s a perfect storm of complexity that draws you in and you totally root for them to kick Talon and Order butt. My only real complaint is the love triangle. I am not a fan and usually she does a touch of it, but normally it’s pretty clear who the female lead is going to choose. In this one Ember is clearly torn between Garrett and Riley. I will say that there appears to be resolution at the end of this book, but given that Soldier is the name of the next book I am sure there will not be a real answer until the conclusion of book three. I love, love all of her books and Rogue was no different for me. I think this might have been the first time I didn’t cry at the ending of her second book, because let’s face it, she loves to rip your heart and leave you with a massive cliffhanger.So if dragons are your thing go get Talon and then Rogue! If they aren’t your thing go get them anyway because Julie will totally make them your thing when she is done with you! Seriously, I have read all of her books, and she is one of my go-to authors, I haven’t read a bad book by her.Notable Scenes:“The order wouldn’t stop hunting me, especially now that I was in the company of dragons.”“A talon operative had died in this building tonight.”“And Lilith’s voice, telling me I was born to become a Viper, a killer like her.”“The boy who didn’t know I was a dragon, not yet, who saw me only for me.”“She was impulsive, reckless, infuriating…and I couldn’t imagine my life without her.”FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Rogue. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.