Midwest Book Review

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Kirkus Reviews & Midwest Book Review Gives Positive Reviews of StarFire Dragons

Posted by Dawn Ross on February 12, 2020
Posted in: Part 1 StarFire Dragons, The Dragon Spawn Chronicles. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment
StarFire Dragons

StarFire Dragons available on Amazon

I am super excited to announce that I received two positive reviews from online book review agencies: Kirkus Reviews and Midwest Book Review. I admit I was a little worried about what people would think of my sci-fi novel, StarFire Dragons. My worry mostly stemmed from the fact that my sci-fi isn’t action-packed like most sci-fi novels I find. It has some action, but it’s mostly drama. Fortunately, both Midwest Book Review and Kirkus Reviews acknowledged this and still liked it! Here are the links and some excerpts of their reviews:

Midwest Book Review
“Starfire Dragons is firmly rooted in psychological depth and moral and ethical confrontations. This keeps readers engaged and engrossed as a series of difficult decisions revolve around a sense of duty and broader questions of survival. Fans of epic sci-fi that look for realistic characters and complex yet believable settings will find Starfire Dragons a powerful introductory story that promises more, yet nicely concludes its immediate dilemmas.” –D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

The full review will be published here in the March 2020 issue: http://www.midwestbookreview.com/mbw/index.htm (Note that it is not yet March. I will publish a direct link as soon as it’s available.)

Kirkus Reviews
“In a novel that comes close to a high order of Star Trek fan fiction, a few USS Enterprise analogs (though no Spock) are present, but the Tredon have values closer to those Imperial Japanese samurai than Klingons. And it takes quite a few repetitious episodes before the narrative really kicks into warp drive. But well-drawn characters, thoroughly explored emotions, and a long-shot mission outcome are ingredients that any admirer of humanist SF can judge shipshape… A thoughtful novel that owes a debt to Star Trek but works on its own terms.” —Kirkus Reviews

The full review is available here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/dawn-ross/starfire-dragons/

Thank you Midwest Book Review and Kirkus Reviews!

Check out StarFire Dragons now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082S563MM/

Fantastic Book Review Given for “The Third Dragon”

Posted by Dawn Ross on October 22, 2011
Posted in: Reviews, The Dukarian Legacy - Fantasy Novels. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Third Dragon Book Cover

“The Third Dragon: Book One of the Dukarian Legacy” by Dawn Ross

Diane Donovan with Midwest Book Review has given “The Third Dragon; Book One of the Dukarian Legacy” eBook a great review. Here is her entire review:

The Third Dragon (The Dukarian Legacy) opens with a description of a land devastated by generations of war where a prophecy of peace is the country’s only hope against the constant fighting between factions.

One Tomis Dukar, the third son of King Haban Dukar and descendant of the ancient Dragon clan involved in the prophecy, is pitted against his own evil father who has a different idea of how the prophecy is to be fulfilled. His first task involves a struggle against his own blood for his survival.

The future of Ungal seems to lie in the Dragon clan … but how the prophecy is interpreted could change or destroy the country. The resulting conflict leads Tomis to undertake a long journey at a young age during which he confronts different ideas and incarnations of evil, finds unusual friends with unique abilities to compliment his own powers, and finds help in a magical order that lends him power against the evil forces amassing against him.

Tomis’ ability can lead him to heal or kill with a single touch: but can these powers bring peace to a divided world? And can healing and help be brought to a world through battle strategies?: “It was he who was staring at the ashes of the fire now. Did Mitas kill innocent people to achieve his ends? Is there such a thing as a hero? How could he continue to be a warrior when he wasn’t certain if he was fighting for the right thing?”

Poetic reflections on right, wrong, and struggle permeate a fine story of friendships and the hidden costs of warfare and even peace.

In the end spirits, magic, and issues of a father’s love and dangerous ambitions come together in an unexpected manner to provide a satisfying conclusion to a fantasy adventure packed with action and twists of plot and characterization.

The story won’t end here: anticipate additions to The Dukarian Legacy down the line, even as the dust barely settles on Tomis’ ultimate fate and legacy.

“The Third Dragon; Book One of the Dukarian Legacy” by Dawn Ross is available at Amazon.com and will also be featured on Midwest Book Review in November 2011.