dustspectre's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The worldbuilding was interesting, I liked the idea of fire vs earth charm, the Maze, the Charmed vs Naturals, etc. The ending was mostly gratifying too.
I mainly have problems with characterisation: the characters got on with each other way too quickly, both in terms of love at first sight and even in terms of friendship. In particular, Tallow is repeatedly mentioned as being a dragon that the other's respected, and if he trusts someone they're definitely someone to be trusted. Except that we never actually see him distrust someone or slowly gain the protagonists' trust: they just get along from the getgo. The sections of romance between Fortune and Gossamer was also painful to read.
There are also a few too many times where characters just seem to magically know things, or know stuff through intuition. I'm fine with it being used occasionally in stories, but it felt like every other plot point involved some character or other just knowing to do something that they had no way of knowing and the author just explicitly saying "they just knew x!"
Also, when I read a story about dragons, I'd like to read a story about dragons. These were way too human, outside of being in a dragon shape and some wielding magic: they smile, they slap each other on the back, they hold stuff up the air (and I didn't get that scene, because the dragon in question didn't have front legs, just wings? How did he do that), and in one scene the protagonist straight up blushes. It could be worse, but it could also be a lot better.
Also, can the trend of "this character is a villian and evil because he is MAD!! He does all these things because he is INSANE!!" please die. Give your villians proper characterisation, please.
I mainly have problems with characterisation: the characters got on with each other way too quickly, both in terms of love at first sight and even in terms of friendship. In particular, Tallow is repeatedly mentioned as being a dragon that the other's respected, and if he trusts someone they're definitely someone to be trusted. Except that we never actually see him distrust someone or slowly gain the protagonists' trust: they just get along from the getgo. The sections of romance between Fortune and Gossamer was also painful to read.
There are also a few too many times where characters just seem to magically know things, or know stuff through intuition. I'm fine with it being used occasionally in stories, but it felt like every other plot point involved some character or other just knowing to do something that they had no way of knowing and the author just explicitly saying "they just knew x!"
Also, when I read a story about dragons, I'd like to read a story about dragons. These were way too human, outside of being in a dragon shape and some wielding magic: they smile, they slap each other on the back, they hold stuff up the air (and I didn't get that scene, because the dragon in question didn't have front legs, just wings? How did he do that), and in one scene the protagonist straight up blushes. It could be worse, but it could also be a lot better.
Also, can the trend of "this character is a villian and evil because he is MAD!! He does all these things because he is INSANE!!" please die. Give your villians proper characterisation, please.
rogue_runner's review
1.0
Ooooohhhh boy. Trying to be a bit Eye of the World but with dragons and a lot of things happening. Also new "twists" being introduced and then immediately used . Stuff just kept happening and more characters kept getting introduced but I never really cared that much? Also, the female dragons just... immediately fell in love with the Main Characters. Uhhhh.....
Spoiler
(basilisk? Seed? End of the world? Magical dead parents?! Check)
More...