Timothy Zahn

Book Review: Dragon and Liberator

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Dragon and Liberator
Dragonback #6
by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review will contain some spoilers for previous books in the series, which starts with Dragon and Thief.

Jack and Draycos race to stop those who are intent on wiping out Draycos’s people, and are now being aided in their quest by Alison Kayna and Taneem. When their plans go awry, both pairs of human and K’da must improvise and decide what it’s worth to them to stop the genocide of two races.

I’ve been anticipating an exciting end to this series, and it didn’t disappoint. It seems clear to me that Zahn had at least the skeleton of this entire story planned out from the beginning, as different pieces fall into place in this final book in ways that thrilled me. I even cheered at one point, which caused my husband to give me a funny look. The friendship between Jack and Draycos has been one of my favorite things about this series, and though the action squeezes the characterization out a bit in this book, I still appreciate the way it all comes together in the end.

I’m not generally interested in heavy sci-fi, but the fact that it’s written for teens probably helps make it more accessible for someone like me. I really enjoyed this series overall and recommend it for any fans of this kind of sci-fi, young or old.

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Book Review: Dragon and Judge

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Dragon and Judge
Dragonback #5
by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review will contain some spoilers for the previous book in the series, Dragon and Herdsman.

As Jack continues to try to help Draycos, the dragon-like symbiont that uses him for a host, track down who killed his people, the pair take what is meant to be a brief detour to a planet where Jack’s Uncle Virgil used to visit a bank to replenish his funds. But as soon as they arrive on the planet, Jack is mistaken for a circuit judge, and he and Draycos are whisked away to an inescapable canyon to hear several years’ worth of disputes.

I really expected this book to be quite a departure from the series, but I think it was a bit more connected even than the previous book. Real answers are given to the investigation into the impending K’da genocide, and secrets from Jack’s past are exposed. The unusual race of beings that force Jack into presiding over their disputes showcases Zahn’s worldbuilding abilities; however, I felt that there was a lot more that could have been explained about their system of uprights and number names. Though I’m not a huge fan of Alison Kayna, I also enjoyed her side story, as she’s abducted and brought to Neverlin, due to being the one who actually ends up opening Uncle Virgil’s bank box. Her growing connection with her own K’da symbiont is quite different from Jack and Draycos’s but also an intriguing part of the story. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed this series and am highly anticipating the last book and hopefully the salvation of the K’da and Shontine.

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Book Review: Dragon and Herdsman

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Dragon and Herdsman
Dragonback #4
by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

As Jack continues to try to help Draycos, the dragon-like symbiont that uses him for a host, track down who killed his people, the pair’s next attempt to track down information lands them in a cell. But when they’re broken out by an unlikely rescuer, Draycos is shocked and dismayed to find a primitive herd of his own race on the planet they escape to.

Though this installment of the series didn’t really further the overall plot much, the discovery of the Phookas (the primitive K’da) was an intriguing enough departure for me, considering that Draycos was supposedly the first of his kind to come to the area. Though in the end, I’m not entirely sure what Zahn was going for with these creatures or if they will come into play at all in the future, the progression from completely primitive to something more drives the story well enough. I’m definitely no fan of Alison Kayna’s now (she’s the one who rescues them early in the book), and really hope to learn more about her and soon. However, the next book looks like it will also be quite the departure, which is baffling, considering that there’s only one book left in the series after that. Fortunately, the books are fairly quick and simple reads, especially for sci-fi, because at this point, all I can do is keep going and hope that the next book has at least some answers after all. I don’t mean to imply that this book was bad, though, since I did give it 4 stars. Maybe just not as satisfying as I would hope for at this point in the series.

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Book Review: Dragon and Slave

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Dragon and Slave
Dragonback #3
by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

In an attempt to help Draycos, the dragon-like symbiont that uses him for a host, track down who killed his people, Jack willingly sells himself to a wealthy slavemaster. Even though Draycos is a warrior brimming with power, Jack has to endure terrible conditions in order to keep his cover. But will it be worth it in the end?

Draycos and his unbending K’da warrior-poet ethics really shine in this book. Meanwhile, Uncle Virge, Jack’s spaceship’s AI based on his late uncle’s personality, is constantly trying to pull Jack the other direction—toward selfishness and greed. Jack’s inner battle to do good but also to accomplish his goal and save himself is a driving theme in these books. The intrigue and suspense, though, come from the question of who is working with K’da’s enemies to slaughter all of Draycos’s people, and that story takes a jump forward in this book. There are other questions left open, including one from the previous book, but it’s clear that this series is one long story that has to be read in succession. The books are short enough, Zahn’s writing style is easy enough to read (even for sci-fi,) and I’ve been enjoying the story so far, so I’m happy to keep going!

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Book Review: Dragon and Soldier

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Dragon and Soldier
Dragonback #2
by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

In an attempt to help Draycos, the dragon-like symbiont that uses him for a host, track down who killed his people, Jack enlists as an indentured soldier for a mercenary group. After meager training, he’s placed into a perilous situation, along with other soldier children, and must stay alive while also trying to find the information Draycos needs.

The unlikely duo of the boy trying to overcome his con-artist upbringing and the noble poet-warrior of a morally superior race is one of my favorite things about this series so far. But the plot in this book, though I didn’t think I’d care much for the soldier aspect, was also intriguing. When it became evident that there was more going on than met the eye, I speculated about what might be going on. In the end, it might not have been quite as exciting as I expected, but there were a couple of revelations that still made for a great ending and left me with a desire to read more.

I appreciate Zahn’s writing style worldbuilding, maybe more so because it’s meant for teens, so it’s not too dry or serious. The overarching story set up in the first book and continuing in this one definitely makes me want to know what’s going on. I look forward to continuing this series!

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Book Review: Dragon and Thief

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Dragon and Thief
Dragonback #1
by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

On the run for a crime he didn’t commit, Jack Morgan comes across a dragon-like creature that can only survive 6 hours without being able to attach himself to a host—and Jack is the only suitable host nearby. Draycos is the sole survivor of a battle that destroyed 3 ships on their way to scout a planet to relocate an entire civilization. While destruction looms for Draycos’s people, he can’t go anywhere without Jack, and Jack can’t go anywhere without the threat of capture hanging over him. So together, they will work to clear Jack’s name, so that Draycos can try to stop the menace that wants to wipe out the rest of his people.

I was not entirely certain that this was the kind of book I’d like, as sci-fi this heavy and the space opera genre have not held a lot of interest for me in general. But this book caught my interest early on, once I got past the really confusing drop right into the middle of the world building, and I enjoyed it all the way through. Draycos and Jack make a compelling hero/anti-hero combo, and then you throw in the morally questionable Uncle Virge (though he isn’t around as much), and it’s quite a cast. I think that the book being meant for teens, which some people say made it too simple for them, might be the reason that I was able to get into it. The complexities of epic sci-fi and fantasy usually end up leaving me lost and bored. Though some of the descriptions of Draycos’s extra-dimensionalness did go over my head, I’m definitely the right kind of audience for this book, even as an adult. Being a book for teens and fairly short, only one plot line was wrapped up in this book, but I don’t mind that, as I’m happy to continue the series. 

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Top Ten Tuesday: Bargains of Unknown Value

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It’s time for another Top Ten list from That Artsy Reader Girl. Today’s topic is “Books I Bought/Borrowed Because…” Last July, recent changes in my life had left me with more time than I’d had for the past few years. I realized then how much I really wanted to get back to reading regularly, which had dropped off some time after my first child was born, 18 years ago. As tends to be the way with me, once I decided to do this, I dove headlong into it, adding book reviews to my blog, building a to-be-read on Goodreads, and of course keeping my eye out for books to add to that list.

Suddenly I had a new purpose when I went with my husband to thrift stores, garage sales, and bargain stores. Even my husband started bringing home books for me that he thought I might be interested in, when he went to these kinds of places without me. I’ve since had to slow way down on buying physical books that I know nothing about, no matter the deal. But for today, my list will include books that I (or my husband) bought simply because they were super cheap (anywhere from $0.25 to $2, or even free), without really knowing much, if anything, about them.

At the time of making this list, I have not read any of these books except the first one, so the value of the bargain I got on each of them is still completely a mystery to me. Some I plan to read soon, others will likely take a while to get to.

Landry Park by Bethany Hagen
This was the very first book I bought with no knowledge of it but the blurb on the jacket. But it was a good deal at a bargain store, so I had to get it! After reading reviews for it later, I was concerned I wouldn’t like it, but I just finished it recently and felt it was worth the buy. See my review here.

Mrs. Murphy series books by Rita Mae Brown
At a local thrift store which tragically has very few books, I found 2 books from this series for 25¢ each. All I really know about these books is that they’re cozy mysteries and involve a cat. And my parents named their dog after the cat. I now own books #2 & #8 in the series, but will start at #1 if I can.
Shown here: Rest in Pieces

Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
This is one my husband picked up at a thrift store for maybe $1 when I wasn’t with him. We’re big fans of Jim Gaffigan, ever since seeing him on That ’70s Show years ago. Plus, he’s from Indiana, where we live. And he’s hilarious.

I, Q series by Roland Smith
My husband came home with the first 3 books in this 6-book series at the same time as he bought the previous book. It’s a YA spy series that I’d never heard of, but does sound interesting.
Shown here: Independence Hall

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
I actually got this book completely free when buying books for my sister on eBay. I took advantage of a buy 2, get 1 free offer from one seller, buying 2 for her, and when I didn’t see anything else in the eligible books list that she’d like, I grabbed this for myself. I watched some of the 1st (or maybe the 2nd?) movie at a hotel once years ago, and since then have been curious to read the series.

Redshirts by John Scalzi
This was already on my TBR list, as my husband had strongly recommended it, and then he shared with me an offer he found to get the e-book for free. As a Star Trek-franchise fan, I’m looking forward to reading this.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
This is another one my husband brought home from a thrift store recently (he tends to stop by Good Will and other local used stores when he’s out by himself to look for the odd board game gem, and now he looks for books he thinks I might like too ❤️). I don’t know anything about it except what the blurb on the back says.

Dragon and Thief by Timothy Zahn
Another of my husband’s suggestions, though at least I was present for this one. We found this in our library’s used book sale section, and my husband figured at least this way I’d read a book by the author of some Star Wars books my husband likes (I have no desire to read Star Wars books). I’m starting to amass too many books that start a series in the middle grade or YA age groups. There are 3 just on this list!

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Great Illustrated Classics books by various authors
A few months ago, I read the GIC version of Little Women to my 9-year-old daughter, and then not long after that, the version for Anne of Green Gables. We both agreed that it was a nice way to read old classics. And we both quickly agreed we really wanted to read Pride and Prejudice next. But our library only had a few of these, and not that one. After searching for it to buy and not really wanting to spend upwards of $7, I found this lot of 40 GIC books on eBay for what came out to about $3.50 per book. I took a few days to think about it, and then my husband pulled the trigger. My daughter has already started reading one on her own, and after we finish the book we’re currently reading together (Anne of Avonlea), we’ll start on Pride and Prejudice.

Scores of free Kindle books by various authors!
Thanks to this blog (check out her Friday Reads posts) and daily emails from this site, just in the last couple of weeks I’ve acquired 9+ free Kindle books. I’m not going to list them all here by name, but below (and above) are the covers (some of them are probably still free on Amazon if you’re interested). For these, I do actually do a little research before I acquire them, even though they’re free, and only pick ones that seem interesting and don’t have reviews that scare me off.

Have you read any of these, or are any on your own TBR? Link your TTT post so I can see what you did with today’s topic!