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Bitterwood (Dragon Age #1)

by James Maxey (Goodreads Author)

3.45 of 5 stars 3.45 · rating details · 430 ratings · 59 reviews

Bitterwood has spent the past twenty years hunting down dragons, one at a time. But he is getting old and the hate that he has carried in his heart since a group of dragon-soldiers killed his family is beginning to fade. When he kills the royal prince dragon, the king decides the only retribution is genocide of the human race. Bitterwood is forced to enter the Free City, t...more

Paperback, 482 pages

Published June 26th 2007 by Solaris

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Jun 01, 2012 Greg rated it 2 of 5 stars

Dragons, dragons, dragons. Sky-dragons, sun-dragons, and earth-dragons. Wizard dragons that (view spoiler) and can turn invisible. Ninja-assassin dragons. Philosopher librarian dragons. Wandering, robed dragon cults. A dragon dubbed the "Murder God."

Then there're little girls who have strange powers over animals. Gigantic (view spoiler) prophets of Jesus Christ. Green-skinned immortal humans. Genetic tinkering. People don't really ride...more

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Jul 03, 2011 Jason Garman rated it 4 of 5 stars

What It’s About

In the distant future, a race of intelligent dragons dominates the Earth. They have subjugated humanity as slaves and pets, disdaining them as inferior beings. Bant Bitterwood is one of those subjugated humans, but when dragons kill his family and burn his hometown, he dedicates the rest of his life to killing as many dragons as he can. He kills so many that he becomes a folk hero to the humans and a terrifying legend among the dragons. When Bitterwood kills the dragon king’s favo...more What It’s About

In the distant future, a race of intelligent dragons dominates the Earth. They have subjugated humanity as slaves and pets, disdaining them as inferior beings. Bant Bitterwood is one of those subjugated humans, but when dragons kill his family and burn his hometown, he dedicates the rest of his life to killing as many dragons as he can. He kills so many that he becomes a folk hero to the humans and a terrifying legend among the dragons. When Bitterwood kills the dragon king’s favorite son, the king vows to kill every human alive in revenge.

Why I Like It

The thing I like most about Bitterwood is the constantly-shifting conflict. Maxey introduces a fairly large cast of characters with very different, but often overlapping, goals. Two characters that are working together at the beginning of a scene may find themselves in deadly opposition by the end after something unexpected happens. This multifaceted conflict really pays off in the climax of the book, which feels both totally crazy (in an “I can’t believe that just happened!” kind of way) and totally inevitable at the same time. The setup takes a while, but the headlong rush of the climax is definitely worth it.

Bitterwood is a good example of what I think of as a Science Fantasy. The story has a very fantasy-like feel to it, but underneath all the “magic” is a plausible science fiction explanation. The science fiction aspects are pretty light, more suggested than explicit, but it makes it feel more unique and less like “just another dragon story”. And let’s face it, if you’re writing a story about dragons at this point in the fantasy genre, you really need something different to make it stand out. Bitterwood does.

What I Don’t Like

At first I wasn’t all that interested in the dragon’s viewpoint chapters, since I was expecting the story to focus on the oppressed humans and their struggle for survival. But as the story went on its scope became larger than that, and I started getting more interested in the dragons’ viewpoints. I was also initially bothered by how human the dragons seem, but later in the story there are some hints about the dragons’ origins that explain why that might be.

The Bottom Line

Bitterwood is a great multi-layered adventure story. The characters are diverse and interesting, and their often-conflicting goals lead to a constantly changing conflict that is a lot of fun to watch unfold. The climax of this conflict is one of the best I’ve read, with the characters clashing in unexpected ways that somehow seem inevitable once they have happened.(less)

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Jan 18, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: speculative-fiction

Bitterwood was a fun surprise. In my endless quest to find more books to read at night (when my husband is at work), in my parked car (waiting for my oldest to get out of school) and of course the endless waiting in the accurately named waiting rooms; I sometimes take a leap of faith and try new stuff from lists. This book came from a list of authors who attended Orson Scott Card's Literary Boot Camp. http://www.hatrack.com/

I didn't realize that Bitterwood was about dragons until I went to orde...more

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Aug 05, 2009 Loren rated it 4 of 5 stars

From ISawLightningFall.com

New-weird writer China Mieville has gained fame not only for his surreal stories, but for calling the inimitable J.R.R. Tolkien "the wen on the arse of fantasy literature." Not exactly a charitable statement. But while most of Mieville's attacks could be attributed to differences in personal preference or philosophical conviction -- one could answer condemnations of John Ronald Reuel's "cod-Wagnerian pomposity, his boys-own-adventure glorying in war, his small-minded an...more From ISawLightningFall.com

New-weird writer China Mieville has gained fame not only for his surreal stories, but for calling the inimitable J.R.R. Tolkien "the wen on the arse of fantasy literature." Not exactly a charitable statement. But while most of Mieville's attacks could be attributed to differences in personal preference or philosophical conviction -- one could answer condemnations of John Ronald Reuel's "cod-Wagnerian pomposity, his boys-own-adventure glorying in war, his small-minded and reactionary love for hierarchical status-quos" at length -- this point hits home: Tolkien's tropes "have spread like viruses." Of course, this wouldn't be a problem if everyone who populated his works with elves and dwarves shared the Oxford linguist's world-building skills. But few do, and unfortunately they get lumped in with the scribblers, ignored simply for writing high fantasy. Take James Maxey's Bitterwood, for instance. I bet many think the novel treads well-worn ground simply because it features dragons and archers, wizards and axe-wielding warriors. But that would be a mistake, because Maxey is interested in upending all the stereotypes.

Mankind has been enslaved, but not by your garden variety tyrant. For as long as anyone can remember, humanity has been ruled by dragons, cruel and intelligent creatures that control the earth and skies. But in past decades, the hand of dragon king Albekizan has become particularly heavy upon the land, levying harsh taxes on wheat and wealth and human life itself. One night when Albekizan's two sons, Bodiel and Shandrazel, are hunting human slaves as part of their rite of succession, arrows flash from the darkness and Bodiel falls -- dead. All signs point to The Ghost Who Kills, The Death of All Dragons, the mythic Bitterwood. Albekizan burns with vengeance, but how can he kill a myth? A plan begins to emerge, one far more satisfying than the execution of a single individual. Albekizan won't bother hunting for one man. He's going to eradicate the whole human race.

One of the things Bitterwood does particularly well is weave a tangled skein of conflicting motivations among its ensemble of characters, looping them every which way before jerking them taut in explosively violent confrontations. Also, the plot twists genuinely satisfy, particularly if you happen to be a fan of John Christopher. That's not to say there aren't a few missteps. Several times exposition occurs through the introduction of minor, extremely short-lived characters, and a ranting, fanatical preacher who EXPOUNDETH UPON THE KING JAMES BIBLE IN ALL CAPS annoys. (Note to authors near and far: Please retire this hoary archetype with extreme prejudice.) Still, it's impressive that Maxey manages to wring an unexpected revelation even out of that character. Bitterwood's a consistently surprising and entertaining read.(less)

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Jul 31, 2009 Andrew rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, fantasy, neof

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book can be compared with fellow Solaris author, Gail Z Martin.

The writing for both books is nothing otherworldly, none of the characters shine out to me, its hard to care and some of the character's action make no sense. Although the novel focuses on Bitterwood among others, Dragons are the main narrators, from the wizard dragon Vendevorex to the insane king Albekizan and his even brother, Blasphet. Unlike the Bland Summoner by Martin, Bitterwood has a unique concept, that Dragons are more...more

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Jul 20, 2009 Artemis Grey rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 15, 2009 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This book is a traditional fantasy in theme, but it's set in a somewhat apocalyptic future on Earth. The story is fast-paced with complex, interesting characters. Each character has his/her own priorities and values which adds complexity to the conflict. The story is told from many viewpoints, but the story is clear and easy to follow despite the strange names and many characters.

The world-building is excellent overall, but some small details remained unexplained. (For example, Jandra's unendin...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Marcus rated it 4 of 5 stars

Is this a book about a vengeful human fighting dragon tyranny or a rebel dragon wizard & his human protégé fighting a mad king? Personally, I feel it’s the latter. Although the story starts out with the titular Bitterwood as a teenager, after the first chapter we see little of him until 1/3 of the way into the book. Bitterwood is just a shadowy figure throughout most of the book. Even after he’s reintroduced, his character sees very little development – most of the story seems to center on t...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Alexis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dragons, its-okay, awesome-cover

This book wasn't bad; I really kind of liked it. I liked that the dragons were actually the main focus, as opposed to being a convenient backdrop for the human cast. That said, the dragons were just a bit too strange for me. Too civilized, almost too human in themselves. I'm all for intelligent, cunning dragons, but I prefer them to be less human in their motivations and moods.

Some of the other stuff in the book was also just a bit too much. I don't think androids, Atlantis, nanites, swordfights...more

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May 17, 2009 Brian Hodges rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy

This book was my first foray into the world of pure fantasy since Lord of the Rings. So I have no idea how well this guy did sticking to or breaking from conventions within the genre. All I know is that it was a mesmerizing story. Taking place on Earth in the far future, dragons have become the dominant lifeform on the planet and have all but enslaved the human race. One man, Bant Bitterwood has made it his life's mission to kill as many dragons as possible. But after he kills the king's son, an...more This book was my first foray into the world of pure fantasy since Lord of the Rings. So I have no idea how well this guy did sticking to or breaking from conventions within the genre. All I know is that it was a mesmerizing story. Taking place on Earth in the far future, dragons have become the dominant lifeform on the planet and have all but enslaved the human race. One man, Bant Bitterwood has made it his life's mission to kill as many dragons as possible. But after he kills the king's son, an order is put out to exterminate all humans on earth.

This high concept set up is the backdrop for some really fascinating characters, mostly dragons, each of whom has their own mission, their own goals, their own arcs. Sides are chosen, battles are fought, and the theme of religion and man's attitude toward it are explored in a truly unique way. One of the most poignant scenes comes during a horrific battle where the dragons have been set loose on the humans in one city. Rather than joining forces against the common enemy, the two rival sects go after EACH OTHER for not following the "one true way."

Only two disappointments for me in this book, one major, one minor. The major one is that the character of Bitterwood, for whom the story is named, is really kind of a blah hero. I had heard that this book was a Robin Hood allegory. But in Robin Hood, the title character is the one who leads the people against their oppressor. In Bitterwood, the title character is almost tangential to the story. But perhaps that was the author's point all the way. My minor gripe is that one of the dragons, Gadreel, is established early in the story as having a mission to prove that he's better than the slave he's been made to be. But then they never come back to him. Perhaps he's in the sequel.

Still, as far as high fantasy goes, this one was quite good. It's got good action, great characters, points to ponder and, I thought, a unique take on traditional "magic." I'd recommend it even if fantasy isn't necessarily your thing.(less)

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Mar 15, 2013 Kristy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-kindle-downloads, dragons, ebooks, fantasy, read-in-2013

This book sounded like it was going to be a Robin Hood style dragon-slayer story, and I thought "Oh, cool!" Unfortunately, it was just plain weird. While our main character, Bant Bitterwood, does indeed have a bow and arrows with which he slays dragons, any interest factor stops there. The rest is pointless. The dragons themselves seem more like dinosaurs, or just really large iguannas. There's this "prophet" (more to be said on that, but it would definitely be a spoiler) who spouts out scriptur...more

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Mar 09, 2010 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

I really enjoyed this - it has quite a unique idea and was a real change. In this, the dragons rule the kingdom, and they have their own culture, ideas, language, and emotions. They even wield swords and spears (though I couldn't quite imagine this!) and use magic. This was just a totally different way of looking at dragons! It was interesting to see them portrayed like people, with lots of conversations, different personalities with their own stories to tell and reasons behind their actions. It...more

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May 31, 2012 zjakkelien rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, dragons, sf

I'm not sure why I'm not enthusiastic about this book. It's a nice story, with a few twists that are rather surprising. Well, until you've read the hints that is. The book tends to lift the veil a bit, and afterwards to explain the entire thing. Unfortunately, after the veil has been lifted, the idea is pretty much clear. Perhaps the problem is that the goal of the book is to assemble the puzzle, and that the characters feel as pieces of the puzzle because of that. As a result, I can't really ca...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Daniel Shellenbarger rated it 3 of 5 stars

Bitterwood is one of those books that I liked better before it explained what was going on. On face value we have tyrannical dragons, magic, immortal prophets, all circling around a man's quest for vengeance. However, by the end most of it has been exposed as mere facade, just a kind of theme park reality made up of the detritus of a civilization that moved on to other things long ago. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but the reality Maxey delivers isn't as interesting as the larger-than-life...more

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Oct 15, 2011 M— rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

DNF — Barely begun in all honesty. The opening scene introduces our fifteen-year-old protagonist in a secretive fertility ritual with a fourteen-year-old girl, until the seventeen-year-old local bully comes in and takes her instead. I lasted all of three sentences past the introduction of the bully, stopping approximately mid-way through page 13.

Dipped into the reviews to see if the book was worth getting back to, and: no. I'm so glad I abandoned this before the plot ushered the reemergence of C...more

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Mar 11, 2009 Garrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was going to wait to write this review until I finished the second book in the series, but the list of to-reads is piling up and James' next book is slipping down in the pile (not because I don't want to read it but because of gifts I've received lately that I feel obligated to read so those people know how awesome they are for getting a book for me (thanks JoDee and Judy) - it's always important to keep family happy.

Anyway, I do want to review this GREAT book. It was a fun read, and a quick o...more I was going to wait to write this review until I finished the second book in the series, but the list of to-reads is piling up and James' next book is slipping down in the pile (not because I don't want to read it but because of gifts I've received lately that I feel obligated to read so those people know how awesome they are for getting a book for me (thanks JoDee and Judy) - it's always important to keep family happy.

Anyway, I do want to review this GREAT book. It was a fun read, and a quick one. I've heard that it is possible to read this or the next book out of order or not at all because they do a great job of standing on their own. This is a good thing in my eyes. One problem with this book: it was hard to get hold of a copy. I ended up ordering a used copy through Borders. I probably could have tried Amazon, but I like being in a bookstore and smelling that cool new book smell.

Setting: This story is also set in a world where aliens have taken over the planet from the humans (by saying also, I mean that the Darkness of the Light book that I just finished also has this general setting). In this case, it is dragons who have taken over.

Characters: There are some truly likable and strong characters in this book. Most of them are kind of supernaturally gifted, so it feels a bit slanted, but they are still prone to weaknesses and faults.

Plot: This is pretty straightforward as far as plots go. There are a few subplots running through that tie in with the overall plotline. It is all done in a very tight, controlled manner.

Conflict: Man versus Dragon is the main one. Although there is some Dragon versus Dragon stuff going on. Some of the characters have some pretty intriguing internal conflicts happening too.

Text: I actually know James (we met and talked and work together at a writing retreat), and I can totally see his voice throughout this. Also, his attitudes toward religion and knowledge come through. This is not bad, but it is evident. However, I will say that James is quite fair to the "opposing" side of his world view. He isn't narrow-minded like some of the genre writer's I've read and met.(less)

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Jul 01, 2009 Hillary rated it 5 of 5 stars

James Maxey spins a wonderful tale. This second of the Bitterwood trilogy picks up where the first left off, and takes on a non-stop ride. The main characters from Bitterwood continue their stories, well, some of them, and we are introduced to new and compelling characters. Some of them could go on to spin off their own trilogies - how about it James?

The blending of dragons as equals (or are they superior to humans, hmmm?), and earth as an alien world, and technology is reminiscent of Anne McCa...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Three rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not what I was expecting. I somehow thought it would have more of a... Robin Hood fights dragons kind of feel. That's not what it is at all, in fact it's quite a bit darker than I imagine Robin vs. dragons might be, but it was still well done. I thought the world building and revelations were handled well enough that I didn't know they were coming before they arrived.

Looking forward to reading the rest of the series, now that I know there is one. (No mention of being first in a series was made...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Matthew rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't know. Such an interesting premise, and such poor execution. The idea of humans rebelling against their Dragon overlords is ripe with promise, but the writing is really pedestrian, and outright cheesy at times. The dragons aren't realistic at all. (How do they read books and turn pages with talons? How do they manufacture tables, chairs, etc, etc?)
And some of the twists just seem like they came out of a 13 year old's mind "Wouldn't it be cool if...."

Another series I'll start, but won't li...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Kevin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really don't want to say much about the plot of this, because I'm not sure what I could say that wouldn't, in some fashion or another, be a spoiler. It takes place in a world ruled by highly intelligent dragons who enslave and/or eat humans. Bitterwood likes to kill dragons. I think that I can say that much. That is, just enough to make it sound really cheesy. But, it isn't. It's actually quite imaginative and good, though it falls into a common trap in the fantasy sci-fi genre that I really...more

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May 17, 2012 Elondel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, read-2012

As is the case with most things in life, it’s the oddball that captures our attention. Whether it is the sheep in a pack of wolves or the cactus amidst tulips, our attention will be aimed towards that what doesn’t seem to belong. When it comes to books, it’s not that different. Not me for, at least. When I come across a book with quite a different premise in comparison to what I’m used to, I’m tempted to give it a try. A good example of this is James Maxey’s Bitterwood, cause its premise is quit...more As is the case with most things in life, it’s the oddball that captures our attention. Whether it is the sheep in a pack of wolves or the cactus amidst tulips, our attention will be aimed towards that what doesn’t seem to belong. When it comes to books, it’s not that different. Not me for, at least. When I come across a book with quite a different premise in comparison to what I’m used to, I’m tempted to give it a try. A good example of this is James Maxey’s Bitterwood, cause its premise is quite peculiar when you put it next to your average Fantasy novel.

Take everything that you know about man and dragon, and put it on its head, that’s Bitterwood for you. Man is enslaved and dragons reign in beautiful palaces. Cunning, intelligent and talkative, the dragons have everything going for them, if it wasn’t for Bitterwood. Bitterwood is a dragon hunter, and when he kills the prince of dragons, the king decides that only Bitterwood’s death can redeem his crime. But the hunter is not the only human who is destined to die…
The whole aspects of dragons ruling over man got me intrigued, for it is quite a different approach to the relationship between man and winged beast. In fact, the dragons that populate these pages aren’t much beast anymore, for they are very much human in character. If it weren’t for the odd reference to their talons, wings and scales, I would have forgotten that almost every single character here is a dragon. This is, of course, a very interesting starting point for a novel and the way it all unravels is pretty mesmerising as well.
The books starts with a bang, that much is sure, only to drop the pace in the first few chapters and gradually build up to the big finale. One of the things that lead up to that, is the revealing of the world. Whereas other novels give you a good idea of the world from the very start, this one keeps is a secret until you’re about ¾ in it. When the world is completely revealed, it is quite a shock when you finally grasp how this has all come to be. Throughout the books, certain hints are given to the reader, so you can figure it out on your own. I had my suspicions, but I would have never thought that instead of a (view spoiler). This only made it more interesting and made me really excited for the next two books in the trilogy.
Another storyline that slowly builds, is Bitterwood’s tale. Next to the regular chapters, there are some sort of prologues of interludes which take the reader back to Bitterwood’s past and how he came to be the person he is today. The attentive reader will not have all that much trouble piecing this together, though.
When it comes to the characters, I have to say that Maxey did a pretty good job in giving the dragons their own, unique personalities. Still, I found them very hard to like – not helped by the fact that most of them are douchebags – and I only liked Vendevorex. His personality is just so nice and he’s a genuinely sweet dragon with humour, that you can’t not like him, I think. The few humans that populate the story are less ‘evil’ than the dragons, but it’s still hard to like them. Especially Bitterwood, the main character here, was very much closed off and didn’t come across as nice at all. It’s the little girl Zeeky that I took an immediate liking to. Because of that, I had trouble really caring for the human characters and I couldn’t be bothered by them dying or not.
At almost 500 pages, this is quite a big book, but it’s a very fast read. Much is due to Maxey’s writing, which is very fluent and well paced. He did a really good job at describing things without dumping too much info or description on the reader and maintaining a good balance between description and action. One aspect of the book that kept me reading, was the fact that the characters know more than the reader does. They talk about things you don’t know jack of, and because they act all mysterious about it, I just kept reading to find out what they were talking about.

In the end, I quite liked this book. It was different and very enjoyable. Still, I was left behind with the feeling that there was something missing, but I can’t really pinpoint what. I felt like it could have been a very good to great book, but know I’m stuck at good and very enjoyable. That’s not a bad thing, though, and I’m very much looking forward to reading the sequels.(less)

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Jun 19, 2012 Ben Arispe rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this one. I didn't really know what to expect when I started it. Dragons ruling the world and humans as their slaves and pets. One man standing against an empire. I feel the author should have given more description in the way the dragons looked and moved. I had a hard time visualizing it. in my head, the majority of them looked like the guardians of Wyrmrest Temple from World of Warcraft. As the beginning of a trilogy, it was pretty good. We are introduced to some great characters, and...more

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Apr 23, 2008 Jeff rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended highly.

I wrote to my friends:

"...a thoroughly entertaining fantasy.... Finally, a novel that is actually better than the stuff Ted's been writing. This novel was (cliche, but true) difficult to put down. It was suspenseful and often not predictable, yet at the same time the author was able to inject humorous scenes and was able to playfully bend the rules of the genre. It was a blast. Highly recommended."

Elements of Robin Hood with attitude from The Princess Bride, in a world somewha...more

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Sep 15, 2010 Enya rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. A bit morbid, but it was engaging and I didn't want to put it down. It about how dragons now rule over the humans, using them as servants, slaves, or hunting them for sport. Biterwood is a character who hunts and kills the dragons, but when he kills the king's son, he starts a civil war between dragons and humans. It was really fun to read, and it is the first of a trilogy.

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Jun 04, 2013 Andy Doyle rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a very different take on the traditional fantasy-dragon story line. The story opens in a world that is ruled by dragons, with humans being the lowest life form. One man hunts the dragons and actually frightens them -- Bitterwood. I highly recommend this book. The characters are complex and grow through the tale. If you like fantasy novels, you won't be disappointed with this.

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Jan 22, 2012 Stefan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I wasn’t sure what to make of ‘Bitterwood’ beforehand, but I got into pretty quickly. Unusually for an epic fantasy novel, the plot moved along at the pace of a thriller. The various subplots of political intrigue and infighting (both between the human and dragon forces) made the plot even more compelling.

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Mar 05, 2010 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fantasy

I was pleasantly surprised by the mix of sci-fi and fantasy aspects in this novel. Though the name-sake character of this novel had very little to do with this book in comparison with the many other characters, I didn't really mind (he's kind of an ass anyway) =P. I found the majority of the characters to be interesting and enjoyable to follow, and the world and its societies to be intriguing. I am looking forward to seeing how the following two books unfold.

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Feb 24, 2009 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Engaging fantasy/sf book set in a world where sapient dragons dominate over the subservient human race.

I suspect a lot of readers might be put off a bit by this one, since it has all the trappings of sword and sorcery fantasy, but the underpinnings are more science fictional in nature. The author puts some effort in extrapolating this world from our own, but not so much effort that the book really works as straight sf.

The characters are nicely drawn, especially the multi-faceted dragons. I thoug...more

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Jul 12, 2009 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a book I picked up, as I do many fantasy books, simply because it has a dragon on the cover. The world he creates is amazing and it surprised me by not being purely fantasy, but with a dose of science-fiction added to it!

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Jun 15, 2013 N Miguel rated it 3 of 5 stars

The beginning interested me, then it started getting strange with passages about faith and religion or rather ways of believing. It is a different kind of read and a genre I am not ready for at this time.

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About James Maxey

I've been an avid reader since I first picked up a book. Luckily, I was within biking distance of three different libraries growing up. I was a skinny kid. If only I had maintained that link between biking and reading, I might be a skinny adult.

I'm also a writer. I wrote my first book as a kid, an adventure about pirates and ghosts. When I was a teenager, I used to write superhero adventures. The...more

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