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136th out of 377 books
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376 voters
The 19 Dragons
by
S.M. Reine (Goodreads Author)
There are nineteen provinces in the Land held aloft by nineteen pillars. Above the earth there is sky, and nobody knows what goes below except the Nineteen Dragons.
That is all you need to know, but that is not all there is to be known.
The Device has been stolen and the godlike Dragons have been rendered mortal. Someone is murdering them one by one, and each death brings th...more
That is all you need to know, but that is not all there is to be known.
The Device has been stolen and the godlike Dragons have been rendered mortal. Someone is murdering them one by one, and each death brings th...more
Kindle Edition, 110 pages
Published
July 8th 2011
by self published
(first published July 6th 2011)
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This was a short read, but an interesting one. I'm not quite sure what exactly drew me to this book. I've never really read Steampunk (I believe I am going to change that, so please recommend your favorite Steampunk books :D), but Dragons are usually awesome so that might have been it.
Let me just start with this. I really love the whole idea of the 19 dragons and what they represent in the world. I don't really want to give away too much of the story in the review, but let me just say that the...more
Let me just start with this. I really love the whole idea of the 19 dragons and what they represent in the world. I don't really want to give away too much of the story in the review, but let me just say that the...more
All the usual disclaimers will follow this review.
I'm not sure what drew me to this book. The cover? Maybe. The title alone wouldn't do it, as there are plenty of dragon stories. But I've never read any steam punk at all, so the genre wasn't any great attraction either. But something caught my attention and so I downloaded the free copy from Amazon.
There's so much about this book I shouldn't like. The present tense narrative for one thing. It bugs me no end. I can never get into a present tense...more
I'm not sure what drew me to this book. The cover? Maybe. The title alone wouldn't do it, as there are plenty of dragon stories. But I've never read any steam punk at all, so the genre wasn't any great attraction either. But something caught my attention and so I downloaded the free copy from Amazon.
There's so much about this book I shouldn't like. The present tense narrative for one thing. It bugs me no end. I can never get into a present tense...more
Now I have to point out having read the author's other books I found this style of writing to be very different. Not familiar with steampunk as it were, I really enjoyed this novella and how it was written. Dragons are a favourite of mine, this story was about 19 dragons whose lives were linked to 19 pillars that held up 19 provinces and they lived as mortals but could be reborn when they died. A device was stolen from the First Dragon, killing him which caused a domino effect rendering all the...more
You know those movies where it starts off with someone telling a child a fable and as they go, the fable grows into its own life and takes off?
That was this book. The style of writing had a comfortable "telling a fable" element to it that sucked me in with intrigue and the more I got into the story, the more the fable feeling fell away and I felt the life of the dragons blossom.
I admit, I initially grabbed it because I fell in insta-love with the cover, which hasn't been the best practice for m...more
That was this book. The style of writing had a comfortable "telling a fable" element to it that sucked me in with intrigue and the more I got into the story, the more the fable feeling fell away and I felt the life of the dragons blossom.
I admit, I initially grabbed it because I fell in insta-love with the cover, which hasn't been the best practice for m...more
I enjoyed this strange story set in a steampunk world. It’s quite different to anything I’ve read before and memorable because of it. Dragons have taken human form to avoid humans slaying them. They move from one vessel to another, immortal, until someone steals the staff with the ‘device’ on the top. Then the first Dragon dies and all the other dragons become mortal. I have no idea why, but in a story this length that didn’t really matter. Several more dragons in human form are murdered and eac...more
My Thoughts
Some of you may have know that i tried getting into the SteamPunk Genre but never really found much interest in it. Well, this book makes me want to continue on reading into this genre.
I love the idea that the dragons are Gods. That these people once worshiped them, & through carnivals to celebrate the fact that these 19 dragons watched over them. It was very different. It was action packed & very fast passed. At some points in the book i was on the edge of my seat waiting to...more
This is a rather unique story/novella.
It's relatively short, which makes it an easy read and it plays with form quite a bit. There are chapter illustrations. Between chapter bits that I don't have a name for. And a few pages have only a sentence on them.
The method of telling the story is a little unusual to. We are conducted from character to character by an omniscient narrator who seems aware of past and present. And each chapter focuses on one of the 19 Dragons. It's a collection of scenes, ch...more
It's relatively short, which makes it an easy read and it plays with form quite a bit. There are chapter illustrations. Between chapter bits that I don't have a name for. And a few pages have only a sentence on them.
The method of telling the story is a little unusual to. We are conducted from character to character by an omniscient narrator who seems aware of past and present. And each chapter focuses on one of the 19 Dragons. It's a collection of scenes, ch...more
I have been waiting for this novella to come out. I bought it first thing this morning, and read it straight through.
I won't give any spoilers, but I will say that I enjoyed the story, even though it was largely "told" and not shown through the author's writing skills. At times, it was a confusing march through introduction after introduction to new characters, without pause for reflection.
The entire novella is narrated by an omniceint storyteller, which I felt dilluted the necessary action scen...more
I won't give any spoilers, but I will say that I enjoyed the story, even though it was largely "told" and not shown through the author's writing skills. At times, it was a confusing march through introduction after introduction to new characters, without pause for reflection.
The entire novella is narrated by an omniceint storyteller, which I felt dilluted the necessary action scen...more
19 Dragons takes us into the future in a steampunk kinda way. The Dragons have kept humans on an fairly even keel for milleniums’ but now something has gone wrong. Badly wrong.
Posing as humans and in some cases posing for so long that the Dragon side of their lives has been forgotten, the 19 Dragons are being murdered by one of their own. Why? That’s for you to find out but let me say that although this novella is not very long, there is a lot of information here for you to digest. The murderer...more
Posing as humans and in some cases posing for so long that the Dragon side of their lives has been forgotten, the 19 Dragons are being murdered by one of their own. Why? That’s for you to find out but let me say that although this novella is not very long, there is a lot of information here for you to digest. The murderer...more
The 19 Dragons is a steampunk novella. It is about 19 dragons whose lives are linked to 19 pillars that hold up the 19 provinces of the land. I really enjoyed reading The 19 Dragons as it was very original and thoroughly entertaining.
There was a very unique prose to The 19 Dragon which I really enjoyed. The writing has a sort of poetic element to it that makes it a really different and enjoyable read. The writing style gave the whole story a feeling of reading an old fairy tale sort of story.
The...more
There was a very unique prose to The 19 Dragon which I really enjoyed. The writing has a sort of poetic element to it that makes it a really different and enjoyable read. The writing style gave the whole story a feeling of reading an old fairy tale sort of story.
The...more
This was a fascinating short story, very entertaining. I don't read many short stories unless they are off-shoots of full books that I enjoyed, but I 'm really glad I gave this one a try. The authors writing style and the tense that the story was written in, was almost like standing on the sidewalk in the futuristic, elegant world it's set in, while someone stands beside you saying, "Look, there goes the First Dragon!" The story was exciting and fast paced and although you don't have a chance to...more
I haven't read Steampunk before, so it serves as a good introduction for me. I also love dragons, which is why I bought the book. I particularly love Asian dragons, as their depiction in mythology and legend are more benevolent and wise than you're typical marauding Smaug or Vermithrax via European tradition. With 19 Dragons, you get the deified dragons of Asian origin.
The storytelling style - which for some may be construed as "telling" worked for me in this instance - I normally hate the "tel...more
The storytelling style - which for some may be construed as "telling" worked for me in this instance - I normally hate the "tel...more
The 19 Dragons is a great novella with rich landscapes and characters. Vastly different from the author's previous work, Six Moon Summer, The 19 Dragons is a steampunk story with very fantastical elements. The Dragons are the gods of this world - they hold up the very land and seas by their existence. But when the Dragons start dying off, the world is in great peril. The rich history of each of the Dragons is interwoven with the fast-paced action of the present times. SM Reine is a consummate st...more
I'm giving this one a 3.5. And I liked it, but it's one where I really wanted some more. Sometimes shorts are too short.
Each "chapter" is about one of the titled "19 Dragons" interspersed with tiny bits on calamitous happenings in the world.
The book blurb mentioned that there are blank pages on purpose - so keep clicking until you reach the 100% done on your eReader. Sometimes I had to click through more than one blank page. Luckily that was mostly at the end. If the whole story had been like th...more
Each "chapter" is about one of the titled "19 Dragons" interspersed with tiny bits on calamitous happenings in the world.
The book blurb mentioned that there are blank pages on purpose - so keep clicking until you reach the 100% done on your eReader. Sometimes I had to click through more than one blank page. Luckily that was mostly at the end. If the whole story had been like th...more
Reine has created a wonderful Steampunk novella that will keep readers glued to the pages throughout the suspense and mystery. Although somewhat confusing in the beginning, as Reine jumps directly into the story, the important characters and relationships within the novel are quickly identified as the Device is stolen and the Dragons must race against time to find the person behind the theft. If they should fail, they will all die, taking the human world with them. This was an intriguing concept...more
Interesting story line, like nothing I've ever read before. Of course, I'm not familiar with the steam-punk genre, so maybe they're all like this. The scene building was also good, I could definitely see the world and the various steam powered devices. The characters were a little hard to get to know, since it jumped so much around them, but character building really wasn't part of the story. There were a few area's that were a bit foggy since it wasn't a very detailed book, a lot was left for y...more
S.M. Reine's "The 19 Dragons" is something else.
And I don't mean, "Whoa, man, that story sure was somethin' else."
I mean, it truly is something different. The reader jumps into this novella expecting steampunk elements, which are certainly present. Yet, mingled into this story is a fantasy angle that will capture the imagination of anyone who loves the work of Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, or Alan Moore. The narrative is surprising, paced well and offers some truly intriguing images of a world s...more
And I don't mean, "Whoa, man, that story sure was somethin' else."
I mean, it truly is something different. The reader jumps into this novella expecting steampunk elements, which are certainly present. Yet, mingled into this story is a fantasy angle that will capture the imagination of anyone who loves the work of Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, or Alan Moore. The narrative is surprising, paced well and offers some truly intriguing images of a world s...more
This unusual book was listed as a "steampunk novella." For whatever reason, the description got my attention. I read the first half of the novella in one night. It brought to mind morality, war, double crossing, gods, vices, clocks, dirigibles and the natural order of things.
I like the way the book was organized and the way the organization and story line flowed together.
There are 19 dragons who are gods that have taken on human form to protect themselves. The 19 dragons hold up 19 pillars and...more
I like the way the book was organized and the way the organization and story line flowed together.
There are 19 dragons who are gods that have taken on human form to protect themselves. The 19 dragons hold up 19 pillars and...more
It was ok. A nice short story size between longer novels, and a unique world and writing style. I liked how everything was connected. However I felt like I was watching something happen, rather than feeling any emotion or connection to it; I love getting involved in a book, feeling joy or sadness when something happens to a character, and it's very easy for me to do. Yet in this book there was no connection, so I felt as if I'd just watched something yet with no interest whatsoever in the outcom...more
This was a unique, innovative, and engaging read. I struggled a bit with keeping track of the dragons (they are referred to by number rather than name ... Numbers don't stick in my head quite as well for whatever reason.)
It was well worth the work to keep track, though. The steampunk elements blended delightfully with both realism & fantasy. The tale is both fast paced and, at times, touching... laden with subtle insights into human nature and the nature of society.
All said and done, the 19...more
It was well worth the work to keep track, though. The steampunk elements blended delightfully with both realism & fantasy. The tale is both fast paced and, at times, touching... laden with subtle insights into human nature and the nature of society.
All said and done, the 19...more
Before reading The 19 Dragons, I read another of S.M. Reine's books, Six Moon Summer, and I loved that one. I wasn't surprised when I read and loved The 19 Dragons, too.
I was surprised by how different the two books were, though. The author's voice, and the tone of the books were completely different, and I thought that was fabulous. It just shows how much versatility S.M. Reine has that she can write two completely different books and excel at both of them.
The 19 Dragons isn't a long story, and...more
I was surprised by how different the two books were, though. The author's voice, and the tone of the books were completely different, and I thought that was fabulous. It just shows how much versatility S.M. Reine has that she can write two completely different books and excel at both of them.
The 19 Dragons isn't a long story, and...more
Very unique writing style and story structure. Really quick and enjoyable read. The story structure and sparse writing style allows the author to juggle a large of amount of characters while still explaining the story. Really cool world this is set in and the ideas of Dragons roaming the world as mortal human beings is a nice twist. It does fall apart just a bit towards the end and there is a romance thrown in that really didn't need to be there. The explanation for a couple of the dragons wasn'...more
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this novella. I saw “dragons” in the title and thought, “Dragons? Heck yeah!” Plus, it was free on Amazon, and I’m a sucker for freebies.
Nineteen dragons—one for each province, with a pillar supporting each region. Should the corresponding dragon perish, the pillar crumbles, and the province falls with it. This was definitely an interesting concept. I enjoyed the world-building of this novella, although I wish it had been fleshed out a teensy bit more; however,...more
Nineteen dragons—one for each province, with a pillar supporting each region. Should the corresponding dragon perish, the pillar crumbles, and the province falls with it. This was definitely an interesting concept. I enjoyed the world-building of this novella, although I wish it had been fleshed out a teensy bit more; however,...more
S.M. Reine's “The 19 Dragons” is (I am told) a steampunk fantasy with an unusual and very creative plot. Here, the Dragons are the gods of this world - they are the pillars of the world and actually hold up the very land and seas by their existence, and they are being killed. “The 19 Dragons” is an unusual and highly creative novella, and I confess to struggling with a 3 or a 4. Regardless, for its artistic merit, I do recommend reading the book.
Reine leads us immediately into the story; the im...more
Reine leads us immediately into the story; the im...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Originally pubbed here: http://coffeemugged.net/2011/07/08/gr...
The 19 Dragons took me by surprise. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to read it, since SM Reine announced she was writing it – still I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from it. I thought it to be some adventure kind of steampunk novella, where some hero or heroine would solve who’s killing the Dragons. I was wrong, but I’m not sad about that.
I guess you could say it’s still adventure, but the story is built from the viewpoints o...more
The 19 Dragons took me by surprise. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to read it, since SM Reine announced she was writing it – still I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from it. I thought it to be some adventure kind of steampunk novella, where some hero or heroine would solve who’s killing the Dragons. I was wrong, but I’m not sad about that.
I guess you could say it’s still adventure, but the story is built from the viewpoints o...more
[Pre-release review.]
Many bibliophiles find novels on ereaders to be cold and distant. I could give lots of examples regarding my positive experiences, and reading SM Reine's The 19 Dragons is one of them.
I'm a big fan of genre hybrids, so it wasn't much of a surprise that I enjoyed the blending of steampunk and fantasy elements, particularly because the visuals were so striking. (Dragons, in particular, are a long-time favorite of mine.) And while I admit I'm still in the novelty stage in terms...more
Many bibliophiles find novels on ereaders to be cold and distant. I could give lots of examples regarding my positive experiences, and reading SM Reine's The 19 Dragons is one of them.
I'm a big fan of genre hybrids, so it wasn't much of a surprise that I enjoyed the blending of steampunk and fantasy elements, particularly because the visuals were so striking. (Dragons, in particular, are a long-time favorite of mine.) And while I admit I'm still in the novelty stage in terms...more
I started reading 19 Dragons but I just couldn't get into it. After the third chapter, I still hadn't become intrigued with where the book was headed. In fact, the book didn't seem to be heading anywhere. The characters aren't relatable and the story just isn't given any clear direction. The storyline seems to be jumbled together with no common purpose between the various characters introduced. There's no visible plot.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is the second S. M. Reine book I’ve read and it just fills me with such warm, fuzzy feelings. The plot was so intriguing that I couldn’t put it down, even after I was supposed to turn off electronic devices on the plane (I don’t condone this behavior but I’m just awful, please don’t do this it’s actually quite bad).
The story was action packed and fast paced. The writing was so artistic that it just flowed so nicely. I wish it didn’t have to end. It was such a nice feeling to read this type...more
The story was action packed and fast paced. The writing was so artistic that it just flowed so nicely. I wish it didn’t have to end. It was such a nice feeling to read this type...more
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Hi everyone! My name is Sara, and I write urban fantasy and paranormal novels as SM Reine. I collect swords, cat hair, and typewriters (which I do use for writing!). It's a good day when those three things have nothing to do with each other.
If you would like to know the instant my next book is available, you should enlist in my Army of Evil! We have a wicked cool secret handshake, but you'll have...more
More about S.M. Reine...
If you would like to know the instant my next book is available, you should enlist in my Army of Evil! We have a wicked cool secret handshake, but you'll have...more
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