Draykon (Draykon, #1)

Nov 05, 2012 Sadie Forsythe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-lendable-read

I love the cover of Draykon and was really looking forward to reading it. I have to be honest though, I gave a little groan in the beginning. The first page or so did nothing for me. The language was very flowery. A number of fictional plants were mentioned with little indication of what they were and the word 'with' was used six times in the first paragraph. I was worried. I needn't have been. It settled down very quickly, becoming quite enjoyable.

The story is split between two main characters...more I love the cover of Draykon and was really looking forward to reading it. I have to be honest though, I gave a little groan in the beginning. The first page or so did nothing for me. The language was very flowery. A number of fictional plants were mentioned with little indication of what they were and the word 'with' was used six times in the first paragraph. I was worried. I needn't have been. It settled down very quickly, becoming quite enjoyable.

The story is split between two main characters, Eva and Llandry. Both of whom I engaged with, but I would have enjoyed a little more indication of which of the two is supposed to be the MAIN character. I think it's supposed to be Llandry, but not feeling uncertain about it left me with divided loyalties. I also very much liked their male companions (Tren and Devary). Tren had an especially appreciable sense of humour. It might sound strange, but I really liked that these characters weren't all amazingly talented 18 year olds. Devary and Eva are both represented as 40ish, while Llandry and Tren are both in their twenties. It feels so much more believable when characters are old enough to have become masters of their skills through training, practice and determination, rather than innate talent (which is all too young characters have time to develop).

The environment of The Seven Realms (and beyond) is described quite vividly, though it has a tendency to change, which can be confusing. However, this very changeability is an important aspect of the story. It's worth getting you're head around. Many, many plant and animal species are mentioned and the reader is left to flesh a lot of them out on their own. This is fine. I can extrapolate what a Nivven is supposed to be by the fact that they are ridden and used to pull carriages. Some were not so clear. I spent much of the book thinking a deafly was an animal, or maybe an insect, for example. It's not, it's a flower, the sort one tends to find painted on china.

Draykon leaves you hangin' when it ends though. The whole thing culminated splendidly, but ends before anyone has any answers (or the reader knows what happens to Llandry after the big reveal). That irked me. Of course I want to know what happens next. That's to be expected from the first book of a series, but Draykon literally ends at what I'd have expected to be the peak of the plotting graph. That's difficult...and annoying. Despite this, I would still recommend the book to anyone who likes fantasy. (less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Tricia Kristufek rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews, recommended

'People should know, at least. They can make those choices for themselves.'

Llandry stumbles upon a cave with a curious stone in it. A glittering dark indigo gem, the "istore" is her favorite to work with. When she gets talked into taking her jewelery to the Darklands market, her pieces are a huge hit and become the talk of the Seven Realms. Among her admirers, Lady Eva, the High Summoner herself, is also drawn to the gem.

But when Eva's ring is stolen and her best friend is murdered for her own...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Rachel Cotterill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: indie-and-small-press, read-in-2011, fantasy, favourites

This is a sweet fantasy novel with a pleasing mix of fantasy and adventure. For the most part, the book follows two characters: a young and anxious jeweller, Llandry, and a cynical High Summoner, Eva. When Llandry finds an unusual new gem - and Eva buys a piece of the resulting jewellery - they are both sucked into the mystery of where the stone has come from and why someone is prepared to kill for it. I love a good mystery, and I love a well-developed fantasy setting, and this book has both in...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Bard Bloom rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had lots of fun with Charlotte E. English's Draykon, book one of her Draykon trilogy. (I've read book 2 too, which is just as good, but it's not free so I'm not reviewing it.)

So I really like the setting. It's an 18th-century/steampunky sort of place, with lots of magic. People live in the Middle World, between the Upper and Lower Worlds, and some people can make gates to one or the other of those. That's uninspiring, until a couple more details show up: the ever-lit Upper and the ever-dark Lo...more I had lots of fun with Charlotte E. English's Draykon, book one of her Draykon trilogy. (I've read book 2 too, which is just as good, but it's not free so I'm not reviewing it.)

So I really like the setting. It's an 18th-century/steampunky sort of place, with lots of magic. People live in the Middle World, between the Upper and Lower Worlds, and some people can make gates to one or the other of those. That's uninspiring, until a couple more details show up: the ever-lit Upper and the ever-dark Lower worlds are just wild lands, not Heaven and Hell or anything close. 3/7 of the Middle World has aligned itself with the Upper World, and 3/7 with the Lower -- which is to say, they have adopted plants and animals from the respective world as the basis of their economy. The lands aligned with the Uppers are in constant daylight, those with the Lowers in constant night -- and it takes the sorcerers of those countries a ton of work to maintain the appropriate illumination.

And the flora, fauna, and inhabitants are just as ingenious and interesting. I love the glissenwol trees, which are sort of giant mushroom/pines. And some of the people just happen to have wings, which nobody finds remarkable, though just why is a plot point in book 2.

Good characters, too. The book is about (1) a very shy jeweler named Llandry who discovers a supply of a mysterious gemstone, and (2) a stylish and powerful summoner and official named Lady Eva Glostrum, and (3) a cast of thousands. The main characters are strong, distinctive personalities, likeable and interestingly flawed. Sometimes even the characters' strong points come and bite them in interesting ways: Eva has many admirers and lovers, but that does not always work in her favor.

The names ... oh, the names. I appreciate the art of coming up with good names, and the author has come up with a zillion of them. Unfortunately they're mostly two-syllable names with similar rhythm that seem to come from the same language (and many of them do come from the same language or at least the same country). Individually they're often delightful. En masse they kind of blur together. The trilogy has lots of characters who live their own lives and show up in the story occasionally, and it's hard to keep them straight. (And why did she have to call her dragons Draykons? They're unambiguously dragons.)

There's a lot of mystery in book 1. A significant portion of it has been cleared up by the end of book 2, and a significant portion of disaster acquired in its place. I'm looking forward to reading book 3, which is already on my Kindle.

Rating: five mysterious gemstones out of five: top 20% of books I expect to read in a year.(less)

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Dec 01, 2012 Cherry rated it 5 of 5 stars

The cover definitely drew me in and I'm happy to say it did not disappoint. At first the the Uppers and Lowers confused me and I didn't really bother to know or even remember the different races there were but by the end I had a good grasp on it all. It didn't take me long to get sucked into the plot. Although I thought Llandry was an interesting character, she was not my favorite. Perhaps it was her stubbornness and impulsiveness that drew me away. I did however thoroughly enjoy Eva's character...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-fantasy

At first, DRAYKON seemed a bit juvenile, with winged fairies living in trees and an insecure young protagonist, but after a few chapters, the book really grew on me. The world-building was unique, with three different planes of existence and multiple realms within the “middle” plane that aligned themselves with one or the other of the “upper” and “lower” planes. As the characters traveled through the world and the plot unfolded, the complexity and true depth of the story was revealed. However, w...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Mirrani rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-and-reviewed

Draykon takes place in a world that contains many realms and layers within it, so many that I had difficulty working out exactly what was happening where. The plot is well considered and the characters were believable and easy to follow, but I really struggled with the location in this book. From the very beginning I was thinking that perhaps I had missed a book in the series that explained the layout of the realms and the depth of the culture surrounding them, but frequent checks back at the ti...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Todd Fonseca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Draykon - A Great Start to the Series

Rating: 4 of 5
Author: Charlotte E. English
Format: Kindle

While exploring near her home in Glinnery, young Llandry Sanfaer comes across a hidden cave whose walls are filled with a beautiful gemstone. An amateur jewelry, she mines the gems subsequently fashioning them into rings, necklaces, and other items to sell at the local market. To her great surprise they become the desire of the seven realms selling out quickly. But soon those wearing these precious stone...more Draykon - A Great Start to the Series

Rating: 4 of 5
Author: Charlotte E. English
Format: Kindle

While exploring near her home in Glinnery, young Llandry Sanfaer comes across a hidden cave whose walls are filled with a beautiful gemstone. An amateur jewelry, she mines the gems subsequently fashioning them into rings, necklaces, and other items to sell at the local market. To her great surprise they become the desire of the seven realms selling out quickly. But soon those wearing these precious stones are found injured or murdered by creatures previously believed to be extinct from the lower realms. Summoners and Sorcerers alike are called upon to hunt and banish these creatures back to the lower realms and in the process they find the gates between worlds are appearing and opening uncontrolled and at alarming rates. What is causing this shift in the balance between the worlds? Who is hunting these precious stones and why? And how is it a small winged girl from Glinnery seems to hold the fate of the seven realms in her hands?

As I finished reading the final pages of Charlote English's first book in the Draykon series I thought "Noooooo!" don't let it end here! The book builds to a nice and surprising climax and satisfactorily answers many questions, but clearly leaves the main story arc unresolved with Llandry. Well done Ms. English. I'm definitely interested in seeing where this series is going. The premise of the seven realms and worlds connected through veiled gates is intriguing and English gives just enough information to describe these realms while leaving the reader to fill in the details.

The juxtaposition of Llandy, the poor girl from Glinnery and Eva, the High Summoner from Glour and how their stories evolve and intermingle is well executed and drives the plot forward along with mystery of the istore gem and the collapsing veil between the worlds. The evolution of Llandy's character as she finds herself drawn to the istore gem and her ability to connect with the animals around her when she wears it adds to the gem's mysterious properties as well as Llandry's nature. Is she something more than she appears? And why are the seven realms separated at all?

Fantasy readers will find familiar elements here but at the same time something quite fresh making Draykon definitely worth picking up.

Note: A complimentary copy of this work was provided in return for a review.
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Nov 06, 2011 Urban Fantasy Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

If I had to pick two of my favorite genres they would be fantasy and mystery. This book is the delightful integration of both. The story follow several characters, but primarily Llandry and Eva. Llandry is a jewelry maker by trade and stumbles upon a new stone which she calls istore (if I remember correctly it means star, but I could be wrong). This new gem makes Llandry's jewelry highly sought after, especially after Eva is seen wearing a ring made with the gem. Eva is a woman of high society,...more If I had to pick two of my favorite genres they would be fantasy and mystery. This book is the delightful integration of both. The story follow several characters, but primarily Llandry and Eva. Llandry is a jewelry maker by trade and stumbles upon a new stone which she calls istore (if I remember correctly it means star, but I could be wrong). This new gem makes Llandry's jewelry highly sought after, especially after Eva is seen wearing a ring made with the gem. Eva is a woman of high society, she is in a high position as well as having the title of Lady. However Llandry's new found success end rather abruptly when people who have bought istore turn up murdered.

As the book continues it is revealed there is much more at work here than just simple greed for a new found popular gem. It's at this point the book starts adding in the mystery element. While this book is certainly a mystery, English approaches it with a fantasy flare.

English's characters are very well written and easy to identify with. Not only that but the two women are strikingly different from each other, while each playing a vital and important role within the story. As the story began I thought I would not like Llandry, she seemed a little to fragile for my liking, but English proved me wrong. Llandry is just young and trying to find a way to come into her own. She also feels responsible for the events that happened to her customers, and is willing to do whatever she can to help and find a way to end the madness going on.

Another thing that made this book endearing to me was the use of animals throughout it. I myself am I pet lover (as I write this review I have three dogs fast asleep in my lap), and Llandry's protective nature towards Sigwide her pet. There are often times when she puts herself in danger to make sure he is okay, and he is just as fierce of a protector for her and she is for him. Another thing I enjoyed about the animal element is that there are various types of animals throughout the book, all with various skills, and they fit in so seamlessly into the society English created. They felt like they belong in the story as much as any other living creature did.

Another intriguing elements of the story was the istore, I will of course not give away what they find out about the mysterious gem, but I will say that it had almost an addictive like property for those who came in contact with it. Even after it is revealed that people who owe in are in danger, some are still obsessed with acquiring their stone or keeping what they own safe. This reaction makes the istore mystery that much more interesting as the story goes on.

All in all I would recommend this book to anyone. While some fantasy books can be overly complicated and harder to really delve into, this book is great for a new fantasy reader because English did such a good job of making the characters relatable. This book is also a great read for those who already like the fantasy genre because the plot is compelling. And for those who like a good mystery, this book will certainly be a good read for those as well. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. (less)

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Dec 04, 2011 Ritesh rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Lovers of both fantasy and mystery. This one starts as a mystery and turns into an all out fantasy!

Shelves: mystery, fantasy, reviewed

Posted here: http://riteshkala.wordpress.com

Draykon is a story which revolves around a girl named Llandry. She is portrayed as being extremely socially awkward to the extent that she starts having panic attacks when she is among anything resembling a gathering. Llandry is a jewellery maker and is relatively unknown until she stumbles across a new stone which she calls Istore. This stone makes here instantly famous as the stone captures the imagination of the world and becomes the most sought aft...more Posted here: http://riteshkala.wordpress.com

Draykon is a story which revolves around a girl named Llandry. She is portrayed as being extremely socially awkward to the extent that she starts having panic attacks when she is among anything resembling a gathering. Llandry is a jewellery maker and is relatively unknown until she stumbles across a new stone which she calls Istore. This stone makes here instantly famous as the stone captures the imagination of the world and becomes the most sought after piece of jewellery after Eva is seen wearing it.

Eva, who is the other main character in the book, is a woman of high social standing and is a high positioned ‘government official’. She is in many ways the exact opposite of Llandry. She is charming and beautiful and knows just the right thing to say at the right moment.

The story is set in a fantasy world. This world is not like ours, where night follows day. The world is divided into Daylands and Darklands, which perpetually lie in light or darkness. This is just one of the intriguing aspects of the world. There are a number of amazing creatures throughout the book. Each of these creatures has been created beautifully and this portrayal really brings them to life. Although the author has been inspired by real world animals, she has enhanced or modified their abilities enough to create an array of creatures which is quite impressive. Oh, another thing is that some people here have wings and can fly. How cool is that!

As the book continues, it starts becoming apparent that Istore is much more than a simple popular gem. The story takes a mysterious turn when people who have Istore jewellery, start turning up dead. This is where Eva steps in to investigate and is pulled into the fantastical world which comes up next. The point at which the true nature of the ‘stone’ is revealed, the story turns into an all-out fantasy novel.

The novel ends with a cliff-hanger with a number of questions left unanswered, the answers to which, I suppose will be revealed in later books.

I did have trouble initially following the structure of the world and was expecting a map to make things clearer, but none was forthcoming. However, as the story progressed, things started to clear up, and I realised that a map would have been quite difficult to make, considering the twists the story goes through.

I really liked the story-telling style of the author and the two different story-arcs run smoothly along till almost then end when they collide magnificently and culminate in a crescendo. Now, all I can do is wait for the next instalment in the story.
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Apr 19, 2013 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: indie, kindle, needs-editing

Firstly, this is long. The paperback edition, according to the Amazon page, is 402 pages, much longer than most novels I read these days. It's not just your standard epic fantasy doorstop, though, nor does it get bogged down in pages of description. In fact, I could have done with a little more description from time to time.

Let's take language first. It's mostly very literate, with odd exceptions. I struck two dangling participles very early on: "Wrought from silver, her favourite metal, she had...more Firstly, this is long. The paperback edition, according to the Amazon page, is 402 pages, much longer than most novels I read these days. It's not just your standard epic fantasy doorstop, though, nor does it get bogged down in pages of description. In fact, I could have done with a little more description from time to time.

Let's take language first. It's mostly very literate, with odd exceptions. I struck two dangling participles very early on: "Wrought from silver, her favourite metal, she had lightly engraved it..." (which, taken literally, says that she was wrought from silver), and "Shy even then, the bustling market had unnerved her". There's also an instance where something belonging to a couple with the surname Wrobsley is described as "the Wrobsley's" instead of, as it should be, "the Wrobsleys'". There are several cases where the author uses "may" when the rest of the sentence is in the past tense and the word should be "might". The nonexistent word "alright" turns up once, and there are about five cases where a question is missing its question mark. There are passive constructions like "she was given a room", "she was waited upon", and the owners of an inn are referred to as its "patrons", which usually means customers. I won't carp at "not unjustified", though it's often frowned upon as poor usage.

That sounds like a lot, but really, over 402 pages, it isn't. For the most part, the language is smooth and competent. Three and a half stars.

The characters are memorable enough that the invented fantasy names mostly don't become an impediment to remembering who is who. They're not cliches, they have personal stakes in the outcomes, and they take action towards clear goals. I did have a bit of a problem with Llandry, one of the two viewpoint characters. She is a very anxious young woman who nevertheless is always leaving safety and getting herself in trouble, with bad results, often to other people as well as herself. She does this over and over again. I very much do not like characters like this. On the other hand, the other viewpoint character, Eva, is a strong, capable woman, though her lack of emotion in most circumstances and apparent cluelessness about relationships makes her read a little like a gender-swapped man. I prefer strong female characters to be emotionally intelligent as well as determined and competent. I also didn't see much of an arc in the characters. On the inside, at least, they're much the same at the end of the book as they were at the beginning. Overall, three stars for characters.

As far as plot goes, as you'd expect in such a long book, there's quite a bit of it. It's a mystery, not a quest, which is nice to see in an epic fantasy. The characters, particularly Eva, make steady progress in solving the mystery (important if a plot is to hold my attention), and there's a good balance of tidying up the events of the first book with setting up more questions for the second. It's competently done, and the two geographically-separated strands weave together and cross frequently enough that you don't feel you're reading two separate stories. At least three and a half stars for plot, getting close to four.

Now, setting. I had some issues with the setting.

I need to mention something about the world in order to give background. There are three connected levels, known as the Lowers, the Middles and the Uppers. The Lowers are perpetually moonlit night, the Uppers perpetually sunlit day. Parts of the Middles have been magically set up to connect to one or the other by either cloaking them in permanent night or giving them permanent day, so that animals and plants from the Lowers or Uppers respectively can thrive.

Leaving aside the biological unlikeliness, there are some consistency problems in how these lands are described. After a group of people is said to have "worked past moonset and well beyond", one of their members returns to her home, and it's "nearly moonset". Later, "under the deep cover of Orstwych’s Cloaked hours" (i.e. when the moon is not up), the moonlight shines off buildings. One of the permanent-day lands is described as experiencing sunrise and sunset, and later a native of that land is thrilled to be in another land (outside the magical cloaks) "where the sun rose and set". The glossary notes at the back make it clear that the sun does rise and set in the daylands, so this seems odd.

I was never convinced that this elaborate setup was really necessary (or believable). Then there are the animals and plants themselves. I can see the reason for having new names for the ones that are not like anything in our world, though it does make the book harder to follow, but if you have a large, intelligent, scaly, winged being that breathes fire, why call it a "draykon" rather than a dragon? Perhaps there's some reason, but it's not visible in this first book, and it seems like a difference that makes no difference.

The setting reminds me a little of some of the setups you see in some Dungeons and Dragons material, which seem to be designed on the basis of coolness rather than practicality. The problem is not only that they're impractical, but that they end up not being treated fully consistently with all the implications worked out, and that they get in the way of the plot more than they generate it. I'm not really a fan. Three stars.

Overall, this is a three-star book for me. It's a high three stars, and with some language fixes, more character change and the logistical inconsistencies fixed up, it would edge up to four, even though I don't love the setting.(less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Ron rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, fantasy, free, maps, young

Very lightweight. Think Barbie video plot depth.

Usually if a book doesn't grab me in the first hundred pages I give up. This one didn't, but I persisted. I shouldn't have. It got better, but not much better. The heroine was stupid. If natural selection operated in her universe Llandry would be dead. In fact, if the cast of this book is indicative the entire population would be extinct.

Example: Llandry wants to go along on the mission to sneak the last istore stone, which may hold the key to grea...more

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Nov 24, 2012 LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2012, 2-star, format-ebook, acquired-free

What initially attracted me to this book was its absolutely gorgeous cover, reasonably interesting-sounding description, and decent reviews. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me, and I ended up spending maybe two months slogging through it.

I wasn't a huge fan of English's writing. It was a little too flowery for my tastes and featured a massive overuse of adverbs. I became very tired of the words “rather” and “quite.” It felt like one or the other of them was used on every single page.

I also bec...more What initially attracted me to this book was its absolutely gorgeous cover, reasonably interesting-sounding description, and decent reviews. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me, and I ended up spending maybe two months slogging through it.

I wasn't a huge fan of English's writing. It was a little too flowery for my tastes and featured a massive overuse of adverbs. I became very tired of the words “rather” and “quite.” It felt like one or the other of them was used on every single page.

I also became very tired of all the fantasy names – this, from someone who cut her teeth on fantasy. There were weird, almost Lewis Carroll-like names for everything, and I wasn't always sure they were necessary. I didn't need constant reminders that Draykon was set in a fantasy world. “Nivvens” could easily have been called “horses.” The same goes for many of the other things that had real-world equivalents. In some cases, the fantasy names were a little confusing. I couldn't read “whurthag” without imagining a warthog, although I'm pretty sure whurthags had more in common with big cats or other large predators.

I could have put up with English's writing, however, if either the story or characters had grabbed me. That didn't happen. I liked Eva well enough, but I actively disliked Llandry. Whereas Eva was older (maybe in her forties?), competent, and usually had a good head on her shoulders (except for a few blips involving Tren), Llandry was young (20) and appeared to suffer from To Stupid To Live Syndrome. Yes, I know, she had crippling social anxiety and parents that were maybe a little too overprotective. Even so, I didn't think that completely excused her behavior. Even after she found out people were being killed for having istore, she kept a little piece of it around. She followed after Devary like a puppy, despite the fact that any idiot could see she'd only slow him down. I couldn't understand why he wasn't more angry with her when he learned she'd been following him. I mean, he was on a secret mission to deliver the last known piece of istore to someone who might be able to find out more about it. Llandry was well-known as the discoverer of istore. Having Llandry around was practically like having a giant neon sign saying “you'll probably find some istore here!”

I couldn't decide whether English was trying to set up a future romantic subplot between Llandry and Devary or not. On the one hand, Llandry seemed to have a crush on Devary, even though I don't think she realized it. On the other hand, Devary's behavior towards Llandry felt more like that of an indulgent family member than a potential love interest – not surprising, since he was an old friend of Llandry's mother. At any rate, there was absolutely zero chemistry between Devary and Llandry, and I do hope that was intentional.

Draykon's story didn't grab me any more than its characters did. I think it could have, if maybe 100 pages had been edited out. The occasional interesting event would happen, and then there'd be pages and pages that didn't seem to accomplish much of anything. It felt like most of the book happened in the last 60 or so pages.

The story became a little more interesting to me near the end, and part of me wants to know what happens next in the series. However, I'm not nearly hooked enough to buy and slog through the next book, if it's as much of a drag to get through as this one was.

Extras:

The book includes a color map of the seven realms and a glossary.

(Original review, with read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)(less)

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Feb 16, 2012 K.M. Johnson-Weider rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which entertained me daily on my commute. There are two main characters with primary points of view. Llandry Sanfaer is a young, socially anxious jeweler with overprotective parents, while Lady Eva Glostrum is a mature and highly competent summoner. Both characters rang true and the author did an excellent job with each character's inner thought processes. Both had their own engaging and interrelated plots. There were interesting secondary characters for both sto...more I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which entertained me daily on my commute. There are two main characters with primary points of view. Llandry Sanfaer is a young, socially anxious jeweler with overprotective parents, while Lady Eva Glostrum is a mature and highly competent summoner. Both characters rang true and the author did an excellent job with each character's inner thought processes. Both had their own engaging and interrelated plots. There were interesting secondary characters for both story lines.

The author has created a very detailed high fantasy world, which seems as real to her as Middle Earth was to Tolkien. That strength is also sometimes a weakness. I found it difficult to keep straight all of the unusual words. While words like "orting", "gwaystrel", "shortig" were excellent in evoking the fantasy setting when describing creatures that don't exist in our own world, the use of such words for more mundane nouns was sometimes distracting. For instance, at one point, a character points to a pot of cayluch, when having a pot of tea or coffee would have served the same purpose and not resulted in yet another word to remember. The author might consider making available a glossary.

Likewise, the geography of the setting, while obviously very well understood by the author, was often quite confusing. There are seven realms, each with its own name, its own people, and its own physical peculiarities. Beyond that are lower and upper realms that only add to the confusion. It would have been very helpful to have a map at the beginning of the book. Given certain later revelations which I won't mention here, I would suggest that the map could be presented as if included in a book available in the setting at the time that the story starts, so that the reader has at least the same understanding of the geography of the world as the main characters do.

All in all, however, these suggestions are only for refinement of what is already a very entertaining book. The author is an excellent writer with plenty of imagination. Draykon is a high fantasy mystery with enough tension and action to make it a page-turner. The last few chapters had me rapt and I felt stunned when I realized I'd reached the last page. I'm eager to start the sequel.
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Feb 07, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

The deeper I dive into self-published Fantasy books, the more I find to love. Draykon is no exception to this! Charlotte E. English has successfully managed to mesh a sweeping fantasy world together with vibrant characters, and a very compelling mystery. As a reader I was treated to a story that immersed me so wholly, that I couldn't put it down! Once you're in, there is no coming back.

Draykon tells the story of two very different characters, in alternating chapters. Overprotected by her parents...more The deeper I dive into self-published Fantasy books, the more I find to love. Draykon is no exception to this! Charlotte E. English has successfully managed to mesh a sweeping fantasy world together with vibrant characters, and a very compelling mystery. As a reader I was treated to a story that immersed me so wholly, that I couldn't put it down! Once you're in, there is no coming back.

Draykon tells the story of two very different characters, in alternating chapters. Overprotected by her parents for reasons unknown to the reader, Llandry feels trapped. I honestly didn't feel much for her. Her character was unsociable towards others most times, and I didn't get to know her as well as I would have liked. On the other side of the coin is Lady Evastany Glostrum, who is a strong willed and kindhearted woman. Despite her position as High Summoner, Eva is one of the most practical and down to earth characters you'll ever meet. I adored her. I'd have followed Eva happily for books and books of adventures. In fact I liked her so much, I feel the need to mention that I felt as though Llandry's chapters were somewhat unimportant to the overall story. Just my opinion I know, you be the judge.

The reader follows these two women through the story, and it is so very easy to get lost in the huge and sweeping universe that English builds for her reader. Whole worlds exist inside the pages of this book. Realms of light, realms of dark, and those in between. Awe inspiring, and often terrifying, new beasts are presented for the reader's enjoyment. About half way through the story I felt so small inside of the world of Draykon that I almost wished I had a map. Okay, I did wish I had a map. Perhaps there will be one in the next book? This is high fantasy at it's finest. You aren't just getting a story here, but a whole new world along with it.

The mystery aspect is also incorporated into the overall story amazingly well. As I was navigating the vibrant lands of Draykon, so too was I helping Llandry and Eva uncover the mystery of the "istore" gem. I'll admit that I was about two steps behind them the majority of the book. Although English allows the reader to come along on the journey, she doesn't make it easy to figure out where it is headed, and I loved that. Such a sense of adventure! The ending, well I wouldn't have been able to see that coming if I was clairvoyant. I'm still not a hundred percent sure how I feel about it, but that is a spoiler in the making so I'll stop there. Suffice it to say that I'm eager to get to the next in this series so I can uncover what happens next!

I know this is a longer review so, if you are still with me, I applaud you! It's tough to sum up such a well-written story, with such vivid characters and worlds, in only a few short paragraphs. I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not Draykon is for you. I can tell you that it's a great place to get lost in! Happy travelling my friends.
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Mar 30, 2012 Arlena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, ebooks, fantasy, my-reviews, mystery

Author: Charlotte E. English
Published By: C. E. E.
Age Recommend: 16
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 4
Blog Review For: GMTA
Review:

"Draykon" by Charlotte E. English was indeed a cute fantasy with lots of mystery. The author was able to tell the story using a very detailed fantasy world that seened real. The words were quite different and that made it a little hard for me but I did get through this read. Words like 'orting, 'shortig,' and 'gwaystrel' (and many more) were used in this fantasy n...more Author: Charlotte E. English
Published By: C. E. E.
Age Recommend: 16
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 4
Blog Review For: GMTA
Review:

"Draykon" by Charlotte E. English was indeed a cute fantasy with lots of mystery. The author was able to tell the story using a very detailed fantasy world that seened real. The words were quite different and that made it a little hard for me but I did get through this read. Words like 'orting, 'shortig,' and 'gwaystrel' (and many more) were used in this fantasy novel and I will only say you will have to read "Draykon" to figure out just what these names are referring to. You may be surprised.

The setting of this story was in Glinnery but I was a little confused that at sometime in the novel I didn't know where I was at that time... I know there were seven realms with each having there own strange names and people. Then there were the upper and lower realms and really I didn't know where I was.... but going back and re- reading I was able to finally figure it out. This could be made a little clearer for the reader. Maybe a map was needed (smile). I know that is just part of the fantasy and I am keeping that in my mind.
Another notation I would like to say....The beautiful stone was refer to as a 'istore' (mysterious gem) and for the life of me I didn't understand that word for this stone. However, the word 'instore' did make it very interesting mystery.

I did like the way the author used her twist and turns in the novel. That really made it a good read because you were left wanting to know just what was going to happen next. The author uses a lots of imagination.

The characters were unique...starting with Llandry, Eva, Tren, Fin, Ana, Griel, Mrs. Geslin, Ynara, Vale, Aysun, and Devary .... I am sure I left out a few .... really were an interesting group of people...summoners and sorcerers...hunting the creatures
and there is the draykon.

The ending of "Draykon" was quite different and I will not tell you about it...you will only have to read this good read. If you are in for a good fantasy mystery... this one is for you.

Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Elizabeth Baxter rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book illustrates the beauty of indie publishing. It’s as good as any book you would pick up from one of the big six, and if not for indie publishing, it might never have hit the shelves. That would have been a loss to any fantasy reader. Draykon is well written, well edited, and a gripping story. I’m used to reading epic fantasy with big battles and fights between good and evil. Draykon is very different, more like a murder mystery in a fantasy setting. The world English portrays, with its...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Y.I. Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars

At first when I started to read this, I found it a bit confusing, and couldn’t figure out what was happening. Also I struggled with the many strange names.
However, the further I got into the book the more I enjoyed it.
Llandry, the main character in the story, makes jewellery. In a cave she finds a beautiful gem called istore. She has no idea it's more than a gem…or that there would be such terrible consequences, when people started to buy the items she made with it.
I loved the characters in th...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Christina (Ensconced in YA) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: librarything-wins

I won this book from a member librarything giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit, I had no idea what to expect from this book. What I got was surprising, and delightfully so. This book has two main protagonists, Llandry and Eva, and the story in alternating chapters follows each character and their journey. Llandry has discovered a new stone, istore, which everyone is clamouring for. But Eva as well as some supporting characters start to realize there is something sinister about...more I won this book from a member librarything giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit, I had no idea what to expect from this book. What I got was surprising, and delightfully so. This book has two main protagonists, Llandry and Eva, and the story in alternating chapters follows each character and their journey. Llandry has discovered a new stone, istore, which everyone is clamouring for. But Eva as well as some supporting characters start to realize there is something sinister about these stones when they are stolen and people are attacked. But this is just the beginning of a fantasy wrought journey for both characters.

I would like to first admit that I thought I was going to give this book five stars because of the book's immense strengths. English has developed a fascinating world with different characters and creatures and magical powers. I was sucked in very quickly. Her writing is beautiful and I could really picture each scene that she colorfully describes. I loved the character of Eva, a very strong, resourceful woman, who is the "upper class" in this book, but defies her stereotype and puts herself in danger to save the world she loves. We are introduced to a host of other mysteries; most particularly about the stone; the mystery did not let me down.

The reason I was not able to give this book full five stars was for several reasons: My first issue is a small one (and wouldn't have tipped the scale). I don't think the use of the word "istore" was probably the best idea, because that gives me the image of an Apple computer store instead of a beautiful stone. This can be easily changed. The second issue, much bigger to me, is the ending. The epilogue is not an epilogue (it gives the reader the sense that we will jump into the future and resolve all of the mysteries that have been presented to us, at least in a way that will really close the book satisfactorily), it is timed right after the action in the previous chapter. And the ending was very disappointing because it wasn't an ending-- it just seemed like the end of another chapter. Indeed, when you read the snippet for the next book, again, it's as if we are just getting the next chapter in the book. I get the sense that this was a very large book just cut up in three (or more) pieces. I was disappointed because otherwise this is a real gem of a book.

I think even with these issues, this is a must read for any fantasy lover and English has a huge potential to be a big name author one day! (less)

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Feb 26, 2012 J K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Draykon by Charlotte E. English
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Llandry Sanfaer, a painfully shy young jewellery maker, discovers a cave full of irresistible precious stones she thinks she’s onto a winner. But there’s always a catch, and in Llandry’s case the beautiful gems cause her problems of beastly proportions. Customers are soon being murdered for Llandry’s creations, and the layers of her safe little world start to crumble. This strife soon draws in elegant, fiercely independent noblewoman, La...more
Draykon by Charlotte E. English
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Llandry Sanfaer, a painfully shy young jewellery maker, discovers a cave full of irresistible precious stones she thinks she’s onto a winner. But there’s always a catch, and in Llandry’s case the beautiful gems cause her problems of beastly proportions. Customers are soon being murdered for Llandry’s creations, and the layers of her safe little world start to crumble. This strife soon draws in elegant, fiercely independent noblewoman, Lady Eva Glostrum, and they start uncovering some alarming facts about the magical yet strictly regulated worlds of the Seven Realms. Old family secrets and older conspiracies soon erupt, along with many stranger and far deadlier challenges.

In the Seven Realms there are strictly defined layers of darkness and light, the sunshiney Uppers, governed only under daylight, maintains strict barriers in place against the dangerous, mesmerising lands of the Lowers. Trouble brews across the land as these barriers fail and new gateways open, and somehow it all links in to Llandry’s discovery in the cave.

Draykon takes us into a vividly realised, dreamily colourful world bursting with incredible beasts and powerful magic. It would make a gorgeous animated series, and I mean that as a high compliment, perhaps in the style of the Secret of Kells? I especially liked the Glyssonwool blossoms - and fantastical creatures (where can I get a pet orting?), were all beautifully brought to life. With conspiracies, sorcerers and monsters to contend with, this was a great story. It wasn’t long before I was totally drawn in and rooting for Llandry to get a little braver, to beat her fears and face up to the outside world, and for Eva to survive at all. Draykon almost made me miss my bus stop a few times over the week I was reading it, which is always a good indicator.

While I’d have liked to see the two main protagonists interact a little more, and while there was a lot of travelling (which worked for Tolkein after all) Llandry and Eva’s separate paths carve deftly through the gripping story. With Llandry just beginning her journey, and Lady Eva coming to terms with a few things, there’s plenty to come back for and I will be revisiting the Seven Realms very soon, in Lokant.(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Xan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: damn-you-book-tease, e-only, books-what-be-mine, in-my-kindle, fantastical, i-won-it, imported-talent

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I liked this story, I found the premise of a world that existed on three separate yet simultaneous planes, and interesting one. I wanted to like the book more. For me there was a slight but important disconnect in the story I think the author was trying to tell, and the words that eventually made it to the page. There were too many times where I found myself wishing for a map to pinpoint my location, or clearer descriptions of the animals and beasts that populated these strange lands. Did they l...more I liked this story, I found the premise of a world that existed on three separate yet simultaneous planes, and interesting one. I wanted to like the book more. For me there was a slight but important disconnect in the story I think the author was trying to tell, and the words that eventually made it to the page. There were too many times where I found myself wishing for a map to pinpoint my location, or clearer descriptions of the animals and beasts that populated these strange lands. Did they look like us despite their strange names, or where they wholly unfamiliar constructs. Admittedly there is a fine line in what detail is too much and leaving nothing to the readers imagination, but whenever the characters were alone and moving through unfamiliar territory I felt even more lost and adrift than they must.
And that brings me to the main character Llandry. A Jeweler of great talent she discover a mysterious stone she dubs 'istore' and begins making jewelery out of it. Most of the rest of the book just seems to happen to her, there are a few times she takes an initiative, but on the whole she come across as a weak, overprotected self indulgent brat. And frankly not at all worthy of the amazing transformation the end of the book bestows upon her. It seems there should be a reason for such a damaged person, and yet we are given no clue what might have caused the change in the eleven years that elapses between the first chapter and the next. Saying all that she is however a vivid, fleshed out character, made more evident by the less dimensional characters around her. With the exception of her mother, who is portrayed as woman who rarely doesn't get her way.
Playing counterpoint to Llandry is Eva, a woman of power, both magical and political. I liked Eva. And I found myself thinking that if I wasn't going to learn the things I felt I needed to know to learn about Llandry to hold my interest there, I could most easily read a story simply about Eva and her quest for the source of the istore and the murderer plaguing her city.
I have to say honestly that Llandry's transformation at the end of the book was a bit of a shock, and a bit of a disappointment. To have a connection with the dragon, certainly, but to become one? I don't think it's something she deserved.
Having said all that, I know this is just the first in a series, and I will likely, for story's sake, likely take a stab at the next one. I would give it an extra half star if I could, after all there were some compelling characters, and there is so much potential here. Oh yeah, and dragons.(less)

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Apr 25, 2013 Nicole Hammond rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you enjoy a pleasant read this books not for you... if you prefer an amazing book that sucks you in like the force of gravity you must check out draykon! Initially it was laborious to understand the distinction of the different species of this wonderful humanity however the intrigue to understand pulls you in and by the time you've mastered in your brain what all the characters look and sound and act like the plot suddenly smacks you across the face and it will soon become impossible to set t...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Dani rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is full of surprises! Llandry, a young jeweler with a severe social anxiety disorder has stumbled upon a very rare and unusual stone. After a very successful trip to the darklands market, Llandry finds her jewelry in very high demand. So high, in fact that the harassing letters and reporters become the very least of her concerns. Suddenly, Llandry's customers are dying, and their jewelry is missing! This science fiction mystery took a few chapters to really capture me, but once it did...more

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May 23, 2012 Solitaire Parke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

"Draykon" by Charlotte E. English depicts a young girl of dubious descent that finds what she believes are gem stones and inadvertently introduces them into the mainstream where she lives. Factions unknown to her begin to encroach on her life forcing unbelievable carnage.

The world Charlotte English has created is lush, deep and complicated while maintaining a continuity that, for the most part, establishes itself as human. The background on the Draykons/Dragons is exceptionally clever and her c...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Kevan Dinn rated it 4 of 5 stars

There is often a view voiced that self published books on promotion do not make good reading. Well, that is not the case with Draykon. I picked up a free copy, but will now purchase the next book of the series.

The language is good and flowing, and the story moves well. The world is nice and engaging. There isn't unnecessary violence either. The pace is good and the author strikes a good balance between intrigue and depiction. The world has remained in my head several days after reading it - alwa...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Steph at Starry Night Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, and the twist towards the end well I was not expecting that at all! Talk about a surprise that was the last thing I even thought would happen, I can’t wait till I can read the next one. It was a little slow to start at 1st until things start to pick up and then things start to get interesting.

Draykon follows two people, Llandry, a talented jeweler who has some pretty extreme social anxiety and Lady Evastany Glostrum, Prestigious, powerful and wealthy; she is on the v...more

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May 15, 2012 PaulineMRoss rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-fantasy, price-cheap, self-pub, 4-star

This is right on the very edge of my comfort zone. The main character, Llandry, is a diminutive humanoid with, erm, wings. Are we talking about a fairy here? I'm not sure I really DO fairies. And yet... There is enough here to intrigue. There are various different adjoining kingdoms, some with some kind of technology, which is interesting enough all by itself. And then some seem to live in permanent day, some in permanent night, and some in a kind of twilight zone, if I've understood correctly (...more This is right on the very edge of my comfort zone. The main character, Llandry, is a diminutive humanoid with, erm, wings. Are we talking about a fairy here? I'm not sure I really DO fairies. And yet... There is enough here to intrigue. There are various different adjoining kingdoms, some with some kind of technology, which is interesting enough all by itself. And then some seem to live in permanent day, some in permanent night, and some in a kind of twilight zone, if I've understood correctly (which I probably haven't; it's complicated). Then there are the 'gates' to the Upper world and the Lower world, and various creatures can (and do) pop through from the other side, and that is another kind of interesting. There are sorcerers and summoners and all sorts of magic going on, and yes, I'm definitely intrigued. And this world is populated with people who have proper families and relationships and jobs and pets even (creatures from beyond the gates, but still...) and I have to say, I like it. And Llandry herself is not like any heroine I've ever come across before. She has panic attacks, for one thing. So it's different, but I really like it. Just don't mention the wings.

The opening is lovely; a little fey, rather strange but quite beautiful, in its way. And once the main story gets under way, it sucks you in and it's hard to put down. What is going on with these odd gems that Llandry has discovered? What are the creatures popping up here, there and everywhere? Why are random gates appearing? It's a rapid acceleration into a fairly breath-taking sequence of events, which I found very readable - one of those just-one-more-chapter type books.

I love the world-building in this book. I have absolutely zero idea how it all hangs together - there's an Upper World and a Middle World and a Lower World and... well, that's about it really. But I love the ideas - the sudden shifts and the strange plants and colours and wildlife. And the odd light. It's all slightly surreal, like a dream-world, and the author conveys that brilliantly. It would make a cracking film, actually.

The characters are all very likeable in realistic ways. I very much liked Llandry and her parents, and the mysterious Devary. The other main character is Eva, a Summoner (someone who has an empathic bond with various creatures, and can find them and bend them to her will). The various minor characters - sorcerers, summoners, Eva's fiancé - have their own quirky charm and feel realistic, with histories and emotions and relationships. And many of the odd creatures are very much characters in their own right.

Some quibbles: there are a lot of characters to keep track of, of various races, and the names are no help, being seemingly random collections of letters strung together. Without a map or some kind of guide, it's impossible to separate the various kingdoms (countries?), or work out what all the different plants and animals are (although, on the whole, it doesn't matter much). And I struggled to understand the whole business of Daylands and Darklands and the Night Cloak. At one point I was reduced to trying to draw a basic map, just to work out some of the journeys later in the story. The author is working on a proper map, so that will be a great help when it's available.

I have to confess that this is one of the most unpredictable books I've ever read. There was simply no knowing what was going to happen next, and none of it felt contrived at all (well - only a little, and not in an unbelievable way). And there's an event at the end which completely blew my mind; there was no way on earth I could ever have seen that coming. And, yes, I will definitely be reading the rest of the series, I absolutely have to find out what exactly is going on and how it all works out. This is not a book for everyone, it would be too quirky and fey for some tastes, but it's a nicely written, intriguing story and I really liked it. Even the wings stopped bothering me after a while. Four stars.
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Apr 16, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-reviews

Draykon tell the story of Llandry, a talented jeweler who has some pretty extreme social anxiety. While wandering through the forest one day she discovers a cavern filled with a wondrous new stone. She calls it "istore" and begins to set the stones into her jewelry fixtures. Their popularity explodes and everything is going great until her customers start to turn up dead.

I really enjoyed Charlotte's writing style and her unique world. The seven realms were a bit confusing a first, but as I read...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Ali rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely gorgeous! I am really struggling to put this book down and considering that I am self employed, that is a really big problem. I knew I should have saved this book to read while I am on holiday! I started reading it last night, intending to just read the first couple of chapters, and finally switched it off at nearly midnight, at page 73. I just love the story so far - a cross between faery tale and murder mystery, set in an entirely new world (and trust me, I have read enough differen...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Lissa rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Palice, people who love great fantasy.

Shelves: 2012, kick-ass-heroine

Okay for the record Charlotte and I are friends. And even though this is a massive fangirl review I am actually being really honest about everything. I can’t help it if it’s just that good. It’s not my fault. It’s Charlotte’s. Blame her. Go on.

For a long time reading this, my mind was nothing but incomprehensible fangirling. And that’s weird, because I consider Charlotte a friend, and not someone to whom I can bestow the whole ‘mentor-fangirl’ relationship on. Normally those kinds of relationshi...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Indie Book Club: June fantasy BotM: Draykon	16	24	Jun 26, 2012 03:56am
The Indie Exchang...: Giveaway of all 3 books of the Draykon Series by Charlotte E English	5	16	Apr 23, 2012 06:19am
Book Giveaways: Giveaway of all 3 books of the Draykon Series by Charlotte E English	1	3	Apr 23, 2012 04:30am
Creative Reviews: Giveaway of all 3 books of the Draykon Series by Charlotte E English	1	3	Apr 23, 2012 04:28am
Indie Book Club: The Draykon Map Project	1	10	Mar 26, 2012 03:34am
The Indie Exchang...: Indie EBook Giveaway! ENDS SOON	2	16	Dec 16, 2011 07:36am

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