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Dragon Strife #1
The Dragon Scourge
Gilda will die today.
She has lived her whole life for one purpose—to be sacrificed to the great dragon lord, Ewig. And now, when the sun falls over the horizon, the time will come to fulfill her duty and walk to her death.
It was a fine life, but a lonely one.
As payment for her service, the City Council lauded her with riches, allowed her to live in the lap of luxury, and fed her the finest food. She never knew hunger, or strife, even when others worked themselves to the bone and suffered starvation.
The others always resented her for that, but they never knew her pain. Theirs was a hard life, but at least they got to live it. Gilda never had that choice. She would not live to see adulthood. She would never be married or have children.
All that remained of her brief existence was to walk up the lonely volcano to the dragon’s keep with honor, even though nobody treated her with any during her life.
Join her as she lives the last hours of her life, and find out what happens once she enters the dragon’s cavern inside the pages of The Dragon Scourge.
She has lived her whole life for one purpose—to be sacrificed to the great dragon lord, Ewig. And now, when the sun falls over the horizon, the time will come to fulfill her duty and walk to her death.
It was a fine life, but a lonely one.
As payment for her service, the City Council lauded her with riches, allowed her to live in the lap of luxury, and fed her the finest food. She never knew hunger, or strife, even when others worked themselves to the bone and suffered starvation.
The others always resented her for that, but they never knew her pain. Theirs was a hard life, but at least they got to live it. Gilda never had that choice. She would not live to see adulthood. She would never be married or have children.
All that remained of her brief existence was to walk up the lonely volcano to the dragon’s keep with honor, even though nobody treated her with any during her life.
Join her as she lives the last hours of her life, and find out what happens once she enters the dragon’s cavern inside the pages of The Dragon Scourge.
246 pages, Paperback
Published December 26, 2024
About the author
Russell Nohelty
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Russell Nohelty is a USA TODAY bestselling author of science fiction and fantasy books that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. He fills his books with action, adventure, mystery, and thrills.
Russell was born in northern New Jersey, grew up in Northern Virginia, went to college in Maryland, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and dogs, which he loves.
He's been writing as long as he can remember and hopes to do so far into the future. When he's not writing, he's usually reading or watching movies. For more information, you can follow him below:
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http://www.russellnohelty.com/mail/
Russell Nohelty is a USA TODAY bestselling author of science fiction and fantasy books that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. He fills his books with action, adventure, mystery, and thrills.
Russell was born in northern New Jersey, grew up in Northern Virginia, went to college in Maryland, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and dogs, which he loves.
He's been writing as long as he can remember and hopes to do so far into the future. When he's not writing, he's usually reading or watching movies. For more information, you can follow him below:
https://www.facebook.com/russellnohelty
https://instagram.com/russellnohelty
BOOKBUB
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/russe...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 22, 2023
Dnf at 20%.
Repetitive, annoying and not going anywhere.
It's been 50 pages and all we know is that the girl is gonna be sacrificed to a dragon. Her mom is ambiguous about it. The girl is confused and unhappy and her trainer/mistress is an abhorrent character. Sister Milka is someone I would love to punch in the throat.
All this could have been done in about 5 pages I think.
I guess that the dragon Ewing would be a likeable character but I can't bring myself around to care enough to read till he is introduced.
Repetitive, annoying and not going anywhere.
It's been 50 pages and all we know is that the girl is gonna be sacrificed to a dragon. Her mom is ambiguous about it. The girl is confused and unhappy and her trainer/mistress is an abhorrent character. Sister Milka is someone I would love to punch in the throat.
All this could have been done in about 5 pages I think.
I guess that the dragon Ewing would be a likeable character but I can't bring myself around to care enough to read till he is introduced.
March 7, 2023
Read as part of the Action Fantasy Book Club.
An interesting concept underpins this - the grooming of someone as a sacrifice. In the world of Dragon Strife, dragons have overthrown the gods. Each dragon has taken a territory and in return for a 15 year old virgin as a sacrifice every 5 years they look after that town. What if you are brought up as that sacrifice - given everything you could want but knowing that you will die by the time you turn 15. The grooming is at the heart of the start of the story. The grim acceptance that 'if it isn't me then someone else will have to die' gives an uncomfortable undertone to the start of the book. There is a sense of othering as well which adds to the discomfort.
Russell Nohelty does a good job of riding the line with the uncomfortable undertones. The MC is likeable, her motivations believable and the sense of resignation tangible. It is a good question that is being asked and it is dealt with just the right amount of pathos.
The story changes up somewhat in the second half once we have entered the dragons lair. Whilst I can appreciate the anger and betrayal that underlies the action here, I found some of the characters actions more questionable. That being said this was a fun start to a series. I will have to dig a bit further and see where it is going as the world that has been set up is an intriguing one.
An interesting concept underpins this - the grooming of someone as a sacrifice. In the world of Dragon Strife, dragons have overthrown the gods. Each dragon has taken a territory and in return for a 15 year old virgin as a sacrifice every 5 years they look after that town. What if you are brought up as that sacrifice - given everything you could want but knowing that you will die by the time you turn 15. The grooming is at the heart of the start of the story. The grim acceptance that 'if it isn't me then someone else will have to die' gives an uncomfortable undertone to the start of the book. There is a sense of othering as well which adds to the discomfort.
Russell Nohelty does a good job of riding the line with the uncomfortable undertones. The MC is likeable, her motivations believable and the sense of resignation tangible. It is a good question that is being asked and it is dealt with just the right amount of pathos.
The story changes up somewhat in the second half once we have entered the dragons lair. Whilst I can appreciate the anger and betrayal that underlies the action here, I found some of the characters actions more questionable. That being said this was a fun start to a series. I will have to dig a bit further and see where it is going as the world that has been set up is an intriguing one.
June 13, 2023
Gilda woke up one day and realized this was the day she was to die. She was to be a sacrifice to the dragon Ewig so that he would protect the village from the volcano that they live below. Mr. Nohelty has written a book with a large number of surprises in it. Ewig is a surprising dragon as you discover as you read the book. For almost 100 years the villagers have been providing sacrifices to the dragon every 5 years. The 1st girl child born after a sacrifices but made becomes the 3rd sacrifice as there are 3 girls wait-ing to be sacrificed every 5 years. It was a good book and I recommend that you read it if you like drag-ons...
March 16, 2023
This was a slow-moving book that rested on character development and interpersonal connections. Gilda is so good-hearted. Even though she has been raised from birth to be sacrificed to a dragon, she still finds the ability to love and tries to see the good in people. Her life has been sheltered to the extreme except for the knowledge that she will die at 15. But what if everything she believes is wrong and her whole purpose is a lie? What can she do or become if the dragon refuses to eat her but she can never return home again? Ewig the dragon lord is a joy, maybe one of my favorite dragons, and Gilda is the kind of person you would want for a friend, ever loyal and ever trying to do what's right.
April 20, 2023
For fifteen years this had been your life. Treated extremely well but for all the wrong reasons - except in this town. Then a 10 year-old girl inspires courage she didn't know she had. The courage comes late as the lies she was raised with are revealed. You will come to respect and admire Gilda for her courage under extreme duress. Some mystery in how things play out, but the publisher reveals a lot in the intro to the story.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews