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The Last Dragon

(The Revenge of Magic #2)

James Riley (Goodreads Author)

4.37 · Rating details · 316 ratings · 29 reviews

Fort Fitzgerald is determined to uncover the truth, but a new student at school and the secrets he has to keep complicate matters in this second novel in a thrilling new series from the author of the New York Times bestselling Story Thieves!

Fort Fitzgerald can’t stop having nightmares about the day his father was taken from him in an attack on Washington, DC. In these drea ...more

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Kindle Edition, 380 pages

Published October 8th 2019 by Aladdin

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Apr 24, 2020 TJ rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook

I think this one dragged a bit in some places, but it still was a fun read.

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Sep 20, 2019 Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance rated it really liked it

Shelves: adventure, magic, schools, sci-fi-fantasy

Fort Fitzgerald lost his father during an attack on Washington, DC. His nightmares about his father give him hope that his father is still alive, and Fort is determined to do anything he can, including risking his own life, to bring his father back. He puts into play a plan involving his friends and magic. Will Fort succeed?

This is the second book of The Revenge of Magic series, and, as is typical of second books in a series, it's a bridge book between a strong beginning and a strong ending. For ...more

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Jan 02, 2021 Shivantika rated it it was amazing

Oh no. Oh nonononono.

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Dec 02, 2019 Leah Waters rated it it was amazing

Shelves: middle-grade-fantasy, we-need-diverse-books

This was a super fun story! Fast-paced with a suspenseful prophecy and full of sneaky twists and turns, it's a great sequel to The Revenge of Magic.

(Also, this author is writing a book in this series every six months! That's so crazy impressive!) ...more

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Mar 24, 2019 Melanie Dulaney added it

Shelves: didn-t-finish

I received an ARC this book and was excited to read it, but it didn’t take long to realize that I really should’ve read book 1 first. I stuck with it for about 50 pages and had so many questions that I finally had to quit. But my curiosity is piqued and I plan to locate a copy of the first in this intriguing fantasy series.

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Oct 14, 2019 Heidi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-books, 2019-favorites, middle-grade-fantasy, middle-grade-favorites

After the disasters that occurred in book one of The Revenge of Magic series, I figured book two would be just as exciting. And I was right. Poor Fort, all he wants is to get his father back. He never intended to end up at a magic school where his actions would nearly result in the Old Ones returning to earth to destroy humanity. After their near escape, Fort and the other magic students have been moved to a back up location. And despite everything that has gone wrong, Fort has been informed tha After the disasters that occurred in book one of The Revenge of Magic series, I figured book two would be just as exciting. And I was right. Poor Fort, all he wants is to get his father back. He never intended to end up at a magic school where his actions would nearly result in the Old Ones returning to earth to destroy humanity. After their near escape, Fort and the other magic students have been moved to a back up location. And despite everything that has gone wrong, Fort has been informed that his father might still be alive. This leads Fort to more breaking of the rules in an effort to get him back. But his friend Cyrus has warned him about things going wrong if he takes his friends with him and in an effort to protect them, Fort lies about his plans.

After things blow up in his face, Fort is left isolated with only his new roommate, Gabriel, to talk to. As he continues to work on his plans, Fort must decide just what price he is willing to pay to save his father, assuming it's even possible. Especially with his friends, Sierra and Damien on the run, Jia and Rachel not talking to him, and Cyrus and Dr. Opps on their way to another magic school in the United Kingdom. When things blow up in Fort's face, yet again, it's going to take every bit of courage, magic, and brains he and his friends can muster to stop the Old Ones from achieving their desires.

Once again, Riley has written a book full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and good and bad choices. I was left really feeling sorry for Fort, and yet a bit critical as well. On one hand, I could sympathize with his desperate desire to get his father back. On the other hand, he seemed all to willing to wreak all kinds of havoc to achieve his ends. Never having been one to buy into the whole idea that the ends justify the means, some of Fort's actions are troubling. Yet considering he's a teenager who has been seriously traumatized and struggles with major guilt (for no good reason, he couldn't have saved his father in the beginning), he does the best he can to protect his friends and minimize the damage. But there is no way he could have foreseen (not even with Cyrus's help) just how wrong things are going to go.

The author's note at the end of the book didn't help me feel better for poor Fort and company either as he indicates that things are going to get a lot worse for Fort and friends. I'm eager to get my hands on book three in order to find out whether Fort and his friends can somehow survive the coming mayhem. ...more

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Sep 23, 2019 Tonja Drecker rated it really liked it

First off, I did not read the beginning of this series, and that was a big mistake. Book two takes off where the first one ends, and it is very difficult to sink into the story without having read the first in the series. In other words, this book is definitely not a stand alone and can not be read without reading book one.

Fast paced and carrying dark tones, this is a read which fantasy friends are sure to enjoy.

It took me quite awhile (more than several chapters) to feel my way into this read, ...more

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Nov 17, 2019 Mark Baker rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, mystery

It’s been six months since the attack that took Fort’s father from him, but the recent hope that his father might be alive has given Fort a goal. Rescuing him is all Fort thinks about, and now he has a plan to steal the magic book he needs. But complications come from unexpected places, including a new roommate he is expected to spend all his time helping. Then there are the nightmares where the Old One promises Fort his father back in exchange for the last dragon. Can Fort find the last dragon? ...more

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Sep 29, 2019 Dorine White rated it really liked it

First off, this is book two in the series and I did not read the first one. Luckily, the author does a great job of releasing info so that the reader fully understands what came before. However, some of the things he mentions seem really cool and I wish I'd read the first book. So my recommendation is to read the first one.

The story starts off with Fort now at the new Oppenheimer school for magical kids. He can't forget that his father was taken in the last book, so the entire theme of this seco ...more

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Mar 25, 2020 Sammie rated it really liked it

You can read my full review on my blog, The Writerly Way, here.

The Last Dragon is book two in the series and has … (spoiler) dragons! This book doubles down on the magic, and the kids have to kick butt and save the world! There are also beasts attacking … but Washington is spared this time. They’re welcome.

My Thoughts:

- We’re back with the same lovable characters from the first, but they seem a little more confident now. This book really tests their friendship, and I understood all sides of You can read my full review on my blog, The Writerly Way, here.

The Last Dragon is book two in the series and has … (spoiler) dragons! This book doubles down on the magic, and the kids have to kick butt and save the world! There are also beasts attacking … but Washington is spared this time. They’re welcome.

My Thoughts:

- We’re back with the same lovable characters from the first, but they seem a little more confident now. This book really tests their friendship, and I understood all sides of the issue, but boy was it hard to see the group fractured. But you know, sometimes things have to break in order to become stronger. There’s a new book of magic in this, and I don’t want to spoil anything about it, so I’ll just say that yes, this is a type of magic I’d learn.

- This book doubles down on the fantasy aspect and shows us a whole new world, which I absolutely loved. The Old Ones are back again, with some of their greatest hits, except now the fight comes to them. I’m trying hard not to give any spoilers away, so all that I’ll say is portals are involved. And magic. I think you’ve probably figured that out by now. And a world that is terrifying, but also fascinating. The threat from the first book is amped up, but so are our intrepid heroes, who team up with new friends to take down baddies. Or, you know, to blunder their way through and hopefully not die. That works, too.

- While Sebastian is largely dropped in this book (which is a shame, because I loved his aloof self), there’s a new main character, who presents an interesting mystery. His name is Gabriel, and that’s about all that Fort knows about him.I will say that, in the end, I didn’t entirely love what was done with Gabriel’s character. I was immediately attracted to him from the start, and by the end … eh. I think he’s meant to be a foil of Fort, but his arc just wasn’t strong enough for me, personally. I did love his addition to the group, though I’m undecided as to whether I want to see more of him or not. Probably not, which makes me sad, but what can you do?

- Where the last book tackled revenge vs. justice, this book tackles how far you’d go for someone you love. It’s such an interesting question, and while I didn’t love how it was handled here, I do think it would be relatable for middle grade readers. I thought it was a nice touch where the “hero” isn’t always noble. I mean, heck, he’s just a kid who’s now lost two parents. Choices are hard even under the best circumstances, and these are not the best circumstances.

Sticking Points:

- Fort’s entire character and personality in this revolved around his desire to get his father back, to the detriment of everything else. While I enjoyed the strong family ties in the first book (and certainly, yes, I want Fort’s father back and more of his character, because he’s fantastic), this wasn’t enough of a driving factor for me, and Fort’s character sort of stagnated. Also, boy was he freaking hypocritical. I wanted to love him as much in this book as I did in the first book, but I just … didn’t. There’s some hints at his character arc, so I have hope that he’ll continue to grow into a character I can love again, but this ain’t it. I will admit, though, that the mid-grade readers this is targeted to probably won’t have the same issues with his character that I do. ...more

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Mar 17, 2020 Mark Buxton rated it liked it

My name is Fort, and I'm determined to find a way to rescue my father from the world of the Old Ones. The only downside is betraying my friends and possibly destroying all of humanity. My plan involves stealing the Summoning book and opening a portal to the other world. Unfortunately, opening the portal will also allow monsters to return to Earth and unleash their fury and revenge upon us. That's how my father disappeared in the first place. The tricky part of my plan is trying to master the Sum ...more

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Nov 03, 2020 J rated it liked it

(view spoiler), summonings, backstabbings, and reunions: How The Last Dragon addresses the Magic of Second Chances.

This review is a spoiler. Or more like, a casual examination of the characters and themes. Cause I'm a nerd.

(view spoiler) ...more

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Jun 03, 2020 Anita McDivitt Barrios rated it it was amazing

Shelves: middle-grade, fantasy

Six months after his last adventure, Fort still hasn't freed his father from the Old Ones. He's still trying to learn more magic, having learned that Healing Magic is the way to beat the Old Ones. Still, he's having a very hard time of it -- he still really only knows two spells, one a simple Healing spell, and creating a Teleportation circle to places he's already seen.

He gets a new roommate at the Oppenheimer School, where teens with a certain birthdate are busy learning magic from the mysteri ...more

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Jul 20, 2019 Beth Mendelsohn rated it really liked it

Shelves: edelweiss-arc-s

I received this e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This sequel picks up shortly after the events of The Revenge of Magic. The Oppenheimer School has been relocated to another top secret location. Fort is having nightmares about the day his father was taken. The dreams ends with the Old One demanding the location of the last dragon. Fort has no idea where that could be. Cyrus, Fort’s best friend, is being transferred to the U.K. school and Fort is moved ...more

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Apr 06, 2020 Stormi (BMReviewsohmy) rated it really liked it

The Last Dragon continues on with Fort and the gang causing a bit of mischief and trying their best to save the world. To kind of recap book one Fort finds out after an attach on the monuments where he was with his father that there is a way to do magic. The only thing is that you have to use a certain set of books that the governments around the world found along with the skeleton of a dragon and it's rider. Another thing is that only kids born after discovery day can actually use this magic, b ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 Ms. Yingling rated it liked it

E ARC from Edelweiss

I've been reading a lot of dragon books this summer because I have a huge number of Tui Sutherland fans. They want a very particular type of dragon book, and this just wasn't it. They don't want things set in the modern world with dragon population declining. Medieval worlds with small dragon populations are okay; it's better if the dragon community is doing well or experiencing a resurgence.

There are lots of impassioned conversations. Perhaps I think a little too much about ...more

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Nov 02, 2020 Shiv rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction-juvenile, fiction-fantasy

This was much better than the first book. Still a lot of mental brooding (feels a bit like the brooding Harry Potter periods) and shuffling around without adding meaningfully to the characters or world development. Thankfully, the latter half of the book sees more crazy stuff happen to progress the story line. I don't plan on reading more in the series, as the next is just publishing this year and not available at local library, thus an excuse to take a break from reading this series at bedtime ...more

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Mar 04, 2020 Amy rated it it was amazing

The Last Dragon, book two from The Revenge of Magic series, is a great read. I loved the first book and this one does not disappoint. Fort’s story is full of action and adventure. I found his determination and courage to be admirable. I had the whole book read in just a few hours.
I am giving The Last Dragon five plus stars. I look forward to the next addition to the series to see what happens next with Fort.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

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Oct 09, 2019 Aurom rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

An excellent followup. If Riley wasn't bad with titles and names (though Forscythe works fairly well), he would be right up there with Riordan and Rowling and all the other authors so popular today. The plot expands its horizons in The Last Dragon, delivering information at a reasonable pace whilst still keeping readers on the edge of their seats, physically incapable of lowering the book from their eyes. ...more

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Nov 22, 2019 Pam rated it liked it

Shelves: middle-grades

The search for the last dragon and the Old ones continues in book 2.
A new character is introduced and hints to his identity are provided along the journey.
Surprise ending with who Gabriel is and who the Last Dragon turns out to be.
Cliffhanger ending to move to Book 3.
Riley's writing style has certainly evolved and he spins out the action and suspense equally. His characters are flawed and human and relatable. ...more

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Sep 07, 2020 Silver - Have a great day, you're loved rated it it was amazing

10/10, would recommend. While definitely different from Riley's other works, I may just like it better than they. And that's saying a lot.

I listened to the audiobook read by Kirby Heybourne, and that just added to the experience. I cannot wait to get my digital hands on the next audiobook, and will definitely reread this one sometime. ...more

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Feb 01, 2020 Adrianne Lemke rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this story quite a bit. The interactions between Fort and his friends seemed realistic considering the situations. I feel bad about what happens at the end, and hope book 3 resolves some of the issues that came up with Fort and his friends (both old and new). What happened at the end made me really look forward to book 3.

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Feb 25, 2020 Neurocomp rated it really liked it

Shelves: youth-fantasy

quite entertaining , nothing extraordinary compared to the previous series J.Riley wrote or the 1st t book of the series. Fun read nonetheless, will read the next one too, which looks to have a better plot even tho i don't like "time" stuff (which happens to be the plot of the book i didn't like in the previous series). Time to read his 1st series. ...more

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Dec 27, 2020 Chloe rated it it was amazing

This book has a lot of funny parts and sad parts. Fort and his friends have this plan, that they have to do, but someone gets in the way and it gets a little bit delayed. There are a lot of different settings. And still, my favorite character is Jia.

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Jun 17, 2020 KYNAN rated it it was amazing

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING

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Oct 29, 2019 Delilah added it

This book was better than the first! I love this series so much, I cant wait to read the third book when it comes out!

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Dec 02, 2020 Mia rated it it was ok

I just couldn’t get into this one. I liked story thieves much better!

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Mar 09, 2019 Yapha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s, fantasy

This second book in the Revenge of Magic series picks up shortly after the first book ends, and is full of just as much action and magic! Read The Revenge of Magic first though. This one doesn't do much explaining of pervious events, which is fine as long as you have read it. A bit darker than Riley's pervious series. Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss ...more

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