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In the Sky
A dragon-rider, a pirate, and a suspicious cook meet up in this aerial adventure of airships, spies and vengeance. In this cat and mouse journey following the Gale Empire’s Navy pursuing the Loon’s Cry , an infamous pirate ship sailing into the territories lost in a past war, fatal decisions will be made to ensure the safety of the borders between the freedom fighters, and rule under the emperor. The cook’s aid, Bonnie, discovers a spy aboard Captain Harley’s rag-tag crew, all while an Imperial ace flyer, Esmeralda does what she can to get combat experience from the back of her loyal dragon, Rex. However, she will find more than she could have ever expected there. In the world of sky shanties, dragons, and sword fights, you’ll learn that in order to get what you want, you’ll have to sacrifice what you love there, in the sky.
- GenresFantasy
456 pages, Paperback
Published July 28, 2021
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 8, 2021
Let’s get this out of the way. I think dragons are so so so bad ass, but I can never find any media featuring them that I connect with. Lord of the Rings? Eragon? Game of Thrones? No, no, and no. I do have a crush on Willow and a strong love for the movie Dragon Slayer- get on with it Damien. Joseph Slater has quickly become an instant buy for me. I adored Janie and The Vacation Planet confirmed it for me, Slater is a bad ass. Slater writes from his heart, this is an author who pours his soul into each and every book he’s written, In the Sky is no different. A novel that centers around pirates who traverse the sky above instead of the great seas. They have what are called dragon riders, which is legitimately what it is and probably the legitimately coolest job I could think to have, but I’m scared half senseless of heights so maybe not for me? Most of the story follows Esmerelda and her dragon, Rex(the goodest boy), I found the interactions between the two to be deeply touching for the most part. These two share a bond, and it’s a powerful aspect of the story. Something about fantasy I notice, and it’s probably not even a trait of trope, I’m probably just an idiot who doesn’t read enough fantasy to even make the statement I’m about to make, but I always feel very disconnected from the events, everything always feels very large scale(ha!) to me. This is most definitely not the case for all, but it is what I’ve read. Slater makes every event feel intimate, you’re right in the middle of any violence that takes place and he doesn’t try to gloss it over, ugliness rings out as ugliness and not just an empty action. As with every book or author I fall in love with the characters are the driving force, and let me say before I keep rambling and spoil anything about this book, the characters here are top notch. There’s something to relate to with each of them, and not a one of them is a trope of good or evil, they all reside in that grey area where no one is good, no one is bad. In the Sky is a fantastic read and I can’t wait to see what Joseph Slater does next.
July 18, 2022
My review on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PPVNSAM5Lis
This is well crafted story written by Slater. Definitely a more character driven book, focussing on the relationships between our three main POVs and the supporting cast. I really liked that we had three female POVs, all of whom had their own strengths, quirks and personalities. They were all distinct and I quickly knew which perspective I was reading from the tone.
There’s a lot of really interesting aspects to this story as well: there’s a flintlock element, dragons, floating ships and a mystery in the backdrop, all things I love but rarely see in one story.
Solid book and I’ll be checking out more of Slater’s works. Strongly recommend!
This is well crafted story written by Slater. Definitely a more character driven book, focussing on the relationships between our three main POVs and the supporting cast. I really liked that we had three female POVs, all of whom had their own strengths, quirks and personalities. They were all distinct and I quickly knew which perspective I was reading from the tone.
There’s a lot of really interesting aspects to this story as well: there’s a flintlock element, dragons, floating ships and a mystery in the backdrop, all things I love but rarely see in one story.
Solid book and I’ll be checking out more of Slater’s works. Strongly recommend!
May 31, 2023
4/5 Stars
I recieved a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
A swashbuckling adventure filled with dragons and suspense. In The Sky by Joseph D. Slater is a self-published fantasy following the story of three young women, and the conflicts that quickly find them.
This multi-POV story follows Esmeralda a young dragon-rider struggling between her free spirit and the expectations of the Empire she serves, Captain Harley of the Loon’s Cry, a fearsome pirate caught in her father’s shadow and Bonnie, the cooks aid upon the Loon’s Cry as she discovers a spy hidden among the crew.
Told in third person this is a character driven narrative, bringing you into the minds of these young women: Esmeralda, Captain Harvey and Bonnie. There’s a personal touch to these characters as we get an in-depth look at their internal struggles, fears, and goals. Each character had various levels of development with gripping battles and emotional scenes. Now when I say emotional scenes, I was gut punched and left in awe from well crafted pivotal moments.
There’s also a diverse side cast to accompany each of the main characters in their respective stories. From rivals, family bonds, role models, and love interests each relationship and character were well explored.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the worldbuilding. It felt refreshing as the setting often takes place aboard airships or on the backs of dragons. The author also gives us just enough detail to get lost in the story.
In terms of pacing, I found the first half of the book to be a mix of slow to medium with the second half jumping into a fast pace. The author does take some time with set up, however the pay off at the end is well worth it. There was also a great mix of tension and action that kept me turning the pages.
With memorable moments, self discovery, religious orders, dragons, pirates, suspense, elements of flintlock, and mystery this was a captivating and entertaining read.
I’d love to read more from this world and will be checking out Joseph D. Slaters other books.
For anyone looking for their next character driven story in a refreshing fantasy setting, look no further.
I recieved a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
A swashbuckling adventure filled with dragons and suspense. In The Sky by Joseph D. Slater is a self-published fantasy following the story of three young women, and the conflicts that quickly find them.
This multi-POV story follows Esmeralda a young dragon-rider struggling between her free spirit and the expectations of the Empire she serves, Captain Harley of the Loon’s Cry, a fearsome pirate caught in her father’s shadow and Bonnie, the cooks aid upon the Loon’s Cry as she discovers a spy hidden among the crew.
Told in third person this is a character driven narrative, bringing you into the minds of these young women: Esmeralda, Captain Harvey and Bonnie. There’s a personal touch to these characters as we get an in-depth look at their internal struggles, fears, and goals. Each character had various levels of development with gripping battles and emotional scenes. Now when I say emotional scenes, I was gut punched and left in awe from well crafted pivotal moments.
There’s also a diverse side cast to accompany each of the main characters in their respective stories. From rivals, family bonds, role models, and love interests each relationship and character were well explored.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the worldbuilding. It felt refreshing as the setting often takes place aboard airships or on the backs of dragons. The author also gives us just enough detail to get lost in the story.
In terms of pacing, I found the first half of the book to be a mix of slow to medium with the second half jumping into a fast pace. The author does take some time with set up, however the pay off at the end is well worth it. There was also a great mix of tension and action that kept me turning the pages.
With memorable moments, self discovery, religious orders, dragons, pirates, suspense, elements of flintlock, and mystery this was a captivating and entertaining read.
I’d love to read more from this world and will be checking out Joseph D. Slaters other books.
For anyone looking for their next character driven story in a refreshing fantasy setting, look no further.
June 11, 2022
This was a fun read!
Dragons, pirates, swashbuckling, and strong female leads.
Dragons, pirates, swashbuckling, and strong female leads.
May 22, 2024
Slater has a rollicking good yarn, equal parts tender and tough. There are sky pirates, dragon riders, and an ending that is right satisfying but not over-sweet. Yes please!
November 6, 2024
I wanted more of everything! Joe has created another indepth and interesting world to explore.
October 1, 2024
As an author, I am jealous of Joseph D. Slater's fantasy adventure, In the Sky. I've read a lot of these kinds of books, but the first three chapters legitimately hooked me with their rich and well-developed main characters. I wish I could write a hook this engaging. Following three girls who are each on a journey of discovery, I was immediately drawn in by the overly confident pirate captain, the skilled dragon rider, and the sneaky cook's assistant. The world-building was so thoroughly interesting that I couldn't wait to read more.
I applaud Slater's ability to craft a unique world where sky pirates do battle with government-trained dragons—and all through the lenses of these three girls. Every detail was well thought out and brought this imaginative universe vividly into my mind. Of course, sometimes these details felt a little too gory for a book that could easily be for upper middle grade kids. Sure, it brought some weight to the battle sequences to know that people could die in gruesome ways, but I have a feeling some of this comes from the author's previous experience writing horror books.
Overall, I definitely recommend people read this book. However, my one gripe has to do with the twist in the third act. The more I thought about it, the less any of it made sense. In fact, it almost undid a lot of the logic of the events leading up to it. Still, even this weakness doesn't negate the fact that I want more from this world. I want a sequel with these girls going out to fight the government and take down the emperor! Until then, the memories from this book will live rent free in my head.
A vividly imaginative world with great main characters and a single glaring plot hole, I give In the Sky 4.0 stars out of 5.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews