The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon

Darkstar #1

by Benedict Patrick

Impossible world. Impossible dragon. Impossible adventure.

Lost with her ship and crew in an unfamiliar land, Min’s first command could be her last.

Nothing here behaves the way it should:

The magic that powers her skyship has been drained, rendering it immobile.

The sky is an endless twilight, lit by the luminous fish that swim in it.

Off starboard, there’s also the country-sized dragon that is looking particularly hungry.

It will take all of Min’s training and experience to get her people safely back home, but as the truth about the Darkstar Dimension begins to be revealed, Min will have to prove to her crew - and to herself - that she is still the best person for the job.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Adventure, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Science Fiction Fantasy

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2019

About the author

Benedict Patrick is from a small town in Northern Ireland called Banbridge, but has been living and working in Scotland since he moved there at the age of eighteen. Tragically, that was quite a while ago.

He has been writing for most of his life, and has been reading for pretty much all of it (with help from mum and dad at the beginning). Benedict's life changed when a substitute primary school teacher read his class part of The Hobbit and later loaned him the book – he fell in love with the fantasy genre and never looked back.

They Mostly Come Out At Night is his debut novel, and is the first novel in The Yarnsworld series.

Try out some free Yarnsworld stories by signing up to the mailing list: http://eepurl.com/b4UNHj

Reviews

[Benedict Patrick]

As with previous books, I'll not be leaving a review of my own novel here, but I'll use this space for updates regarding the progress of my next novel.

December 2018: One third of the way through the initial draft.

31.01 Update - First draft complete! As with all my initial runs at a story, this needs HEAVY reworking, but still chuffed at hitting this milestone. The cover work is not due to begin until the summer, so plenty of time to give this story the love it needs...

31.03 Update - Second draft completed. Third draft will be tackling any problem areas identified in this pass. Hoping to get it in the hands of some beta readers before the end of spring...

30.04 Update - Third draft complete. Got one more quick pass lined up, then the manuscript will be shipped off to the beta team.

18.04 Update - Darkstar Dragon now off to the beta team. One of the most nerve-wracking parts of the whole process!

19.06 Update - After a really informative bout of beta reading, the final manuscript has been sent off to the editor. Cover design work begins next week, and I'm pretty excited to try something new with this one...

26.07 Update - All edits have been applied. Now only the last few proofreading stages are keeping this book from the shelves!

03.09 Cover reveal today! The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon sets sail early in October...

09.10 The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon has been released! Grab it from your Amazon store today to set sail for an impossible adventure!

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

When someone is infected with the travel bug, it seeps into their pores at an early age and lasts throughout their lifetime. Speaking from experience, I have always craved adventure; there is nothing quite like the thrill of traveling with no set itinerary and seeing where the wind takes you. I believe it was the Dalai Lama, or perhaps Brandon Sanderson, who said “journey before destination.” It matters less where you go than how you get there.

I haven’t read much portal fantasy, but I’m familiar with the well-known ones: The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and more recently, Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series and Alix Harrow’s The Ten Thousand Doors of January . A common thread in most of these stories is getting where you need to go, be it back home or to a faraway land. But little attention is given to the nature of the wardrobe, or the rabbit hole, or the twister, Auntie Em. In The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon, Patrick subverts this time-honored trope by tearing apart the fabric of classic portal fantasy while building a dimension of limitless possibilities all his own.

The Darkstar Dimension is where we meet the young and bright First Officer Min, the de facto leader (but not captain) of her skyship, The Melodious Narhwal. Min, her ship, and her crew have just been mysteriously pulled into this purple-hued, extremely weird, and nonsensical land where the scenery and physics don’t make a lick of sense. This place is the Darkstar Dimension, a conduit of ever-moving, trans-dimensional rifts that serves as a node for travelers to journey into uncharted worlds. The Darkstar Dimension has its own unique set of rules and properties yet is also populated with various land masses, seas, animals, and perhaps a few full-time residents. Oh yes, there’s also an enormous, purple star in the center of its universe, with a massive, country-sized dragon that uses the star as a sleeping bag.

Min and the rest of the supporting cast serve up some wonderful conflicts as the story progresses. Patrick shows off his experience as a Dungeon Master by creating detailed lore, unique characters, fleshed-out (and often heartbreaking) backstories, and extraordinary magical items. But the real star of the story is the Dimension itself, a true testament to world-building in every sense of the phrase. This universe is a giant, magical sandbox that will whet any adventurer’s appetite for the dangerous, weird, and wonderful.

Although it may be home to a New Zealand-sized dragon with teeth the size of skyscrapers, the Darkstar Dimension is still at the top of my list of worlds that I would move to immediately and forever. To have the opportunity to discover new wonders, new worlds, and new dangers at any moment is an adventure too enticing to pass up. And with Patrick’s vivid imagination and natural gift for storytelling, this is a world that I hope we’ll get to revisit for many years to come.

[Hiu Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe a 4.5, but I'm rounding up. Fun story with an incredibly interesting world. Benedict Patrick is one of the best worldbuilders out there. Full review to come.

[kartik narayanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is another excellent book from Benedick Patrick albeit a little less dark (heh) than Yarnsworld.

It has memorable characters and while the plot is a bit predictable, the story is still as entertaining as ever. The stand-out feature, a Benedick Patrick strength, is the great world building. I don't want to spoil this for you too much but the world of the Darkstar Dragon has a lot of unique aspects to it which will make you end up wanting more. I was so enthralled by the concept that I ended up drawing this world - it did look much better in my imagination than it did on paper though :P

Overall, this is an entertaining read for fantasy fans. Go for it.

[Laura Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging read filled with action, adventure, and perhaps the most unique fantasy setting I've ever seen. Also, turtlemoths. <3

[Lynn K : Grimmedian · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing world! Just when you think you have heard of everything, a book like this comes along and opens your eyes to a dimension that makes no sense. Terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon will take your perceptions and turn them inside out. Like the Darkstar dimension bends reality, everything that’s impossible is possible there. A truly enjoyable exploration of character and human perseverance stirred with a huge dose of magic.

Benedict Patrick’s imagination is impressively wild and his books will always thrill the reader with places and people that are far beyond mundane. This new setting leaves open as many possibilities as there are stars in the night sky. I can’t wait to see where it takes us next.

Look for a full review to come on Grimmedian.com

[Adah Udechukwu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is an interesting read.

[Lukasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Yarnsworld novels. I've given five-star ratings to three of them. It won't come as a surprise that I was stoked to receive an early ARC of The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon. It went straight to the top of my TBR list.

The cover looks brilliant and confirms that Jenny Zamanek is a genius. The Darkstar dimension in which the story happens confirms that Benedict Patrick has a fertile and rich imagination. I loved world-building and imagery.

Unfortunately, and I'm sorry to say this, the story with its twists and turns is rather predictable and characters feel flat. I find their motivations unconvincing and unsatisfying.

Overall, it's quick to read, entertaining due to wonderful world-building, but falling short in the characterization and conflict department.

[Rebecca Crunden]

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is my first read by Benedict Patrick and was picked for the new indie/self-publishing book club formed on Twitter at The Book Trove. We’re hoping to shine some attention on independent books and authors. These books are picked totally at random and selected by vote amongst the group.

BRING ON THE DRAGON



“Welcome to the Darkstar Dimension.”

Mention a book with dragons and I will most definitely sign up to read it. BRING ON ALL THE DRAGON TALES. (Heh, punz.) Add in a fabulous purple cover and I am SOLD. Seriously, this cover art is frakking amazing, I’m so impressed. In fact, all of Benedict Patrick’s books have gorgeous covers.

“The stars,” she said, lowering her voice so only the nearby officers could hear. “Does anyone recognise the stars?”

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon follows Min, a young ship officer from New Windward recently put in charge of a crew that has somehow ended up in the wrong dimension. The crew are desperate to get home and tensions rise quickly.

The concept of this book was so intriguing to me and I dove headfirst into this story with wide eyes. It gave me similar to vibes to novels like A Wrinkle in Time or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I love seeing different authors’ concepts of worlds, rifts and portals.

“Travellers to the Darkstar Dimension are not uncommon; the rifts continue to pull in people from other worlds.”

In this new dimension there’s a darkstar and a dragon that likes to encircle it. (So like, A REALLY BIG DRAGON, OKAY?) Min instantly realises she’s in over her head and has to deal with questions and confrontations from the rest of the ship’s crew. She also encounters a stranger with knowledge of the dimension and more than a few tricks up his sleeve.

“I’ve heard others say it’s like a world turned inside out, and we’re left floating on the inside, stuck in here, while everything else around us is mad.”

For those who love plot driven adventure fantasy stories without romance, this is definitely up your alley! And if you like books about dragons and rift worlds and strange planets with pink bubbles and fantastical creatures, definitely give this a try!

☆ Blog | Twitter ☆

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review is here, on my blog!~

This is the story of Min, who is currently in command of the skyship Melodious Narwhal. One day, she and her crew find themselves very mysteriously in another world. A world where the magic that powers their skyship has been drained, and the Narwhal crashes into the ocean of glowing fish.

This world is known as the Darkstar Dimension, named thus by the one person they meet, an old man named Brightest who lives in a mud hut on the back of his giant turtle-like friend Stickle. He named this world for the giant purple star in the sky, which leaves the world eternally twilit, surrounded by rifts to other worlds.

Oh, and it’s also home to the dragon. The gigantic, country-sized dragon that has wrapped itself around the purple sun and will fly down and eat anything that catches its attention. So, it’s up to Min to figure out a way home. With no magic, and a dragon to avoid.

I quite liked this tale. It was absolutely unique, and was unlike anything else I’ve ever read. Min and her crew were full of interesting people, like their artificer Jedda, who loves Eshak, which is a game somewhat like chess (I think) that creates magical pieces the more you play it.

Brightest was another character who I enjoyed a lot. This man who has been, not stranded, but a willing resident of the Darkstar Dimension since he and his people were stranded there years and years ago. He is… eccentric. A collector of things that he has collected from the many rifts he has visited.

It was quite well written, and well edited. It flowed well, and was never boring. There was always considerable shenanigans happening. The ending wrapped this story up while leaving plenty of room for further adventures, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

All told, I didn’t fall in love with this book as much as I fell in love with the Yarnsworld books, but I still enjoyed it quite a lot. I can’t wait to see what adventures Min and the crew of the Narwhal get up to next time! 4.5/5 stars!~

This review is based on a review copy. Thanks to the author for that review copy.

[BriarGrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

While perhaps not as engaging as the Yarnsworld books I have read, The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is still very interesting, with a bizarre 'bubble world' of water and interdimensional rifts. I enjoyed seeing how our main character, Min, would overcome the conflicts presented to her. There is stuff left out, stuff that hints at a deeper world and bigger story to tell, but it felt intentionally left out, as an artistic choice (versus having it feel like a flaw), and it definitely made me want to read more of this world and these characters.

Check it out if you want some unusual and well-written fantasy!

NB: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Jon Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thanks to the author for providing an ARC. Second, I'll definitely be buying this book when it's released.

I loved everything about this book and blazed through it in a day. I'm a bit in awe of the author's imagination and can't wait to explore more of the world(s).

This can be read as a standalone, but he left just enough threads (and worlds) hanging to make you want to come back. I can't wait for book two.

[Filip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Self-Published
Genre: Portal Fantasy, Adventure, Exploration
Format: e-book
Review Copy, provided by the author.
Release Date: October 7, 2019

Disclaimer: I consider Benedict a friend and I’m a part of his uber-secret Facebook group, in which we talk about books and occasionally get a piece of artwork before the rest of the world. Neither that, nor getting an e-ARC affects this review – I’m mean to my friends all the time!

Benedict Patrick takes a sojourn away from the folklore-infested Yarnsworld series and pens a short, remarkably enjoyable standalone in a world as imaginative as anything I’ve come to expect from him. Add to the mix a likable lead by the name of Min, an elderly Samuel L. Jackson as her mentor, and a petty villain who will make you want to strangle him time and again, and you’ve got a memorable journey ahead of you.

I never thought I’d meet another Min I’d like half as much as Robert Jordan’s Elmindreda Farshaw, but First Officer Choi Minjung is one hell of a serious contender. Darkstar’s Min is a young woman recently graduated from naval officer school with top marks, a veritable prodigy that embodies the ideals of her home country, New Windward. Sent on a simple mission to escort the son of her commanding officer to do a maritime survey, Min awakens along the crew of her airship, only to realise its arcane core is leaking magic and about to give out. So begins her struggle to survive in a world that is nothing like her own, keeping a divided crew together and focused on the right things without forgetting the moral credo of the country they all represent.

The supporting cast is led by Brightest, an elderly inhabitant of the island that Min’s airship ends up scuttled on. I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this hermit, whom I’ve likened to Sam Jackson over the uncanny resemblance a certain piece of concept art, to be revealed soon, shares with the actor. If you need a visual, tainted with my Sam Jackson comparison, here’s his description:

He was old, that much was clear from his mad shock of grey hair and his long, matted beard. His skin was as black as Zoya’s, and Min noticed his step had a vitality that did not match the wrinkles of his face. He was dressed in the swaddling of grey orbs, with bandoleers crossed over his chest, various pouches hanging from them, a personal collection as varied and eclectic as the objects in this room. In his hands, the old man held a long staff of what seemed to be polished driftwood.

His dynamic with Min is fascinating to read about, the relationship between the characters giving birth of some memorable dialogue, and a mentor-mentee bond that’s part Luke and Yoda, part me and my old granddad.

Other supporting characters include Abalendu, a scholar who gives scholars a bad name with his bratty, better-than-thou behaviour; Jedda, Min’s friend and an artificer with what seems like an unhealthy obsession with board games; Sung, the ship’s First Mate and Min’s greatest critic; and Zoya, a mighty warrior with a powerful weapon at her side, for which she pays a great price. Zoya does not, in fact, look anything like Zoya the Destroya of GLOW fame but I’ll forgive you for making that mistake. What’s that, no one thought about that but me? Ah, bollocks.

When put together, these characters offer plenty of opportunity for conflict; potential, which Benedict uses to the fullest. And in case they weren’t quite enough, Patrick threw a dragon the size of a small European country into the mix, to keep our characters on their toes.

The world is endlessly interesting, not just because of the dragon, introduced in a spectacular fashion early on—really, what a great reveal!—but because it’s a gateway between uncountable other worlds, each one full of possibility for adventure. And indeed, what I enjoyed most in my time with Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is how well it channels the spirit of adventure, the joy of exploration. That’s perhaps what I liked most about Min and Brightest both, the hunger to see, to experience more of the great unknown that is just a step away in the Darkstar Dimension. Benedict recently described this novel as his way of capturing the feeling of the Fantastic Four comic books, and I can’t move past that comparison – that’s something he’s managed to succeed in with passing colours. Nothing captures the hunger that drives Reed Richards and his family, or Darkstar Dragon’s main characters, better than the following quote:

How could anyone live a full life in one world, when they’ve tasted so many, and know there are endless wonders out there to sample?

The villain of the novel is more Umbridge than Voldemort – i.e. they’re not evil incarnate but rather a representative of those everyday petty acts of villainy we all struggle with – the snotty, self-entitled boss who takes credit for all your hard work, the colleague who makes your life a living hell for no reason, and so on. They make for bad guys you’d love to punch but they’re not necessarily rich enough characters to carry the weight of a fantasy novel’s main conflict for a longer duration. In this case, the length of Darkstar Dragon does it a favour – the villain doesn’t overstay their welcome and though I didn’t necessarily enjoy them as a character, I can appreciate what they added in terms of conflict, and the way they managed it.

Plenty is left unanswered about the nature of this dimensional gateway but that never feels like a weakness of the storytelling; rather, it’s a conscious choice of the author. With an ending such as this, there’s no limit to what Min can get up to next – and I, for one, would be all too happy to find out. My score for this novel is 4.5/5, rounded up to 5 stars on Goodreads!

You might want to read this for:
• The sense of exploration and adventure, of worlds unseen and within a hand’s reach;
• The great mentor-mentee relationship between Min and Sam Ja—Brightest;
• The dragon;
• Thinking with Portals;
• And More! Prob’ly.

Pre-Review Babble:
Really enjoyed my time with The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon. I'm not quite sure about my score of it yet, leaning between an 8 or a 9, i.e. 4-4.5

My full review is coming next week, on booknest.eu first.

[Anna K. Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read Patrick's work for some time, the Yarnsworld series, but by chance was offered an ARC copy of his new fantasy novel.

Disclaimer: I pretty much love anything with a focus on ships, flying ships to be precise.

'It was an excruciating sensation, being pulled back together. She could not fully remember being taken apart in the first place'. Well, you've got my attention.

Min, officer of the ship Melodious Narwhal (and honestly what a great name for a ship), wakes up screaming with her crew rolling about in a similar state on the deck around her. However, she can't remember how or why they were torn apart in the first place. They have arrived in the Darkstar Dimension.

Right away the dynamic between Min and her crew is made clear. She's not captain, but First Officer, and this distinction seems held against her. I found Min a relatable character; she comes across as capable and determined, yet has to prove herself and assert her authority to the crew. The clash of personalities makes her job - getting everyone home safely - much harder. And what if they're right... What if she's not up to the task?

As frightening as it must be for the crew, the Darkstar Dimension sounds beautiful and captivating. Patrick's writing and world-building captures a fascinating story and setting, with multiple bizarre dimensions. So many little details I enjoyed.

I know some people aren't a fan of fantasy swear words/phrases, but I like them, and kinda wish I could use "Well, I’ll be a crustacean’s wetnurse" in real life.

Would highly recommend this weird, wonderful naval fantasy.

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wish I could dive right into the story, but I'll keep it spoiler-free! I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and I can honestly say I loved every minute.

I thought when I started this story and met these new and intriguing characters that I would have some idea of what their dynamic would be, but I was wrong and in a really pleasant way! Just when you think you've realised what someone is like, they do a complete coin flip in the drop of a hat. There were so many slight turns that I wasn't expecting and I was kept on my toes for the whole book, never really knowing which way certain people would go.

The sheer sense of wonder and adventure that the world of the Darkstar creates is immense, and even though our hero Min has been teleported to this crazy new world, it feels more exciting than terrifying. Apart from the dragon of course. It opens up a huge amount of possibilities for any future books, and I absolutely look forward to seeing what comes next. Especially with the small mentions of potential mysteries to uncover in the future.

Just like the Yarnsworld by Benedict I am 100% into the Darkstar Dimension and hope that he takes a trip back into it soon.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and am offering my honest review.

This is a departure from Benedict Patrick's prior work in the Yarnsworld universe. This novel is less directly drawn from the tradition of fairytales and is a separate secondary world fantasy of its own. This is the first book set in the newly introduced Darkstar Dimension - an oddly purple tinted world with a watery lack of a horizon and dangers and mysteries all of its own to be explored.

Min, the newly minted First Officer (not Captain, mind you) of the skyship the Melodious Narwhal may be in over her head as her ship sails right into a new world where the laws of physics and magic play by different rules. Min struggles to find solutions to new problems and keep the confidence of her crew while facing all manner of bizarre challenges.

While we do not have the engaging folk tales between chapters that are the hallmark of the Yarnsworld books, what we have instead are the personal diary entries and observations of Brightest, one of the quirkiest characters I've read recently as he meets Min and the Narwhal crew.

I did not connect with all of the characters as deeply as I would have liked, but the Darkstar Dimension itself and the world depicted is fascinating. I think there will be a lot more to explore here and look forward to revisiting the Darkstar Dimension in the future.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fun adventure with whimsical feel, vivid imagery and compelling plot with high stakes.

It's really enjoyable to read and has intriguing hook for next book in a series which I hope to read soon.
Would highly recommend!

[Nix C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book.

Action packed from the first page. Fast paced and a fun read with a wonderful dose of unreality. Loved this book.

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is the newest offering from Benedict Patrick. I’ve been a fan of the author for a while after being sucked into his work with his rather unique imagination. The style of writing always keeps me engaged and its impossible to put his books down.

In the latest offering we are following Min.. Captain of the Melodious Narwhal.. well I say Captain but she’s not really and the rest of the crew have no issues with letting their commanding officer know what they think of her and her fancy academy training.

When we first meet the crew they are in danger as their ship plummets to the ground.. the issue is no one knows what’s went wrong..or even where they are..

Now it wouldn’t be much of a story if they died in chapter one so it won’t shock you to know they make it.. just.. it’s then they realise things aren’t quite right and it slowly becomes apparent this isn’t their home.

Slowly drifting towards and island they notice they aren’t alone and this is where we meet the wonderful Brightest..this old man has a lot of tricks up his sleeve and the biggest is the fact the island isn’t quite an island.. I’ll say no more on that J

We soon learn from Brightest that the Darkstar Dimension sucks all sorts of things into it from other worlds.. including them..the issue is the ship is broken and they have no way to get home.

A moment of hope is given when Brightest explains these rifts that open into the Darkstar Dimension sometimes have a pattern to their movements and Min’s homeworld will reappear.. in three years!

Faced with that bombshell the crew have mixed feelings.. There must be a way home..and what price are they willing to pay to get there?

Min is pitted against some of the crew in a battle that will test her resolve.. she’s strong willed and wants to uphold the values set by her people.. but not everyone agrees.

While Min tries to keep her crew in check Brightest takes her on a trip through a rift in search of food supplies.. while there who will keep the crew in check?

What happens next is full on heart stopping! The Darkstar Dragon is hungry.. and the one thing keeping them safe is also their one chance of making it home but can Min convince the crew the price is too high? As the suspense builds so does the excitement!

There’s so many wonderful characters in this book and the plot was just exceptional.. I don’t know where the author’s ideas come from but he continues to amazing me.

The only word I can think of the describe the book is “exceptional”

The pace of the tale is slow at first.. so many questions waiting to be answered but the author has put you right in Min’s shoes.. you learn as she does and this perspective just adds to the suspense of the unknown.

There seems like endless possibilities in this world that’s been created so I do hope more is on the way :)

Full 5/5 Stars from me for the author who continues to offer fun, exciting and gripping tales.. I almost feel bad that I burn through his books so fast but they are just so damn good!

[Marielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I finish a book by Benedict Patrick I think: "This is the best one!"
I absolutely loved this story and I cannot wait to continue with "Return of the Whalefleet"!

A new series set in a new dimension written with the immense imagination where Benedict Patrick has become known for. It's uniqueness reminded me of the Tower of Babel by Josiah Bancroft and Rotherweird by Andrew Caldecott.

I loved all the Yarnsworld books as well, if you'd like to give this author a try you can read a free short story on his website (www.benedictpatrick.com)! You may thank me later... ;)

[Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imaginative and adventurous; a seriously good read

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is the first book to take place in the new Darkstar world. We follow the crew of a skyship commanded by Min, on her first assignment out of the Academy, when the ship is torn into a foreign and entirely unbelievable reality. The ship, damaged from its rough introduction to this new world, is now adrift on this foreign sea, except the sea seems to surround them entirely, as if they were inside a giant bubble. This book and its world are captivating to the imagination in a way that few books manage so completely. The Darkstar Dimension is richly crafted and the writing conveys a sense of wonder and limitless possibility beautifully.

The Darkstar Dimension acts as a kind of stopover world between worlds; it is vibrant, surreal, and enchanting. In the center a purple star burns, luminescent fish populate the sea that surrounds the star, islands are scattered throughout the sea, and most concerningly, a dragon the size of a continent lives on the surface of the Darkstar and periodically comes down to eat anything it finds. Orbiting around the Darkstar are rifts of various size, shape, and color, each leading to a different world.

The story follows Min’s perspective in the third person. Despite her crew’s misgivings about having such a young and inexperienced commander in such an unsettling situation, Min is confident in her abilities as First Officer. She’s very likable and easy to believe in, if a bit naïve. She grows as a character a lot through the relatively short story and I found myself caring for her, commiserating with her in her crises, and always rooting for her.

Alongside Min are some notable members of her crew: Jedda, the ship’s socially-awkward artificer; Abalendu, a scholar and nobleman whose research was the ship’s original mission; and Zoya, a skilled warrior and host to a powerful artifact called a Parasite Glove, on the mission as Abalendu’s bodyguard.

Brightest is a grumpy old man who has been living in the Darkstar Dimension for many years and helps Min and her crew navigate their new situation.

Those looking for a lighthearted and fast-paced adventure would enjoy this. If glowing whales, continent-sized dragons, and magical chess sound interesting, this book’s got it all.

5/5, this book was just so supremely enjoyable. Between well-crafted characters, an action-packed plot, imaginative worlds, and fantastical creatures, every minute with this book was a good time.

[Tawallah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing this unsolicited ebook arc through r/fantasy reddit. This review is my honest opinion.

Disclaimers aside, this is my first time reading any work of Benedict Patrick. He is better known for his Yarnsworld novella series. In this new series we are transported into the portal world of Darkstar Dimension or should it be multidimensional world. This is just the start of the genre mashup which occurs in this book. There is definitely adventure involved. In this initial portion we are transported with Min Choi onboard her airship Narwhal into a purple world whilst on a mission with a scholar. We also follow a diary style entries of another character stranded on this world. In this dimension, most magic is drained making escape to your own world a bit difficult.

There is no denying the vivid imagination of the author. It is clear there has been researched on marine life and he adapts it seamlessly into the plot. In addition, he uses his imagination with this portal fantasy to morph portions into a multi-dimensional world which can be explored via rifts for new adventures. Needless to say one can expect further adventures to arise.

Despite the vivid imagination, the plot was predictable with the characters and the tension that occurs. The mutiny between the Min and certain crew members required a bit more nuance regarding previous life on New Windward and the varying tribes. Whether this will be seen in the rest of the series is currently unknown. And for other readers, the dragon is not as prominent in the book as expected from the title.

Overall this is an imaginative new series located in a portal world of Darkstar Dimension. It is a speculative adventure book with overtones of historical Korea( main character is from Goryea).

[Chris Durston · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some really nice stuff about Flight of the Darkstar Dragon. The image of the geography in which the majority of the story takes place is absolutely beautiful, for one thing; it's unique, I feel reasonably confident in saying, and that alone is pretty cool.

The story here begins in a pretty interesting fashion, and we get some glimpses of interesting things along the way, but I think it'd be fair to say it doesn't stray too far from the route you might expect it to take (although one diversion into another dimension does get in at least one nice moment of lateral thinking). Our main character is Min, and she's... alright, I guess? I read the book a week or two ago now and remember very little about her, so I'm not sure what that says. Supporting characters Zoya and Abalendu are more distinctive, but still don't always feel fleshed out in totally consistent ways.

Basically, what you get in this short book (that's not a criticism in itself, by the way) is a few glimpses of some interesting concepts - there's certainly a mind for the little details of worldbuilding here, and I get the sense we just scratch the surface in this book of the author's capacity for coming up with Interesting Things - but they don't always come together in the most cohesive or fulfilling fashion.

It's an enjoyable enough read for the most part - the best thing it has going for it is that you get to explore a very cool landscape and see some pretty sweet creatures and stuff. There are also some intense battles and things, although the prose doesn't lend itself well to more urgent moments (beginning a sentence with 'however' in the middle of a - spoilers! - airborne fight with a dragon really has a way of sucking all the excitement out). Basically, just going along for the ride to see what this world has to offer is decently satisfying, and worth the relatively slim time investment given the book's short length.

Final note: I would be really interested to hear the perspectives of some readers with a better understanding than me of certain sensitivities. There's a throwaway line indicating that in Min's home world there is no such thing as racism, yet the glimpses we get of her family seem to suggest that they border on a stereotype of a specific real-world culture. I don't quite know what to make of that potential wrinkle - it just felt like such a strange thing to try to include so offhandedly - so readers may want to be aware that that might be a Thing.

[Lisa Maughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an arc
This book took me a bit to get into but once I did I really enjoyed it. The world Benedict takes us to is amazing and intriguing . He is an excellent storyteller and It's easy to become part of the story he is writing about whether it be the characters, the dimensions, the adventure, the dangers. Hold on and have a nice flight.

[L.L. MacRae]

rtc

[Maša · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ship finds itself in a new world. Inexperienced captain has to remain in control, while facing uncertainty, and strife.

This was a quick, action-based read. The world(s) was interesting, if unexplored. The characters were pretty one-dimensional, a pity, so I didn't really connect to the story.

[Disclaimer: I rate self-pub books higher, so real rating is around 2 stars]

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC version of this book from the author, in a word this is awesome! This is one awesome book that you do not want to miss! A full review will be on my blog soon!

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...

Min’s first command was supposed to be an easy one. The First Officer has a ship, a seasoned crew, a straightforward objective. A simple voyage of scientific discovery with a likely captaincy awaiting upon return. But somehow Min has screwed it up. And the worst thing is that she’s not even sure how.

One minute she and the crew of the Melodious Narwhal were sailing through the heavens east of New Windward. The next they are plummeting towards an unfamiliar, shadowy sea far below. For somehow the magic that powers the skyship has been drained.

Even should they survive the fall, Min and the crew will find a world of endless twilight, with an onyx sea that spans the entire horizon—and even stretches to the sky above. Here, the sable sea is filled with luminous fish, a violet and neon sun that hangs in the center of the void, and an old man that calls the dark and Tyrian dimension home.

Also, there’s a dragon the size of a small continent.

To escape the Darkstar Dimension, Min must draw upon all the lessons from her training, explore the dimension and bring all its resources to bear, hobnob with the locals, and somehow escape the hungry dragon that seems deadset on the bite-sized morsels that have stumbled into its home. And even then—it may not be enough. For who knows what secrets the Darkstar holds, and the price one must pay to learn them?

So… this was a pleasant surprise! The Darkstar Dimension is a basically a rave. A shadowy sea full of purple glowsticks and glowing fish. A bunch of people running around under a vibrant neon star, trying not to get eaten by a huge dragon. There’s mayhem, murder, mutiny—all that’s missing is trance music.

The sense of adventure is amazing. The Darkstar Dimension is a mystical and mysterious place, full of wonder and adventure to be had! And that’s even before we get to the rifts surrounding it—passageways to unique worlds, each one more interesting than the last. The Darkstar Dimension itself steals the show however, as even now I can envision this electric amethyst world when I close my eyes; swim in the oceans amidst a school of glowing fish, or hitch a ride atop a turtlemoth. I’d compare it to Doors of Sleep, but with a fantasy-theme instead of the other’s science fiction. We get to enjoy more of the adventure and wonder in this compared to Doors, as the places and sights all weave into the story quite nicely, rather than taking a backseat when the plot takes center stage.

It’s not a perfect ride, as the story is frequently too convenient, and occasionally like something out of a movie, skipping from action-sequence to action-sequence (particularly later on). Neither of these things bothered me much, though. Honestly, my biggest complaint was that time often slowed way too damned much to be realistic—something that’s done to give the characters more time to assess a situation and find a workaround. I’ve really no serious issues with The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon, and cannot wait to read the next one!

TL;DR

I picked up Flight of the Darkstar Dragon from Benedict Patrick’s Kickstarter last year. It was included along with all his Yarnsworld stories in a kinda “complete works bundle” thing. I honestly forgot I had it for a while, and didn’t know it was unrelated to the rest for even longer. After generally enjoying most of my time in his Yarnsworld novels, I expected Flight of the Darkstar Dragon to be an interesting little read, maybe even enjoyable. But I never expected it to blow me away. Where Yarnsworld focuses on the horror and the creepy folktales, Darkstar focuses instead on the adventure and the unknown. There’s still a tense atmosphere and a riveting story, but it manifests in a very different way. Rather than struggling to picture some barely-formed horror that goes bump in the night, this had me flying through violet skies on the back of a massive dragon while neon fish floated all around. Exploring new worlds and meeting new creatures while all the time anticipating the return to the lovely-rendered Darkstar Dimension afterwards. While I can’t promise you’ll like it, love it, or adore it—I will say that if your experience is anything like my own, you won’t regret the time you’ve spent in the Darkstar Dimension. And furthermore, you’ll jump at the prospect of going back.

[Alex (Spells & Spaceships) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, surreal adventure!

The Flight of the Darkstar Dragon is a hard book to explain but my initial review is this: It's fun, it's an adventure and a good piece of escapism in a story that was successful in taking me away to a new world (worlds, actually) - one that I enjoyed.

Full review will be coming on my blog soon!
SpellsAndSpaceships.home.blog

[Jorn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful!

Didn't care for the characters
Didn't care for the story
Didn't care for the world
Didn't care for any of it

The only thing I like about this book is the cover. Credits to the cover artist. Its stunning!