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A Dream of Wings & Flame #1
A Dream of Wings & Flame
The blood of dragons pumps through his veins. Greatness awaits!
Kobolds cower at the bottom of the foodchain, forced to eke out a meager existence in the most wretched of caves.
Most have made peace with their lot in life; one of eating scraps and carrion. They hide and run from predators, delaying the inevitable day when they aren't fast or sneaky enough to make their escape.
But not Samazzar. Sam is different from other Kobold pups.
Traps and caves might keep him and his people alive, but sometimes, just living isn't enough. Dragon blood runs through him, and Sam isn't willing to settle for mere survival. Whether by claw, magic, or cunning, one day he will soar above the plains, predator rather than prey.
And nothing–be it the mockery of his tribe, the hazards of the deep caves, or even the almost insurmountable difficulty of successfully evolving his bloodline–nothing is going to stop him.
Kobolds cower at the bottom of the foodchain, forced to eke out a meager existence in the most wretched of caves.
Most have made peace with their lot in life; one of eating scraps and carrion. They hide and run from predators, delaying the inevitable day when they aren't fast or sneaky enough to make their escape.
But not Samazzar. Sam is different from other Kobold pups.
Traps and caves might keep him and his people alive, but sometimes, just living isn't enough. Dragon blood runs through him, and Sam isn't willing to settle for mere survival. Whether by claw, magic, or cunning, one day he will soar above the plains, predator rather than prey.
And nothing–be it the mockery of his tribe, the hazards of the deep caves, or even the almost insurmountable difficulty of successfully evolving his bloodline–nothing is going to stop him.
550 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2022
291 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Cale Plamann
24 books110 followersA lifelong fan of Fantasy and Science Fiction, I usually spent my nerdy energy creating overly elaborate homebrew RPG campaigns. As it became harder and harder to juggle schedules for a half dozen players, I eventually made the logical choice and just cut them out of the picture entirely.
Now I write novels. They whine a lot less about critical failures.
Now I write novels. They whine a lot less about critical failures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 22, 2025
This series is really fun, the hero is a little monster guy, and the worldbuilding is very interesting. It's nice to have some non-standard characters and this one provides that in spades.
October 25, 2022
This was somewhere in the mid to lower tier for me. Neil Hellegers does justice to the narration, in his unique way, and it's... good. Ish.
On to the review.
The Good
Definitely the rags-to-riches tale. The MC has a peculiar one-track mind and seems quite resourceful in his pursuit of OPness.
The Bad
World-building is bad. Cultures and races are incoherent. Plot is chock-full of holes and Deus Ex machina. Support characters have zero personality. Antagonists are unidimensional, and lack any credible motivation. Even the MC forced into a fake ingénu role that gets annoying real fast, just like the shounen manga MC that keeps failing all the romance checks.
The Ugly
Info dumps, "evil monologue", power of conviction, repetitive plot patterns, lots of anachronisms... By the middle of the book, plot armour was already so thick that I'd stopped worrying for the protagonists. But what killed this for me was the promise of "wizarding school" in the future. That's a definite showstopper for me.
The Conclusion
It could have been fun to track the whole "court-the-dragon-lady", but I'm not willing to deal with the rest of the drudgery in exchange. So I'll get off here.
YMMV.
On to the review.
The Good
Definitely the rags-to-riches tale. The MC has a peculiar one-track mind and seems quite resourceful in his pursuit of OPness.
The Bad
World-building is bad. Cultures and races are incoherent. Plot is chock-full of holes and Deus Ex machina. Support characters have zero personality. Antagonists are unidimensional, and lack any credible motivation. Even the MC forced into a fake ingénu role that gets annoying real fast, just like the shounen manga MC that keeps failing all the romance checks.
The Ugly
Info dumps, "evil monologue", power of conviction, repetitive plot patterns, lots of anachronisms... By the middle of the book, plot armour was already so thick that I'd stopped worrying for the protagonists. But what killed this for me was the promise of "wizarding school" in the future. That's a definite showstopper for me.
The Conclusion
It could have been fun to track the whole "court-the-dragon-lady", but I'm not willing to deal with the rest of the drudgery in exchange. So I'll get off here.
YMMV.
January 8, 2023
3.5 it was an interesting enough book and the plot and story flowed well but it wasn't really all that memorable of a book.
October 25, 2022
- One problem here is that the dialogue feels very stilted and unnatural. You have cave dwelling months old child kobolds reciting expositional essays to each other, using words like 'probability' or 'statistics'.
- Also the plot often seems too predictable. From the first moment the awakening ceremony was mentioned, it was clear that he wouldn't awaken. So when the ceremony came up and dragged on, I started skipping.
Similarly a really telegraphed trap that was set later on, which our protagonist obviously still walked into.
- The story randomly skips and jumps ahead sometimes. The MC goes cave diving on a quest, then in a half-sentence it says 'several weeks later...' where I would have expected the story to progress.
It was still an entertaining and proficiently written story, I just wished that authors in this genre would workshop their books a bit more before churning them out.
- Also the plot often seems too predictable. From the first moment the awakening ceremony was mentioned, it was clear that he wouldn't awaken. So when the ceremony came up and dragged on, I started skipping.
Similarly a really telegraphed trap that was set later on, which our protagonist obviously still walked into.
- The story randomly skips and jumps ahead sometimes. The MC goes cave diving on a quest, then in a half-sentence it says 'several weeks later...' where I would have expected the story to progress.
It was still an entertaining and proficiently written story, I just wished that authors in this genre would workshop their books a bit more before churning them out.
September 3, 2025
I like the LITRPG format in theory, but so many of the stories I've actually come across seem so riddled with isekai cliches and boring worlds and character archetypes that they don't even seem worth reading. A Dream of Wings & Flame is far from perfect, but it does exemplify what I think is really interesting about the genre.
Video game mechanics give the ability to put concrete milestones and numbers to the progression of a character's growth and journey, and A Dream of Wings & Flame excels at this. The video game elements here are minimal, focused entirely around a system of elemental magic and a system of bloodline-based evolution. The setup therein is irresistible on a number of levels: a kobold, a creature at the bottom of the evolutionary hierarchy, dreams to one day ascend to its highest point; to become a dragon. He utilities his understanding of the world and himself to drag his way up against impossible odds, earning every inch with struggle and conviction.
The magic system is unique in that in order to level up in one's understanding of a particular elemental magic, one must immerse oneself in said element in a very particular way in order to force their minds to intuitively understand said element in a manner that goes beyond mere textbook knowledge. Samazzar, the protagonist, has chosen the path of flame, and must overcome the pain and danger associated with immersion in fire in order to increase his understanding. With that increased understanding, he and his friends apply their skills in increasingly inventive and resourceful ways, and the plot sets up for this perfectly by setting itself in an inhospitable and wild cave and mountain system environment.
While the bloodline hierarchy sets up for a very intriguing progression, however, I have to admit it sort of betrays an uglier undercurrent of this book. Samazzar is a sort of hyper-individualistic character who sees no need to rely on anyone else but himself and his close friends, to the point that he seems to consider everyone else beneath him. This, combined with the idea that some races are inherently more advanced and powerful and higher on a hierarchy than others, hints at a particularly nasty overall worldview and a particularly dark view of draconity, one that only has bits and pieces to shine through but one that made me quite uncomfortable. It's almost weird how this reflects in the greater societies the characters find themselves in; the kobold Tribe is sort of painted as inherently lazy and degenerate and working to hold them back, despite there being instances of characters sympathetic to them throughout the story, and the only major pushback coming from individuals.
Still, the survival and progression elements really shine through in unique and fun ways, and I quite enjoyed my time with this book. I liked Samazzar and his friends for the most part and I had a blast seeing them increase their understanding and power through ingenious and brutal methods. It was satisfying in a way that even much better books don't quite manage to pull off, and for that reason I'm interested in seeing where this story goes.
Video game mechanics give the ability to put concrete milestones and numbers to the progression of a character's growth and journey, and A Dream of Wings & Flame excels at this. The video game elements here are minimal, focused entirely around a system of elemental magic and a system of bloodline-based evolution. The setup therein is irresistible on a number of levels: a kobold, a creature at the bottom of the evolutionary hierarchy, dreams to one day ascend to its highest point; to become a dragon. He utilities his understanding of the world and himself to drag his way up against impossible odds, earning every inch with struggle and conviction.
The magic system is unique in that in order to level up in one's understanding of a particular elemental magic, one must immerse oneself in said element in a very particular way in order to force their minds to intuitively understand said element in a manner that goes beyond mere textbook knowledge. Samazzar, the protagonist, has chosen the path of flame, and must overcome the pain and danger associated with immersion in fire in order to increase his understanding. With that increased understanding, he and his friends apply their skills in increasingly inventive and resourceful ways, and the plot sets up for this perfectly by setting itself in an inhospitable and wild cave and mountain system environment.
While the bloodline hierarchy sets up for a very intriguing progression, however, I have to admit it sort of betrays an uglier undercurrent of this book. Samazzar is a sort of hyper-individualistic character who sees no need to rely on anyone else but himself and his close friends, to the point that he seems to consider everyone else beneath him. This, combined with the idea that some races are inherently more advanced and powerful and higher on a hierarchy than others, hints at a particularly nasty overall worldview and a particularly dark view of draconity, one that only has bits and pieces to shine through but one that made me quite uncomfortable. It's almost weird how this reflects in the greater societies the characters find themselves in; the kobold Tribe is sort of painted as inherently lazy and degenerate and working to hold them back, despite there being instances of characters sympathetic to them throughout the story, and the only major pushback coming from individuals.
Still, the survival and progression elements really shine through in unique and fun ways, and I quite enjoyed my time with this book. I liked Samazzar and his friends for the most part and I had a blast seeing them increase their understanding and power through ingenious and brutal methods. It was satisfying in a way that even much better books don't quite manage to pull off, and for that reason I'm interested in seeing where this story goes.
November 13, 2023
Without a doubt, this book blew me away. I just finished this book not even five minutes ago and I am still geeking about the ending. The story, focusing on our hero, a kobold named Sam who dreams of becoming a dragon, reminded me of a book I read earlier this year, and although they are two very different books, I loved them both all the same.
Sam’s adventure of self-discovery has kept me hooked from the very beginning, and the ending was simply outstanding. I can safely say this book is wonderful for anybody looking for a story of magic and discovery as an unlikely hero braves dangerous beasts, deadly rituals, slavery, and even a dragon as he fights to return to his true body. I cannot wait to continue Sam’s adventure but until then…
…Good night
Sam’s adventure of self-discovery has kept me hooked from the very beginning, and the ending was simply outstanding. I can safely say this book is wonderful for anybody looking for a story of magic and discovery as an unlikely hero braves dangerous beasts, deadly rituals, slavery, and even a dragon as he fights to return to his true body. I cannot wait to continue Sam’s adventure but until then…
…Good night
October 12, 2022
Different Mechanics
While the series itself does not necessarily have stat mechanics, it approaches evolution and the integration of magic in a unique way that keeps the reader enthralled - not to mention it makes sense from both a scientific standpoint.
While the series itself does not necessarily have stat mechanics, it approaches evolution and the integration of magic in a unique way that keeps the reader enthralled - not to mention it makes sense from both a scientific standpoint.
October 25, 2022
umm so yeah...
This one was a bit out there. so our main character is a kobold (of the reptile/dragon type) that has a knack for magic manipulation and cultivation. At first I thought it was your standard power fantasy, where the lull of evolution and advancement would drive the Mc and his crew to new heights. Instead around 62% into the novel I get a culture shock that had me double take at exactly what I was reading. At around that point I realized I was reading something foreign. The way the characters reacted to their new situation and surroundings and the violence they inflicted were pointedly different and out of place from what had occurred until then. I know how westerners think, being American, and this was totally alien. At first I thought the brutality and ritual was due to them being technically monsters, but an event that happens later explains that it is not the case. It is a world where humans, Demi-humans, and monsters live in a sort of harmony. In the end the MCs doggedness and lack of conscious really ruins the experience for me, your results may vary. Truthfully this was a well written cultivation/progression novel, but it's a bit too lax with its morals for me to enjoy the novel.
This one was a bit out there. so our main character is a kobold (of the reptile/dragon type) that has a knack for magic manipulation and cultivation. At first I thought it was your standard power fantasy, where the lull of evolution and advancement would drive the Mc and his crew to new heights. Instead around 62% into the novel I get a culture shock that had me double take at exactly what I was reading. At around that point I realized I was reading something foreign. The way the characters reacted to their new situation and surroundings and the violence they inflicted were pointedly different and out of place from what had occurred until then. I know how westerners think, being American, and this was totally alien. At first I thought the brutality and ritual was due to them being technically monsters, but an event that happens later explains that it is not the case. It is a world where humans, Demi-humans, and monsters live in a sort of harmony. In the end the MCs doggedness and lack of conscious really ruins the experience for me, your results may vary. Truthfully this was a well written cultivation/progression novel, but it's a bit too lax with its morals for me to enjoy the novel.
October 21, 2022
A unique perspective
I have to start up and say that I would give this book 4.5 stars but you can’t quite do that on Amazon now let me start my review.
It’s all about perspective in this case you start out as the lowest of the low of creatures and he has a dream to build himself up to be the mightiest that he can think of a dragon. He sits out to do it he’s a smart character he has friends and the adventure begins. Overall it’s a great story the characters you are meant to remember I just that memorable all of them the ones you’re meant to hate you hate them which is good. No when you look at the universe it’s a good universe because the character start out small in cave systems and the author doesn’t deviate from that until well into this book so you develop a lot of perspective. The main character is weak smart but weak again you develop a lot of perspective. The advancement system is unique I do have some issues with it. There are two ways a character well technically three ways a character can advance in this series we only touch on two of them the other way is outright ignored for reasons you will learn about. To advance the characters race he hast to kill something stronger than himself and absorb the blood makes sense when pitched by the author in the story. To advance the characters of magic potential that’s where things get iffy. The character can learn but in order to advance his magical skill he always has to go through what’s called a baptism this is where you encounter intense pain perhaps danger to your body and as a result afterwords you grow you can do more. i’ve heard of the concept of baptism by fire and I think that’s what the author might be going for here but sometimes it doesn’t show itself well. You often read about the MC feeling something been on the cusp of a great discovery but then he can’t learn it not because he’s not smart enough not because he’s not grasping anything but because he hasn’t put his life in danger. Again I guess I can understand what the authors coming from but it doesn’t quite make sense. If he’s smart enough to understand these concepts why can’t he just learn and apply them to his magic. Literally it’s like barriers are presented to stop the smart character from just being able to do something he should already be able to do. That’s why I gave the book 4.5 stars so many times in the book you will read about the MC being on the cusp feeling something almost there having an itch when I felt he should just suddenly have an aha moment. You may disagree with me in regards to the concept of a baptism in this book whether you do or you don’t it is still a great book I encourage you to read it. Then go on Royal Road and pick up at book two. When you finish the book come back and give it a good review because these authors do deserve our support when they write such good work.
I have to start up and say that I would give this book 4.5 stars but you can’t quite do that on Amazon now let me start my review.
It’s all about perspective in this case you start out as the lowest of the low of creatures and he has a dream to build himself up to be the mightiest that he can think of a dragon. He sits out to do it he’s a smart character he has friends and the adventure begins. Overall it’s a great story the characters you are meant to remember I just that memorable all of them the ones you’re meant to hate you hate them which is good. No when you look at the universe it’s a good universe because the character start out small in cave systems and the author doesn’t deviate from that until well into this book so you develop a lot of perspective. The main character is weak smart but weak again you develop a lot of perspective. The advancement system is unique I do have some issues with it. There are two ways a character well technically three ways a character can advance in this series we only touch on two of them the other way is outright ignored for reasons you will learn about. To advance the characters race he hast to kill something stronger than himself and absorb the blood makes sense when pitched by the author in the story. To advance the characters of magic potential that’s where things get iffy. The character can learn but in order to advance his magical skill he always has to go through what’s called a baptism this is where you encounter intense pain perhaps danger to your body and as a result afterwords you grow you can do more. i’ve heard of the concept of baptism by fire and I think that’s what the author might be going for here but sometimes it doesn’t show itself well. You often read about the MC feeling something been on the cusp of a great discovery but then he can’t learn it not because he’s not smart enough not because he’s not grasping anything but because he hasn’t put his life in danger. Again I guess I can understand what the authors coming from but it doesn’t quite make sense. If he’s smart enough to understand these concepts why can’t he just learn and apply them to his magic. Literally it’s like barriers are presented to stop the smart character from just being able to do something he should already be able to do. That’s why I gave the book 4.5 stars so many times in the book you will read about the MC being on the cusp feeling something almost there having an itch when I felt he should just suddenly have an aha moment. You may disagree with me in regards to the concept of a baptism in this book whether you do or you don’t it is still a great book I encourage you to read it. Then go on Royal Road and pick up at book two. When you finish the book come back and give it a good review because these authors do deserve our support when they write such good work.
October 2, 2023
In this book, a young kobold name Samazzar dreams of evolving into a dragon to escape from the dregs of living as the very bottom of the totem pole in terms of the world's sentient species.
In general, this was a fun book. Main character Sam grabs my attention from the start in his goal of evolving himself, helped by his keen mind and knack for understanding what makes magic work. Even before he learns magic, still as a child, he finds ways to keep himself and his loved ones fed and warm by risking his life hunting dangerous predators, which he defeats with smarts rather than strength, so that's pretty fun, and many come to see him as a prodigy. The way he learns magic is interesting as well, aided by Crone Tazzaera, a sickly, elderly kobold who raised him, and joining him are Dussok and Takkla, his best friends. Dussok is very (and oddly) eloquent, even as a very young kobold, and tries to be the voice of reason, while Takkla starts out as a slacker but later grows more confident and keen to learn and take action herself, though I wish she could have had more moments to better show her personality compared to the boys. The action scenes in the book are also well realized, descriptive without being overly detailed, and I found them engaging.
As for negatives, unfortunately, there are a few. The book can drag at times, especially with the explanations on how magic works and how to try discovering new levels, and it's especially rough in that the book has several time skips where sometimes several weeks or even months pass by just from one chapter to another. Another thing that bugged me is how Samazzar is very enthusiastic and one-track-mind about his goal, but there are times when he comes across as rather deranged about it, especially when it comes to the act of killing, plus taking into account that he's still technically just a teenager, so that tends to take away from his likable traits, especially when compared to Dussok and Takkla. As for the antagonists, two of them are easy to hate as we're meant to, but we just don't spend anywhere near enough time getting to know the antagonists in general or see them as legitimate threats, they feel very underdeveloped. Lastly, there were several grammar mistakes throughout the book.
Overall, despite the flaws, I found this to be a pretty fun book and fun to read. It was a good story about wanting to level up with overall engaging characters, good action, a sequel hook that has me curious, and the epilogue was so dang silly yet adorable at the same time. I'll rate this a prety strong 4 stars, and I'll certainly be getting the next book.
In general, this was a fun book. Main character Sam grabs my attention from the start in his goal of evolving himself, helped by his keen mind and knack for understanding what makes magic work. Even before he learns magic, still as a child, he finds ways to keep himself and his loved ones fed and warm by risking his life hunting dangerous predators, which he defeats with smarts rather than strength, so that's pretty fun, and many come to see him as a prodigy. The way he learns magic is interesting as well, aided by Crone Tazzaera, a sickly, elderly kobold who raised him, and joining him are Dussok and Takkla, his best friends. Dussok is very (and oddly) eloquent, even as a very young kobold, and tries to be the voice of reason, while Takkla starts out as a slacker but later grows more confident and keen to learn and take action herself, though I wish she could have had more moments to better show her personality compared to the boys. The action scenes in the book are also well realized, descriptive without being overly detailed, and I found them engaging.
As for negatives, unfortunately, there are a few. The book can drag at times, especially with the explanations on how magic works and how to try discovering new levels, and it's especially rough in that the book has several time skips where sometimes several weeks or even months pass by just from one chapter to another. Another thing that bugged me is how Samazzar is very enthusiastic and one-track-mind about his goal, but there are times when he comes across as rather deranged about it, especially when it comes to the act of killing, plus taking into account that he's still technically just a teenager, so that tends to take away from his likable traits, especially when compared to Dussok and Takkla. As for the antagonists, two of them are easy to hate as we're meant to, but we just don't spend anywhere near enough time getting to know the antagonists in general or see them as legitimate threats, they feel very underdeveloped. Lastly, there were several grammar mistakes throughout the book.
Overall, despite the flaws, I found this to be a pretty fun book and fun to read. It was a good story about wanting to level up with overall engaging characters, good action, a sequel hook that has me curious, and the epilogue was so dang silly yet adorable at the same time. I'll rate this a prety strong 4 stars, and I'll certainly be getting the next book.
June 12, 2023
Such a delight
I think the concept was so unique and it was just a really fun read. I also have never read a magic system quite like this, so the premise was great but also the magic system was unique.
The other thing I thought was really interesting was the idea of identity. The main character outright rejects who he is at a fundamental level to become something else. But is being a kobold inherently bad? The book raises an interesting question. Kobolds are painted as the lowest on the “totem pole” of dragon derived races in terms of strength, but appear to be much more intelligent than other dragon derived species that are not sapient at all. Only one (poorly managed) kobold tribe is explored, but I’m curious if there are kobolds that are out there thriving.
I’m not sure I’d say this is a LitRPG, definitely progression fantasy and I liked that the stats were kept very short and at the beginning of each chapter.
The only thing I disliked was the in depth descriptions about goblins and the… unique way they mate was weirdly detailed. I’d definitely prefer more world building. Like, why do kobolds live such a lowly existence when there are apparently human cities they could settle in with at least some economic opportunity.
Still, highly recommend. I don’t think the goblin sex stuff is important to the plot so feel free to skim that.
I think the concept was so unique and it was just a really fun read. I also have never read a magic system quite like this, so the premise was great but also the magic system was unique.
The other thing I thought was really interesting was the idea of identity. The main character outright rejects who he is at a fundamental level to become something else. But is being a kobold inherently bad? The book raises an interesting question. Kobolds are painted as the lowest on the “totem pole” of dragon derived races in terms of strength, but appear to be much more intelligent than other dragon derived species that are not sapient at all. Only one (poorly managed) kobold tribe is explored, but I’m curious if there are kobolds that are out there thriving.
I’m not sure I’d say this is a LitRPG, definitely progression fantasy and I liked that the stats were kept very short and at the beginning of each chapter.
The only thing I disliked was the in depth descriptions about goblins and the… unique way they mate was weirdly detailed. I’d definitely prefer more world building. Like, why do kobolds live such a lowly existence when there are apparently human cities they could settle in with at least some economic opportunity.
Still, highly recommend. I don’t think the goblin sex stuff is important to the plot so feel free to skim that.
April 27, 2023
A Dream of Wings and Flame by Cale Plamann. This was my first Cale Plamann book but won’t be my last. A LitRPG story starring a kobald of all things. I didn’t think a story about kobalds would amount to much, but I am here to tell ya, this is one of the most delightful books I have enjoyed in a long time. The writing was excellent. Magic, and how to learn it, are described in exquisite detail. It was simply wonderful experiencing these young kabolds grow in mind and body. Kabolds de-evolved over a millennium, descendants of dragons, and are now on the bottom rung of the ladder. Sam would have been special no matter what race he had been born into. Born as a kobold hatchling his only mark is a need to learn, to become more. This series should definitely be on your TBR list. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 23, 2023
This is one of the best fantasy books I have read in a very long time. The structure of magic is unique, and yet somehow still feels traditional. The characters are interesting while still remaining simple enough so they don't feel out of reach like so many of the more recent fantasy novels out there. The main character quickly became someone I was rooting to succeed. The world is interesting and we barely see any of it. Just some caves and the surrounding areas. It really speaks to how good the writing is that it doesn't feel claustrophobic or limited. It feels like everything is just around the corner, but it isn't. There's only one other book in the series and there isn't an audio version which is a huge disservice to the story and the author.
Read!
This!
Book!
Read!
This!
Book!
March 7, 2025
A Slow paced, but good Litrpg
It was slow to start, but picks up quickly. A Dream of Wings and Flame is a litrpg adventure fantasy with friendship, magic, creatures and a strong power arc. The characters are likeable and I liked it how the protagonist remains optimistic no matter the situation they are in, plus he thinks through situations and always comes up with a plan or solution which is quite satisfying. It’s a little on the gory side, but it’s not dark and other than the hint of poverty and prejudice in the world, the overall tone stays light. It doesn’t interfere with the characters mindsets.
It was slow to start, but picks up quickly. A Dream of Wings and Flame is a litrpg adventure fantasy with friendship, magic, creatures and a strong power arc. The characters are likeable and I liked it how the protagonist remains optimistic no matter the situation they are in, plus he thinks through situations and always comes up with a plan or solution which is quite satisfying. It’s a little on the gory side, but it’s not dark and other than the hint of poverty and prejudice in the world, the overall tone stays light. It doesn’t interfere with the characters mindsets.
October 18, 2022
A kobold will survive(and evolve!)
I love a good monster evolution book, and this one definitely scratched the itch! I really liked the magic system involved in this book too, it was interesting to see how Sam would progress his magics. And the fact that there are different ways to level up into higher tiers is neat! On the evolution side, I’m definitely curious to see where Sam goes next and how far he gets in the next book or two! The only thing that threw me was how surprisingly articulate the kobolds and even the goblins were.
I love a good monster evolution book, and this one definitely scratched the itch! I really liked the magic system involved in this book too, it was interesting to see how Sam would progress his magics. And the fact that there are different ways to level up into higher tiers is neat! On the evolution side, I’m definitely curious to see where Sam goes next and how far he gets in the next book or two! The only thing that threw me was how surprisingly articulate the kobolds and even the goblins were.
January 25, 2023
Interesting concept
I'm a fan. The narrative from a weak monster's perspective isn't something completely new, but this book does it well. The story follows Sam and his couple of pals as they attempt to become something more then they are. The main character is pretty clever and manages to overcome obstacles with his brain more often the brawn. There's no OP powers or abilities. No Handholding system in place guiding them on a path. The magic system is very interesting, tho slightly convoluted. It's definitely worth a read.
I'm a fan. The narrative from a weak monster's perspective isn't something completely new, but this book does it well. The story follows Sam and his couple of pals as they attempt to become something more then they are. The main character is pretty clever and manages to overcome obstacles with his brain more often the brawn. There's no OP powers or abilities. No Handholding system in place guiding them on a path. The magic system is very interesting, tho slightly convoluted. It's definitely worth a read.
October 26, 2022
I was hesitant at first.
I was hesitant at first, I have not been a fan of the MC being a monster in stories, because I just haven’t found a writer who brought them to life as more than just a monster. This author did. I have enjoyed his other books and took a chance, and I was happily surprised. The determination of the MC’s and his growth from the beginning to the end was fantastic. Thank you.
I was hesitant at first, I have not been a fan of the MC being a monster in stories, because I just haven’t found a writer who brought them to life as more than just a monster. This author did. I have enjoyed his other books and took a chance, and I was happily surprised. The determination of the MC’s and his growth from the beginning to the end was fantastic. Thank you.
November 2, 2022
Pretty darn good!
I wasn't expecting much, and maybe that's part of the fun. But this was a fun, relatively light hearted adventure to read. The progression system is interesting and unique, the characters are relatable and enjoyable, and there were no errors that I saw.
It wasn't LOTR or star wars, but it doesn't need to be, it was a perfectly enjoyable experience all the same. I'm excited to read more.
I wasn't expecting much, and maybe that's part of the fun. But this was a fun, relatively light hearted adventure to read. The progression system is interesting and unique, the characters are relatable and enjoyable, and there were no errors that I saw.
It wasn't LOTR or star wars, but it doesn't need to be, it was a perfectly enjoyable experience all the same. I'm excited to read more.
January 7, 2023
Why did I do this to myself?!
I knew that book 2 hadn’t been released before I read this. I knew!!! There are only so many times before I can reread this book before it’s concerning. This has everything I’ve come to expect from a Cale Plamann book. The smart underdog taking on the world, a friendly adventure party, the comedy!, and the next level world building combines into a perfect read.
I knew that book 2 hadn’t been released before I read this. I knew!!! There are only so many times before I can reread this book before it’s concerning. This has everything I’ve come to expect from a Cale Plamann book. The smart underdog taking on the world, a friendly adventure party, the comedy!, and the next level world building combines into a perfect read.
May 19, 2023
The Odyssey Of A Trans-Dragon.
Samazzar is a dragon. Unfortunately, he exited his egg in the body of a kobold. Samazzar is also a being of singular focus, courage, intelligence, and enterprise; so the accident of being hatched into the wrong body is something he views as a correctable condition. It may take centuries, or millennia, but he will become the dragon he know himself to be — and take two of his litter-mates, Dussok and Takkla, on the journey with him.
Samazzar is a dragon. Unfortunately, he exited his egg in the body of a kobold. Samazzar is also a being of singular focus, courage, intelligence, and enterprise; so the accident of being hatched into the wrong body is something he views as a correctable condition. It may take centuries, or millennia, but he will become the dragon he know himself to be — and take two of his litter-mates, Dussok and Takkla, on the journey with him.
October 11, 2022
Cale is a brilliant author- fantastic world, characters and story.
Great book! Sam’s story is engaging and triumphant- hard work, perseverance, and dreaming are rewarded. I love the world and characters. Cale makes it easy to relate to Sam, and the world is a masterpiece. I highly recommend this to everyone!
Great book! Sam’s story is engaging and triumphant- hard work, perseverance, and dreaming are rewarded. I love the world and characters. Cale makes it easy to relate to Sam, and the world is a masterpiece. I highly recommend this to everyone!
October 16, 2022
KU Review
That was super fun. Talk about indomitable will! Sam has a truckload of it and maintains an upbeat positive attitude throughout his trials and tribulations. If only we could all emulate this little kobold.
As the title says this is a review for Kindle Unlimited and as such is a reflection of my enjoyment of the book and in no way reflects cost to value analysis.
That was super fun. Talk about indomitable will! Sam has a truckload of it and maintains an upbeat positive attitude throughout his trials and tribulations. If only we could all emulate this little kobold.
As the title says this is a review for Kindle Unlimited and as such is a reflection of my enjoyment of the book and in no way reflects cost to value analysis.
January 2, 2023
Nice start to a book
I liked it. It was at time simple but the endless enthusiasm of the MC kept pushing the book nicely.
I thought the magic system was super neat and the whole baptism thing incredibly fun.
Sam as a whole is a hardworking and I think the next book could be very interesting.
There was some slight grammar issue in the book.
I liked it. It was at time simple but the endless enthusiasm of the MC kept pushing the book nicely.
I thought the magic system was super neat and the whole baptism thing incredibly fun.
Sam as a whole is a hardworking and I think the next book could be very interesting.
There was some slight grammar issue in the book.
January 21, 2023
A fast favourite
A great premise and a great story make a good book. It is do often that books in this style do both, and yet fail to be so well written. A dream of wings and flame succeeds because of how smoothly it flows, worth reading for not just the plot but also it’s great delivery.
A great premise and a great story make a good book. It is do often that books in this style do both, and yet fail to be so well written. A dream of wings and flame succeeds because of how smoothly it flows, worth reading for not just the plot but also it’s great delivery.
February 21, 2025
I like the main character a lot. His obsession is an interesting balance of positivity and naivete.
Is his goal lofty enough to carry a book? Am I rooting for him? Kind of. Sort of. The stakes seem a bit light but I have to support any writer that writes outside of the human race. Good stuff.
Is his goal lofty enough to carry a book? Am I rooting for him? Kind of. Sort of. The stakes seem a bit light but I have to support any writer that writes outside of the human race. Good stuff.
October 11, 2022
That ending tho
Loved it spent my whole morning reading it non stop, and honestly that last chapter as cheesie as it was still has me waiting for the next book, which is too far away.
Loved it spent my whole morning reading it non stop, and honestly that last chapter as cheesie as it was still has me waiting for the next book, which is too far away.
October 23, 2022
This is a good story.
It has several layers, a clear goal and very intriguing characters. It does not try to rely solely on a horrible world state with duplicitous characters, a common theme in other Plamann works.
It has several layers, a clear goal and very intriguing characters. It does not try to rely solely on a horrible world state with duplicitous characters, a common theme in other Plamann works.
November 19, 2022
Very inspiring
This book is one of the few ones that are truly good. I would even say that it in the same category as "the Alchemist". Maybe not it's equal but definitely comparable.
This book is one of the few ones that are truly good. I would even say that it in the same category as "the Alchemist". Maybe not it's equal but definitely comparable.
December 4, 2022
Great start to an exciting epic
I love the magic system and the way you progress through the levels of achievements. The bloodline breakthrough look to add a level of uniqueness to each character. Looking forward to see what galena next.
I love the magic system and the way you progress through the levels of achievements. The bloodline breakthrough look to add a level of uniqueness to each character. Looking forward to see what galena next.
February 11, 2023
Excellent Story
This story of a lesser dragon kin who is determined to strengthen his bloodline to become a full dragon was fantastic. Also it’s a neat world and kinda have a almost unique magic system.
This story of a lesser dragon kin who is determined to strengthen his bloodline to become a full dragon was fantastic. Also it’s a neat world and kinda have a almost unique magic system.
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