A Dragon's Ascension

This item came to me by the date promised and in exactly the condition described.

Overall, I give this book four out of five stars. A Dragon's Ascension is a great fantasy that will keep you reading until the very end. However, if you are the type of person who doesn't like action and battles, then this book is not for you. There is more fighting in this book than there are events that lead towards a resolution of a plot. One more important fact that needs to be addressed is that this book belongs to a series called "The Band of Four Novels." Like all series, each book relies on information or events that occur in the previous book. I strongly suggest reading the series in order to get the full grasp of the characters and the understanding of the epic journey of the Band of Four. As you may have guessed the book begins with a group called the Band Of Four roaming the forests of Aglirta. They consist of Embra the sorceress, Hawkril the warrior, Craer the thief, and Sarasper the healer. They are the watchers of the land each contributing their own unique skills for one main purpose, which is keeping the kingdom of Aglirta together.In this book of the series, the kingdom does not have a king and the significance of the empty throne creates rivalry amongst the barons and warlords to posses the power that can be found in the throne's magic. Possessing the power means a chance rule Aglirta. The Band of Four has been destined to keep order and keep the throne safe from unwanted rulers. Embra the sorceress is the smartest and most cunning of the Band of Four. She has the ability to use magic against foes and gives the Band of Four an incredible advantage in their battles. In one battle when archers surprised them, she slows down time and gives the rest of the band time to retaliate in a timelier manner. Hawkril the warrior is my favorite character. He lives up to the profile of a warrior. He is noble, he excels in sword fighting, and he never gives up no matter how bleak the situation. Craer the thief is the comic relief of the four. He is full one liners during battles that are memorable. He collects and uses knives skillfully from a far range. Last is Sarasper the healer. He is a healer because he uses magic to fix wounds and cure ailments. He is also a unique warrior who transforms his body shape into a giant wolf spider and only then engages himself into the battles. As with any epic adventure series, there are the memorable evil characters that disrupt the order of world. The Dragon's Ascension has many really unforgettable antagonists. Starting with Jhavarr Bowdragon, a vengeful wizard who kills first before asking questions, to the hungry land baron Bloodbane who successfully manages to convince others to follow him. Add in serpents, warriors, sorcerers and a lot of deception and you will be entertained with the battles and adventures that are nonstop in this book.One more thing...this book has nothing to do with dragons.

The king of Aglirta has returned to his century-old slumber, but the country is torn by civil war. Magicians, barons, and mercenaries vie for the thrown in complete disregard for their vows to the true king, his regent, Baron Blackgult, or for the four over-Dukes he had set to retain the peace. With the continuing efforts of the snake priests and a few mad mages thrown into the stew, things look rough indeed for the Band of Four and for the future of Aglirta. All of Author Ed Greenwood's Band of Four novels are filled with nonstop action and A DRAGON'S ASCENSION is no exception. When Embra loses her magical stone, even Hawkril's massive sword and Craer's quick daggers seem like weak hope for the future of the nation. And unfortunately for the kingdom, the many plotters seem unwilling to kill each other off. Instead, the Four and the Regent must face each in turn, with fewer and fewer resources at every turn. Greenwood seems to have turned up the emotional complexity of his writing a notch, allowing the reader to feel more involved in the story and less like he is watching someone else's fantasy roll-playing game. The story stakes are also higher. The emergence of the Serpent represents a disaster for the entire world. A DRAGON'S ASCENSION is fast and compelling reading with murder and battle on almost every page. It may not be a literary masterpiece but it's a fun read.

Through all of his books and in all of his worlds, Ed Greenwood has brought us many fine characters. The Band of Four are no different. His Forgotten Realms work is what made his name in the fantasy genre, but he has certainly not rested on his laurels.A DRAGON'S ASCENSION is the third book in his Band of Four series. Hawrdil, Craer, Sarasper and Embra (the warrior, the thief, the healer and the sorceress, respectively) have returned to stop the barons of Aglirta from destroying them.As always, Greenwood's plot is fast-moving and his characters are well-conceived (if a little archetypical). Fans of high energy fantasy will be well served by A DRAGON'S ASCENSION.