Bitterwood

James Maxey has really impressed me with his first two novels. Bitterwood stands out as one of those rare fantasy novels that you can enjoy in one book. There's a sequel, but Bitterwood can stand on it's own. The story is really fun - an earth that has returned to a medieval era; a man whose family is lost to dragons; he vows to destroy dragons wherever possible, aided by fortunate trivial assistance from outside observers. Maxey does a good job of anthropomorphizing dragons, and making the dragon-human culture believable.

Im new to the whole fantasy genre so when i picked up this book i wasnt too sure if id like it. Well, this book blew me off my feet, I LOVED IT, its got a great story line, well developed characters that you can relate to, and it hooks you quick and keeps you hooked, I just didnt want to put it down!! There's not much more to say but this book is great, if you like fantasy, or dragons, or both or even just want something different to read this is a great book to get. James Maxey did a great job and you can believe i bought the second book, Dragonforge, and it was also just as good, only it left me wanting more at the end of it but, the 3rd one is coming! Anyways, because of this book, i am now a fan of fantasy books.

I'm not going to write about the story of the book or give little bits about it, or even speak in perfect terms about 'the masterful works of the author' and 'breathtaking descriptions'. I'm going to keep it real for you folks. I'm 26 years old and have been reading Fantasy since THE CASTLE IN THE ATTIC. I love Fantasy books, but not Sci-Fi books. I suppose, until now. Maxey put the two together so well, it almost seams that they were meant to be together forever. I've read anything from Tolkien, to Jacques, to Jordan. Take this seriously, when I say it, James Maxey is up there with the best. When I found Paolini's, ERAGON and ELDEST, I was excited that there were new writers out there who really created a fantastical world that seemed to exist so many years ago. Well, as I looked through my local library, I came upon BITTERWOOD, read the first paragraph, and took it home. I read it in a week. Yea, that's not TOO fast, but I do work full-time, workout 5 days a week, and have a house, wife, and 4 pets to take care of. I couldn't put it down. And when I did, I wanted to pick it back up again. I finished it only to be saddened that it was over. But, off I go onto the internet and find out that DRAGONFORGE is available. So the next day, I went to the bookstore to buy it. It has been just as intriguing as BITTERWOOD. I'm only about 50 pages in, but this morning, I didn't want to go to work because 'it was just getting good'. Do yourself a favor, if you are reading this, I kid you not, buy them both right now. You will only be freaking out if you buy BITTERWOOD, finish it in 4 days, and then have to wait for DRAGONFORGE to hit your doorstep. Great book! You'll love it.

In a land where dragons rule, and humans are treated merely as slaves and pets, there seems to be little hope. But after his family is taken from him, Bitterwood sets out on a quest for vengeance against the ruthless dragons. And humanity looks to the legendary dragon hunter to set them free. Bitterwood is one of the most original and exciting fantasy novels that I've read in years. The characters of Bitterwood and the dragon Vendevorex are shrouded in mystery, their stories slowly unfolding through flashbacks over the course of the novel. There are a good number of dragon characters in the story, which are just as well-developed with distinct personalities as the humans. With a large cast of unique characters, the index of characters in the back of the book comes in handy at times. The imagery and descriptions of this fantasy world is amazingly vivid and creative. And the story of Bitterwood is epic and thought provoking. Full of adventure, mystery, action, this is one story that should appease any fantasy and adventure fan. Maxey is one of the most talented writers that I've come across lately, and I'll definitely be following his progress and looking forward to new releases.