Wow! It has been a LONG time since I have actually felt tension while reading a book. I can read the biggest action scenes at the end of various books and the majority of the time they just don't affect me at all - because I don't care that much about the characters. But THIS - this was different. I felt the tension. And it was real. Plus the author is very willing to kill characters so there is some uncertainty there as well. And the battle at the end of this most excellent book - it was hot and raging. Plus the enemy leaked danger as well. True menace. Very rarely does some enemy in a book impress me at all but this one most certainly did.. Right from the description I just KNEW there was something different about these mages called venin. They seemed impressive too. And very memorable. I wanted to draw them based off of the description. Very rarely do I get that urge.
But what a battle at the end! It was touch and go. What would happen? Would the heroes win or lose? I didn't know. And I felt concern.
This book has made me feel things. Earlier it had made me cry - tears of joy.
And the book has surprised me too. The plot twists! I guess I should have seen it coming but I didn't so I was quite surprised. But it certainly makes the story way more interesting! And I am certainly eager to read the sequel too! This is a massive book and worth reading every word! And rarely do I feel that way. But its exciting and the characters face so many challenges. And there is death too. In fact there is a lot of death in here. Its a very violent world, a tough world of dragons and griffins and things that are supposed to be only legends to scare kids to eat their vegetables...
But what I love the most in here in the main character Violet. She has a connective tissue disorder. I have one too (its called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome - EDS - and I am pretty confident that Violet actually has EDS). I have never run across a character in a book before that has EDS. And certainly not one that is bold enough to be in a fantasy world where she rides a dragon. How cool is that? So yes I certainly can relate to her very well! And so much of the stuff in here is quite accurate too. Exercise is the best way to protect the joints (and personally I find diet matters a ton too). And yes it certainly can make many things way harder. The joints are all wonky and they naturally hyper-extend so doing things - even just balancing - is way harder. But riding a dragon!!! I remember when I was much younger I used to read this other very popular fantasy series that included dragons and I used to try to imagine what it would be like to ride a dragon. Of course I never thought about the issues of staying ON said dragon... But since I ride horses these days I have a better idea of some of the issues. But wow this book is totally AMAZING! it totally captivated my attention. The first evening I started it I got 50% through. And I certainly would have powered through the second half yesterday but unfortunately I have packing to do as I am moving at the end of the month.
If I could I would rate it 6 stars!
The characters are just so real. And they go through character arcs too. They change. They face obstacles and have to find solutions. And there is certainly a bit of romance in here too. The story moved so smoothly. Never a dull moment at all. None. And I just loved the first person writing in here from Violet's viewpoint.
But the story is about a young woman named Violet who has been forced by her very powerful mother to become a dragon rider. That is a warrior. But her body is weak and ill suited for it. So she was training to be a scribe (but all of that writing would be a huge strain on her too - in fact I cannot write very long at all by hand anymore without pain + numbness going down my arm and I get horrid shoulder pain) but that changed - she had to go be a dragon rider or die trying. But its not that easy in fact its very dangerous. Most people who try to become a rider end up dead. And you can be killed by your own classmates! Yes, its a very brutal school. And after all of these difficult obstacles - which Violet is ill suited to pass - she has to hope that a dragon will pick her. But what dragon will pick someone with a body that doesn't work right due to genetic mutations?
And all of that is near the beginning of the book! For a huge mysterious and dangerous problem is brewing in the Kingdom! And poor Violet will run smack into it - err - fly into it. If she can stay on the dragon that is...
You definitely should read this!
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“They’re a mated pair, Tairn and Sgaeyl. The strongest bonded pair in centuries.”Highlighted by 52,519 Kindle readers- “Fascinating. You look all frail and breakable, but you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?”Highlighted by 50,484 Kindle readers
- “Going for blood today, are we, Violence?” he whispers. Metal hits the mat again and he kicks it past my head and out of my reach. He’s not taking my daggers to use against me; he’s disarming me just to prove he can. My blood boils. “My name is Violet,” I seethe. “I think my version fits you better.” He releases my wrist and stands, offering me a hand. “We’re not done yet.”Highlighted by 31,072 Kindle readers
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| Lose yourself in unforgettable fantasy from Red Tower Books | Can you love the dark when you know what it hides? | Vengeance. Love. Murder. All in a day’s work. | Gladiator meets Final Fantasy in this cinematic, action-packed epic romantasy. | N.K. Jemisin meets Baldur’s Gate from NYT bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall. | The gods of myth are alive and well. And Hades is done sitting on the sidelines | Be the fury in the machine in the wildest sci-fantasy ride of 2024. |
About the author
🐉⚔️ 𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚐 ⚔️🐉
🐉⚔️ 𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚐 ⚔️🐉 ✍🏼 𝚁𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚌𝚊 𝚈𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚜 I’ll be honest: I didn’t want to fall into the hype. Everyone was raving about Fourth Wing, and I went into it thinking, “It can’t be that good.” Well, joke’s on me because I was hooked from page one. This book is pure entertainment—fast-paced, addictive, and so much fun. Is it perfect? No. Is it original? Not really. But does it make you want to drop everything and read it in one sitting? Absolutely. The story wastes no time throwing you into the chaos of Basgiath War College, where survival isn’t guaranteed and dragons literally choose who lives or dies. Violet Sorrengail is thrust into this brutal world, and watching her transformation is one of the most satisfying parts of the book. She starts out fragile and underestimated, but her quick thinking and determination make her a character you can’t help but root for. And her bond with the dragons? Perfection. Tairn, with his gruff wisdom and sharp wit, completely steals the show. Add in Andarna, the small but fierce golden dragon, and you’ve got a dynamic duo that’s impossible not to love. And then there’s Xaden Riorson. Dark, brooding, tattooed—basically the blueprint for every morally gray love interest we secretly adore. His chemistry with Violet is off the charts, and their enemies-to-lovers arc is everything. Sure, it leans into tropes, but it’s done so well that you won’t care. Their banter, tension, and the way he always has her back? Chef’s kiss. The worldbuilding is surprisingly easy to follow, which I appreciated. There’s no endless info-dumping or overly complicated magic systems—just a rich, immersive world that lets you dive right in. And while the plot is fairly predictable, it’s packed with high stakes, betrayal, and just enough twists to keep you on your toes. The dragons, though, are what truly make this story special. They have their own personalities, their own motivations, and they feel just as alive as the human characters. Was some of the dialogue a little cringey? Sure. Were there moments where the drama was over the top? Definitely. But honestly, that’s part of what makes this book so fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it’s not trying to reinvent the wheel—it’s just here to give you a wild, unforgettable ride. If you love dragons, romance, or just need a book that’ll completely pull you in, Fourth Wing is it. It’s the kind of story that makes you lose track of time, and when it’s over, all you’ll want is more. 💭 “𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸’𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚘 𝚒𝚝. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸’𝚖 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝.” “𝙷𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎, 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙸𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚌𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚒𝚖𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜-𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜.”
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025
Nearly 370,000 ratings as I'm writing this review and 98% of them are 5 and 4 star. That alone should drive you to read this book. While some reviews will say it's book 1 of 3, turns out it's book 1 of 5 and what a series it will be. Great characters (both human, dragon, and otherwise), great plot, and phenomenal action. As a military veteran, I can remember going through Basic Training just as these conscripts do except we didn't kill our weaker trainees. As a member of two fighter wings, I can remember how pilots graduating from flight school got to choose what aircraft they'd fly. In "Fourth Wing," however, the aircraft choose the pilots (riders) except the "aircraft" here are razor-toothed, sharp-clawed, spike-tailed, fire-breathing dragons . . . and the wonder and fantasy of the story line extends from there. I couldn't put this book down and quickly gobbled up the second in the series, "Iron Flame," and am ready for #3, "Onyx Storm." There are twists and turns and deaths, and romance and laughter and airborne flying dogfights (er, dragon fights) that had me leaning and swerving in my chair as if I were the dragon rider. Just a great book and a great series lead-in that has won multiple literary awards. You will not be disappointed.
"Top Gun" meets "Avatar!" Strap yourself in for a totally wild ride!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025
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Top reviews from other countries
- Sarah @literarysarah 📚 Book Reviews & Bookish ThingsReviewed in Australia on January 28, 2025
Romantasy at its finest – it ticks all the boxes.
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- Stars and VellumReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 31, 2023
Probably the best book I've ever read.
Oh wow, what a wild ride. I actually think this is my favourite book that I’ve ever read. If I could give it 6 stars I would.Stars and VellumProbably the best book I've ever read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 31, 2023
“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.”
Step into the cutthroat world of dragon riders at Basgiath War College. Meet Violet Sorrengail, destined for the Scribe Quadrant, but thrown into the race to become an elite dragon rider by her tough-as-nails mother. With her fragile physique, bonding with dragons seems impossible, and the odds stack against her. As deadly secrets and ruthless competitors lurk, Violet must rely on her wits to survive. Amidst a war-torn kingdom and failing defenses, every day brings new challenges, alliances, and betrayals. At Basgiath War College, the path to victory is treacherous, and the only options are to graduate or die. When I tell you this is the best, not only fantasy, but the best book I have ever read I am not exaggerating.
Firstly, I was absolutely h o o k e d within the first 20 pages. That has never happened for me in a book before 😭 I fell in love with Violet almost instantly. She's the tiny but mighty FMC who, even though she has a disability, takes and runs with literally anything that is thrown at her. We enter the world following Violet as she enrolls in Basgiath and takes on her first challenge almost instantly. We're thrown into the world, but it doesn't seem confusing. Everything is explained and I didn't feel lost at all when I was reading this.
“But I will not run. I wouldn't be standing here if I'd quit every time something seemed impossible to overcome. I will not die today.”
Violet is amazing, she's sassy, caring, charming and a complete and utter queen. She takes no bs, but also is incredibly caring, kind and compassionate, even when other characters didn't deserve it. Xaden is also a complete highlight. He's your typical dark and brooding MMC, but what lies beyond that is such a deep and complex character. I would follow him into battle.
The romance in this book is absolutely sizzling. I was melting everytime their eyes met from across the room 😩 Lord give me strength because I was NOT prepared for *those* scenes 🥵🥵
But the most shocking part for me, was how much I absolutely fell in love with the Dragons. Tairn is a whole mood. The dialogue with the dragons was some of the best dialogue I've ever read and had me giddy and giggling like a child the whole time.
“You're making us look bad. Stop it.”
This book may only be around 500 pages but EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE of this book was full of action, information and funnies. There was absolutely no filler in this book at all. I was completely entranced.
The last sentence absolutely BROKE me. Rebecca, how could you do this? How can you leave us like that?! I can't believe we have to wait until November to find out what happens next. I did not see that coming - AT ALL.
Overall, were the tropes in this book original? No. But it was so incredibly enjoyable and written so well that it's now one of my (if not the top) all time favourite books. I'm already NEEDING the next book.
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