Dragon of the Stars in The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club

From the Bookshelf of The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club…

Dragon of the Stars

Alex J. Cavanaugh

Start date: October 1, 2021

Finish date: October 31, 2021

Why we're reading this: Shout out to the founder of the IWSG.
For fans of space opera and newbies wanting to try it out.
[close] Shout out to the founder of the IWSG.
For fans of space opera and newbies wanting to try it out.

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Feb 23, 2017 Toi Thomas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, rated, sci-fi, action-adventure

Every time I read one of Cavanaugh鈥檚 books, I kick myself for waiting so long to read it. This isn鈥檛 just another space opera; this is an amazing space opera by an author who鈥檚 known for adding layers you wouldn鈥檛 expect in such a story.

While I will always love the Cassa Series, Dragon of the Stars blew me away. I almost want to write fan fiction about this story. I鈥檓 actually sad that this is a stand-alone, but I get why it might be difficult to continue the story.

When I first started reading Every time I read one of Cavanaugh鈥檚 books, I kick myself for waiting so long to read it. This isn鈥檛 just another space opera; this is an amazing space opera by an author who鈥檚 known for adding layers you wouldn鈥檛 expect in such a story.

While I will always love the Cassa Series, Dragon of the Stars blew me away. I almost want to write fan fiction about this story. I鈥檓 actually sad that this is a stand-alone, but I get why it might be difficult to continue the story.

When I first started reading about Aden and his desire to be captain of his own ship, I didn鈥檛 really much care for him. I did like his parents though. The whole disagreement between Hyrath, Aden鈥檚 home planet, and the rest of the Alliance initially seemed as trivial as most political conflicts, but it soon began to develop in a way that let you know more was happening, even if you didn鈥檛 know what.

I see most plot twists coming a mile away, and even though I kinda saw this one coming, I wasn鈥檛 expecting the finality of it. I guess I kept thinking there was a 鈥渂ack door鈥� or 鈥渁ce in the hole鈥� to be played after the ultimate sacrifice was made, but nope. It really was the ultimate sacrifice. I mean, like, FOR-E-VER!

Like all of Cavanaugh鈥檚 books, this story has layers. Most people never get the opportunity to take on a true leadership role and might take for granted what all it actually takes to be, not just an effective leader, but a great one whose followers would gladly go to their death under such leadership. This story shows what a sacrifice leadership and heroism really is, and so much more.

I finished this book feeling as though I was connected to the characters and the world鈥檚 in which they lived. I want to bring all the Kargrandes home and let them eat my backyard. And don鈥檛 get me started on Pavott; I so want to be besties with her.

I seriously need the following installments to be added to this amazing stand-alone: Pavotts back story prequel, A history of Hyrathian dragons side story, the life cycle of a Kargrandes told in a creative narrative, one awesome diplomatic mission in the life and times of the new Captain Pendar. But, since these may never happen, I鈥檒l just have to be happy re-reading this each year.

Recommended to anyone who loves space opera and anyone interested in reading a story they won鈥檛 see coming. Suitable for all readers, but meant for adults. ...more

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Sep 07, 2019 Juneta Key rated it it was amazing

This was a great space faring read. Classic tale and fun. The character Aden starts with the desire to be captain of his own ship which starts our hero's journey. We learn about his race, we have political intrigue, elements that made me think of the world and bigger saga of Star Wars. I highly recommend. ...more

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Oct 21, 2021 Ronel Janse van Vuuren rated it did not like it

Shelves: books-that-should-have-a-trigger-wa, did-not-finish, sci-fi, speculative-fiction, disappointing-read, dragons, iwsg-member-book, book-club, a-z-d

I loved that dragons were as common as pigeons on the MC鈥檚 home planet. And they鈥檙e cute!

But there are punctuation issues: sometimes dialogue has no quotation marks to show that it鈥檚 dialogue, loads of inner monologue would have read easier in italics 鈥� especially as some of it seems to be conversation without quotation marks, etc.

It鈥檚 your basic space story about saving planets, fighting space battles, betrayal and love. It has all the beloved tropes of the space stories I grew up with (Star Tr ...more

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