BOOK REVIEW | RISE OF THE DRAGONWITCH | TIMOTHY K. CLARK

 

BOOK REVIEW | RISE OF THE DRAGONWITCH | TIMOTHY K. CLARK

ABOUT THE BOOK

A world of myths. A battle for survival.

War is brewing in Tir Na, a hidden world teeming with the mythical creatures and legends humanity thought were just stories. For college student Finley Maguire, life takes a drastic turn when she’s kidnapped from NYC and thrown into this dangerous, medieval realm on the other side of the sun.

Prophecy says Finley is the savior destined to stop a mad king from becoming an immortal emperor.

There’s just one problem... Finley is no hero.

Feisty, untrained, and very much not prepared for any of this, she’s pulled into a whirlwind of brutal training, court intrigue, deadly alliances, and beasts straight out of nightmares. From fiery dragons to cunning knights, every corner of Tir Na challenges her will to survive.

Caught between the role she never asked for and the fear she can’t shake, Finley must decide if she’ll rise to become the legend they need… or watch the world fall apart while she’s still figuring out how to hold a sword.

A story of courage, dangerous magic, unlikely alliances, and one very reluctant hero, Rise of the Dragonwitch brings a fresh, fierce voice to epic fantasy.

REVIEW

Set in a world just by the side of Earth, Timothy K. Clark’s Rise of the Dragonwitch is an enjoyable throwback to late eighties, early nineties fantasy. If you remember and enjoyed things like the Landover series by Terry Brooks, or The Spearwielder’s Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore, then you are in for a good time.

Kidnapped by a mysterious cloaked figure whilst out partying with her socialite friends, Finlay McGuire is taken to the fantastical world of Tir Na by bumbling wizard Pherric.

She finds herself thrust into a war that threatens to devastate the peoples of Tir Na, Finlay finds out that she is the chosen one to deliver peace and prosperity against the big bad evil dictator who wants to wipe out the other diverse cultures of the land. Except that there is one problem! Finlay is a spoiled little rich girl who has never really done anything in her life except drift from one pointless life excursion to another, under the safety net of her rich father.

To be honest, Rise of the Dragonwitch doesn’t do anything particularly different to what most hardened fantasy fans have read in their formative years of reading fantasy. However, don’t let this put you off. Whilst not diverting from footsteps that have already been trodden in many a fantasy novel, Rise of the Dragonwitch is an entertaining, adventure filled book that barrels along at a pace that keeps you invested till the end.

The characters are well presented, and it does not take long to become invested in them. Framed similarly to The Name of the Wind, the story unfolds through Finlay’s recollections with the main hook of the tale coming from how events develop rather than shocking revelations.

The book is plot led, but balances that with strong character development and the prose carries a cinematic flair throughout and at 700 pages, this is a door stopper of book. However, it never outstays its welcome. Mainly due to the fact that there is some plot point or keeping the pace going.

If you are looking for an old fashioned adventure led fantasy romp, Rise of the Dragonwitch may the book to satisfy those appetites.