The Red Wyvern

The Dragon Mage, Book 1

By: Katharine Kerr

Narrated by: Ruth Urquhart

Katharine Kerr's richly imagined cycle of novels set in Deverry and the Westlands has earned a devoted following—and a reputation as the finest Celtic fantasy being written today. Now she returns to Deverry's war-ravaged past . . .

In a kingdom torn by civil war, young Lillorigga seeks to shield her dawning powers from her cruel mother Merodda's manipulation. Mistress of a magic that, untamed, could kill her, Lilli brings her terrifying visions under the kindlier tutelage of the mysterious dweomermaster, Nevyn. But soon she must choose between her own clan and the true king who fights to claim his rightful throne, between sanctuary and blood feud, loyalty and love. Little does she dream that the slaughter she invites, and the malevolence she defies, could stalk her across the ages . . . twisting and twining the strands of timeless destinies.

©1997 Katharine Kerr (P)2023 Tantor

Most excellent

This book series is probably my favorite epic storyline of any out there. Looking forwards to the next!

Hard to follow

I love audible books but I had such a hard time understanding what was going on. Too many characters. So hard to follow

about time

this book series has been my all-time fav since 1995. I have enjoyed listening to this many times.

Read the Books in Order!

I have a feeling a lot of the recent middling reviews are because this book was on sale a few weeks ago and people bought it thinking it was the beginning of a series. It’s not! And if you try to start here, which is basically the middle of the series, you will be lost.

Go back. Start with Daggerspell. Or, even better, get the four book omnibus that’s currently available. Then read the Westlands quartet. *Then* you can start this one.

I really love this series— but it has a complicated structure and a ton of characters from different timelines to keep track of. This is essentially the ninth book in the series. Trust me, this is not the place to start.

Unremarkable

I don’t think I felt a single moment of actual emotion during this entire story. Not sadness or happiness or excitement. Just - boring.

At the end of this book I realized that I didn’t know who any of the characters were and I had no interest in what may happen next. In fact I’m not even sure there would be another book in the series based on the ending - nor am I interested in looking it up. Snoozefest.