ARC Review: The Color of Dragons by R.A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis

About the Book:

Title: The Color of Dragons

Author: R.A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis

Page Length: 416

Publication Date: Oct. 19, 2021

Publisher: Harper Teen

Synopsis: A sweeping, action-packed, romantic pre-Arthurian tale of the origins of magic (and Merlin) by powerhouse adult fantasy author R. A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis, perfect for fans of The Falling Kingdoms and Seraphina

Magic needs a spark.

And Maggie’s powers are especially fickle. With no one to help her learn to control her magic, the life debt that she owes stretches eternally over her head, with no way to repay it.

Until she meets Griffin, the king’s champion infamous for hunting down the draignochs that plague their kingdom.

Neither has any idea of the destiny that they both carry, or that their meeting will set off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of the life they know—and all of history thereafter.

Perfect for fans of Goldenhand and The Girl of Fire and Thorns, this epic, romantic tale from New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore and debut author Erika Lewis will enchant readers and draw them into a thrilling world of star-crossed lovers, magic, destiny, and the paths we choose.

LINKS:     Goodreads    |      Amazon    | 

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My Review:

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the author, and Harper Teen for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

The Color of Dragons is a new young adult fantasy by R.A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis. The story is told from both Maggie and Griffin’s perspectives, which I liked, especially considering how different they are and that their stories aren’t always together. However, Maggie’s chapters are told in the first-person point-of-view, while Griffin’s chapters are from the third-person. I have mixed feelings about this. I liked the first person and felt that I got more perspective on Maggie’s thoughts and feelings. It delved deeper into her character this way. Griffin’s story, though interesting, felt a little more detached. I think this might be an interesting way of showing the differences in their personalities, but I would have loved to know more of Griffin’s thoughts and feelings in the first person as well.

Since she has newfound powers, Maggie must learn how to control and use them. She also tries to find out more about her past and the situation with the dragons. Maggie has a special connection with dragons, unlike Griffin. Griffin is the king’s champion, and he has a lot of pressure put upon him. The king has high expectations, as do the citizens. Additionally, he hunts dragons. Griffin has suffered much loss at the hands of dragons and hates them for it. I like how his feelings and opinions evolve over the course of the story and how Maggie’s influence opens his eyes to what is happening around him.

The way Maggie and Griffin approach things, their beliefs, and even their loyalties conflict. However, they have other things in common. They are both strong and smart survivors who do what they must to protect themselves. They both grow a lot throughout the story, and they both have feelings for each other. Their relationship is sweet and filled with longing, which was one of my favorite parts of the story. I like how Maggie and Griffin slowly connect and change each other.

Political intrigue, corruption, power-hungry antagonists, forced betrothals and other dangerous situations are the cause of conflict throughout the story, and the more Maggie and Griffin find out about the king and his son and their tyrannical reign, the more they realize that things aren’t always what they seem. The antagonists didn’t have much depth, but their villainous ways permeated the land and people. The magic and the dragons are really intriguing, though I wish each was further developed. I want to know more about each and have a feeling they will be explored more deeply in future books in the series. The ending has a twist that I totally didn’t see coming, and it completely surprised me. It did feel a bit rushed, but I liked it nonetheless.

I think readers who like young adult fiction with strong protagonists, political intrigue, a clean romance, and interesting fantasy elements might enjoy this read.

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Rating:

Favorite Parts:

• The romance.

• The dragons.

• The fantasy elements.

Recommendations:

This might appeal to readers who like ya fantasy with dragons, strong female characters, and a light love story.