The next installment in New York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu's Soulbound Saga--a thrilling cultivation and progression epic fantasy series--continuing the harrowing journey of Jai as he navigates returning to his own people, growing in his magic and as a warrior, fending off attacks both without and within...and, of course, bonding even more with his dragon!
Jai dreams of being a dragon rider. He dreams of freedom from the Sabine Empire and a world in which he can lead his people, the Kidara, to freedom. But even though he has his dragon, Winter, she is still growing, just as he's still growing in his own power. And the road to victory is even more fraught than he had hoped.
Because even when he finds a tribe on the Great Steppe, they are not his people. More, they are outcasts, the Tainted, and he finds that he knows little of the customs and political intricacies that take place in these vast grasslands. He is a stranger amongst his own kind, and that is even more apparent when he reunites with the Kidara, for Jai's uncle rules, and is loath to cede power to his nephew. And even if Jai was sure he could take the reins of the leadership, he isn't sure he could actually hold them.
But the legionaries and Gryphon Guard of the Sabine Empire are wreaking havoc against the other tribes of the Great Steppe, and Jai is forced to learn a lifetime's worth of knowledge in a matter of months. From taming the massive khiroi that make up the tribe's calvary, to levelling up his magic, to becoming a true warrior, worrying over the fate of the woman he loves, and strengthening his bond with Winter, Jai is a dragon rider with a massive weight on his young shoulders. And his greatest hope is that the shoulders of Winter will soon be strong enough to help carry him.
First in Taran Matharu's New York Times bestselling epic fantasy Summoner Trilogy, The Novice is an action-packed adventure of a young man gifted--or cursed--with an extraordinary and terrifying power...
Fletcher is working as a blacksmith's apprentice when he discovers he has the rare ability to summon demons from another world. Chased from his village for a crime he did not commit, Fletcher must travel with his demon, Ignatius, to an academy for adepts, where the gifted are taught the art of summoning. Along with nobles and commoners, Fletcher endures grueling lessons that will prepare him to serve as a Battlemage in the Empire's war against the savage Orcs. But sinister forces infect new friendships and rivalries grow. With no one but Ignatius by his side, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of the Empire is in his hands. . . . This paperback edition includes an interview with the author, a special sneak peek of the sequel, The Inquisition, and more. The Summoner TrilogySecond in Taran Matharu's New York Times bestselling epic fantasy Summoner Trilogy, The Inquisition is an action-packed adventure of a young man gifted--or cursed--with an extraordinary and terrifying power...
A year has passed since the Tournament. Fletcher and Ignatius have been locked away in Pelt's dungeons, but now they must face trial at the hands of the Inquisition, a powerful institution controlled by those who would delight in Fletcher's downfall. The trial is haunted by ghosts from the past with shocking revelations about Fletcher's origins, but he has little time to dwell on them; the graduating students of Vocans are to be sent deep into the orc jungles to complete a dangerous mission for the king and his council. If they fail, the orcish armies will rise to power beyond anything the Empire has ever seen. With loyal friends Othello and Sylva by his side, Fletcher must battle his way to the heart of Orcdom and save Hominum from destruction . . . or die trying. This paperback edition includes an interview with the author, a special sneak peek of the sequel, The Battlemage, and more. The Summoner TrilogyThe epic conclusion to Taran Matharu's New York Times bestselling epic fantasy Summoner Trilogy, The Battlemage is an action-packed adventure of a young man gifted--or cursed--with an extraordinary and terrifying power...
Fletcher and his classmates from Vocans Academy--including the elf Sylva and the dwarf Othello--travel through the ether, where they must pursue a mortally dangerous quest to rebuild their world and broker peace. As he leads a small army of soldiers, Fletcher will face his biggest challenge yet: his nemesis, the albino orc, Khan, who seeks to destroy everything Fletcher loves. The Summoner TrilogyThe thrilling prequel to the New York Times-bestselling young adult Summoner series!
When stable boy Arcturus accidentally summons a demon and becomes Hominum's first common summoner, he becomes the key to a secret that the powerful overlords would do anything to keep hidden.
New York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu's debut adult fantasy series introduces an immersive story written in the tradition of the viral cultivation genre. Discover a rich world of magic, warriors, and dragons, in which a fearless orphan and an ambitious handmaiden flee from the empire that would imprison them, with a dream to return to their homelands and a determination that's unbreakable...
Can an orphan captive learn the secrets of the Dragon Riders to stand up and avenge his people?
Jai lives as a royal hostage in the Sabine Court--ever since his father Rohan, leader of the Steppefolk, led a failed rebellion and was executed by the very emperor Jai now serves.
When the emperor's son and heir is betrothed to Princess Erica of the neighboring Dansk Kingdom, she brings with her a dowry: dragons. Endemic to the northern nation, these powerful beasts come in several forms, but mystery surrounds them. Only Dansk royalty know the secret to soulbonding with these dangerous beasts to draw on their power and strength. This marriage--and the alliance that forms--will change that forever.
But conspirators lurk in the shadows, and soon the Sabine Court is in chaos. With his life in danger, Jai uses the opportunity to escape with the Dansk handmaiden, Frida, and a stolen hatchling. Hunted at every turn, he must learn to cultivate magic and become a soulbound warrior if he has any chance of finding safety, seizing his destiny...and seeking his revenge.
The stakes are higher than ever in The Challenger, the second book in the Contender YA trilogy by the New York Times bestselling author of the Summoner series, Taran Matharu.
The first battle is over, but the Game is just beginning...In Taran Matharu's The Champion, the explosive final book in the Contender trilogy, Cade and his friends wage the ultimate battle for their lives--and the fate of Earth itself--in the Game set by the cruel and mysterious Pantheon...
Cade has managed to survive the duel with the Hydra Alpha--barely. But the Games are far from over. By order of their cruel and mysterious overlord, Abaddon, Cade and his friends are sent off to war against the Greys, a humanoid race who have far surpassed humans in technology on their home planet. This attempt to move up the leaderboard, however, leads Cade to a game-changing revelation: The Pantheon--the millennia-old alien masterminds behind the Games--have a weakness. With the right artifacts scavenged from the land of Acies and a heavy dose of courage and luck, Cade has exactly one chance to end their tyranny forever. But if he fails, the lives of his friends--and the survival of Earth itself--will be forfeit.The Chosen introduces the first book in the Contender trilogy, an epic young adult fantasy from Taran Matharu, author of the New York Times-bestselling Summoner series.
Throughout history, people have vanished with no explanation. A group of teenagers are about to discover why. Cade is settling into a new boarding school, contemplating his future, when he finds himself transported to another realm. He soon discovers their new world is populated with lost remnants from the past: prehistoric creatures, ancient relics, and stranger still--people. Overwhelmed by his new surroundings, Cade has little time to adjust, for soon he and his fellow classmates are forced to become contenders in a brutal game, controlled by mysterious overlords. But who are these beings and why did they choose these teens? Cade must prepare for battle . . . because hiding is not an option. Fans of fantasy and LitRPG will welcome this new character and world from the author of the Summoner series.