Talon (Talon Saga, #1)

by Julie Kagawa

[Nessa Luna]

A while back, I heard Julie Kagawa was coming to my town to sign her books, so I decided to put my name down for it - even though I had only read one of her books (The Iron King). I had been planning on reading one of her other series (preferably the one about dragons) before she came here, so I purchased both the first and second book of Talon (Talon and Rogue). But as 30 October crept closer and closer, I thought to myself I would never be able to finish them before that date. I still got them signed, and decided I would definitely read them in November. And so I picked up Talon a couple of days ago.

Personally, I hadn't really enjoyed The Iron King that much, because it was a story about fairies mostly and they are not really my favourite mythological creatures. Dragons, however, are amazing. I loved them in Harry Potter, I loved them in Tolkien's world, and I really want to love them in Eragon too (but I can't get through that book, sorry). So yeah, I really hoped I would love Talon. And I honestly did!

Talon is about Ember and Dante Hill who are sleeper dragons. Dragons who change into humans and live amongst us. They are placed in a little town in California for a sort of holiday before the real job starts. Unfortunately, their enemy, 'Bloody' St. George has found out where they are, and hunts them down. Because dragons are dangerous, dragons need to be killed. Or are they?

This book is told from a dual perspective (Ember and Garrett) throughout the first half, and gets a third POV (Riley) added in the second half. Honestly, I didn't really mind it that much, because I wanted to know more about these characters. They each had their own chapters, and their names were above the chapters as well, which made it less confusing. It also made the story a lot more interesting, because we got to read not only from a dragon's perspective, but also from the perspective of someone from St. George.

I liked Ember, and Garrett also even though I also didn't like him mainly for being a St. George soldier. But I liked reading about them, and that's all that matters - if you don't like reading from someone's perspective, the story will probably get a lot more annoying to read imo. I liked Dante as well, but later on in the story I started to doubt him more and more. And I was right, he turned out to be a Talon's boy through and through, such a shame. As for Riley, I honestly didn't know what to think about him at the beginning of the story, but I kind of like him now. It may have to do with the fact he had a POV in the second part of the book.

The thing I liked most about this story was that Ember (and Dante for that matter) already knew she was special. She already knew she was a dragon, and there wasn't 'but I can't be a *mythological creature*, I have always been a normal person! I have very normal parents! I AM NORMAL!'. No Ember knew she was a dragon from the start, she knew she was dangerous and could kill someone with one strike of her claws. I loved that!

What I didn't like that much was the sort of instalove that happened between some characters, and the fact that there was a bit of a hint to a love-triangle. Two things I really despise, but that didn't really make me hate the book more. In fact, I loved it. And no amount of love-triangle, instalove, blah blah blah could change my opinion (although I am scared for the next book). Julie's writing is just very nice, and I enjoyed reading every bit. There were some funny parts (like a tiny mention of Tolkien and someone quoted something from Shrek (SHREK!).

Anyway, if you love to read a young adult story about dragons, where the main character already knows she's special, go and read Talon! Just do it!

My opinion on this book in one gif:


(yes I saw a chance, and I took it with both claws).