Book 1

Dragon Rider

by Taran Matharu

Published 2 April 2024

FROM THE ASHES OF AN EMPIRE, A HERO WILL RISE… THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

‘A dazzlingly epic and richly complex world of dragons, magic, and rebellion’ Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

'Dragons with depth… Taran Matharu masterfully layers the history, politics and soulful magic of his world with page-turning ease, all the while delivering shocks, bloodshed and a splash of slow-burn spice' Cari Thomas, Sunday Times bestselling author of Threadneedle

FROM THE ASHES OF AN EMPIRE, A HERO WILL RISE…

Jai has spent his life forced to serve the cruel empire that killed his family and now rules his people.

To grow ever more powerful, the emperor’s young son is betrothed to Princess Erica of the Dansk Kingdom. An unconquerable realm, where ancient beasts roam. The princess brings with her a priceless gift: dragons. Only Dansk Royalty can bond with these magical beasts to draw on their power and strength. Until now.

When the betrothal goes wrong, a bloody coup leads to chaos at court. Finally, Jai has a chance to escape. He flees with a fierce Dansk warrior, Frida, but not before stealing a dragon egg.

To vanquish the empire, he must do the impossible: bond with a dragon. Only then he can seize his destiny, and seek his revenge …

An epic new fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu, where dragons fly and empires fall.

'Eragon and Sapphira, Laurence and Temeraire, and now Jai and Winter. A brilliant beginning!' Michael R. Miller, bestselling author of the Songs of Chaos series

‘Bloody, glorious, and irresistibly compelling, Dragon Rider is a riveting epic that is at once sweepingly vast and heart-wrenchingly personal’ Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Bone Maker

‘Brutal politics, intricate worldbuilding, and edge-of-the-seat battles’ Prashanth Srivatsa, author of The Spice Gate

‘A classic fantasy adventure that reminds me of the novels I loved growing up, but with a flair of cultivation from the novels I love now’ Will Wight, New York Times bestselling author of the Cradle series

READ THE EPIC FANTASY WITH SCORCHING FIVE-STAR READER REVIEWS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

‘After falling in love with the dragons in Fourth Wing and Iron FlameDragon Rider did not disappoint in any way. I was hooked’

‘What an absolutely amazing ride this was!’

‘Fans of Iron Flame and Dragonfall will love this book!’

‘Okay, this is a must read! If you like dragons, political intrigue and machinations, and a touch of violence, pick it up!’


Book 2

The Tainted Khan

by Taran Matharu

Published 22 April 2025
The epic sequel to Taran Matharu’s instant Sunday Times bestseller, Dragon Rider, in which empires fall and dragons soar…

‘A dazzlingly epic and richly complex world of dragons, magic, and rebellion’ Amélie Wen Zhao on Dragon Rider

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. They are the outcasts, the Tainted, and he finds that he knows little of the political intricacies that take place in these vast grasslands. He is a stranger amongst his own kind, for Jai’s uncle rules, and is loath to cede power to his nephew.

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 levelling up his magic, to becoming a true warrior, saving 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.

READ THE EPIC FANTASY SERIES WITH SCORCHING FIVE-STAR READER REVIEWS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

'Dragons with depth… Taran Matharu masterfully layers the history, politics and soulful magic of his world with page-turning ease, all the while delivering shocks, bloodshed and a splash of slow-burn spice' Cari Thomas, Sunday Times bestselling author of Threadneedle

'Eragon and Sapphira, Laurence and Temeraire, and now Jai and Winter. A brilliant beginning!' Michael R. Miller, bestselling author of the Songs of Chaos series

‘Bloody, glorious, and irresistibly compelling, Dragon Rider is a riveting epic that is at once sweepingly vast and heart-wrenchingly personal’ Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Bone Maker

‘Brutal politics, intricate worldbuilding, and edge-of-the-seat battles’ Prashanth Srivatsa, author of The Spice Gate

‘A classic fantasy adventure that reminds me of the novels I loved growing up, but with a flair of cultivation from the novels I love now’ Will Wight, New York Times bestselling author of the Cradle series