While it is not one of the most popular or the longest works of fiction, Dragonborn was a great surprise. Toby Forward spins together a tale of adventure about a character somewhere between a hero and a totally unprepared youth. While there are clear evil and good forces manipulating the world of Dragonborn, Sam, the main character, attempts (and fails) to stay out of the conflict as much as he can. For the most part, the novel is about Sam’s misadventures and the series of horrible accident leading him back in a full circle.

Without going into detail, Sam is definitely not a hero for most of the novel. Although he is a mostly honest and sincere character, Sam does few acts of bravery until the end of the novel and is constantly struggling to simply survive. On the very first page, his master has suddenly died half way through his apprenticeship, leaving him with a strange house, a fish, a dragon, and a hoard of strangers claiming to be Flaxfield’s past apprentices.

Unfortunately, Sam has had little interaction with the world since his apprenticeship and either can’t trust or trusts the wrong people as a result. The sudden and traumatic end of his apprenticeship essentially dooms him. Without a master, he can never become a wizard, but because he has already trained as a true wizard, he can’t simply go out and find another teacher. As a result, Sam’s one goal becomes to survive a world he barely understands while trying to understand his connection with his dragon, Starback.

While Sam’s adventure isn’t the most heroic of tales, it’s a very enjoyable read that entertains with both its humor and its creative story. With an Ar level of 4.5 and 13 points, Dragonborn is a great way to spend an hour or two.