Derpy Reviews Fledgling Blog Tour Stop
Guest post
How to Train Your Dragonrider, guest post
by: Nicole Conway
The Finest of the King’s Forces Out of all the forces in Maldobar’s armies, the dragonriders are the proudest and strongest. They are put through the most intense training of any soldier in the kingdom. They are an elite core of only the best fighters, and only the bravest need apply. After all, it isn’t just the roar of a dragon that an enemy need to fear—behind every breath of dragon flame is a highly trained, armor-clad knight ready to fight to the death.
Dragonriders usually begin their training at seventeen or eighteen years old. Because purchasing a dragon and paying for all the necessary gear can be very expensive, most of them come from noble or higher income families. It’s also not uncommon for riders to pass their profession down through their families, from fathers to sons. They might even pass down their own dragon, armor, and weaponry, too!
But a new rider can’t just don his armor and join the brotherhood of dragonriders at the drop of a hat. All dragonriders are soldiers, but not all soldiers have what it takes to be dragonriders. When they start their first year of training at Blybrig Academy, the new recruits are called fledglings. This is the year where their minds are put to the test. They memorize kingdom maps, learn basic fighting maneuvers, and familiarize themselves with the complex language of hand signals used to communicate in the air. This is considered the easiest year of training, but it can still be a big strain on someone who isn’t dragonrider material.
The second year of training, known as the avian year, is the true test of a rider’s potential. It isn’t uncommon for new riders to drop out, get injured, or even get killed during their avian year. The new recruits are pushed to their very limits mentally and physically. They learn to fight with and without weapons, on the ground and in the air. They learn to be fearless, and to keep fighting even when circumstances are terrible. They spend days enduring brutal physical training, are denied sleep and food, and tempted to betray one another. The experience is rough, but it is essential to determine who has what it takes to call himself one of the finest warriors in Maldobar.
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About Fledgling:
Can one boy stand between two kingdoms at war?
Jaevid Broadfeather has grown up as a wartime refugee, hiding from the world because of his mixed racial heritage. He feels his future is hopeless, until a chance encounter with a wild dragon lands him in Blybrig Academy—a place usually forbidden to anyone but the rich and royal. But Jaevid’s case is special; no dragon has voluntarily chosen a rider in decades, so the proud riders of Blybrig must begrudgingly let him join their brotherhood despite his bloodline. Lieutenant Sile Derrick, a sternly tempered man with a mysterious past, becomes his instructor and immediately takes a peculiar interest in Jaevid’s future.
While struggling through the rigorous physical demands of training, things begin to go awry. Jaevid witnesses the king’s private guards kidnapping Sile in the dead of night. When none of the elder riders are willing to help him, Jaevid begins a dangerous adventure to save his instructor.
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About Nicole Conway:
Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.
Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.
She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.
Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.
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