The Dragon’s Revenge
Conor Kostick Epic prequel
An AI Dragon leads an army of conquest in the online world of Epic. Can the human players stop it?
When a multinational games company recruit Tom, a smart, streetwise Dublin teenager, to get a team together and come to San Francisco to immerse themselves in a massive fantasy world, he thinks it is the job of his dreams. His challenge is to level up fast so as to eliminate an AI dragon that has gone rogue and is preventing the release of the game of Epic.
As Tom comes closer to that goal, he starts to realise that the game is not what it seems, not least because a powerful crypto-currency company seem to have funded the creation of the game for their own purposes.
One for LitRPG fans and especially those who enjoyed Conor Kostick’s Epic novel.
REVIEWS
Ezz ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Return to the worlds of Epic
17 August 2019-Published on Amazon
I was pleased to see that there was another instalment into the worlds of Epic, as I loved the previous books. The book is based on the introduction of the game sequel to Epic, and our hero Tyro (a celebrated raid leader in the world of Epic) is sent into the game before full release to kill a rogue AI boss who has mustered the monsters of the game and is killing beta test players characters and preventing them from respawning by taking over safe areas one by one.
I have played World of Warcraft since vanilla, and it’s clear Kostick has a good knowledge of MMO games of this type – descriptions of player raids is authentic, as well as the progression of Tyro from level one onward.
There is an interesting twist to the end which I wasn’t expecting, and am eagerly awaiting the next instalment to see where the story goes - all I can say is that if you have read his other books, then you will enjoy it immensely, and if you have tried other LitRPG books and not been impressed then give this a go - no need to have read any of the other books based on Epic as they all stand alone, although they are linked. Kostick truly is the master of the genre.
Patrick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Two worlds, one character. Two journeys, one scary ending
10 August 2019-Published on Amazon
I am writing this with a sense of giddiness that gripped me ever since I started reading The Dragon's Revenge and until its last page: a sense that I was allowed into a huge secret, allowed to take a peek into another world - alluring but dangerous. I couldn't put it down much but every time I picked it up again was like clipping myself in the rigs of that world that decided to reinvent itself: the world of Epic 2. It is impossible not to stand by Tom, the main character, a boy whose heroic life in the game far exceeds the monotony of his teenage life in Dublin. He is a credible character whose motivation is solid, whose loyalty is unquestionable, with a sense of humour and cockiness that make him really likeable. His two journeys - one in the game and one in the complicated world of corporate manipulations - intertwine harmoniously, and his growth in one reflects and supports his moves in the other. The story is action packed, the pace is fast, the writing flows beautifully full of imagery and imagination and yet, although I didn't want it to end, I couldn't help myself thinking that the ending was going to be too predictable. But the author Conor Kostick, with a last wave of his masterful wand, delivers a most unexpected ending, one that is not only unpredictable, but scary and current and thought provoking.
RJ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You don't need to be a gamer to enjoy this!
21 August 2019-Published on Amazon
You don't need to be a gamer to enjoy this novel, in fact, you might be tempted to become one! I personally haven't lifted a games console since Sonic the Hedgehog was at the height of his fame and was a little doubtful that i'd enjoy this genre.
The journey through the imagined world is mesmerising, facilitated by Kostick's vivid descriptions of the setting of Epic 2. Another joy of the novel is the relationship between the diverse team members who successfully create a coalition to achieve the task assigned. There is no dependency on conflict between these friends to achieve drama or propel the plot, instead, the conflict is between them and the corporation who has employed them. Their friendship and loyalty to one another is admirable and has the reader rooting for them throughout. The novel ends with a moral predicament that the young protagonist Tom needs no time to consider. A pertinent decision and a conclusion that ensures you'll want to follow Tom and his team on the next adventure through Epic 2.
Rita ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
15 August 2019-Published on Goodreads
I have been a big fan of the genre and author since I read Epic, so I was overjoyed when I found out there was going to be a new book. It did not disappoint and I can't wait for the next one!! Sadly I don't think I can go further into it without getting excited and unwillingly giving spoilers, so read for yourself! 😁
PGR ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great-read it in 3 days!
12 August 2019-Published on Amazon
I found this book utterly absorbing, so much so that I read it in 3 days. I used to play on-line fantasy games. The parts of this book that were in-game brought it all back to me. Great. But I think it was the out of game plot lines that linked with the in-game plot all through the book that really made it and had you rooting for Tyro (the hero). Plainly there is going to be a follow up. Can't wait.
IO ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7 August 2019-Published on Goodreads
This is one of those books that you can look into as deeply as you wish. Since the book is written in a way that has a solid plot for everyone, each person may interpret it in a completely different way.
All of the characters have their own drive; some for the common goal, some not. Each one has a unique believable personality that influences every action taken. The book gives a sense of progression to the goal, just enough to make each chapter feel like the most important one yet. Still, every time, a snippet of the backstory is given so that it feels like you are learning along with the characters.
This story explores what a multi-billion-dollar company might do under the prospect of losing it all, when a loophole threatens to destroy it within a matter of months.
In the company’s virtual reality game on the brink of demise, every character stat, enemy attack pattern, even that seemingly minimal event that happened hundreds of pages ago will somehow circle back, both in the game and outside. I could read this book again and again, and still find new connections every time.
If you have read this author’s trilogy, Epic, this is set in the world that would have existed if those characters had stayed on Earth all along; this is essentially Epic’s utopian twin.
This quality work highlights the best of the LitRPG series. I really loved this novel, and I think you will too.
(Advanced Reader Copy)
TW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Dragon's Revenge is a beautiful tale of real world and a fantasy video game universe.
August 9, 2019-Published on Amazon
In the Dragon’s Revenge, by Conor Kostick, a world is created very much like our own. As readers, we are brought to a place were teenagers and adults love to embrace a fantasy world through technology. Also, just like on our own planet, it is a place where playing video games can be profitable.
Kostick creates a strong freethinking hero. Tom Foster, sees his life as if he is walking through a dark alley. His mum works all the time and barely scrapes by. There is not enough food for both of them to eat and as a student at Dublin’s St. Dominic’s Secondary School, Tom knows he is at the “bottom of the heap.” Tom begins to change his life through Epic. The video game his mum says he spends too much time on. Even though his reality might not be the best, he is a top of the leader board in the game, Epic.
Kostick also captures this authenticity of a teenager’s life through the vivid descriptions of Tom’s home and school life. Like most teens, Tom would rather play a video game then go to school. Tom has determination and a dream - A dream to kill Mikarkthat, the Queen of the Dragons. Kostick captures the essence of a teenager who their main priority is the game. In entering this video game universe of the novel, Kostick crafts suspense through the use of vivid imagery of the raids and battles. The reader is taken into the game as if they are one of Tom’s warrior avatar’s battling beside him.
In The Dragon’s Revenge, Kostick challenges us as readers to receive his message. This message through this novel, as with his previous novel Epic, is still beating through in his storytelling. Sometimes in life, our passions and beliefs outweigh the financial gain. The Dragon’s revenge is a beautiful work that encompasses both video game fantasy and the real world – and what can happen when both worlds interact.
Books Ireland interviewed Conor Kostick about LitRPG, Epic and the Dragon’s Revenge and the interview is available here.
FAQ
Is The Dragon’s Revenge by Conor Kostick the author of Epic?
Yes.
What order should I read the books in the Conor Kostick Epic series?
Although The Dragon’s Revenge was the latest book in the Conor Kostick Epic series, it is set at a time when the game is being developed, so it should be read first. Then Epic, Saga, and Edda in that order.
Do I need to have read Epic to best appreciate The Dragon’s Revenge?
No, but fans of Epic will enjoy seeing characters from the game they are familiar with, such as the vampyre Count Illystivostich, in the beta version of the game.