Old magic. Rising evil. Tangled loyalties.Harper discovers a legendary Dragonheart…and instantly becomes the most wanted person in Pelenor, where magic, dragons, and elves rule. She must survive – or die.Searching for the elven King’s missing Dragonheart is his ruthless Spymaster Dimitri, who has his own agenda to revolutionise Pelenor.Harper is thrust into a web of intrigue, and her new … revolutionise Pelenor.
Harper is thrust into a web of intrigue, and her new companions – a roguish elven thief and his ragtag band – are not be the trustworthy friends she thinks.
When Harper and Dimitri’s paths collide, the only thing more dangerous than lies might be the truth, for either will destroy them.
Harper and Dimitri must ally to ensure both survive the King’s wrath in a court where betrayal is as easy as breathing. Who will drown in deceit, and who will rise triumphant?
Dimitri’s plans backfire as he realises that time, hate, and the darkest of magics have twisted the visionary he hoped to follow, Saradon, into an evil that seeks dominion over all – and Dimitri is bound to his cause.
Harper is bound to Saradon too in ways she could not imagine. She holds great darkness within her – and the only chance for salvation.
Betrayal rules Pelenor – but will Harper betray herself to save those she loves?
Saradon rules Pelenor with an iron fist. The Court of Tournai is beholden to him. A new Order, loyal to the Dark One of Altarea, rises under his dominion.
Trapped under Saradon’s control, Harper is drawn into a darkness she cannot escape – and from which her friends cannot save her.
War comes for Pelenor. The Dark One of Altarea will have his dominion. Will Pelenor be the first to fall, or can Harper and her far-flung companions somehow avert catastrophe?
USA Today Bestselling Author and 2018 SPFBO Semi-Finalist Meg Cowley returns with a stunning new romantic epic fantasy trilogy set in the same world as her acclaimed Books of Caledan series.
Filled with vivid characters, complex plots, and hints of romance, the Chronicles of Pelenor is perfect for fans of SJ Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses and Miranda Honfleur’s Blade & Rose. Read Heart of Dragons now.
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Meg Cowley has a proven track record of putting out well-written and fun books, and a no surprise – that’s exactly what you get with her Chronicles of Pelenor. Fans of “Sword & Sorcery” novels will love this epic fantasy. A perfectly crafted world full of magic, dragons, and elves. A great cast of characters led by deliciously complex Harper and Dimitri. A great read all around. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The collection definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the collection is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend.
The first three books in Meg Cowley’s latest series, Chronicles of Pelenor, are what made her one of my favorite writers. She has an excellent cast of characters, dwarves, humans, elves, half-elves, aerians, fairies, and so many more. And although they don’t play the largest role, there are also dragons.
The first book begins with Harper being whisked away from the life she has always known into a new world – a world with magic. Even crazier than the realization that magic exists is that Harper also has magic, meaning she is at least half elf. And she had no idea! She meets up with an unlikely group of outlaws (think Robin Hood style) who take her in and teach her how to survive in this new world.
The various storylines are interwoven so well. Magic and non-magic intertwine. The court is full of intrigue and shadows. The people live in constant fear of an enemy who was conquered 500 years ago. There is a mysterious plague affecting the villages. And there are whispers of people who want to overthrow the monarchy.
The story is reminiscent of Lord of the Rings and other great epic fantasy while having its own unique twists and characters. I highly recommend this series!
Heart of Dragons: A Sword & Sorcery Epic Fantasy (Chronicles of Pelenor, Book 1), my fifth read from author Meg Cowley. From the opening pages, you could tell this was an epic in the making with the story requiring multiple volumes to tell. Wonderful characters, detailed settings. Very good read! Narrator Jack Voraces continues narrating Meg Cowley’s work & his talented narration & captivating accent adds greatly to the book’s enjoyment. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. Owning both the Kindle & Audible editions I was able to follow along while being read to. Court of Shadows: A Sword & Sorcery Epic Fantasy (Chronicles of Pelenor, Book 2), my sixth read from author Meg Cowley. Picking up seamlessly from where book 1 left off, wonderful characters, detailed settings. Very good read! Narrator Jack Voraces continues narrating Meg Cowley’s work & his talented narration & captivating accent added greatly to the book’s enjoyment. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it.
Order of Valxiron: Chronicles of Pelenor, Book 3, my seventh read from author Meg Cowley. Picking up seamlessly from where book 2 left off, wonderful characters, detailed settings. Very good read! (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 – July 24, 2018).
Simply fantastic! A wonderful new fantasy series full of darkness, magic, dragons, lies, romance and so much more. I really enjoyed this start to the series it captured my attention from the beginning leaving me hungry for more.
When I picked this up I thought it was a completed series but it leaves off in a cliffhanger with more books to come. I’m eagerly awaiting more!
An exhilarating, action packed adventure full of magic, elves, dwarves, warriors, an evil king, court intrigue, machinations, power grabs and many more wondrous characters. Very well written but I would expect nothing less from Meg Cowley. Also, the plot twists seem to come at you while not anticipating them at all. The world building is fantastic! Many scenes she describes are very vivid and full of wonder and magic. People, places and things brought to life in your imagination. The last book in this series brought chills to my bones. You can literally feel the dark evil that pervades in this book. Meg Cowley has done a terrific job capturing the evil in these characters. Likewise, Ms Cowley has captured well the suffering of the those characters who are working against this evil in their own way. This box set is well worth the price. It allows the reader to consume each book without having to wait for each book separately. I highly recommended it.
ONE SIZZLING, STEAMY ADVENTURE!!!
Dash and stash! Meg rocks this baby with it’s own beat bouncing it right on out. This is one jaw dropping throw down reveal with a bevy twists and turns to keep you teetering on a razors edge. One badass collection that packs a punch and holds your attention from start to finish. Meg brought her A-game for this page flipping dynamo catapluting this bad boy to astounding levels with all the action, intrigue, danger and suspense. Meg throws caution to the wind as her no holds barred, take no prisoners attitude hurdles this incredible collection to staggering heights. With 100% heat showcasing amazing scenarios that are so vivid and colorfully described its like you’re living it with them instead of on the sidelines. The realism and authenticity of the characters as their on point personalities blend and connect along with blazing scenes and scenarios melding this baby together smoothly. Awesome job Meg, thanks for sharing it with us.
I’ve read these books separately, but love that there’s a box set for those who want to binge read!
Following are my reviews of each of the books –
Heart of Dragons:
wow! I’ve been aware of Ms. Cowley’s writing for a couple of years – have had the Books of Caledan on my to-be-read list for that long – but this is the first time I’ve actually read one of her works. What a mistake to have waited so long; this is definitely an author I will be keeping an eye on!
I loved the characters she created and found myself empathizing with so many of them despite what side they seem to be on! It’s entirely possible that I am rooting for both sides at the same time, I don’t know, but I guess I’ll find out as the plot unfolds! To me, that’s a mark of good writing: that characters are developed and portrayed as complex beings, causing me to have sympathy even for those I wouldn’t necessarily side with in real life.
I’ll tell you, Dimitri’s plight has been heart-wrenching and I’m not sure if what he has set in motion is going to be for the good or bad of himself and the people of Pelenor, but Ms. Cowley has fully brought to light something within him that gives me hope for him to land on the side of truth and justice in the end, whatever that looks like. And somehow it has actually put Dimitri tied with Harper for my favorite characters in the book. I would not have guessed that would happen!
I thought it would be easy to name Harper as my favorite, and maybe Aedon as a close second, but somehow Dimitri shimmied right up to the top. I do absolutely love Harper and I can’t wait to see how she develops in future installments – the foreshadowing of her magic is terribly intriguing to me! Her goodness, kindness, innocence and compassion all shine through and make her someone I will love to root for and watch. I also love Ragnar for similar reasons and found him near the top of my list of faves! He just seemed so… just. So fair and kindhearted and supportive to Harper and to others in their group, without compromising his morals. Then there’s Aedon! With a bit of a cheeky streak and not a little ego! But what a heart; and such magic, and such strength, like Robin Hood: using his gifts to help those in need, those who can’t help themselves. I can’t ignore Brand and Erika either; I am thoroughly intrigued by their backgrounds. I am chomping at the bit for more insight into Erika’s history and character! And although we got a glimpse at Brand’s past, I don’t think I’ve ever read about beings like him before, so I’m excited to learn more about him and the world he has come from.
As much as I’ve enjoyed reading of all these wonderful characters and witnessing the first chapter of Harper’s foray in Pelenor, I simply can’t wait to continue the story! The ending totally gave me goosebumps and I can not wait to see what happens next in both Dimitri’s plan and in Harper and Aedon’s quest!
Court of Shadows:
I’m LOVING this series! I waited to read Court of Shadows, but when book 3 came out I had to get caught up so I read this and went straight into Order of Valxiron – super glad I did! It’s an incredibly exciting series with lots of action; I love the flow of the story as Ms. Cowley exposes details and the storyline progresses. The characters are really easy for me to empathize/sympathize with – even the ones that could land on the dark side. Again, I find this to be the mark of a talented writer, being able to portray the complexities in character that make beings feel real.
I do love Harper and probably root for her above everyone else, but there definitely are a couple (few?) close behind. I also really like that we get to follow and watch the developments of the whole crew from the first book despite that they get separated. Now, I just REALLY want to know how it all plays out – who ends up where? Does the prophesy get fulfilled the way I hope? How does Dimitri play his hand now that he sees what state Sardon is in? Does the band of Aedon, Ragnar, Brand and Erika stick together? ….
Order of Valxiron:
I admit I read Court of Shadows and Order of Valxiron back to back so I was fully engrossed in the world of these characters; and boy do I want to find out how this whole story wraps up!
After the first book, Heart of Dragons, I was surprised to put Dimitri and Harper at the top of my list for favorite characters, with Ragnar close behind; then Aedon… quickly followed by Brand and Erika. Now, having finished Order of Valxiron, I have to think that I had it right from the start: I love Dimitri as much as I do Harper! The more of his history that gets revealed, the more I empathize with Dimitri and the more my heart goes out to him. Watching his growth and seeing his emotional progress just makes me love him more; with all that he has experienced and how he got to the place he was at at the beginning of book one, to now see him letting Harper into his heart and making choices based on what is the right thing to do is really heartwarming! And Harper really seems to be coming into her own; no longer the naive, innocent young girl she appeared to be at the start, she now seems to have a worldliness about her. It feels like she is much more capable and is exhibiting a strength and instinctive intelligence that enable her to survive in this new world she landed in mere months before. She also remains incredibly compassionate and kind to all those around her, while maintaining her integrity and morals. She’s so strong and so loyal and so kind-hearted and with her magic progressing, she’s just amazing! I can’t wait to see how the prophecy ends up being fulfilled!
And as for Ragnar and Aedon, Brand and Erika… they had a lot of action in this last book, showing their strengths, skills and dedication to not only their group, but to all the peoples of their world. It was truly endearing and engaging seeing how it was all playing out and now I can’t wait to see how Ms. Cowley develops the rest of their stories and wraps it all up! I mean, I love how the relationship between Brand and Erika is progressing, yet we still haven’t learned her back story; and with her people on their way to the center of the action, I imagine that will be fleshed out. I’d love to know more about how she became the woman she is. Similarly with Brand, we learned a bit about his past, but his people and lands have not really played a part yet and I would so love to learn about them!
Ragnar and Aedon have had quite major roles so far and have been developing so nicely, again I just can’t wait to see how everything gets wrapped up! I’m loving Ragnar’s story with respect to his family and land, yet I’m excited for him to reunite with his band of friends and hope he doesn’t need to be permanently separated from them! And I’m enjoying watching Aedon emotionally mature and put things into perspective; I’ll be super curious to see how everything goes for him in his relationships as well as with his commitment to Solanaceae!
All in all, I’m finding this to be an amazing series with great characters, an exciting plot and lots of intrigue. For probably the tenth time now, I have to say I just can’t wait to see how it all wraps up!!!! I hope it’s not long before the next book gets released….