Thornbear: Champions of the Dawning Dragons, Book 1

I’ve loved reading SciFi/Fantasy as long as I can remember. Michael Manning is one of the few authors I know of who puts his entire self into the creation of his worlds and the beings that populate those worlds. I learned to read well at 6 years old and my first sci-fi book was “A Wrinkle in Time”, by Madeleine LÈngle. I was totally hooked by end of the book. I was 9 years old when that book was published. I started reading books by Asimov, Heinlein, Tolkien, McCaffrey, Anthony, Martin and Eddings. I got my oldest son hooked on reading by introducing him David Eddings series “The Belgariad” while he was in Middle School. Then I found all the authors who were self-publishing on Amazon totally by accident. Michael Manning’s “The Blacksmith’s Son” was the first. From there I found Arenson, Wells, Braden, Kagawa, etc. I read other genres as well but when trying get adolescents into reading, I found that most of the time Fantasy is the genre that seems to work best. Michael Manning’s work with beginning with “The Blacksmith’s Son”, was well written, interesting, realistic in the sense that Mordecai was human. I remember very well the times my own kids would show their disgust whenever their Dad would grab my ass, or my boobs. We were demonstrative with regards to our children as well. Hugs and kisses were normal in our house, and though my kids are adults now with families of their own, I remember one Christmas party we were all at. It was getting late, and my son wanted to get my grandson home. A few minutes after he left, he came back and without saying anything to anyone, he walked onto the porch, came up to me and gave me a huge hug and kiss. He’d forgotten to kiss me goodbye and it bothered him so much he had to come back. Mort’s family seems that close as well. Many people wouldn’t think it realistic, but I know better. It’s one of the reasons I like his writing so well.When Dorian died, in an earlier book it broke my heart. The fact that his crystal heart still lives in the heart of the earth gives the reader the feeling that his heart is still there watching over his wife and kids.Read the entire series. I promise you won’t be disappointed.JAT

The headline pretty much says it. I was engrossed in this book almost right from the beginning. The main character Gram certainly has his flaws, as do those around him. However, rather than making him some sort of anti-hero who you end up disliking by the end of the book, the author made him someone you actually like and can identify with. Thankfully, this is common throughout the entire book, bucking the trend in modern fantasy where supposedly good=dark and good=unlikable characters. If you are looking for a book that has a refreshing approach to high fantasy, I strongly suggest taking a look. I read the entire thing in a day, and it is rare these days for me to find a book that I simply cannot put down. Prior to reading this, I started two other fantasy books that I just quit reading after about 35% of the book. This is not such a book.If I had to make one criticism, it would be that the author, on occasion, glosses over things that are quite difficult, almost as if he expects the reader to already get what he is talking about. There are two possible reasons for this that I can see: 1) he is writing in a world that he has already spent considerable time building in a previous series (this is the first book of his that I have read, so this is speculation); and 2) he is trying to avoid the all to common "information dump" that plagues fantasy writing.Strong book. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

Ah, Michael - another fabulous book you have given us. Your stories get better and better as you master your craft. The story of how the Illeniels came to be was a good story and I look forward to the next installment, but this book is so well written I don't know where to start the praises.All the characters we have come to know and love (or not) have a place in this coming of age story of Dorian Thornbear's only son. This story is about Gram, so Mordecai does not have a big role in this particular story. Gram is so much like his father - he has the same passion and dedication to doing the right thing at all costs. Let's not forget Matthew Illeniel, who is making his own kind of magic to make Gram stronger and better protected to better defeat the evil that still stalks the Count and Countess D'Cameron. And I am glad to see that the fact that Gram picked up his father's "heart" when he died is finally being acknowledged and addressed. I was hoping something would be done about that eventually.Teenage angst, first love and lust, and coming to understand and embrace his father's legacy and making it his own. Such a compelling and well told story. You simply cannot put it down and whoever said "It's not faaaaiiiirrrr!!" that it's over and you have to wait for the next one was spot on.Oh well done, Michael Manning. Well and truly crafted.

This is an imaginative and easy to read and enjoyable novel. I loved reading about Gram Thornbear and his rise to adulthood and becoming a knight before he should due to an heroic rescue and battles.Follow Gram learning to control his anger and frustration at being held back from fighting like all the youngsters lads did to become squires to knights.His best friend and Mage genius Matthew and his twin sister Moira help Gram along with Knight and secret trainer in a special fighting form, guide Gram to his ultimate destiny.I loved the individual characters and they way the scenes are brought to life with good descriptions and a fun sense of humour you find along the way. It's definitely a book worth picking up and reading if you enjoy fantasy novels.Grab it and make a cuppa. You'll enjoy this.This is the first time I have read a book by Michael G. Manning and I do definitely think I will be reading book 2.I also would love to read the trials and tribulations of Dorian Thornbear, Gram's father and the history surrounding his final battle, the memory and legacy he left behind for Gram.Thank you Michael G. Manning for providing a really enjoyable read!

It took a little bit of persevering at the beginning of Thornbear, but by about halfway, I was hooked and struggled to put it down, and a few late nights were the order of the day.I enjoyed it a lot and bought books 2 and 3 immediately after finishing this one.

What can I say? This is one of only two books I've read that, each time I read them, I find it really hard to stop. I think this owes to the fact that Manning focuses more on dialogue, and so the reader doesn't have to trawl through unnecessarily long descriptions, unlike with some authors. However, it is also for Manning's simplistic style that I cannot bring myself to rate this five stars. It's a fun book, simplistic, enjoyable, and flows well, but it lacks that edge of great writing that really takes its time to build scenes, setting and character. Definitely buy it an read it, to support Manning, but don't think you're getting a fantasy book to end the age with. If you want to try something a little better by Manning, try the Embers of Illeniel books. Though of the same vein, it's far more imaginative.

Loved the next series from michael manning great start to the series and lets you see how some of our favourite characters are progressing

I was glad when I spotted Michael Manning had carried on with this series, in a fashion, because I really enjoyed the Mordecai Archmage series and was a little sad when it came to an end. But this book picks up the tale nicely, as usual it's an easy read and seeing as we already have a good knowledge of all that went on before there was a good character building. I also think Gram has potential as an epic hero, and with mort's little mages running around causing their own mayhem + a cameo appearance by Mordecai... shaping up pretty nicely.