Dragon Rider is a book with a lot of potential. I found the plot interesting and engaging, cared about the main character and loved the dragon. The ending left me definitely wanting to read the sequel and I hope I end up loving the series. 

As you might guess from the first paragraph though, I do have some criticisms. This is a cultivation progression fantasy, which I'm sure can be fascinating when done well but here I just didn't care enough about the magic system to be interested in that part of the story. I also found the writing jarring in places, it seems to swerve back and forth between a classic fantasy style and a more gritty approach with excessively described nudity, brutality and crude language. I found myself wanting the author to just pick one or the other. 

It is one of those books where its influences are clear (whether direct or indirect). There are clear parallels to Eragon, a bit of Pern and one Star Wars element I saw coming from early on. There are plenty of tropes I've seen done multiple times which also appear here.  To be clear this isn't a criticism, I have never been someone who demands originality in everything I read; I just need a good story. 

Overall I think this did deliver. The first third of the book was by far my favourite and it did get less interesting in the middle, but picked up again toward the end. It's not a new favourite but it does have promise.