“Nail-biting action scenes, relatable characters, and a fantastic new take on dragons…a thrilling ride!” —A.F. Steadman, New York Times bestselling author of the Skandar series

A boy living on Mars unexpectedly becomes a dragon rider in this “rip-roaring” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) first book in the sci-fi and fantasy mash-up The Dragonships series, sure to delight fans of Skandar and Eragon.

Keep your eyes down and your feet moving, or this planet will rust you.

That’s what Lunar Jones tells the other kids at the relocation clinic. All of them were born on Mars, a planet that never wanted people in the first place. With resources scarce and hope even scarcer, it’s easy to get distracted looking up. After all, their ancestors descended from the stars.

Martian history always starts with Earth. The first astronauts discovered that space was already occupied. Not by little green men or flying saucers. It was full of dragons. One for every moon, every planet, every star. When humanity discovered that Earth’s dragon had sacrificed herself to make their home planet habitable, they set their sights on Mars. If one dead dragon could breathe life into a world, why not create another one? Mankind won the war that followed, but with one catch. As the dragon died, he whispered a curse over Mars. The first settlers found their crops wouldn’t grow. Animals hunted them. Storms raged endlessly. It took three generations to figure out the truth: Mars was doomed.

Lunar knows all the old stories about dragons and space, but no one up there’s planning to help him or his crew. Instead, he focuses on scrapping valuable gear that the storms uncover in the war zone. Until one day, a salvaging run goes wrong. Desperate to find shelter, Lunar goes underground in a restricted zone. What he finds there, buried in the Martian dust, might just be the only hope left for a dying planet.

About The Author

Scott Reintgen

Scott Reintgen is a former public school teacher from North Carolina. When he’s not writing, he uses his imagination to entertain his wife, Katie, and their three children. Scott is the New York Times bestselling author of the Waxways series, the Nyxia trilogy, the Dragonships series, and the Celia Cleary series for younger readers. You can find him on Instagram @Reintgen, on X @Scott_Thought, or on his website at ItsPronouncedRankin.com.

Product Details

Publisher: Aladdin (October 1, 2024)
Length: 384 pages
ISBN13: 9781665946513
Ages: 10 - 99

Raves and Reviews

"With echoes of influences as diverse as Orson Scott Card and Anne McCaffrey, this innovative adventure effortlessly draws readers into Lunar’s predicament.... The pages turn so quickly that readers will get to the end almost without realizing it—then wait eagerly for a sequel."

– Horn Book Magazine, January/February 2025

“Nail-biting action scenes, relatable characters, and a fantastic new take on dragons—readers are in for a thrilling ride!” —A.F. Steadman, author of the Skandar series

"This fantastic first entry in the Dragonship series is incredibly imaginative, combining intriguing dragon lore, fierce friendships, and full-tilt action into a whirlwind story sure to keep readers riveted. It’s part sf (dragon spaceships!), part fantasy, and all enormous fun, complete with a twist ending will leave the audience eagerly awaiting future installments."

– Booklist, 10/01/2024

"In the world of the story, which is reminiscent of Mad Max and Star Trek, each celestial body has its own dragon avatar. The backstory is fairly well developed, and the short chapters are packed with action.... Fast-paced dragon flights and mid-space fights—plus underdog heroes who are easy to root for."

– Kirkus Reviews, 9/1/24

"Reintgen’s latest balances fraught interpersonal drama with expertly choreographed action and gleefully imaginative worldbuilding. The keenly rendered, racially diverse cast boasts jocularity, heart, and derring-do, enthralling readers while illustrating the revolutionary power of forgiveness and teamwork."

– Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW, 7/22/2024