Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
The dragons have vanished. Corruption spreads across the lands. Will his quest for answers come too late to stop an imminent calamity?

The dragons have mysteriously vanished from the lands of Valadae--except one.
With no memory of his past, or what happened to his kin, Laeka'Draeon begins the daunting quest for answers, aware that time and unknown perils are against him.
Through ancient, blighted forests and regions steeped in mysterious lore, Laeka'Draeon encounters unexpected allies and terrifying foes and discovers a dangerous connection between his missing kind and the ominous deterioration of Valadae's realms.
If the dragons fail to return and restore the waning magic of the legendary towers of Klonnoth Aire, the consequences will lead to the return of an ancient and devastating enemy; beasts that once ravaged Valadae in a calamitous 100-year war.

The fate of the allied kingdoms lies under a darkening shadow, and only Laeka'Draeon can bring back the light.

244 pages, Hardcover

First published August 12, 2013

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

N.R. Eccles-Smith

10 books27 followers
Naomi confesses that the best word to describe her is: whimsical. Forget about “the girl next door” and think more along the lines of “the girl from the next galaxy over” and you’d be closer to the correct personality categorization. She is an unequivocal day-dreamer, anime enthusiast, partisan of fantastical things, and unshakable devotee to story-telling.

When not immersed in her written and illustrative projects, Naomi can be found wandering the worlds created by others, either between the pages of a book or across the sweeping scapes of console games. Part geek, part monster-slayer, with a heart for the pure and the wondrous, Naomi endeavours to remind people that a little bit of beautiful strangeness is a good thing to have in this crazy world.

Currently, she lives on the Gold Coast, Australia, with an assortment of cats and family members.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
22 (51%)
4 stars
12 (27%)
3 stars
4 (9%)
2 stars
4 (9%)
1 star
1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Lynne Stringer.
Author 12 books332 followers
June 10, 2018
Fantastic fantasy story about a young dragon who wakes up alone with no idea who he is and begins the search for his people, who have mysteriously disappeared after being the guardians of Valadae for ages. This novel moves along at a good pace and the characters are likeable, especially the protagonist, Laeka'Draeon. His search for his kin is believable and I felt a part of the journey and willed him to succeed.
Since this is the first book in a series, not everything is resolved, but the path he's travelling introduces many other colourful and fascinating characters, including a unicorn named Ubi, who is easy to love.
A great book for anyone from age twelve to much older and lovers of fantasy with good world building.
Profile Image for Anne Hamilton.
Author 47 books171 followers
July 14, 2018
The dragons have disappeared from the world. Just one - who doesn't even remember who he is - is left. Have the dragons betrayed everyone and let in a dark and ancient power? Or are the dragons themselves, once protectors of the land, now in trouble?

A wonderful fantasy quest for younger readers.
Profile Image for Wayne Stirling.
47 reviews2 followers
February 7, 2017
A unique different approach to dragon books. I found the story line easy to follow but twisting at the same time. A great imagination went into some of the words spoken and took a few reads to follow but then I discovered pronunciations at the back of the back. All in a very riveting interesting read and now I must get book 2 to find what happens next to Little Dragon. Loved it.
Profile Image for Jeanette.
Author 29 books143 followers
March 21, 2022
Kin Seeker by N.R. Eccles-Smith, is the first book in the five-book middle-grade to young adult fantasy series.
A young dragon wakes up in the forest of no memory of his name or even of who he or what he is or what he should be doing. Two mysterious beings direct him on his way and he soon discovers that all the Dragons - who protect the realm from a great evil in the north - have disappeared and it is his task to find his Dragon-kin to prevent disaster from engulfing his world. As he travels, he encounters great danger but also finds companions on the way that can help him, including Ubi, the goldling unicorn (who bestows on the young dragon the name Laeka'Draeon), a satyr, a bird and other strange and wonderful creatures.

Laeka'Draeon is a big-hearted and brave young hero. Many of the other characters we met in passing though Ubi, high-spirited, determined and friendly, soon becomes a constant companion. The pace, sense of urgency and dark danger increases as the story progresses and it ends on an ominous note. It is clear Laeka's mission is of the utmost importance. I guess I'll have to read the rest of the books to find out if he can fulfil it. I love the illustrations and imaginative world-building created by this talented author and look forward to reading more of Laeka's adventures.
Profile Image for Angeline Gallant.
Author 66 books54 followers
March 2, 2021
Fantastic

This book is amazingly descriptive and held my 8 year old son's attention as he begged me to keep binge-reading. My only complaint is the extremely difficult names. I was so relieved to come across Ubi. On some pages it was just painful, there were so many of those words together! As a writer myself, I admire the author for writing such long names over and over, but I wish she'd have had pity on us who have to read this book alloud. My son is so excited there's a sequel and although I also want to see what's going to happen next, I am dreading reading another very long children's book with horrifically long names.
Profile Image for Gigi Sedlmayer.
Author 6 books65 followers
March 21, 2014
A high fantasy
I was so excited to finally get the kindle for Kin Seeker. And starting to read, I was really surprised of the intensity, strength and wonder of the story. I also love the cover.
With a startling waking up in a cave and finding himself to be a dragon and realizing that he had lost his memory.
On his journey to find himself, he met lots of different creatures trying to help him find his kin and get his memory back. He found out that he has to go to the towers of Konnoth Aire. On the way he finds Fargo, the shadow ghost, captain Volten Vagel on the winged reptile beast ghoshmyls. The Hongrin Priest, Opel Eyes and the filly unicorn with the name of Ubi. They all help the dragon and gave him the name Leaka’Draeon.
He has to go through dark realm, dark magic, dark woodsites.
Leaka’Draeon has to follow the threads already tied to his fate is to seek out the support and influence of those bound to him by allegiance. Listening to others, because he never is alone. There is always somewhere there for him. Gemeinschaft.
The power grows everywhere. He was told to find what he has lost and rely on Ubi, the filly unicorn.
The green scaly dragon then relized, whatever obstacles were thrown at him and he has to tackle them, he has to stay alive to keep Ubi save.
As Belzor, the prophet said to Leaka’Draeon: “My dear young dragon, what a puzzle you are. You may be the last dragon, but you are not alone in your desire to find your kind. You have a determined old satyr, an eager little Mifflin and a charming young unicorn waiting for you. Yyou are not alone.
Leaka’Draeon never gave up for his life and the lives of his friends, pressing on with finding his kin.
I actually can’t wait for the next to read. I highly recommend that book to everyone. I just loved it.
5 star
Profile Image for Joanne Steptoe.
33 reviews
March 5, 2017
I struggled with this book at first as it seemed to be disconnected with some of the twists. However, I persevered and found the way the story developed was quite good.

There is a lot of new language to learn (although a great language guide is provided at end of book). I think this is one of the reasons I struggled at first, because I had to learn and process new words instead of just simply reading and absorbing the plot.

By the end of the book I was comfortable with the new lingo and really enjoying the writing. I think rereading this now would be a better experience as I would more easily follow the plot from the beginning as I now comprehend the language better.

I am actually looking forward to the second book.
Profile Image for Nikki Rogers.
Author 23 books10 followers
June 16, 2019
If anyone has a young avid reader who loves dragons and a wild imagination I think they will thoroughly enjoy Naomi’s Dragon Calling series. My daughter Indigo is 11years old and devoured the four books currently in the series. Now we are reading them as a family. I would liken Naomi’s books to Lord of the Rings with intense detail and vivid descriptions of the new worlds and creatures she introduces the reader to. She is also an incredible illustrator! I am in awe of your talent and wild imagination Naomi! I hope these books are made into a movie in our lifetime.
233 reviews
January 6, 2018
I loved this book, i just tore through it in record time! I am glad i have three of them, because i suspect i will do the same with the other two as well! Compelling, and filled with fantasy creatures, this book urges you forward as you learn more and more about what is happening alongside a little dragon. You really feel his emotions come through in the story as things happen around him and to him and his friends, beautifully written. And now onward to the next book! (I'm so glad i have them)
July 15, 2015
Title: A World to Discover
“Kin Seeker” by N.R. Eccles-Smith

Reviewed by R.E. Views
6/28/15
6:17 p.m.

What if you couldn’t remember who you were? Kin Seeker, a fantasy novel by N.R. Eccles-Smith, creates a plot centered on asking this question. The story begins with a dragon, Laeka’Draeon, waking up outside a cave alone with no recollection of his past. He eventually learns that all the dragons have disappeared except for him, but why? On his quest to find what happened he battles monsters, gains friends, and journeys farther than he ever imagined.

Eccles-Smith creates a world where the creatures and settings expand the imagination, as well as allow the characters to experience relatable emotions. Using a combination of known mythological creatures and ones created by the author, the world feels familiar yet brand new. And though the main characters are all young they learn about friendship, loss, and destiny.

This story clearly distinguishes between good and evil, while offering an enjoyable story to young readers; however, while this is an interesting tale some may find issues with the vocabulary, the unclear character personalities, and the plot. The tone of the book is lighthearted and the writing style lends itself to a younger audience. In contrast, the vocabulary is difficult, especially in regard to descriptions of the settings. Parents be advised, this is not a hindrance because even if the reader does not understand the exact word, the context is clear. As for some of the characters’ personalities, at times they are inconsistent but remain likeable. And lastly, there were moments that didn’t add to the plot nor move the story along.

Despite some of the hang-ups I would recommend this book to children who enjoy fantasy books and who are looking for one with a more challenging vocabulary.

I give Kin Seeker 4 out of 5 stars

Best Wishes,

R.E. Views
www.mcwpub.blogspot.com
1 review
December 2, 2014
Fantastic Fantasy!

I loved the book! From the very first sentence to the very last!
I find every word, every character, every action just flowing through my mind, I can just see everything that is happening in the book in my mind so clearly. The way that the author has written the book is just incredible... So easy to imagine. I cannot wait for the second book to come out!

I did find a lot of the pronunciations of the characters difficult but that is all part of the fantasy! It would not be a true fantasy if characters had the names of Bill, Fred and Bob. The names are very imaginative and I love that. I enjoyed the book so much and was so engrossed in it that it wasn't until the first few chapters I realized that at the back of the book I can find the pronunciations of names and many other things which was very helpful. I found it quite easy to memorize the pronunciations, they were very easy.

The author is also an incredible illustrator, the way she describes the characters in the book is great but it isn't until you get her character bookmarks that you realize how incredibly well thought of and majestic they really are! Once you look at the bookmarks you can really imagine exactly what the characters look like when reading the book, it's just amazing!

Overall, I found the book magical, while I was reading it, it was like there was a movie playing through my mind. Everything I was reading just seemed so clear. That is truly spectacular! This book receives a well deserved 5 star rating!
Profile Image for Andrew.
2 reviews
August 13, 2013
I was very much anticipating the release of this book and I am pleased to say I was not disappointed. The plot line was exciting, the hero's journey one I felt I wanted to be involved in, and the characters colourful but realistic through all situations in which they found themselves.

I often didn't know what to expect. In many stories, sections of ‘walking and chatting’ are often followed by more ‘walking and chatting’. Not so in Kin Seeker. There were never any ‘boring’ bits, but excitement and plot shifts weren't added simply for interest's sake. Every challenge gave a bit more understanding of the history and present situation of the world, and a little additional insight into the hearts of the characters that were forced into dealing with them.

This brings me to the characters themselves. Each character had its own distinct personality, which was discernible within moments of meeting them. Character interaction was also genuine, with friendship and enmity quickly becoming apparent when personalities met and sometimes clashed. Characters would do and say certain things because it was within their nature, not because the author forced them into doing so.

Overall, I found this book both enjoyable and compelling. The story itself was uplifting and the situations challenging, keeping me wanting more. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Helen Petrovic.
45 reviews6 followers
August 11, 2016
I’m a sucker for a good dragon novel. And when I learned that this novel’s main protagonist was a dragon, I simply had to read it. I was not disappointed.

This is a delightful and enjoyable tale that follows the journey of an endearing little dragon who awakens to find all his memories gone, and all his kin missing. What follows is part mystery and part quest, and the writing and developed world was reminiscent of works like Narnia, and The Last Unicorn. Although classified MG, this is a tale that can be enjoyed by all ages.

In his search for his family, ‘Little Dragon’ meets a number of other mythical characters, which range from magical to comic to downright terrifying – satyrs, giants, centaurs, and a beautiful if somewhat flighty unicorn called Ubi.

There are many moments of brilliance in this novel, from the superb little epigraphs that commence each chapter to the language of magic that Eccles-Smith has created. It all gives a amazing sense of place and reality to the magical world.

The plot is full of action and life-and-death situations, and although it feels a little episodic towards the end, the characters are enjoyable enough to care about. The novel ends on a cliff-hanger, and I’m looking forward to the next instalment.

Watch out for N.R. Eccles-Smith. I expect big things from her, and a bright future as an upcoming Australian fantasy author. A solid 4 stars.

Reblogged from http://highfantasyaddict.wordpress.com

Profile Image for Steve.
342 reviews
November 20, 2014
This is a beautifully designed story and it is immediately obvious how much the author has devoted to creating this tale.
However, being a reader, I'm not as invested in this initially. Through storytelling, we are drawn in.
I read this with my seven year old and we both had the same issues while trying to connect. At just a little under two hundred pages, this is not an epic by any stretch. But with over twelve pages of names and pronunciations to try and reference and memorize, the task of immersion is overwhelming. We had a physical book which made for endless flipping forward and back to reference the materials needed to understand the story. I can't imagine trying this on an eReader.
For the target audience of this book, pronunciation is going to be a huge stumbling block. You can't tell an avid child reader, just pronounce it however you want. They want specifics, so they can piece that together in their imagination.
By the end of the story we had to cut the reference section out and lay it in front of us so we could read more than a few sentences at a time. I honestly don't believe either one of us understood what finally transpired in the story and we aren't invested enough to try a second book and see where it goes.
A wonderful package with an insurmountable language barrier for the target audience.
Profile Image for Devin Madson.
Author 14 books522 followers
January 12, 2014
I came to Kin Seeker on my hunt for great self-published fantasy, and found something rare - a book where you can feel the love an author has for it oozing off the digital pages. N.R. Eccles-Smith writes as though she were present upon the adventure, as though these characters are an extension of herself. Unfortunately, while this soul carried me through to the end, the structure of the book is passively coincidental rather than active. The main characters have a tendency to fall randomly into trouble that has nothing to do with their goal to find the missing dragons, and wind up having to get saved. Laeka'Draeon spends the majority of the book travelling from pitfall to pitfall, his lack of memory an unfortunate depressant to the action rather than a catalyst.

All in all it was an enjoyable enough read, though as the first book of five I'm not sure how keen I would be to pick up number two. Stories where the main characters are animals have never been favourites of mine, though in this one it was easy to forget that they were creatures at all so little bearing did it have on their actions and their thoughts.

If Goodreads allowed half stars I'd say 2.5 I'm curious, but not hanging out for more.
Profile Image for Kasey Cocoa.
954 reviews39 followers
April 28, 2015
My son (10) read partially into this book before handing it back to me. He said it was difficult to read the names and they didn't make any sense in their actions. He didn't show any interest in explanations or reading another book in the series. I read through a few chapters with a mixture of amusement and disappointment. For a children's novel it misses a few important goals when aiming at younger readers. Overall I'd say keep a watch for this author to see how they evolve with time but I wouldn't rush out to purchase this book for a child. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review, which is my own and may or may not mirror your own.
Profile Image for N.R. Eccles-Smith.
Author 10 books27 followers
Read
October 7, 2015
A journey is more than a 'beginning', 'middle', and 'end'; it is the accumulation of all the steps and stumbles in-between.

Years in the making, this story holds a special place in my heart and imagination.

This is a tale for all those who love to wander in the realms of adventure and wonder, with creatures we can only greet in our dreams.

For my readers, past, present, and future, you are the wind under a dragon's wings. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me.
There is so much more to come!
1 review
September 3, 2016
The author writes with such clarity and insight that takes you on an adventure into amazing places where you meet characters that draw you into this adventure again and again. I also recommend this book for adults not just children. There is a purity and innocence that is so missing in much of todays writings but the story still manages to portray the raw and gutsy reality of what life can be at times.This is a great adventure and highly recommended.
Profile Image for Charlene Rose.
1 review1 follower
October 14, 2013
Loved this book! What an amazing story of friendship filled with adventure, suspense and had me laughing again and again. Such colourful characters, intriguing events and inspiring themes had me wanting more. I’m looking forward to the next in the series and would recommend this to young and old alike!
Profile Image for prk.
127 reviews10 followers
Read
November 30, 2013
My review will be posted after the Aurealis Awards have been announced.

prk.

Disclaimer: Whilst I read this as a judge for the 2013 Aurealis Awards, this review is my personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging co-ordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
Profile Image for Katharine (Ventureadlaxre).
1,521 reviews47 followers
July 12, 2016
Katharine is a judge for the Aurealis Awards. This review is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
Profile Image for Lyn Battersby.
234 reviews12 followers
April 5, 2014
Lyn is a judge for the Aurealis Awards. This review is the personal opinion of Lyn herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.

I will be rating this once the AAs are announced.
1 review
August 10, 2016
Some books are simply a great read..This book has that something special that draws you into the story and captivates you. Some things in life are better experienced than just told about, so I recommend this book as a wonderful experience.
Profile Image for Brocc.
864 reviews31 followers
Shelved as 'aurealis-2013'
October 22, 2013
Aurealis Awards nomination.
Profile Image for Heav.
13 reviews
April 6, 2017
I liked it many mysterious side bars which I assume will all connect and become part of the major plot by the end the tale of a young dragon who must not only Find his kind but also his memory is a similar plot (although with a Human) to some other books I have read over the years but with all the sub plots and the collection of friends he takes with him makes it something special when book 2 of what I estimate to be a trilogy comes out I will be interested in finding and reading its
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.