Wyvern by D.J. O’Brien is a fantasy story featuring a princess, an assassin, a deadly war with dark powers and great side characters…
But what’s cookin?? Let’s find out
“But she could be as sharp and hard as steel if the need arose, being her
father’s daughter, and a worthy heiress to the throne. ‘Another half day.
Ten hours at least,’ answered Megan.”
Book Review: Wyvern by D.J. O’Brien
Alright, let’s talk about Wyvern in one word — “Chaos”.
The scene starts with a woman running through snow, while in labor. Yes, really. From that scene, you already get an idea—this is not going to be a soft, cozy type of story. It’s dark, fast, and a little brutal. And honestly? That tone sticks throughout.
So what’s going on here? So, we have got Brinn (Panther), an assassin with god level skills and even more serious emotional baggage. Then there’s Princess Megan, who herself is in a political sort of mess.
Why 3.5 ⭐️?
One of the main issue in the storyline is, with pacing. Battles here are quick, messy, and people die before you even process it, a bit overwhelming at times to be honest
Some moments deserved to slow down a bit. You want to feel more, to know a character bit longer, but the story is already rushing to the next big thing.
Now, is it completely original? Not exactly. You’ve seen kidnapped royals and elite warriors before. But the way it’s written is a lil fresh with a bit of brutalness and ruthlessness.
Also Read: Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
“Soon the torment will begin… again!“
Storyline: (Spoiler Free Almost)
So Wyvern starts with chaos. A woman, Amberlay. Not a great situation. She gives birth, leaves her baby (Brinn) in a convent, and goes off.
Now that baby grows up. And wow—he’s not normal. He’s fast, strong, climbs walls like it’s nothing. Joins an elite group. Then one day? He straight up kills a lord for revenge. No drama. Just done.
Meanwhile, Princess Megan is traveling for a political deal. You think it’ll be calm? Nope. Ambush. And it’s quick. No big heroic fight. Soldiers die in minutes. She gets kidnapped, thrown into a barrel (yes, seriously), drugged, and taken away. You feel bad for her? You should.
Then comes Major Brok. He gets a mission—save the princess… or kill her if needed. Harsh, right? So he brings Panther along. Because if things go wrong, you need the deadliest guy in the room.
And things do go wrong. Sulan Al-Imri, is not just evil—he’s creepy. Like ritual, dark magic, draining-life kind of creepy. Not someone you reason with.
From there, it’s fights, travel, danger everywhere. People die. Plans fail. Some things work, some don’t.
By the end, nothing feels fully done. The princess is still in danger. The war is getting worse. Panther still has his own issues.
And you’re just sitting there like…
that escalated fast. What happens next?
Similar Read: The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Number of Pages | 393 pages |
| My Rating | 3.5⭐⭐️⭐️ |
| Release Date | November 23, 2023 |
What I Loved
This story is not that straight forward. It’s fast, dark, and full of problems for the characters.
Things don’t go as planned. There are struggle. Some things work, many don’t. And just when you think it might slow down—it doesn’t.
Quotes:
“Time… runs short…”
Final Verdict?
Overall a good read with fresh style of fantasy with great characters.
Who should read it:
- Fans who like brutal dark fantasy
- If you are who like & enjoy assassin-type main characters
- Fans of war + political tension mixed with personal stories
- If you are okay with violence and darker themes in the story
Books like Wyvern by D.J. O’Brien:
- The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
