Reviews

“Author David R. Smith does a fine job with his dialogue, which flows smoothly and wittily throughout. His interactions between characters are genuine, and the portrayals of his young female characters in particular are refreshing.” The Deseret News, Miranda H. Lotz, Salt Lake City, UT

The Dark Eagles First Flight by David R. Smith is first installment of what I anticipate to be an epic battle between liberty and tyranny. It is the story of Kief, an adventuresome young man who lives in a free land, much like our own was at the turn of the 20th century. He dreams of nothing more than the excitement that only the sea can bring. His well planned dreams of learning the merchant trade and captaining his own ship are crushed in an instant as his homeland is attacked by a ferocious people who’s culture teaches them that they must rid the world of all evil. With the help of some peculiar gifts from Kief’s long since passed grandfather and protection from the mysterious dark eagles, he and a small band of friends join together to resist an enemy who cannot be reasoned with. The dangers of resisting an oppressive and tyrannical invader eclipse any thrill that the sea may have had for Kief as he and his band learn what is and is not worth fighting for. David Smith’s character development is wonderful. As a reader, you quickly get a sense of each character and feel as if you know them. I appreciated how well their personalities and talents complimented each other. As I read it I couldn’t help but wish that my boys were old enough to appreciate this book. At five and two, I’m lucky if I can get them to sit down long enough to eat dinner let alone read them a chapter book, but I just know they will love it when they get older. Dark Eagles First Flight is full of adventure and my heart was pounding with excitement as I read the last few chapters. I recommend this book to young and old alike and especially to anyone who loves freedom. Courtney Wilson, www.ordinaryhappilyeverafter.com

My 6th grade son just finished reading “The Dark Eagles First Flight” and he informed me that it is the best book he has ever read, better than the “Hunger Games”. He is doing an oral presentation on the book and he is genuinely excited about talking with his class about this book. I just wanted to send this email to thank you for engaging my son’s imagination and helping him love to read. Mike

Dear Mr. Smith, I met you at the Colorado Boulevard Barnes and Noble before Christmas when I was in Denver for business. I bought your Dark Eagles First Flight book for my son Bo who is 12 years old. Prior to this it seemed like he had been missing the passion for reading that was there before. He loved your book and it ignited the reading fire once again. I am getting him the Wells in Desolation book for him as a gift to take on our family trip. Thank you for sharing your gift of a fantastic story! Rob Bergenthal, Middleton, WI

Mr. Smith, I recently met you at a Barnes and Noble in Lone Tree, CO where I picked up your book for my high school library. I just finished reading your book and I found it very enjoyable. To be honest I was quite surprised. Though I’m a librarian, my opportunities to read selected materials are fairly limited to works that I know have pretty high acclaim, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from a book by a new author. I was not disappointed at all. It was as entertaining as any YA book I’ve read in recent memory. Thank you for the escape! So, when does the next book come out? Hope you’ve had some great holidays with your family so far, and have a great new year. Ryan Whitenack, Lone Tree, CO

A tale of adventure, freedom, and love. No, this is not a love story in the romantic sense; but a story of love for one’s country, home, family, and friends. Author David R. Smith does a wonderful job weaving words, accented with picturesque book illustrations (I’m a sucker for books with maps), to transport you into the world of Fundautum and onto Hople’s Island – a land of rugged mountain terrain, sweeping rivers, and quaint, lantern-lit towns with carriages & horses. Well-paced, suspenseful, and littered with action, this story is definitely filled with what makes the male species tick (adventure, a battle to fight, the pursuit of dreams), but also infused with inklings of magic and love interests that can keep a girl entertained. Irene, Antioch, CA

Fantastic book! I read The Dark Eagles First Flight along with my 11 year old daughter who enjoyed it so much she read it twice. It is a great adventure story with dynamic dialogue between characters. The story carries you throughout and it is very difficult to put down. After I finished reading the book, my 8 year old son wanted to read it so we read it as a family. This is my son and daughter’s favorite book! Christopher, Oakley, UT

Kief is a strong young male character that exhibits strength, courage and standing up for what he believes in. I couldn’t help but think what a good example this character is for young people today. The other supporting characters, all of Kief’s friends, that happen to be males and females, compliment him, and help in this quest. They are great characters, flawed in their own ways, but all very relatable to teens. They had good friendly relationships, so the dialogue was often fun as they teased each other amidst the great challenge they were facing. I’m so excited to let my kids, 10 and 14 read this book. You will be holding your breath as the youth undergo a grand scheme to battle the enemy. This book will be a great read for tweens and teens that like books about adventure, friendship and going after your dreams. Mr. Smith has written a book that will keep you on the edge and leave you wanting more. S. Staley

I finished “First Flight” for about the seventh time today and it was just as wonderful as when I read it the first time, and meeting you a few months ago and getting it signed was just an absolute pleasure. Good luck with “The Dark Eagles.” It’s an adventure! Claire Hayden, Fairhope, AL

“I thoroughly enjoyed “The Dark Eagles”. It was totally exciting and there was a lot of action. I give “The Dark Eagles First Flight” 5 out of 5 book worms for its adventure and excitement!” This Kid Reviews Books