Emperor's Dragon

The exhilarating journey of Jai and his dragon Winter comes to a bloody climax in this stunning conclusion to Sunday Times bestselling author Taran Matharu’s epic fantasy trilogy, The Soulbound Saga.

‘A classic fantasy adventure that reminds me of the novels I loved growing up, but with a flair of cultivation from the novels I love now’ Will Wight, New York Times bestselling author of the Cradle series

‘Bloody, glorious, and irresistibly compelling, Dragon Rider is a riveting epic that is at once sweepingly vast and heart-wrenchingly personal’ Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

The war for the empire has reached its breaking point. And if Jai is to succeed, he must continue to cultivate his powers so that he is strong enough to defeat the tyrannical Sabines.​

As High Khan, Jai has sacrificed everything to protect his people, forging fragile alliances, learning from those who would help him progress beyond a mere warrior, and fighting desperate battles against the Sabine Empire. Now, though, the stakes are higher than ever, the coalition Jai has painstakingly built is threatened from within by betrayal and from without by the overwhelming might of Emperor Titus.​

As armies clash and dragons and gryphons fight tooth and claw for dominance of the skies, Jai must navigate a treacherous landscape of political intrigue where a single misstep could mean the end of his world. With his soulbound dragon, Winter, at his side, he must confront his own heritage and make impossible choices that will determine the fate of empires. To secure a future for those he loves, he may have to risk becoming the very thing he fights against.​

‘Brutal politics, intricate worldbuilding, and edge-of-the-seat battles’ Prashanth Srivatsa, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Spice Gate

'Dragons with depth… Taran Matharu masterfully layers the history, politics and soulful magic of his world with page-turning ease' Cari Thomas, Sunday Times bestselling author of Threadneedle

‘A fast-paced, high-stakes adventure – Dragon Rider is a fantastical triumph’ Ehigbor Okosun, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Forged by Blood

© 2026 HarperVoyager (Audiobook): 9780008517762

Release date

Audiobook: 19 November 2026