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The Dragon's Legacy #1
The Dragon's Legacy
Epic fantasy in the tradition of Guy Gavriel Kay and Jacqueline Carey. “A world of large-scale epic fantasy…This is a rare find and not to be missed.” New York Times bestselling author Barb Hendee.
In the heart of the singing desert, the people are fading from the world. Mothers bear few live children, the warriors and wardens are hard-pressed to protect those who remain, and the vash’ai—the great cats who have called the people kithren for as long as there have been stories—bond with fewer humans each year. High above, the Sun Dragon sings a song of life and love while far below, the Earth Dragon slumbers as she has since the beginning of time. Her sleep is fitful, and from the darkness of her dreams come whispers of war… and death.
Sulema is a newly minted warrior of the people and a true Ja’Akari—a daughter of the unforgiving desert. When a mysterious young man appears in her home of Aish Kalumm, she learns that the Dragon King is dying in distant Atualon. As the king fades, so does the magic that sings the Earth Dragon to sleep.
There are those who wish to keep the dragon trapped in endless slumber. Others would tap her power to claim it for their own. And there are those who would have her wake, so they might laugh as the world burns.
In the heart of the singing desert, the people are fading from the world. Mothers bear few live children, the warriors and wardens are hard-pressed to protect those who remain, and the vash’ai—the great cats who have called the people kithren for as long as there have been stories—bond with fewer humans each year. High above, the Sun Dragon sings a song of life and love while far below, the Earth Dragon slumbers as she has since the beginning of time. Her sleep is fitful, and from the darkness of her dreams come whispers of war… and death.
Sulema is a newly minted warrior of the people and a true Ja’Akari—a daughter of the unforgiving desert. When a mysterious young man appears in her home of Aish Kalumm, she learns that the Dragon King is dying in distant Atualon. As the king fades, so does the magic that sings the Earth Dragon to sleep.
There are those who wish to keep the dragon trapped in endless slumber. Others would tap her power to claim it for their own. And there are those who would have her wake, so they might laugh as the world burns.
486 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2017
113 people are currently reading
3344 people want to read
About the author
Deborah A. Wolf
26 books133 followersDeborah A. Wolf was born in a barn and raised on wildlife refuges, which explains rather a lot. As a child, whether she was wandering down the beach of an otherwise deserted island or exploring the hidden secrets of Alaska with her faithful dog Sitka, she always had a book at hand. She opened the forbidden door, and set foot upon the tangled path, and never looked back.
Deborah attended any college that couldn’t outrun her and has accumulated a handful of degrees. She has worked as an underwater photographer, Arabic linguist, and grumbling wage slave. Throughout it all, she has held onto one true and passionate love: the love of storytelling.
Deborah currently lives in northern Michigan with her kids (some of whom are grown and all of whom are exceptional), an assortment of dogs and horses, and a pair of demons masquerading as cats.
Deborah attended any college that couldn’t outrun her and has accumulated a handful of degrees. She has worked as an underwater photographer, Arabic linguist, and grumbling wage slave. Throughout it all, she has held onto one true and passionate love: the love of storytelling.
Deborah currently lives in northern Michigan with her kids (some of whom are grown and all of whom are exceptional), an assortment of dogs and horses, and a pair of demons masquerading as cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
April 20, 2017
4.5 stars.
As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After the prologue, the story focuses mainly around Sulema, an outlander to the Zeera, raised from a young child, now on the verge of womanhood, we find her in the last stages of her training to become a Ja' Akari, following through to the subsequent culmination and her acceptance into the Ja' Akari. Not long after a mysterious stranger appears in Aish Kalumm, complete with a shocking revelation regarding her parentage that will irrevocably alter Sulema's world, finding that unfortunately, you can't outrun your birthright or your past, somehow it always catches up to you in the end.
Along with Sulema's story arc, you also have that of the Daeborn Jian taking place within Khanbul (the Forbidden City) in the land of Sindan and home to the Sindanese emperor. The Dae are a race who live in the Twilight lands and who on occasion procreate with the Sindanese, the resulting spawn are referred to as 'Daeborn' and if they are born at the right time, they are then sent for brutal training to become Daechen (warrior). This is my only niggle with the book, not much time was spent on this part of the story, and I personally really enjoyed it, finding Jian's arc to be a good counterpoint to that of Sulema, but we only got around 6 chapters interspersed throughout the entire book. Saying that however, the chapters move Jian's story along nicely, and the end of his final chapter leaves you expectant of what's next to come from both Jian and the Sindanese.
A large part of the story takes place in the Zeera, a vast desert landscape, the zeerani fortress of Aish Kalumm and the surrounding area, but it's not just simply 'the location' where most of The Dragon's Legacy is set. No, Wolf does a great job of making it feel like a living and breathing integral piece of the pie, and it's as much a part of the tale being told as both the characters and story. After The Sundering (a cataclysmic event that took place approximately 1,000 years prior to The Dragon's Legacy) life is hard in the Zeera, every year fewer children are born to the tribes, more people die and less vash'ai choose to bond with the zeeranim (people of the desert). Wolf makes the Zeera feel alive and dangerous.
The vash'ai are a fantastic creation, very large intelligent cats with very large tusks, not your average house cat, simply put, they are pretty fucking cool! With members of the zeeranim who they deem worthy they bond, becoming zeeravashini (a zeerani who has bonded with a vash'ai) kithren to each other, aiding in protecting the Zeera. The vash'ai can converse telepathically, as a member of the kin (descendents of the first races also including wyverns and mymyc) they are intelligent creatures capable of cognizant thoughts, awareness and some quality lines. Aahhh who's a clever kitty, but be warned, while the vash'ai have that same proud and self-centred aloofness that most cats have, these aren't purring furrballs of fun!
When the story moves to Atualon, the seat of power for Wyvernus (Ka Atu, the Dragon King) and sole wielder of the atulfah (sa and ka combined to create the song of creation). Sa and Ka are the magic in The Dragon's Legacy, two sides of the same coin. Sa, the female half, offering an amplified sense of harmony and Ka, the male half, offering an amplified awareness of your surroundings. You have a city locale making for a more standard setting and part of the book, but the change in location works well, giving the zeerani who travelled there a fish out of water vibe, and is a nice change of pace to the harsh desert.
The Dragon King, in particular the atulfah he commands is an integral part of the story, Ka Atsu is the only man capable of keeping the dormant dragon within the world quiescent. If the dragon awakes, then the world would crack open like an egg, or if you prefer the grimdark version, like a cleaved skull! ;)
While we have Wyvernus in Atualon and the Sindanese their emperor in Khanbul, both are males in predominant roles. In the Zeera the roles are reversed, you find the females the dominant sex and fighters, with the Umm Nurati (first mother) being in charge. In the culture the men are relegated to husbands and farmers, with some becoming Ja' Sajani, the wardens of the Zeera, but the Ja' Akari, the protectors of the Zeera are all ferocious female warriors, and it works really well, making for a refreshing change and giving you a bountiful abundance of strong female characters.
The Dragon's Legacy is a very character driven read, featuring an ambitious list of characters, some major, some minor, with some who you will love, some who you will hate, some who play far more pivotal roles than others and some who you will question their actions, including, Sulema, Hannei, Hafsa Azeina, Daru, Leviathus, Jian, Char, Mattu Halfmask, Ismai, Istaza Ani and Askander to name amongst others. My favourite character would have to be Hafsa Azeina, the former Queen consort of Atualon, current dreamshifter (means she can kill people in their sleep, how cool) of the Zeeranim and Sulema's mother, she's such a complex, intriguing and fascinating character who ran from her previous life, changed herself, and went down dark paths all in aid of protecting her daughter. While not all of the main characters are instantly likeable, they are all fully fleshed out, believable and given distinct personalities adding to the story.
Wolf has a descriptive and detailed writing style that flows well with great pacing, there's enough action to satisfy and it's never overly visceral or bloody, politics, intrigue, betrayal, humour, dark times, some lighter times and emotion are all added to the mix, she sure knows how to spin a good yarn - I used yarn instead of tale or story, due to 'yarn' as in a 'ball of yarn' that cats play with, as the vash'ai are cats, it's the obligatory bad humour you often find in my reviews! :)
With a broad overarching narrative that is epic in nature The Dragon's Legacy, particularly for Sulema and Hafsa Azeina is also a very personal story. The world and the subsequent world building found within the pages is intricate, vast and fully realised. Wolf has made the lands luxuriantly rich in culture, history and lore. Luckily she largely manages to avoid the trope of 'info dumping' on you as she weaves her exquisite tapestry that is The Dragon's Legacy, evoking vivid imagery in your mind, immersing you in her setting and the story being told thanks to her writing.
With The Dragon's Legacy Wolf has created an elaborate read and a sprawling fantasy, as such isn't the easiest of books to get into when you first open it up. In a similar vein to the beginning of Gardens of the Moon (Malazan book of the fallen #1) by Steven Erikson and other suck ilk found within the fantasy genre, you are thrust straight into the action and story, and at times it can be slightly confusing as there are a lot of various different names and places for you to remember. Wolf doesn't hold your hand or comfort you like a mewling babe, you're expected to find your own way and the glossary (luckily located at the front of the book) will on occasion be needed, but as you progress, becoming accustomed to the plethora of names, you become invested in the characters and story, finding that you are losing yourself in the book.
The Dragon's Legacy is the first book in the series, due to this a few aspects of the story and locations are only vaguely visited and alluded to throughout. I'll be looking forward to delving deeper in the next installment, after all you have to keep a little something back for the following books. :)
This was my first foray into what I've recently seen as being dubbed the 'sand and sorcery' genre of fantasy and I absolutely loved it. Finding The Dragon's Legacy to have everything that a great fantasy book needs, add in a conclusion that leaves you questioning both what happens next and wanting more, and you find yourself with an exceptional debut and a top quality book that deserves to be read.
Highly recommended.
As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After the prologue, the story focuses mainly around Sulema, an outlander to the Zeera, raised from a young child, now on the verge of womanhood, we find her in the last stages of her training to become a Ja' Akari, following through to the subsequent culmination and her acceptance into the Ja' Akari. Not long after a mysterious stranger appears in Aish Kalumm, complete with a shocking revelation regarding her parentage that will irrevocably alter Sulema's world, finding that unfortunately, you can't outrun your birthright or your past, somehow it always catches up to you in the end.
Along with Sulema's story arc, you also have that of the Daeborn Jian taking place within Khanbul (the Forbidden City) in the land of Sindan and home to the Sindanese emperor. The Dae are a race who live in the Twilight lands and who on occasion procreate with the Sindanese, the resulting spawn are referred to as 'Daeborn' and if they are born at the right time, they are then sent for brutal training to become Daechen (warrior). This is my only niggle with the book, not much time was spent on this part of the story, and I personally really enjoyed it, finding Jian's arc to be a good counterpoint to that of Sulema, but we only got around 6 chapters interspersed throughout the entire book. Saying that however, the chapters move Jian's story along nicely, and the end of his final chapter leaves you expectant of what's next to come from both Jian and the Sindanese.
A large part of the story takes place in the Zeera, a vast desert landscape, the zeerani fortress of Aish Kalumm and the surrounding area, but it's not just simply 'the location' where most of The Dragon's Legacy is set. No, Wolf does a great job of making it feel like a living and breathing integral piece of the pie, and it's as much a part of the tale being told as both the characters and story. After The Sundering (a cataclysmic event that took place approximately 1,000 years prior to The Dragon's Legacy) life is hard in the Zeera, every year fewer children are born to the tribes, more people die and less vash'ai choose to bond with the zeeranim (people of the desert). Wolf makes the Zeera feel alive and dangerous.
The vash'ai are a fantastic creation, very large intelligent cats with very large tusks, not your average house cat, simply put, they are pretty fucking cool! With members of the zeeranim who they deem worthy they bond, becoming zeeravashini (a zeerani who has bonded with a vash'ai) kithren to each other, aiding in protecting the Zeera. The vash'ai can converse telepathically, as a member of the kin (descendents of the first races also including wyverns and mymyc) they are intelligent creatures capable of cognizant thoughts, awareness and some quality lines. Aahhh who's a clever kitty, but be warned, while the vash'ai have that same proud and self-centred aloofness that most cats have, these aren't purring furrballs of fun!
When the story moves to Atualon, the seat of power for Wyvernus (Ka Atu, the Dragon King) and sole wielder of the atulfah (sa and ka combined to create the song of creation). Sa and Ka are the magic in The Dragon's Legacy, two sides of the same coin. Sa, the female half, offering an amplified sense of harmony and Ka, the male half, offering an amplified awareness of your surroundings. You have a city locale making for a more standard setting and part of the book, but the change in location works well, giving the zeerani who travelled there a fish out of water vibe, and is a nice change of pace to the harsh desert.
The Dragon King, in particular the atulfah he commands is an integral part of the story, Ka Atsu is the only man capable of keeping the dormant dragon within the world quiescent. If the dragon awakes, then the world would crack open like an egg, or if you prefer the grimdark version, like a cleaved skull! ;)
While we have Wyvernus in Atualon and the Sindanese their emperor in Khanbul, both are males in predominant roles. In the Zeera the roles are reversed, you find the females the dominant sex and fighters, with the Umm Nurati (first mother) being in charge. In the culture the men are relegated to husbands and farmers, with some becoming Ja' Sajani, the wardens of the Zeera, but the Ja' Akari, the protectors of the Zeera are all ferocious female warriors, and it works really well, making for a refreshing change and giving you a bountiful abundance of strong female characters.
The Dragon's Legacy is a very character driven read, featuring an ambitious list of characters, some major, some minor, with some who you will love, some who you will hate, some who play far more pivotal roles than others and some who you will question their actions, including, Sulema, Hannei, Hafsa Azeina, Daru, Leviathus, Jian, Char, Mattu Halfmask, Ismai, Istaza Ani and Askander to name amongst others. My favourite character would have to be Hafsa Azeina, the former Queen consort of Atualon, current dreamshifter (means she can kill people in their sleep, how cool) of the Zeeranim and Sulema's mother, she's such a complex, intriguing and fascinating character who ran from her previous life, changed herself, and went down dark paths all in aid of protecting her daughter. While not all of the main characters are instantly likeable, they are all fully fleshed out, believable and given distinct personalities adding to the story.
Wolf has a descriptive and detailed writing style that flows well with great pacing, there's enough action to satisfy and it's never overly visceral or bloody, politics, intrigue, betrayal, humour, dark times, some lighter times and emotion are all added to the mix, she sure knows how to spin a good yarn - I used yarn instead of tale or story, due to 'yarn' as in a 'ball of yarn' that cats play with, as the vash'ai are cats, it's the obligatory bad humour you often find in my reviews! :)
With a broad overarching narrative that is epic in nature The Dragon's Legacy, particularly for Sulema and Hafsa Azeina is also a very personal story. The world and the subsequent world building found within the pages is intricate, vast and fully realised. Wolf has made the lands luxuriantly rich in culture, history and lore. Luckily she largely manages to avoid the trope of 'info dumping' on you as she weaves her exquisite tapestry that is The Dragon's Legacy, evoking vivid imagery in your mind, immersing you in her setting and the story being told thanks to her writing.
With The Dragon's Legacy Wolf has created an elaborate read and a sprawling fantasy, as such isn't the easiest of books to get into when you first open it up. In a similar vein to the beginning of Gardens of the Moon (Malazan book of the fallen #1) by Steven Erikson and other suck ilk found within the fantasy genre, you are thrust straight into the action and story, and at times it can be slightly confusing as there are a lot of various different names and places for you to remember. Wolf doesn't hold your hand or comfort you like a mewling babe, you're expected to find your own way and the glossary (luckily located at the front of the book) will on occasion be needed, but as you progress, becoming accustomed to the plethora of names, you become invested in the characters and story, finding that you are losing yourself in the book.
The Dragon's Legacy is the first book in the series, due to this a few aspects of the story and locations are only vaguely visited and alluded to throughout. I'll be looking forward to delving deeper in the next installment, after all you have to keep a little something back for the following books. :)
This was my first foray into what I've recently seen as being dubbed the 'sand and sorcery' genre of fantasy and I absolutely loved it. Finding The Dragon's Legacy to have everything that a great fantasy book needs, add in a conclusion that leaves you questioning both what happens next and wanting more, and you find yourself with an exceptional debut and a top quality book that deserves to be read.
Highly recommended.
June 7, 2018
An exciting and enjoyable novel in a refreshing setting. I quite liked it.
October 4, 2018
3.8 stars.
I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed. This book started out absolutely fantastic . I was loving it. To be fair to the book, I do think that my mood shifted a little halfway through, but I just felt that the story grew a little...stagnant. Like, it was great and all, but the book didn't feel like an overall arc. We were still introducing new threads and characters and stuff until the very last page, and the end just still felt like the beginning. I felt like the story just never moved forward. And I get that this is the first book and that it is a huge epic fantasy series, but the plot still needed to go somewhere. The set up was so so good but the book just didn't move It wasn't so much that the book was slow, it was just...nothing epic happened. Nothing pivotal. I want to read the next book, but this one was a little unsatisfying.
I admit though, there is so much to love about this book! Okay, for starters, the worldbuilding and ideas put into this are incredible. And no, it doesn't really include dragons (sad) but it does include giant cat things which bond with people (awesome)!And there is a super helpful glossary at the front which actually tells you what is going on! YAY! Can more books have this feature, especially in epic fantasy where is confuzzling? I also think the worl felt really expansive. There are different cultures for different countries and it is really detailed and rich and beautifully described and I didn't think it ever got boring or slow. It just didn't move on from this worldbuilding and character building. There was a plot, as such, but it didn't go anywhere
BUT I DO THINK my mood change contributed to SOME of my disappointment. This book fulfilled everything I needed and then I had a slight shift. But I also don't think that it was totally my fault. I DO want to read book two, because this series has so much potential. There were so many great characters whose names I do not remember but! its! fine! Look, my forgetfulness of names does not mean that I dislike the book. I did read this book awhile ago, okay! I am so behind on my reviews.....Anyhow, I do think the characters were really well developed and I think I would reread this book in the future. There are just so many details that I think there would be something new to find every time you read it.
Overall I enjoyed this book, and I think I will love this series, but I wish this book had moved forwards a little bit . If you want some detailed and epic fantasy I think you should try this. It is EXTREMELY underrated. Go try it. Read it. I think this series is going to be amazing. I will get the next book at some point. It needs to have more hype. And I hope something more.....huge will happen in the next book. I like the characters. I love the concept and world. I love the writing. Now I just need some direction.
I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed. This book started out absolutely fantastic . I was loving it. To be fair to the book, I do think that my mood shifted a little halfway through, but I just felt that the story grew a little...stagnant. Like, it was great and all, but the book didn't feel like an overall arc. We were still introducing new threads and characters and stuff until the very last page, and the end just still felt like the beginning. I felt like the story just never moved forward. And I get that this is the first book and that it is a huge epic fantasy series, but the plot still needed to go somewhere. The set up was so so good but the book just didn't move It wasn't so much that the book was slow, it was just...nothing epic happened. Nothing pivotal. I want to read the next book, but this one was a little unsatisfying.
I admit though, there is so much to love about this book! Okay, for starters, the worldbuilding and ideas put into this are incredible. And no, it doesn't really include dragons (sad) but it does include giant cat things which bond with people (awesome)!And there is a super helpful glossary at the front which actually tells you what is going on! YAY! Can more books have this feature, especially in epic fantasy where is confuzzling? I also think the worl felt really expansive. There are different cultures for different countries and it is really detailed and rich and beautifully described and I didn't think it ever got boring or slow. It just didn't move on from this worldbuilding and character building. There was a plot, as such, but it didn't go anywhere
BUT I DO THINK my mood change contributed to SOME of my disappointment. This book fulfilled everything I needed and then I had a slight shift. But I also don't think that it was totally my fault. I DO want to read book two, because this series has so much potential. There were so many great characters whose names I do not remember but! its! fine! Look, my forgetfulness of names does not mean that I dislike the book. I did read this book awhile ago, okay! I am so behind on my reviews.....Anyhow, I do think the characters were really well developed and I think I would reread this book in the future. There are just so many details that I think there would be something new to find every time you read it.
Overall I enjoyed this book, and I think I will love this series, but I wish this book had moved forwards a little bit . If you want some detailed and epic fantasy I think you should try this. It is EXTREMELY underrated. Go try it. Read it. I think this series is going to be amazing. I will get the next book at some point. It needs to have more hype. And I hope something more.....huge will happen in the next book. I like the characters. I love the concept and world. I love the writing. Now I just need some direction.
December 15, 2017
You can listen to a full review on our podcast, The Nerd Book Review
Sometimes when I’m reading a book my ego tells me that with enough time and effort I could write a novel that would be as good as what I’m reading. This probably isn’t true but I did say it was my ego talking.
Then I read a novel like this one and I realize that if I had a lifetime I couldn’t hope to match it. Wolf weaves such an intricate tale with a vivid world and fleshed our characters that I often forgot I was supposed to be taking notes and thinking of what to include in the podcast. I think that if Wolf can replicate this quality of work throughout the series this has a chance to become one of my favorites. This is one of those rare 5+ for me and I enjoyed every moment of it from the first page to the last.
Sometimes when I’m reading a book my ego tells me that with enough time and effort I could write a novel that would be as good as what I’m reading. This probably isn’t true but I did say it was my ego talking.
Then I read a novel like this one and I realize that if I had a lifetime I couldn’t hope to match it. Wolf weaves such an intricate tale with a vivid world and fleshed our characters that I often forgot I was supposed to be taking notes and thinking of what to include in the podcast. I think that if Wolf can replicate this quality of work throughout the series this has a chance to become one of my favorites. This is one of those rare 5+ for me and I enjoyed every moment of it from the first page to the last.
Read
March 1, 2018
“better to dance with the enemy than dance to the enemy’s tune”
beyond the lyrical writing the story itself is so full of darkness and humour. and so much more.
we follow Sulema, a young woman who is in the midst of training to be Ja'Akari warrior. then she discovers her true birthright, and from there the story begins, causing a bunch of turmoil and twists. there’s a lot more characters and different POVs, which can be a little intimidating, but it turned out to be easy to keep up with. yay. pronouncing their names ... that killed me though. 😂
my favorite thing was probably the vash'ai which are pretty much these giant snarky cats who bond themselves with chosen Zeerani warriors. they’re humorous but also terrifying.
beyond the lyrical writing the story itself is so full of darkness and humour. and so much more.
we follow Sulema, a young woman who is in the midst of training to be Ja'Akari warrior. then she discovers her true birthright, and from there the story begins, causing a bunch of turmoil and twists. there’s a lot more characters and different POVs, which can be a little intimidating, but it turned out to be easy to keep up with. yay. pronouncing their names ... that killed me though. 😂
my favorite thing was probably the vash'ai which are pretty much these giant snarky cats who bond themselves with chosen Zeerani warriors. they’re humorous but also terrifying.
March 9, 2017
I received an ARC of 'The Dragon's Legacy' in exchange for an honest review...always a risky venture with me because I am brutally honest and I set my reading bar, especially in fantasy, perhaps unreasonably high. But this author is an intrepid soul or a reckless one - or both - and she insisted I read and review her dreamchild......and I am so glad she did! This is easily the best epic fantasy debut I have ever read, and instantly ranks among the classics of the genre for me. The writing is immaculate, the world-building is astounding, the characters lovable, hate-able, absolutely believable. The story itself is exquisite. There is darkness and humour, grimness and light. And there is more, so much more here...beyond the lyrical language, past the seamless flow of the intricate and interwoven POV's and plotlines...there is DEPTH. Layers upon layers of meaning decked in poetry and subtle philosophy. And each time that I thought I had grasped the author's true intent, she would surprise me again with another level, another brilliant plane of pure genius. Having said all that, TDL is not an easy read like so many of the newer fantasy novels out there...it is obviously directed toward an intellectual readership, lovers of the highest fantasy with sharp minds and discriminating tastes. Yes, this book will challenge you...and then it will change you. Forever.
November 6, 2017
Group read at the Grimdark Fantasy group. Also my second grimdark novel written by a female author. Definitely need more of these.
The plus: Interesting world-building with some of my personal favorites: a matriarchal society and another one with strong connection to the sea. The author wrote rather nice proses and some narratives are downright poetic. The characters, most are memorable and some are even very engaging and making me want to root for them. Especially Daru, the little boy who could speak to shadows. I just want to hug him and tell him everything's gonna be alright.
The minus: The amount of POVs and subplots are distracting. Probably need better editing to improve the pacing. Also, the amount of non-English words (with no explanation anywhere in the book) are also quite a lot, despite a very long list of terms at the beginning.
Since I am curious about the fate of some of the characters - this book is definitely not a stand-alone - I will continue to the next book.
The plus: Interesting world-building with some of my personal favorites: a matriarchal society and another one with strong connection to the sea. The author wrote rather nice proses and some narratives are downright poetic. The characters, most are memorable and some are even very engaging and making me want to root for them. Especially Daru, the little boy who could speak to shadows. I just want to hug him and tell him everything's gonna be alright.
The minus: The amount of POVs and subplots are distracting. Probably need better editing to improve the pacing. Also, the amount of non-English words (with no explanation anywhere in the book) are also quite a lot, despite a very long list of terms at the beginning.
Since I am curious about the fate of some of the characters - this book is definitely not a stand-alone - I will continue to the next book.
August 6, 2017
I wrote it, what do you expect? :D
March 14, 2017
The dust jacket synopsis sounded so interesting: it promised fantasy, dragons, kingdoms, kickass women, exotic creatures, a map, and a war. But in reality, I was disappointed. The world building was muddled or maybe well hidden amongst the multitude of characters with unpronounceable names. The prose was convoluted, confusing and over the top “whaaaaa?” I have rarely seen so many adjectives and metaphors and similes in so few pages.
My favorite: “Her soul reached out in vain, like a warrior groping for a severed limb.” The imagery right there completely eradicates what the author meant with that sentence.
The author tosses the reader into the midst of her world with but a simple map and a list of dramatis personae that is misspelled with two n’s (I double-checked, it is misspelled). We are then bombarded with names and creatures’ names and, I think, unexplained religious ceremonies. A character that I thought had died at the beginning is alive but it took me two pages of a scene to figure it out.
The weird thing is, an internet search showed this book to be on a bunch of “highly anticipated” reads for 2017. I hate not finishing a book but I really hate throwing it against the wall in frustration so I put this one in the DNF pile.
My favorite: “Her soul reached out in vain, like a warrior groping for a severed limb.” The imagery right there completely eradicates what the author meant with that sentence.
The author tosses the reader into the midst of her world with but a simple map and a list of dramatis personae that is misspelled with two n’s (I double-checked, it is misspelled). We are then bombarded with names and creatures’ names and, I think, unexplained religious ceremonies. A character that I thought had died at the beginning is alive but it took me two pages of a scene to figure it out.
The weird thing is, an internet search showed this book to be on a bunch of “highly anticipated” reads for 2017. I hate not finishing a book but I really hate throwing it against the wall in frustration so I put this one in the DNF pile.
March 15, 2017
Note: ARC received via Amazon Vine.
The Dragon's Legacy sure has a lot of words in it. Many of the words are in the English language, but there are a plenty of made up ones, too. It's the latter category that made this book very difficult for me to read. Let me explain:
After plowing through the book, I find I cannot tell you what the plot or even the basic premise of the book is. I can't really tell you about the characters.* I can't even tell you 'the point,' and I assume there is 'a point' because it is a book that has been slated for publishing and there usually is some sort of point in the text. Really, my reading of the book amounted to a mishmash of words. Details happen, occasional almost identifiable plot stuffs happen. Characters and places and things happen all over the book. But what is it about? I don't know. If someone who has read the book cover to cover can tell me, I salute your ability to parse whatever the author is doing. Your brain is much more creative than mine.
Then we come to the title which includes the word 'dragon.' Now, unless I totally missed it (and that is possible), I spy with my little eye 0 dragons because I refuse to acknowledge the one on the cover. Now, there is a 'dragon king' but I wouldn't call him a dragon of the super scary fire breathing and wings and scaly sort. I found no actual dragons. Oddly, the mention of them did make me want to play the DragonAge video games again, so points for that, I guess.
World building? Wait, that didn't happen. When writing fantasy, it's important to orient the reader to the world from page one. Nope. None of that. We're tossed right into it and good luck to us trying to figure it out on the go most of the time. There's just lots and lots of world specific words again. Some are sort of explained in the appendices but for the most part I was lost and more lost.
The overall feel I got from the book was that the author had ideas for people, places, things but the execution is all over the place. It's sort of like my NaNoWriMo projects (which I am smart enough to know not to attempt to publish in any form because they are nonsensical drivel - this is a side note, not a dig at anyone or anything). Much tossing around of people, places, things occurs but the whole does not add up to anything recognizable as beginning, middle, end.
*This is a note about a character because I really liked this part of the book. This character's story was the reason I kept plowing through even when I wanted to give up. I like Jian. I think Jian has the most easily followed and intriguing plotline of the entire book. But Jian and his part encompasses about five chapters that are very spread out. If this book were about him, I would have loved every word, even the made up ones. But Jian is not the main thrust and I was lost when it wasn't his part of the story. Unfortunately he is not enough to make me read further installments, either. He is enough for me to give the author credit for giving me something interesting to attach to, though, and not give this book 1 star. Instead I give it 2.
The Dragon's Legacy sure has a lot of words in it. Many of the words are in the English language, but there are a plenty of made up ones, too. It's the latter category that made this book very difficult for me to read. Let me explain:
After plowing through the book, I find I cannot tell you what the plot or even the basic premise of the book is. I can't really tell you about the characters.* I can't even tell you 'the point,' and I assume there is 'a point' because it is a book that has been slated for publishing and there usually is some sort of point in the text. Really, my reading of the book amounted to a mishmash of words. Details happen, occasional almost identifiable plot stuffs happen. Characters and places and things happen all over the book. But what is it about? I don't know. If someone who has read the book cover to cover can tell me, I salute your ability to parse whatever the author is doing. Your brain is much more creative than mine.
Then we come to the title which includes the word 'dragon.' Now, unless I totally missed it (and that is possible), I spy with my little eye 0 dragons because I refuse to acknowledge the one on the cover. Now, there is a 'dragon king' but I wouldn't call him a dragon of the super scary fire breathing and wings and scaly sort. I found no actual dragons. Oddly, the mention of them did make me want to play the DragonAge video games again, so points for that, I guess.
World building? Wait, that didn't happen. When writing fantasy, it's important to orient the reader to the world from page one. Nope. None of that. We're tossed right into it and good luck to us trying to figure it out on the go most of the time. There's just lots and lots of world specific words again. Some are sort of explained in the appendices but for the most part I was lost and more lost.
The overall feel I got from the book was that the author had ideas for people, places, things but the execution is all over the place. It's sort of like my NaNoWriMo projects (which I am smart enough to know not to attempt to publish in any form because they are nonsensical drivel - this is a side note, not a dig at anyone or anything). Much tossing around of people, places, things occurs but the whole does not add up to anything recognizable as beginning, middle, end.
*This is a note about a character because I really liked this part of the book. This character's story was the reason I kept plowing through even when I wanted to give up. I like Jian. I think Jian has the most easily followed and intriguing plotline of the entire book. But Jian and his part encompasses about five chapters that are very spread out. If this book were about him, I would have loved every word, even the made up ones. But Jian is not the main thrust and I was lost when it wasn't his part of the story. Unfortunately he is not enough to make me read further installments, either. He is enough for me to give the author credit for giving me something interesting to attach to, though, and not give this book 1 star. Instead I give it 2.
June 10, 2017
I did wonder about the map when I started, cos it was so obviously our world, almost. But maybe they just wanted an easy map. You'd have to see it.
I liked how the "barbarians" had women warriors. The men stayed at home because their seed was precious. They could not do battle then. They could stay home and take care of everything. The women did the chasing after men too. then men were more gentle, but, there is always a but, the women weren't always. If the women rule, well like with every system there can be flaws too. As for this people, they are dying, the whole world is dying. Almost no babies are born. Soon women warriors will be a myth since they are the only ones.
Sulema is one of these warriors. Her mother is a powerful dreamer and there is a secret there. We learn of it after a while as the journey takes Sulema to another kingdom. One of magic. One with a mighty king. I must say when I did meet him he did not seem that might. Ok he was totally all powerful but he was also human. Myths about things do have a tendency to explode.
There are other pows too. The one of Jian who is taken from his home to become a prince. I guess their paths will intertwine at hone point. I'd love to learn more about his origin.
Hennai, another woman warrior who shows us life in the tribe after Sulema leaves.
There are things going on. Plots and conspiracies. It's hard to know how to like. Sulema does seem very innocent. Yes she is a tough warrior, but can see see all those plots brewing? Her mother was cool, hardened and ruthless. WHat is there not to like.
It was an interesting world and when the book ends, well yes sort of cliffhanger cos things are starting to fall apart.
I liked how the "barbarians" had women warriors. The men stayed at home because their seed was precious. They could not do battle then. They could stay home and take care of everything. The women did the chasing after men too. then men were more gentle, but, there is always a but, the women weren't always. If the women rule, well like with every system there can be flaws too. As for this people, they are dying, the whole world is dying. Almost no babies are born. Soon women warriors will be a myth since they are the only ones.
Sulema is one of these warriors. Her mother is a powerful dreamer and there is a secret there. We learn of it after a while as the journey takes Sulema to another kingdom. One of magic. One with a mighty king. I must say when I did meet him he did not seem that might. Ok he was totally all powerful but he was also human. Myths about things do have a tendency to explode.
There are other pows too. The one of Jian who is taken from his home to become a prince. I guess their paths will intertwine at hone point. I'd love to learn more about his origin.
Hennai, another woman warrior who shows us life in the tribe after Sulema leaves.
There are things going on. Plots and conspiracies. It's hard to know how to like. Sulema does seem very innocent. Yes she is a tough warrior, but can see see all those plots brewing? Her mother was cool, hardened and ruthless. WHat is there not to like.
It was an interesting world and when the book ends, well yes sort of cliffhanger cos things are starting to fall apart.
January 2, 2018
Beaitifully written and a gorgeous read. Thoroughly recommended.
March 2, 2018
There's multiple kinds of fantasy: There's high fantasy which is elves, dwarves, and unicorns that can have dark elements but is mostly about heroic narratives. This dark fantasy and grimdark which is about taking the nastiness of the world then adding ice zombies as well as inscrutable Fair Folk. Then there's epic fantasy which is a large sweeping tale of entire worlds with hundreds of cast members viewing the situation from multiple perspectives. The Dragon's Legacy is proper epic fantasy and up there with The Wheel of Time and the Witcher Saga. It has its flaws but those who like big alternate universes, especially the Essos sections of A Song of Ice and Fire, will love this.
The premise of the Dragon's Legacy is, very roughly, that there's a Middle Eastern and Chinese-themed set of cultures next to one another. It is a world of dragons, demons, talking lions, and dream-based magic. The world is dying because of past events and less children are born every year. A young nomad woman discovers she is the daughter of the Emperor and she may inherit as his only child who can channel sorcery. Her mother finds herself still desired by her former husband despite the fact she ran away with his child. A half-demon journeys to a rival empire to claim his destiny as one of their new soldiers. Also, about a dozen other interesting subplots and counter-plots.
One benefit of this book is that it subverts the constant stream of Medieval European fantasy which has dominated the genre since, well, forever. Much insight is given into the local cultures which are similar but not identical to their historical inspirations. Really, the Ja'Akari bear as much of a debt to Frank Herbert's Fremen and Robert Jordan's Aiel. However, that's not an insult since those are great characters and a far less used piece of classic fantasy than elves or dwarves. Also, for whatever reason, despite how awesome wuxia and Imperial China is, we've never had anything but a slight impression by them in Western fantasy.
The book is a slow burn it should be noted with no Ringwraiths moving to smash down the gates of the Shire or Trollocs attacking the home village. Instead, Deborah Wolf takes her time setting up the world and all of the characters' roles in it. Life is hard and painful in the dying world with threats coming from every direction, not the least being a dragon which very might be readying to wake up and destroy the world. Still, for the most part this is a book driven by characterization and cultural expectations than wizards blasting each other. Thankfully, the book isn't a doorstopper either with just 320 pages. Much is set up for future installments of the series and I'm alright with waiting as the groundwork is well paved. Still, don't go into this expecting the Battle of Helm's Deep.
Deborah Wolf was, according to her author bio, raised on wildlife refuges and this actually fits into a quality of the book which I noticed differs it from other stories of its kind. There is a lot of animal discussion in this book. We get the use of animals in various cultures, their constant presence (both intelligent and otherwise), and even their perspectives on events. I like this detail of the universe as its too often overlooked in establishing worlds. These are a pair of people as dependent on their animals as modern humanity is dependent on its technology. The author is very good at evoking atmosphere and you can really tell what the world is like by her description of sights, smells, and sounds.
My favorite character is Sulema and her family. The titular Dragon's Legacy, she is a person who is put in an interesting position as she doesn't have to do much to claim her legacy but is one which will potentially destroy everything she considers herself to be. How much is one willing to change about oneself to be a monarch? How much good can one do with such a sacrifice? How much of a sacrifice is it, really, to wield that kind of privilege? These are questions which are often posed in the abstract but rarely lived in epic fantasy. Everyone has their own take on the subject in the story and it benefits from a deep examination.
In terms of content, I'd say this book doesn't come anywhere close to grimdark as it's actually quite light on evil. The world is miserable because of the natural disaster and spiritual as well as physical famine afflicting things but everyone seems fairly egalitarian. Also, they're mostly pulling together to try and save everyone else. For a world rooted in folklore about tyrants and evil sorcerers, just about everyone seems to be mostly decent person. It's just they might have to kill one another.
Do I recommend the book? Yes, I do. I could give suggestions as to what I would have done instead but then the book would be mine instead of its author. It's a book with a strong voice and while some fans may not find it their cup of tea, I think it's an overall extremely good work of fantasy and not derivative of anyone. It takes lesser used elements of fantasy and weaves in something that feels like a modern Arabian Nights. I would have appreciated a bit more action and surprise but the book is great on its own.
9/10
The premise of the Dragon's Legacy is, very roughly, that there's a Middle Eastern and Chinese-themed set of cultures next to one another. It is a world of dragons, demons, talking lions, and dream-based magic. The world is dying because of past events and less children are born every year. A young nomad woman discovers she is the daughter of the Emperor and she may inherit as his only child who can channel sorcery. Her mother finds herself still desired by her former husband despite the fact she ran away with his child. A half-demon journeys to a rival empire to claim his destiny as one of their new soldiers. Also, about a dozen other interesting subplots and counter-plots.
One benefit of this book is that it subverts the constant stream of Medieval European fantasy which has dominated the genre since, well, forever. Much insight is given into the local cultures which are similar but not identical to their historical inspirations. Really, the Ja'Akari bear as much of a debt to Frank Herbert's Fremen and Robert Jordan's Aiel. However, that's not an insult since those are great characters and a far less used piece of classic fantasy than elves or dwarves. Also, for whatever reason, despite how awesome wuxia and Imperial China is, we've never had anything but a slight impression by them in Western fantasy.
The book is a slow burn it should be noted with no Ringwraiths moving to smash down the gates of the Shire or Trollocs attacking the home village. Instead, Deborah Wolf takes her time setting up the world and all of the characters' roles in it. Life is hard and painful in the dying world with threats coming from every direction, not the least being a dragon which very might be readying to wake up and destroy the world. Still, for the most part this is a book driven by characterization and cultural expectations than wizards blasting each other. Thankfully, the book isn't a doorstopper either with just 320 pages. Much is set up for future installments of the series and I'm alright with waiting as the groundwork is well paved. Still, don't go into this expecting the Battle of Helm's Deep.
Deborah Wolf was, according to her author bio, raised on wildlife refuges and this actually fits into a quality of the book which I noticed differs it from other stories of its kind. There is a lot of animal discussion in this book. We get the use of animals in various cultures, their constant presence (both intelligent and otherwise), and even their perspectives on events. I like this detail of the universe as its too often overlooked in establishing worlds. These are a pair of people as dependent on their animals as modern humanity is dependent on its technology. The author is very good at evoking atmosphere and you can really tell what the world is like by her description of sights, smells, and sounds.
My favorite character is Sulema and her family. The titular Dragon's Legacy, she is a person who is put in an interesting position as she doesn't have to do much to claim her legacy but is one which will potentially destroy everything she considers herself to be. How much is one willing to change about oneself to be a monarch? How much good can one do with such a sacrifice? How much of a sacrifice is it, really, to wield that kind of privilege? These are questions which are often posed in the abstract but rarely lived in epic fantasy. Everyone has their own take on the subject in the story and it benefits from a deep examination.
In terms of content, I'd say this book doesn't come anywhere close to grimdark as it's actually quite light on evil. The world is miserable because of the natural disaster and spiritual as well as physical famine afflicting things but everyone seems fairly egalitarian. Also, they're mostly pulling together to try and save everyone else. For a world rooted in folklore about tyrants and evil sorcerers, just about everyone seems to be mostly decent person. It's just they might have to kill one another.
Do I recommend the book? Yes, I do. I could give suggestions as to what I would have done instead but then the book would be mine instead of its author. It's a book with a strong voice and while some fans may not find it their cup of tea, I think it's an overall extremely good work of fantasy and not derivative of anyone. It takes lesser used elements of fantasy and weaves in something that feels like a modern Arabian Nights. I would have appreciated a bit more action and surprise but the book is great on its own.
9/10
March 1, 2019
I'm still not sure what to make of this one, which is Epic Fantasy in Capital Letters, but without some of the factors that normally annoy me (scope too large to make sense of, too many threads) but retaining others (perhaps too many characters). This is very much an "ensemble" character-focused Epic Fantasy: leisurely, sumptuous, but a bit vague. There's a lot of detail about character, place, and culture, but the plot is rarely prominent or explained, so you have to connect the dots.
Still, a remarkable book, worth reading. There's tonnes of creativity and novelty in the worldbuilding, and the cast is full of women in leadership and plot-driving roles. It stays away from Europe almost entirely, though you can tell from the map it doesn't stray too far from Earth in some general respects. There's obviously much more to come, because very little actually "happens" in this book compared to others, but much of it is subtle, making the outbreaks of violence all the more shocking. I'm definitely interested to see where it goes next, if only to figure out some of where it's already been!
Also, there are lions.
Still, a remarkable book, worth reading. There's tonnes of creativity and novelty in the worldbuilding, and the cast is full of women in leadership and plot-driving roles. It stays away from Europe almost entirely, though you can tell from the map it doesn't stray too far from Earth in some general respects. There's obviously much more to come, because very little actually "happens" in this book compared to others, but much of it is subtle, making the outbreaks of violence all the more shocking. I'm definitely interested to see where it goes next, if only to figure out some of where it's already been!
Also, there are lions.
April 13, 2021
3,5 stars
It took me quite a bit to get into this one. Once I got settled in the world I did really enjoy the story.
The characters were a bit of a mixed batch for me, some I really liked but some I just didn't click with and didn't care much about. The plot was interesting enough to keep me entertained all the way through!
I found the world and the different setting of what I'm used to really interesting! If was definitely what I liked the most about it. Especially the non patriarchal society was nice breeze of fresh air! The magic on the other hand has me a bit puzzled still. While I still need to get a grip on that, the big cats and many horses were a big plus for me!
I think I'll enjoy the sequels more with the intro to the series out of the way.
It took me quite a bit to get into this one. Once I got settled in the world I did really enjoy the story.
The characters were a bit of a mixed batch for me, some I really liked but some I just didn't click with and didn't care much about. The plot was interesting enough to keep me entertained all the way through!
I found the world and the different setting of what I'm used to really interesting! If was definitely what I liked the most about it. Especially the non patriarchal society was nice breeze of fresh air! The magic on the other hand has me a bit puzzled still. While I still need to get a grip on that, the big cats and many horses were a big plus for me!
I think I'll enjoy the sequels more with the intro to the series out of the way.
May 13, 2019
Ahoy there me mateys! This here be the first book in my Scallywagathon 2019 Challenge. Challenge one was Looting and I had to pick a book with gold on the spine. I heard about this book from Drew @ thetattooedbookgeek and knew I had to read it because it features telepathic giant cats AND dragons. While I enjoyed the book overall, I am somewhat conflicted and am hoping that writing this review will help clarify me thoughts.
The book takes place in an a world of at least four kingdoms. There is the kingdom of Atura with a dying king who is the only one keeping the magic in check. There is Eth whose residents seem to want to kill everyone else. There is the Emperor in the Forbidden City of the East who wants to control the rest of the world. And then there is Zeera, a desert matriarchy which has the cool telepathic cats. War is on the horizon.
The highlight of this book for me were the characters. Particular favourites were Hafsa Azeina, Daru, and Jian. Hafsa Azeina is a dreamshifter who can kill people in their sleep. She is a sorceress whose main mission is to keep her daughter alive. The costs of this are high. Daru is her apprentice. Born with physical handicaps, the women and cats scorn him for his weakness. His position keeps him begrudgingly tolerated and yet his inner being is steel. His sections were me favourite. Jian is a Daeborn with an affinity for water. The Emperor owns him body and soul. He was me other favourite perspective but has the least amount of page time. But what ye do get is tantalizing.
And then there be the cats, the vash'ai. These monstrous cats are not tame, pets, or owned. They choose to bond telepathically with the people of the Zeera. They are opinionated, vain, loyal to a point, and well cats. They don't always listen but are always fun to read about. I loved all of them and their distinct personalities.
The dragons in this book are hardly present. There seem to be two. The female is kept sleeping and will destroy the world if she wakes. The male is the sun or something. Here is the start of where I got lost. There is another universe or dimension or dreamworld or all three. I didn't really understand how any of it worked or tied together. Pretty much all of these sections were befuddling. There also seems to be several types of magic at work in the world but I don't understand the rules or functioning of any of it.
The politics are also a bit confusing. The matriarchy's politics were the clearest and most easy to follow. I suppose that makes sense because most of the action took place in their kingdom. But the politics of the King were convoluted and odd. I think the goal is to keep the dragon asleep but am not sure. The Emperor's seem to literally be "domination of all." Also the character of Sulema is the pivot point on which everything hinges. She is kinda naive and selfish and a mess. But I was still engaged in her story.
The pacing of this novel was also rough for me. The beginning was fantastic but started to fall apart once the reveal happened. It sort of felt like the at the end of a 500 page book, ye really haven't progressed far enough in the plot or explanations of things. But there is an interesting story mixed in there somewhere. I certainly want to know what happens to many of the individual characters. I am just not sure if I care about the outcome of the war. It seems obvious that Sulema has to save the world.
Despite the negative sounding tone of the last couple of paragraphs, I really did like enough of the book to try the next one in the series. The author claims that there are at least three books so I will have time to make up me mind about how things turn out. And do check out Drew's review because it makes more sense and flows much more nicely then mine. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
The book takes place in an a world of at least four kingdoms. There is the kingdom of Atura with a dying king who is the only one keeping the magic in check. There is Eth whose residents seem to want to kill everyone else. There is the Emperor in the Forbidden City of the East who wants to control the rest of the world. And then there is Zeera, a desert matriarchy which has the cool telepathic cats. War is on the horizon.
The highlight of this book for me were the characters. Particular favourites were Hafsa Azeina, Daru, and Jian. Hafsa Azeina is a dreamshifter who can kill people in their sleep. She is a sorceress whose main mission is to keep her daughter alive. The costs of this are high. Daru is her apprentice. Born with physical handicaps, the women and cats scorn him for his weakness. His position keeps him begrudgingly tolerated and yet his inner being is steel. His sections were me favourite. Jian is a Daeborn with an affinity for water. The Emperor owns him body and soul. He was me other favourite perspective but has the least amount of page time. But what ye do get is tantalizing.
And then there be the cats, the vash'ai. These monstrous cats are not tame, pets, or owned. They choose to bond telepathically with the people of the Zeera. They are opinionated, vain, loyal to a point, and well cats. They don't always listen but are always fun to read about. I loved all of them and their distinct personalities.
The dragons in this book are hardly present. There seem to be two. The female is kept sleeping and will destroy the world if she wakes. The male is the sun or something. Here is the start of where I got lost. There is another universe or dimension or dreamworld or all three. I didn't really understand how any of it worked or tied together. Pretty much all of these sections were befuddling. There also seems to be several types of magic at work in the world but I don't understand the rules or functioning of any of it.
The politics are also a bit confusing. The matriarchy's politics were the clearest and most easy to follow. I suppose that makes sense because most of the action took place in their kingdom. But the politics of the King were convoluted and odd. I think the goal is to keep the dragon asleep but am not sure. The Emperor's seem to literally be "domination of all." Also the character of Sulema is the pivot point on which everything hinges. She is kinda naive and selfish and a mess. But I was still engaged in her story.
The pacing of this novel was also rough for me. The beginning was fantastic but started to fall apart once the reveal happened. It sort of felt like the at the end of a 500 page book, ye really haven't progressed far enough in the plot or explanations of things. But there is an interesting story mixed in there somewhere. I certainly want to know what happens to many of the individual characters. I am just not sure if I care about the outcome of the war. It seems obvious that Sulema has to save the world.
Despite the negative sounding tone of the last couple of paragraphs, I really did like enough of the book to try the next one in the series. The author claims that there are at least three books so I will have time to make up me mind about how things turn out. And do check out Drew's review because it makes more sense and flows much more nicely then mine. Arrrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
August 21, 2017
It's so refreshing to see a fantasy novel within a non-traditional fantasy landscape. The life and rituals of the Zeeranim were by far the strongest and most entertaining of the peoples and cultures portrayed.
While I enjoyed Jian's progress, I didn't feel like there was enough of it to justify its inclusion - there either needed to be twice as much or none at all. His story could easily be told in book 2, I think. He probably only had half a dozen chapters and it just didn't feel meaty enough to warrant talking about.
The Zeeranim, on the other hand, stand out as fully realised and three-dimensional. I'd take a hefty bet that they were the most fun and easiest chapters to write.
There is A LOT going on in this book, to the extent that I found myself confused by the intricacies of the plot on a few occasions. I still don't quite know whether Sareta or Nurati was responsible for a certain thing that happened (trying not to include spoilers here!) or whether they were working together, and if they were, I don't quite understand what their aim is. With so very few of them left, why reduce those numbers further?
Other than those small points, this is a polished and confident debut and perfect for people who like complex plots and brilliantly-fierce women.
While I enjoyed Jian's progress, I didn't feel like there was enough of it to justify its inclusion - there either needed to be twice as much or none at all. His story could easily be told in book 2, I think. He probably only had half a dozen chapters and it just didn't feel meaty enough to warrant talking about.
The Zeeranim, on the other hand, stand out as fully realised and three-dimensional. I'd take a hefty bet that they were the most fun and easiest chapters to write.
There is A LOT going on in this book, to the extent that I found myself confused by the intricacies of the plot on a few occasions. I still don't quite know whether Sareta or Nurati was responsible for a certain thing that happened (trying not to include spoilers here!) or whether they were working together, and if they were, I don't quite understand what their aim is. With so very few of them left, why reduce those numbers further?
Other than those small points, this is a polished and confident debut and perfect for people who like complex plots and brilliantly-fierce women.
March 24, 2017
This book was my favorite of the year if not pretty much MY LIFE! I picked it up during lunch break and didn't put it down for 2 days. Imagine Game of Thrones complexity but 80% women- of all types- young and strong, old and wise, evil and good- in a tapestry of fem-power that I didn't know could exist. This book will ruin you for all others if you've been starved for strong female characters that kick fantasy ass. There were mothers, young rebels, wise old women, leaders, fighters, morally conflicted, kniving women, adventuring women, brave girls- all types! There's horses! giant cats! and Dragons (I mean- you gotta have those!). This volume also features largely tribal societies so plenty of ethnic diversity represented. I also really love the glowing imagery involved- it really leads me to a more vivid imagining of the scenes and characters. If you are a human who wants to read about a fantasy world where women are powerful and take their own destinies in hand then read this (and there's more books coming out later- tg!).
January 14, 2026
4..5 stars
It's very difficult for me to be impressed nowadays but this shit did the magic and impressed me beyond my expectations
Well, besides the ending where for reasons I don't know everyone was getting horny, I dare say this is one of the most unique fantasy works to be penned down
It comes with a very original world, haunting with the aura of death yet mesmerizing and enchanting, featuring a matriarchal warrior society that dwells in the sweet Zeera desert. Beyond that the world building expands to different locations featuring their own unique and bizzare cultures
There's so much I love about this book that I can't mention without spoiling. The animal-human bonding is one of my favorite aspects in this book because of the humor these vashai bring
And then there's the prose, oh my god, a prose that sings like the music of ancient gods, enchanting and ever sucking you in to the myriad folds of this world and its nuanced politics and peculiar characterization
This book deserves to be on the radar of everyone in the fantasy space
It's very difficult for me to be impressed nowadays but this shit did the magic and impressed me beyond my expectations
Well, besides the ending where for reasons I don't know everyone was getting horny, I dare say this is one of the most unique fantasy works to be penned down
It comes with a very original world, haunting with the aura of death yet mesmerizing and enchanting, featuring a matriarchal warrior society that dwells in the sweet Zeera desert. Beyond that the world building expands to different locations featuring their own unique and bizzare cultures
There's so much I love about this book that I can't mention without spoiling. The animal-human bonding is one of my favorite aspects in this book because of the humor these vashai bring
And then there's the prose, oh my god, a prose that sings like the music of ancient gods, enchanting and ever sucking you in to the myriad folds of this world and its nuanced politics and peculiar characterization
This book deserves to be on the radar of everyone in the fantasy space
March 28, 2020
An Excellent epic fantasy inspired by the culture and mythology of the Middle-east and East-Asia. It is beautifully written with a well-developed plot, complex storylines, and dynamic characters. Everything is harmoniously balanced, be it the action, or relationship between the characters, and the pacing is good too. It has an emotional edge, that gives the narrative a required depth, as the story is focused from the perspective of the characters living in it.
The prose is beautiful. Deborah writes with a poetic grace. Her writing is descriptive, but it has a lapidary quality to it, and flows like honey with a lingering sweetness as well as a tinge of poignant note to it. She's a wordsmith in this regard. And, I'm already loving the characters and the world they inhabit.
The worldbuilding is brilliant. Deborah has taken some elements from Arabian history, myths, and folklore to embellish her world. It is just amazing. The tantalizing description of the desert, and it's socitey of the Zeeranim is very well-written. This is a tale steered by strong women with complex personalities. They're mothers, warriors, sorcerers, governing the society. I loved the big intelligent sabretooth cats btw. It's a hard world, but its beauty lies in the struggle, the fight for survival, and enjoying life amidst all the loss and sufferings. And, like every great fantasy novel, its world has a cataclysmic history behind it, weaved into the narrative yarn that dictates the flow of the overarching plot and action of the characters.
I loved the inclusion of some faery elements, and the magic was really awesome, and frightening as well. There is a certain grim quality in the world that Deborah depicts. Children are sometimes killed as pawns in a game of power. The Forbidden City was a brilliant conception, and has a terrible cold beauty to it. There are betrayals, killings, conspiracies, and the threat of an imminent war. There are secrets and mysteries, deals made in the shadow, and consequences paid in blood and death. There are monsters and beasts lurking in the water, sand, and the sky. Everything is just fascinating to read about.
The characterisation was top-notch. I'm intrigued by Hafsa Azeina, and her complex personality. Her magic, her untold love for her daughter, of what she became in order to protect her moves me. And, the other characters like Sulema, Ismai, Hannei, Char, Leviathus, Asta, Jian, Daru, are so adaptable and compelling. Each of them takes choices and decisions that are hard and bloody at times. They're flawed and vulnerable at times, but they have the fight and fire in them to live life to the fullest. I'm more eager to follow Sulema's new journey as a heir to a powerful and complicated legacy. I also admired how the author has developed the humans and beasts relationship in the story. It's vibrant and raw, filled with brutal power and obligations. And, that's what captivated me the most in the story.
I just honestly cannot praise this book enough. And, I still don't know why there is so few readers acquainted with this amazing series. Deborah Wolf deserves a big break through this. I urge all the fantasy lovers out there to pick this book asap. The author is very much on the top of her skills. It's got action, a grimness, death and bloodshed, political and deadly power intrigues, secret evil cults, lifelike characters, and everything that makes an epic fantasy novel worth reading. I'm diving head-on into the sequel now.
The prose is beautiful. Deborah writes with a poetic grace. Her writing is descriptive, but it has a lapidary quality to it, and flows like honey with a lingering sweetness as well as a tinge of poignant note to it. She's a wordsmith in this regard. And, I'm already loving the characters and the world they inhabit.
The worldbuilding is brilliant. Deborah has taken some elements from Arabian history, myths, and folklore to embellish her world. It is just amazing. The tantalizing description of the desert, and it's socitey of the Zeeranim is very well-written. This is a tale steered by strong women with complex personalities. They're mothers, warriors, sorcerers, governing the society. I loved the big intelligent sabretooth cats btw. It's a hard world, but its beauty lies in the struggle, the fight for survival, and enjoying life amidst all the loss and sufferings. And, like every great fantasy novel, its world has a cataclysmic history behind it, weaved into the narrative yarn that dictates the flow of the overarching plot and action of the characters.
I loved the inclusion of some faery elements, and the magic was really awesome, and frightening as well. There is a certain grim quality in the world that Deborah depicts. Children are sometimes killed as pawns in a game of power. The Forbidden City was a brilliant conception, and has a terrible cold beauty to it. There are betrayals, killings, conspiracies, and the threat of an imminent war. There are secrets and mysteries, deals made in the shadow, and consequences paid in blood and death. There are monsters and beasts lurking in the water, sand, and the sky. Everything is just fascinating to read about.
The characterisation was top-notch. I'm intrigued by Hafsa Azeina, and her complex personality. Her magic, her untold love for her daughter, of what she became in order to protect her moves me. And, the other characters like Sulema, Ismai, Hannei, Char, Leviathus, Asta, Jian, Daru, are so adaptable and compelling. Each of them takes choices and decisions that are hard and bloody at times. They're flawed and vulnerable at times, but they have the fight and fire in them to live life to the fullest. I'm more eager to follow Sulema's new journey as a heir to a powerful and complicated legacy. I also admired how the author has developed the humans and beasts relationship in the story. It's vibrant and raw, filled with brutal power and obligations. And, that's what captivated me the most in the story.
I just honestly cannot praise this book enough. And, I still don't know why there is so few readers acquainted with this amazing series. Deborah Wolf deserves a big break through this. I urge all the fantasy lovers out there to pick this book asap. The author is very much on the top of her skills. It's got action, a grimness, death and bloodshed, political and deadly power intrigues, secret evil cults, lifelike characters, and everything that makes an epic fantasy novel worth reading. I'm diving head-on into the sequel now.
March 22, 2017
I received an early copy from the publisher. This is a richly layered novel with fascinating characters. If you're looking for epic fantasy, this is the perfect choice.
April 17, 2017
Slightly less dragons than one would have hoped for but the giant telepathic cats made up the shortfall. A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable beginning to a new series set in a fascinating world. Threaded through with intriguing magic and populated by interesting and diverse characters(many of whom are strong and complex women who have an actual role to play!) there was never a dull moment in this novel as it alternated between numerous people and locations. Whilst there is a lot of world building and set up information in this first volume is still manages to be fast paced, full of action but clearly and elegantly plotted and I very much look forward to seeing where this author takes the story next.
October 31, 2017
It struck me as funny when the 1-2 star reviewers complained about the "confusing" plot and complicated names. To me that's pure gold when I find an author who has enough imagination to creat orginal sounding names and twists multiple plots and characters around each other like a Chinese puzzle.
Another star from me for NOT setting it in some European Ren Fair ripoff or adding talking dragons, even with dragons in the title (they may yet appear, there's intelligent saber-tooth cats after all.)
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the elaborate discriptive prose. It fit the a East Asian atmosphere where writing style leans toward the poetic.
This being the first book there's many teasers and questions left to be answered. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
Another star from me for NOT setting it in some European Ren Fair ripoff or adding talking dragons, even with dragons in the title (they may yet appear, there's intelligent saber-tooth cats after all.)
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the elaborate discriptive prose. It fit the a East Asian atmosphere where writing style leans toward the poetic.
This being the first book there's many teasers and questions left to be answered. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
April 7, 2017
The Dragon’s Legacywill be released in April this year and is a must-buy for anyone seeking a deep relationship with a group of interesting characters and a compelling world. It’s a fantastic, complex debut work of the sort that leaves one thinking about its many layers even after having finished reading.
The Dragon's Legacy by Deborah A. WolfIn The Dragon’s Legacy, a large cast of different characters give us insight into different aspects of the rich world Wolf has created, and she spends a lot of time exploring who these characters are as well as hinting how they will affect the epic plot to come. This first book is more about settling into the characters and world and there’s a certain beauty in the relatively slow pace. This feels like the origin story of many of the characters, which makes it all the more meaningful when the various factions they belong to clash. Much of the novel focuses on Sulema, a youn J’Akari, or warrior woman, of the Zeeranim, a warlike desert-dwelling people who spend their days fighting, revelling and hunting with their telepathically bonded giant cats, or vash’ai. Sulema struggles to find her place within the Zeeranim, especially since her distant mother, Hafsa Azeina, has a mysterious past originating in a faraway kingdom. Hafza Azeina herself is a dreamshifter, a magical individual who stalks her enemies in their dreams, and makes musical instruments from their gutstrings. Despite her monstrous nature, she endeavours to shield her daughter from the shadows of her aforementioned mysterious past. Hafza Azeina’s fragile nine-year-old apprentice, Daru, struggles to assist his mistress with her magical plots while avoiding the jaws of hungry vash’ai, who curse him as a weakling. Ismai, a wistful young man of the Zeeranim, struggles to find his own place while overshadowed by his older brother and becomes entangled with powers greater than himself in the process. Watching over all of these characters, attempting to ensure they don’t get into too much trouble, is the pragmatic Istaza Ani, the youthmistress of the Zeeranim. Leviathus, a gallant prince of the kingdom of Atualon, enters the mix, bringing unwanted reminders of Hafsa Azeina’s past. Far away in the empire of Sindan, Jian, a young man of magical descent is forced into becoming a pawn in the war to come, a war that will bring turmoil to the lives of all the other characters.
The characterisation is the high-point of the novel, and each viewpoint character has a lot of depth that only increases as the novel progresses. Hafsa Azeina, in particular, is like a mother lion, murderously protective, a “fell-eyed sorceress with the blood of enemies upon her lips”. She’s a grimdark character through-and-through, filled with layers of moral ambiguity and darkness, yet not without love for her daughter. Daru is another character who stood out for me, a young boy cursed with ill health, constantly plagued by shadows that lurk at the edges of his vision “thick as poisoned syrup”. He’s utterly alone and constantly at risk, yet possessed of a bright curiosity and a fierce intelligence. These two characters are my favourites, despite the fact that Sulema is the focal point of the novel. Sulema is a good protagonist, fierce, determined and honourable, but I feel that in this book, she’s still so young and eager without having experienced enough to make her an interesting puzzle to piece together. However, she certainly endures hardships across the course of The Dragon’s Legacy and is a very different person at the end. Her development, along with Ismai’s and Jian’s – as the three very different characters go through gruelling training to become powerful, magically inclined individuals – is interesting and it’s clear that by the time the series ramps up, these characters will have great depth to them. Ismai is fun to read about, since despite the undertone of seriousness to the world around him, he gallivants around the desert with his vash’ai, experiencing the wonders and horrors of the world. Jian’s perspective in the far away empire of Sindan is always refreshingly different, and as a Daechen (demon-born), his love of diving for pearls off the coast of his home town is offset against the horrific training regimen he’s put through to become a warrior. The characters are inextricably linked to the cultures they come from, and Wolf has done a great job showing how living in a dying desert, a prosperous kingdom, or a slave empire might affect one’s personality. Despite being partially defined by their circumstances, almost all of the characters possess strong wills and refuse to let themselves just be swept along by fate.
The world of The Dragon’s Legacy is another highlight of the novel and it’s unmistakeably grimdark. Thousands of years ago the world was broken by “the Sundering”, and the people now live in a shadow of their former glory in the land “seared by a dragon’s song”, with fewer babies born every year. Lionsnakes, wyverns and undead monstrosities stalk the desert sands and the oceans are filled with untold horrors that would draw any ship into their hungry maws. The world is doomed, as Sajani, the earth-dragon, will soon awake from her slumber beneath the earth and “the world would be cracked open like an egg in her struggles to break free”. Despite all this grimness, there is a haunting beauty to desert sands that stretch to the horizon and Wolf’s familiarity with the beauty of nature from a childhood spent on wildlife refuges shines through. The Zeeranim, the warlike “barbarian” desert culture the novel focuses on, is also clearly influenced by real-life experiences, since Wolf spent time in the military and as an Arabic linguist, so the interactions between warriors, and the smattering of unique made-up words add a lot of authenticity. One particularly interesting thing about the Zeeranim is that the traditional gender roles are inverted. Their society is matriarchal. Female warriors display their breasts as a sign of dominance and aggressively pursue men as sexual conquests. Grimdark is all about the subversion of the norm in fiction, and this is a refreshing and interesting change that lends the society another layer of uniqueness. In fact, early in the novel Ismai wishes that he could be a warrior, rather than be delegated to the role of staying at home with children as most men do. It’s nice to see a novel where the main players are almost all women, in action-hero style roles as well as roles more traditionally feminine. The male characters are also fantastically well-written and the clash between the Zeeranim and the patriarchal kingdom of Atualon is interesting and well-handled.
So, the world and characters are both deliciously grimdark, and the book abounds with the things that make grimdark such a pleasure to read. My expectations were subverted many times, and it was sometimes impossible to tell where the plot was going. It’s difficult to tell who the true friends and enemies of the main characters are, especially since several belong to opposing factions. There are a couple of frightening potential villains, one in particular, mentioned early in the story, with the assumption that these will become ominous figures of antagonism throughout the series. However, this is totally subverted in an unexpected way that reminds me of why I grew to love grimdark in the first place. As in real life, evil is (partly) a matter of perspective. On that note, Deborah A. Wolf has a cracking short story in the upcoming Evil is a Matter of Perspective anthology, and is well and truly breaking into the grimdark scene as a figure to watch.
Look out for her book when April rolls around and, in the meantime, if you’re keen to learn more about Deborah herself and the story behind her work, then check out the interview we have with her in Grimdark Magazine Issue 10 or her short story set in the same world in Grimdark Magazine Issue 11.
Review by GdM staffer Matthew Cropley (OP: http://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/revie...)
The Dragon's Legacy by Deborah A. WolfIn The Dragon’s Legacy, a large cast of different characters give us insight into different aspects of the rich world Wolf has created, and she spends a lot of time exploring who these characters are as well as hinting how they will affect the epic plot to come. This first book is more about settling into the characters and world and there’s a certain beauty in the relatively slow pace. This feels like the origin story of many of the characters, which makes it all the more meaningful when the various factions they belong to clash. Much of the novel focuses on Sulema, a youn J’Akari, or warrior woman, of the Zeeranim, a warlike desert-dwelling people who spend their days fighting, revelling and hunting with their telepathically bonded giant cats, or vash’ai. Sulema struggles to find her place within the Zeeranim, especially since her distant mother, Hafsa Azeina, has a mysterious past originating in a faraway kingdom. Hafza Azeina herself is a dreamshifter, a magical individual who stalks her enemies in their dreams, and makes musical instruments from their gutstrings. Despite her monstrous nature, she endeavours to shield her daughter from the shadows of her aforementioned mysterious past. Hafza Azeina’s fragile nine-year-old apprentice, Daru, struggles to assist his mistress with her magical plots while avoiding the jaws of hungry vash’ai, who curse him as a weakling. Ismai, a wistful young man of the Zeeranim, struggles to find his own place while overshadowed by his older brother and becomes entangled with powers greater than himself in the process. Watching over all of these characters, attempting to ensure they don’t get into too much trouble, is the pragmatic Istaza Ani, the youthmistress of the Zeeranim. Leviathus, a gallant prince of the kingdom of Atualon, enters the mix, bringing unwanted reminders of Hafsa Azeina’s past. Far away in the empire of Sindan, Jian, a young man of magical descent is forced into becoming a pawn in the war to come, a war that will bring turmoil to the lives of all the other characters.
The characterisation is the high-point of the novel, and each viewpoint character has a lot of depth that only increases as the novel progresses. Hafsa Azeina, in particular, is like a mother lion, murderously protective, a “fell-eyed sorceress with the blood of enemies upon her lips”. She’s a grimdark character through-and-through, filled with layers of moral ambiguity and darkness, yet not without love for her daughter. Daru is another character who stood out for me, a young boy cursed with ill health, constantly plagued by shadows that lurk at the edges of his vision “thick as poisoned syrup”. He’s utterly alone and constantly at risk, yet possessed of a bright curiosity and a fierce intelligence. These two characters are my favourites, despite the fact that Sulema is the focal point of the novel. Sulema is a good protagonist, fierce, determined and honourable, but I feel that in this book, she’s still so young and eager without having experienced enough to make her an interesting puzzle to piece together. However, she certainly endures hardships across the course of The Dragon’s Legacy and is a very different person at the end. Her development, along with Ismai’s and Jian’s – as the three very different characters go through gruelling training to become powerful, magically inclined individuals – is interesting and it’s clear that by the time the series ramps up, these characters will have great depth to them. Ismai is fun to read about, since despite the undertone of seriousness to the world around him, he gallivants around the desert with his vash’ai, experiencing the wonders and horrors of the world. Jian’s perspective in the far away empire of Sindan is always refreshingly different, and as a Daechen (demon-born), his love of diving for pearls off the coast of his home town is offset against the horrific training regimen he’s put through to become a warrior. The characters are inextricably linked to the cultures they come from, and Wolf has done a great job showing how living in a dying desert, a prosperous kingdom, or a slave empire might affect one’s personality. Despite being partially defined by their circumstances, almost all of the characters possess strong wills and refuse to let themselves just be swept along by fate.
The world of The Dragon’s Legacy is another highlight of the novel and it’s unmistakeably grimdark. Thousands of years ago the world was broken by “the Sundering”, and the people now live in a shadow of their former glory in the land “seared by a dragon’s song”, with fewer babies born every year. Lionsnakes, wyverns and undead monstrosities stalk the desert sands and the oceans are filled with untold horrors that would draw any ship into their hungry maws. The world is doomed, as Sajani, the earth-dragon, will soon awake from her slumber beneath the earth and “the world would be cracked open like an egg in her struggles to break free”. Despite all this grimness, there is a haunting beauty to desert sands that stretch to the horizon and Wolf’s familiarity with the beauty of nature from a childhood spent on wildlife refuges shines through. The Zeeranim, the warlike “barbarian” desert culture the novel focuses on, is also clearly influenced by real-life experiences, since Wolf spent time in the military and as an Arabic linguist, so the interactions between warriors, and the smattering of unique made-up words add a lot of authenticity. One particularly interesting thing about the Zeeranim is that the traditional gender roles are inverted. Their society is matriarchal. Female warriors display their breasts as a sign of dominance and aggressively pursue men as sexual conquests. Grimdark is all about the subversion of the norm in fiction, and this is a refreshing and interesting change that lends the society another layer of uniqueness. In fact, early in the novel Ismai wishes that he could be a warrior, rather than be delegated to the role of staying at home with children as most men do. It’s nice to see a novel where the main players are almost all women, in action-hero style roles as well as roles more traditionally feminine. The male characters are also fantastically well-written and the clash between the Zeeranim and the patriarchal kingdom of Atualon is interesting and well-handled.
So, the world and characters are both deliciously grimdark, and the book abounds with the things that make grimdark such a pleasure to read. My expectations were subverted many times, and it was sometimes impossible to tell where the plot was going. It’s difficult to tell who the true friends and enemies of the main characters are, especially since several belong to opposing factions. There are a couple of frightening potential villains, one in particular, mentioned early in the story, with the assumption that these will become ominous figures of antagonism throughout the series. However, this is totally subverted in an unexpected way that reminds me of why I grew to love grimdark in the first place. As in real life, evil is (partly) a matter of perspective. On that note, Deborah A. Wolf has a cracking short story in the upcoming Evil is a Matter of Perspective anthology, and is well and truly breaking into the grimdark scene as a figure to watch.
Look out for her book when April rolls around and, in the meantime, if you’re keen to learn more about Deborah herself and the story behind her work, then check out the interview we have with her in Grimdark Magazine Issue 10 or her short story set in the same world in Grimdark Magazine Issue 11.
Review by GdM staffer Matthew Cropley (OP: http://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/revie...)
December 30, 2016
*Review to Come*
April 20, 2017
This book was really good; I couldn’t put it down and finished it in three days. I think the author weaves an intricate story and there are several characters I enjoyed, especially Jian. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me excited to read the next novel. I think that her world is different than what is out there; there is a lot of diversity. You don’t find much like that in any other stories. I can’t wait to read the next story and I hope they consider putting this on the big screen, I could totally see this being a movie adaptation.
March 3, 2017
Review copy received from Nudge.
Full review submitted to Nudge.
I really enjoyed this novel. The matriarchal society who live with giant sentient cats is such a great idea. This has the potential to be a great series.
Full review submitted to Nudge.
I really enjoyed this novel. The matriarchal society who live with giant sentient cats is such a great idea. This has the potential to be a great series.
May 22, 2017
There's SO MUCH to this book no one review is going to do it justice. It's just not possible to cover it all.
Because 4.5 isn't possible 5, because of the promise this series shows and the downright epicness of it!
Yes there's a map, there's a glossary of terms, there's a character list AND one for place names. Yes there are multiple view points. If you like Robert Jordan, G R R Martin, Kate Elliott or Melanie Rawn's approach to fantasy give this book a try. If you don't, this might not be the book for you.
The author has spent time developing continents, names, words and their meaning, magic and lore to support several competing story lines.
The massive character list, the complex religions, cultures and beliefs, magics and the huge world scope. The female warriors of the Zeera, the malicious political plots in Atualon, the darker underlying magics... take your pick. Naturally there's going to be plenty of subplots, intricacies and ambitions. Something to that scale needs time to set up.
Did I mention Sabertoothed Cat-pets? Murderous shadows? Dragons...oh wait thats in the title.
Don't pick this up thinking it's going to be a quick read. its not. Its a luxurious read, to be savoured, one that you can take the time to enjoy and will find plenty more on a second or third re-read.
The characters you might like at the start may well turn out vile later.
Also, for those of you that wait till the final book of a series is out, it looks like books two and three are already in the works!
It's a strong debut for epic fantasy, read it.
More on SFFWorld soon.
*Review copy courtesy of publisher, Titan Books*
Because 4.5 isn't possible 5, because of the promise this series shows and the downright epicness of it!
Yes there's a map, there's a glossary of terms, there's a character list AND one for place names. Yes there are multiple view points. If you like Robert Jordan, G R R Martin, Kate Elliott or Melanie Rawn's approach to fantasy give this book a try. If you don't, this might not be the book for you.
The author has spent time developing continents, names, words and their meaning, magic and lore to support several competing story lines.
The massive character list, the complex religions, cultures and beliefs, magics and the huge world scope. The female warriors of the Zeera, the malicious political plots in Atualon, the darker underlying magics... take your pick. Naturally there's going to be plenty of subplots, intricacies and ambitions. Something to that scale needs time to set up.
Did I mention Sabertoothed Cat-pets? Murderous shadows? Dragons...oh wait thats in the title.
Don't pick this up thinking it's going to be a quick read. its not. Its a luxurious read, to be savoured, one that you can take the time to enjoy and will find plenty more on a second or third re-read.
The characters you might like at the start may well turn out vile later.
Also, for those of you that wait till the final book of a series is out, it looks like books two and three are already in the works!
It's a strong debut for epic fantasy, read it.
More on SFFWorld soon.
*Review copy courtesy of publisher, Titan Books*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews