I picked this one up as soon as I saw it, because I’ve really enjoyed Devin Madson’s other work.
Plus, it sounded really interesting.
Thanks to the author, as well as Orbit for the review copy!
The old kingdom of Paicha has been split into city states, but there are those who seek to reunite the shattered realm-by force if necessary. Amidst the turmoil there are three who will find their destinies inextricably tangled. Tesha is a glassblower’s apprentice who becomes a tribute bride when her city is conquered by the south. In the enemy’s court, she’s perfectly placed to sabotage them, but her heart has other plans. Naili is a laundress in the house of an eccentric alchemist who is awakening to strange new powers. When radicals approach her, she faces a choice between keeping her magic to herself and using it to change the world. And in the desolate Shield Mountains, dragon rider Ash protects the cities from the monsters in the Iipao sands beyond. But, soon he’ll have to learn how to protect his dragon when hunters unlock the secret to killing them. As war sweeps across the land, Tesha, Naili, and Ash must fight for survival against political enemies, dragon hunters, and monsters both within and without.
This is a world where dragons exist, and where Ash, Naili, and Tesha go about their lives. Naili is a laundress who works for an eccentric alchemist, and finds one day that she is manifesting strange powers. Tesha finds herself becoming an insult bride to the brother of one of the most powerful men in the world. Ash has been exiled from his family and has become a dragon rider, and the enemies that they fight are becoming more and more mysterious.
I quite liked this book. It did take me a while to get into, but once I got there, I found myself reading into the wee hours, waiting to see what would happen. I enjoyed Naili and Tesha’s stories, but Ash really stole the show for me. He was a really interesting character with an interesting backstory, and the relationship between him and his warden Manalaii was another thing that kept me reading well into the morning. It had a certain amount of will they/won’t they and I am a sucker for that type of thing.
By the time the book ended, I really wanted there to be more book, and so it is a sure thing that I’ll be reading the next volume in the series!
This was a well thought out world that I can’t wait to see more of! 4/5 stars!~
superstardrifter 
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