Not since Goodkind's "Sword of truth", my first foray into the fantasy genre, and GRRMs "Game of Thrones" which solidified my love for epic fantasy, has a book ensnared and captured and sustained my attention since the first opening sentence!
I have read so many fantasy novels they have started to blur together for me. I've even read the occasional romantic fantasy just to break up the monotony of the books the genre seems to have a plethora of while waiting on GRRMs "Winds of Winter". That being said, I bought this book because of a certain winged lizard (I am obsessed with dragons and anything remotely resembling them) but I didn't get around to reading it until about 2 months after purchasing it. And I could not have been more blown away by this book!
It starts in a burning desert, as a child atherian (lizard-people that seem to be mini dragons that can walk on two legs and talk) is fighting for his freedom from slavers that have captured him and others. He doesn't have a name but he's special because he has wings; rare for his people. He's left for dead after an altercation with the slavers and was found by a traveling trading family called the Arros, akin to nomadic gypsies if you will. The family takes in the lizard child whom they later name Raz.
This book is the story of Raz. The horrors of his early years. The healing he undergoes as a foster child of the Arros. The humanity he learns as becomes a son, brother, cousin, and nephew to the Arros family. His growing pains because of course he's not human yet is being raised by humans. The terrible tragedy that befalls him and his family and how he spends his life trying to cope with that tragedy.
And while all of this is happening to Raz, there is another character with an equally important story happening tangent to Raz's but only converging once. And as fate would have it, their meeting, though fleeting, causes ripples that are felt throughout the story afterwards. Syrah, is a young albino child that was taken in by Priests of the Laor faith who believe in nonviolence. Her story isn't has detailed as Raz's but it isn't suppose to be. Yet the impact her meeting with Raz has on the story is Profound to say the least.
It's a story of overcoming prejudices, of overcoming fears, tragedy, and heartache. Of survival in its truest sense! Of losing yourself and finding yourself. Of betrayal and hurt. Of intrigue and subterfuge. And plenty of action! There wasn't a single "boring" part of this book. The story continued like smooth creating waves or rolling hills and valleys. You had a riveting beginning, the slow but by no means tedious middle as we watch Raz grow up and the action packed sections of when he becomes a fearsome adult. All while other characters have their moments to shine with their individual stories but you never feel like you're reading about too many other people because everyone has an integral part in the story.
Please buy this book! It'll be one of the best books you've em read in a long time if you're an avid fantasy reader like me. You come across these books so rarely that when you do (and I've never heard of this author before stumbling on this gem while searching for books with dragons go figure haha) you want to savor them and want to read them all over again when you're done! It was a beautifully written, vivid in detail and description, masterfully told story of a young man trying to find his way in a cruel world! Amazing book!
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Action and suspense that doesn't disappoint.
This was reccomended to me and decided to try it. Oh my gosh this did not disappoint! The story is thrilling, action packed, twists and turns around every corner, character development and suspense.If you like action packed fantasy then you will very much enjoy this book. The author dug deep with emotions, history and traditions of this world and I am very excited to order the next book in the war series. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Top reviews from other countries
frederique
Child of the daystar Bryce O'Connor
Reviewed in France on February 3, 2016