In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.
These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.
Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.
The Review
This book is amazing. It's a little bit Skyrim meets How to Train Your Dragon meets Daenerys Targaryen. I came for the dragons and stayed for the dragons--and Asha. I love her character and how she evolves from a cold, unthinking killer to someone more vulnerable, but stronger because of that sensitivity.
The world-building blew me away. It isn't a pretty world but it's so completely written and steeped in Asha's culture that it felt so real. Telling certain stories is dangerous in this world, with the potential to kill and I loved the highlight of the power that resonates within words and in the telling. It's an interesting idea that has such amazing meaning, then combined with their connection to dragons--symbols of courage and strength and power...my heart was ready to burst out of my chest with how beautiful it is. Asha is apart from everyone but a handful of people, because she's feared by everyone. Her loneliness is palpable and I loved how she and Torwin bond. It takes a long, long time to break through but it's so worth it in the end.
​
There were a few twists that I absolutely did not see coming and I appreciate that so much. It's so hard to find books that don't give themselves away but this one was not willing to part with its secrets until the last second.
Everything about this story is perfection to me. It's everything I want in a story with dragons and a strong female protagonist. 5 out of 5 stars and a new addition to my favorite list.
