Genre:
Fantasy
Description:
Rowen
Locke, Igrid, and Jalist have found their place in the world after
the War of the Lotus, but it seems the peace is short-lived.
Alliances are crumbling and one leader is looking to rip the fabric
of Lyos apart. Locke must stop him, but there’s always a cost.
Author:
Michael
Meyerhofer is a fiction writer and poet. His first book, Wytchfire,
was nominated for a Reader’s Choice Award on Big Al’s Books and
Pals. Meyerhofer received a BA from the University of Iowa and his
MFA from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. He currently
resides in Fresno, CA.
Appraisal:
The
Dragonward picks up three
years after the War of the Lotus, which was chronicled in
Meyerhofer’s Dragonkin Trilogy. It’s always fun coming back to
characters that you enjoyed connecting with even if it means trouble
is on the horizon again. The characters have all changed based on
their past experiences, but not so much that I felt like I was
reading about different people. Going through what they did in the
original trilogy would change anyone, and it’s interesting to see
their development.
The
storyline of The
Dragonward is
interesting. Even if the world was in trouble in the original
trilogy, somehow the stakes now seem even higher. There is a stark
divide in Lyos of those who want to eradicate the world of magic and
those who want to live in that world. Fanatical groups are on the
rise and Rowen Locke is dragged back into it because he’s the hero
that Lyos needs since he is the only one that can hold the sword
Knightswrath.
I
loved the trio of Igrid, Zeia and Keswan fighting together. Three
women who didn’t need the protection of men to take care of the
themselves. Together, they are a formidable group that can put down
most any character, probably even Locke himself.
The
biggest miss in the book was the introduction of characters early on
and then forgetting about them. Meyerhofer introduced The Scion, a
Dwarr so against magic that he would fight and die to get rid of it.
But we only get to see him once and then he is briefly mentioned
toward the end of the book. I felt there also could have been more
with the main bad guy. Algol was supposedly meaner and nastier than
anything Locke has ever faced, but he just didn’t seem scary or
even ruthless enough.
In the
end, I actually wanted more. That’s how much I enjoy this world
that Meyerhofer has created. I still enjoyed The
Dragonward and loved
revisiting a few old friends in their new adventure.
FYI:
This
could still be read as a standalone if you have not read the original
trilogy.
Format/Typo
Issues:
None.
Approximate
word count: 100-105,000 words
Rating:
****Four Stars
Reviewed
by: Sooz
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