Beautiful story.
This book was immensely satisfying for me. It left me reluctant to move on and dive into the next book, just not quite ready to leave this world behind so quickly.
Many people have probably picked up this book because they enjoy the Temeraire series. That's certainly why I got it. Be aware that this is nothing at all like the Temeraire series. The style is different, there is an element of horror in this that you do not see in the Temeraire books, and it's quite a bit steamier, which I suppose is not difficult because Temeraire isn't steamy at all, ever. I love Temeraire, but I think I loved this more.
The things I enjoy in a fantasy novel are complex characters that grow over the course of the story, an interesting plot that has some surprises, a good love story. This had all of these things, as well as plenty of action. I can generally take or leave action, to be honest, which I realize does make it odd that fantasy is my favorite genre. The action scenes were written well, though, and kept me engaged, even when I am a bigger fan of dialogue.
So, while this book was just about perfect for me, it isn't necessarily for everyone. I know there are people who would prefer not to read books that have romance in them, for instance. There is also a degree of horror that many people will enjoy, but others may not. But if you are someone who enjoys the things I mentioned making me happy in a book, I think you will not regret reading this one.
5
