Blurb for Through Blood and Dragons
Steeped in blood. Ruled by those with dragons.
Cimeren is a world divided by a mysterious forest and the vast Lake on Fire. Suspicion brews on both sides, and the south has fallen into chaos as battles and quarrels rage between kingdoms.
In the border outpost of Nevergrace, Cyran Orendain is dealing with the loss of his brother and his lord as he strives to face the mounting challenges of a squire of the dragonguard.
But when Cyran’s guard-master is called to face the most powerful of the southern kings and bear witness to a secret stolen from the north, Cyran is dragged into a war that has been bubbling under the surface for centuries.
Dragons are not only weapons—they are engines of war. And even though Cyran is not trained in the ways of the dragonguard, he must adapt and learn to become one of them or his homeland and all of Cimeren will be destroyed.
But he was not born a champion.
He may break, and he will bleed.
Series: The Forged and the Fallen | Genre: Epic Fantasy | Intended Age Group: 16+
Pages: 510 | Published: July 31, 2023
Publisher: Sky Sea and Sword Publishing (Self Published)
Book Review for Through Blood and Dragons
Thank you to Escapist Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!
Cimeren lies divided between the North and South. Each is ruled by different sovereigns. In a move to secure the safety of his people, King Igare ordered the abduction of the Southern King and Queen. But on the cusp of victory, betrayal disrupts carefully laid plans. A chain of events pulls Cyran and his fellow dragonsquires into a battle they are ill-prepared for. Dragon Queen Sirra seeks vengeance on those who dare to harm her King and Queen. Alongside her shadow dragon, she will cut down any who get in her way.
R.M. Schultz takes time to immerse readers in the world of Through Blood and Dragons. Political tension runs high as rumors of the Southern king and queen's fate travel to their subjects. Multiple viewpoints will show how each side weighs the repercussions and options open to them. For each character, their personal beliefs and goals will weigh heavily on the paths they choose to take.
Through Blood and Dragons has a healthy dose of politics. Before making any decisions, King Igare’s dragonguard ensures to weigh the risk and rewards of any move they make. And though Sirra and her dragonguard are quick to action, they too have lengthy dialogue discussing what has occurred and their various angles of attack. While this does cause the story to slow down, once each side commits to their chosen strategy, the action ramps up.
There is a wide array of dragons presented as the novel dives into the first of what promises to be many conflicts throughout the series. And due to their own moral code dragons do not use breath weapons against their own kind. This leads to vicious battles of teeth and claws. But that’s not all. Mounted on the dragons are archers, a warrior, and a mage. While the mage aids in piloting the dragon, the others do their best to fight with the dragons and take out as many enemies as possible. This leads to battles with many moving parts and nonstop action.
If you enjoy epic fantasy with a heavy dose of political intrigue and dragons, Through Blood and Dragons may be the book for you. Throughout the novel there are beautiful pieces of art depicting the various dragons and their riders to help accent the overall journey readers will embark on.
A Game of Dragons • If the Millennium Falcon was a Dragon • Top Gun: Dragon
About the Author
After reading Tolkien, R.M. Schultz wrote his first 100,000-word fantasy novel as a freshman in high school. When he’s not saving animals, he continues reading and writing fantasy and science fiction, and has done so for over two decades. R.M. founded and heads the North Seattle Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Group and has published over a dozen novels.
And more than anything, he wants to be knighted by George R.R. Martin.
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