TL;DR Review: An epic journey begins, promising great things to come.
Synopsis:
The silverswords have held Tytan in an iron fist for centuries.
That fist has crushed the last hope for the continent.
After quitting mage training, fire mage Fig thought her dealings with the crown and the ruthless silverswords who rule Tytan were over. That is, until she’s summoned by her old friend, Prince Devryn Verrence. His father is dead, betrayed by the silversword enclave. And now Dev is on the run, a king without a throne.
They’ll need to escape Tytan on a quest for allies, because it won’t just be the throne of Tytan they’re fighting for… but the fate of the continent, and the freedom of mages everywhere.
Flames of Gold is book one in Legends of Gold and Silver, an epic fantasy series full of hopeful determination featuring a ragtag cast of mages, dwarves, dragonets and dryads in a sprawling saga of twisty politics, magic, and myth.
Full Review:
Fig is a mage on the run. After leaving behind the “Carriage House”, the royal-run school for magic-wielders, she has been taking odd jobs wherever she can and using her skills in small ways.
But everything changes when Prince Dev, her friend (and former lover?), recruits her to help him protect his kingdom in the wake of his father’s murder. She joins him and his silversword (magically enhanced knight) protector, Vaelor, in escaping the killers sent to finish him off, and together, the three of them set off on an epic adventure that takes them almost across the entire world.
Along the way, they meet dwarves, dryads, Vaelor’s clan and kin, and, most importantly, a mini-dragon who becomes so much more than just a friend to Fig.
The story starts off narrowly focused on Fig and her life, but it quickly grows once the escape and adventure begins. We’re introduced to a whole complex magic system, the political players behind the discord in the world, the threat that lurks behind the scenes, and so much more. A great deal gets packed into this one book, and there is a promise of a whole lot more ahead for our favorite characters even as they end the first step on their journey.
For those who like a helping of romance in their fantasy, you’ll definitely get it, albeit a smaller dose. There is a lovely beginning to a blossoming friendship and love between Fig and another character that I expect will grow into something special. But because it’s taking its time to develop the relationship, it will feel much more real and satisfying when it comes about.
The mini-dragon character reminds me a great deal of Loiosh from the Vlad Taltos novels, with all the snark and sass I could want. He’s a really fun character to add into the world and brings humor while also dialing up the magical aspects.
All in all, it’s a very solid foray into a brand new fantasy world that I expect will only get bigger, better, and more epic as it goes.
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