Synopsis
I’ll trade ya a story for a drink.
It’s a story about a handsome son of a gun and his trusty dragon, Bean, on the hunt for the notorious train robber, Talon. In a land shaped by dragons, magic, and bullets, Dale Hartwell is just trying to make a living hunting down bandits and bounties while searching for his kidnapped parents. When the hunt for Talon takes him to the Melted Lands, Dale finds that he’s bitten off more than he can chew. He comes face to face with ancient dragons, old magic, and a new lead on his missing family. If he fails this job, not only will he lose his chance to find his parents, he might lose his life. In a showdown with a common enemy, unlikely allies will have to take to the skies, fighting tooth and talon for their lives and the future of the Melted Lands.
Quick Review
Wild Skies is a joyful fantasy western. It’s a quick read with a balance of explosive action and intrigue as Dale searches for his missing parents.
Full Review
Thanks to K.E. Andrews for providing me with a digital advanced reader copy of Wild Skies.
My TBR was already full, but K.E. Andrews roped me in anyway with her new novella, Wild Skies. The concept of replacing all the cowboys’ horses with dragons is so simple and fun that I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone do it before.
Wild Skies is the first in the brilliantly titled Yeehaw Dragons series. It follows Dale Hartwell, a reckless and wildly confident bounty hunter who is looking for his parents—but first he needs to earn some money. If he can wrangle the elusive bandit Talon, the bounty could set him up for life.
Dale is a damaged man, scarred by his past, yet when it comes down to it he’s got a heart of gold. I like Dale, and I think he’ll really appeal to anyone who loves that archetype, but throughout Wild Skies I personally found it difficult to connect with him. Dale is a great character to introduce us to Talon and the world, but his focus on finding his parents is all-consuming. That is certainly understandable, but I came away not really knowing much else about the man. I wanted to get to know a bit more about who Dale was beyond his rescue mission and brazen confidence.
This isn’t anywhere near a dealbreaker, however. Dale has a few stand-out moments, and we get some glimpses into is backstory—how his parents went missing—that were very well integrated into the present-day story. His relationship with Bean, his dragon, is also a joy. I feel like if you go read any other reviews of this book, you’re going to see a lot of well-earned love for Bean.
Dale and Bean spend a good deal of time with Talon in this book, who we learn is bound to protect the Melted Lands. Talon is concerned with how people have been taking advantage of the Lands and working with dangerous magics. Soon enough, Wild Skies echoes themes of Dancing with Wolves and Avatar. Now add dragons, magic, and a handful of western clichés—some subtle, some incredibly blunt—and you should have a good picture of what this story’s about. It ends on a positive note, as well, promising more adventures to come.
Ultimately, this novella is a fun story with a fantastic setting. I had some issues connecting with Dale, but I still had a good time, and am curious to see where the series goes next. I think author K.E. Andrews has hit upon something really special here. If you’re looking for a quick read that blends a few genres in a fun way, I highly recommend this one.
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