Charlotte of Evesbury is a wealthy noblewoman who leads a secret life. While other nobles feast at lavish banquets and tend to their unicorns and griffins, Charlotte plots a democratic revolution and the overthrow of Estenland’s king.
Yanis Haller is a working-class pamphleteer exiled halfway around the world for daring to criticize the king. Forced to serve as a soldier on imperial expeditions, Yanis discovers a ruined civilization guarded by dragons.
Princess Dellirea of Zendar has never questioned the benevolence of her father’s rule or the wisdom of Estenland’s monarchy. Yet as her father goes to extreme lengths to capture a dragon, she begins to doubt everything she thought she knew.
Dr. Samuel Nox knows there must be something more to the story of Estenland’s sacred creatures. When two men offer him a unicorn cadaver to dissect, he knows this could be his chance to solve the mystery – even if being caught means certain death.
As Estenland teeters uneasily on the brink of revolution, these four must confront the warfare and strife that threaten to consume the nation.
A gritty, action-packed epic fantasy about fiery revolution… and its ashes.
Nathan G. Alexander is a writer and historian based in Ottawa, Canada. He teaches history at the University of Ottawa and holds a PhD in modern history from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. He is originally from Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada.
Thank you to Nathan Alexander & team for this ARC! WOW!! I could not put this book down. This fantasy read is about the kingdom of Estenland and it is on the brink of revolution. It touches on the delicate balance of power and the power and influences of religion. The story follows 4 characters - each with different backgrounds and experiences. Each experiencing different effects of the the monarchy and the revolution.
The world building was amazing and very well done. I love the writing style and I was hooked very quickly and it kept me engaged. I also loved the way the multi-POVs were laid out! The chapters are short and digestible, and they left me completely invested in the characters and in the story. I honestly couldn’t put this book down. The political developments and the plot twists were also very entertaining! Overall, it was a very emotional and thought provoking fantasy read that I highly recommend. Bonus that this author is a fellow Canadian!
What I loved about this read: -Fast-paced, Victorian-inspired fantasy 🔥⚔️ -Multi-POVs 👥👥 -Mythical creatures 🐉🦄 -Lots of political intrigue 👑 -Plot twists! -Written by a Canadian author 🇨🇦 Spice level: 🌶️
I want to start off by saying this was one of the most intriguing books I have come across in a long time. This is my first political fantasy novel, and it's based in the Victorian period that is in a fantasy world. I absolutely loved the vibe and the super creative world that Author Nathan has created. His world was so vast with many kingdoms and creatures, cultures, and religions. Not only did he create a compelling world but he also created a plot that was intriguing in itself. The idea of a revolution is not new but he shows the impact of the living situation in the kingdom through the eyes of 4 individuals and each of their impacts on the impending revolution, this was so fascinating to me because not only are you following the plot but you're doing so from each character's point of view and the author makes it very easy to follow along but you absolutely have to pay attention! (which was awesome) I found that I could not put the book down! I ended up finishing this book in 4 days! and 3 weeks later, I am still thinking about how awesome it was. I was sad when I finished it.
I love how each character is given a storyline, and following their journey, you get to see how they portray themselves but also what they truly feel and think internally. For some of the characters, you follow them through their delusion and others to their failures and some to their redemption. This book has its darkness and gore, but it also shows the impact of actions and what repercussions you can face from them and all because of your choices. I really enjoyed the character development, and I can't say this enough that this book was amazing!! I can't even imagine the time and effort Author Nathan has put into this boo, but it was all worth it! I am so happy Nathan let me join his arc team, and this was my first arc!!! I honestly can't wait for the sequel!!!!
To the Author thank you for being my 4th ARC read ever haha.
Thoughts:
•Loved the multiple povs, a bit confusing at first but I got it after a while
•Liked that the povs are from not just lower end characters but characters who also have a high standing with different mindsets as well.
•Slow burn (for me)
•Very political
•Short chapters always win it for me man, it just made it easier for me to take a break from reading.
• I do think the romances between certain characters were kinda rushed
•I like to see that the characters here are also quite deeply flawed and that's what makes them feel human, their intrusive thoughts and emotions, and their actions weren't like typical MCs who would do all the right things and make no mistakes
•As for the ending I won't say anything but uh WILLIEN IS THE BEST, LONG LIVE WILLIEN THE GREAT
Just so you know I wrote all these down every ten to twenty chapters at midnight when I read, so it might not make sense TvT
Dragons, unicorns, mystical creatures, unauthorized scientific discoveries, mystery book authors, hidden truths, secrets beyond secrets. What will unfold though? The fact that a woman is one of the most bad a*s in this novel, trying to break free from the family and also trying to take down the unjust government... now come on!!! Multi POV!