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A Dance in the Dust: A Prelude to the Last Ballad
The critically acclaimed next installment to the Award-Winning epic fantasy series, the Last Ballad. By Amazon Bestselling author, Scott Palmer.
1300 years before the events of A Memory of Song, dragons ruled the skies.
Life Will End For All
Captain Dravien Tarbet of the Lovasi army has spent most of his life fighting the people of Esher on their own soil, only to have all attempts at victory snuffed out by the Draku King, Kassius Esterbraun, and his dragons.
Finally, after seven years on foreign soil, Dravien has returned home, though now he is heartbroken and more alone than ever. But when the Esheri army turns the table and crosses the Old Sea, with their dragons in tow, to make an invasion of their own upon the country of Lovas, Dravien is sent into the field to meet them in battle. There, he is badly injured and left to die. When he awakes, he finds himself in the enemy's camp, under the care of a strange cult of Draku witches who call themselves the Ul Vosh Aris.
After being nursed back to health in strange, and unusual ways, Dravien is shown a life of peace and meaning that he never thought possible. But when the true reason that this cult of Draku has kept him alive is revealed, Dravien Tarbet is forced to make a decision between fighting for what he has always known, and fighting for what he has come to believe in.
With Sunrise Comes Fire
With Sunfall Comes Ash
1300 years before the events of A Memory of Song, dragons ruled the skies.
Life Will End For All
Captain Dravien Tarbet of the Lovasi army has spent most of his life fighting the people of Esher on their own soil, only to have all attempts at victory snuffed out by the Draku King, Kassius Esterbraun, and his dragons.
Finally, after seven years on foreign soil, Dravien has returned home, though now he is heartbroken and more alone than ever. But when the Esheri army turns the table and crosses the Old Sea, with their dragons in tow, to make an invasion of their own upon the country of Lovas, Dravien is sent into the field to meet them in battle. There, he is badly injured and left to die. When he awakes, he finds himself in the enemy's camp, under the care of a strange cult of Draku witches who call themselves the Ul Vosh Aris.
After being nursed back to health in strange, and unusual ways, Dravien is shown a life of peace and meaning that he never thought possible. But when the true reason that this cult of Draku has kept him alive is revealed, Dravien Tarbet is forced to make a decision between fighting for what he has always known, and fighting for what he has come to believe in.
With Sunrise Comes Fire
With Sunfall Comes Ash
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2026
About the author
Scott Palmer
5 books86 followersGet your FREE copy of the Sound of Starfall, a Prelude Novella to the Last Ballad Series, by joining Scott's mailing list:
https://www.scottpalmerauthor.com/fre...
Scott Palmer is the award winning author of the bestselling epic fantasy series, the Last Ballad.
He was born in London, Ontario, Canada, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and two cats, and they conjure up magic (love and happiness) daily. His whole life has been a journey of collecting stories and stowing them like a library of experiences.
Growing up in Middle Earth, Kanto, and Hyrule, before moving to darker worlds like Westeros, The Circle of The World, and The Randlands provided a sturdy foundation for Scott’s imagination to grow upon. He traveled to those other worlds and walked, and fought, and bled with the people that lived there. It was somewhere in those pages that he fell in love with the art of storytelling.
Since taking those first steps out of reality, Scott has immersed himself in creating his own world. A place that could transport readers somewhere they could only dream of. A place of magic, and love, forgotten lore, and long history.
Scott started writing seriously in 2020 and now he cannot stop.
https://www.scottpalmerauthor.com/fre...
Scott Palmer is the award winning author of the bestselling epic fantasy series, the Last Ballad.
He was born in London, Ontario, Canada, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and two cats, and they conjure up magic (love and happiness) daily. His whole life has been a journey of collecting stories and stowing them like a library of experiences.
Growing up in Middle Earth, Kanto, and Hyrule, before moving to darker worlds like Westeros, The Circle of The World, and The Randlands provided a sturdy foundation for Scott’s imagination to grow upon. He traveled to those other worlds and walked, and fought, and bled with the people that lived there. It was somewhere in those pages that he fell in love with the art of storytelling.
Since taking those first steps out of reality, Scott has immersed himself in creating his own world. A place that could transport readers somewhere they could only dream of. A place of magic, and love, forgotten lore, and long history.
Scott started writing seriously in 2020 and now he cannot stop.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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March 12, 2026I LOVE the cover art! I can't wait to get my hands on this:)
Review of advance copy received from Author
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For more reviews, go to: https://wolfmantula.com/recent-posts/
————————————————————————————————
MY ⭐️ RATING: 4.75/5
FORMAT: Kindle Whispersync
If you’ve been following me recently, then you’ll know that Palmer is becoming a favorite read of mine, because his prose, world building and character building always stand out. Being able to join the ARC team has made it even better for me to jump into his stories as soon as possible.
His newest prelude, A Dance in the Dust, is a bit more than a typical prelude though, which is supposed to be a novella story in-between the main story novels. It’s not a novella, I feel like it’s bordering the size of A Memory of Song, the first book in The Last Ballad series. With that said, A Dance in the Dust is like the tango, you feel the intensity and passion of the push and pull of inner struggles and a literal fighting style. It truly is a bold step that Palmer lands with precision.
Palmer has said that this story is “The Last Samurai meets Dark Souls if the samurai were of a different unique culture and also dragon tamers who are fighting the Roman Empire. With magic.” While I can’t exactly pinpoint the Dark Souls part, never playing the game, but I can definitely see The Last Samurai, the film starring Tom Cruise, very clearly.
“Fight and ask them to fight alongside you. Sing a song worth hearing. That is how you will win their hearts. Break the chains that bind you, and incite others to do the same.”
With that said, there is another story that I felt like hit the mark even more. A story that you could say actually inspired The Last Samurai itself, and actually matches up closely with the title of Palmer’s story, A Dance in the Dust. That is 90’s classic starring Kevin Costner, Dances with Wolves, a film that is also inspired by a novel. Instead of Dances with Wolves, it’s more Dances with Dragons, because there are dragons, yes, Palmer FINALLY gives us DRAGONS! Two others that I felt this story was similar to, and more recent ones that I think people could relate to are James Cameron’s Avatar and Shogun the tv show starring Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis and the novel by James Clavell.
He uses the enemy to ally trope in the best possible way. The evolution of Dravien from loyal soldier to someone who truly belongs with the draku is handled perfectly. Palmer blends thoughtful cultural and philosophical moments with intense sparring and militaristic action, all while exploring facing inner demons and realizing there are always two sides to every conflict. One thing I couldn’t help but see, was that Dravien reminded me of Othrun from P.L. Stuart’s Drowned Kingdom saga, both flawed characters who were taught one thing and had to unlearn while living among those he was taught to hate.
The best thing I can say to readers is this, if you haven’t started A Memory of Song series yet, you absolutely should. It’s a fantastic series and Palmer just continues to grow and improve on his skills as an author. A Dance in the Dust is wonderful story-telling about facing inner demons and seeing the world through new eyes.
Follow me on X: Twitter.com/wolfmantula
For more reviews, go to: https://wolfmantula.com/recent-posts/
————————————————————————————————
MY ⭐️ RATING: 4.75/5
FORMAT: Kindle Whispersync
If you’ve been following me recently, then you’ll know that Palmer is becoming a favorite read of mine, because his prose, world building and character building always stand out. Being able to join the ARC team has made it even better for me to jump into his stories as soon as possible.
His newest prelude, A Dance in the Dust, is a bit more than a typical prelude though, which is supposed to be a novella story in-between the main story novels. It’s not a novella, I feel like it’s bordering the size of A Memory of Song, the first book in The Last Ballad series. With that said, A Dance in the Dust is like the tango, you feel the intensity and passion of the push and pull of inner struggles and a literal fighting style. It truly is a bold step that Palmer lands with precision.
Palmer has said that this story is “The Last Samurai meets Dark Souls if the samurai were of a different unique culture and also dragon tamers who are fighting the Roman Empire. With magic.” While I can’t exactly pinpoint the Dark Souls part, never playing the game, but I can definitely see The Last Samurai, the film starring Tom Cruise, very clearly.
“Fight and ask them to fight alongside you. Sing a song worth hearing. That is how you will win their hearts. Break the chains that bind you, and incite others to do the same.”
With that said, there is another story that I felt like hit the mark even more. A story that you could say actually inspired The Last Samurai itself, and actually matches up closely with the title of Palmer’s story, A Dance in the Dust. That is 90’s classic starring Kevin Costner, Dances with Wolves, a film that is also inspired by a novel. Instead of Dances with Wolves, it’s more Dances with Dragons, because there are dragons, yes, Palmer FINALLY gives us DRAGONS! Two others that I felt this story was similar to, and more recent ones that I think people could relate to are James Cameron’s Avatar and Shogun the tv show starring Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis and the novel by James Clavell.
He uses the enemy to ally trope in the best possible way. The evolution of Dravien from loyal soldier to someone who truly belongs with the draku is handled perfectly. Palmer blends thoughtful cultural and philosophical moments with intense sparring and militaristic action, all while exploring facing inner demons and realizing there are always two sides to every conflict. One thing I couldn’t help but see, was that Dravien reminded me of Othrun from P.L. Stuart’s Drowned Kingdom saga, both flawed characters who were taught one thing and had to unlearn while living among those he was taught to hate.
The best thing I can say to readers is this, if you haven’t started A Memory of Song series yet, you absolutely should. It’s a fantastic series and Palmer just continues to grow and improve on his skills as an author. A Dance in the Dust is wonderful story-telling about facing inner demons and seeing the world through new eyes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Check out the FULL, spoiler-filled review at SFF Insiders
“Viv il lemura li. Life will end for all.”
A Dance in the Dust itches a lore-hungry craving, filling in historic gaps in The Remembered Lands with eldritch magics and dragon induced metal melting madness. Palmer remains at the pinnacle of his writing and storytelling. When I first read A Memory of Song, I thoroughly enjoyed my first foray into Ardura and The Remembered Lands. And then I read The Sound of Starfall and my mind was blown, and THEN I read A Chorus of War and I knew this was a series I was going to be thinking about for the rest of my life. A Dance in the Dust only confirms to me that Palmer knows what he’s doing. He’s created a world, rich in history and steeped in mythical monsters, that has a story to tell.
A Dance in the Dust is everything I have loved about The Last Ballad and more. The Last Ballad has the makings of a grimdark series that can and should be held up with series like The First Law and A Song of Ice and Fire. Its deep worldbuilding allows the reader to immerse themselves in the Remembered lands, get lost in the eerie, haunted forests of Ardura and Edura, and fall trap to the eldritch magics of Warlocks and soothsayers. The dragons have been unveiled, Ermegal remains alive, and the world has yet to burn. But with Palmer guiding this tour, there’s guaranteed to be a bloody, fiery pyre waiting for those who venture into the Remembered Lands.
“Viv il lemura li. Life will end for all.”
A Dance in the Dust itches a lore-hungry craving, filling in historic gaps in The Remembered Lands with eldritch magics and dragon induced metal melting madness. Palmer remains at the pinnacle of his writing and storytelling. When I first read A Memory of Song, I thoroughly enjoyed my first foray into Ardura and The Remembered Lands. And then I read The Sound of Starfall and my mind was blown, and THEN I read A Chorus of War and I knew this was a series I was going to be thinking about for the rest of my life. A Dance in the Dust only confirms to me that Palmer knows what he’s doing. He’s created a world, rich in history and steeped in mythical monsters, that has a story to tell.
A Dance in the Dust is everything I have loved about The Last Ballad and more. The Last Ballad has the makings of a grimdark series that can and should be held up with series like The First Law and A Song of Ice and Fire. Its deep worldbuilding allows the reader to immerse themselves in the Remembered lands, get lost in the eerie, haunted forests of Ardura and Edura, and fall trap to the eldritch magics of Warlocks and soothsayers. The dragons have been unveiled, Ermegal remains alive, and the world has yet to burn. But with Palmer guiding this tour, there’s guaranteed to be a bloody, fiery pyre waiting for those who venture into the Remembered Lands.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had no idea what I was stepping into when I first picked up A Memory of Song. Scott Palmer has created a world unlike anything I have encountered before. Dark and forbidden, yet bold, fresh, and wholly its own. A Chorus of War took that foundation and amplified it tenfold. The first prelude, The Sound for Starfall, deepened the history. Now, A Dance in the Dust adds another layer to an already rich and lavish world.
But this story is more than worldbuilding.
A Dance in the Dust explores the trials of the human spirit. It is a story about loss, perseverance, letting go of expectations, and discovering who we are when everything familiar is stripped away. Scott draws upon the noble and flawed pieces that make us human: love, kindness, integrity, doubt, jealousy, and betrayal.
When faced with overwhelming darkness and impossible odds, what remains of us? And more importantly, will it be enough?
The Last Ballad has quickly become my favorite series with a Dance in the Dust continuing that intoxicating melody.
But this story is more than worldbuilding.
A Dance in the Dust explores the trials of the human spirit. It is a story about loss, perseverance, letting go of expectations, and discovering who we are when everything familiar is stripped away. Scott draws upon the noble and flawed pieces that make us human: love, kindness, integrity, doubt, jealousy, and betrayal.
When faced with overwhelming darkness and impossible odds, what remains of us? And more importantly, will it be enough?
The Last Ballad has quickly become my favorite series with a Dance in the Dust continuing that intoxicating melody.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
ADitD is a dark, powerful and beautiful story. Filled with Scott's strength with lore, world building and character development.
The first few chapters I did find it a bit harder that the previous books to connect with. But after getting used to the main character, I fell in love with everything that Scott is giving us in this second prelude to the Last Ballad.
He has truly crafted a series that is well worth your time, and is both magical and musical in every page. And I'm truly envious about his talent in writing.
Highly recommend this series to every fantasy and grimdark fans out there. Because Scott is and will keep on being a big name in the indie author space.
ADitD is a dark, powerful and beautiful story. Filled with Scott's strength with lore, world building and character development.
The first few chapters I did find it a bit harder that the previous books to connect with. But after getting used to the main character, I fell in love with everything that Scott is giving us in this second prelude to the Last Ballad.
He has truly crafted a series that is well worth your time, and is both magical and musical in every page. And I'm truly envious about his talent in writing.
Highly recommend this series to every fantasy and grimdark fans out there. Because Scott is and will keep on being a big name in the indie author space.
Review of advance copy received from Autorin bzw. Autor
I really enjoyed the book. Palmer's writing makes it feel like you are comming home to this world. This prequel grows adds to the world of the last ballad series. It paints a world with history, ritch worldbuilding and consequences. You can see in the writing how much care the author put into crafting this story. The prose is so well done and I can connect with it.
I enjoyed the character work as well. The characters have a past, that influence how they act today.
And there are dragons.
I highly recommend this series.
I got an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the character work as well. The characters have a past, that influence how they act today.
And there are dragons.
I highly recommend this series.
I got an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews