What do you think?
Rate this book
Dragon Bones #1
Conquest
Jashi Anyua has been arranged to be married to the leader of her nation, the Great Faresh. To help her escape her engagement, her future husband's enemies offer her an out; become their spy and they'll give her a new name and identity somewhere the Faresh will never find her.
But Jashi gets to know the Faresh, she starts to wonder if she put her loyalties in the right place. Even moreso when she realizes that the Faresh shares the abilities she's had to keep secret her whole life, and he might be the only one that can train her to use them.
But Jashi gets to know the Faresh, she starts to wonder if she put her loyalties in the right place. Even moreso when she realizes that the Faresh shares the abilities she's had to keep secret her whole life, and he might be the only one that can train her to use them.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2020
10 people are currently reading
601 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 29, 2020
*review originally posted on em's bookish musings (https://emmiebooks.wordpress.com/) on 18/3/2020 *
When I started Conquest late last year, I did expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I mean I did have high hopes for it, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Conquest follows the story of Jashi Anyua, a ‘regular’ citizen of K’sundi under the Equalisation regime, and Kahmel Omah, the Faresh (king/ruler of K’sundi). In an unlikely turn of events, Jashi ends up engaged and married, in a traditional arranged marriage, to Kahmel becoming the Faresha, even when she doesn’t trust him or his motives.
I initially came into Conquest expecting to be carried with the enemies-to-lovers subplot (yes, it has enemies to lovers!), Black royalty and dragons, which I was, but there was more to Conquest that kept me engaged than that.
Conquest is set in the fictional world of Hemorah, a world just like Earth in more ways than one. Hemorah is a planet with a vast number of races and species, all united by a common Equalisation law.
Now that I come to think of it, Conquest is low-key a dystopian science fantasy (its a cross of science fiction and fantasy, so that’s why I call it a science fantasy), and also very much like our narrative in reality. A common Equalisation law/regime, that should be obeyed without question and any nation that doesn’t follow these laws blindly will be hexed out. Very dystopian.
Another thing about Conquest that stood out to me is the commentary on colonisation. The Zendalaans, the creators and enforcers of Equalisation aren’t native to Hemorah. They’re a race of cyborgs with unknown origins who settled in Hemorah and basically took over, enforcing their will on the indigeneous inhabitants of the planet. Sounds familiar, right?
The events in Conquest show just how much colonisation can affect a people. How it steals away the individuality of people by presenting itself as the one good, ‘peaceful’ factor in the face of their barbaric practices.
I could talk on forever about these subtle and unexpected themes in Conquest, but I’d probably give away the plot. Well give away more than I already have.
Back to the less heavy or thought invoking themes, I loved the worldbuilding in Conquest. We talk about wanting magic in modern or futuristic settings and Conquest delivers. Think about it flying cars and dragons? Sounds cool, right?
I also enjoyed the writing, Celeste weaves the different layers of the plot together almost seamlessly and the writing style is easy to follow.
The only thing I didn’t quite enjoy (it wasn’t bad actually) in the structure of the book was the pacing. The first half of the book started a bit slow in comparison to the second half, but I guess it was to introduce us to the book. The second half was more fast paced and more enjoyable. Its my favourite part of the story, everything unravels and makes sense their and certain characters redeem themselves. I also need to say the last few chapters were wow
CHARACTERS WHO ARE MORE LIKE ME THAN I’LL LIKE TO ADMIT.
I think I’ll start this section with the female main character, Jashi Anyua, because that heading is about her.
To be honest in the first chapters of Conquest, I didn’t like Jashi much. She frustrated me to no end, but I ended up…understanding her, which I found shocking. I also loved the way her character developed in the later parts of of book, it made me feel proud of her.
So I more or less said Jashi is like me, here’s why. Jashi starts off as a naive character, an extremely naive one, who has internalised the teachings of Equalisation. She doesn’t question some of things, acts a little impulsively, and doesn’t quite see what’s in front of her till its too late.
These traits seemed frustrating at first, but as the book progressed and I thought more about it, I understood and identified with it. Jashi had grown up under the Equalisation era, had been taught everything approved by the Equalisation in school and has seen the consequences of Equalisation. When you grow up hearing about how a certain group brought salvation to your people you tend to believe it especially when they’re accompanied with stories of how people like are/were lesser and real life repercussions for opposition; how can you think any different?
This is the kind of psychological grooming neocolonisation perpeuate and as someone from an ex-colony, I understood that.
Bottom line, Jashi became a character I absolutely loved, especially after all the ways she improved.
Jashi, wasn't the only character I loved. I loved the secondary characters, especially her best friend and her Nana, and I loved the male main character, Kahmel.
Kahmel is the embodiment of gruff but soff. I absolutely loved his character, his sense of justice and honour and his drive to do better for his people.
JUST READ IT, OK…
There are so many amazing things about this book. So many things I wish I could say, but I’d end up spoiling. I think everyone needs to read Conquest. Its a 200% recommend from me and I can’t wait for the next book.
When I started Conquest late last year, I did expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I mean I did have high hopes for it, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Conquest follows the story of Jashi Anyua, a ‘regular’ citizen of K’sundi under the Equalisation regime, and Kahmel Omah, the Faresh (king/ruler of K’sundi). In an unlikely turn of events, Jashi ends up engaged and married, in a traditional arranged marriage, to Kahmel becoming the Faresha, even when she doesn’t trust him or his motives.
I initially came into Conquest expecting to be carried with the enemies-to-lovers subplot (yes, it has enemies to lovers!), Black royalty and dragons, which I was, but there was more to Conquest that kept me engaged than that.
Conquest is set in the fictional world of Hemorah, a world just like Earth in more ways than one. Hemorah is a planet with a vast number of races and species, all united by a common Equalisation law.
Now that I come to think of it, Conquest is low-key a dystopian science fantasy (its a cross of science fiction and fantasy, so that’s why I call it a science fantasy), and also very much like our narrative in reality. A common Equalisation law/regime, that should be obeyed without question and any nation that doesn’t follow these laws blindly will be hexed out. Very dystopian.
Another thing about Conquest that stood out to me is the commentary on colonisation. The Zendalaans, the creators and enforcers of Equalisation aren’t native to Hemorah. They’re a race of cyborgs with unknown origins who settled in Hemorah and basically took over, enforcing their will on the indigeneous inhabitants of the planet. Sounds familiar, right?
The events in Conquest show just how much colonisation can affect a people. How it steals away the individuality of people by presenting itself as the one good, ‘peaceful’ factor in the face of their barbaric practices.
I could talk on forever about these subtle and unexpected themes in Conquest, but I’d probably give away the plot. Well give away more than I already have.
Back to the less heavy or thought invoking themes, I loved the worldbuilding in Conquest. We talk about wanting magic in modern or futuristic settings and Conquest delivers. Think about it flying cars and dragons? Sounds cool, right?
I also enjoyed the writing, Celeste weaves the different layers of the plot together almost seamlessly and the writing style is easy to follow.
The only thing I didn’t quite enjoy (it wasn’t bad actually) in the structure of the book was the pacing. The first half of the book started a bit slow in comparison to the second half, but I guess it was to introduce us to the book. The second half was more fast paced and more enjoyable. Its my favourite part of the story, everything unravels and makes sense their and certain characters redeem themselves. I also need to say the last few chapters were wow
CHARACTERS WHO ARE MORE LIKE ME THAN I’LL LIKE TO ADMIT.
I think I’ll start this section with the female main character, Jashi Anyua, because that heading is about her.
To be honest in the first chapters of Conquest, I didn’t like Jashi much. She frustrated me to no end, but I ended up…understanding her, which I found shocking. I also loved the way her character developed in the later parts of of book, it made me feel proud of her.
So I more or less said Jashi is like me, here’s why. Jashi starts off as a naive character, an extremely naive one, who has internalised the teachings of Equalisation. She doesn’t question some of things, acts a little impulsively, and doesn’t quite see what’s in front of her till its too late.
These traits seemed frustrating at first, but as the book progressed and I thought more about it, I understood and identified with it. Jashi had grown up under the Equalisation era, had been taught everything approved by the Equalisation in school and has seen the consequences of Equalisation. When you grow up hearing about how a certain group brought salvation to your people you tend to believe it especially when they’re accompanied with stories of how people like are/were lesser and real life repercussions for opposition; how can you think any different?
This is the kind of psychological grooming neocolonisation perpeuate and as someone from an ex-colony, I understood that.
Bottom line, Jashi became a character I absolutely loved, especially after all the ways she improved.
Jashi, wasn't the only character I loved. I loved the secondary characters, especially her best friend and her Nana, and I loved the male main character, Kahmel.
Kahmel is the embodiment of gruff but soff. I absolutely loved his character, his sense of justice and honour and his drive to do better for his people.
JUST READ IT, OK…
There are so many amazing things about this book. So many things I wish I could say, but I’d end up spoiling. I think everyone needs to read Conquest. Its a 200% recommend from me and I can’t wait for the next book.
April 30, 2020
If you love epic / heroic fantasy with lots of dragons and stories about them, this is the book for you.
November 8, 2020
DNF
*****
Currently reading this and I feel there are several things that don't work for now. This is supposed to be adult fantasy but it reads like YA. The writing especially is a bit too young for my taste and world-building is a bit limited. Additionally, so far there's a lot of what I call empty space - scenes that don't add anything.
Also, the author doesn't seem to have done much research about colonisation or politics (which is my biggest grip) or if she has, she hasn't been able to show the complexity of either. Even the worst of tyrant wouldn't openly talk about his conquest, unless he was defeating an enemy nation/ race. But in that case, we need to really feel this almost religious fervour etc and we need to understand the history of each people. Another thing is while I'm cool with the desert setting, we need to understand why we are in a desert and have some desert element. Btw, why doesn't Faresh just wear contacts instead of sunglasses to hide his eyes. In a world with holo phone, it would make more sense. Plus, why is there Internet in a world that isn't like ours and mention of the Middle Age? In the same vein, there's no real sense of culture. Characters mention tradition and stuff, but honestly I feel like I could be reading about Whitney from Brooklyn and feel the same.
As for the characters, I'm not sure about Jashi. I mean she's lost a number of jobs and another one at the start of the story and this is supposed to be cool? Or so it seems. Idk, to me it's a sign of immaturity. As for Faresh, I don't really care for him. She sort of finished high school but didn't go for further education because reasons?
Ultimately, I think if someone like YA they *might* enjoy this book. But I don't like YA, so idk if i'll finish the book. The idea is alright but imo the book needed a couple more rounds of editing and to better develop the setting.
*****
Currently reading this and I feel there are several things that don't work for now. This is supposed to be adult fantasy but it reads like YA. The writing especially is a bit too young for my taste and world-building is a bit limited. Additionally, so far there's a lot of what I call empty space - scenes that don't add anything.
Also, the author doesn't seem to have done much research about colonisation or politics (which is my biggest grip) or if she has, she hasn't been able to show the complexity of either. Even the worst of tyrant wouldn't openly talk about his conquest, unless he was defeating an enemy nation/ race. But in that case, we need to really feel this almost religious fervour etc and we need to understand the history of each people. Another thing is while I'm cool with the desert setting, we need to understand why we are in a desert and have some desert element. Btw, why doesn't Faresh just wear contacts instead of sunglasses to hide his eyes. In a world with holo phone, it would make more sense. Plus, why is there Internet in a world that isn't like ours and mention of the Middle Age? In the same vein, there's no real sense of culture. Characters mention tradition and stuff, but honestly I feel like I could be reading about Whitney from Brooklyn and feel the same.
As for the characters, I'm not sure about Jashi. I mean she's lost a number of jobs and another one at the start of the story and this is supposed to be cool? Or so it seems. Idk, to me it's a sign of immaturity. As for Faresh, I don't really care for him. She sort of finished high school but didn't go for further education because reasons?
Ultimately, I think if someone like YA they *might* enjoy this book. But I don't like YA, so idk if i'll finish the book. The idea is alright but imo the book needed a couple more rounds of editing and to better develop the setting.
February 6, 2020
Conquest, the first book in the Dragon Bones series, is an Afro-futurist, sci-fi fantasy with a lot going on. Think marriage of convenience (to royalty no less) with cyborgs and dragons. The world Celeste creates is both fantastical and familiar, filled with hovercrafts and magic as well as burger joints and crime dramas. I particularly enjoyed the small scenes where the main character makes sure to rub in her hair cream after showering. Details like that made the whole fantasy/ sci-fi world believable.
Jashi is a head strong orphan who finds herself suddenly in an arranged marriage with the great Faresh, Kahmel. The chemistry between the two is strong from the start. But strong-willed Jashi can’t forgive Kahmel for trapping her in a marriage of convenience. Like another reviewer, I kind of expected a little more romance but there is so much happening in this book (fighting with dragons, political intrigue, ancient mysteries to be solved) that the love story kind of takes a back seat. But I still have hope for the next story. I found myself completely invested in Jashi and Kahmel and look for ward to the next book.
Jashi is a head strong orphan who finds herself suddenly in an arranged marriage with the great Faresh, Kahmel. The chemistry between the two is strong from the start. But strong-willed Jashi can’t forgive Kahmel for trapping her in a marriage of convenience. Like another reviewer, I kind of expected a little more romance but there is so much happening in this book (fighting with dragons, political intrigue, ancient mysteries to be solved) that the love story kind of takes a back seat. But I still have hope for the next story. I found myself completely invested in Jashi and Kahmel and look for ward to the next book.
October 1, 2020
Conquest is an Afro-futurist urban fantasy (with fearsome dragons!) that, unfortunately, wasn't for me. Full review to follow.
June 9, 2020
This book was really hyped up, particularly on Twitter where I found an intriguing promotional tweet for it earlier this year around the time it came out. That was about where the charm ended. While I like the idea of Jashi being stubborn and fierce, she was way too immature for my taste. She worked all these jobs she was constantly fired at but this was supposed to make her cool and relatable?
The magic and setting were better thought out and more pleasant to read and learn about. The sci-fi and added fantasy was fun. However, the whole magic being unstable when she's emotional is a played out trope I found to be static. And to add to static–talk about static writing. I DNF'ed it about 50% of the way through because the writing was just too slow to get through. There were random paragraphs of massive exposition and then random pages of dialogue that dragged on and didn't seem need to be there, in my opinion, because they added nothing to the story.
I've knocked off ratings for books with "adult" protags that act like children. I can't figure out if this is supposed to be YA or adult (or NA but being called adult). Regardless, even if she's a (new) adult or a YA protag, she still acts way below her age. I'd expect her reactions from an immature 16 yo, maybe.
This one I may have given 2 stars to were she not so wildly immature and annoying in her reactions. That, coupled with the slow writing and immense scenes of random exposition uninterestingly weaved into the story, gives me reason enough to rate it a 1 star.
I also love slow burns, but I need something throughout the book(s) until they get together! There was nothing even remotely butterfly-inducing, even at the 50% mark. I may try to come back and finish it to see if the romance picks up because I chose it explicitly because it said it fell into the romance genre (I really hate DNF'ing unless the grammar is just too awful to get through) but if I do, I doubt my rating will change.
The magic and setting were better thought out and more pleasant to read and learn about. The sci-fi and added fantasy was fun. However, the whole magic being unstable when she's emotional is a played out trope I found to be static. And to add to static–talk about static writing. I DNF'ed it about 50% of the way through because the writing was just too slow to get through. There were random paragraphs of massive exposition and then random pages of dialogue that dragged on and didn't seem need to be there, in my opinion, because they added nothing to the story.
I've knocked off ratings for books with "adult" protags that act like children. I can't figure out if this is supposed to be YA or adult (or NA but being called adult). Regardless, even if she's a (new) adult or a YA protag, she still acts way below her age. I'd expect her reactions from an immature 16 yo, maybe.
This one I may have given 2 stars to were she not so wildly immature and annoying in her reactions. That, coupled with the slow writing and immense scenes of random exposition uninterestingly weaved into the story, gives me reason enough to rate it a 1 star.
I also love slow burns, but I need something throughout the book(s) until they get together! There was nothing even remotely butterfly-inducing, even at the 50% mark. I may try to come back and finish it to see if the romance picks up because I chose it explicitly because it said it fell into the romance genre (I really hate DNF'ing unless the grammar is just too awful to get through) but if I do, I doubt my rating will change.
June 5, 2020
Really interesting take on some familiar themes: ordinary citizen with extraordinary abilities raised up from their common everyday life into power and intrigue; the tension between a peaceful but oppressed society versus freedom, rebellion, and self-rule; and dragon-lore. I'm always a sucker for tales with dragons, so that was the part of the story I enjoyed the most, particularly the revelations about their ancient power and compact with humans. Our heroine, Jashi, is a strong woman with a dangerous secret. She is horrified when she is chosen to become the wife of the Faresh of her country as he is reputed to be a ruthless leader, but she quickly finds out nothing is what it seems in her strange new life. There is a lot of focus on world politics and organizing against the seemingly all-powerful overlords of the planet, but it is the relationship between Jashi and the Faresh and the overwhelming odds they face to try to effect change that were most relatable to me. There are some editing issues but overall, strong world-building and characters lead to an effective start to this series.
June 7, 2020
DNF 21%. Interesting premise! Writing is choppy and hard to follow. Might come back to this later.
Read
October 5, 2022I proofread this a long time ago; I had forgotten all about it. I had no input on the plot or anything.
September 20, 2020
When I was first given a review copy of this book, I thought it was high fantasy. So it was a delightful surprise to find out it was afro-futurism!
Right off the bat, I liked Jashi. She's definitely not the super mature protagonist of a hard sci-fi, but an 18 year old that had the lowest expectations for her life suddenly thrust into a position she never asked for. It might be the rebel in me, but I appreciated every time she ran away from the Faresh. Although I did also appreciate that his reasons for arranging the marriage were infinitely more complex than the "I like her and don't want to work to make her like me" it first looks to be.
As for the worldbuilding, I liked the concept of dragons and the mix of sci-fi used to train them. The anti-colonialism message with the pale-skinned Zendaalans trying to "keep peace" as they claim rings true. And it keeps the conflicts of the trilogy nice and big. There's plenty of room for other books to maneuver within the world and still keep things fresh.
As for the relationship between Jashi and her Faresh, I liked that it was slow burn. The chapters you get from Kahmel's POV were intriguing, especially his feelings towards dragons. This is definitely a romance that will take several books to come to full fruition and that's to the series benefit.
While the book was on track to be a 5 star, I did have to remove one for multiple exposition texts in the last third of the book or so. While some exposition is to be expected in a futuristic world different from out own, it did feel like a lot of things were just told to the reader. Often these monologues would come after major reveals and it lessened them a little. I would also like a deeper look into the fire abilities. However, as Jashi is meant to be struggling with it, I can wait for future installments in the series to learn more.
Over all, I really appreciated this book and it's discussion on politics and colonialism. And while I would like to know more and see the characters mature a little more, I'm certain that will come in future installments.
Right off the bat, I liked Jashi. She's definitely not the super mature protagonist of a hard sci-fi, but an 18 year old that had the lowest expectations for her life suddenly thrust into a position she never asked for. It might be the rebel in me, but I appreciated every time she ran away from the Faresh. Although I did also appreciate that his reasons for arranging the marriage were infinitely more complex than the "I like her and don't want to work to make her like me" it first looks to be.
As for the worldbuilding, I liked the concept of dragons and the mix of sci-fi used to train them. The anti-colonialism message with the pale-skinned Zendaalans trying to "keep peace" as they claim rings true. And it keeps the conflicts of the trilogy nice and big. There's plenty of room for other books to maneuver within the world and still keep things fresh.
As for the relationship between Jashi and her Faresh, I liked that it was slow burn. The chapters you get from Kahmel's POV were intriguing, especially his feelings towards dragons. This is definitely a romance that will take several books to come to full fruition and that's to the series benefit.
While the book was on track to be a 5 star, I did have to remove one for multiple exposition texts in the last third of the book or so. While some exposition is to be expected in a futuristic world different from out own, it did feel like a lot of things were just told to the reader. Often these monologues would come after major reveals and it lessened them a little. I would also like a deeper look into the fire abilities. However, as Jashi is meant to be struggling with it, I can wait for future installments in the series to learn more.
Over all, I really appreciated this book and it's discussion on politics and colonialism. And while I would like to know more and see the characters mature a little more, I'm certain that will come in future installments.
June 4, 2020
“Only we can dance in the flames and not get burned. Don’t hate that part of you.”
Phenomenal Afro-futuristic sci-fi with dragons, hovercrafts, and denim. Celeste weaved such an amazing world together connecting the threads of a people’s history to their present with just the right amount of levity to balance out the heavy themes. This had so many different genres melded together in a way that I never knew I needed!
Jashi, our heroine struggles with being torn between two opposing agendas to find that what she’s been shown all her life barely scratched the surface. Being hoodwinked into a royal marriage to the Farash Kahmel due to ancient traditions that aren’t even in practice anymore. She’s thrown into a whole new world filled with dragons and ancient traditions. Slowly she’ll realize Kahmel isn’t the monster the media has portrayed him as.
Kahmel is a perfect mix of a cinnamon roll and warrior. Always having Jashi’s interests above his own wants. Attempting to bring his country back to its original splendor and restore its true culture. While trying to protect others like him and Jashi He is besieged from all sides by treachery.
The story is told through mostly Jashi’s POV with a few smatterings of Kahmel. The world building was beautiful I loved seeing Jashi’s journey changing her mind and opening her eyes to the truth. Jashi and Kahmel never smooched much to my chagrin but I loved the slow almost begrudging affection that Jashi gains for Kahmel. This story ends on a cliffhanger to continue as a series.
Definitely pick this book up!!
Phenomenal Afro-futuristic sci-fi with dragons, hovercrafts, and denim. Celeste weaved such an amazing world together connecting the threads of a people’s history to their present with just the right amount of levity to balance out the heavy themes. This had so many different genres melded together in a way that I never knew I needed!
Jashi, our heroine struggles with being torn between two opposing agendas to find that what she’s been shown all her life barely scratched the surface. Being hoodwinked into a royal marriage to the Farash Kahmel due to ancient traditions that aren’t even in practice anymore. She’s thrown into a whole new world filled with dragons and ancient traditions. Slowly she’ll realize Kahmel isn’t the monster the media has portrayed him as.
Kahmel is a perfect mix of a cinnamon roll and warrior. Always having Jashi’s interests above his own wants. Attempting to bring his country back to its original splendor and restore its true culture. While trying to protect others like him and Jashi He is besieged from all sides by treachery.
The story is told through mostly Jashi’s POV with a few smatterings of Kahmel. The world building was beautiful I loved seeing Jashi’s journey changing her mind and opening her eyes to the truth. Jashi and Kahmel never smooched much to my chagrin but I loved the slow almost begrudging affection that Jashi gains for Kahmel. This story ends on a cliffhanger to continue as a series.
Definitely pick this book up!!
August 18, 2020
I was really intrigued by this mysterious but also lovely start into a new world and new series. As it is the first book of the series I already expected some slower parts were everything would be described, but the author really made you get through those passages really quick and wasn't dragging on too much. I like getting to know a world by wandering through it and getting more details along the way that just come up naturally which the author did. I was a fan of the storyline after the first few pages. I mean a girl with dragon powers finding the one person in the world that is just like her and also turns out to be the great Faresh. That's just totally my kind of material. ;D I loved how firstly you thought about this book being set in an older world as it compared to historical wars and conquerers, but it was actually set in a futuristic world with high-level technology. That mix of old and new is really seen and really hard to combine in a harmonious way. That why I also liked the book, because Harte made this rare combination work in a natural flow. Everything fits together. After the first half of the book, I felt like the book was rushing a bit through the time, as it went by way faster than in the first. This made me a little sad as it turned out that there were some major important scenes that I wished would have been a little longer to make their importance for the future story clear. But besides this and me missing a bit more intel on the supporting characters I enjoyed this book very much and have very high hope for the next book. ;)
June 14, 2020
Conquest follows Jashi's journey in an uncertain and apparently peaceful world. A world dominated by strange enforcers of peace. And a peace that is threatened by the unusual ascent to power of Kahmel, the new Faresh.
If I could summarize Harte's book in three words, I would choose Identity, Respect, and Dragons!
Harte effortlessly turned an arranged marriage into a quest for Jashi's identity, in a country that has been forced to forget its traditions, history, and even its own strength.
Unlike so many other books with dragons, I felt these mysterious, wild, and uncontrollable creatures truly belonged on the pages of Conquest. The dragons in this book are ferocious and strong, but they also represent values our society seems to have forgotten - the strength and wisdom of the old ways.
The dragons that Harte has created with her words remind us that to truly live up to our potential, we must remember and embrace our roots.
I truly loved this book and hope it gets the love and recognition it deserves.
If I could summarize Harte's book in three words, I would choose Identity, Respect, and Dragons!
Harte effortlessly turned an arranged marriage into a quest for Jashi's identity, in a country that has been forced to forget its traditions, history, and even its own strength.
Unlike so many other books with dragons, I felt these mysterious, wild, and uncontrollable creatures truly belonged on the pages of Conquest. The dragons in this book are ferocious and strong, but they also represent values our society seems to have forgotten - the strength and wisdom of the old ways.
The dragons that Harte has created with her words remind us that to truly live up to our potential, we must remember and embrace our roots.
I truly loved this book and hope it gets the love and recognition it deserves.
February 5, 2020
Conquest tells the story of a girl Jashi, with dragon fire superpowers forced into an arranged marriage with a supposedly evil king. She becomes a spy against him until she starts to see that her magical powers and the secrets the dragons hold may mean that the king isn't on the wrong side at all.
There was so much to love about this magical, technologically advanced story. The setting was incredible. I love all the rich culture and political dynamics and the modern yet ancient feel of the world. The different types of dragons were unique and interesting--I loved that some were wingless and some breathed elements besides fire. People and locations all had names that added to the world in a rich way. And the history of the world was well-thought-out and intriguing.
The magic system was also incredibly cool. Jashi, the protagonist, has dragon fire powers that flame out with emotional freak-outs. But she learns from her new husband, the king Kahmel, there were ways to control the fire within and fire in general. I haven't seen magic like this, and I thought it was really incredible.
Jashi and Kahmel were both interesting characters. Both seemed invariably flawed, but the more I got to know Jashi the more depth and intrigue the character had. I liked her a lot. Kahmel was interesting too because there was so much about him that was pure and incredible while other parts of him were rather intimidating and dark.
There were some really tender scenes, which I won't spoil. I especially enjoyed Jashi and Kahmel's interactions with each other.
There was so much to love about this magical, technologically advanced story. The setting was incredible. I love all the rich culture and political dynamics and the modern yet ancient feel of the world. The different types of dragons were unique and interesting--I loved that some were wingless and some breathed elements besides fire. People and locations all had names that added to the world in a rich way. And the history of the world was well-thought-out and intriguing.
The magic system was also incredibly cool. Jashi, the protagonist, has dragon fire powers that flame out with emotional freak-outs. But she learns from her new husband, the king Kahmel, there were ways to control the fire within and fire in general. I haven't seen magic like this, and I thought it was really incredible.
Jashi and Kahmel were both interesting characters. Both seemed invariably flawed, but the more I got to know Jashi the more depth and intrigue the character had. I liked her a lot. Kahmel was interesting too because there was so much about him that was pure and incredible while other parts of him were rather intimidating and dark.
There were some really tender scenes, which I won't spoil. I especially enjoyed Jashi and Kahmel's interactions with each other.
December 19, 2021
A neat story, just not for me
There were a lot of cool elements to "Conquest"—the tech, the abilities, & the dragons, and I do appreciate a good arranged marriage trope, however the overall plot never clicked with me. I found Kahmel's story and struggles to be infinitely more interesting than that of Jashi's (the main character) and the jarring switch into Kahmel's POV partway through the story really took me out of the narrative.
I also had a lot of questions about things that seemed to me to be (albeit minor) plotholes, and we went from soft sci-fi to fantasy a little too abruptly for me.
The writing itself was pretty solid, and made reading the story enjoyable.
There were a lot of cool elements to "Conquest"—the tech, the abilities, & the dragons, and I do appreciate a good arranged marriage trope, however the overall plot never clicked with me. I found Kahmel's story and struggles to be infinitely more interesting than that of Jashi's (the main character) and the jarring switch into Kahmel's POV partway through the story really took me out of the narrative.
I also had a lot of questions about things that seemed to me to be (albeit minor) plotholes, and we went from soft sci-fi to fantasy a little too abruptly for me.
The writing itself was pretty solid, and made reading the story enjoyable.
March 13, 2024
Conquest is characterized as Afro Futurism Fantasy. Celeste Harte is an Indie Black Author, but what I am yet to see someone say, is that this book and author perform teleportation magic on anyone reading these words. This is the book form of stepping onto a spaceship and having your molecules torpedoed across the galaxy not only onto a new timeline, but to a universe far away that is still somehow adjacent to ours. And this alternative universe… it makes your head spin like a top, as it tries to absorb all the sights and sounds your consciousness is suddenly downloaded into.
The book has EVERYTHING!
Aliens, dragons, cyborgs, hovercrafts, holograms, enemies to allies, a war!
Then there is found family, arranged marriage, orphan with a hidden talent, birth family drama, secrets, colonists, and rebels!
EVERYTHING!
Reality tells us this should not work. In the book world, you pick a point in time, a few tropes, and you stay in that pocket. Celeste Harte and Conquest are proof we have been lied to! This story is amazing. All these ideas mesh together and give readers a fantasy novel that is a wormhole of book reading joy! One step in and voooshhhhhhh you are gone!
Let me give a bit more detailed insight.
Jashi, our orphan with her hidden talent, opens the book as she quits another job because of that talent. Only one other person knows what she can do, and that is the Matron who raised her in the orphanage. She goes home and is trying to figure out her next steps, like rent and food, when she is suddenly whisked away to meet the Great Faresh. He is THE warrior who took over the kingdom she lives in when the previous royal family was assassinated.
Oh yeah, add political intrigue and betrayal aplenty to the lists above 😉
She is scared, because as far as she knows, he is a cold warlord who has been killing traitors around him every time he blinks. And he blinks… a lot.
On entering the room she sees the Matron who raised her and the scary king. The Matron leaves after hugging her but says nothing about the situation. The scary king then tells her… we are getting married.
Clearly she freaks out. But here is the plot twist. That secret talent she has, he has it too, and knows she has it as well.
And THAT is how the book begins.
Click Link to read full Spoiler Free Review here: https://mystiethongs.com/conquest-dra...
The book has EVERYTHING!
Aliens, dragons, cyborgs, hovercrafts, holograms, enemies to allies, a war!
Then there is found family, arranged marriage, orphan with a hidden talent, birth family drama, secrets, colonists, and rebels!
EVERYTHING!
Reality tells us this should not work. In the book world, you pick a point in time, a few tropes, and you stay in that pocket. Celeste Harte and Conquest are proof we have been lied to! This story is amazing. All these ideas mesh together and give readers a fantasy novel that is a wormhole of book reading joy! One step in and voooshhhhhhh you are gone!
Let me give a bit more detailed insight.
Jashi, our orphan with her hidden talent, opens the book as she quits another job because of that talent. Only one other person knows what she can do, and that is the Matron who raised her in the orphanage. She goes home and is trying to figure out her next steps, like rent and food, when she is suddenly whisked away to meet the Great Faresh. He is THE warrior who took over the kingdom she lives in when the previous royal family was assassinated.
Oh yeah, add political intrigue and betrayal aplenty to the lists above 😉
She is scared, because as far as she knows, he is a cold warlord who has been killing traitors around him every time he blinks. And he blinks… a lot.
On entering the room she sees the Matron who raised her and the scary king. The Matron leaves after hugging her but says nothing about the situation. The scary king then tells her… we are getting married.
Clearly she freaks out. But here is the plot twist. That secret talent she has, he has it too, and knows she has it as well.
And THAT is how the book begins.
Click Link to read full Spoiler Free Review here: https://mystiethongs.com/conquest-dra...
Read
July 17, 2020Imaginative afro-futurist/afro-fantasy world, with flying cars, lots of types of dragons, holographic-projection watches, and a great setup— surprised by an arranged marriage, young woman is set up to spy on her new husband and is rapidly in over her head when she realizes she doesn't know who to trust— that was a lot of fun to read. (Also ).
Unfortunately the budding romance didn't quite hit for me because the whole point of the first part of the book is our main character is terrified of her husband because of things he's done (started wars, executed traitors, etc) and while we learn reasonable explanations for most of these things, I am still stuck on the "starting a war" thing and his jokes about getting rid of people who've threatened him. A little too anti-hero for my romantic tastes.
Unfortunately the budding romance didn't quite hit for me because the whole point of the first part of the book is our main character is terrified of her husband because of things he's done (started wars, executed traitors, etc) and while we learn reasonable explanations for most of these things, I am still stuck on the "starting a war" thing and his jokes about getting rid of people who've threatened him. A little too anti-hero for my romantic tastes.
dnf
June 16, 2020dnf @ 28%
I was really excited about this book, but couldn't find many redeeming qualities for the male lead, Kahmel. I found him controlling and withheld too much information from Jashi (which, admittedly, is most likely part of the story, but I just couldn't get past it and couldn't stop thinking about how much I didn't jive with it).
I might revisit later though, as it has been a quick and easy read up to this point.
I was really excited about this book, but couldn't find many redeeming qualities for the male lead, Kahmel. I found him controlling and withheld too much information from Jashi (which, admittedly, is most likely part of the story, but I just couldn't get past it and couldn't stop thinking about how much I didn't jive with it).
I might revisit later though, as it has been a quick and easy read up to this point.
June 22, 2020
4.5 stars might be more accurate since there were quite a few typos, but I loved everything else so I figured I'd round up.
The combination of an almost cyber punk setting with magic and dragons seemed a little strange at first, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance because it was great! Anyone who likes dragons, political intrigue, and subtle romance should definitely give this one a try (and did I mention dragons?!).
The combination of an almost cyber punk setting with magic and dragons seemed a little strange at first, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance because it was great! Anyone who likes dragons, political intrigue, and subtle romance should definitely give this one a try (and did I mention dragons?!).
June 24, 2020
I love the perfect mix of fantasy and science fiction that's going on in this book, and the world-building is rich and well-thought-out. When I first came across the , I feared this would be just another one of those plots. But what followed was unexpected. The plot is engaging, and so are the characters. And the narrative is just beautiful and immersive.
August 1, 2020
I can’t wait for the next book. Interesting world building where the world has lots of technology and seems similar to our own, but also has deep traditions and fire magic and dragons. There’s also a what I think is going to be a very slow burn romance haha. Can’t wait to find out how this all develops!
June 26, 2020
A promising start
Yay sci-fi/fantasy blend! I love a good dragons-and-spaceships combo. Quirky and engaging, with lovable characters and a fascinating world. Looking forward to the next installment.
Yay sci-fi/fantasy blend! I love a good dragons-and-spaceships combo. Quirky and engaging, with lovable characters and a fascinating world. Looking forward to the next installment.
July 10, 2020
Intriguing and fresh.
February 3, 2021
So good! The world is unique with future technologies, warring countries with a mysterious history, and dragons-a mix I’ve never read before and want more. An engrossing plot with characters that unfold and grow. I can’t wait for the sequel!
March 16, 2021
Get absorbed in this cool, new world following the adventures of a gutsy heroine with a unique but dangerous super power.
June 16, 2020
AMAZING! It’s not everyday that you come across a book about black royalty set in a futuristic world with dragons! I’m blown away. The storyline and characters were so unique and fresh. I couldn’t put this book down, Celeste Harte built up such a fascinating new world and I’m beyond excited to read the rest of this series!
February 21, 2024
Against her will, Jashi is arranged to marry the leader of her nation, but when she makes a deal with his enemies to spy on him in exchange for a new name and identity far from where the Faresh will ever find her, she must choose where her loyalties lie: the Faresh, her nation, the governing empire, or herself?
This is perhaps one of the most genre-mashiest of mashiest books I have ever read. It’s not quite a fantasy novel, although it does have dragons and the primary conflict centers around political intrigue. It’s not quite a science fiction novel as technology isn’t really a focus of the narrative, although it is set in a futuristic setting with hover cars and aliens. Nor is it, despite the arranged marriage, a romance novel. Instead of enemies to lovers it’s more enemies to allies? If I had to describe this book in one sentence, I’d say it is an afro-futurism novel with dragons, political intrigue, and the hint of a slow burn romance. Lol. If you’re looking for a book that is easy to define with familiar tropes, I don’t think this is the book for you. If you’re looking for a read that is unique and different, and what I would consider the epitome of indie fantasy, then you’ve come to the right place.
What I liked
The worldbuilding, especially the politics, is wonderfully subversive. As you read through the novel, the politics of the world are slowly revealed to the reader. I love how this unique global political system explored the themes of colonialism and empire, while offering an inciting commentary on modern day political power structures. Further, the book explores how colonialism steals history and seeds propaganda.
I also really liked the dragons, which offer a fun contrast to the book’s more technological advanced setting. I liked that the arranged marriage presented in the novel was more realistic and grounded than the usual fare found in romance novels.
What I didn’t like as much
For all of the tropes that this book eschews, the narrative does heavily rely on the miscommunication trope (specifically, withholding information) and while both of the main protagonists have their reasonings for it, it’s still a personal pet peeve of mine. I felt that Nana could have facilitated the discussion the main characters needed to have, but then there wouldn’t be a plot. Lol.
Overall, I consider this novel one of those indie gems that are exciting to come across. It is a unique read that would have never gotten through the narrow genre definitions of big trad publishing, but it shines all the more. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for something different—it has amazing politics, fun dragon rider sequences, and a Black main protagonist with fire powers. It’s not going to be what you expect, but it’s all the more fun because of it.
Personal Rating: 4.25 stars
Indie Rating: 5 stars
This is perhaps one of the most genre-mashiest of mashiest books I have ever read. It’s not quite a fantasy novel, although it does have dragons and the primary conflict centers around political intrigue. It’s not quite a science fiction novel as technology isn’t really a focus of the narrative, although it is set in a futuristic setting with hover cars and aliens. Nor is it, despite the arranged marriage, a romance novel. Instead of enemies to lovers it’s more enemies to allies? If I had to describe this book in one sentence, I’d say it is an afro-futurism novel with dragons, political intrigue, and the hint of a slow burn romance. Lol. If you’re looking for a book that is easy to define with familiar tropes, I don’t think this is the book for you. If you’re looking for a read that is unique and different, and what I would consider the epitome of indie fantasy, then you’ve come to the right place.
What I liked
The worldbuilding, especially the politics, is wonderfully subversive. As you read through the novel, the politics of the world are slowly revealed to the reader. I love how this unique global political system explored the themes of colonialism and empire, while offering an inciting commentary on modern day political power structures. Further, the book explores how colonialism steals history and seeds propaganda.
I also really liked the dragons, which offer a fun contrast to the book’s more technological advanced setting. I liked that the arranged marriage presented in the novel was more realistic and grounded than the usual fare found in romance novels.
What I didn’t like as much
For all of the tropes that this book eschews, the narrative does heavily rely on the miscommunication trope (specifically, withholding information) and while both of the main protagonists have their reasonings for it, it’s still a personal pet peeve of mine. I felt that Nana could have facilitated the discussion the main characters needed to have, but then there wouldn’t be a plot. Lol.
Overall, I consider this novel one of those indie gems that are exciting to come across. It is a unique read that would have never gotten through the narrow genre definitions of big trad publishing, but it shines all the more. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for something different—it has amazing politics, fun dragon rider sequences, and a Black main protagonist with fire powers. It’s not going to be what you expect, but it’s all the more fun because of it.
Personal Rating: 4.25 stars
Indie Rating: 5 stars
February 9, 2020
When I first started reading this book I was a little anxious because there is a bit of a political infodump within the first chapter and while it crops up now and again across the text it was soon very easy to forget about because of the story itself. In another world on another planet in this mix of magic and technology blended hand in hand with such ease, falling further into the plot is completely effortless. Harte takes an unwanted marriage that left me absolutely raging at my ereader and turns it into an adventure that sears the heart. When the plot twists kept coming in the story, the delicate threads of a greater theme come together and left me desperate for more. Exciting heroines who will do whatever it takes, and a non toxic and passionate hero type that needs to be seen more in fiction, Harte captivates, and though somewhat content, still leaves you hungering for more.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews