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Dragons of Terra #3
Fury of a Demon
Brian Naslund's Fury of a Demon is the final installment in a fast-paced adventure series perfect for comic book readers and fans of heroic fantasy.
War makes monsters of us all...
The war against Osyrus Ward goes poorly for Bershad and Ashlyn. They are pinned in the Dainwood by monstrous alchemical creations and a relentless army of mercenaries, and running out of both options and allies.
The Witch Queen struggles with her new powers, knowing that the secret of unlocking her dragon cord is key to stopping Ward's army, she pushes forward with her experiments.
Meanwhile, with every wound Bershad suffers, he gets closer to losing his humanity forever, and as the war rages, the exile turned assassin turned hero isn't even sure if being human is something he wants.
War makes monsters of us all...
The war against Osyrus Ward goes poorly for Bershad and Ashlyn. They are pinned in the Dainwood by monstrous alchemical creations and a relentless army of mercenaries, and running out of both options and allies.
The Witch Queen struggles with her new powers, knowing that the secret of unlocking her dragon cord is key to stopping Ward's army, she pushes forward with her experiments.
Meanwhile, with every wound Bershad suffers, he gets closer to losing his humanity forever, and as the war rages, the exile turned assassin turned hero isn't even sure if being human is something he wants.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 2021
57 people are currently reading
718 people want to read
About the author
Brian Naslund
8 books197 followersBrian is an American fantasy author. Blood of an Exile is his debut novel, and the first in The Dragons of Terra series. The sequel, Sorcery of a Queen, will be published in August, 2020.
Brian grew up in Maryland but hates crab-cakes. He now lives in Colorado.
When he's not writing, he’s usually griping about video games on Twitter, hiking with his dog, Lola, or whitewater kayaking in the mountains. The last activity makes his mother very nervous.
You can connect with him at briannaslund.com.
Brian grew up in Maryland but hates crab-cakes. He now lives in Colorado.
When he's not writing, he’s usually griping about video games on Twitter, hiking with his dog, Lola, or whitewater kayaking in the mountains. The last activity makes his mother very nervous.
You can connect with him at briannaslund.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 30, 2021
Please note this review may contain mild spoilers for Blood of an Exile and Sorcery of a Queen.
The power has shifted and as Empress Kira lay comatosed, closely watched over by Osyrus Ward, and Queen Ashlyn is believed dead, Ward seizes the opportunity to place his soldiers throughout Almira and rule over all or annihilate those who oppose him. The lands of Terra are now inhabited with skyships, acolytes and other monstrosities cooked up by the madman himself. Yet Ashlyn is far from dead, and neither is our beloved Dragonslayer, Bershad. Deep in the Dainwood forest, Bershad, Simeon, Oromir and the remnants of the Jaguar Army lead the resistance against Ward’s soldiers but it is an ongoing battle where they are losing ground. Meanwhile the Witch Queen Ashlyn and alchemist Jolan desperately try to unlock the secrets behind Osyrus Wards’ creations in the hopes of bringing them down once and for all.
Fury of a Demon by Brian Naslund is the outstanding conclusion in the Dragons of Terra trilogy. Naslund aptly weaves all the threads from the first two books into one thrilling, heart-pounding finale. A mad scientist is set loose, monstrous creations are destroying humanity piece by piece, and it all ends in one high-stakes battle. I was initially drawn to these books for the dragons, but I stayed for the great friendships that formed and cemented between the characters, the hilarious banter among them, and the fact that this was a world which showed us the need to respect and find a balance in nature.
Throughout the trilogy as we watch the world fill with progression and technological advance, it becomes quickly apparent that this is not to the betterment of the people. Whilst the majority starve, fall into poverty and illness, Ward cares nothing but to fulfil his ideological vision of a ‘better’ world, the perfect ’soldier’. In Sorcery of a Queen we glimpse into his horrific plans for the future of Terra, but in Fury of a Demon we watch them play out and become fully realised. The acolytes are monstrosities made from dying soldiers fused with dragon bones, sometimes parts of other animals, metals and alchemy. Osyrus Ward essentially becomes the scientist Frankenstein from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. To Naslund’s credit he creates an absolutely fantastic villain here, one who you loathe, and also makes your skin crawl.
With two new additional POV, Naslund effectively shows us the consequences of warfare, the true consequences of Ward’s vision. Nola, a young teenager, left orphaned after her parents and older brothers die fighting in the Jaguar Army, is the sole guardian of her younger sister Grittle. She runs a tavern on very little just to get by, until soldiers destroy that too. Nola was a character who quickly made my eyes blurry with tears as she desperately fights to protect her sister but faces horror after horror. Then there was acolyte seven-nine-nine, once a soldier simply following orders and now conditioned into a mindless killing machine, except there’s a glitch where he does retain some of his former memories. If you’ve ever seen the film Robocop, this is what he reminded me of. Through Acolyte seven-nine-nine we learn the true abhorrent methods Osyrus uses upon the soldiers he experiments on, the pain endured whilst he conditions them.
“Nola had always been realistic about this world. She’d done what needed doing to survive. But it wasn’t until now-stuck in this pen–that she realized the hidden truth of humanity: they were all just animals who stayed civil and kind because there was food in their bellies and a roof over their heads at night. Take those things away, and the goodness of people got taken away with it.”
Who better than to fight against Ward than the deemed witch Ashlyn Malgrave. She begins her journey in Blood of an Exile wanting to uncover the secrets behind the dragons, to find a way to preserve them but also keep people safe from their attacks. Throughout Sorcery of a Queen her fight for the dragons also becomes a journey to seek knowledge of how to stop Ward and save those she loves. In this last instalment Ashlyn really grows in her abilities, whether they’re part sorcery or part science, experiment after experiment she begins to master the use of lodestones in fantastic ways. I loved that Ashlyn above all respected the laws of nature, the right for animals to have a place in this world too, yet she also respected her immense powers. She knew one person alone should ever keep this much power in their grasp, and although she uses her powers to destroy the enemy, she knows ultimately when to stop.
“The heads of the six acolytes were floating above her, neck stumps dripping black liquid across the dry grass. Her armbands were churning and steam was rising off her sweat-slick skin. Jolan knew that she probably couldn’t keep that up for more than a minute or two, but in that moment, she looked downright terrifying. A true witch queen.”
Then there was Bershad, our hero who fights with the fury of a demon. Wow, Naslund really puts Bershad through a lot in this instalment, he pushes this character to his maximum endurance. Bershad’s recklessness reaches new heights, which makes for some heartstopping moments. Bershad knew he was fighting against the clock, his transformation was looming ever closer, and if his last deeds were to free the people of Almira, particularly those in the Dainwood forest, and finally settle an old score with Vallen Vergun, then he would fight tooth and claw to succeed. This is a character who I have become deeply fond of for many reasons, but in this book I adored his bond with the Nomad dragon, affectionately called ‘Smokey’. Together they make for an incredible team.
At the heart of this whole trilogy Naslund focuses on the bonds the characters make, the friendships, the bromances, the loyalty and comradeship, the people they would die for. It’s always important to me that I feel an emotional attachment to the characters, that I care for their plights, and here I fell hard for all of them. Well, obviously not for Ward or Vergun! However, Bershad and Felgor’s friendship and banter was top-notch, Simeon and Cabbage made such a comical duo, my heart broke for Oromir and Jolan, and Vera’s determination to save Kira was truly endearing. No matter the dangers these characters all faced, they faced them together.
“You know what nickname I would have given you, if you didn’t already have so many when we met?” he asked.
“Don’t care.”
Felgor pinched an ant off his neck and flicked it away. “Sunshine. On account of your pleasant disposition.”
Bershad grunted. “I hate it.”
“That’s the point.”
Naslund also presented us with many tender, quiet moments, which balanced out the grim reality the people of Almira faced. Nola tells her sister Grittle bedtime stories of their brother’s before they died in the war. Cabbage takes food to Jovita’s hut, a woman he quickly becomes attracted to, having hopes of spending time with her one the fight is over. Bershad and Ashlyn save each other time and time again, they cannot bear the thought of losing each other.
Together this band of characters all played their part in the final battle, a battle which kept my pulse racing and eyes always on the edge of tears.
“If I wind up down the river ahead of you, I’ll try to find a decent spot for us in the afterlife. And if you go first . . ” He trailed off. Swallowed. “Well, I don’t see much point in staying around in this mess without you. So I’ll be following right behind. I promise.”
Naslund is the kind of author who takes your heart strings and pulls them in devious but enticing ways. It’s rare a grimdark book makes me cry out of happiness and sadness all at the same time, but this did. The Dragons of Terra is a trilogy I hope will find itself in the hands of many more readers.
Review copy provided by Jamie at Tor UK. Thank you! Fury of a Demon is out now.
The power has shifted and as Empress Kira lay comatosed, closely watched over by Osyrus Ward, and Queen Ashlyn is believed dead, Ward seizes the opportunity to place his soldiers throughout Almira and rule over all or annihilate those who oppose him. The lands of Terra are now inhabited with skyships, acolytes and other monstrosities cooked up by the madman himself. Yet Ashlyn is far from dead, and neither is our beloved Dragonslayer, Bershad. Deep in the Dainwood forest, Bershad, Simeon, Oromir and the remnants of the Jaguar Army lead the resistance against Ward’s soldiers but it is an ongoing battle where they are losing ground. Meanwhile the Witch Queen Ashlyn and alchemist Jolan desperately try to unlock the secrets behind Osyrus Wards’ creations in the hopes of bringing them down once and for all.
Fury of a Demon by Brian Naslund is the outstanding conclusion in the Dragons of Terra trilogy. Naslund aptly weaves all the threads from the first two books into one thrilling, heart-pounding finale. A mad scientist is set loose, monstrous creations are destroying humanity piece by piece, and it all ends in one high-stakes battle. I was initially drawn to these books for the dragons, but I stayed for the great friendships that formed and cemented between the characters, the hilarious banter among them, and the fact that this was a world which showed us the need to respect and find a balance in nature.
Throughout the trilogy as we watch the world fill with progression and technological advance, it becomes quickly apparent that this is not to the betterment of the people. Whilst the majority starve, fall into poverty and illness, Ward cares nothing but to fulfil his ideological vision of a ‘better’ world, the perfect ’soldier’. In Sorcery of a Queen we glimpse into his horrific plans for the future of Terra, but in Fury of a Demon we watch them play out and become fully realised. The acolytes are monstrosities made from dying soldiers fused with dragon bones, sometimes parts of other animals, metals and alchemy. Osyrus Ward essentially becomes the scientist Frankenstein from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. To Naslund’s credit he creates an absolutely fantastic villain here, one who you loathe, and also makes your skin crawl.
With two new additional POV, Naslund effectively shows us the consequences of warfare, the true consequences of Ward’s vision. Nola, a young teenager, left orphaned after her parents and older brothers die fighting in the Jaguar Army, is the sole guardian of her younger sister Grittle. She runs a tavern on very little just to get by, until soldiers destroy that too. Nola was a character who quickly made my eyes blurry with tears as she desperately fights to protect her sister but faces horror after horror. Then there was acolyte seven-nine-nine, once a soldier simply following orders and now conditioned into a mindless killing machine, except there’s a glitch where he does retain some of his former memories. If you’ve ever seen the film Robocop, this is what he reminded me of. Through Acolyte seven-nine-nine we learn the true abhorrent methods Osyrus uses upon the soldiers he experiments on, the pain endured whilst he conditions them.
“Nola had always been realistic about this world. She’d done what needed doing to survive. But it wasn’t until now-stuck in this pen–that she realized the hidden truth of humanity: they were all just animals who stayed civil and kind because there was food in their bellies and a roof over their heads at night. Take those things away, and the goodness of people got taken away with it.”
Who better than to fight against Ward than the deemed witch Ashlyn Malgrave. She begins her journey in Blood of an Exile wanting to uncover the secrets behind the dragons, to find a way to preserve them but also keep people safe from their attacks. Throughout Sorcery of a Queen her fight for the dragons also becomes a journey to seek knowledge of how to stop Ward and save those she loves. In this last instalment Ashlyn really grows in her abilities, whether they’re part sorcery or part science, experiment after experiment she begins to master the use of lodestones in fantastic ways. I loved that Ashlyn above all respected the laws of nature, the right for animals to have a place in this world too, yet she also respected her immense powers. She knew one person alone should ever keep this much power in their grasp, and although she uses her powers to destroy the enemy, she knows ultimately when to stop.
“The heads of the six acolytes were floating above her, neck stumps dripping black liquid across the dry grass. Her armbands were churning and steam was rising off her sweat-slick skin. Jolan knew that she probably couldn’t keep that up for more than a minute or two, but in that moment, she looked downright terrifying. A true witch queen.”
Then there was Bershad, our hero who fights with the fury of a demon. Wow, Naslund really puts Bershad through a lot in this instalment, he pushes this character to his maximum endurance. Bershad’s recklessness reaches new heights, which makes for some heartstopping moments. Bershad knew he was fighting against the clock, his transformation was looming ever closer, and if his last deeds were to free the people of Almira, particularly those in the Dainwood forest, and finally settle an old score with Vallen Vergun, then he would fight tooth and claw to succeed. This is a character who I have become deeply fond of for many reasons, but in this book I adored his bond with the Nomad dragon, affectionately called ‘Smokey’. Together they make for an incredible team.
At the heart of this whole trilogy Naslund focuses on the bonds the characters make, the friendships, the bromances, the loyalty and comradeship, the people they would die for. It’s always important to me that I feel an emotional attachment to the characters, that I care for their plights, and here I fell hard for all of them. Well, obviously not for Ward or Vergun! However, Bershad and Felgor’s friendship and banter was top-notch, Simeon and Cabbage made such a comical duo, my heart broke for Oromir and Jolan, and Vera’s determination to save Kira was truly endearing. No matter the dangers these characters all faced, they faced them together.
“You know what nickname I would have given you, if you didn’t already have so many when we met?” he asked.
“Don’t care.”
Felgor pinched an ant off his neck and flicked it away. “Sunshine. On account of your pleasant disposition.”
Bershad grunted. “I hate it.”
“That’s the point.”
Naslund also presented us with many tender, quiet moments, which balanced out the grim reality the people of Almira faced. Nola tells her sister Grittle bedtime stories of their brother’s before they died in the war. Cabbage takes food to Jovita’s hut, a woman he quickly becomes attracted to, having hopes of spending time with her one the fight is over. Bershad and Ashlyn save each other time and time again, they cannot bear the thought of losing each other.
Together this band of characters all played their part in the final battle, a battle which kept my pulse racing and eyes always on the edge of tears.
“If I wind up down the river ahead of you, I’ll try to find a decent spot for us in the afterlife. And if you go first . . ” He trailed off. Swallowed. “Well, I don’t see much point in staying around in this mess without you. So I’ll be following right behind. I promise.”
Naslund is the kind of author who takes your heart strings and pulls them in devious but enticing ways. It’s rare a grimdark book makes me cry out of happiness and sadness all at the same time, but this did. The Dragons of Terra is a trilogy I hope will find itself in the hands of many more readers.
Review copy provided by Jamie at Tor UK. Thank you! Fury of a Demon is out now.
November 8, 2022
Vale 5 stelle? Assolutamente no, ma devo dire di essermi proprio affezionato a questi personaggi.
Non sarà certo la trilogia del secolo, ma mi ha proprio divertito ed emozionato. E questo terzo volume si merita la valutazione massima proprio per questo.
Best character che vale tutte le stelle da solo: Jolan. Meraviglioso ✨😍
Non sarà certo la trilogia del secolo, ma mi ha proprio divertito ed emozionato. E questo terzo volume si merita la valutazione massima proprio per questo.
Best character che vale tutte le stelle da solo: Jolan. Meraviglioso ✨😍
October 19, 2022
Degna conclusione della trilogia, ma al di sotto dei due precedenti... Ricco di azione e avventura, si giunge all epilogo della trama principale e delle varie sottotrame che si creano nelle oltre 600 pagine.. la cosa che non me l'ha fatto gustare appieno, è che qui la "tecnologia" è davvero troppo abusata.. più volte ripete che non c'entra nulla con la magia ma che è tecnologia, ma non è coerente con mondo creato.. con ossa di drago e calamite non puoi creare una TV, un computer, o simili... Diventa talmente incoerente e assurdo che mi ha un po' infastidito.. Tolto questo, tutto il resto mi ha divertito e appassionato al solito, infatti divorato in tre giorni!
January 30, 2022
I loved this series - it’s sad that it’s over. So many good characters 💜
The best bit? Donkey revenge 💜
The best bit? Donkey revenge 💜
June 5, 2024
Get your underrated dragon fantasy fix here!
Expect more exploding people, a lot of decapitated heads, and a more sci fi take on the so called ‘sorcery’ or ‘demon craft’ superstition.
Oh, and cannibals and forest witches.
Whatever Osyrus Ward is building, he has conquered the entire realm to amass the materials for it. He’s also the only one keeping Kira alive, thus keeping Vera in line.
Bershad and Ashelyn are working with the Jaguar Army to keep back the Wormwrot army and Ward’s new experiments as dragons return to their hunting grounds.
Don’t forget the threat of Bershad turning into a tree!!!
"You and your sister need to survive this war. Keep the parts inside that are good and soft. That's your revenge. You don't need to turn yourself into someone like me.''
“Why not?"
“Because I'm still alive. And I'm going to kill everyone responsible for what happened to you."
A really enjoyable, if not rushed (which decreased my enjoyment and the rating), conclusion to a very underrated trilogy!
Bookstagram
Expect more exploding people, a lot of decapitated heads, and a more sci fi take on the so called ‘sorcery’ or ‘demon craft’ superstition.
Oh, and cannibals and forest witches.
Whatever Osyrus Ward is building, he has conquered the entire realm to amass the materials for it. He’s also the only one keeping Kira alive, thus keeping Vera in line.
Bershad and Ashelyn are working with the Jaguar Army to keep back the Wormwrot army and Ward’s new experiments as dragons return to their hunting grounds.
Don’t forget the threat of Bershad turning into a tree!!!
"You and your sister need to survive this war. Keep the parts inside that are good and soft. That's your revenge. You don't need to turn yourself into someone like me.''
“Why not?"
“Because I'm still alive. And I'm going to kill everyone responsible for what happened to you."
A really enjoyable, if not rushed (which decreased my enjoyment and the rating), conclusion to a very underrated trilogy!
Bookstagram
December 18, 2021
That feeling you get when you have such high expectations for something and it absolutely delivers!
I’m currently riding on that slowly descending wave of bittersweet contentment in having finished this trilogy, and the excellent Fury of a Demon to close it off.
Anything Brian Naslund writes in the future is an instant-buy from me and I have to say until now I never understood why someone would want to re-read a series when there are new books to start on. Now I do. I am utterly convinced this is a trilogy I will revisit again and again.
So, why do I love it so much and why did Fury of a Demon solidify my feelings about this series and about Brian Naslund’s ability?
I’ve spoken many times about the initial and continued appeal – the exciting characters, the mix of old world fantasy with inventive technology, the use of dragons in a real ecosystem, the care painted into the brush strokes of the created world.
I’ll start on characters. I’m not someone who goes crazy for characters unless they really stand out – I’m someone who shamefully forgets the characters’ names in alot of books and cares more for the world and the plot. Naslund is just such an expert at making you remember, making you care.
Osyrus Ward and Vergun are just delightfully bad again here and you really do love to hate them – Ward for his cold and calculated, Thanos-like outlook – his own power and idealism above all, no matter the consequence; Vergun for his pure malice and unapologetic evil.
A theme running through the series but particularly prevalent here is revenge – there are grudges everywhere which makes so many of the character interactions so exciting. There are plenty of palm rubbing moments as the fates of various characters take them across their enemy’s paths, intentionally or not.
Of course, Bershad really lives up to his titular description and continues his upward trajectory of a great killer to an almost unstoppable one. What I love about this though is that in almost a video game way, as Bershad gets stronger, Ward continues getting sharper. Those war acolytes are pretty brutal, too! With each conflict you don’t know whether he or Bershad and his allies will come out on top and that’s particularly exciting.
Bershad hogs some of the limelight, and rightfully so because he’s such a brilliant character, but Ashlyn isn’t going to let him take all the badass moments. I like that through much of the book she’s still coming to terms with and learning from the past, while trying to gauge her own power and how it can be used in the right way. Often this culminates in utter bone shattering destruction. For me, it feels more of a battle of Osyrus Ward Vs Ashlyn Malgrave for much of the story, not Silas Bershad – even if they aren’t directly facing off all the time.
To be honest, there are a number of characters who take up prominent roles in the story you could argue are main characters – returning favourites and new characters too. Nora’s chapters were fantastic, for example.
Something that struck me while going through my thoughts at the end of the book: I never once thought, “yawn, it’s such and such a character’s chapter” – I was equally interested in all of them and that’s something the author is really successful in doing, not only making you care but making everyone have an equally interesting and personal story to tell, whilst the storylines converge with one another.
Or course, dragons play a big role in the story again and I love Bershad’s telepathic sort of relationship with ‘Smokey’ – not named by him, of course. There are dragons, but there are skyships. There are swords and longbows, and there are diagnostic machines and mechanical inventions. The contrast of old school fantasy with sci-fi elements really kicks on here and it’s one that felt really polished. The book always felt like a fantasy book to me, but it felt like there were blends of different sub genres and as mentioned, bordering in places on sci-fi with technology we don’t yet possess.
I think what keeps this grounded in fantasy is that the technology is often powered somewhat by magic – or what we would class as magic based on the lack of the raw materials available in our world to create these inventions.
On science, the ecosystem again plays a part and there were parallels with the Vietnam war – the Balarian invaders succumbing to the conditions of the Dainwood whilst struggling to deal with the guerilla warfare of the Jaguar Wardens. Tactics play a big role and it’s fascinating to watch play out as Ward begins to lose patience, attempting a more provocative route to victory.
It goes without saying that Naslund’s smooth, immersive writing style is as strong as ever. His books have that quality rarely felt, where your brain tells you to turn the pages on autopilot and you forget you’re actually reading a book. The dialogue is spot on and you really get a feel for the characters’ distinct individual voices, even characters introduced and killed off soon after. It makes it a joy to meet any character in the book because they’re all unique and well written.
As well as this, I really like how sometimes the POV shifts with chapters taking place within the same event, with varying degrees of length. Sometimes short chapters are effective, sometimes longer ones work best and Naslund always makes the right decision, both in deciding which POV to show us, and how much of it we see through their eyes at any given moment.
I’m delighted that a series I love so much continued the top class story, character work and fantastic feeling of overall quality until the very end and never once let me down.
I’m genuinely gutted it’s over as I’m going to be bold enough to say… I think this might be my favourite series. I really do.
Every single page has been a pleasure, and I read two of these books at a time I needed an escape to an exciting new world and a bit of a pick-me-up, which they duly delivered. This trilogy really needs to be widely read and become a success, because it’s so brilliant, the author deserves recognition. And secondly, because we need more books by Brian Naslund.
Blood of an Exile had the originality factor, a book that made me sit back and say ‘wow!’ – a really exciting fantasy book.
Sorcery of a Queen raised the stakes while adding more of the wacky alchemy and inventions that gives the series a distinctive comic book quality to layer over the heroic fantasy at its heart.
Fury of a Demon keeps all of the good bits of the other two and gives the reader everything they could possibly want – namely a polished and expertly written story that feels like a fitting conclusion to a trilogy that is heartfelt, action packed, colourful and full of personality.
I’m currently riding on that slowly descending wave of bittersweet contentment in having finished this trilogy, and the excellent Fury of a Demon to close it off.
Anything Brian Naslund writes in the future is an instant-buy from me and I have to say until now I never understood why someone would want to re-read a series when there are new books to start on. Now I do. I am utterly convinced this is a trilogy I will revisit again and again.
So, why do I love it so much and why did Fury of a Demon solidify my feelings about this series and about Brian Naslund’s ability?
I’ve spoken many times about the initial and continued appeal – the exciting characters, the mix of old world fantasy with inventive technology, the use of dragons in a real ecosystem, the care painted into the brush strokes of the created world.
I’ll start on characters. I’m not someone who goes crazy for characters unless they really stand out – I’m someone who shamefully forgets the characters’ names in alot of books and cares more for the world and the plot. Naslund is just such an expert at making you remember, making you care.
Osyrus Ward and Vergun are just delightfully bad again here and you really do love to hate them – Ward for his cold and calculated, Thanos-like outlook – his own power and idealism above all, no matter the consequence; Vergun for his pure malice and unapologetic evil.
A theme running through the series but particularly prevalent here is revenge – there are grudges everywhere which makes so many of the character interactions so exciting. There are plenty of palm rubbing moments as the fates of various characters take them across their enemy’s paths, intentionally or not.
Of course, Bershad really lives up to his titular description and continues his upward trajectory of a great killer to an almost unstoppable one. What I love about this though is that in almost a video game way, as Bershad gets stronger, Ward continues getting sharper. Those war acolytes are pretty brutal, too! With each conflict you don’t know whether he or Bershad and his allies will come out on top and that’s particularly exciting.
Bershad hogs some of the limelight, and rightfully so because he’s such a brilliant character, but Ashlyn isn’t going to let him take all the badass moments. I like that through much of the book she’s still coming to terms with and learning from the past, while trying to gauge her own power and how it can be used in the right way. Often this culminates in utter bone shattering destruction. For me, it feels more of a battle of Osyrus Ward Vs Ashlyn Malgrave for much of the story, not Silas Bershad – even if they aren’t directly facing off all the time.
To be honest, there are a number of characters who take up prominent roles in the story you could argue are main characters – returning favourites and new characters too. Nora’s chapters were fantastic, for example.
Something that struck me while going through my thoughts at the end of the book: I never once thought, “yawn, it’s such and such a character’s chapter” – I was equally interested in all of them and that’s something the author is really successful in doing, not only making you care but making everyone have an equally interesting and personal story to tell, whilst the storylines converge with one another.
Or course, dragons play a big role in the story again and I love Bershad’s telepathic sort of relationship with ‘Smokey’ – not named by him, of course. There are dragons, but there are skyships. There are swords and longbows, and there are diagnostic machines and mechanical inventions. The contrast of old school fantasy with sci-fi elements really kicks on here and it’s one that felt really polished. The book always felt like a fantasy book to me, but it felt like there were blends of different sub genres and as mentioned, bordering in places on sci-fi with technology we don’t yet possess.
I think what keeps this grounded in fantasy is that the technology is often powered somewhat by magic – or what we would class as magic based on the lack of the raw materials available in our world to create these inventions.
On science, the ecosystem again plays a part and there were parallels with the Vietnam war – the Balarian invaders succumbing to the conditions of the Dainwood whilst struggling to deal with the guerilla warfare of the Jaguar Wardens. Tactics play a big role and it’s fascinating to watch play out as Ward begins to lose patience, attempting a more provocative route to victory.
It goes without saying that Naslund’s smooth, immersive writing style is as strong as ever. His books have that quality rarely felt, where your brain tells you to turn the pages on autopilot and you forget you’re actually reading a book. The dialogue is spot on and you really get a feel for the characters’ distinct individual voices, even characters introduced and killed off soon after. It makes it a joy to meet any character in the book because they’re all unique and well written.
As well as this, I really like how sometimes the POV shifts with chapters taking place within the same event, with varying degrees of length. Sometimes short chapters are effective, sometimes longer ones work best and Naslund always makes the right decision, both in deciding which POV to show us, and how much of it we see through their eyes at any given moment.
I’m delighted that a series I love so much continued the top class story, character work and fantastic feeling of overall quality until the very end and never once let me down.
I’m genuinely gutted it’s over as I’m going to be bold enough to say… I think this might be my favourite series. I really do.
Every single page has been a pleasure, and I read two of these books at a time I needed an escape to an exciting new world and a bit of a pick-me-up, which they duly delivered. This trilogy really needs to be widely read and become a success, because it’s so brilliant, the author deserves recognition. And secondly, because we need more books by Brian Naslund.
Blood of an Exile had the originality factor, a book that made me sit back and say ‘wow!’ – a really exciting fantasy book.
Sorcery of a Queen raised the stakes while adding more of the wacky alchemy and inventions that gives the series a distinctive comic book quality to layer over the heroic fantasy at its heart.
Fury of a Demon keeps all of the good bits of the other two and gives the reader everything they could possibly want – namely a polished and expertly written story that feels like a fitting conclusion to a trilogy that is heartfelt, action packed, colourful and full of personality.
August 23, 2021
Full review on The Quill to Live: https://thequilltolive.com/2021/08/19...
The best part about being a book reviewer is when you find an underappreciated gem that you get to psychotically rant about to all your friends, family, and readers. I have now purchased 4 copies of Blood of an Exile for friends because I think The Dragons of Terra series by Brian Naslund is one of the best new series I have read. The final book in the trilogy, Fury of a Demon, comes out on August 31, 2021, and I got a sneak peek at the climactic finale. The third book continues Naslund’s streak of excellence – but it falls slightly short of the incredibly high bar set by the second book, Sorcery of a Queen.
If you are looking for the plot of the books, check out the earlier reviews linked above. In general, the story follows a diverse cast of individuals as they try to combine magic and science to protect the natural world from being abused by antagonists of all kinds. As I mentioned in my Sorcery review, these books are so good because they excel in so many different areas simultaneously that it’s hard to believe that this is Naslund’s first series. They have incredible characters, exciting action, deep and original worldbuilding, a gripping plot, a compelling antagonist, great themes, excellent pacing, strong character growth, and a level of polish and inclusivity that made me positively vibrate with happiness. However, Fury of a Demon takes some new directions that differentiate it to from its predecessors.
What sets Fury of a Demon apart from the two previous books in the series is really how the magic system starts to migrate into science fantasy. There is pseudo magical hacking in the third book that becomes a major part of what the plot revolves around and it makes the series feel like it starts to edge into the science fantasy genre. Personally, I loved this. It gave the book and series a lot of unique flairs and it had my wife (who I immediately gave my ARC after finishing it, thank you Tor) and me talking about the implications and possibilities for hours after we both finished. The conclusion is extremely explosive and fun, and it feels like a great culmination of the conflict. The final antagonist is a wonderful reflection of the conflicting ideals of the characters and the final fights felt satisfying on a number of levels. But, unlike the previous two novels (which I thought were perfect) I had a couple of issues with Fury of a Demon.
One of the strongest elements of the first two books is how organic the character growth felt. Everyone is changing constantly (a theme of the book) but Naslund goes through painstaking work to show you how and why. Demon’s character development is in no way bad, but it felt like it lacked the polish that the first two books had. In particular, the characters Vera, Kira, and Garrett all had major growth and change that seemed to happen off-page and were a little hard to follow. That being said, I will fight you IRL if you try to disparage Jolan or Felgor – they are angels that need to be protected.
In addition, the plot of Demon felt slightly less directed. Normally I wouldn’t have a problem with this, but one of my favorite parts of Queen is how every single set piece seemed to seamlessly flow into the next creating this unbroken stream of wonder that enraptured me from start to finish. There were a few new subplots in Demon that I understand the purpose of, but they could have been blended more seamlessly into the main story.
Back to the specific positives of Demon, it is definitely the book with the most imagination out of the three. Naslund has this brilliant cleverness in how he conveys the power and smarts of his characters that many fantasy and sci-fi writers will envy. Silas and Ashlyn in particular are absolutely terrifying in their power and majesty and Naslund accomplishes this through keen observation and context in a way that is subtle and smart. I found myself constantly thinking about what it would be like to be a peon standing against one of these protagonists and just feeling pants-shitting fear. They were awesome.
In sum, don’t sleep on The Dragons of Terra. Fury of a Demon will be one of my top books of 2021, and the other two books also made huge splashes with me when they came out. This has rapidly become my go-to ace in the sleeve recommendation to give well-read fantasy readers something new and delightful. I literally cannot wait to see what Naslund does next. He is a wildly talented new writer, and I hope he continues making new stories for years to come.
Rating:
Fury of a Demon – 9.0/10
The Dragons of Terra – 9.5/10
The best part about being a book reviewer is when you find an underappreciated gem that you get to psychotically rant about to all your friends, family, and readers. I have now purchased 4 copies of Blood of an Exile for friends because I think The Dragons of Terra series by Brian Naslund is one of the best new series I have read. The final book in the trilogy, Fury of a Demon, comes out on August 31, 2021, and I got a sneak peek at the climactic finale. The third book continues Naslund’s streak of excellence – but it falls slightly short of the incredibly high bar set by the second book, Sorcery of a Queen.
If you are looking for the plot of the books, check out the earlier reviews linked above. In general, the story follows a diverse cast of individuals as they try to combine magic and science to protect the natural world from being abused by antagonists of all kinds. As I mentioned in my Sorcery review, these books are so good because they excel in so many different areas simultaneously that it’s hard to believe that this is Naslund’s first series. They have incredible characters, exciting action, deep and original worldbuilding, a gripping plot, a compelling antagonist, great themes, excellent pacing, strong character growth, and a level of polish and inclusivity that made me positively vibrate with happiness. However, Fury of a Demon takes some new directions that differentiate it to from its predecessors.
What sets Fury of a Demon apart from the two previous books in the series is really how the magic system starts to migrate into science fantasy. There is pseudo magical hacking in the third book that becomes a major part of what the plot revolves around and it makes the series feel like it starts to edge into the science fantasy genre. Personally, I loved this. It gave the book and series a lot of unique flairs and it had my wife (who I immediately gave my ARC after finishing it, thank you Tor) and me talking about the implications and possibilities for hours after we both finished. The conclusion is extremely explosive and fun, and it feels like a great culmination of the conflict. The final antagonist is a wonderful reflection of the conflicting ideals of the characters and the final fights felt satisfying on a number of levels. But, unlike the previous two novels (which I thought were perfect) I had a couple of issues with Fury of a Demon.
One of the strongest elements of the first two books is how organic the character growth felt. Everyone is changing constantly (a theme of the book) but Naslund goes through painstaking work to show you how and why. Demon’s character development is in no way bad, but it felt like it lacked the polish that the first two books had. In particular, the characters Vera, Kira, and Garrett all had major growth and change that seemed to happen off-page and were a little hard to follow. That being said, I will fight you IRL if you try to disparage Jolan or Felgor – they are angels that need to be protected.
In addition, the plot of Demon felt slightly less directed. Normally I wouldn’t have a problem with this, but one of my favorite parts of Queen is how every single set piece seemed to seamlessly flow into the next creating this unbroken stream of wonder that enraptured me from start to finish. There were a few new subplots in Demon that I understand the purpose of, but they could have been blended more seamlessly into the main story.
Back to the specific positives of Demon, it is definitely the book with the most imagination out of the three. Naslund has this brilliant cleverness in how he conveys the power and smarts of his characters that many fantasy and sci-fi writers will envy. Silas and Ashlyn in particular are absolutely terrifying in their power and majesty and Naslund accomplishes this through keen observation and context in a way that is subtle and smart. I found myself constantly thinking about what it would be like to be a peon standing against one of these protagonists and just feeling pants-shitting fear. They were awesome.
In sum, don’t sleep on The Dragons of Terra. Fury of a Demon will be one of my top books of 2021, and the other two books also made huge splashes with me when they came out. This has rapidly become my go-to ace in the sleeve recommendation to give well-read fantasy readers something new and delightful. I literally cannot wait to see what Naslund does next. He is a wildly talented new writer, and I hope he continues making new stories for years to come.
Rating:
Fury of a Demon – 9.0/10
The Dragons of Terra – 9.5/10
October 25, 2021
I loved this book so much. I laughed and I cried. Especially at the very end.
I was just as bloodthirsty for revenge against some villains as I was anxious for the survival many favorite persons.
Bershad and Felgor have a love-hate relationship and their banter is so funny.
“When are you gonna get yourself a stronger stomach?” Bershad asked him. “Well, I can’t grow new ones like you, so I’m stuck with what I got.” “Just try not to do it again. It upsets the donkeys.” “Pretty sure the trek through a dragon-infested wilderness is the primary cause of their agitation.”
But I’m still a little conflicted about my feelings for Felgor. But he seems to be a better person by the end.
Many characters really evolve and change in this book. It’s a wonderful thing to watch Cabbage and Jolan step up to the plate and make a huge impact on events around them.
There are some grisly scenes, which you don’t want to be eating anything while reading these. As so many people are killed and consumed by Vergun - yes, consumed-, Nola observes: “Nola had always been realistic about this world. She’d done what needed doing to survive. But it wasn’t until now - stuck in this pen - that she realized the hidden truth of humanity: they were all just animals who stayed civil and kind because there was food in their bellies and a roof over their heads at night. Take those things away, and the goodness of people got taken away with it.” Oh, that Vallen Vergun! Hopes he gets his comeuppance with style! Along with a few other awful ones.
You don’t know which people are safe. There are some very heroic deaths which provide a very satisfying end.
Beside the great characters and fast-paced plot, the scientific inventions created by Ward and Ashlyn are just amazing. This fantasy element brings a whole different layer to the genre. The cloak that Vera eventually wears and utilizes is just a wonder. What a creative mind Brian Naslund has!
Although dragons are quite secondary actors in this story, Smokey the Nomad is front and center. A very important companion for Silas.
The very, very last line brought me to tears immediately and I felt such a loss
again. Maybe this won’t be the end of Bershad and company?
Highly, highly recommend this trilogy!
I was just as bloodthirsty for revenge against some villains as I was anxious for the survival many favorite persons.
Bershad and Felgor have a love-hate relationship and their banter is so funny.
“When are you gonna get yourself a stronger stomach?” Bershad asked him. “Well, I can’t grow new ones like you, so I’m stuck with what I got.” “Just try not to do it again. It upsets the donkeys.” “Pretty sure the trek through a dragon-infested wilderness is the primary cause of their agitation.”
But I’m still a little conflicted about my feelings for Felgor. But he seems to be a better person by the end.
Many characters really evolve and change in this book. It’s a wonderful thing to watch Cabbage and Jolan step up to the plate and make a huge impact on events around them.
There are some grisly scenes, which you don’t want to be eating anything while reading these. As so many people are killed and consumed by Vergun - yes, consumed-, Nola observes: “Nola had always been realistic about this world. She’d done what needed doing to survive. But it wasn’t until now - stuck in this pen - that she realized the hidden truth of humanity: they were all just animals who stayed civil and kind because there was food in their bellies and a roof over their heads at night. Take those things away, and the goodness of people got taken away with it.” Oh, that Vallen Vergun! Hopes he gets his comeuppance with style! Along with a few other awful ones.
You don’t know which people are safe. There are some very heroic deaths which provide a very satisfying end.
Beside the great characters and fast-paced plot, the scientific inventions created by Ward and Ashlyn are just amazing. This fantasy element brings a whole different layer to the genre. The cloak that Vera eventually wears and utilizes is just a wonder. What a creative mind Brian Naslund has!
Although dragons are quite secondary actors in this story, Smokey the Nomad is front and center. A very important companion for Silas.
The very, very last line brought me to tears immediately and I felt such a loss
again. Maybe this won’t be the end of Bershad and company?
Highly, highly recommend this trilogy!
January 1, 2024
Recensione per l'intera trilogia.
Vi piacciono i draghi? Vi piacciono le storie cupe e gli antieroi? Vi piace il Grimdark? Se la risposta è sì a tutte e tre le domande allora non potete farvi scappare questa trilogia, “I Draghi di Terra” di Brian Naslund.
Non è un capolavoro, ma è quella lettura di intrattenimento necessaria in determinati momenti. Brian Naslund è bravo a riprendere elementi classici, farli propri e svilupparli in maniera originale. I draghi sono creature fondamentali per l’ecosistema di Terra, ucciderne uno significa andare incontro a terribili conseguenze climatiche e ambientali. Anche l’elemento magico viene rivisto e da qualcosa di astratto diventa il risultato di ricerche, studi ed esperimenti scientifici e alchemici.
Punto forte del romanzo è sicuramente la vasta gamma di personaggi principali e secondari, tutti ben caratterizzati anche se mancano di uno sviluppo approfondito. Nonostante ciò è impossibile non affezionarcisi: sono simpatici, esilaranti, irriverenti, caciaroni e imperfetti, a volte esagerati nei loro moralismi o nella loro cattiveria. Bershad, Ashlyn e Felgor mi sono rimasti nel cuore, loro tre insieme sono una bomba a orologeria capace di trascinare l’intero plot.
Anche il worldbuilding è ben tratteggiato e definito a dovere, un ottimo palco su cui montare lo spettacolo. Scricchiolano un po' i parametri di distanza da un luogo all'altro, a volte sembrano troppo vicini, altre troppo lontani.
La storia, dai capitoli cinematografici, gode di un ritmo adrenalinico, dinamico e scorrevole. Lo stile di Brian Naslund è scanzonato, ironico e fracassone, spesso diretto e crudo, perfetto per questo tipo di narrazione. I momenti morti sono pochi, necessari a descrivere il worldbuilding e la componente alchemico-scientifica. Le scene d'azione sono frequenti e ricche di combattimenti, duelli, battaglie, fughe a rotta di collo, il tutto condito da una forte dose di violenza e litri sangue. Mi ha ricordato con piacere Joe Abercrombie e il Pulp di Quentin Tarantino, per cui se apprezzate questi elementi non esitate e buttatevi a capofitto tra le pagine di quest' avventura.
Vi piacciono i draghi? Vi piacciono le storie cupe e gli antieroi? Vi piace il Grimdark? Se la risposta è sì a tutte e tre le domande allora non potete farvi scappare questa trilogia, “I Draghi di Terra” di Brian Naslund.
Non è un capolavoro, ma è quella lettura di intrattenimento necessaria in determinati momenti. Brian Naslund è bravo a riprendere elementi classici, farli propri e svilupparli in maniera originale. I draghi sono creature fondamentali per l’ecosistema di Terra, ucciderne uno significa andare incontro a terribili conseguenze climatiche e ambientali. Anche l’elemento magico viene rivisto e da qualcosa di astratto diventa il risultato di ricerche, studi ed esperimenti scientifici e alchemici.
Punto forte del romanzo è sicuramente la vasta gamma di personaggi principali e secondari, tutti ben caratterizzati anche se mancano di uno sviluppo approfondito. Nonostante ciò è impossibile non affezionarcisi: sono simpatici, esilaranti, irriverenti, caciaroni e imperfetti, a volte esagerati nei loro moralismi o nella loro cattiveria. Bershad, Ashlyn e Felgor mi sono rimasti nel cuore, loro tre insieme sono una bomba a orologeria capace di trascinare l’intero plot.
Anche il worldbuilding è ben tratteggiato e definito a dovere, un ottimo palco su cui montare lo spettacolo. Scricchiolano un po' i parametri di distanza da un luogo all'altro, a volte sembrano troppo vicini, altre troppo lontani.
La storia, dai capitoli cinematografici, gode di un ritmo adrenalinico, dinamico e scorrevole. Lo stile di Brian Naslund è scanzonato, ironico e fracassone, spesso diretto e crudo, perfetto per questo tipo di narrazione. I momenti morti sono pochi, necessari a descrivere il worldbuilding e la componente alchemico-scientifica. Le scene d'azione sono frequenti e ricche di combattimenti, duelli, battaglie, fughe a rotta di collo, il tutto condito da una forte dose di violenza e litri sangue. Mi ha ricordato con piacere Joe Abercrombie e il Pulp di Quentin Tarantino, per cui se apprezzate questi elementi non esitate e buttatevi a capofitto tra le pagine di quest' avventura.
October 12, 2021
Having read the first two books in the DRAGONS OF TERRA series (BLOOD OF AN EXILE and SORCERY OF A QUEEN), I could not wait to get to the finale. I was hoping for something that would knock my socks off, and boy, did FURY OF A DEMON deliver.
SORCERY OF A QUEEN turned out to be a quite a chaotic book full of crazy happenings while the author jumped the characters many levels and put them through all kinds of perilous situations. FURY OF A DEMON brought a lot of that same chaos to the finale of the story, which I found to be quite thrilling. The stakes are super high, and Bershad and friends are risking it all to defeat the bad guys. My heart was constantly racing, and I was on the edge of my seat.
FURY OF A DEMON is the incredibly satisfying ending to what is now one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. It is absolutely phenomenal.
SORCERY OF A QUEEN turned out to be a quite a chaotic book full of crazy happenings while the author jumped the characters many levels and put them through all kinds of perilous situations. FURY OF A DEMON brought a lot of that same chaos to the finale of the story, which I found to be quite thrilling. The stakes are super high, and Bershad and friends are risking it all to defeat the bad guys. My heart was constantly racing, and I was on the edge of my seat.
FURY OF A DEMON is the incredibly satisfying ending to what is now one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. It is absolutely phenomenal.
October 5, 2021
I have been highly anticipating this finale for a long time but I still kept putting it off because I’m always too anxious to read books in my favorite series. And I wasn’t entirely wrong coz this one gave me chills all through. I will try to be as spoiler free as possible but I also have lots of thoughts, so I apologize in advance.
Brian’s main strength I have found across this trilogy is keeping the writing simple but very meaningful, creating tension that keeps us on the edge of our seat for most of the book, and amidst all this “will they live or die” situations, he manages to write humorous dialogue that gives us some respite. The plot changes between many perspectives but it’s to the author’s credit that we never feel lost and also never get bored of any POV, whether it’s a main character or just some small player in the grand scheme of things. The pacing is breakneck with hardly any breather and I couldn’t keep the book down even for a second because I just wanted to know what was gonna happen next. The fights and war sequences are elaborate and thrilling and I also found them to be very visual that I could imagine it all happening in my head. It’s all masterful storytelling at its best and I just felt glad for the day I decided to trust a couple of my favorite reviewers and read the first book in this amazing trilogy.
While the writing and plot are wonderful, it’s definitely the ensemble cast that makes this series special. Silas is probably one of my top favorite male protagonists ever because he is both an extremely strong fighter who can kill number of people at once, but at the same time is also full of love and compassion and would do anything to end the mindless killing of humans and dragons, so that everyone could live peacefully. He is always on the verge of his transformation but is too selfless to think about his fate when there are many people to save. And I absolutely loved his dynamic with his dragon - it’s sweet and witty, with always some sort of bickering going on, but the love for each other is undeniable.
Ashlynn hardly feels like the Queen of Almira anymore this time. She is first and foremost a scientist who spends most of the book figuring out ways to control Ward’s creations and end the war. She encounters blocks and disappointments and failures, but giving up is not her thing and she only moves forward with renewed determination, at the risk of her own health and safety. She is brave and responsible and makes a perfect complement to Silas. They are one of the best couples I’ve encountered in fantasy for a while who would sacrifice themselves to save the world even if it would mean separating from each other. The book has some beautiful lines between them and I’m so happy I got to read their story.
Jolan is a perfect assistant to Ashlynn. He has come a long way from being an alchemist’s apprentice to someone who can help challenge Osyrus Ward but despite his knowledge being one of the main reasons Ashlynn is able to progress in a safe manner, he still wishes he could be the innocent person he was before it all went to hell. Even after watching all the unfolding horrors, he never completely loses his gentle nature and that was nice to see.
We also get perspectives from unexpected characters from both sides of the war. Vera is present as always, the brave woman who will do absolutely anything to save her Queen, even if it means serving the enemy. Cabbage is this slightly timid person who probably doesn’t want to be fighting but will also never abandon his friends, ably protected by the very reckless Simeon who joins every fight like it’s his last time. We also get glimpses into Garret and Castor’s characters who are themselves unsure why they are fighting this war and keep trying to come up with justifications for their choices and actions.
And how can I forget the villains. While Vergun can be considered a stereotypical evil cannibalistic person, the joy he finds in terrorizing people is still very hard to digest and everytime he appeared on the page, I was scared for all of my favorite characters. Osyrus on the other hand gives off the mad scientist vibes, who truly believes all his delusional thoughts about creating a better world and treats everyone and everything in it like a specimen to be experimented on. He is a chilling presence and I was always haunted by the prospect of how our heroes would fight him and his monstrous creations in the end. But what I loved about the ultimate showdowns that we get between Vergun and Silas, as well as Osyrus Ward and Ashlynn is that the author ensures we understand that our heroes aren’t actually invincible and they can’t save the world just by themselves. They were powerful scenes and I couldn’t ask for anything better.
To end my review, I have to say that I knew this finale was gonna be too good because the author hasn’t let me down before but it still exceeded my expectations. This is epic fantasy at its best with its huge world full of kingdoms and cultures and rulers, loads of beautiful and majestic dragons who form a core part of the world’s ecosystem, advanced technology that almost feels demonic and which can rival any top SFF movie, chapters full of thrilling plot and unbelievable cliffhangers which won’t allow you to put the book down, and out of the world fight sequences that will wow you. But despite it all, what you will most remember after you are done with the trilogy are the amazing characters who have burrowed their way into your heart. And those absolutely heart touching last two lines… I teared up immediately because it was such a beautiful and perfect ending.
Brian’s main strength I have found across this trilogy is keeping the writing simple but very meaningful, creating tension that keeps us on the edge of our seat for most of the book, and amidst all this “will they live or die” situations, he manages to write humorous dialogue that gives us some respite. The plot changes between many perspectives but it’s to the author’s credit that we never feel lost and also never get bored of any POV, whether it’s a main character or just some small player in the grand scheme of things. The pacing is breakneck with hardly any breather and I couldn’t keep the book down even for a second because I just wanted to know what was gonna happen next. The fights and war sequences are elaborate and thrilling and I also found them to be very visual that I could imagine it all happening in my head. It’s all masterful storytelling at its best and I just felt glad for the day I decided to trust a couple of my favorite reviewers and read the first book in this amazing trilogy.
While the writing and plot are wonderful, it’s definitely the ensemble cast that makes this series special. Silas is probably one of my top favorite male protagonists ever because he is both an extremely strong fighter who can kill number of people at once, but at the same time is also full of love and compassion and would do anything to end the mindless killing of humans and dragons, so that everyone could live peacefully. He is always on the verge of his transformation but is too selfless to think about his fate when there are many people to save. And I absolutely loved his dynamic with his dragon - it’s sweet and witty, with always some sort of bickering going on, but the love for each other is undeniable.
Ashlynn hardly feels like the Queen of Almira anymore this time. She is first and foremost a scientist who spends most of the book figuring out ways to control Ward’s creations and end the war. She encounters blocks and disappointments and failures, but giving up is not her thing and she only moves forward with renewed determination, at the risk of her own health and safety. She is brave and responsible and makes a perfect complement to Silas. They are one of the best couples I’ve encountered in fantasy for a while who would sacrifice themselves to save the world even if it would mean separating from each other. The book has some beautiful lines between them and I’m so happy I got to read their story.
Jolan is a perfect assistant to Ashlynn. He has come a long way from being an alchemist’s apprentice to someone who can help challenge Osyrus Ward but despite his knowledge being one of the main reasons Ashlynn is able to progress in a safe manner, he still wishes he could be the innocent person he was before it all went to hell. Even after watching all the unfolding horrors, he never completely loses his gentle nature and that was nice to see.
We also get perspectives from unexpected characters from both sides of the war. Vera is present as always, the brave woman who will do absolutely anything to save her Queen, even if it means serving the enemy. Cabbage is this slightly timid person who probably doesn’t want to be fighting but will also never abandon his friends, ably protected by the very reckless Simeon who joins every fight like it’s his last time. We also get glimpses into Garret and Castor’s characters who are themselves unsure why they are fighting this war and keep trying to come up with justifications for their choices and actions.
And how can I forget the villains. While Vergun can be considered a stereotypical evil cannibalistic person, the joy he finds in terrorizing people is still very hard to digest and everytime he appeared on the page, I was scared for all of my favorite characters. Osyrus on the other hand gives off the mad scientist vibes, who truly believes all his delusional thoughts about creating a better world and treats everyone and everything in it like a specimen to be experimented on. He is a chilling presence and I was always haunted by the prospect of how our heroes would fight him and his monstrous creations in the end. But what I loved about the ultimate showdowns that we get between Vergun and Silas, as well as Osyrus Ward and Ashlynn is that the author ensures we understand that our heroes aren’t actually invincible and they can’t save the world just by themselves. They were powerful scenes and I couldn’t ask for anything better.
To end my review, I have to say that I knew this finale was gonna be too good because the author hasn’t let me down before but it still exceeded my expectations. This is epic fantasy at its best with its huge world full of kingdoms and cultures and rulers, loads of beautiful and majestic dragons who form a core part of the world’s ecosystem, advanced technology that almost feels demonic and which can rival any top SFF movie, chapters full of thrilling plot and unbelievable cliffhangers which won’t allow you to put the book down, and out of the world fight sequences that will wow you. But despite it all, what you will most remember after you are done with the trilogy are the amazing characters who have burrowed their way into your heart. And those absolutely heart touching last two lines… I teared up immediately because it was such a beautiful and perfect ending.
September 1, 2024
This was the book I needed to end this series! It had me hooked throughout and I just got THE bookish feeling I crave! The multiple POV of loads of characters good or bad, main character or side character, add so many layers to the story and really make this one stand out.
Felgor and Bershad’s friendship was love-hate throughout and I found their banter to be hilarious. I love that there was romance in this book, but romance is not the point of the story. This is more about the adventure and the details.
I need more from this author, I will preorder anything he writes without hesitating or even reading the blurb! 🙌
Felgor and Bershad’s friendship was love-hate throughout and I found their banter to be hilarious. I love that there was romance in this book, but romance is not the point of the story. This is more about the adventure and the details.
I need more from this author, I will preorder anything he writes without hesitating or even reading the blurb! 🙌
September 6, 2021
This was an epic tale from start to finish, involving clocks and brasswork, elements of steampunk with a lot of blood and gore, to finish nicely with characters that were fantastic and whose arcs had some powerful motivations. No wonder this is a world of chaos and Osyrus Ward, now ruling over Balaria, is doing his absolute best as a mad scientist to shape the world in his fashion. Because as a mad scientist that has gone drunk from power, who sees royalty as little more than mere specks of dust, sacrifice the lives of thousands of Ghalmarians and Balarians in the Jungles of Almira mean nothing to him. Never mind if a few dragons here and there snatch up Balarian soldiers, never mind if Simeon comes throughout the world rampaging and squashing men as if they were nothing more than putrid flesh and bone. Osyrus Ward is a man of rational emotion and logic. He will do everything possible to get rid of the Flawless Bershard and the Witch Queen.
A fascinating story that has elements of brutal gore that sometimes will make you want to wretch. And I mean that in every sense when you encounter Commander Vergun. For he, dear reader, is the true epitome of what evil is. When you see what he does, and how he does it, you wish that justice and karma deliver a ton upon him. Meanwhile, the Flawless Bershard is running a rebellion against the Balarian invasion, along with Felgor, Willem, Jolan, the Witch Queen and many other characters, including Kerrigan and Cabbage. I loved all their character arcs and you know what’s so good about this series? That I ended up caring for all the characters despite the multiple viewpoints, which are many. I ended up loving Felgor often, and he was a good comic relief. The other amazing thing about this book is that the characters didn’t feel wasted. Each had its conclusion, some bad, some good. I especially liked Captain Brutus, but I wonder what happened to him. I’d love to see him in a future spin-off series.
The writing was amazing, and each time I felt something new was going to happen, it did. This novel is not predictable, and that’s a good thing. There’s always something new happening, and I cannot wait to see what happens when Vera and the group travel to see the lands beyond Taggerstan. There’s so much story brimming here, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the entire series here. I enjoyed this amazing writing and enjoyable characters with dragons and jungles and steampunk elements. It’s a great fantasy novel, and I loved it! A fantastic ending to a great trilogy!
A fascinating story that has elements of brutal gore that sometimes will make you want to wretch. And I mean that in every sense when you encounter Commander Vergun. For he, dear reader, is the true epitome of what evil is. When you see what he does, and how he does it, you wish that justice and karma deliver a ton upon him. Meanwhile, the Flawless Bershard is running a rebellion against the Balarian invasion, along with Felgor, Willem, Jolan, the Witch Queen and many other characters, including Kerrigan and Cabbage. I loved all their character arcs and you know what’s so good about this series? That I ended up caring for all the characters despite the multiple viewpoints, which are many. I ended up loving Felgor often, and he was a good comic relief. The other amazing thing about this book is that the characters didn’t feel wasted. Each had its conclusion, some bad, some good. I especially liked Captain Brutus, but I wonder what happened to him. I’d love to see him in a future spin-off series.
The writing was amazing, and each time I felt something new was going to happen, it did. This novel is not predictable, and that’s a good thing. There’s always something new happening, and I cannot wait to see what happens when Vera and the group travel to see the lands beyond Taggerstan. There’s so much story brimming here, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the entire series here. I enjoyed this amazing writing and enjoyable characters with dragons and jungles and steampunk elements. It’s a great fantasy novel, and I loved it! A fantastic ending to a great trilogy!
December 10, 2021
Oh! There’s still good fantasy out there! Whaddya know? Fantasy was my first love. Since I could string words together. It felt …magical then. These days it feels inauthentic. Contrived. Sadly, the past decade has divorced me from that genre. Mostly. But, it’s good to know that the fantasy that I remember is still clinging to life.
I don’t know if this is an underrated series(?). If it is, that’s a sad fact. Fucking typical but sad. This is one of the better series I’ve read lately (within the genre). Highly recommended.
I don’t know if this is an underrated series(?). If it is, that’s a sad fact. Fucking typical but sad. This is one of the better series I’ve read lately (within the genre). Highly recommended.
December 9, 2021
This was much better than the second book and better than the first. Many changes were made which may upset a subset of readers, but I greatly appreciated them. The first two books were primarily quest based, which is ok, but not what I prefer. This third book is epic fantasy warfare, which I tend to enjoy more. It's not what I ideally initially wanted, but it more than suffices. I still take issue with many things in the series as a whole, but this book went a long way to mitigate those issues, which surprised me. It seems I was unduly influenced by what I thought about the second book. Most of what irritated me was made suitable, despite still thinking that the science fantasy parts don't belong in this series.
Most of Parts I and II, or somewhat more than 50%, were somewhat better than ok. Halfway through Part II was where the fun really started going and continued to ramp up from there until the climax. The fun primarily came from what I saw as becoming less serious and more comfortable. Relative to the two previous books, what the characters did became much more over-the-top, especially near the end. That may be cause for concern for some, though for me I was enjoying it in a good way with how ridiculous it became. The ending was one of the the most satisfying I've read in a very long while. As for the emotional mood of the ending, rather than putting something in spoilers, this tweet from him says it all, though do note that it does spoil what kind of ending it has. It doesn't do so in any specific way other than generally what to expect.
https://twitter.com/BrianNasl/status/...
I may be premature in saying so, but I think Naslund is really beginning to come into his own as an author and establish his authorial voice. The first in this series, Blood of an Exile, his debut novel, definitely didn't read like that, so to me this represented a lot of progress on his part. Naslund says he'll be writing more books, so when/if they're published, I'll certainly give them a try. The series ought to have more readers than it has.
Most of Parts I and II, or somewhat more than 50%, were somewhat better than ok. Halfway through Part II was where the fun really started going and continued to ramp up from there until the climax. The fun primarily came from what I saw as becoming less serious and more comfortable. Relative to the two previous books, what the characters did became much more over-the-top, especially near the end. That may be cause for concern for some, though for me I was enjoying it in a good way with how ridiculous it became. The ending was one of the the most satisfying I've read in a very long while. As for the emotional mood of the ending, rather than putting something in spoilers, this tweet from him says it all, though do note that it does spoil what kind of ending it has. It doesn't do so in any specific way other than generally what to expect.
https://twitter.com/BrianNasl/status/...
I may be premature in saying so, but I think Naslund is really beginning to come into his own as an author and establish his authorial voice. The first in this series, Blood of an Exile, his debut novel, definitely didn't read like that, so to me this represented a lot of progress on his part. Naslund says he'll be writing more books, so when/if they're published, I'll certainly give them a try. The series ought to have more readers than it has.
December 26, 2021
The final Dragons of Terra feels both bloated and unfinished, yet has good qualities that keep me from disliking it. The first parts of the book drag on in a manner that actually bored me, and when the plot got some steam about halfway through the book it ended up feeling rushed and forced at times. It's a general issues of pacing that really bothers me.
However, the saving grace are the characters and their stories on the individual level. I still care for the main cast, and even if they get paired off in romantic tropes happy endings, there is enough pathos in it for it to feel earned and worth it. Even the antagonists have their moments of depth and complexity that make this series worthwhile.
As for the core question that this series asked itself regarding the ecology of the word, it settled on a need for balance with nature and the catastrophic costs over overextending our reach. It's not overt about it, but the MCs sacrifice technology and power to find that equilibrium again.
However, the saving grace are the characters and their stories on the individual level. I still care for the main cast, and even if they get paired off in romantic tropes happy endings, there is enough pathos in it for it to feel earned and worth it. Even the antagonists have their moments of depth and complexity that make this series worthwhile.
As for the core question that this series asked itself regarding the ecology of the word, it settled on a need for balance with nature and the catastrophic costs over overextending our reach. It's not overt about it, but the MCs sacrifice technology and power to find that equilibrium again.
October 11, 2021
4.5 Stars
An epic finish to a brilliant adult fantasy series! I had high expectations for Fury of A Demon and it certainly did not let me down!
This series has a truly epic storyline. It is filled with great characters, dragons, war, adventure, science and nature. It is unlike any series I have ever read before! As this is the 3rd and final book, I am not going to go into the storyline as this is a soiler free review. What I will say is that if you enjoyed the first books, you will not be let down. It has EVERYTHING you want and more! All I will say is that if you can't cope with gore or gruesome scenes, this isn't for you!
The characters are my favourite thing about this series. In this final book there are SO many characters and you would think it would be overwhelming but somehow it isn't. Every single character plays a brilliant role, whether good, bad or truly evil, they are all vital for this story.
My favourites are Silas, Felgor, Vera and Nola. Silas is as incredible as ever with his fury but also his love and vulnerability. I don't think a character has ever had 2 sides to them that are as different as he has!! Felgor, the thieving bastard is a constant source of humour through the book which I loved. He also is so loyal and I love his relationship with Silas. Vera is a new favourite as she had the time to shine in this book. Her willingness to go the lengths she does for someone she loves is wonderful to read. Finally, another new favourite is Nola, a young girl that runs a tavern. She has so much bravery and I loved her humour.
The writing is utterly fantastic, I cannot fault it. There are SO many POV in this book (definitely over 10), but it was never too much. Brian Naslund is a master at writing in that way.
The reason why this isn't a 5 star review is that there are quite a few questions left unanswered for me at the end and although half of me is happy, the other is frustrated and wants answers!
I really hope Naslund does another series in this world as there is so much potential.
I HIGHLY recommend this series to all adult fantasy lovers. It is a brilliant series and I cannot wait to read more from Brian Naslund!
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
An epic finish to a brilliant adult fantasy series! I had high expectations for Fury of A Demon and it certainly did not let me down!
This series has a truly epic storyline. It is filled with great characters, dragons, war, adventure, science and nature. It is unlike any series I have ever read before! As this is the 3rd and final book, I am not going to go into the storyline as this is a soiler free review. What I will say is that if you enjoyed the first books, you will not be let down. It has EVERYTHING you want and more! All I will say is that if you can't cope with gore or gruesome scenes, this isn't for you!
The characters are my favourite thing about this series. In this final book there are SO many characters and you would think it would be overwhelming but somehow it isn't. Every single character plays a brilliant role, whether good, bad or truly evil, they are all vital for this story.
My favourites are Silas, Felgor, Vera and Nola. Silas is as incredible as ever with his fury but also his love and vulnerability. I don't think a character has ever had 2 sides to them that are as different as he has!! Felgor, the thieving bastard is a constant source of humour through the book which I loved. He also is so loyal and I love his relationship with Silas. Vera is a new favourite as she had the time to shine in this book. Her willingness to go the lengths she does for someone she loves is wonderful to read. Finally, another new favourite is Nola, a young girl that runs a tavern. She has so much bravery and I loved her humour.
The writing is utterly fantastic, I cannot fault it. There are SO many POV in this book (definitely over 10), but it was never too much. Brian Naslund is a master at writing in that way.
The reason why this isn't a 5 star review is that there are quite a few questions left unanswered for me at the end and although half of me is happy, the other is frustrated and wants answers!
I really hope Naslund does another series in this world as there is so much potential.
I HIGHLY recommend this series to all adult fantasy lovers. It is a brilliant series and I cannot wait to read more from Brian Naslund!
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2021
How do I portray how much I love this series without spoilers?! I started with re-reading Blood of an Exile and then read the sequels back to back in the space of 48 hours and if that doesn't tell you, I don't know what will. This finale surpassed my expectations and has cemented the entire trilogy in my top series of the year list.
First off I love the characters. Silas for his reckless heroics, Ashlyn for her intelligence, Jolan for his heart and Felgor, well because he's Felgor. These books are full of witty dialogue and banter and were so entertaining. There were some great friendships formed and some other interesting dynamics played out over the entire trilogy.
The fast pace and the action were also highly engaging too. I don't want to spoil the magic system, but its one of the most fascinating I've read in a while and I really enjoyed the directions the author took it in. It's made for some very unique and compelling scenes. The author has an incredible imagination and I can't wait to see what he comes up with in the future.
He is also talented in his character work. Not just the main characters, but side characters who show up too. Through them he explores themes like power, humanity and decency. The thing about fantasy is yes it can be an escape, but it can also allow for questioning themes from real life too, and this trilogy does this well, without shoving it in your face.
I think this is a vastly underrated series that deserves way more love and popularity. If you're looking for fast paced adventure, dragons, nature and a cast of highly memorable and entertaining characters then you need to give the Dragons of Terra trilogy a shot. For me, these books are going on my re-read shelf for life.
First off I love the characters. Silas for his reckless heroics, Ashlyn for her intelligence, Jolan for his heart and Felgor, well because he's Felgor. These books are full of witty dialogue and banter and were so entertaining. There were some great friendships formed and some other interesting dynamics played out over the entire trilogy.
The fast pace and the action were also highly engaging too. I don't want to spoil the magic system, but its one of the most fascinating I've read in a while and I really enjoyed the directions the author took it in. It's made for some very unique and compelling scenes. The author has an incredible imagination and I can't wait to see what he comes up with in the future.
He is also talented in his character work. Not just the main characters, but side characters who show up too. Through them he explores themes like power, humanity and decency. The thing about fantasy is yes it can be an escape, but it can also allow for questioning themes from real life too, and this trilogy does this well, without shoving it in your face.
I think this is a vastly underrated series that deserves way more love and popularity. If you're looking for fast paced adventure, dragons, nature and a cast of highly memorable and entertaining characters then you need to give the Dragons of Terra trilogy a shot. For me, these books are going on my re-read shelf for life.
November 5, 2021
I started so slowwww with this one and managed to race a bit through the 2nd half. I looove this series, def want to reread it one day. The books aren't too chunky either. The ending was very satisfying too 🤩. What I loved most about the series is the friendships and banter. There are so many fart jokes 🤣 I lived for them. I love how comedic it was, had so many good laughs.
I enjoyed how much took place in nature. It is a world filled with all kinds of dragons. The magic was very fascinating and science based. And it got experimental and dark!! The romance felt casual and blended nicely with the tense and action packed plot. It keeeps fresh and entertaining and honestly felt no drag at all.
It had all the things I enjoy in a fantasy 🤩
I enjoyed how much took place in nature. It is a world filled with all kinds of dragons. The magic was very fascinating and science based. And it got experimental and dark!! The romance felt casual and blended nicely with the tense and action packed plot. It keeeps fresh and entertaining and honestly felt no drag at all.
It had all the things I enjoy in a fantasy 🤩
September 7, 2021
I think it's fair to say I've loved this series from day one so seeing it come to an end is a bit of a downer but it's also fair to say it's gone out in style.
What impressed me most I think (apart from the dragons - I mean, come on, who can't be impressed by dragons as awesome as these) is the way the magic system develops to a more sciencey/maybe steampunky type and how natural this feels. To win, to progress you have to adapt and that really feels like the case here.
Our heroes, Flawless Bershad and Ashlyn have gone through the wringer at times to be where they are at the start of Fury and things really don't get any easier for them throughout the book. I was left at times wondering who would make it through to the end and, yes, I actually cared about the characters wellbeing - for me that's the sign of a good storyteller.
Naslund's world building really worked for me - there's a difference between knowing the lands because you can see a map and knowing them because 'you are there' in your mind. Another strength of Naslund I guess.
As final battles go Fury really turns up the dials here and I was quite exhausted by the end but thoroughly enjoyed it. And I guess it's not really the end for me because I'm going to give it a couple of months then I'm going to go back to the beginning and read all three back to back - can't wait 😉
Highly recommended and a very much deserved 5/5*
What impressed me most I think (apart from the dragons - I mean, come on, who can't be impressed by dragons as awesome as these) is the way the magic system develops to a more sciencey/maybe steampunky type and how natural this feels. To win, to progress you have to adapt and that really feels like the case here.
Our heroes, Flawless Bershad and Ashlyn have gone through the wringer at times to be where they are at the start of Fury and things really don't get any easier for them throughout the book. I was left at times wondering who would make it through to the end and, yes, I actually cared about the characters wellbeing - for me that's the sign of a good storyteller.
Naslund's world building really worked for me - there's a difference between knowing the lands because you can see a map and knowing them because 'you are there' in your mind. Another strength of Naslund I guess.
As final battles go Fury really turns up the dials here and I was quite exhausted by the end but thoroughly enjoyed it. And I guess it's not really the end for me because I'm going to give it a couple of months then I'm going to go back to the beginning and read all three back to back - can't wait 😉
Highly recommended and a very much deserved 5/5*
December 27, 2022
4.5
Mi sono saltati via gli occhi a forza di leggere, perché da questo libro proprio non riuscivo a staccarmi.
Non so davvero come recensire un romanzo e, anzi, una trilogia che è entrata tra le mie preferite. Già dal primo romanzo avevo colto il potenziale di questa storia incredibile, che si è rivelata in tutta la sua bellezza nel secondo volume. Questo terzo libro risulta essere una degna conclusione di trilogia, che vede i nostri (amatissimi) protagonisti scontrarsi più e più volte per la salvezza di Terra.
Non posso dire che questo romanzo, come anche gli altri due, sia perfetto. A volte pecca di ingenuità e "faciloneria" nel risolvere le situazioni più ostiche. Inoltre, nonostante il "sistema magico" (basato sulla tecnologia e la scienza) sia estremamente interessante, risulta spesso macchinoso e non sempre chiarissimo nelle sue potenzialità e limiti.
E allora, quasi 5 stelline perché? Non ho una spiegazione logica, ma una che viene dal cuore: l'ho amato dall'inizio alla fine.
Continuo ad amare i protagonisti, Bershad e Felgor soprattutto, il mondo creato dall'autore, così vasto e diversificato, i draghi, le battaglie..e, soprattutto, continuo ad amare le mille avventure che ho vissuto insieme ai personaggi tra le pagine. Non c'è un attimo di respiro in questo romanzo, ho divorato pagine e pagine a un ritmo serrato perché AVEVO BISOGNO di sapere come sarebbe finita la storia.
La trilogia mescola sapientemente elementi classici dell'epic fantasy e dello sword and sorcery a tecnologie innovative, dettagli steampunk, un pizzico di body horror e tanto splatter. Il risultato è un'opera davvero coinvolgente, che ha saputo commuovermi, farmi ridere e rapirmi completamente. Mi dispiace solo che sia così poco conosciuta, perché merita davvero.
Seguirò sicuramente le prossime uscite di questo autore!
voto: 8 e mezzo
Mi sono saltati via gli occhi a forza di leggere, perché da questo libro proprio non riuscivo a staccarmi.
Non so davvero come recensire un romanzo e, anzi, una trilogia che è entrata tra le mie preferite. Già dal primo romanzo avevo colto il potenziale di questa storia incredibile, che si è rivelata in tutta la sua bellezza nel secondo volume. Questo terzo libro risulta essere una degna conclusione di trilogia, che vede i nostri (amatissimi) protagonisti scontrarsi più e più volte per la salvezza di Terra.
Non posso dire che questo romanzo, come anche gli altri due, sia perfetto. A volte pecca di ingenuità e "faciloneria" nel risolvere le situazioni più ostiche. Inoltre, nonostante il "sistema magico" (basato sulla tecnologia e la scienza) sia estremamente interessante, risulta spesso macchinoso e non sempre chiarissimo nelle sue potenzialità e limiti.
E allora, quasi 5 stelline perché? Non ho una spiegazione logica, ma una che viene dal cuore: l'ho amato dall'inizio alla fine.
Continuo ad amare i protagonisti, Bershad e Felgor soprattutto, il mondo creato dall'autore, così vasto e diversificato, i draghi, le battaglie..e, soprattutto, continuo ad amare le mille avventure che ho vissuto insieme ai personaggi tra le pagine. Non c'è un attimo di respiro in questo romanzo, ho divorato pagine e pagine a un ritmo serrato perché AVEVO BISOGNO di sapere come sarebbe finita la storia.
La trilogia mescola sapientemente elementi classici dell'epic fantasy e dello sword and sorcery a tecnologie innovative, dettagli steampunk, un pizzico di body horror e tanto splatter. Il risultato è un'opera davvero coinvolgente, che ha saputo commuovermi, farmi ridere e rapirmi completamente. Mi dispiace solo che sia così poco conosciuta, perché merita davvero.
Seguirò sicuramente le prossime uscite di questo autore!
voto: 8 e mezzo
September 14, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book. But the second book started to lose my interest. Of course by the time I finished it there’s one left and I already put enough time in I figured I’d read it. It’s not that it was bad it just was too much for me. I’m all about fantasy and sci-fi but this one got weird in a hurry. When you get to human experimentation you lose my interest. The characters weren’t bad. The plot wasn’t awful either but I felt very dragged on and it’s just not something I would ever pick up again or recommend so hence the three stars. I know others will disagree but this just was not for me.
February 24, 2022
Good ending to the trilogy. One criticism I have is that it could have been a bit less explicit with the gore and such. But the story and resolution are excellent. The steampunk aspects mixed with the fantasy setting are very interesting.
March 19, 2022
3 Stars!
Fury of a Demon concludes the Dragons of Terra Series. I have mixed feelings about this series. I enjoyed the writing and characters, yet had some serious issues with the plot and some of the character development.
Fury of a Demon concludes the Dragons of Terra Series. I have mixed feelings about this series. I enjoyed the writing and characters, yet had some serious issues with the plot and some of the character development.
September 10, 2021
A very special thank you to Brian Naslund, who wrote these wonderful books, and Black Crow marketing, who provided me with review copies than then garnered an undying love for the Dragons of Terra.
Fury of a Demon is the perfect conclusion. There, I said it. But, what more do you want in a final book? There's dragons, an enemy so warped in his own wicked image he seems undefeatable, a cannibal with a vengeance, Simeon and his wind, and a lot more. All of it wrapped in a fast-paced plot, full of answers, intrigue and as many twisted creations as Osyrus Ward's can pump from Floodhaven Castle. I LOVED every word of this - not a single one misplaced. This book is John Wick and terminator's love child on steroids, riding upon a dragon.
I'd usually summarise the plot here but I don't want to spoil any of the goodness within those pages for you; I have a few promises though: it is so awesome you won't put it down; two, some of it will really hurt ... I mean, come on, you read fantasy so you know you're not going to get through a final book without some tears, don't you? It'll be okay, I promise; the action-scenes are a choreographer's dream, flashing and stabbing and slashing in all the right, awesome sequences; explosions galore and a lot of unattached body parts; weird, strange and sometimes disgusting creations, and, finally, but probably the most important thing, dragons, dragons, dragons and more dragons.
Now, for Bershad. On a more serious note, this character is dear to me and not my the small fact he's been through more than some other fantasy characters could in three or four lifetimes and that is in part down to Bershad's particular makeup. Without spoiling anything, I've got a soft spot for Naslund's power-scaling throughout the series. And this is a term I bring with me from the comic world, because all things must be correctly scaled in comics and manga or Deus Ex Machina creeps it's way in. Bershad goes from hunter to super-human. To a character capable of feats beyond mere mortals, able to shrug off injury. However, and especially in Fury of a Demon, Naslund brings very clever countermeasures in to ensure Bershad is fit for every scene, or unfit, in some cases. I can't explain and it will seem like I'm skimping in review here, but the ways in which he scales power up or down so we don't have him steamroll through the plot is something of literary genius.
A special thanks goes to all the dragons featured in this book. There was hundreds and hundreds of you all crammed into these pages and you made it all the better with your snapping teeth and your very primal desires. Thank you for not being magical, talking and divine beasts for once, I enjoyed you as creatures in an ecosystem built around you.
Anyway, if you couldn't see, I've a passion for this series that's a flame undying and I'm so, so sad this is the last time I'll read new pages of the Dragons of Terra. I won't, however, mourn the fact I won't read any again because this is a series I'll read over and over - if anything to get back to this book that is a whole kingdom of wondrous writing.
My lasts words to you, dear reader: buy the book. BUY IT. This book exceeds all expectation and would exceed the rating system if my dear boss, David, would allow it (we must follow the rules otherwise we will end up mad like Osyrus Ward.)
Fury of a Demon is the perfect conclusion. There, I said it. But, what more do you want in a final book? There's dragons, an enemy so warped in his own wicked image he seems undefeatable, a cannibal with a vengeance, Simeon and his wind, and a lot more. All of it wrapped in a fast-paced plot, full of answers, intrigue and as many twisted creations as Osyrus Ward's can pump from Floodhaven Castle. I LOVED every word of this - not a single one misplaced. This book is John Wick and terminator's love child on steroids, riding upon a dragon.
I'd usually summarise the plot here but I don't want to spoil any of the goodness within those pages for you; I have a few promises though: it is so awesome you won't put it down; two, some of it will really hurt ... I mean, come on, you read fantasy so you know you're not going to get through a final book without some tears, don't you? It'll be okay, I promise; the action-scenes are a choreographer's dream, flashing and stabbing and slashing in all the right, awesome sequences; explosions galore and a lot of unattached body parts; weird, strange and sometimes disgusting creations, and, finally, but probably the most important thing, dragons, dragons, dragons and more dragons.
Now, for Bershad. On a more serious note, this character is dear to me and not my the small fact he's been through more than some other fantasy characters could in three or four lifetimes and that is in part down to Bershad's particular makeup. Without spoiling anything, I've got a soft spot for Naslund's power-scaling throughout the series. And this is a term I bring with me from the comic world, because all things must be correctly scaled in comics and manga or Deus Ex Machina creeps it's way in. Bershad goes from hunter to super-human. To a character capable of feats beyond mere mortals, able to shrug off injury. However, and especially in Fury of a Demon, Naslund brings very clever countermeasures in to ensure Bershad is fit for every scene, or unfit, in some cases. I can't explain and it will seem like I'm skimping in review here, but the ways in which he scales power up or down so we don't have him steamroll through the plot is something of literary genius.
A special thanks goes to all the dragons featured in this book. There was hundreds and hundreds of you all crammed into these pages and you made it all the better with your snapping teeth and your very primal desires. Thank you for not being magical, talking and divine beasts for once, I enjoyed you as creatures in an ecosystem built around you.
Anyway, if you couldn't see, I've a passion for this series that's a flame undying and I'm so, so sad this is the last time I'll read new pages of the Dragons of Terra. I won't, however, mourn the fact I won't read any again because this is a series I'll read over and over - if anything to get back to this book that is a whole kingdom of wondrous writing.
My lasts words to you, dear reader: buy the book. BUY IT. This book exceeds all expectation and would exceed the rating system if my dear boss, David, would allow it (we must follow the rules otherwise we will end up mad like Osyrus Ward.)
September 8, 2021
This is the third and final instalment of the Dragons of Terra series, and I was kindly gifted this copy by Tor Books via Black Crow PR, thank you Stephen!
I haven't actually read the first two books in the series, which I think would be beneficial, however, not actually required for you to read and enjoy this book! Brian does a brilliant job of introducing the characters to you again, and you soon pick up on who's who and who you should be rooting for.
I loved the character of Bershad, the main protagonist with a clear hero persona, and I really liked the interaction he has with his dragon, Smokey. I also adored the character of Ashlyn, his love interest, and 'witch' of the novel.
The plot itself is incredibly magical and pretty epic, with some very clever links between characters and a clear enemy that creates a divide. There is also very vivid imagery throughout, which helps keep you focused and dedicated to getting through the novel. The magic throughout is quite unique, with Ashlyn's use of lodestones and the incredible machines and 'creatures' that Osyrus Ward creates.
It is also very action-packed and gory in parts, with some very brilliant battle scenes.
The interactions between the characters were also very clever and humorous; it added some lightness to an otherwise very dark story.
Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this novel to any fantasy fan, it has all the aspects that you could need to create the perfect unique world with some great characters.
I'm definitely going to be purchasing the first two novels so I can see how their stories began!
I haven't actually read the first two books in the series, which I think would be beneficial, however, not actually required for you to read and enjoy this book! Brian does a brilliant job of introducing the characters to you again, and you soon pick up on who's who and who you should be rooting for.
I loved the character of Bershad, the main protagonist with a clear hero persona, and I really liked the interaction he has with his dragon, Smokey. I also adored the character of Ashlyn, his love interest, and 'witch' of the novel.
The plot itself is incredibly magical and pretty epic, with some very clever links between characters and a clear enemy that creates a divide. There is also very vivid imagery throughout, which helps keep you focused and dedicated to getting through the novel. The magic throughout is quite unique, with Ashlyn's use of lodestones and the incredible machines and 'creatures' that Osyrus Ward creates.
It is also very action-packed and gory in parts, with some very brilliant battle scenes.
The interactions between the characters were also very clever and humorous; it added some lightness to an otherwise very dark story.
Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this novel to any fantasy fan, it has all the aspects that you could need to create the perfect unique world with some great characters.
I'm definitely going to be purchasing the first two novels so I can see how their stories began!
August 10, 2021
"Fury of a Demon" is the exciting finale of the Dragons of Terra trilogy by Brian Naslund.
I received an advance copy of the book from the author, the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. And I can honestly say I loved it. I devoured this book in two sittings.
I've been a fan of the series since the beginning. I love the great characters, witty dialogue, and great action that literally keeps me on the edge of my seat. This book is no different. The Flawless Bershad is one of the best characters in all of fantasy and he doesn't disappoint in "Fury of a Demon."
I read somewhere that most well-loved stories are ones that have characters we care about. Those are the stories that keep us up until the wee hours of the morning because we can't wait to find out what happens next. And the Fury of a Demon was like that for me. I had a hard time putting this book down even to take care of silly things like eating and sleeping. This was an emotional book for me. At various points throughout, I was angry about some horrible thing a villain had done, felt like cheering when the heroes won a battle, and felt frustrated by the setback when they didn't. I laughed at the jokes, and even shed a tear or three.
If you loved the first two books, you'll love this one too.
I give "Fury of a Demon" an enthusiastic 5/5 stars. It was an exciting and satisfying end to an immensely entertaining trilogy. I look forward to whatever Brian writes next.
I received an advance copy of the book from the author, the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. And I can honestly say I loved it. I devoured this book in two sittings.
I've been a fan of the series since the beginning. I love the great characters, witty dialogue, and great action that literally keeps me on the edge of my seat. This book is no different. The Flawless Bershad is one of the best characters in all of fantasy and he doesn't disappoint in "Fury of a Demon."
I read somewhere that most well-loved stories are ones that have characters we care about. Those are the stories that keep us up until the wee hours of the morning because we can't wait to find out what happens next. And the Fury of a Demon was like that for me. I had a hard time putting this book down even to take care of silly things like eating and sleeping. This was an emotional book for me. At various points throughout, I was angry about some horrible thing a villain had done, felt like cheering when the heroes won a battle, and felt frustrated by the setback when they didn't. I laughed at the jokes, and even shed a tear or three.
If you loved the first two books, you'll love this one too.
I give "Fury of a Demon" an enthusiastic 5/5 stars. It was an exciting and satisfying end to an immensely entertaining trilogy. I look forward to whatever Brian writes next.
December 21, 2021
First Book was good,baecons was ok but the third is a gory, pointless mess.
A big stinking mess of a book. Cannibals, nation killers and needless extreme violence. One character kills her entire nation and sisterhood without any remorse or future repercussions. Just gore on top of gore without any real character development. A world of dragons were they play little or no actual part, with one sad exception. Hero's and villains torn apart and rebuilt almost on every chapter, it becomes tedious. Its a shame as the first book had promise.
A big stinking mess of a book. Cannibals, nation killers and needless extreme violence. One character kills her entire nation and sisterhood without any remorse or future repercussions. Just gore on top of gore without any real character development. A world of dragons were they play little or no actual part, with one sad exception. Hero's and villains torn apart and rebuilt almost on every chapter, it becomes tedious. Its a shame as the first book had promise.
September 3, 2022
Blood of an Exile, the first Dragons of Terra book, was one of my more pleasant surprises last year, a book that mixed sword-and-sorcery with grimdark fantasy. I didn't enjoy Sorcery of a Queen as much, finding its pacing to be off and its focus on the least interesting characters, so I wasn't sure what to expect of the finale.
I'm pleased to say Fury of a Demon hooked my attention from the opening chapter, getting back to the darkly humorous fun of the first book and redeeming some of the character aspects of the second. Bershad, Ashlyn, Vera, and Kira all shine here, playing both sides of the conflict as they seek answers along with victory. Although, at its heart, it's a story of good versus evil, it's never quite that simple, with layers of conflicts, agendas, and shifting allegiances giving the story added depth.
Ironically, part of what I disliked about the second book - the shift from magic-fueled epic fantasy into steampunk-themed science fantasy - is precisely what I enjoyed here. It gives the whole story a puzzle feel as we try to figure out how Ashlyn and Ward will manage to outsmart one another, and the contrast of Ward's monsters against Bershad's dragons provides a fantastic parallel. It's a dark, violent, brutal book, with every conflict having consequences and body counts. The experimentation I found so tiresome in the second book somehow comes to life here, making me want to know precisely how things work.
As the old saying goes, war is hell, and hell is here, in the jungles and the cities, and it's on just about every page. Seriously, Brian Naslund doesn't let up and refuses to hold back, and that makes Fury of a Demon a worthy finale.
https://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/...
I'm pleased to say Fury of a Demon hooked my attention from the opening chapter, getting back to the darkly humorous fun of the first book and redeeming some of the character aspects of the second. Bershad, Ashlyn, Vera, and Kira all shine here, playing both sides of the conflict as they seek answers along with victory. Although, at its heart, it's a story of good versus evil, it's never quite that simple, with layers of conflicts, agendas, and shifting allegiances giving the story added depth.
Ironically, part of what I disliked about the second book - the shift from magic-fueled epic fantasy into steampunk-themed science fantasy - is precisely what I enjoyed here. It gives the whole story a puzzle feel as we try to figure out how Ashlyn and Ward will manage to outsmart one another, and the contrast of Ward's monsters against Bershad's dragons provides a fantastic parallel. It's a dark, violent, brutal book, with every conflict having consequences and body counts. The experimentation I found so tiresome in the second book somehow comes to life here, making me want to know precisely how things work.
As the old saying goes, war is hell, and hell is here, in the jungles and the cities, and it's on just about every page. Seriously, Brian Naslund doesn't let up and refuses to hold back, and that makes Fury of a Demon a worthy finale.
https://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/...
January 18, 2023
Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra bellissima opera arrivata nelle nostre librerie.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare?
Assolutamente no.
La trilogia è composta da:
• Il Marchio dei Draghi
• La Regina dei Draghi
• La Furia del Drago
Poiché questo è l'ultimo volume e ho già detto tanto nelle recensioni precedenti, andrò a parlare solo delle mie sensazioni, principalmente.
La trilogia dei Draghi di Terra ci ha portato in un mondo pieno di guerre e vendette, di mostri creati dalle circostanze stesse e di sfortunati divenuti tali solo per le stesse.
Bershad e Ashlyn sono maturati tanto nei primi due volumi, mostrandosi forti e risoluti nonostante le avversità, nella loro lotta contro Osyrus.
Creature fatte di alchimia, che ho adorato perché sapete quanto ami l'argomento, sono al centro delle difficoltà per lo scontro, come se non bastasse la Regina dei Draghi fatica a controllare i suoi poteri mentre Bershad rischia di perdere la propria umanità per sempre.
" Il mondo è nel caos. Un eroe si prepara alla guerra. "
Sono stata indecisa sino alla fine sul voto da dare a questo capitolo conclusivo. È sempre complicato parlare di finali perché si rischia di fare troppo o di fare poco e secondo me nonostante le grandi aspettative che avevano messo i primi due volumi, anche se il finale e in complesso sono soddisfatta e la conclusione è degna, secondo me in questo volume è mancato quel qualcosa che c'era invece negli altri due e che mi ha spinto quindi a dare 4 su 5.
A parte ciò, è una trilogia intensa, emozionante, ricca di tutti i dettagli che la rendono un ottimo fantasy che piacerà tutti gli amanti del genere. Di sicuro una trilogia che rileggerò ancora.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare?
Assolutamente no.
La trilogia è composta da:
• Il Marchio dei Draghi
• La Regina dei Draghi
• La Furia del Drago
Poiché questo è l'ultimo volume e ho già detto tanto nelle recensioni precedenti, andrò a parlare solo delle mie sensazioni, principalmente.
La trilogia dei Draghi di Terra ci ha portato in un mondo pieno di guerre e vendette, di mostri creati dalle circostanze stesse e di sfortunati divenuti tali solo per le stesse.
Bershad e Ashlyn sono maturati tanto nei primi due volumi, mostrandosi forti e risoluti nonostante le avversità, nella loro lotta contro Osyrus.
Creature fatte di alchimia, che ho adorato perché sapete quanto ami l'argomento, sono al centro delle difficoltà per lo scontro, come se non bastasse la Regina dei Draghi fatica a controllare i suoi poteri mentre Bershad rischia di perdere la propria umanità per sempre.
" Il mondo è nel caos. Un eroe si prepara alla guerra. "
Sono stata indecisa sino alla fine sul voto da dare a questo capitolo conclusivo. È sempre complicato parlare di finali perché si rischia di fare troppo o di fare poco e secondo me nonostante le grandi aspettative che avevano messo i primi due volumi, anche se il finale e in complesso sono soddisfatta e la conclusione è degna, secondo me in questo volume è mancato quel qualcosa che c'era invece negli altri due e che mi ha spinto quindi a dare 4 su 5.
A parte ciò, è una trilogia intensa, emozionante, ricca di tutti i dettagli che la rendono un ottimo fantasy che piacerà tutti gli amanti del genere. Di sicuro una trilogia che rileggerò ancora.
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