Dragon of the Desert

The Khehemni Chronicles #1

by Jean Lowe Carlson

Born to rule, tormented by fate. Can a deposed king save his world from ruin – or is he doomed to destroy it?

In a desert land where magic reigns supreme, one nation stands as its protector – Khehem, crown jewel of the Thirteen Sun Tribes.

Beloved prince of Khehem, Leith Alodwine is a ferocious warrior of the Wolf and Dragon, a conflict magic deadly in battle.

But the ruling Order of Alrahel fear the king Leith is becoming. Like his grandfather the Red Tyrant, Leith’s furious power has the ability to protect his nation from any threat – or tear down the world.

As an evil magic rises, Leith must face the threat for all the Sun Tribes. But to what lengths will he go to stop it?

And to what lengths will the Order go to stop him?

Discover the exciting new prequel series to The Kingsmen Chronicles , from a #1 Amazon bestselling author in Epic Fantasy and Adventure Fantasy.

A complex world of treachery, war, and magic, readers who enjoy Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time , Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles , George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones , or Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher will love this fantastic adventure.

452 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2022

About the author

"Richly set and beautifully told, Carlson paints a story filled with love, lust, and tragedy. She captures the tortured emotions of temptation and desire perfectly and leaves you wanting more." - Chris Patchell, author of In the Dark

“Like George RR Martin and Joe Abercrombie, Carlson writes in the fantasy genre for grown-ups, with flair and elegance. A complex world with characters that develop well, The Kingsmen Chronicles reveals as it builds!” - Daniel F., Amazon Review

Jean Lowe Carlson blends deep wisdom, fast-paced adventure, and timeless discovery into exquisite fantasy. Her raw worlds are reminiscent of George RR Martin, Robert Jordan, Joe Abercrombie, Clive Barker, and Robin Hobb.

Jean holds a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine (ND), and has a keen awareness of psychology and human behavior, using it to paint vivid characters set amidst nations in turmoil or societies with riveting secrets. Exciting, challenging, and passionate, her novels take the reader upon dire adventures while exploring deep human truths and self-knowledge.

In 2016, she was the recipient of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist medal for her dark fantasy Tears. She was also longlisted for the 2016 Online Writing Tips Short Fiction Prize for her dark fairytale The Man in White.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best one yet!

I have loved everything I’ve read by Jean Lowe Carlson and this book is no exception. Her story telling is rich and detailed, and cardboard characters don’t exist in the worlds she has created. I’m not listing specifics (spoilers!) but the author growth is clear and evident from Blackmark to Dragon of the Desert- and you truly are missing an icon of epic fantasy if you choose to skip this series beginning. If you like Brandon Sanderson or Robin Hobb you are going to love this book and author.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in an epic fantasy series which is set in the desert of Khehemni and whose world building is awesome. I really love the way Ms. Carlson brings the desert to life through it’s noisy and busy markets, it’s food and spices, it’s desert winds, heat and sand, it’s warriors in their shoufs wielding both arms and wyrria, to give us a thrilling tale of sword and sorcery full of great courage and betrayal. The main characters are courageous and fierce warriors who are hell bent on protecting the thirteen sun tribes and they are the royal leaders who live in the palace of Khehem. On the other hand there is the order of the priests of Alrahel who also wield a lot of power and who would like nothing better than to bring the monarchy down, but Leith, their Dhenir is well loved and respected as his battle-magic wyrria is very powerful and he respects his people. The order decide that before he can take the throne from his ailing father he is to undergo a set of trials which he accepts to take but they have set him up to be killed by an ancient powerful and maddened enemy, known only as Agni. Furthermore Khehem is being threatened by the God-Queen Akaysha, and the Kreth-Hakir, the black scorpion riders who are doing her bidding and who are a force to be reckoned with. Through her eyes though a worse enemy of Khehem is rising, the red-eyed demon is back but few are the ones who are aware of the undoer but those who see his eyes are also seen by him, he has them within his sight. All in all Leith, Jennira his twin sister and priestess of the order, and Alitha his daughter and only heir to the Alodwine line, have a tough battle ahead of them if they are to save Khehem and both Leith and Jennira need to keep their wyrria in check if this is not to go haywire, as their grandfather’s had before, and bring havoc rather than peace and prosperity to their well loved land! Phew such a jam-packed with action book, full of great battle scenes fought with both magic and arms, a demon, a dragon, a group of scorpion riders, a charismatic mind-bending god-queen, a power hungry religious sect, a djinn, a rebellious underground team of assassins and an honorable family set to defend Khehem. What more could a reader ask for from an epic fantasy book?

[Susan Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I am a prolific reader and have read everything from Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" to Stephen Donaldson's "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever" to C.S. Lewis' "The Space Trilogy." This book stands with the best. Alone it is a compelling read, but having read Ms. Carlson's earlier works, "The Kingsmen Chronicles," this story created a poignancy I was not expecting. I was drawn to and repelled from the well-developed characters, finding myself with pounding heart and clenched fists during conflicts I experienced as my own. Ms. Carlson is a masterful storyteller and created a real adventure with this one!

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this is off to an epic start! The world building is incredible and so detailed, the storyline is exciting, captivating and so so good and the characters, well they are complex and intriguing. This is a fast paced, action packed fantasy read that will have you teetering on the edge of your seat trying to catch your breath and when you reach the end, well I kept trying to turn the page for more!! It was that good and I was totally lost to the story. A thrilling story of magic, power, danger, ambition and betrayal as we meet Prince of Khehem, Leith Alodwine and follow him on his incredible journey. I am so excited for the next book!

[LooseBoots · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Ms Carlsons books.
They are undoubtedly one of the best epic fantasy books around.
I can’t begin to describe how good this is, I’ll leave it to others to fill in the gaps.
I’ll simply say, once again, this is one of those fantasy books/ series that you won’t want to miss.
Such solid characters and the world building is second to none.
I love it.
Thoroughly enjoyed and recommended.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absorbing, exciting, thrilling read from start to finish. If you're a fan of The Wheel of Time, Joe Abercrombie or Patrick Rothfuss's King Killer Chronicles you'll love this book. Once you've dipped your toes into this one you should read the Bloodmark trilogy to keep you going until the second volume is released.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He has the power to save them or destroy them. He is very powerful and he has a big decision to make. It is not going to be easy to do what he needs to do. What will he do? How will he get on? Will he save them? Will he destroy them? See what he decides to do

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️ Fangirl Faction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost from the publisher/author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.

This is an epic fantasy book that really dazzled me. When I picked up this book I couldn't put it down.

Jean Lowe Carlson has such an impressive and distinct storytelling style. Her words are so immersive. The world-building for this book is immense and full of detail. The plot of the story is compelling and exciting. The characters are well-developed and complex and they kept my interest throughout the story.

This is such a memorable story that really made an impression on me. I can't wait for the next book!

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[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon of the Desert marks the beginning of a prequel trilogy in the same fantasy realm as Jean Lowe Carlson’s earlier Kingsmen Chronicles trilogy, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Set 1,000 years before events in Blackmark book 1 of the Kingsmen Chronicles, this book tells the story of the Khehemni.

With the King deemed unfit to rule and the nation gearing up for battle, it is up to the Heir Leith Alodwine, to pass his trials of kingship in order to take his rightful place as successor to the throne. Will Leith survive, or is the royal line in jeopardy? Read Dragon of the Desert now to find out.

I like that there is an appendix attached to the book with a pronunciation guide for the names and phrases, as it can be difficult to work out how to pronounce them properly otherwise. However, as usual with digital books, any maps attached – no matter how pretty they are – are almost impossible to read.

This action-packed epic fantasy from Jean Lowe Carlson will leave you breathless and wanting more, with its fast pace and thrilling story, this is everything you could ask for. Written in similar style to George R.R. Martin’s Ice and Fire Series (Game of Thrones) this is definitely a book fantasy fans don’t want to miss. It blends war and strife, with hope and magic. Gives us characters to root for, and inspires emotion as we travel on their journeys across the desert with them, fighting for their homes and families. With great descriptive details, you almost feel like you are right there in the desert with them, so immersed in the story it’s almost like you’re playing a part, side-by-side with your favourite characters.

At 5 out of 5 stars, I’m eagerly anticipating the release of book 2 in this trilogy, Wolf of the Resistance. While you’re waiting though, if you haven’t already, I recommend catching up on the other series and reading the Kingsmen Chronicles trilogy: Blackmark, Bloodmark and Goldenmark.

Also, for the record, I received a complimentary copy of Dragon of the Desert directly from Ms. Carlson herself and have voluntarily chosen to write this review.

[Voracious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon of the Desert by Jean Lowe Carlson is the first book in what looks to be a fantastic epic sword and sorcery fantasy series. The Khehemni Chronicles is an exciting prequel series to Ms. Carlson's series, The Kingsman Chronicles.

Prince of Khehem, Leith Alodwine is on the cusp of becoming King when he and the warriors of the thirteen Sun tribes must defend their land from an invading army that has them greatly outnumbered. After the Khehemni soundly defeat the invaders, they come to the realization that this attack was a test to discover just how strong in magic the thirteen tribes are and this will not be the last they see of these invaders. Now not only will Leith have to contend with the Order of Ahrahel, who for some time have been taking control of The Sun tribes and now want Khehem, but now there is an even more sinister and evil threat that they must defeat at all costs or else be subjucated by an entity who wants to take away their free will.

Ms. Carlson's imagery brings the desert and its inhabitants to life. We get a clear picture of the lifestyle of the people who inhabit the desert. She has built a complex and interesting world. It is an exciting beginning to a very promising epic adventure. I very much look forward to the rest of the Chronicles.

This is my voluntary honest opinion of an ARC I received. Thank you, Ms. Carlson, for allowing me a first look at this book.

[Manie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know the saying "to see red", meaning you got very upset/angry about something that happened.
Leith saw red. Not because he was angry, but because seeing red in this case meant a rising madness, insanity in the eyes of a self proclaimed goddess of the southwest. A woman believing she knows better and can offer the best anyone could even hope for, if submitting to her.
Being the Dhenir of the thirteen Sun Tribes of the Khehemni , Leith is powerful in magic. But he is the one propositioned by a lackey of this goddess. Submit or die. Leith refused, even when outnumbered five to one.
He saw the red.
And with that came too an insurrection and troubled times for the tribes too. Very unsettled times.and when someone strong in magic is required to keep the peace. Like Leith Alodwyne can.
The Dragon of the desert is an immersive epic fantasy that tends to grab your attention almost willy nilly, refusing to let go to the very last page and even then only reluctantly so. Suspense and intrigue abounds and it becomes clear very quickly that life can be very cheap in the wrong hands. Too much is on the spell for varied parties.
Author Jean Lowe Carson excelled again with The Dragon of the Desert.
Enjoy

[Gayreth Walden · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Magnificent"!

This is the first book of a new series by Jean Lowe Carlson author of the fabulous "The Kingsmen Chronicles"! And believe me it is Amazing! The God-Queen is bent on controlling and ruling everyone with deep dark magic! The Order wants to rule everyone no matter how they do it! The Royal family wants to protect everyone and protect the lands! This story is "alive"! Such excellent writing that is fresh and clever and to be frank, it will not turn you loose until you finish it! A world full of fantastic magic and adventure. A solid and exciting plot. A sweeping tale of courage honor magic and danger. The world building is so amazing that I felt like I was there. The charismatic characters made me feel like I was there right along with them. And the magic, how I loved the magic! And there is an ancient myth that actually comes Alive!!! So, if you are looking for the thrill of battle, loyalty, friendship, betrayal, treachery, intrigue, madness and mystery, it is all here! "I love this book"!!!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born to rule, tormented by fate. Can a deposed king save his world from ruin – or is he doomed to destroy it?
In a desert land where magic reigns supreme, one nation stands as its protector – Khehem, crown jewel of the Thirteen Sun Tribes.
Beloved prince of Khehem, Leith Alodwine is a ferocious warrior of the Wolf and Dragon, a conflict magic deadly in battle.
But the ruling Order of Alrahel fear the king Leith is becoming. Like his grandfather the Red Tyrant, Leith’s furious power has the ability to protect his nation from any threat – or tear down the world.
As an evil magic rises, Leith must face the threat for all the Sun Tribes. But to what lengths will he go to stop it?
And to what lengths will the Order go to stop him?
This is the best book yet absolutely epic.
Do not miss out on this book.

[Eileen Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I pick up a book written by Jean Lowe Carlson, I know that I am in for a treat. Ms Carlson’s ability to describe both characters and settings enable the reader to grow for themselves a detailed picture of all that is happening. And all that is happening in the first chapter of this book is awesome! Frequently the first chapter is a gentle introduction to the main characters, or - in the case of a murder mystery - the person who will soon become the victim. Not so for the first chapter of Dragon of the Desert - we are faced with an awesome (a word I seldom use but here it is totally appropriate) battle. So very dramatic! And so very good.
Of course, the rest of the book is equally ‘good’. Cannot recommend highly enough.

[Blueberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as an ARC.

I had a bit of a rollercoaster with this book, as I found the first 15% or so less compelling than some other 'fluffy' books in my to-read pile (so read those first), but for me the story really piqued my interest after that point. I was very interested to see more of the motivation and backstory for characters met in Jean Lowe Carlson's previous (connected) series. I found the author was able to hold my interest and keep me engaged throughout the book, even though readers of the first series have a known endpoint for the Khehemni Chronicles. The ending has me eager to read the next!

[Janice Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in Jean Lowe Carlson's new series and it's fantastic! Set years before The Kingsmen Chronicles, it fills in the back story of Leith Aldowine who was referred to in that chronicles series. There is no need to read the first series before this book, but the Khehemni Chronicles does touch it briefly. I would recommend the previous series as well.
The characters are well-developed and the story keeps you engrossed and turning the page. I loved it and can't wait to see what happens next.

[Roger Weetch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having enjoyed the first series set in this world, I was sure that this one would be its equal and, after the first few pages, I was not disappointed. Set in a period long before, when magic was much stronger and divided into seven types. Those able to wield magic tend to specialise and factions form with tensions and sometimes enmity and treachery between groups. The story moves between different individuals and can be seen from different viewpoints rather than simply good and evil, making for a gripping story with well developed and rounded characterisations.

[Carleigh Condon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A start to another epic series! So hard to put this book down! Jean Lowe Carlson tells a fantastic story with alternating points of view throughout the book. I love how this really gives a complete understanding of all of the characters and the world she's building. She does a wonderful job developing the characters so they have so much depth it's almost impossible to put this book down. You definitely don't want to miss this new series!

[Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon of the Desert: The Khehemni Chronicles #1 is awesome sauce! It's a beautifully layered book of history and back stories of our beloved characters from The Kingsmen Chronicles. It features great world building that Ms. Carlson is known for. The story pulls you into the world of khem from the beginning you fall deep and become immersed in the story and fall in love with the characters and their lives. This is a must read! Can't wait for the next book. ~Queen Nuba~

[Mr N Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another tour de force by Jean Lowe Carlson. A richly imagined landscape populated by characters who force the reader into relationships for better or worse. Reminiscient of the Dune series by Frank Herbert that first ignited my passion for modern fantasy writing. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

[Bertha Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is set before The Kingsmen Chronicles and tells us the story of Leith Alodwine, Prince of Khehem, a legendary character mentioned in The Kingsmen Chronicles and whose story I always wanted to know.
The author has a particular style that hooks the reader with a very well developed universe and a story in which action, magic, ambitions, power and betrayal abound.

[Amy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been eagerly awaiting this book and was not disappointed! Jean Lowe Carlson has an incredible talent for bringing characters and their worlds to life, and the depth of detail and the author's masterful storytelling quickly captivates you from the first few pages. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next in the series.

[Susan Bertke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free preview copy of "Dragon of the Desert" from the author. I haven't finished it yet, but so far it's everything I expect from Ms. Carlson. She's a master of vividly imagined descriptions that make me feel like I'm a witness to the impossible. Her characters are richly developed, and I expect the plot to be intricate with lots of action, intrigue, and twists.

[Ari Maayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!!! Believable culture building. Plenty of action. I found myself involved in the life of the major characters so that I wanted to find out what was happening in their lives. Found myself reading long into the night. Loved it!!!!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing first book in a new series. Loved how the desert was made to come alive. Plenty of action , to make you feel a part of it all. Strong characters make this a book worth the binge. Ready for more.

[david bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good prequel

I read the first series and continued on with this prequel series. Both are excellently written and have a really well thought out magic system , likeable and unlikable characters and a plot that keeps you wanting to read more. Very well written book

[Cleocutie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rich, detailed book that has the setting vividly described so you feel like you are there. The characters are well done and make you care what happens to them.

[Hector Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Jean Lowe Carlson gave me a great read love the plot and the character development loved the adventure and intrigue in here please give this book a try 5 stars

[Clayton J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Carlton is grand

Her insight into humanity is stellar. I can only wait for the next portion to continue my enjoyment of her work

[Paulo De Sa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice book for the beginning of what will be a great series, bearing in mind that this is a sort of prologue to other great trilogy.