The Faded Dragon (The Twin Worlds Saga #1)
by Cameron Michaels
4 out of 5 stars
I was fortunate to receive an eARC from debut author Cameron Michaels in exchange for an honest review. The Faded Dragon (The Twin Worlds Saga #1) will be available on February 4th in paperback and kindle format (Click Here for Amazon Link).
Michaels takes us on a fast-paced journey set in the world of Deerium - where we learn of a vast war-ridden history between dragons, elves, and humans. Through multiple points of view, we are introduced to Gahlaia, an enslaved Takahrn, Borhiim, a man who can't remember his past, and Tirehn, who will soon take the throne as king.
I felt that the author did a fantastic job with world-building and establishing history for the reader. However, only a couple of times, the pace seemed a bit too fast, where (usually historical) information was dumped on the reader -- show me, don't tell me is my only critique.
When determining my rating, I compared this book to 'The Priory of the Orange Tree,' the last high or epic fantasy with multiple POVs that I read, and felt that this was not entirely on the same level. I gave Priory a 5/5, so I settled on a 4/5 for this book.
I enjoy a faster pace - whereas some fantasy drags on too much (in my opinion) - I say this was close to the happy medium and a much quicker read than Priory. (Priory is 800+ pages, and The Faded Dragon is about 384).
I was instantly pulled into this story and invested in the characters. Michaels eloquently tied things together in ways that made sense and did not seem forced.
I did not anticipate most of the twists, which genuinely impressed me because usually, I predict things early on and then get bored.
I was on the edge of my seat for the various battle scenes and could visualize them in my head with the elaborative descriptions.
I appreciated the detailed accounts of weaponry, attire, and appearance. I had a clear picture of these characters, which increased my connection with them.
I enjoyed the balance of strong, solid characters, both male and female, as well as the various races. Usually, I don't care for humans in fantasy novels, but I really did like Tirehn, which I initially did not expect.
Overall, I felt this was an impressive debut fantasy novel. Although I received an eARC, I already pre-ordered a paperback copy from my local indie bookstore because I know I will want to add this series to my physical collection.
I recommend this book to fans of fast-paced, high-fantasy, action-packed stories with characters that are easy to love and villains that are easy to loathe.
I am so excited to see where this series goes and will be (im)patiently waiting for the next book!
It's not too late to pre-order a copy of The Faded Dragon, which comes out on February 4, 2023!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65137004-the-faded-dragon
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