The Dragonward (The Godsfall Trilogy – 1) by Michael Meyerhofer
Three years after the War of the Lotus, alliances have already begun to unravel. As Rowen Locke struggles to maintain peace, troubling news reaches him from every corner. Persecution of the Shel’ai has reignited in the south, spurred on by a fanatical priest. To the north, the Isle Knights are withering under the leadership of mad Crovis Ammerhel. Old friends fight each other when not drowning their sorrows in taverns.
A new threat emerges from across the sea, dispatched by the same exiled Dragonkin who have been plotting their revenge for centuries. Rowen and his companions soon realize that the target is the Dragonward itself: their one and only defense against an evil so vast even Knightswrath could not vanquish it.
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Author’s Bio
Michael Meyerhofer is a fantasy author and contemporary poet who believes those two genres genuinely can get along. To illustrate this, after publishing several award-winning poetry books, his debut fantasy novel, Wytchfire (Book I in the Dragonkin Trilogy), was published by Red Adept Publishing, and went on to win the Whirling Prize and a Readers Choice nomination from Big Al’s Books and Pals. The sequels, Knightswrath and Kingsteel, are out now. He also has another fantasy series called the Godsfall Trilogy, which is forthcoming. His prose and poetry has appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show, Strange Horizons, Planet Magazine, and other journals.
He received his BA from the University of Iowa and his MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. An avid weightlifter, medieval weapons collector, and unabashed history nerd, he currently lives, teaches, and inhabits various coffee shops around Fresno, CA.
My Review
4 stars
Rowen Locke has struggled to keep the peace between all races since the end of the War of the Lotus 3 years earlier. But people are quick to forget how magic, the Shel’ai, and others brought peace, it is easier to remember the old hatreds. Then there is a new Shel’ai called Algol that has plans to bring down this world. Algol has partnered with Crovis Ammerhel and is planning on bringing down the Dragonward and return the dragonkin to this world. But Rowen Locke, Maddoc, Igrid, and others are going to do whatever they can to keep that from happening.
Rowen is doing his best to protect those that he loves, even though everyone else seems to be against him. But he is loyal and determined, even if he is arrested, falsely imprisoned, beaten, and threatened to be executed. I loved Igrid, she is strong and determined and won’t quit no matter what. You can tell that she loves Rowen deeply although I think she was going to kill him. Algol is a powerful She’ai and has his own history but he is willing to do whatever it takes to bring back Nekiel.
If you like epic fantasy stories you have a read this one. This is an amazing story with lots of action, death, and a serious bad guy that has plans to destroy everything. What more could you want? If you like audiobooks, make sure to check out the Audible copy. The narration was amazing and helped draw me into the story.
I received The Dragonward from Sage’s Reading Room for free and I also purchased a copy of The Dragonward from Audible. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
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