• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2019 July #1
  At first glance, Naslund's debut appears to be a by-the-numbers epic fantasy: a nobleman who has been exiled as a dragonslayer is called back to court to rescue a kidnapped princess, earning a royal pardon if he succeeds. There's even a parallel plot, in which his ex-fiancée, now the queen, must contend with power-hungry nobles trying to steal the throne. But it's not all kingdoms and politics: there is also the underlying framework of a looming global ecological catastrophe precipitated by over-hunting of dragons. The backdrop of destroying a significant part of the Terran ecosystem and the unrelenting pursuit of poorly understood technological progress adds an appealing depth to the story—and adds some tricky complications to both major plotlines. Bershad, the dragonslayer, is cynical, pragmatic and revenge-minded, but nonetheless an appealing character to follow. Ashlyn, the new Queen, thrown into the very messiest of political situations, is likewise engaging. Readers will be equally drawn to the natural history of this world and the political twists as they wait for the next volume in this promising series. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

BRIAN NASLUND had a brief stint in the New York publishing world but quickly defected to tech in Denver where he does internet marketing