The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter (The Burning #1)

A revenge fantasy book with African influences is called The Rage of Dragons. Simply because white man authors who write about white male protagonists dominate the fantasy genre, this is noteworthy in and of itself. Although I admit that I enjoy reading these types of books, it’s encouraging to note that more diverse fantasy literature have started to surface in recent years. There are other voices out there, and it would be wise to pay attention to them.

The beginning of the novel takes place in the midst of a conflict, which establishes the martial theme of the book. These chapters are filled with so much action and battle for supremacy. Dragons are the absolute last option; because they are such a terrible powerful weapon, they should only be utilised when there is no other option. This is briefly described in the prologue, and as the story goes on, the significance of that opening event is later elaborated on in great depth, which truly served to deepen the world-building. Additionally, this is a setting that differs slightly from the typically Eurocentric mediaeval fantasy that most of us are accustomed to. The land is scorching and desolate, and the soldiers use bone spears and bronze swords to combat. Along with character and location names, all of these small details contribute to the book’s particular atmosphere.

Tau is a strong protagonist, and he responds to his situation in a completely natural and genuine way. It’s simple to care about him. Because of the injustice in his society, which caused someone to lose their life, he became motivated by blood and vengeance even though he didn’t want to be a warrior and was looking for an alternative. And it is obvious that he will succeed based on his tenacity. He devotes his life to training and eventually masters the necessary skills to defeat opponents twice his size. This resulted in the narrative taking a somewhat predictable turn, but Tau’s convictions and personality were strong enough to make up for the linearity. Up until the last few chapters, the action continued nonstop.

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The thought that a “gifted” person may employ particular abilities to increase a warrior’s strength and quickness in battle appealed to me about the magic system. Together, they strive for success. It reminded me a little of Kursed in Thor: Dark World and brought a new dimension to the action, particularly the massive battles, making them more difficult and entertaining to read about. It required more than just knife skills to defeat strong adversaries. Additionally, while we’re talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I suggest this to Black Panther fans because it is as well-made and has a similar vibe.

Overall, the series’ debut book is a strong one. It is distinctive and provides a completely fresh take on fantasy. Orbit made the proper decision to purchase this (it was previously only a self-published title.) Please continue.