Bitterwood
(The Dragon Age series, Book 1)
James Maxey
Solaris Books
Fiction, Fantasy
***
DESCRIPTION: For centuries, the regal sun-dragons have ruled the land, dominating the smaller, scholarly sky-dragons and brutish, wingless earth-dragons. As for humans, those not kept as pets live as virtual slaves, working the dragon king’s lands. One name of rebellion is whispered among them, even as the talons of King Albekizan grow sharper and heavier upon their backs: Bitterwood, the legendary dragon slayer, whose story has taken on a mythic life of its own. Many dragons believe it nothing more than a fairy tale, but those who have seen the slayer’s red-fletched arrows in their kin know that there is a real man behind the legend. When Bitterwood kills Albekizan’s favorite son, the dragon king snaps. He vows to eradicate all humans from his lands once and for all. Though many dragons object to his plans, it seems none can stop him… not so long as Bitterwood lives.
REVIEW: I liked parts of this story. Maxey’s feather-scaled dragons come across as an interesting species, and it had other glimmers of originality here and there. Unfortunately, glimmers were all I saw. Once again, we get a fantasy that thinks it’s original to be a post-apocalyptic tale, using future science to explain ancient magic - except for one young girl’s inexplicable and plot-convenient ability to communicate with animals, but not too much comes of her in terms of the greater story arc. Maxey also seems to suffer from the delusion that, after a thousand-odd years of neglect, asphalt highways, steel skyscrapers, manhole covers, and other evidence of modern civilization’s infrastructure will be recognizable. In some stories, I’d be willing to swallow it, but it didn’t work here. I also found the Messages - the infighting “prophets” who keep humanity from uniting against their oppressors, the dragons who justify their rule on an ancestor’s lies, and the persistence of Christianity - tiresome. And, of course, it kicks off what looks to be a trilogy (at least.) I had to push myself to get through this one, so I don’t expect I’ll read any further. While Bitterwood may be vaguely intriguing, ultimately it’s a disappointment.
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