Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
mixed feelings...
I really enjoyed the characters, worldbuilding wsd magnificent, and this was my first experience of the world of Priory. Dragons are sick.
The pacing for this book, though, was all out of wack. Most of it felt super rushed. It feels like the publishers asked Shannon to squeeze a 500page book into 250 pages. I wish they had just given us a more complete, well-rounded 500 page book.
Still, it was super enjoyable. I think I will finally pick up priory off the shelf it's been sitting on for a year or so.
I really enjoyed the characters, worldbuilding wsd magnificent, and this was my first experience of the world of Priory. Dragons are sick.
The pacing for this book, though, was all out of wack. Most of it felt super rushed. It feels like the publishers asked Shannon to squeeze a 500page book into 250 pages. I wish they had just given us a more complete, well-rounded 500 page book.
Still, it was super enjoyable. I think I will finally pick up priory off the shelf it's been sitting on for a year or so.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC. All thoughts are my own!
This was my most anticipated read of the year and it did not disappoint!
I love this series so much and this is a fantastic prequel to Priory of the Orange Tree, filling in some gaps I didn’t even know I needed filling.
Melaugo was my favourite and I was kind of sad she was only in the first half! Her story really fascinated me and I loved her as a character.
But Marosa really carried this story. As the heir to the Yscali throne and Draconic Kingdom, her journey was so interesting. She was so strong and smart and she really did the best she could while completely trapped and controlled by her father.
I definitely need to reread Priory now!
This was my most anticipated read of the year and it did not disappoint!
I love this series so much and this is a fantastic prequel to Priory of the Orange Tree, filling in some gaps I didn’t even know I needed filling.
Melaugo was my favourite and I was kind of sad she was only in the first half! Her story really fascinated me and I loved her as a character.
But Marosa really carried this story. As the heir to the Yscali throne and Draconic Kingdom, her journey was so interesting. She was so strong and smart and she really did the best she could while completely trapped and controlled by her father.
I definitely need to reread Priory now!
This is a novel drenched in sorrow, chronicling the last days before the world we meet in Priory begins to fall to the awakened wyverns in earnest.
Again I believe Shannon to have made a smart decision in her choice(s) of voice; the narrative is split between three characters across the land, their third person limited perspectives close enough to the heart of the action & complexities of interiority, yet far enough that the reader is never bogged down, trapped in one head while the great world -- and it is great, comprising many countries & people & a history that stretches back over a thousand years -- spins beyond reach.
This has been billed as a standalone prequel to Priory, & while it technically can be, it has also clearly been crafted with those already familiar with the series in mind; I cannot imagine picking AtBF up with no prior knowledge of the world or events that have/will take place & still retaining the same reading experience. Aubrecht's chapters especially benefit (in quite a bittersweet manner) from knowing what is to come. In this retrospective of sorts, he becomes a much more tragic, fleshed-out character, in a way Priory was largely unable to do for him.
Donmata Marosa's perspective will be, I imagine, the one most readers lean toward, both in terms of relatability (as nebulous as that is) & in relation to Priory. If you know what is to come, you'll be interested in a more specific detailing of Marosa's life up to that point; & if you have no idea whatsoever as to her ultimate fate, you'll rush to read Priory to find out. Another great choice by Shannon.
Probably the weakest link in the perspective chain is Melaugo, so much so that she completely disappears in the second half of the novel, Aubrecht rising to take her place. If Marosa is the true throughline of the novel, & Aubrecht most connected to her, showing another side of the royal coin, then Melaugo is....there. She's there. She was a blip in Priory & she's a blip here. It's a nice addition to see the perspective of a (somewhat) common citizen as all hell breaks loose, but that's about it.
Overall, a solid installment in the RoC series, though its marketing as a more accessible entry point to the series falls apart upon closer inspection. That is not under Shannon's control, obviously, & what she does deliver with her own power is something needed & eminently enjoyable: additional time spent with characters only somewhat touched upon, comparatively, in Priory.
A great thank you to Goodreads & Bloomsbury Publishing for providing a physical arc for review.
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I’ve had the somewhat unorthodox experience of reading this prequel simultaneously with Priory of the Orange Tree (more like I paused a few hundred pages into PotOT to read the prequel). This prequel starts just a few years before PotOT takes place and actually somewhat overlaps at the end. It details the kingdom of Yscalin’s break from Virtuedom and submission to the Draconic legions. Marosa, the young daughter (and heir) of King Sigoso becomes a prisoner in her own home. The dragons, wyverns, and draconic beasts threaten the lives of Marosa’s citizens, her engagement to Prince Arbrecht, and the alliance between all the kingdoms of Virtuedom.
We also get a peek into Estina Melaugo’s past (not sure how much of a role she plays in PotOT because I had only just been introduced to her character).
Overall, Shannon’s writing seems consistent between the two books, so if you loved Priory of the Orange Tree, I think you’ll enjoy the prequel too (plus, it is MUCH shorter than a typical Shannon installment). But if you felt (as I did) that Priory of the Orange Tree had cool ideas but lacked the character development, immersive world-building, and intrigue that you crave in a fantasy book, then you’ll find much of the same in this prequel.
On the plus side, the prequel did slightly endear me to characters that I’m hoping have their stories unfold in PotOT. I’ll admit I read these in a funky order, so maybe I would have appreciated the prequel more if I was more familiar with the series as a whole. The plot picks up towards the end, and I read the second half much faster than the first half. Another cool feature is the original illustrations throughout the book, which was a nice touch. We love an illustrated edition.
This series just doesn’t excite me the way I want epic dragon fantasy to excite me. I never felt like I had to keep turning the page, and I would have been satisfied not finishing, were this not an ARC.
I’m grateful to have had the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review—thanks to Samantha Shannon, Bloomsbury USA, and NetGalley.
We also get a peek into Estina Melaugo’s past (not sure how much of a role she plays in PotOT because I had only just been introduced to her character).
Overall, Shannon’s writing seems consistent between the two books, so if you loved Priory of the Orange Tree, I think you’ll enjoy the prequel too (plus, it is MUCH shorter than a typical Shannon installment). But if you felt (as I did) that Priory of the Orange Tree had cool ideas but lacked the character development, immersive world-building, and intrigue that you crave in a fantasy book, then you’ll find much of the same in this prequel.
On the plus side, the prequel did slightly endear me to characters that I’m hoping have their stories unfold in PotOT. I’ll admit I read these in a funky order, so maybe I would have appreciated the prequel more if I was more familiar with the series as a whole. The plot picks up towards the end, and I read the second half much faster than the first half. Another cool feature is the original illustrations throughout the book, which was a nice touch. We love an illustrated edition.
This series just doesn’t excite me the way I want epic dragon fantasy to excite me. I never felt like I had to keep turning the page, and I would have been satisfied not finishing, were this not an ARC.
I’m grateful to have had the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review—thanks to Samantha Shannon, Bloomsbury USA, and NetGalley.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Torture
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book*
I really loved getting back into the Priory of the Orange Tree universe. Quite the compelling sequel which only suffers from a rushed ending which makes things feel unresolved. Yes, I know it's a sequel but some more closure before a huge jump to the next book would have been nice. Dragons, yay!
I really loved getting back into the Priory of the Orange Tree universe. Quite the compelling sequel which only suffers from a rushed ending which makes things feel unresolved. Yes, I know it's a sequel but some more closure before a huge jump to the next book would have been nice. Dragons, yay!
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
‘Among the Burning Flowers’ is a novella that I have been dying for: a short prequel set immediately before the events of PRIORY, we follow Estina Melaugo, Aubrecht Lievelyn, and Marosa Vetalda, as we watch the fall of Yscalin to draconic influence. All three of these characters play pivotal roles in PRIORY, and so I was beyond excited to get to know them better and see exactly how they came to be where they are in that book.
The writing was, as expected, absolutely immaculate. I think SamShan’s writing really shone here, and as usual, her prose swept me away instantly back to the world I have known and loved for three years. The scope of this book was much, much smaller than much of her other work, but this allowed beautiful characterisation work that I adored. As I have read the other books in this cycle, the overall plot did not surprise me, but some of the nuances did take my breath away at times, and despite its smaller scope, the world felt huge, with plenty of Easter Eggs and heartbreaking details that tied this firmly with the other books.
I think that those who may be intimidated by the sheer size of ADOFN or PRIORY, or haven’t really waded into epic fantasy before, this serves as a gentle easing into the world of chaos and gives you a good taste of what to expect. For those who have already read the other books, this is a beautiful and welcome addition to an already exquisite world.
5 🌟
‘Among the Burning Flowers’ is a novella that I have been dying for: a short prequel set immediately before the events of PRIORY, we follow Estina Melaugo, Aubrecht Lievelyn, and Marosa Vetalda, as we watch the fall of Yscalin to draconic influence. All three of these characters play pivotal roles in PRIORY, and so I was beyond excited to get to know them better and see exactly how they came to be where they are in that book.
The writing was, as expected, absolutely immaculate. I think SamShan’s writing really shone here, and as usual, her prose swept me away instantly back to the world I have known and loved for three years. The scope of this book was much, much smaller than much of her other work, but this allowed beautiful characterisation work that I adored. As I have read the other books in this cycle, the overall plot did not surprise me, but some of the nuances did take my breath away at times, and despite its smaller scope, the world felt huge, with plenty of Easter Eggs and heartbreaking details that tied this firmly with the other books.
I think that those who may be intimidated by the sheer size of ADOFN or PRIORY, or haven’t really waded into epic fantasy before, this serves as a gentle easing into the world of chaos and gives you a good taste of what to expect. For those who have already read the other books, this is a beautiful and welcome addition to an already exquisite world.
5 🌟
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No