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A review by georgierosereads
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
5.0
I do have to admit that I am guilty of living in a vacuum. I have always been a reader, a gift passed down to me from my Mother, but I have found reading to be a rather isolating hobby. A few months ago I discovered Booktube and Book Twitter, areas of social media dedicated to an open discussion of literature. This finding of an active community of readers who foster respectful debates opened my eyes to a new, modern way of engaging with literature. Previously, I would only buy books in dedicated shops, and make risky purchases based more on outward features, rather than taking the time to understand if the story was something I could truly connect with. I was, quite literally, judging the book by its cover. This, of course, gave mixed results in terms of satisfaction. Social media has enabled us to form a worldwide network of readers and given us the freedom to effectively choose our own book clubs as we resonate with the opinions of content creators. I have grown comfortable in the recommendations of creators of whose opinions I have generally learned to trust. It was with this in mind that I decided to read The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter, following glowing recommendations on Booktube. The implications of inadvertently restricting your own access to diverse creators are beyond the scope of this review to discuss – and requires an element of self-scrutiny - but I thought it was something interesting to note. Perhaps this because through reading the Rage of Dragons, it has been abruptly brought to my attention that there is, and should always be, more than one way to write fantasy as a genre.
The Rage of Dragons tells the story of Tau Solarin, a conflicted protagonist struggling to find his way in a world where War is a culture, and your caste dictates your place within society. Tau is thrust into a new way of life at great personal cost; the once soft-hearted young man who dreamed of a quiet life with the woman he loves incurs a heart wrenching loss that visibly hardens him. His journey takes him into the militia. I would encourage you to give this book a try regardless of if you are generally a fan of military fantasy or not; I thoroughly enjoyed the stakes that the book presented. Division is everywhere, and even though a large chunk of this book is presented with lower stakes, with characters fighting in mock skirmishes with practice swords, this is not a detriment to the overall tension (and does not mean that real danger is not imminent).
‘He was not the strongest, the quickest, or the most talented, not by any measure. He knew this and knew he could not control this. However, he could control his effort, the work he put in, and there he would not be beaten’.
We watch Tau train to become the man that he is. He is not presented as naturally overpowered for plot purposes, an unsatisfying trope that we are used to in this genre. Despite his motivations not always being in the right place, it is difficult to argue that Tau does not deserve to become the fighting man that he is by the end of the novel. We watch him fail in his endeavors several times and experience that frustration alongside him even if we do not agree with the rashness of his actions.
‘Thought it then, think it now, you’ve a demon in you.’
The overarching message appears to be that your dreams will not work until you do. Tau trains harder, and for longer periods, than any other fighter in his scale, and places an importance of hard work and dedication over natural ability. He simply refuses to rest, to the point where his behaviour becomes destructive, and the people who care about him are begging him to take a break for the sake of his health. The implications of this level of commitment are explored through Tau’s fluctuating mindset, as he is unable to find a balance. His demons haunt him in more ways than one, and I applaud Evan for crafting a protagonist that I do not always wish to support.
‘We’re fighting for the same thing. Why do you keep trying to do this alone?’.
Tau is reluctant to accept help, and he is closed off to accepting friendship and support. This reluctance, however, is what makes the relationships that develop feel so real. Rivalry progresses to respect, with this respect further evolving into a brotherhood. We watch in frustration as Tau jeopardizes the relationships he has cultivated by declining to move past his grief. He is so dedicated to his personal mission that he refuses to accept evidence to the contrary, and this confirmation bias is disturbing to both Tau and those around him. He is alive and breathing, but living his life solely for the dead. He is so absorbed in his vengeance that he refuses to acknowledge the losses experienced by his peers and mentors, and misses the opportunity to find comfort and solidarity in those shared experiences. He refuses to see the bigger picture, even when it is spelled out to him by those he trusts, loves and respects. Do you hate the individual, or do you hate the culture that has made those actions acceptable? I wish these questions had been explored more, but I feel that this is a reflection on the shortcomings of the protagonist than the writer. I am already heavily invested in where Tau’s journey will take him next, and if he will manage to overcome the ruminations that hold him back from personal growth.
The fact that the Rage of Dragons is a debut work is what makes it the more astounding. The Rage of Dragons is 16 chapters, alongside a Prologue and Epilogue. Each chapter is separated into smaller segments, written in a writing style that is both clear and accessible. Evan Winter has a unique way of writing action sequences that paint a complete picture in your mind without being dragged down by heavy exposition. While the magic system is not entirely fleshed out, the premise is original, and follows its own set of rules. Despite the fast pace of the work, his writing style can still sometimes surprise you in terms of brutality. In one scene, intestines are described as they are pulled through a live being. Bones break, lines are drawn between war and murder, and at times you will cringe. Needless to say, your favorite characters are not safe.
I have read little but fantasy throughout 2020, and it was a privilege to read a book inspired by rich, African culture after reading so many books rooted in European society and ideals. It is no secret that the fantasy genre has been subjected to whitewashing in both content and covers. There is often a dichotomy between light and dark presented within fantasy, and the association of darkness with evil can sometimes leave a sour taste in my mouth. The Rage of Dragons presents us with an original premise within an original fantasy landscape, and this diversity is welcome. I hope the success of Rage of Dragons encourages other writers to invest in their own voices – this, I believe, is vital to the future of a modern, nuanced fantasy genre and the subjugation of outdated tropes.
Follow me on Twitter to see what I am reading next: @georgierreads, and thank you for taking the time to read my review. Let me know your thoughts, and add me on goodreads for more reviews.
The Rage of Dragons tells the story of Tau Solarin, a conflicted protagonist struggling to find his way in a world where War is a culture, and your caste dictates your place within society. Tau is thrust into a new way of life at great personal cost; the once soft-hearted young man who dreamed of a quiet life with the woman he loves incurs a heart wrenching loss that visibly hardens him. His journey takes him into the militia. I would encourage you to give this book a try regardless of if you are generally a fan of military fantasy or not; I thoroughly enjoyed the stakes that the book presented. Division is everywhere, and even though a large chunk of this book is presented with lower stakes, with characters fighting in mock skirmishes with practice swords, this is not a detriment to the overall tension (and does not mean that real danger is not imminent).
‘He was not the strongest, the quickest, or the most talented, not by any measure. He knew this and knew he could not control this. However, he could control his effort, the work he put in, and there he would not be beaten’.
We watch Tau train to become the man that he is. He is not presented as naturally overpowered for plot purposes, an unsatisfying trope that we are used to in this genre. Despite his motivations not always being in the right place, it is difficult to argue that Tau does not deserve to become the fighting man that he is by the end of the novel. We watch him fail in his endeavors several times and experience that frustration alongside him even if we do not agree with the rashness of his actions.
‘Thought it then, think it now, you’ve a demon in you.’
The overarching message appears to be that your dreams will not work until you do. Tau trains harder, and for longer periods, than any other fighter in his scale, and places an importance of hard work and dedication over natural ability. He simply refuses to rest, to the point where his behaviour becomes destructive, and the people who care about him are begging him to take a break for the sake of his health. The implications of this level of commitment are explored through Tau’s fluctuating mindset, as he is unable to find a balance. His demons haunt him in more ways than one, and I applaud Evan for crafting a protagonist that I do not always wish to support.
‘We’re fighting for the same thing. Why do you keep trying to do this alone?’.
Tau is reluctant to accept help, and he is closed off to accepting friendship and support. This reluctance, however, is what makes the relationships that develop feel so real. Rivalry progresses to respect, with this respect further evolving into a brotherhood. We watch in frustration as Tau jeopardizes the relationships he has cultivated by declining to move past his grief. He is so dedicated to his personal mission that he refuses to accept evidence to the contrary, and this confirmation bias is disturbing to both Tau and those around him. He is alive and breathing, but living his life solely for the dead. He is so absorbed in his vengeance that he refuses to acknowledge the losses experienced by his peers and mentors, and misses the opportunity to find comfort and solidarity in those shared experiences. He refuses to see the bigger picture, even when it is spelled out to him by those he trusts, loves and respects. Do you hate the individual, or do you hate the culture that has made those actions acceptable? I wish these questions had been explored more, but I feel that this is a reflection on the shortcomings of the protagonist than the writer. I am already heavily invested in where Tau’s journey will take him next, and if he will manage to overcome the ruminations that hold him back from personal growth.
The fact that the Rage of Dragons is a debut work is what makes it the more astounding. The Rage of Dragons is 16 chapters, alongside a Prologue and Epilogue. Each chapter is separated into smaller segments, written in a writing style that is both clear and accessible. Evan Winter has a unique way of writing action sequences that paint a complete picture in your mind without being dragged down by heavy exposition. While the magic system is not entirely fleshed out, the premise is original, and follows its own set of rules. Despite the fast pace of the work, his writing style can still sometimes surprise you in terms of brutality. In one scene, intestines are described as they are pulled through a live being. Bones break, lines are drawn between war and murder, and at times you will cringe. Needless to say, your favorite characters are not safe.
I have read little but fantasy throughout 2020, and it was a privilege to read a book inspired by rich, African culture after reading so many books rooted in European society and ideals. It is no secret that the fantasy genre has been subjected to whitewashing in both content and covers. There is often a dichotomy between light and dark presented within fantasy, and the association of darkness with evil can sometimes leave a sour taste in my mouth. The Rage of Dragons presents us with an original premise within an original fantasy landscape, and this diversity is welcome. I hope the success of Rage of Dragons encourages other writers to invest in their own voices – this, I believe, is vital to the future of a modern, nuanced fantasy genre and the subjugation of outdated tropes.
Follow me on Twitter to see what I am reading next: @georgierreads, and thank you for taking the time to read my review. Let me know your thoughts, and add me on goodreads for more reviews.