Maddileh is a knight. There aren’t many women in her line of work, and it often feels like the sneering and contempt from her peers is harder to stomach than the actual dragon slaying. But she’s a knight, and made of sterner stuff.
A minor infraction forces her to redeem her honor in the most dramatic way possible, she must retrieve the fabled Fireborne Blade from its keeper, legendary dragon the White Lady, or die trying. If history tells us anything, it’s that \”die trying\” is where to wager your coin.
Maddileh’s tale contains a rich history of dragons, ill-fated knights, scheming squires, and sapphic love, with deceptions and double-crosses that will keep you guessing right up to its dramatic conclusion. Ultimately, The Fireborne Blade is about the roles we refuse to accept, and of the place we make for ourselves in the world.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 176
Imprint: Tor Books US
Publication date: 24/09/2024
Series: The Fireborne Blade v1
The Fireborne Blade
By Charlotte Bond
Review by Josh
A fantasy novella is almost as rare as a dragon sighting and one of such quality and intrigue even rarer still. The Fireborne Blade throws the reader into a richly magical world of dragons, knights and ancient magic that feels alive and lived in from the first page. Being a dragon slaying knight is one of the highest honours of the land which is exactly what our protagonist Maddileh needs to regain her position at court and silence those who say a women can't be a knight. Maddileh's story is interspliced with short tales of prior dragon slaying adventures, and these do a great job of fleshing out the world and giving further detail to the magic at its core. With a sweet sapphic love story thrown into the mix, The Fireborne Blade is a perfect wee fantasy for fans of the genre looking for a short, yet still satisfying, read.
For fans of Fourth Wing, Daughters’ War, and The Murderbot Diaries.
You can listen to Josh's review from RDU below:
