The King’s Dragon by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns
Series: Fire and Valor #1
Release Date: September 26, 2019
Subgenre: LGBTQIA+ High Fantasy Romance
Order here:
Universal: http://mybook.to/thekingsdragon
Synopsis for The King’s Dragon:
Lord Tristram Radcliffe has a secret—he is the only dragon at the king’s court in Llangard. It’s a secret he’s kept from the knights he’s fought beside, from the ladies who bat their lashes at him, and from his closest companion, Prince Reynold. If it were to get out, he’d be banished to the Mawrcraig Mountains along with the rest of his kind, but the kingdom of men is the only one he’s ever known, and his heart lives in the stone halls of those who’d count him an enemy.
When the old king dies and Prince Reynold takes the throne, two visitors from the north throw Tristram into the middle of the ancient conflict between dragons and men. They put him on a collision course with the king’s shadow, Bet Kyston, a dangerous assassin who may want him dead or may want more of Tristram that he’d ever thought to give.
With the eyes of dragons upon him and a threat from the north creeping toward the home he loves, Tristram must weigh his allegiances before his dual legacies tear him apart.
Author Blurbs:
“Simmering with sexual and political tension, The King’s Dragon will pull you close, and won’t let go until its final pages. A wonderfully rich and compelling world.”
~ Ariana Nash, author of Silk & Steel
“Intricate plot threads intertwined with gripping tension, chemistry, and built on a fantasy world that rivals any peer in the genre. Vivid characters that aren't cutouts of fantasy tropes, but real people with faults and virtues that will engage the reader.
This book showcases the best of Fawkes and Burns' writing and style—perfectly meshed storytelling rich in complicated and complex characters, with a plot that kept me afraid, engrossed, and my heart in my throat. An added dash of upended gender stereotypes and a refreshing addition of varied LGBTQ+ romances made this a standout in the genre. A fantastic start to a series and I cannot wait for the rest!”
~SJ Himes, author of Knight’s Fire
“Incredibly detailed world building, and a raft of characters who keep me guessing and turning pages!”
~ Allison Temple, author of Cold Pressed
Teaser
Bet was at Reynold’s side so fast Tris didn’t even see him move. He looked unaccountably nervous for a man who could almost certainly take down any man on the field. “Your Majesty?”
“I want you to fight Lord Gaspar’s guards.” When Gaspar sputtered, Reynold turned to him. “You don’t think it a fair fight? Shall I allow you to join them as well?”
“I assure you, sire, any one of my knights could handle this whelp of a commoner, even if Lord Radcliffe cannot.” He sneered at Tristram, as he had since Tris had been a child. He’d been a friend of Tristram’s mother’s husband—the man the court thought was his father. Tris had always assumed Gaspar knew him to be a bastard, but frankly, he had more important things to worry about.
He wasn’t sure why, but he was worried about Bet. The man was dishonorable and infuriatingly smug, but also . . . like Tris, he never hesitated in his duty to his king. Wasn’t there a kind of honor in that, when one committed dishonorable acts for a king who could not afford to sully himself? Possibly it was Tristram grasping for excuses because he found Bet beautiful, but it still rung true. Perhaps.
“You question Lord Radcliffe’s skill as well?” Reynold asked, pretending to be surprised. He turned to Bet. “Get to it, then. You against Gaspar’s men. If you win, you and Tristram stay. If they win, they stay.”
He had to be joking. While Tris had every faith in Bet’s prowess, it was madness.
But this was no farce. Tristram couldn’t even suggest he deserved to have a part in the deciding of his future. Reynold had announced it, and now Tristram’s fate was in the hands of the king’s shadow.
Excerpt
“You killed Jarl Jorun,” Tristram shot back through his teeth, voice low enough that he drew no attention from knights falling into their own bouts.
“He embarrassed our king,” Bet snapped. Tristram came at him again, sweeping toward his chest. Bet ducked. With the weight of his blade, Tristram overcompensated and Bet sliced his side, just under his ribs. A warning, not hard enough to bruise. “And tried to kill you. Don’t tell me you mourn the man, Tristram.”
The knight bared his teeth at him as he lunged again. “You made it look like I had done it!” he hissed.
At that, Bet laughed. He parried Tris as the broader man advanced on him. “Did I? Anyone who knows you knows you’re incapable.” Bet used the opening of Tristram’s arm to move into his defenses and strike him again—a harmless blow to the thigh. “I heard when you were accused, even the Torndals laughed,” Bet said with a sneer. Tristram would let Jorun roll over him before he debased himself with murder. Without Bet’s intervention, one day, Jorun might have.
Tristram was stronger than him, but that hardly mattered if he could not land a hit. A hair faster than any man at court, Bet had no intention of letting that happen. Suddenly, Tris had to step back. Bet’s blades were a fury. As Bet pushed him across the field, moving into the dueling spaces of other fighters, people had to stop and dodge. They turned to stare at their furious dance. Bet felt the rictus smile on his own face as Tristram began to take more blows than he could block.
And then he saw the sun catch a curl of auburn and the glint of gold on the king’s brow. Every knight in the yard knew what happened to those who sparred poorly. If Bet made a fool of Tristram, he’d lose the king’s favor.
His black eyes settled on Tristram, who’d used his momentary distraction to recover. Tristram swept his sword at Bet’s chest. He could have jumped back.
He didn’t.
Review:
Review:
4.5*
Would be a full 5*, but there were a lot of different players in the game and once or twice I had to back track to see who we were talking about (Rhiannon's sidekick). Each chapter reads in a different characters POV, so it took me a minute. Once I had them all down though, it was smooth sailing.
I also wasn't sure about the ending, only because I reallllllly wanted Tris and Bet together right this instant!! But, it's a HFN, as it's book in a series.
I can't say it really ends on a cliffhanger, there is a little surprise, but I felt it was more of a continuation situation.
I have a really good feeling about a future alliance between humans and dragons and I hope they send Gillian to the Monks to learn about magic. I am also rooting for Sidonie and Rhiannon, I really likes those two. I also loved that fact the Sidonie was a woman,but was referred to as Sir Sidonie, Kings Knight.
I also loved the followed her own morals and wasn't just a sheep to an evil crown. Bet seemed to skirt that line as well.
I am very excited to see how this alliance and possible war might play out, there's so many great characters to follow. I'm also wondering who Tris' real dad is and why he was so familiar to Rhiannon's younger companion. (I'm sorry, his name's hard to spell, Hrafgard? ) I have so many questions!
Would be a full 5*, but there were a lot of different players in the game and once or twice I had to back track to see who we were talking about (Rhiannon's sidekick). Each chapter reads in a different characters POV, so it took me a minute. Once I had them all down though, it was smooth sailing.
I also wasn't sure about the ending, only because I reallllllly wanted Tris and Bet together right this instant!! But, it's a HFN, as it's book in a series.
I can't say it really ends on a cliffhanger, there is a little surprise, but I felt it was more of a continuation situation.
I have a really good feeling about a future alliance between humans and dragons and I hope they send Gillian to the Monks to learn about magic. I am also rooting for Sidonie and Rhiannon, I really likes those two. I also loved that fact the Sidonie was a woman,but was referred to as Sir Sidonie, Kings Knight.
I also loved the followed her own morals and wasn't just a sheep to an evil crown. Bet seemed to skirt that line as well.
I am very excited to see how this alliance and possible war might play out, there's so many great characters to follow. I'm also wondering who Tris' real dad is and why he was so familiar to Rhiannon's younger companion. (I'm sorry, his name's hard to spell, Hrafgard? ) I have so many questions!
Author Bio:
W.M. Fawkes is an author of LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She lives with her partner in a house owned by three halloween-hued felines that dabble regularly in shadow walking.
Sam lives in the Midwest with husband and cat, which is even less exciting than it sounds, so she's not sure why you're still reading this.
She specializes in LGBTQIA+ fiction, usually with a romantic element. There's sometimes intrigue and violence, usually a little sex, and almost always some swearing in her work. Her writing is light and happy, though, so if you're looking for a dark gritty reality, you've come to the wrong author.
Author links:
Joint Facebook Group:
Waverly Fawkes:
Sam Burns:
Giveaway:
Win one of 2 e-copies of any book from the Lords of the Underworld series by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes:
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