Book Review: Flame by Katie Cross (Dragonmaster Trilogy Book 1)

Hey Space Cadets; I hope this review finds you well! I am reviewing another novel by the legendary Katie Cross. I found this book from an author who I adore. I’ve read two of her other books and was hooked. Even cooler for me, Katie Cross is a frequent guest on my podcast, The Blasters & Blades Podcast, where we talk about all things speculative fiction. She writes YA fantasy novels and is the wife of a former U.S. Army special squirrel. After I interviewed her on her book A Spring for Spears, I had to read it. It was awesome, mind-blowing and life-changing! After that, I was hooked and had to read her back catalogue. All of it. All 9 BILLION novels! The rest, as they say, is history!

What is this book about? It’s a fantasy novel about two young women’s coming-of-age story. These twin sisters are pretty awesome because they have magic and dragons! What’s not to love? This epic young adult fantasy adventure has plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat. So, grab your coffee, set out fresh mountain lions for the dragons, and prepare for the thrill ride of a lifetime!

If this cover looks like it’s up your alley, click the link below and give it a read! If the cover doesn’t speak to you, read it anyway. This is a good one, honest! This book will have you hooked from page one! Keep reading my review to see why you should be reading it!

The Story

In Anguis, magic is forbidden.

Deep in a magical forest lives the sleepy village of Anguis, where dragons are the rulers and witches are the Servants.

Seventeen-year-old twins Sanna and Isadora Spence must soon face the Selectis—the moment when a dragon chooses them. For Sanna, the Selectis can’t happen soon enough. For Isadora, she’d rather die.

When unexpected events at the Selectis turn their world around, Sanna and Isadora are each forced to make a decision. Each sister will choose the wrong path, and each sister will suffer for it.

Can they come back together to save their family in time from far more nefarious foes than they’d known existed?

Or will the simmering tension in the dragon village finally crack and go up in a burst of flame?

Join the beloved sister witches in FLAME, the first book in the Dragonmaster Trilogy.

This novel was the gripping tale of two sisters coming of age and learning to live with the consequences of their actions. Rationally, you know that those choices were only wrong in the context of the world of Alkarra. Like in life, all things are relative in fiction. That doesn’t make it any easier for them to deal with the fallout of those choices during the course of this novel. But the sharpest blades are forged in the hottest fires. I found this to be an apt analogy for this novel. Life, the cruelest taskmaster known to man, is tempering and shaping them into fine young warrioresses, and we get the privilege of experiencing that ride.

One of the things that I loved about this story by Katie Cross was how deep it was. It wasn’t a shallow creek; no, this was a raging river of complexity. She dug into deeper themes and concepts throughout the course of Flame, and I was there for it. One of those underlying themes was a deep dive into the nature of divinity. In the Letum Woods, there were gods, false gods, and maybe gods. Which option applied to whom? Well, no spoilers, but the ride was worth the thought exercise. We see the twins grappling with the idea that the god they were taught to worship, Drago, might not be real. Then, we get to meet the other goddess of the forest, Deasylva. While real, she might or might not be an actual goddess. She could just be a powerful, magical being. In grappling with all of these, the reader must confront their own religious inclinations. From there, the twins and the reader have to determine what they believe to be real because their parents told them it was instead of something they believed on their own. Definitely worth thinking about!

Another one of the themes that Katie explored was the nature of truth. The characters in Anguis grappled with lies that had been told for so long they didn’t know which way was up. We, the reader, deal with them through the characters of Sanna and Isadora. With the aid of the twins, we get to have those same conversations with ourselves. What is true? How do we know the truth when we encounter it? If that sounds like college philosophy all over again, you’re not wrong. That said, it’s worth the thought exercise. I don’t know that I could give you the right answer myself. The book doesn’t try either, leaving that up to you at your discretion through the experience of the characters.

Another aspect of this thought-provoking novel’s depth was the nature of leadership. That, and the juxtaposition of leadership and tyranny. We see both from the dragon overlords. Unlike most of the stories that include the draconic, the dragons in this novel are not oppressed beings, gentle companions, or fiercely feral predators. Instead, at the beginning of the novel, they are the tyrants enslaving the citizens of the hidden forest town of Anguis. I can’t say more without spoilers, but it was written by someone who knows what it’s like to make decisions for the lives of others. That fits, Katie was a nurse, and she’s a mom… she’s literally held life in her hands.

Speaking of dragons, I loved how Katie incorporated things I hadn’t seen before. In this novel’s lore, the dragons have skin that’s hot to the touch. Literally, it burned the unlucky person. We’re talking about the painful blisters level of bad. It was a cool plot point, and I really appreciated it because I’d never seen it before. I don’t know if this is common because I haven’t read nearly enough books with dragons in them. Obviously, I need to fix this! Anyway, I liked how it was carried out so consistently in the text. Further, I loved how it was addressed by the bond between the dragon and their human. Somehow, it made the relationship between the two paired beings more intimate and personal.

This goes without saying, given the name of this novel is Flame, but during this novel, we got to see the role of fire. We see it in the lifecycle of the forest known as Letum Woods. In many ways, the fire bellowed by the dragons symbolizes the cycle of life and death, as it causes the rebirth of the forest. If you haven’t studied forestry, fires often eliminate the smaller and weaker trees. This clears them out to give resources to their larger brethren. This process also cleans out the canopy, allowing for a healthier wood. It also clears out old and overgrown vegetation that limits the ability of the trees to gain the appropriate resources. When the fire burns itself out, it recycles nutrients back into the soil. Fire isn’t bad; it is destructive and can take life… but it also allows for the rebirth of the world around it. Fire, like the phoenix, is generally a neutral entity. I loved how that was all incorporated into the scope of this novel.

Another theme that this novel explored was about fear and control. They’re often linked together; you’re either afraid and let it control you, or you control your fear and embrace your destiny. In this case, the twins have to decide whether to submit to the expectations of the society they were born into or to embrace their individual dreams. It is a hard thing to swim upstream, and it takes a willingness to embrace yourself. To stop letting fear control you and hold you back, allow the example of Sanna and Isadora to inspire you to achieve your own greatness. I get it; in fiction, we can do anything, and the good guy always wins. Life isn’t like that; at least, that’s what we tell ourselves. But maybe, just maybe, if we follow the example of our fictional heroes, we can do better. A lot to think about, but this novel tends to inspire those types of thought bubble exercises.

While I talk about the book, I should mention that I listened to the audiobook and didn’t read a physical copy. This book was narrated by Fiona Dexter and produced by Antebellum Publishing. The quality of the audiobook was everything you’d expect from Katie Cross Publishing. The narrator did an amazing job with the accents; they were consistent and seemed to embody the characters as she portrayed them. She helped to set the mood and keep the tension high through her artistic rendering of the work Katie Cross created. I would definitely listen to more books read to me by Fiona, and that is the best compliment I can give a voice actor. With audiobooks, it’s a go or no-go situation for me, and she’s definitely a go at this station.

My only quibble with the audiobook was that the transition from one character’s point of view to the next was confusing. It took me a few moments to realize it had switched. An easy fix would be to add a header to the POV shift so the narrator reads the verbal cue. However, this might be a hang-up of my traumatic brain injury, so your mileage may vary. I only mention it because I pride myself on being honest about the good and the bad of what I’m reading. This was a minor issue for me and was nothing a quick rewind couldn’t solve. Do with that knowledge what you will.

We can’t talk about this book without addressing the elephant in the room. The most important thing to consider when picking up a new book is the creator’s authorial voice. In this case, Flame felt like I was sitting around a campfire as my friend told tales. This had to be what it was like in an oral storytelling tradition, where our soothsayers or shamans told us stories of our ancestors and their gods. Her voice was glorious; it was as bubbly as Katie herself but not in a childlike or cloying manner. No, it was just a hopeful adventure despite the darkness of the world of Alkarra.

Finally, we can’t talk about this book without covering the pacing. When it comes to that aspect of the novel, Katie did everything right. This was the fastest long book I’ve ever read. For clarity, this book was 412 pages or 12 hours in audio. The book seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. I literally finished it, thinking, ‘How is it over already?’ Any book that gives you that reaction was paced at a level that merges her technical skill with the sublime. This novel was a zen-like affair for me, letting me escape the heat as I listened to this book while walking.

The Characters

This novel is told from the dual point of view of the twin sisters, Sanna and Isadora. The scenes bounce back and forth between them, but I’m used to that, and it didn’t bother me. I was so hooked on the story that I forgot to focus on the kind of things that I would normally write about. I couldn’t tell you if this was a first- or third-person novel, but I could smell the moss-covered trees and the heat of burning dragon scales. I don’t know what the girls looked like, but I could feel the wind in my hair as I flew through the skies on the backs of a dragon. It’s a trade-off, but I am ok with it. And… well… those losses could be a me thing and not an authorial issue.

Sanna Spence: First, I’ll be honest and say that I don’t have an idea of what she looks like. I don’t know if the author didn’t say it or if I just missed it. What I do know is that, unlike her sister, she loves dragons. She finds them to be majestic, if somewhat wild. She loves the woods and her connection to it. She’s often seen swinging from the vines like a female Tarzan. No howling or loincloths, but she’s wilder than her mom wanted. Her mother tried to civilize her, but it just didn’t take. She’s fearless, loyal to a fault, and devoted to her family and the dragons she reveres. She’s a woodsy type of medieval tomboy who sounds like it would be fun to have with you on a camping or hunting trip. Further, she’s in stark contrast to her sister. Since they’re twins, I’ll assume they look the same… but their personalities are anything but.

Isadora Spence: First, I’ll be honest and say that I don’t have an idea of what she looks like. I don’t know if the author didn’t say it or if I just missed it. What I do know is that she’s an oddity in her hometown because she loves magic, which is forbidden under the rule of her dragon overlord. Slave master is more accurate, but why quibble? She hates the town where she was born. She hates the society and culture of her youth and wants something more. Unlike her fellows, she hates the dragons and resents that serving them has caused her people to slowly starve so they could keep the massive dragons fed. She is woefully naïve about Alkarra, but not for a lack of interest. However, while she hates her hometown, she still feels more at home in the woods than in a bustling megacity. She loves people, but in moderation. But more than that, she loves her nuclear family and wishes they’d abandon the woods to come with her.

The World

What’s not to love about the world-building in this novel? It was expertly handled by Katie Cross, who knows how to tell compelling stories set in beautiful worlds she’s created. In this case, the larger world is called Alkarra, but we don’t see much of it, so I’ll narrow it down to the region where this story takes place. This novel was almost exclusively set in the Letum Woods, and more specifically in the area around the forest town of Anguis.

Within the scope of that town are humans calling themselves witches. Even the men are witches and not wizards. That’s another change for me; I thought a wizard was a male witch, and that change signified that this wasn’t my daddy’s fantasy setting. I loved reading about the woods; it was the setting I’d kill to live in. Seriously, living in the woods is the dream for many a city boy, and I’m no different. I could almost smell the wood and soil as she wove the story around the trees that gave life to the town of Anguis.

The one shocker was the witches in the Letum Woods can’t do magic. You read that right; there were witches that couldn’t do magic. It was a fun shift, and we got to learn about the magic of Alkarra, along with the twin sisters. I still don’t have a handle on what that looks like, but neither can the sister, so the reader isn’t at a disadvantage. Even better, the promise to learn more has me yearning to start the second novel of the Dragonmaster Trilogy.

One of the things I liked about this story was how Katie avoided cursing by using made-up words. It made this a book I could comfortably listen to while my kids were around. Those universe-specific words were confusing in one aspect of the story. Again, it could be the TBI, but there it is. The denizens of Anguis don’t use the words, mom and dad, instead using ‘Mam’ and ‘Daid.’ Again, it did help solidify that we weren’t in Kansas anymore, so overall, I liked it once I figured it out. The other oddity of nomenclature was the use of the word ‘network’ instead of kingdoms or empires. It was just one of those things setting the otherworldly tone, so it’s worth mentioning. But I really liked the world she created, so I had no complaints about it.

Everything in the Letum Woods and the town of Anguis was extremely fleshed out, giving this setting a very lived-in feel. Unlike some authors, this incredible author didn’t info dump all of her world-building up front. Instead, she fed it to us in drips and drabs. Seriously, she was the perfect drug dealer… she expertly strung us along and always left us wanting more. I know that sounds toxic, but trust me, this story was anything but. It was an exciting thrill ride from start to finish. What’s not to like about this already expansive world? Seriously, I’m practically going full fanboy over this novel.

Politics

This novel was apolitical in the sense that it didn’t deal with any real-world politics. However, we did see some political struggles from the political parties or networks in this world. It was a background struggle in this novel, though there were hints of more to come in future books. What I did love to see was how personal autonomy was made a central issue for the twin sisters, who worked separately and together to overthrow that tyrannical regime.

Alkarra, where the story takes place, is a magical medieval setting. This proto-Europe backdrop is par for the course of a modern fantasy novel. In addition to the world that’s trying to kill them, the main characters must fight the existential evil of greed, fear, and religious zealotry.

Content Warning

This novel was apolitical in the sense that it didn’t deal with any real-world politics. However, we did see some political struggles from the political parties or networks in this world. It was a background struggle in this novel, though there were hints of more to come in future books. What I did love to see was how personal autonomy was made a central issue for the twin sisters, who worked separately and together to overthrow that tyrannical regime.

Alkarra, where the story takes place, is a magical medieval setting. This proto-Europe backdrop is par for the course of a modern fantasy novel. In addition to the world that’s trying to kill them, the main characters must fight the existential evil of greed, fear, and religious zealotry.

Who is it for?

This book is for people who enjoy reading about dragons but are comfortable with some of the tropes being flipped on their heads in the best possible ways. This novel, by best-selling author Katie Cross, tells a story that’s as compelling as it is poetic. The words flow together so beautifully that I found myself listening to sections multiple times just to send the tingles up my cerebral cortex. Seriously, her ability to craft words puts the Bard to shame!

Why buy it?

This is the story of the everywoman, twin sisters who struggle in their village in the woods. They’re the proto-typical underdog at the beginning of the novel. Seemingly, neither looks like they have it in them to do great and wonderful things. One sister is stifled by the soul-crushing culture, and the other is at the mercy of the unknown as she dreams of serving their dragon masters. Together, they swim upstream and achieve the beginning of greatness. These two ladies, Sanna, and Isadora Spence, are earnest in their quest to find their own way in the world. If you love a thrill ride over the river and through the woods, this is the novel for you! Fair warning: the grandmother’s house is sold separately!

Exit

Seriously, why haven’t you clicked the link and bought this book already? If this tale doesn’t make you a superfan of Katie Cross, then you didn’t read the same book that I did! Once you buy and read the book, come back and share your thoughts! Oh, and be sure to leave a review!