Chasing Embers

Disclaimer: I received a eBook from netgalley.com in exchange for a honest review.

The cover drew me to Chasing Embers. A red dragon tail, floating above a city. I love dragons and dragon mythologies. James Bennett has done a brilliant job of finding space for dragons in the urban fantasy genre. In this first book, we meet Ben Garston, a dragon living under the guise of a human. He's part of the old myths, critters (fae, gods, etc.) that existed long ago and have faded to myth. While Ben lives by the the Pact, Lore and rules designed to protect both humans and Reminants alike, he suddenly finds himself thrown into a intriguing series of events that threatens the very existence of all he knows.

Bennett's writing is a strange mix of poetry and prose. It reads like a mix of faerie tales and urban fantasy. The characters are well rounded with merits and flaws. The world we're thrust into is also well rounded. There are many groups whose interests border on saving or harming the world they live in. Alliances are made and strategy formed.

In the end, this is a fun read and I'm quite curious to see where Bennett takes Red Ben in the future.

Ben Garston seems like an average guy. He drinks a lot of Jack, had a normal girlfriend. Average. Then, this guy walks into Ben's bar and tries to kill him with an enchanted sword. Things go steadily downhill after that. I was really excited about this book, and it started out great, but got quite slow in the 2nd half and I felt myself losing interest. That being said, I am glad I finished it. I really enjoyed the historical parts, like reading about the past wars and how things came to be the way they are at present for the Relics and the Lore. I received a copy of this book from Net Galley.