Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders

Reread review

I remember liking this novella when I first read it last year and the two main characters Thuan and Asmodeus really left an impression on me. But picking this up again after binging the Dominion of the Fallen trilogy is an entirely different experience.

The dynamic of their relationship felt much more palpable to me and I could understand the intricacies of their interactions. At the same time, I could also see how the circumstances from the trilogy could have led to the mystery in the dragon kingdom and Thuan's role in everything brings more clarity to why he is so desperate to solve the mystery and protect the kingdom. I also really liked Asmodeus a lot more this time, for being the ruthless Fallen he is but also fiercely protective of those he deems his own.

While I still maintain that this novella can be read and enjoyed by itself, it's a lot better if you know everything that happened in the trilogy. I can't wait to read all the short stories set in this world too because I'm not yet done with it.

First time review

I definitely had hoped to start the Dominion of the Fallen series last month before I got to this novella, but I've been in a very unfortunate reading slump for a while now. But I'm thankful I was able to finish this one and it being short and interesting definitely helped.

While I'm completely unfamiliar with the Parisian world of the original trilogy, I didn't feel very lost in this new dragon realm. The descriptions of the world as well as the different kinds of creatures who exist here, as well as the seamless integration of Viet culture was all very beautifully done and it's definitely one reason I'm looking forward to reading more of the author's works. While the resolution of the murder mystery itself didn't take very long, the author managed to keep the stakes very high despite the low page count and I enjoyed it.

But the best part was definitely the way the characters interacted with each other. Thuan is a dragon prince who married out and had some unpleasant experiences in court before, but he is still a kind, bookish soul and feels loyal towards his family. He is also an idealist and wishes to do things the right way, even if they are not always practical. That's why his ruthless fallen angel husband Asmodeus is perfectly complementary with his much more pragmatic outlook and absolute certainty in protecting what's his. The relationship dynamics between them is fascinating and the dialogue/banter is just a delight to read and I just kept wishing that we would get a much more longer version of their story. The other character who is written very well is the Empress Dowager (Thuan's grandmother) and even contemplating what she and Asmodeus might do if they team up sends shudders down my spine, but I'm sure it'll be a very fun but murderous story.

Overall, this was a fun murder mystery novella that works well as a stand-alone but definitely leaves you wanting to know more about this world as well as the characters. It's a good mix of banter, court intrigue and protocols as well as some subtle commentary about the need for rooting out corruption and changing the existing status quo when it's not working for the people. I hope I get out of my slump completely very soon so that I can get started with the original trilogy. And I would recommend it to anyone who is finding it hard these days to read big fantasy books but still want to experience a new world in few pages.