The Sky on Fire

I received an audioARC thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. The opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

 Dragons rule the world and humans are pretty much just there to serve. And at the top of the dragon power structure is the worst of the worst - the dragon that condemned Anahrod to death 17 years ago. Unfortunately for Neveranimus, she survived and has been living in the deeps ever since. Even more unfortunately, a group of people have tracked her down to help them pull off a robbery of Neveranimus' vault. Hijinks ensue.  

I really liked book. It's largely a heist story, with political intrigue, found family and a romantic subplot that is queer and poly. There was an interesting system of rings to indicate job roles and sexual preferences.  The world building was very well done, giving enough information to enable me to not feel lost without becoming info-dumpy. The magic system made sense and held together. The character building - meh - many of the supporting characters were not very developed beyond archetypes.  But it worked for me, as this is not a character story.  It's a seat of your pants adventure.

This is a fun ride, and isn't trying to be anything more. And I was here for it all the way. It's billed as a stand alone, but the possibility of further adventures is hinted at in the epilogue. I'd be there for that as well should it happen.

A first Jenn Lyons book for me, and I was not disappointed. This book ticked all the boxes for a high-fantasy, dragon filled adventure, bursting with action from beginning to end.

The world building is immense - so large that it definitely takes some time to get your head around. The descriptions are lush, the creatures and people painted so strongly, mixed in with the system they have in their world. I will say that I still don't 100% understand the meaning of the social and garden rings which people seem to pick at 15 years of age. Alas, there was no explanation but a lot of hinting, so maybe I'm just dense...

The storyline was amazing, being split into sizable parts to allow a sense of where a new major plot point was happening. While the beginning may have been a bit slower, with the plot set up and the meeting of all our beloved characters, it was worth the build up because it was just non-stop action, adventure and dragons. Gwydinion grew on me a lot, his mischievous mind always turning. I also loved Sicaryon and wished there was almost more of him.

There was also hint of a potential growing poly relationship, which didn't feel forced or sudden at all. While it's true that the attraction between Ris and Anahrod felt quite quick, the story not being too clear on how much time passed between start to end, it wasn't quite insta-love nor slowburn.

I am seeing this a standalone, even though it opens up a way for a sequel if needs be with the ending. Since that is the case, I look forward to reading Jenn Lyons other books.