I wanted to enjoy this one but I found the plot, story, and characterizations hard to follow and not really resonate the best for me at times.

I would like thank Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC.

This book had a lot going for it. It has queer main characters, dragons, and the cover is beautiful. However, I struggled with this book at points. I think it needed some aspects tightened up. The magic and world felt very unclear to me. The world building just felt to be lacking overall and was very vague on how things worked. I couldn't connect with the writing style and the different perspectives of the main characters felt too similar to each other. I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't get into it.

I've been reading more fantasy lately so when I saw this stunning cover and learned that it was about dragons and magic, I was ready to jump right in! From the start, like most fantasy, you are trying to find your bearings. A lot of names, places, and beings are thrown at you. I adjusted to this fairly quickly(a few chapters at most) The main characters in this book are Arcady, a human with magic who accidentally brings Everen, a dragon, into their world. Everen is the only male dragon left from his world and he's destined to take back the world that was stolen by the humans. A little later we are introduced to Soren, who works for Magnes, and a bit of a mystery surrounds them both. Just know that Soren does Magnes bidding but he has his own hidden agenda!
The plot is solid. Arcady and Everen work together to save both their worlds while not truly divulging their pasts. Unbeknownst to Arcady is that Everen is a dragon(he's in his human-ish form for a lot of the book.) It gets a little dicey and then BOOM the last few chapters are action, action, action...and a big surprise!
My only issues; pacing of the story, it took awhile to get to the BIG event and then it happens so quickly and the book is done(although it leaves off on a suspenseful note!) Also, I don't mind a gender fluid character but it was distracting to have certain They/Them/Their capitalized. It drew my attention away from the actual sentence.
Overall this was a fun read that I would recommend to fellow fantasy lovers. I look forward to the second book!

Identify the Trout!

Everen is a dragon. Dragons live in a dying world. Hundreds of years ago they lived in a green, growing world in partnership with humans. But the humans betrayed the dragons and exiled them to this dying world. That, at least, is the story as dragons tell it. Humans have a different story.

Everen falls into the human world, where he finds he is magically bonded to Arcady, a thief in the city of Vatra. Everen's sister Cassia tells him he can use this magical bond to allow dragons to escape their dying world

<blockquote>--Yes, she said, as she faded from view. Make your little human love you. Do what you must. And then kill it. Her gaze was unblinking. Bring us home, Everen. Give us our world.</blockquote>

This immediately reminded me of something I read long ago in /Glory Road/ by Robert Heinlein,

<blockquote>You tickle trout by gaining their confidence, and then abusing it.</blockquote>

(Trout tickling is a way to catch trout with ones bare hands.) So, it transpires that Cassia has sent Everen on a fishing expedition. He is to catch the human world by gaining Arcady's confidence, then betraying them. Dragons view humans as treacherous vermin, so it is plausible that Everen and Cassia would have no more compunction about betraying a human than Heinlein's hero Oscar had about betraying a trout. By the way, what I've told you so far is in the publisher's blurb, so no spoilers yet.

But then I thought, "I know how stories like this go. Will Everen go through with it, or will he have sympathy for Arcady and decide he can't betray them? In fact, who is the more adept at treachery: Everen the isolated dragon prince, or Arcady, the thief of the corrupt city of Vatra?" The question answers itself. Perhaps Everen, not Arcady, is the trout. And then I thought further, "LR Lam didn't fall off the apple cart yesterday. Surely they know their readers will see these plot twists coming. Perhaps they are trying to trick me into expecting the obvious plot. In fact, this is advertised as the first book of a trilogy, so we need something unexpected. Am I the trout?"

Now, to be clear, these were just my thoughts as I began to read. I am not telling you that the things I just hinted at happen. I am not telling you that they don't happen. I am telling you only that /Dragonfall/ is a book about treachery. Treachery and magic and dragons and perhaps friendship and love, but definitely treachery.

/Dragonfall/ has the now familiar structure of a multiple first-person point-of-view novel. Each chapter is told by a single character. There are three main points of view: Everen, Arcady, and Soren. I have not mentioned Soren before. Arcady and Soren have twisty minds, and I enjoyed their points of view a lot. Everen was a little less fun, but I expect him to become more interesting in the next books.

I certainly look forward to the future books and intend to read them.

Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for an advance reader copy of /Dragonfall/. This review expresses my honest opinions. To be released 2-May-2023.

This one was sooo fun! I loved the inclusion of dragons, they’re always amazing and so fun to read about

Within the first few pages, I fell to a wonderfully built world. The story held so much intrigue and was relatively fresh compared to other fantasies I have read. In this world, you have dragons revered as Gods. Nevertheless, it was pretty exciting, and I devoured the book in two days.

Dragonfall begins with Everen’s POV, the last male dragon, on a quest to fulfill a prophecy that he doesn’t truly understand. His voice drew me in. The predatory nature of it, alongside the thirst for knowledge, made me smile quite a bit. I especially appreciated the switches from first, to second, to third. It nailed his age and how he perceives everything around him.

When Arcady comes in, a quite humourous petty thief, you’re introduced to the world in a different light. Almost simplistic in nature. Here politics and magic are talked about in a very childlike manner, making all the information easy to digest and pair with the “mighty and learning” viewpoint of Everen. Which I enjoyed thoroughly.

The magic system was incredible, and I haven’t read anything similar. So I look forward to the next installment to see how it pans out within this fantastical world. I didn’t struggle with the PoV switches; they felt natural and wholistic within the characters’ mannerisms and distinct voices. Which were incredibly rich and well thought out. Everen’s and Aracady’s relationship evolved naturally, and I think the way Everen’s voice was written allowed it to flow really well, in my opinion.
I think for anyone who loves dragons and complex magical systems with astonishing world-building, Dragonfall will be a fantastic journey for any fantasy lover. .

In Dragonfall, we meet the last male dragon, Everen. He is prophesied to save his kind after they were banished centuries ago. Meanwhile, humans have harnessed the magic they stole from dragons, have forgotten all about their betrayal and instead started worshipping them as gods. Enter genderfluid thief Arcady who hasn’t been dealt the kindest card in life and is hellbent on taking back what’s been stolen from them. When they accidentally magically bond and Everen is dragged into the human world, the path seems clear: find a way to break the bond, as far as Arcady knows. Get the human to trust him and then kill them, as far as Everen is concerned. Growing close is not a part of any those plans, but it sure complicates them.

It’s been a minute since I last read any High Fantasy, I hadn’t realised how much I missed it. What drew me in immediately with this one: it’s really, really funny.

Things properly hit off once Arcady and Everen meet - I’ve been saying this before but I genuinely don’t care about the plot as long as the characters work for me, and work they do. There’s a romance subplot and watching them get to know and trust each other while holding back their respective secrets (and knowing there’s tragedy ahead since Everen is supposed to kill Arcady!) has been such a delightful experience. Turns out I do enjoy romance after all.

Apart from that, the book‘s just exciting. Conflicted relationships (many of them), a heist, world-threatening events - it’s „Merry Crisis!“ in a literal sense. Dragonfall had me at the edge of my seat by the end of it, with a touch of heartbreak and exciting revelations along the way.

And I haven’t even started on the smaller details I loved! At least that part of Dragonfall‘s world is queernorm with gender being something you yourself figure out over time and no one else. A sign language has established itself as a sort of lingua franca and is frequently used in the book. A magic system with an interesting price to pay for humans. Commentary about rich people doing infuriating rich people things is just the icing on the cake.

So yeah. I loved this one and already can’t wait for book 2!

Dragonfall by L.R. Lam is out May 2nd, 2023.

4.5 Stars

Everen is apart of the group of dragons that had been outcasted into a perilous world that is bound to extinguish them all. Due to a spell, he is thrust through the veil into the land his family once knew as home. He finds himself half bonded to a measly human, Arcady, an outcast and a thief. Dragons hate humans for what they did, what they stole. He must earn Arcady’s trust and complete the bond, than end them so that his family can come through the veil back home.

Right from the beginning I was sucked into this story! The writing style is phenomenal.

World building and lots of new words I had to adjust to. Multiple POV, one being a dragon.
The city they are in is very gender fluid and accepting.

My only complaint was not understanding the words or meanings at the beginning of the book. I was really confused. I’m not sure if the physical copy has/ will have these meanings to reference to as that would have made it easier.

So when I read chapter 46, I realized some clues that where in the book that I overlooked !!! Than chapter 47 revealed it. OMG. What a twist !!! I also can’t believe I looked over these hints, usually I’m good at catching them.

Dragonfall by L. R. Lam

Pros: interesting characters, great worldbuilding, non-binary protagonist

Cons:

Arcady Eremia wants to clear their family’s name, so they need money and a new last name. Their spell was only supposed to change their name seal, not pull someone into their world. Certainly not someone magically bonded to them.

Everen Emberclaw’s been given a chance to fulfill a prophecy to save dragonkind from their dying world. But to do it he must properly bond with Arcady and then kill them.

This is a story about trust between two broken people that involves a fun heist towards the end of the book.

The worldbuilding was excellent. The human world has a fair amount of variety, with several kingdoms that have different customs, and a religion centered on the worship of dragons.

Arcady is non-binary and the world has a nifty way of dealing with pronouns, using honourifics until you learn the correct forms of address.

There are light romance elements with a fun will they/won’t they aspect.

Arcady’s gruff and a bit unlikeable at first, but really grows on you as time goes on. I loved Everen completely, especially watching him learn about the human world and trying to fit in.

Giving dragons feathers was kind of unique, and I loved that they have a smaller -preterit- forms.

This is the first of a series so while it ties up some loose ends it’s only part of a larger story.

I’ll start off by saying this was my first time reading a book about Dragons. Based off of the blurb The book seemed Interesting enough for me to want to read it. I’ll be honest and say I did not like it at first, the first 100 pages seemed to drag and I felt lost. A lot of terminology was thrown at me at once and it took me a while to figure out what the words meant. Usually I don’t have a problem with made up terms and terminologies but because of the stark difference between what I have been used to I found myself being confused and reading back a lot. That being said after I had fully grasped the terms the book did become a lot more enjoyable to read. I’m usually not a fan of multiple POVs but in this case it was done well enough that I found myself not hating any of the different characters POVs. I realized I enjoyed reading both Everen and Arcadys thoughts about each other and did not prefer one more over the other. This book was about 400 pages and it did not feel like it dragged at any point. The world building is beautiful and I liked the different representations in genders without there being negative stigmas. There was a brief encounter with a s*x worker that I enjoyed because the author didn’t make the characters work seem dirty and something to be ashamed of. I really appreciate the ages of the characters as well although this book is YA the characters are of adult age even if just barely. It makes it a lot more enjoyable knowing your reading about adults and not 16yr olds that have absent neglectful parents we never here from. My favorite trope is a good old slow burn and man this one did burn slow but I feel that makes a newfound love much more real and enjoyable. If your debating whether to dive head first to this new book I say take the plunge and you’ll be surprised to find something you quite weren’t expecting.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing the ARC - I was really excited to get into this book having read False Hearts and Shattered Minds - False Hearts is one of my favourite books.

If you've read those then this is a totally different offering from Lam, I also read a lot of fantasy, so I can cope with Dragons and magic systems. Sadly I didnt think the magic system was explained all that well, and didnt really connect with any of the main characters.

The book is written from the different characters point of view, I did find myself waiting to be rid of the Dragon POV and being relieved when it was back to the Human. Those chapters just flowed a lot better.

My biggest issue with the novel is the clear 'Gender Agenda', I dont think it needed to be set out at the beginning in such a rigid way, almost as if the reader wasn't credited wnough to be able to deal with non-binary characters. It was a bit like being hit in the face with a sledge hammer and schooled in gender identity before being able to continue with the story. I don't think the over explaining was necessary. The characters are gender fluid - get over it, I can understand that from using the pronouns - huge paragraphs on gender not required!

I wanted to love this story, but I just found it slow to get to the plot, certain things were over explained and other things (magic system, prophecies) were under explained.

I sadly won't be reading the others in the series based on this one.

I was extremely happy when my request for this eARC was approved - many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley! I enjoyed the Seven Devils duology a lot and knowing that this book from one of the authors would also feature dragons - how could I not want to read it as soon as possible?

In Arcady’s world, dragons are gods, even though they were banished to another world a long time ago. Everen is the last male dragon and destined to bring the dragons back on their own world. He manages to pierce the Veil between worlds, although he loses some of his magic and forms an unbreakable bond with the human thief Arcady. Neither are happy to be bound to a stranger they don’t trust, but are now forced to work with if they want to succeed in their conflicting goals.

I have to admit that I usually stay away from books with enemies-to-lovers romances. Considering the author, the dragons, the heists, and the queer-inclusivity, though, I decided to give this book a shot and am very happy about that decision. The relationship between Arcady and Everen is not at all cliché; it feels genuine and complicated and I ended up enjoying it a lot.

The entire book is a fantastic and entertaining read. It checks all the boxes I have for epic fantasy books: intriguing worldbuilding (although the magic system wasn’t explained in detail, I still enjoyed the glimpses we got and hope to learn more in the sequels), the aforementioned heists, a genderqueer protagonist, the classic trope of prophecy and fate, an interesting quirk in the writing style for Everen’s chapters. I loved that he uses the second person and tells his story to Arcady, which adds another level of fictionality. I wonder if the later books will use this set-up for unreliable narrators, which would be really cool.

Both protagonists and the occasional viewpoint of Sorin, an assassin priest who is also involved, felt real and believable. Arcady and Everen are always suspicious of each other, they make mistakes and have flaws, but I could simply not decide who I wanted more to get their happy end. After all, it is made clear very early on, that a happy end for both of them is not achievable. The ending still came as a surprise and felt entirely suitable. I am now dying to read the sequel!

This book is perfect for readers who like the more classical approach to fantasy. It also suits readers looking for fresh stories that don’t rely on every stereotype in existence (even if it contains a few tropes, they don’t feel like a repetition of every fantasy book ever). The story is complex, gripping and emotional. And did I mention it has dragons? I can only recommend it with my entire heart!

Thank you Netgalley and DAW Books for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Everen is the last surviving male dragon and is destined to save his kind. One day he falls through the Veil into human world. He meets and accidentally bonds with Arcady, a human thief. To fulfil his destiny, Everen needs to fully bond with Arcady.

I’m rating this book 2,5 stars because I really liked the premise, but I personally couldn’t really connect to the story or the main characters. The beginning of the story was amazing, but it slowed down pretty quickly. I think the main issue of this book is the writing style. The main characters’ chapters are written as if one of Everen or Arcady are describing memories to the reader. I personally had trouble keeping my attention to the story because of the perspective. The chapters of supporting characters were written from a third person perspective and I found those chapters more interesting.

I couldn't really tell where I would fall on the scale of liking this. Turns out, I didn't fall on the scale at all, I fell off of the scale: I did not like this, hah. I liked the idea of a world where your gender isn't just assumed for your outward markers. Something similar was done in The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal, and I liked seeing that in play here as well. I also thought that the magic system having consequences for using your magic too much or too quickly was interesting, too--I feel like in a lot of YA fantasy with magic there aren't often tangible consequences like that. Where the story lost me was the structure and the writing. The two perspectives felt like parts of two different books--they were written and formatted so differently that switching perspectives was not only jarring but completely shattered my immersion in the story. The romance was also a bit....overdone? I would have loved less of the ooey-gooey lovey-ness and a bit more action and plot. Even a good romantic fantasy needs a bit of plot and action to keep it going forward. Overall, not terrible but not...for me. Loved the concept as it was pitched but the execution was a miss. 2 stars for the gender and magic systems.

A fantasy book about dragons? Yes, please!

Told from two alternating points of view, Dragonfall is one of the better dragon books I've read. For me, it's up there with The Aurelian Cycle by Rosaria Munda. Arcady's chapters are told in third person, whereas Everen's chapters are told in first person. The first person POV worked for me, but may not be the case for everyone. There's also occasionally a third point of view.

Everen is the last male dragon, prophesied to save his kind from the dying land humans banished them to. Arcady is an orphaned thief who is determined to find out the truth behind the death of the Plaguebringer. When she steals a powerful artifact her path collides with Everen's. There begins a slow burn enemies to lovers to enemies dynamic. I admit I shipped them quite early on. I mean, the quips? The relationship development? So good!

The writing style wasn't my favourite, although I did get used to it after a while. The magic system could have been better explained and even though the world was interesting it needed more exploring. Hopefully, there will be more world building in the sequel.

All in all, a great read. The wait for book two is going to be painful!

To be honest, I was extremely and pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I was worried based on the synopsis, that the story would spin out of control because it seemed like a fantasy book tackling something big. However, it was quite the opposite experience and, in fact, the fantastical concepts it promotes are what you hope for when picking up a book. It's an epic fantasy with incredible world building and characters that are written with careful development. I really enjoyed the side characters and always love when a book doesn't just focus on the main protagonist(s) the entire plot. The magic is completely unique and like nothing I've ever read before. The two main POVs, Arcady and Everen, play off of each other so well and have a bit of anti-hero that you have to love. As weird as it sounds, Arcady and Everen were such a cool ship and the slow burn was everything! They had such a complex bond and the progression of their relationship is so well-written. I even really enjoyed the addition of the third POV, Sorin. It never felt like too many characters and made the collision of all the characters in the end more worthwhile. The ending was full of plot twists and leaves you hanging on the end of your seat...I cannot believe I'll have to wait for the next book to come out. It's definitely a trilogy I am excited to keep up with.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to read in exchange for this review.

<blockquote> I did not tell you that any magic you took from me, I would take back from you, and more. I would take everything. </blockquote>

Dragonfall is one of those books that I just don't think was written for me. It follows a dragon Everen who is stuck in a humanoid body who is on a mission to restore his kind after humanity betrayed them, a girl named Arcady whose grandfather was killed for being the creator of a series of plagues. I did really find the gender system interesting, but also a bit challenging. I like the idea of a world where your gender isn't just automatically assumed and it's impolite to do so. I also really enjoyed the magic system and what happens if you burn through your magic too quickly; it was really a cool concept and I think quite realistic that magic would be finite like any other source of energy. My biggest complaint is the way it's written not only from differing perspectives, but also to different audiences. I know that probably doesn't make much sense so I'm going to try again. I hated how Everen's portions were written like a diary to Arcady. It really was difficult to get into the flow of the story because Arcady's perspective isn't written the same way that his is. It's also super heavy on the lovey dovey and I'd have preferred a little more adventure than romance, but if you like romantic fantasy, this is probably one you will enjoy.

DNF at 40%
I really wanted to love this book. But the excecution just wasn't for me, I didn't engage with the writing style, none of the characters was likeable or memorable in some way that help me to continue with the reading. So decided to DNF it because I wasn't ejoying the story at all.

2.5 stars rounded to three just because the idea is really good, it was just me that didn't felt my way through the book.

Dragonfall is one of those books that I really wanted to connect with, but just couldn't.
I did not finish this one, due to the fact that the story feels like telling the reader what is happening and it feels jarred up at some places.
.
It has a beautiful cover. Love the cover as I'm a cover snob, but the story I'm afraid was just not for me. The writing is really great, the concept grabbed me completely, but it just didn't pull me in as much as I wanted to.
Thanks to Netgalley for my arc. I wished I loved it more.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was pleasantly surprised, it took me a bit to get into it, but once I did I was hooked. I enjoyed the representation and the world building was very well done. Thank you for the opportunity to read this!