I had a feeling this was going to be a five star read and I’m so glad it lived up to my expectations! This is going to be a weird comparison, but the writing and pacing of this book made me think of Season 2 of House of the Dragon (and I mean it as a compliment). It’s a bit slower paced, but it’s because the focus is on the political intrigue, character interactions, and strong world-building. There are some bigger action moments that helped move the plot along, but they weren’t the main focus.

The multiple POVs were handled wonderfully and I loved that each character had their own unique voice/personality so they didn’t blend together. The one exception being that these characters are so thirsty. Their inner dialogues had me begging certain characters to just kiss already!

Overall, a well-written fantasy with compelling characters. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Super fun high fantasy book with dragons, political intrigue, and dual POVs. You'll be hooked from the first chapter. From the cool plant powers, the bisexuality, the enemies to lovers, and the LGBT+ rep, everything about this book is perfection. If you are a fan of Game of Thrones you will like this, especially if you want the female characters to have a personality.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit/Hachette for this eARC.
Between Dragons and Their Wrath is narrated by Soneela Nankani, Lauren Fortgang, and Ron Butler who all did a fantastic job bringing their respective characters to life. While they don't interact there was enough connection there to keep me intrigued and I hope there is some meeting in future books. If you're looking for a high fantasy dragon book you might be a bit disappointed. There are dragons but they do not feature as prominently as I would have expected and I imagine that will change in future books in this series. All in all I really enjoyed this first installment. There was spice, LGBTQ rep mm and ff relationships, and I felt intrigued in each character and found myself wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

3.5/5*

Overall, Between Dragons and Their Wrath is a very entertaining fantasy story that absolutely does its job of drawing you in for the rest of the series. It's fun. It's a shockingly quick read. But it does suffer from first-book syndrome--when you look at it as a whole, not a lot happens in this book. It's not entirely clear where the plot is going to go--it all feels very much like a setup for the rest of the series, which is fine (and does, in fact, make me want to keep reading the series), but I do wish this volume had a stronger plot of its own.

The story is told from three points of view. None of the POV characters ever meet each other, which is something that can be hard to pull off without feeling disjointed and is something I personally am very picky about, but I felt that this book handled it well. There's just enough overlap between secondary characters and settings to keep you invested in how everything will continue to tie together, and overall I thought the different storylines were executed well. However, the two women POV characters really didn't have distinct voices from each other, which was a bit disappointing and at times hard to read.

I would also call this book a bit poorly marketed. This is advertised as a dragon book, obviously, and while there are implications that dragons will play a much larger role in the rest of the series, they were a tragically small part of this volume. Only one POV character has anything to do with the dragons, and that's only for at most half of the book, and even then they're not nearly as much of a focus as you'd expect considering Ashadi is literally a dragon rider.

Additionally, I learned while looking at other reviews that this is marketed as romantasy? This is interesting to me--while the book is, frankly, uncomfortably horny, and while romance (or, more accurately, sex and desire) is a recurring theme and conflict for all three POV characters, I leave this book without a clear view of who two of the POV characters' love interests will even be. It's actually something I would compliment the book on; while the out-of-the-blue smut and general horniness were sure something, for the most part, I thought this book did a good job of keeping romance and desire prevalent underlying themes while still being secondary to the plot (even if the plot in this volume was mostly just worldbuilding). So, I would recommend against going into this expecting a romantasy.

"Between Dragons and Their Wrath" is a captivating fantasy novel that lures you into a richly layered world filled with dragons, political intrigue, and a diverse cast of characters. The book is structured around three distinct narratives, each offering a unique perspective on the tumultuous events unfolding across the Shattered Kingdom.

Tesha, a glass smith and freedom fighter, navigates the treacherous waters of high society, where every word and gesture could mean the difference between life and death. Her storyline, steeped in political machinations, is the most compelling, showcasing Devin Madson's talent for weaving intricate plots full of double-crosses and hidden agendas.

Ashadi, a noble exiled to a harsh and unforgiving land, brings a mix of action and romance to the table. His chapters are rich with history and lore, as well as the thrill of dragon riding—a highlight for any fantasy fan. The dynamic between Ashadi and Mana adds a touch of romance that, while not overwhelming, adds depth to the story.

Naili, the laundress-turned-revolutionary, was the character I struggled with the most. Her narrative leans heavily into the fantastical elements of the world, which felt less grounded compared to the political and action-packed threads of Tesha and Ashadi. Her chapters were often slower and, at times, felt disconnected from the rest of the story.

Madson excels at creating a world that feels both vast and intimate, with detailed descriptions of cities, cultures, and the ever-present tension between different societal groups. The themes of anti-colonialism and the impact of imperialism are woven throughout, adding a layer of depth to the story that resonates in today's world.

The novel's pacing is a bit uneven, with a slow start that gradually builds momentum. The first-person multi-POV approach is ambitious, and while it allows for deep character exploration, it can also be disorienting at times. However, once you get into the rhythm of the story, it becomes a thrilling ride.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the sheer creativity of its worldbuilding. From glass-scaled dragons to the mysterious alchemy that permeates the land, there's always something new and intriguing to discover. The novel ends on a cliffhanger that leaves you eager for more, though the abruptness of the conclusion might frustrate some readers.

In summary, "Between Dragons and Their Wrath" is a promising start to what could be an epic series. It has its flaws, but the strengths—particularly in worldbuilding and political intrigue—far outweigh them. If you're a fan of high fantasy with a mix of romance, action, and complex themes, this book is well worth your time. I'll definitely be picking up the next installment.

Many people do not want to city states of Paicha to be unified. They feel that they would lose the rights and freedom that they have. With a vote coming soon, everyone is on edge.

Meanwhile, 3 people from different social classes will find they have more in common than they ever thought possible.
Tesha is a glassblower's apprentice about to be thrown into a very dangerous political plot.
Naili works in a laundry for an alchemist.
And Lord Ashadi is a dragon rider protecting the realm.

Something big is going on in the political world behind the scenes. They all know it and can feel it. They just don't know exactly what it is or how to stop it.

I wasn't sure about this one at first. I thought it started slow. But once I got more invested in the characters and started to notice the connections between them, I was hooked! Of course it ended on a cliffhanger so I will be reading the next one as soon as it comes out.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-copy of this novel!

This book starts by just throwing you into the story. I kept wondering if I was reading a sequel or something. I don't always mind just getting thrown into the middle of stories, but I struggled to follow what was happening for a while with some of the narratives. I also preferred the political intrigue over the fantasy elements. Tesha's narrative was mostly political and I found it most engaging. Ashadi's started fantastical, but I wasn't really that into it until it became more political about halfway through. And Naili's narrative was pretty fantastical the whole time and I was not a fan. I was always bummed when her chapters would pop up. It doesn't help that the world doesn't really feel that fleshed out. It doesn't feel like the characters are all existing in the same world. There was some overlap that will likely become more relevant later, but it basically just felt like 3 unrelated stories. Even though I wasn't really that into this book (aside from Tesha, I'm very interested in her story), I feel like the sequel will be better and the stories will start connecting.

between dragons and their wrath
- except we don’t get a lot of dragons? or wrath? so misleading title
- 3 MC’s and I don’t like any of them so far yikes, maybe Tesha a bit but i’m scared for her story arc seeing as we get no insight to why an ‘insult bride’ is so damaging to a higher ranking official? also stop making multi-POV stories and writing them in first person PLEASE !!
- enjoyed the queer-normativity! men is skirts! excepts I don’t need to be reminded that everyone is in a skirt thanks!
- am I dumb or is the world-building bad? why do the dragons need riders? why do we keep getting dragon/dragonrider duos that we are supposed to be scared of the dragons (and their wrath ha! ha!) but we get saddled with the dragon that is just a dick? like I wouldn’t want to be used by the government either but why is this the perspective we KEEP getting in these kinds of dragon/dragonrider fantasy books? it makes the dragons looked weak and underwhelming
- no seriously, AM I DUMB OR IS THE WORLDBUIDLING BAD??
- sorry I hate everyone’s names. holy shit why do we have to worst possible names for everyone please stop help me
- damn Naili is very sexually motivated and thirsty? okay I guess?
- I wish we had seen more planning with Tesha and her going to tear things down from the inside. her being prepped a few days before being shipped off felt lazy
- my god does this drag in the middle please someone call for help!! I like slow burn but this is a gentle simmer
- where are the dragons?? I WANT TO FEEL THEIR WRATH PLEASE
- why do I feel like i’m reading book 2 of a series? did someone forget to tell me several something’s?

wow looking back on my notes from this is hilarious. I really wanted to like this book and I do think it has its audience however I am trying to figure out exactly who that would be? not your typical ‘romantasy’ reader. not a seasoned epic fantasy reader looking for something new. maybe if you are new to epic fantasy and don’t want to have to read 6+ books in a series.

orbit please I love you sm don’t hate me for this

thank you to netgalley and orbit <3 for a copy of this for my honest review!

Thank you, Devin Madson (the author) and Orbit Books for making this ARC freely available via NetGalley. They had no influence over the following review.

Between Dragons and Their Wrath has several elements that appeal to me: a secondary fantasy world, politics, action. mythical creatures (sentient dragons), and a bit of romantic intrigue. It also, unexpectedly, had a couple of explicit scenes of intimacy. The sum of those parts was a book that didn't work for me as much as I hoped.

The politics confused me. Even by the end of the book, after numerous conversations between characters and news report blurbs, I didn't understand the political structure. That might be solved by a re-read or just paying closer attention in the first place. There are several things that felt implausible. Tesha's plan would have made more sense if there had been more planning time (months, not days) and time enough to develop a realistic cover story. And even if with time, it didn't make sense that it would accomplish anything.

I liked the concept of the dragons and thought the reveals about them were done well. I just wish there had been more of them. That may come in the sequel(s). The romantic intrigue was hit or miss. Ashadi's pining was well done, but his eventual encounter led to an awkward aftermath. Tesha and her relationship fell flat for me since her partners' personalities weren't developed enough to make me invested. And Naili seemed indiscriminate in her tastes in a way that felt off-putting. Unfortunately, the most explicit sex scene was between 2 participants, neither of whom I liked.

Overall, I think I would have preferred if the story had only 2 story threads or replaced one of the POVs with a different POV and that it had taken place over more time and allowed more development of the political and social environment of the story. I am curious where the story goes, but I'm not sure I'll be reading the sequel

HIGHLIGHTS
~one dragon, no wrath
~politics that make no sense
~the blurb is a lie

Well, that sucked.

Between Dragons and Their Wrath starts very strong, in a world that seems fascinating, with glass dragons fighting off monsters on the regular to protect cities joined by glass roads. But it all goes downhill pretty fast.

Mostly because the book focuses on all the wrong things. It’s clear that there’s a lot of cool worldbuilding here, but we see barely any of it, because instead of exploring the colonised population, the strange people fighting alongside the monsters in the desert, or the alleged almost-invaders who are behaving very strangely… Instead of any of that, the only culture we get a good look at are the Regency British stand-ins, and that is just MADDENING.

An example: in the very first chapter, we learn that Apaians don’t have marriage in their culture. Two people tying themselves together exclusively is, apparently, something that’s leaking in from the ruling Emorrans.

>“Marriage? Family?” I all but spat the words. “You know as well as I do how dangerous those customs are to our communes and care groups.”<

!!! I am so interested!!! What’s a commune in this setting? What’s a care group? What does this culture do in place of/instead of marriage? What is the alternative to family? You don’t have families? Please explain!

Spoiler: it is not explained. The no-families thing is mentioned again near the end of the book, but not once is it explained, and I still have no clue what a care group is or how Apaians arrange things without any kind of marriage.

(And I mean – one of our Apaian MCs has a brother who is the love interest of another MC. They use the same surname, call each other family. So…? Were they raised somewhere that had adopted Emorran ideas of family? Or are they not actually blood-related and something else is going on? What???)

The whole book is like this: sprinkled with incredibly intriguing tidbits or hints that are never explained, never mind expanded on or explored. Even details the whole book hinges on – like the concept of an ‘insult bride’ – are just hand-waved. I genuinely couldn’t believe how much of what was interesting and/or FREAKING IMPORTANT was just glossed over.

>” The substitution of a commoner in place of a high-born marriage candidate.”

…

A few solemn, thoughtful nods met this, but I’d missed the part that made it all make sense. “But what will it achieve?” I asked. “It sounds like it will just make Reacher Sormei look bad.”

“Looking bad is political death in Emora,”<

Okay, wait. You’re telling me that YOU – the conspirators – passing off a commoner as a noble for the purpose of a treaty-marriage…makes the guy who wants the treaty look bad? Instead of making the noble family who pretends the commoner is their daughter? Why aren’t THEY the ones who look bad? How does that work? Why does it even matter who marries who to seal a treaty when there is no monarchy? Why is there ANY marriage to seal a treaty when no monarchies are involved? Why wouldn’t people think it was the conspirators who’d done wrong, when the substitution becomes public knowledge? Huh???

This is chapter one. The fate of all the cities could hinge on this treaty. And in the 439 pages Between Dragons and Their Wrath is on my Kindle, we’re never told why an insult bride is a thing in this culture, why it has any meaning at all, or how or why exactly it would ruin anyone but the people pulling one over on their elected president-person (the Reacher).

Madson does this with plot too, by the way. The number of times we had events described or summarised for us after the fact instead of having them on-page was UNBELIEVABLE! Particularly with the political intrigue parts; don’t go expecting glittering balls full of people politicking, because those are all skipped over. Don’t expect to see how the wedding night of the insult bride goes, despite what exactly happens being INCREDIBLY PLOT-RELEVANT – we’ll hear the all-important Thing summarised the morning after instead. The story another MC is told about the true origin of the dragons and the world-changing history that’s been buried? Told off-page – we don’t hear a single word if it.

WHY IS THIS LIKE THIS???

The blurb is almost painfully misleading on every count. Tesha – our insult bride – her city isn’t conquered, it accepts a treaty, one most of its politicians seem to want. Naili doesn’t join a rebellion; she joins a criminal gang, not to change the world but out of desperation, having nowhere else to go. Ash does absolutely ZERO protecting of ‘his’ dragon – who we barely see; I think she’s bodily in one chapter, and speaks telepathically in one other, right at the end. There are no dragon hunters. In fact, for a book with dragons in the title, there is an appalling scarcity of them. I’d call the title+blurb combo extremely false advertising.

Even leaving aside the blurb (which after all is not written by or under the control of the author)…nothing really happens in this book. We follow Tesha, Naili, and Ash in alternating chapters, and for the first few chapters of each POV, things are happening…and then they just stop. And drag. And go nowhere. Tesha sits around fretting. Naili performs one (1) burglary. Ash…honestly, everything after Ash left the Citadel of the dragonriders (which happens far too soon) is a vague blur for me, none of it has stayed in my memory, which should tell you everything you need to know. All three get truly terrible sex scenes (which I’ll expand on in a moment). But there’s no character development, no relationship development, no action, no exploration. Just…mehness. Up until the last chapter of each character’s POV, all three of which end on Big! Dramatic!! Cliffhangers!!! because of course they do; it’s a last-ditch attempt to get us interested in what’s going on again, enough to make us want to pick up book two, and friends, I will not be doing that.

(It might have been better if there were fewer POVs – maybe the one or ones that were kept would get more room to breathe and develop. As it was, I think the need to alternate chapters meant that nobody had time for actual plot. It’s as if Between Dragons and Their Wrath was actually a third of its length; this book is functionally three novellas stuck together, and not only do they not overlap each other’s stories, but they are really, really boring novellas.)

I don’t usually comment upon sex scenes in my reviews – I’m not super interested in them, and most of the books I read don’t have super explicit ones. But I have to comment on these, because they are so fucking bad.

In Tesha’s sex scene (each POV character gets just one, remember), she and her ex-boyfriend fuck right before/after her wedding (I can’t remember which, and I do not care), and it would be…fine…except for Tesha saying ‘Please don’t’ TWICE and said ex going ahead anyway. That hit me in all the wrong ways, and I actually didn’t touch the book again for weeks after reading that part. It probably goes without saying that I was also really pissed off that it is 2024 and we still get sex scenes that don’t care about consent, but which we’re totally supposed to approve of anyway. It’s supposed to be hot!

Spoiler: it really isn’t.’

Naili’s sex scene is…honestly bizarre: she apparently went house-breaking without any underwear, because after breaking in, she gets finger-fucked on a table by a woman she hates who hates her back, and there is no mention of underwear being removed or pushed aside to make room for said finger-fucking. There’s also an attempt at dagger-at-your-throat kink, but it’s so rushed it falls very flat.

Ash’s sex scene is the one that had me calling up my friend in publishing, asking if there’s a writing version of intimacy coordinators and do editors keep any on staff, because. What. Besides giving no explanation for why Ash’s love interest is suddenly on board with them getting it on, despite having ignored Ash’s feelings for a good while at this point, Madson also manages to lose track of a cigarette. Which is kind of a big deal, because the making out starts with one character holding it in their teeth, with the lit end in his mouth, offering it to the other that way. You know, so the other guy will have to kiss him to smoke it. And then they are making out. Apparently without setting aside the cigarette.

Can you imagine the burns?!

Perhaps the underwear and cigarette will appear in the published version of the book; I read an arc, after all, and those have typos and things in them sometimes. But that still means Madson originally wrote the scenes as I read them, and hi, I hate all of it. It certainly doesn’t help that the prose is very dull the whole way through the book; there’s certainly no sensual description that might lend itself well to writing sex.

I was so, so excited for this book. I loved the first few chapters. But it’s not what I was led to believe it was, and what it actually is is monotonous and frustrating. It’s not a dragon book, never mind a dragon-rider book. It’s not an intrigue book. It’s not a revolution book. Everything interesting was barely touched on or kicked off-page entirely; too much that was important was kept off-page. I have no idea what the point of this story was, when it deliberately avoids all the cool bits and does nothing with its characters or its world. It certainly wasn’t entertaining – just infuriating.

Go ahead and skip this one – we all deserve better.

An Intriguing High Fantasy

I will say the start of this had my head spinning a little. There were a lot of POVs in different places and it was a lot to figure out right up front. But that is the case for many high fantasy with a good amount of world-building.

Though I will say the POVs were clear and not easily mixed. And it was nice to get to the point of the book where everything started clicking and connecting.

The political scheming was a lot of fun to read about and kept the plot interesting!

I especially loved Ash's story. Aside from the dragon riding, I do enjoy a tortured soul. However, all the characters had some of that.

I am definitely going to continue this series as it evolves!

Started this... been working on it but got approved for the audio. Going to focus on the audiobook. But enjoying the book so far

Another book where the writing style absolutely did not hit for me - the excruciating, multi-page glass metaphor in the first chapter should have been a sign of what was to come. This was a shame, because the plot, characters, and relationships were all competing, and I am usually not a fan of multi-POV style books. Also, nothing gives me the ick faster than bad humor & sex scenes, and this novel was rife with uncomfortable smut and millennial jokes that made it less than perfect for my tastes.

Between Dragons and Their Wrath is the first book of a new high fantasy series by Devin Madson. Having never read anything by the author, I did not know what to expect. What I ended up with was an epic tale of political intrigue, the clashing of cultures, and some seriously ✨spicy✨ romance.

The story revolves around three central characters. Each chapter is told from their alternating points of view. First is Tesha, a freedom fighter for Learshapa, a land that is in danger of being absorbed by the empire of Emora but also under the threat of war by Lummazza. Why? For a stretch of land known as The Basin, which is rich in the valuable Scale. To make a difference the only way she knows how, she agrees to become an “insult bride” and marry the brother of the enemy. Second is Ashadi, a titled dragon rider in service to the kingdom. His dragon, Shuala, is by far my favorite character. So sassy! I love her. Lastly, there is Naili. She works as a clothes washer for a mysterious alchemist master. Soon, she finds herself with a dangerous affinity for plants and in desperate need of a cure that sets her on an unexpected journey. Each character is loosely connected, coming together as the story progresses.

The cast is diverse and well fleshed out. What I truly enjoyed is that they are all flawed and human. They are irrational at times and make questionable decisions, but that makes them all the more real, in my opinion. I loved to see their character develop as the story went on, for better or for worse.

My biggest complaint is that, at times, the plot appears to be sacrificed in order to make room for those deliciously steamy scenes. As much as I enjoyed the spice, it sometimes felt wrong in the moment.

Be prepared, it ends on a massive cliffhanger that leaves you desperately wanting more! I am excited to see how the story continues, but I definitely screamed in frustration in the moment.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. A special thanks to Netgalley and Orbit Books!

DNFed at 52%. I remain interested in the plot of the book but I struggled with the writing. I feel the book lacked any build up before just being launched into the real plot. You don’t really get any building on the characters or the world and it makes you feel almost disconnected to the characters. It reads like a sequel and not like book one in a series. If adjusted I would give this another chance but where it stands I will not be completing it.

First book in a new fantasy series with dragons does some things very very well and others slightly less so, but still giving this a 4 our of 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Slow burn queer fantasy with dragons? Sign me up! Between Dragons and Their Wrath has many of the hallmarks of a great fantasy series: dragons, political intrigue, morally grey characters, unexplained magic, and lots and lots of mysteries. The story is told from the perspective of three characters that at first seem unconnected, but as the plot unravels you realize the threads that connect them. Tesha and Ashadi have stories that are complex and deeply connected to the world, but at least in this first book, the story of Naili falls a little flat. I have a feeling her story is going to become a much bigger part of the overall plot in the next books, but at least for now her story felt almost completely independent of the overall plot.

Between Dragons and Their Wrath walks that fine line of a plot driven story and one driven by its characters, which makes the overall plot complex and interesting. I am excited to see where it goes.

I’m going to be honest here: I requested an ARC when I saw this described as epic fantasy with dragons and forbidden romance but not marketed as a romantasy. I think there’s a sweet spot between fantasy with no substantive romance and a romantasy; the former ignores a fairly fundamental part of the human experience and the latter often doesn’t have a strong enough plot to stand on its legs without the romance.

And Between Dragons and Their Wrath strikes that balance nicely with the addition of court intrigue, strange alchemy, anti-imperialism, and more. We have three main POVs, each of whom find themselves enmeshed in events larger than themselves. Tesha is a glassblower’s apprentice active in city-state politics who, after a failed romance with a disguised noble finds herself working with that same noble to sell herself as an insult bride to a political enemy. Naili is a laundress who works for a mysterious alchemist, and she begins to discover her own odd powers. And Ash is a dragon rider who protects the realm but can’t protect himself, his dragon, or his handsome valet Mana from physical or political danger.

It’s fairly fast-paced after each POV is established, and I breezed through it because I enjoyed it so much. Fair warning though: there’s a cliffhanger.

I usually give my initial review as soon as I finish reading the book and this time is no exception, but I am rather unsure how much I liked it in general. There were things I liked about it for sure and some things I didn't like so much. The story was interesting in some places but then it felt like I was reading a romance novel but never really committed to that or it was just not done well, I think. I don't read romances that much though. It has political intrigue and action as well. I prefer the action more, but the intrigue was done well, I think. Not as much action but that may increase in the next book. I expect more intrigue and more in the next book as well. Some characters were fun to read about while others were just ok. This could be different for other readers though. The character I think I enjoyed most was Niali among the main characters. Tesha was ok and will like to see how she evolves going forward. Ashadi was my least liked character but that leaves the room for growth to like him more. I think this could be a series that many could find something to like and enjoy reading. Oh yeah it has dragons so that alone will interest people enough to get people to give it a try. I will definitely need to do a reread of this one to fully get a grasp of it. Thank you to publishers and netgalley and of course the author for the chance to read a good book. A 3.5 stars for me but averaging up to 4.

Wonderful story, excellent world building, lovable characters - I enjoyed this very much!! Wonderful story, excellent world building, lovable characters - I enjoyed this very much!!

"Between Dragons and Their Wrath" began slowly, focusing on world-building and introducing the characters whose perspectives we follow throughout the story. While I hoped for more dragon action, I anticipate that will come in the next book. The plot extends beyond the "insult bride" storyline, and I particularly enjoyed Naili's arc once it picked up. I'm intrigued to see how she handles her new plant powers and whether they will overwhelm her as they did her friend. This first book feels like a setup for what will hopefully be a more action-packed sequel.