A good novella with strong representation. I appreciated the ideas behind the cultural struggles. The fmc has a hard time maintaining her current identity with her true self. The book has ok world building, but wasn't long enough to really go in depth. It is a shallow fantasy that probably needs to be fleshed out to be considered true high fantasy

My thanks to RBmedia and Net Galley for a free audiobook of "Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame" by Neon Yang narrated by Nancy Wu.
The depictions of the immigrant experience resonated with me and the narrator brought those feelings to life.
While I felt that I needed more from the Romance in this book, it was an overall positive listening experience.

Neon Yang is great, as usual! Awesome fantasy, loved the casual queerness, will be checking out more!

This was a cool short book. I like the mandolorian vibes with the MC not removing their mask. I like the dragon lore as well. There is not much to review though because it was very straightforward nothing too crazy. I do think I should have DNFed it though because it took me so long to read and it was so short. For me that is how I know Im not really invested.

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you Net Galley for granting me this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brighter Than Scale Swifter Than Flame is the latest novella by Neon Yang and it was a blast start to finish! I loved how overtly queer this was almost as much as I loved the dragon element (although frankly there could have been more of both).

I think this was a perfect story to listen to as an audiobook as it had the same kind of feel as the novellas in the Singing Hills cycle – like something you might here told around a campfire rather than an epic story. That being said, I also think this had the bones to support a full length novel, or perhaps a movie length adaptation? Just putting it out there…

There was something missing from this and I honestly don’t know what that was, but I do know that its been a month since I finished this and there isn’t a huge amount standing out about it for me which in and of itself might be the issue. It was a fun, romantic, emotional read that was thoroughly enjoyable and I definitely recommend it to lovers of the genre. Was it missing the secret sauce? Maybe, but that shouldn’t stop people reading and enjoying it for what it is!

✨ Review ✨ Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang, Narrated by Nancy Wu

Thanks to Tor, Recorded Books, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Yeva is the masked guildknight, one of the legendary dragon hunters in the kingdom. As part of her identity, she must never remove her armor in public, and she's been living live this for years.

Now, she sets off for Quanbao, a remote kingdom, where she's sent to investigate rumors of a dragon. She befriends the leader of the kingdom, Lady Sookhee, and comes to respect her and appreciate her company. As she explores the kingdom, what will she find, and where do her loyalties lie?

This was a fun fantasy novella with great worldbuilding that fit within its short space constraints. While I'd have loved a bit more character building, it worked for a novella and I was invested in the story. I really enjoyed this one!

🎧 This was one that I had to read a bit on the page to get situated before I could listen on audio. Once I felt settled into the story and setting, the audio was great!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.25+)
Genre: fantasy novella
Setting: fantasy world
Length: 4 hours, 54 minutes
Reminds me of: The Mandalorian meets Freya Marske
Pub Date: May 6, 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ The Mandalorian
⭕️ Queer fantasy
⭕️ Dragons
⭕️ Novellas

Neon Yang never misses with their novellas. This was captivating, intriguing and beautifully told. The world building was clear and well developed, which is even more impressive considering the brevity of the story. I could have happily read another 300 pages of this.

Nancy Wu does a fantastic job of bringing this novella to life. Everything in this story is face paced. You are instantly thrown into the world of dragon slaying and mysterious kingdoms. The reveal is pretty predictable but that took away nothing from the story.

I absolutely loved this book. It was interesting and wild. One of my favorite characters was her cousin and his story. Her father’s brother was horrible. I can’t wait to read or listen to more of the authors books. I highly recommend reading or listening to their books.

Unfortunately life got in the way of my ability to listen to this ALC, but I was really looking forward to it. However I need to leave a review so here we go.

I’m so impressed with the intricate world building and deep characters created in such a short novel. Yeva reveals her powers as a child and is sent to the capital to train as a guildknight and face down dragons. Yeva is tasked with tracking down rumors of dragons in the neighboring kingdom and is entirely out of her element. While there she falls for Lady Sookhee and starts to realize there is more important things to her than following orders and conquering for an emperor.

This was an enjoyable fantasy novella with a strong female protagonist. I enjoyed worldbuilding, which was easily my favourite aspect of this one. I wish I felt better connected to the characters but I still spending time in the world.

I would recommend this one to fantasy reading looking for a new familiar yet enjoyable story

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I had high hopes for this novella. The premise is great, and I feel like this could be turned into a fantastic novel with some tweaks. I love a good sapphic romance, add in some dragons.. count me in! It just seemed like there was too much information packed into so few pages. I didn’t get a chance to truly connect with the characters, and the narration felt a bit robotic. The ending was rushed, and I felt like the whole novella was very predictable. I did like the narrator’s voice. She was great for this novella! The content execution just wasn’t for me, but I do see why others may love it! Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for providing me with this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

thank you so much to netgalley. for the arc of this book. it came out 5/6 & is narrated by nancy wu who did a great job. this book is definitely cozy adjacent & i had a great time reading it & learning about the characters & the world. it was beautifully written & has dragons!

It was good but it was lacking

pros

- sapphic romance
- dragons and knight
- really good storytelling

cons :

- It felt much more longer than it actually is
- Like the handicap rep but I felt like some chapter forgot about her disability and then remind us about her hand
- entertaining but extremely predictable
- Did not like the MC personality, she is a empty shell with no opinion for herself. I know she had been tamed by guild knight but still... She was like " I know I shouldn't do that but I will do it anyway because though I want to disobey I don't want to" . She know she could do it but have no will.

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame got me hooked. I loved the narration by Nancy Wu, who captured the feel of being told an oral legend. Yeva's story is not only one of finding love, but also of rediscovering the culture that she was deprived of as a child. There could be a full novel's worth of story here, but as a novella, it is still enthralling. I was personally fascinated with the sort of detached perspective you get with the storyteller style that this novella takes.

Best for those looking for a short, tight fantasy that feels satisfying and complete.

4.5 stars rounded down. The ending, from my perspective, walked back some of the key themes in a way that I didn't enjoy, nor did I think was necessary. For me, that was the difference between the four and five stars here.

I am admittedly very picky about my fantasy; I'll jump on any insincerity and the illusion will be broken for the rest of the story. However, this book successfully walked a thin line between world-building and character development in its tight, just-shy-of-five-hours runtime. Though the plot in this one followed a very predictable structure, it was gorgeously told. Nothing felt rushed, nor do I believe it would have benefitted from a longer runtime. It sits just right for its journey.

I really felt like the characters were both flesh and myth, which is a delicate balance that was so well executed here. Some of the dialogue was a bit wooden, but that can be forgiven remembering its storytelling structure. The narrator for the audiobook was also incredible. There was an appropriate amount of whimsy for a myth-like narrator without losing the very real emotion between the characters.

Overall, a great June read. I'd certainly recommend it to others, especially my close friends.

With love and thanks to RBmedia for the ARC audiobook!

This is a poignant and richly imagined queer fantasy novella that intertwines dragon-slaying, political intrigue, and personal identity. The story follows Yeva, a legendary guildknight whose life has been defined by her role as a dragon slayer. Encased in armor and detached from her past, Yeva is dispatched to the reclusive kingdom of Quanbao, where dragons are revered rather than hunted. There, she encounters Lady Sookhee, the enigmatic monarch of Quanbao, leading Yeva to question her loyalties and her past.

I really enjoyed everything in this novella from the characters and how they interacted to the world-building. Yeva’s journey from a detached warrior to someone rediscovering her identity is portrayed with nuance. The developing relationship between Yeva and Lady Sookhee was enticing, and I really enjoyed how this ended up.

Despite the novella length, the book offers a vivid portrayal of its setting. The cultural contrasts between Yeva’s homeland and Quanbao are explored thoughtfully, enhancing the story’s depth. Understanding the world and the dragons was such a key part to the book, and I was constantly intrigued.

This is a beautifully crafted novella that delves into themes of identity, duty, and personal transformation. It is a compelling blend of fantasy and character development, and a clear read for anyone who loves queer fantasy.

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame was a quick and fun read that kept me engaged all the time. For me personally, the story throws you into the plot a little too suddenly and the romance aspect could have profited from a few more pages but both of these points are pretty common for novellas. I did see the "plot twist" coming from a mile away but I didn't mind that. In the end, I really enjoyed the story because the topic was very interesting and the writing style was just beautiful!

A female dragon slayer (whom few know is a lady) is told to embark on a political mission to a land close to the one she is from. While there, she is befriended by the newly minted female King of the land, and our heroine learns about her roots and where she truly belongs.

Almost like the elves in Lord of the Rings, beautiful yet deadly. Our FMC is badass but also very native. It is apparent from the beginning that there is a war going on within between her duty and her heart. At one point, she starts to explore a life that would make her happy, instead of one where someone is always telling her what to do. The FMC is inspired by the King of the land, who is heartwarming and mysterious all in one.
​The prose is lush and rich. It is dreamy yet strong. I enjoyed the lyrical nature of the writing, which (to me) compounds the fantasy nature of the whole story. Deep and poignant, it is a book that will leave you satisfied in the end.

The narration on this one is calm, yet strong. Petfect for the lyrical setting.