Wings of Life

Politics, magic, and romance infuse Le Fay’s solid fantasy debut. In the land of Inra, Serae Cavendaffe mourns the presumed death of her elder brother, Bale, at the hands of the brutal Rihtlonders. Her life changes when former ally Volaach declares war on Inra, and Inra must ally with Rihtlond. Serae’s father, Lord Tychon, declares that she will be betrothed to the ruler of Rihtlond’s heir, Eldreth, to solidify this alliance. She will travel to Rihtlond, learn their customs, and root out their military weaknesses through espionage. Before she can marry, however, she must pass Rihtlond’s Sun Trials to prove her worth. As she prepares for this dangerous challenge, she is drawn into forbidden love with Wep, the weaponsmaster. Then, as part of the trials, she enters the cave of the Great Dragon of Life, one of the Seven Dragons that created the world, and unexpectedly becomes dragonbound, a dragon’s human champion. Now, Serae must navigate her role as spy, her affair with Wep, and the Great Dragon’s quest to restore balance between the realms. Serae is a strong protagonist who faces her missions with confidence and bravery, but readers hoping for action will be disappointed by the extremely slow buildup. Still, the world is colorful, and intrigue, magic, and sex are all treated with equal gusto. Romantasy fans will be pleased. (May)