Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: The Dragon’s Legacy
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.deborahawolf.com/
CITY:
STATE: MI
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2017045833
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017045833
HEADING: Wolf, Deborah A. (Novelist)
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100 1_ |a Wolf, Deborah A. |c (Novelist)
370 __ |e Michigan |2 naf
374 __ |a Authors |2 lcsh
375 __ |a female
377 __ |a eng
670 __ |a The dragon’s legacy, 2017: |b title page (Deborah A. Wolf) jacket flap (lives in northern Michigan)
PERSONAL
Has children.
EDUCATION:Holds college degrees.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Has worked variously as a linguist and underwater photographer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Deborah A. Wolf is a writer based in Michigan. She has also worked as a linguist and an underwater photographer.
In 2017, Wolf released her first novel, The Dragon’s Legacy, the first volume in a series. The book, an epic fantasy, features numerous characters, including a woman named Hafsa Azeina. Hafsa is a member of the Zeerani tribes, who make their home in the desert. She has supernatural abilities that make her a dreamshifter, one who is able to kill enemies in their sleep. Hafsa has many enemies and has been fighting off the assassins they have been sending to her. Meanwhile, she has been raising Sulema, her daughter. Sulema has trained to become a warrior for the Zeerani people. Hafsa and Sulema may be in danger when Sulema’s father, a powerful sorcerer from Atualon, finds them. He is known as the Dragon King, and he lives in a castle made from obsidian. He is responsible for keeping the dragon who lives inside the planet asleep. If the dragon should wake, it would result in terrible consequences. Meanwhile, Sulema’s half-brother is trying to find her. A series of betrayals and other events cause Sulema to go with the Dragon King and upheaval in the Zeerani world.
In an interview with Matt Staggs, contributor to the Unbound Worlds website, Wolf discussed her writing process for the book, stating: “The Dragon’s Legacy started life as The Heart of Atualon, and was originally intended to be a short sword-and-sorcery in the desert swashbuckler, the kind of book a new author should be writing. But I wanted my secondary characters to be well-rounded, so I started fleshing out Hafsa Azeina’s story in my head, and boom. All these fascinating characters began pestering me to tell their stories.” Regarding the larger themes of the story, Wolf told a writer on the My Life, My Books, My Escape website: “It’s about the threat to human survival by ecological forces—huge ecological forces, in this case, with wings and scales and all—and how different societies react to that threat. It’s about indigenous societies caught between warring empires, and a struggle to maintain cultural identity. Mostly it’s about the small human stories of everyday people trying to go about their lives and loves while these events are taking place.”
“Wolf’s debut is ambitious but staggers under the weight of its own epic pageantry,” commented a critic in Kirkus Reviews. The same critic concluded: “Wolf writes for a big screen: the smaller, human moments struggle for room to breathe.” In a more favorable assessment of the novel in Booklist, Frances Moritz remarked: “This book will leave readers with intense curiosity about its different cultures and anxiously awaiting a sequel.” Megan M. McArdle, reviewer in Library Journal, suggested: “Wolf does a good job of laying out her game board of rival powers.” A Publishers Weekly writer asserted: “Wolf’s opulent visual imagination and sly humor thoroughly overcome a slow start.” Shellie Horst, critic on the SFF World website, stated: “The huge cast of characters can be a little tricky to keep up with, but true fans of epic will be used to the impressive scale.” Horst added: “Like any good epic you find yourself wanting more of your favourite character. There can be no doubt that re-reading it will reveal more, something fans of epic are beginning to expect.” Writing on the Grim Dark website, Matthew Cropley called the novel “a must-buy for anyone seeking a deep relationship with a group of interesting characters and a compelling world. It’s a fantastic, complex debut work of the sort that leaves one thinking about its many layers even after having finished reading.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 15, 2017, Frances Moritz, review of The Dragon’s Legacy, p. 39.
Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2017, review of The Dragon’s Legacy.
Library Journal, February 15, 2017, Megan M. McArdle and Kristi Chadwick, “Science Fiction/Fantasy,” review of The Dragon’s Legacy, p. 66.
Publishers Weekly, October 31, 2016, review of The Dragon’s Legacy, p. 57.
ONLINE
BookPage Online, https://bookpage.com/ (April 18, 2017), Lily Norton, author interview.
Deborah A. Wolf Website, http://www.deborahawolf.com/ (July 24, 2017).
Grim Dark, http://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/ (April 6, 2017), Matthew Cropley, review of The Dragon’s Legacy.
My Life, My Books, My Escape, https://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/ (April 20, 2017), author interview.
SFF World, http://www.sffworld.com/ (May 24, 2017), Shellie Horst, review of The Dragon’s Legacy.
Unbound Worlds, http://www.unboundworlds.com/ (April 12, 2017), Matt Staggs, author interview.*
was born in a barn and raised on wildlife refuges, which explains rather a lot. As a child, whether she was wandering down the beach of an otherwise deserted island or exploring the hidden secrets of Alaska with her faithful dog Sitka, she always had a book at hand. She opened the forbidden door, and set foot upon the tangled path, and never looked back.
Deborah attended any college that couldn’t outrun her and has accumulated a handful of degrees. She has worked as an underwater photographer, Arabic linguist, and grumbling wage slave. Throughout it all, she has held onto one true and passionate love: the love of storytelling.
Deborah currently lives in northern Michigan with her kids (some of whom are grown and all of whom are exceptional), an assortment of dogs and horses, and a pair of demons masquerading as cats.
Biography
Deborah A. Wolf was born in a barn and raised on wildlife refuges, which explains rather a lot. As a child, whether she was wandering down the beach of an otherwise deserted island or exploring the hidden secrets of Alaska with her faithful dog Sitka, she always had a book at hand. She opened the forbidden door, and set foot upon the tangled path, and never looked back.
Deborah attended any college that couldn’t outrun her and has accumulated a handful of degrees. She has worked as an underwater photographer, Arabic linguist, and grumbling wage slave. Throughout it all, she has held onto one true and passionate love: the love of storytelling.
Deborah currently lives in northern Michigan with her kids (some of whom are grown and all of whom are exceptional), an assortment of dogs and horses, and a pair of demons masquerading as cats.
Deborah A. Wolf writes books that double as melee weapons.
Web Exclusive – April 18, 2017
DEBORAH A. WOLF
Where women warriors rule
BookPage interview by Lily Norton
Deborah A. Wolf makes her epic fantasy debut with The Dragon’s Legacy, the first novel in an ambitious trilogy about the Zeeranim, a tribe of fierce female warriors determined to protect their desert homeland. One of the brave young warriors, Sulema, is stunned to learn of her long-hidden connection to the powerful Dragon King who rules in a neighboring land. The novel traverses the sands of the Zeera desert and beyond as readers encounter dream-shifting shamans and terrifying mythical creatures.
Wolf has personal experience with wild landscapes and ferocious creatures, since she grew up in an Alaskan wildlife refuge. We asked her for some insight into what she calls her childhood as a “barbarian warrior”—with all its bumps and bruises—and how those experiences translate onto the page in her thrilling new novel.
How did you decide to create a matriarchal society like that of the Zeeranim? These characters pack some serious girl power. Are there any women in your life who should be ruling the world?
One of the things I’m having fun with as I write The Dragon’s Legacy series is trope-flipping. Desert tribes are overwhelmingly portrayed as male dominated and repressive of women and women’s sexuality, so I wanted to write that backwards and see what emotional impact it might hold for my readers. Also, I grew up in the middle of Alaska, and the women in my village were for the most part powerful and admirable, whether for their skills at hunting and fishing, jobs on fishing boats and in the oil fields, or for their abilities in providing for and raising families in a dangerous and awesome environment. My Granny should have ruled the world. It would be a much kinder place today had she a voice in making policy.
The Dragon’s Legacy is filled with all sorts of strange (and scary) animals. How did you come up with the creatures in the novel? Are they combinations of your favorite animals, your least favorite, or just animals that you think would look interesting blended together?
I grew up on wildlife refuges, so the natural world informed my development from an early age. I enjoy worldbuilding as far as imagining ecosystems and the life forms one might find, especially on a world born of a dragon’s dreaming.
World building is an incredibly difficult undertaking. Can you tell us how your experience as an Arabic linguist and your love of different cultures contributed to your talent for creating new worlds?
I can’t imagine how much more of a struggle this would be if my upbringing and early adulthood had been more homogeneous. Exposure to and appreciation for cultures different from my own have imbued me with a fascination for the breadth of the human experience; we are so strange, so wonderful and odd and funny and frightening as a species. Sulema is an intriguing and unique character. She is brave to the point of recklessness, fierce and strong.
Is there a little of you in Sulema? In a perfect world, would you like to live your life like hers?
There is a lot of me in Sulema, which is probably why I’ve had knee surgery, cortisone shots and some hearing loss. I regret nothing. Sulema is a good kid, and people who knew me as a young soldier will recognize many of her personality traits. That being said, I’m probably more like Hafsa Azeina [Sulema's adoptive mother] at this stage of my life.
If you woke up tomorrow as any mythical creature—including ones of your own invention—which one would it be and why?
A dragon, of course. Even the least of dragons inspires us to awe.
Which came to you first, the plot or the concept for the world of The Dragon’s Legacy?
The concept came first, though it was in the beginning a much simpler story, meant to be a quick sword and sorcery in the desert tale of Sulema’s journey to meet her father and create her destiny. Writing is much like parenting; you conceive a child and love it immediately with all your heart, and then kind of sit back and watch in awe as that child defies all your preconceived notions and grows into something more wonderful than you could have imagined. The novel has so many unique castes and occupations, from dreamshifters to First Mothers to vashai.
Was there any real-world or historical inspiration for the hierarchy and cultural structures in place?
I am an avid reader of histories, biographies and faerie tales, and at any given time you might find me engrossed in a National Geographic magazine or BBC documentary. So the short answer to this question would have to be “Yes, all of it.” History, current events, and a big dose of ‘what if’. What if China had interfered with Roman expansion? What if Atlantis had sunk down into the earth instead of the ocean? What if the threat of earthquakes in California is actually a result of a restless dragon stirring in her sleep?
Elaborate a little about the connection between issues in the book regarding indigenous peoples and their struggles to find and keep their place in a violent world. What has been your real-life connection to this topic, and what do you hope the reader comes away with?
I grew up in a mostly Native village on the Kuskokwim River, and have seen firsthand the social issues that directly result from imperial expansion and cultural genocide. These observations were not from the viewpoint of a seasoned adult with preconceived ideas and a view of the Other, but as a child whose friends’ lives were (and are) directly impacted by forces outside any of our small spheres of influence. I hope that the reader might come away with the ability to see indigenous peoples as people, ordinary people, rather than as savages or museum displays or quaint, backwards societies in need of enlightenment.
How did growing up in Alaska influence your development as a writer?
Because I attended high school in McGrath, Alaska, I was blessed to have come under the tutelage of English teacher Deane O’Dell, who (because she has the patience of all the saints) was able to imbue the reluctant mind of a young barbarian with an unlikely love of culture and literature. Alaska is huge, it is limitless and ancient and powerful, and it is deadly. Alaska will put you in your place and teach you the meaning of insignificance. Alaska taught me to love this world, and hope for its continued existence.
Also, the fishing is superb.
Who inspires you as an author? Are you a longtime reader of epic fantasy, and if so, what are some of your favorites in the genre?
I grew up reading such greats as Katharine Kerr, Katherine Kurtz and of course Anne McCaffrey; I wanted to be a Dragonrider so bad, you have no idea. I used to hunt for fire lizard clutches on the beach. More recently, favorites and inspirations include Pat Rothfuss, Robin Hobb and George Martin. This is a short excerpt of a very long list. I feel fortunate to live in such times, and humbled to be published in such august company.
Can we have a few hints about the forthcoming books in the trilogy?
Keep an eye out for spiders, and trust no one—especially not the author.
QUOTED: "The Dragon’s Legacy started life as The Heart of Atualon, and was originally intended to be a short sword-and-sorcery in the desert swashbuckler, the kind of book a new author should be writing. But I wanted my secondary characters to be well-rounded, so I started fleshing out Hafsa Azeina’s story in my head, and boom. All these fascinating characters began pestering me to tell their stories."
EXCLUSIVES
Take Five with Deborah A. Wolf, Author, The Dragon’s Legacy
By MATT STAGGS
April 12, 2017
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIEBOUND
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Pic: The Dragon’s Legacy by Deborah A. Wolf/Titan Books ©
Deborah A. Wolf is the contributor for this week’s Take Five, a regular series in which authors and editors share five facts about their latest books. Wolfe is the author of The Dragon’s Legacy, available Tuesday, April 18, from your favorite book retailer.
About The Dragon’s Legacy:
A saga of epic fantasy in the tradition of the darker folkloric tales of Arabian Nights, The Dragon’s Legacy is a journey of life and loss, of hope and heartbreak, sorcerers and swords and sand:
Deep in the heart of the singing desert, Zeeranim are fading from the world. The Mothers bear few live babes, their warriors and wardens are never more than a step ahead of slavers eager to carry off children, and the vash’ai, the great cats who have called the people kithren for as long as there have been stories, choose to bond with fewer warriors each year.
Now the sorcerous Dragon King in Atualon has stretched forth his hand to take one of their own, claiming young Sulema as his daughter. For the king is dying without an heir, and as he fades so does his hold on atulfah, the magic that sings the dragon to sleep.
Far beneath the world’s heavy shell Sajani Earth Dragon slumbers on, as she has since the beginning of song. Her sleep is fitful, her dreams troubled. Akari Sun Dragon sings a song of life and love, but from deep in the darkness of her dream come whispers of war, and of death.
For the shadows conceal dark truths: there are those who wish to keep the dragon trapped in endless sleep, regardless of the cost; those who would tap her power over time and space for their own; and those who would have her wake, so they might laugh as the world burns.
Deborah A. Wolf:
1. The Dragon’s Legacy started life as The Heart of Atualon, and was originally intended to be a short sword-and-sorcery in the desert swashbuckler, the kind of book a new author should be writing. But I wanted my secondary characters to be well-rounded, so I started fleshing out Hafsa Azeina’s story in my head, and boom. All these fascinating characters began pestering me to tell their stories.
2. I adore epic fantasy, and The Dragon’s Legacy pokes fun at the genre as only one who loves it might. So if you see or hear something that strikes you as terribly trope-y—a redheaded desert princess, say—you might assume two things. One, I’m giving you a wink and nudge as a fellow lover of epic fantasy, and two, I’m setting you up for something weird, because I’m an unreliable narrator.
3. There are a lot of Easter Eggs hidden this story–references to pop culture, our world history, maybe a bastardized quote or two from Shakespeare. The map itself is one of these; you don’t have to very hard to find the Fertile Crescent or the Great Salt (er, Silk) Road. Those are there for a reason, a reason which I will reveal at a later date … unless I don’t. Unreliable narrator and all that.
4. One thing I did not want were villains who were wicked for the sake of being wicked, or heroes who were good as Cadbury eggs right to the very middle … yawn. If someone acts the villain in my story, they’d better have a darned good reason for doing so, a reason good enough to make my reader think, “Hm, if X had happened to me, I might do Y, too.” Same with the ‘good guys’. And sometimes, the good guys will screw things up, even to the point of wickedness, as humans do. As for the cats, well. They’re cats; don’t trust them.
5. I did want a monster, something that anyone might find frightening, but I couldn’t figure out a way to work evil clowns into my world. Then one day I was trying to get rid of an ugly old half-barrel planter in my garden. It was stuck fast to the ground, half-rotted, so I used a shovel to lever the thing loose. As I did that, a hyuoooooge black widow spider pulled herself out from under the barrel. Her abdomen was as big as the pad of my thumb. Seriously, I think she flashed a gang sign at me, she was that big. Now, I’m not afraid of spiders or other critters—I grew up on wildlife refuges—but at the sight of that beast, I channeled my inner city girl so hard. Ran around shrieking like a little boy, flailing my arms, the whole nine. My kids, who were teenagers at the time, were mightily amused. Bingo! Spiders became the foundation upon which I built my nightmares.
QUOTED: "It’s about the threat to human survival by ecological forces–huge ecological forces, in this case, with wings and scales and all—and how different societies react to that threat. It’s bout indigenous societies caught between warring empires, and a struggle to maintain cultural identity. Mostly it’s about the small human stories of everyday people trying to go about their lives and loves while these events are taking place."
APR 20 2017
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INTERVIEW
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: DEBORAH A. WOLF
Today I am interviewing Deborah A. Wolf, debut author of the new epic fantasy novel, The Dragon’s Legacy, first book in The Dragon’s Legacy series.
◊ ◊ ◊
DJ: Hey Deborah! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!
Deborah A. Wolf: Hi, thanks for having me!
DJ: For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Deborah: I had kind of a weird life; I grew up on wildlife refuges until my family moved to a small village in the middle of Alaska and settled down. I’ve been an underwater photographer on Maui (did not hate that job), an Arabic linguist (the dating pool was exemplary) and a single mom (best gig yet). I’m fond of animals, less than fond of crowds, and have the attention span of—SQUIRREL!
DJ: What is The Dragon’s Legacy about?
Deborah: THE DRAGON’S LEGACY is almost as strange as its author. It’s about the threat to human survival by ecological forces–huge ecological forces, in this case, with wings and scales and all—and how different societies react to that threat. It’s bout indigenous societies caught between warring empires, and a struggle to maintain cultural identity. Mostly it’s about the small human stories of everyday people trying to go about their lives and loves while these events are taking place.
DJ: What were some of your influences for The Dragon’s Legacy and The Dragon’s Legacy series?
Deborah: George Martin was definitely an influence in that he opened the door for stories that don’t follow a predictable path. Martin, Steven Erikson, and probably even Robert Jordan, whose work isn’t much like mine, showed me how much I like epic sagas that tell myriad stories of human-ness. Anne McCaffrey made me want dragons, and Pat Rothfuss made me want to make it all pretty.
Growing up in an indigenous society, being a soldier, and immersion in the Arabic language and Middle East cultures made me want to tell stories of desert warriors in a tribal society.
And you can blame it all on Tolkien in the first place.
DJ: Could you briefly tell us a little about your main characters? Do they have any cool quirks or habits, or any reason why readers with sympathize with them?
Deborah: I have an ambitious cast of characters, and the thing I love best is the diversity. I wanted to have male and female point-of-view characters in a wide range of ages and backgrounds, and did a fair job of that! I also like that there are no villains who are evil just because, or heroes that are heroes because they are good. We all act like jerks sometimes—each of us, I’m sure, is a villain and a hero to somebody. I love a well-rounded, ambiguous, human character.
DJ: What is the world and setting of The Dragon’s Legacy series like?
Deborah: I call my universe the Illindriverse; all of my stories, even the ones set in this world, are subtly related. I may or may not eventually explain how or why that is. The world of THE DRAGON’S LEGACY is much like our world, if there had never been a dinosaur apocalypse, if humans were about a third of the way down the food chain, and if Atlantis were a city sunk deep underground in order to escape the searing wrath of an angry dragon.
DJ: I love epic fantasy with multiple POV and complex plots, but I have always wondered how writers approach writing these types of stories? How did you decide which POV to jump to next when telling the story and how did you actually write the story? Or, when this situation occurs, how do you decide which POV to tell each scene from?
Deborah: The method I have created (and am still working on) for writing this complex story is an absolute shite-ton of work. I can tell you that multiple outlines are involved (one for the world story, one for each society, one for each point of view character, and so forth). Thank Cthulhu for Scrivener, I’ll say that much.
THE DRAGON’S LEGACY was written, more or less, chapter by chapter in order. This sequel, THE FORBIDDEN CITY, I’m writing each character’s story separately and then weaving them together, though the outlines as I’ve described are all laid out, so I know, for instance, that Character A chapter 3 is Book 2 Chapter 33.
I threw out about 85k of my first book, and I’ve thrown out nearly that much of FORBIDDEN. Having to do that is a whole bucket of suck, for sure, but the story is better for it in the end.
DJ: Do you ever go back and rearrange the planned order or have to write a scene over again from another character’s perspective?
Deborah: Nope. I have reasons for writing each chapter to that specific character’s point of view, because each message I want to deliver is best told by that specific character in that point of the character’s story.
DJ: What was your favorite part about writing The Dragon’s Legacy?
Deborah: The parts that are funny and dark—and there are a fair few of those, as I have a wicked sense of humor—were probably my favorite bits as I was writing them. Having someone else enjoy my stories is the best part about having written. That’s heady stuff, right there.
DJ: What do you think readers will be talking about most once they finish it?
Deborah: What I hope is that my readers will be so invested in the lives of my characters that they really want to know what happens next in their stories.
DJ: What was your goal when you began writing the The Dragon’s Legacy series? The Dragon’s Legacy is only the first book, but is there a particular message or meaning you are hoping to get across when readers finish it? Or is there perhaps a certain theme to the story?
Deborah: There are a couple of themes in the story, though my humor is often more than a little tongue-in-cheek, so those might not be as obvious as they appear. I’m an unreliable narrator. I’d rather you tell me what you think those themes are, once you’ve read it, lest I spoil your fun.
DJ: When I read, I love to collect quotes – whether it be because they’re funny, foodie, or have a personal meaning to me. Do you have any favorite quotes from The Dragon’s Legacy that you can share with us?
Deborah: “My mother does not treat with traitors or assassins…if she wants someone killed, she kills them herself.”
DJ: Now that The Dragon’s Legacy is released, what is next for you?
Deborah: I’m hard at work on THE DRAGON’S LEGACY II: HEART OF THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. And so far it’s knocking my socks off.
DJ: Where can readers find out more about you?
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06XHLV3B1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Deborah.A.Wolf.Author/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15061078.Deborah_A_Wolf
Twitter: @Bard_Queen
Website: www.deborahawolf.com
DJ: Before we go, what is that one thing you’d like readers to know about The Dragon’s Legacy and The Dragon’s Legacy series that we haven’t talked about yet?
Deborah: There is a lot of bastardized science and science fiction in this fantasy, and that will become more apparent as the story progresses. Also, and not unrelated, keep an eye on the spiders.
DJ: Is there anything else you would like add? (Or add your own question).
Deborah: I very much hope that readers enjoy spending time in my strange new world.
DJ: Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to answer my questions!
Deborah: Thanks again for having me! It was a pleasure.
◊ ◊ ◊
*** The Dragon’s Legacy is published by Titan Books and is available TODAY!!! ***
Buy the Book:
Amazon | Barnes & Nobel | Goodreads | Kobo
◊ ◊ ◊
About the Book:
Epic fantasy in the tradition of Guy Gavriel Kay and Jacqueline Carey. “A world of large-scale epic fantasy… This is a rare find and not to be missed.” New York Times bestselling author Barb Hendee.
In the heart of the singing desert, the people are fading from the world. Mothers bear few live children, the warriors and wardens are hard-pressed to protect those who remain, and the vash’ai—the great cats who have called the people kithren for as long as there have been stories—bond with fewer humans each year. High above, the Sun Dragon sings a song of life and love while far below, the Earth Dragon slumbers as she has since the beginning of time. Her sleep is fitful, and from the darkness of her dreams come whispers of war… and death.
Sulema is a newly minted warrior of the people and a true Ja’Akari—a daughter of the unforgiving desert. When a mysterious young man appears in her home of Aish Kalumm, she learns that the Dragon King is dying in distant Atualon. As the king fades, so does the magic that sings the Earth Dragon to sleep.
There are those who wish to keep the dragon trapped in endless slumber. Others would tap her power to claim it for their own. And there are those who would have her wake, so they might laugh as the world burns.
About the Author:
Deborah A. Wolf was born in a barn and raised on wildlife refuges, which explains rather a lot. As a child, whether she was wandering down the beach of an otherwise deserted island or exploring the hidden secrets of Alaska with her faithful dog Sitka, she always had a book at hand. She opened the forbidden door, and set foot upon the tangled path, and never looked back.
Deborah attended any college that couldn’t outrun her and has accumulated a handful of degrees. She has worked as an underwater photographer, Arabic linguist, and grumbling wage slave. Throughout it all, she has held onto one true and passionate love: the love of storytelling.
Deborah currently lives in northern Michigan with her kids (some of whom are grown and all of whom are exceptional), an assortment of dogs and horses, and a pair of demons masquerading as cats.
Deborah A. Wolf writes books that double as melee weapons.
QUOTED: "Wolf's debut is ambitious but staggers under the weight of its own epic pageantry."
"Wolf writes for a big screen: the smaller, human moments struggle for room to breathe."
Wolf, Deborah A.: THE DRAGON'S LEGACY
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Wolf, Deborah A. THE DRAGON'S LEGACY Titan Books (Adult Fiction) $24.99 4, 4 ISBN: 978-1-78565-107-6
Characters spread across three continents prepare for war and cataclysm in Wolf's debut novel, the first part of a trilogy.East and west, north and
south are set to collide as the inhabitants of a magically ravaged world compete for dwindling resources. In the east, the Forbidden City's emperor
breeds a half-human army for conquest, and in the west, the Dragon King, the world's most powerful sorcerer, rules from an obsidian castle. But
in the harsh, predator-infested deserts of the Middle East--sorry, the Zeera--the fierce and nomadic Zeeranim struggle to maintain their way of life
independent of the outside world's politics. As they happen to be sheltering the Dragon King's former queen and long-lost heir, that's a tall order.
Hafsa Azeina fled the Dragon King years ago with her daughter, Sulema, and found succor with the Zeeranim, becoming a dangerous sorceress
while Sulema--in the best tradition of redheaded magical princesses--became the most formidable warrior of her adopted people. The cast hardly
stops there (the appendix of characters runs for six pages), but it is the arrival of Sulema's half brother, searching for her, which triggers a chain
reaction of intrigue and betrayal...resulting in Sulema's return to the Dragon King and infighting among the Zeeranim. Will Sulema ultimately
accept the world-saving responsibilities of her birth? Will her mother survive the Dragon King's vengeance? Excellent questions, which aren't
answered here: remember, it's just Book 1. Wolf's debut is ambitious but staggers under the weight of its own epic pageantry. There are intriguing
worldbuilding and poignant moments to be found here--but they're half-buried beneath invented fantasy terms and constant reiterations of how
scary the magicians are. Wolf writes for a big screen: the smaller, human moments struggle for room to breathe.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Wolf, Deborah A.: THE DRAGON'S LEGACY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA479234707&it=r&asid=c3d4bae4122bcf6bc2597e089025d866. Accessed 9 July
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A479234707
---
QUOTED: "This book will leave readers with intense curiosity about its different cultures and anxiously awaiting a sequel."
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The Dragon's Legacy
Frances Moritz
Booklist.
113.12 (Feb. 15, 2017): p39.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
The Dragon's Legacy. By Deborah A. Wolf. Apr. 2017. 512p. Titan, $24.99 (9781785651076); e-book (9781785651090).
Wolf's fantasy debut is a coming-of-age story that follows Sulema, a warrior princess; Jain, a daeborn meeting his fate in the Forbidden City; the
orphan Daru, the dreamshifter's apprentice; and Ismai, a boy who wishes to be a warrior. Wolf weaves an intricate story, blending the points-ofview
of those youthful characters in transition and their elders who impart knowledge, if not always wisdom, providing the reader with a more
detailed view of this world. The desert setting is refreshing in a fantasy novel, including glimpses of new types of magic and terrible creatures
that are revealed to the reader usually as the characters encounter them. Despite being a serious world-changing story about a reawakening dragon
and impending war, it has moments of humor: one character, almost certain of death (having stumbled upon one of those aforementioned terrible
creatures), defiantly screams insults at his opponent. This book will leave readers with intense curiosity about its different cultures and anxiously
awaiting a sequel.--Frances Moritz
YA: With youthful characters, coming-of-age themes, and a vivid fantasy setting, this is a natural fit for teen sci-fi fans. SH.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Moritz, Frances. "The Dragon's Legacy." Booklist, 15 Feb. 2017, p. 39. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA485442543&it=r&asid=bf697e4b47f835cad3ea83aad64a5d83. Accessed 9 July
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A485442543
---
QUOTED: "Wolf does a good job of laying out her game board of rival powers."
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Science fiction/fantasy
Megan M. McArdle and Kristi Chadwick
Library Journal.
142.3 (Feb. 15, 2017): p66.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
IN FANTASY, there is usually magic in the world, but authors take various approaches to establish how pervasive the wizardry is and who knows
about it. In epic fantasy, paranormal power might be a regular part of the characters' daily lives such as found in Lois McMaster Bujold's world of
the Five Gods, revisited this month in Penric and the Shaman. Other stories pivot on secret supernatural knowledge, including those influenced by
the ever-popular mythos created by H.P. Lovecraft, two examples of which we get with Caitlin R. Kiernan's Agents of Dreamland and Ruthanna
Emrys's Winter Tide.
Urban fantasy is more likely to have the magic shared with only a few, like the Tufa of Alex Bledsoe's Gather Her Round: A Novel of the Tufa, or
the agents of the Arcadia Project in Mishell Baker's Phantom Pains. And the moment when hidden powers are made public is the focus of Kim
Harrison's The Turn, the prequel to her "Hollows" series. Underground or out in the open, alchemy is part of what makes fantasy a wonderful
winter escape.--MM
CHECK THESE OUT
* Baker, Mishell. Phantom Pains. Saga: S. & S. (Arcadia Project, Bk. 2). Mar. 2017. 416p. ISBN 9781481480178. $29.99; pap. ISBN
9781481451925. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781481451932. FANTASY
Four months ago, Millie Roper, a brain-damaged double amputee with borderline personality disorder, left the Arcadia Project, which oversees
relations between Hollywood and the fairy world, after her partner Teo was killed by a fey countess. Now working for Valmont Studios, she is
brought back to the scene of the crime by her former boss, Caryl, where she is confronted by Teo's ghost. Even more shocking to Millie is Caryl's
insistence that ghosts don't exist. Although reluctant to deal with the Project again, she agrees to recount her experience to agents at the national
headquarters. But during her visit, an agent is murdered and Caryl is implicated in the crime. Millie knows that Caryl is innocent, but the Project
expects swift--and severe-justice to be served. Millie must not only save Caryl from an awful fate but also discover the culprit behind a plot to
destroy both worlds. VERDICT This follow-up to Borderline keeps the emotional punches from Baker's resilient protagonist coming. Millie's
disabilities are not hindrances; they enhance her thoughts and actions. Readers invested in the first book won't be disappointed.--KC
Bledsoe, Alex. Gather Her Round: A Novel of the Tufa. Tor. Mar. 2017. 320p. ISBN 9780765383341. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466891555.
FANTASY
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Kera Rogers, a young woman of the mysterious Tufa, disappears while hiking the woods of Cloud County. It appears she was attacked by an
unusually large wild boar, but things are never simple when they involve the Tufa, descendants of otherworldly fae beings. Kera's boyfriend
Duncan mourns her death, but he is also consumed by jealousy when he discovers she had another lover. While local hunters look for the boar,
Duncan seeks revenge. VERDICT The latest entry (after Chapel of Ease) in this marvelous series combines human drama with just a touch of
otherworldly magic. The split nature of the Tufa community is further explored, but Bledsoe never reduces the two sides to basic good vs. evil, as
he allows his characters to make their own choices.--MM
Bujold, Lois McMaster. Penric and the Shaman. Subterranean. Feb. 2017. 216p. ISBN 9781596068155. $25. ebk. available. FANTASY
Lord Penric has joined the Bastard's Order, studying and marking time as a sorcerer in the court of the Princess-Archdivine. Locator Oswyl
arrives, looking for a wizard to find the shaman Inglis, who is accused of killing his best friend. Released from his service to the princess and
accompanied by his demon, Desdemona, Penric travels with Oswyl into the mountains where he is forced to use his still-burgeoning powers when
they are confronted with unexpected magic and spirits in capturing Inglis. VERDICT Set in the world of "The Five Gods" (The Curse if Challion;
Paladin of Souls; The Hallowed Hunt), Bujold's novella takes series fans back to a well-known realm in an exciting new adventure. The varied
voices, especially between Pen and Desdemona, add a fun slant to a serious tale.--KC
Danker, Sean. Free Space. Ace: Berkley. (Admiral, Bk. 2). May 2017.320p. ISBN 9780451475800. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9780698197268. SF
Having impersonated a prince, fended off numerous assassination attempts, and prevented a war, the Admiral is ready for a weekend away with
Tessa Salmagard, an Evagardian lady. Although dinner goes off without a hitch, pirates boarding their shuttle and kidnapping him as slave labor
to be traded as another commodity was not part of the plan. But the Admiral has been underestimated before, and his date is an Imperial Service--
trained soldier. Yet he soon realizes that the situation may be much more complicated. While Salmagard races to catch up with him, time is
running out for the Admiral. VERDICT The sequel to Admiral brings back Danker's intriguing characters in a deep dive into intergalactic politics
and power. Another strong entry in military sf.--KC
Emrys, Ruthanna. Winter Tide. Tor.com. (Innsmouth Legacy, Bk. 1). Apr. 2017. 368p. ISBN 9780765390905. $25.99; ebk. ISBN
9780765390912. FANTASY
The raid that destroyed the community of Innsmouth in the late 1920s leaves Aphra Marsh and her brother Caleb the last of their people on dry
land; the rest had died after being forced into desert internment camps during World War II. The Marshes are descendents of the Deep Ones, a
branch of humanity who left land to dwell in the oceans. They had also worshipped the Elders, such as Cthulhu and Shub-Niggurath, and Aphra
is trying to keep up her magical and spiritual studies despite having no ancestors to help her. In 1949, she leaves the home she has made in San
Francisco to go to Miskatonic University at the request of an FBI agent who believes the Russians have learned some of the secrets of her people
and will use them in the looming Cold War. VERDICT While this debut is sure to be of interest to fans of H.P. Lovecraft, even those unfamiliar
with the mythos should enjoy the combination of Cold War paranoia and horror. The pacing is slow, but the characters are winning, especially
Aphra as she battles alienation from her own culture.--MM
Harrison, Kim. The Turn: The Hollows Begins with Death. Gallery. (Hollows). Feb. 2017. 448p. ISBN 9781501108716. $26.99; ebk. ISBN
9781501108846. FANTASY
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Those familiar with Harrison's "Hollows" series know that the supernatural community came out of the proverbial closet owing to a worldwide
pandemic that killed millions of humans. The story of how that crisis kicked off in the 1960s is told here. Ambitious elf geneticist Trisk, who is
trying to get respect from her male counterparts, takes a position in a human-run lab, hiding her true nature as she develops a virus that she hopes
will one day save her people. Her plans go awry when longtime rival Trent "Kal" Kalamack shows up at her lab, intending to discredit her work.
Fans will clamor for this prequel and will enjoy the cameos from some series regulars, including demon Aliagarept. They should be prepared for
some sluggish pacing, however, and a heroine who makes some frustratingly bad choices. VERDICT Even with these drawbacks, it will leave
longtime readers with an immediate desire to reread the main series.--MM
Kiernan, Caitlin R. Agents of Dreamland. Tor.com. Mar. 2017. 128p. ISBN 9780765394323. pap. $11.99; ebk. ISBN 9780765394316. HORROR
Two rival intelligence agents meet in a diner in Winslow, AZ, to exchange information. One of the agents, known only as the Signalman, is
haunted by horrors witnessed at the compound of a cult that was awaiting the arrival of elder gods from a Lovecraftian realm. Gathering acolytes
by the shores of the Salton Sea, the cult leader targeted those like young Chloe from Los Angeles, promising them a new world. VERDICT There
is no writer more skilled at conveying horrifying images in gorgeous language than Kiernan (The Drowning Girl). Here she combines remote
locations, mysterious secret agents (one of whom seems unbounded by the laws of time), zombie fungus, tarot card prophecies, and satellites at
the edges of our solar system into one compact novella.--MM
* Lawrence, Mark. Red Sister. Ace: Berkley. (Book of the Ancestor, Bk. 1). Apr. 2017.480p. ISBN 9781101988855. $27; ebk. ISBN
9781101988862. FANTASY
Nine-year-old Nona Grey, accused of murder, is headed for the gallows when she is purchased by the abbess of Sweet Mercy and taken into a
convent that raises young women to become trained killers. For ten years, girls are taught the ways of sword and shadow, and for many, the old
blood of the ancestors eventually rises to the surface in the form of magical gifts that enhance their fighting skills. When Nona arrives, she finds a
new future, a new family, and some new enemies. But her brief previous history in the world attracts the attention of powerful families, dangerous
foes, and even the emperor himself. As external politics and internal conflicts within the church seep into the convent's isolated world, Nona will
be forced to confront and embrace the darkness inside her, and no one will ever be the same. VERDICT In this stunning, action-filled series
launch, Lawrence ("Broken Empire" trilogy) establishes a fantastic world in which religion and politics are dark and sharp as swords, with magic
and might held in the hands of wonderful and dangerous women. Impatient George R.R. Martin's fans will find this a pleasing alternative until the
next installment in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga arrives.--KC
McDonald, Ian. Luna: Wolf Moon. Tor. (Luna, Bk. 2). Apr. 2017.400p. ISBN 9780765375537. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466847644. SF
After the downfall of the Corta family at the end of Luna: New Moon, the balance of power on the moon is in flux. While the Mackenzies
engineered the defeat of their rivals in order to take over the lucrative helium trade, internal rivalries keep them in chaos. The other powerful
families will seek to take advantage of the power vacuum, but don't count the Cortas out just yet. Lucas Corta attempts a return to Earth to recruit
allies there, while the younger generation, including Robson and Lucasinho, struggle to survive without being used as pawns. VERDICT This
novel should probably not be attempted without reading the first book, as McDonald has established a complex political climate. The power
blocks--the Aussie Mackenzies, Brazilian Cortas, or Chinese Suns--have kept certain aspects of their Earth roots, and readers will encounter a
variety of foreign language slang, which is aided by the included glossary.--MM
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McGuire, Seanan. Magic for Nothing: An Incryptid Novel. DAW. (InCryptid, 8k. 6). Mar. 2017.368p. ISBN 9780756410391. pap. $7.99; ebk.
ISBN 9780698183544. FANTASY
Antimony Price, the youngest of her family of cryptozoologists, is still figuring out her life as she tries to contain her new, secret incendiary
power. After her older sister, Verity, basically declares war against their enemy, St. George of the Covenant, on live television, Annie is asked by
the family to travel to London and infiltrate the Covenant. She must find out if the organization is taking Verity's declaration seriously and
planning to respond in kind. This is a life-or-death mission; if the Covenant discovers who Annie is, if they realize that she wants to protect most
of the Cryptids, if they uncover her secret, they will certainly kill her--or worse. Because there is always a "worse." VERDICT The sixth series
outing (after Chaos Choreography) returns fans to the supernatural world of monsters, monster hunters, and Price family issues. McGuire
continues to keep the high energy and excitement in her frenetic action-filled stories, with loads of humor and intriguing characters.--KC
* Neuvel, Sylvain. Waking Gods. Del Rey: Ballantine. (Themis Files, Bk. 2). Apr. 2017.336p. ISBN 9781101886724. $28; ebk. ISBN
9781101886731. SF
The team that assembled the giant alien robot known as Themis in 2015's Sleeping Giants never really got answers about who left the machine
behind and why. They face a terrifying escalation of the mystery in this sequel as a new robot lands in London. The new machine, even bigger
than the colossal Themis, unleashes a violent attack on the city. Worse, there are more robots landing at every major population center on the
globe. The Themis team might be the only hope for humanity's survival. Rose, the original discoverer of the first piece of Themis, has an
especially intriguing arc, questioning her very existence. VERDICT Darker than the first book, this entry maintains the effective format of a
compiled history of interviews, news items, and official journal entries. This series' thoughtful yet action-packed nature would make for a great
film, and in fact, the rights were sold to Sony Pictures before the first volume came out. [See Prepub Alert, 10/31/16.]--MM
Reynolds, Alastair. Revenger. Orbit: Hachette. Mar. 2017. 432p. ISBN 9780316555562. pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN 9780316555630. SF
Sisters Adrana and Arafura Ness run away from a safe life, hoping to earn money to help their father. They've been tested and found to have the
rare ability to pick up the ghostly signals put out by alien skulls, so they are hired as bone readers for the ship Monetta's Mourn. A good reader
can not only pick up what is being sent to their ship but also eavesdrop on other ships' messages. Captains like Rackamore of the Monetta use that
hijacked information to help them plan heists on the treasures locked away around the galaxy. But when their ship tangles with Bosa Sennan, the
notorious pirate, Adrana and Arafura are separated and Fura vows revenge. VERDICT Reynolds (Slow Bullets) has sketched in a galaxy littered
with the relics of former civilizations (human and alien), with plenty left to the reader's imagination, and room for a sequel. The space slang (air is
"lungstuff") sometimes seems hokey, but the author marries pirate adventures with a coming-of-age story in a way that should give it great
crossover appeal for teens.--MM
Wolf, Deborah A. The Dragon's Legacy. Titan. (Dragon's Legacy, Bk. 1). Apr. 2017. 320p. ISBN 9781785651076. $24.99; ebk. ISBN
9781785651090. FANTASY
The people of the Zeera, surrounded by fierce predators, with sparse resources and the few children bom to them, are proud of their resilience;
they train young women like Sulema to be Ja'Akari--warrior protectors of their desert home. Sulema's celebration of her elevation to Ja'Akari is
interrupted by visitors from the Dragon King in Atualon. The king's men have been looking for her and her mother for years, as Sulema is the
king's daughter and she is needed. This debut packs a lot of worldbuilding into a series opener, introducing Sulema and the people of the Zeera as
well as the court of the Dragon King, a rival empire in neighboring Sindan. VERDICT Many elements typical of epic fantasy appear--hidden
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heirs, sleeping dragons, spider cults--but Wolf does a good job of laying out her game board of rival powers and setting the tone for what is sure
to be an interesting new series.--MM
Wright, Suzanne. Blaze. Piatkus. (Dark in You, Bk. 2). Apr. 2017. 354p. ISBN 9780349413174. pap. $13.99; ebk. ISBN 9780349413181.
FANTASY
Harper Wallis should be happy: she has the man of her dreams, a business she loves, and close friends. Of course, her friends are hellcats and
imps, her man Knox is a possessive demon--just like her--and she is now co-Prime of a powerful demon lair in Las Vegas. But when one of
Knox's fellow demons goes rogue, kidnapping Harper's mom and threatening Knox's life, Harper must save him, although Knox is determined to
protect her. Adding to their troubles is an upcoming celebration with a not-so-fun party planner and the realization that their partnership means
the balance of power has shifted. Harper has her hands full just trying to get along--and stay alive. VERDICT Wright's follow-up to Burn is
another action-filled romp of an urban fantasy with no shortage of humor or sex.--KC
COLLECTIONS & ANTHOLOGIES
Balaskovits, A.A. Magic for Unlucky Girls. Santa Fe Writer's Project. Apr. 2017. 226p. ISBN 9781939650665. pap. $14.95; ebk. ISBN
9781939650689. FANTASY
A new bride is faced with her husband's mysterious locked door. Twin infants finally wake their mother from a century of sleep. One woman finds
that her prince adores her perfect hair, but abhors any other flaws. These 14 stories spins new twists on familiar fairy-tale tropes with heroines
who take control of their situations. The darkness that could destroy them is vanquished through brains, beauty, and the light of their own souls.
VERDICT Winner of the 2015 Santa Fe Literary Awards Program, Balaskovits's anthology breathes fresh life into classic fairy tales. Readers
who enjoy short fiction with a fantastical bent should pick up this award-winning book.--KC
Probert, John Llewellyn. The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallows Horror. Pegasus. Mar. 2017. 384p. ed. by Stephen Jones. ISBN 9781681773339.
$25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781681773872. HORROR
Created by acclaimed horror editor Jones, this first entry in a new trilogy takes H.P. Lovecraft's Elder Gods, most notably Cthulhu, and makes
them prominent figures in Dante Alighieri's poetic depiction of Hell and Purgatory from The Divine Comedy. The story follows
parapsychologists Bob Chambers and Karen Shepworth as they unravel the mystery surrounding bones and scrolls uncovered outside the ancient
All Hallows Church in Blackheath, London. Locked in the church as part of an investigative team, they soon find themselves immersed in a world
of unspeakable horror and eldritch entities who wish to throw the world into darkness and create hell on Earth. VERDICT Smartly combining
Lovecraftian and classical mythologies, Probert (The House That Death Built) does an excellent job of creating a suspenseful and often horrific
atmosphere without indulging in gratuitous gore or violence. Still, some more explicit depictions of hellish scenes make this title best suited for
older teens and adults. Fans of Lovecraft and horror should enjoy.--Matt Schirano, Univ. of Bridgeport Lib., CT
DEBUT OF THE MONTH
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* Donnelly, Lara Elena. Amberlough. Tor. Feb. 2017.400p. ISBN 9780765383815. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466893412. FANTASY
The Federated States of Gedda is a loosely connected group of four nation-states, but the tide is turning politically. The socially conservative One
State Party, also known as the Ospies, is creeping its way into power. In a still-resistant Amberlough City (think Weimar Republic Berlin), Cyril
DePaul works as a spy. But when he is outed during a mission against the Ospies, he either must collaborate with them or face execution. His
decision to construct an elaborate deception endangers Aristide Makricossta, Cyril's outspoken lover and the flamboyant emcee of the Bumble
Bee Cabaret, who is also a successful smuggler. Thrown into the mix is Cordelia Lehane, a dancer at the Bumble Bee and Ari's runner. The three
risk being taken down by the corrupt police, the crooked government, or their own actions. VERDICT Donnelly's striking debut brings a complex
world of politics, espionage, and cabaret life to full vision. The emotional journeys of the characters as they struggle to survive in a society under
siege by dark forces will strike a chord with readers as they race to the story's conclusion--KC
"QUOTABLE "For a moment, it seems to him like something is trailing behind her, as if the coming night has tangled itself about her shoulders,
has snagged in her short black hair and won't let go."--Caitlin R. Kiernan, Agents of Dreamland
SERIES LINEUP
Beaulieu, Bradley P. With Blood upon the Sand. DAW. (Song of Shattered Sands, Bk. 2). Feb. 2017. 672p. ISBN 9780756409746. $26; ebk.
ISBN 9780698152397. FANTASY
In this follow-up to Twelve Kings in Shamkhai, Blood Maiden Ceda serves the Kings, training to be a warrior while dealing with the truth she has
learned about the enslaved asirim.--MM
Schwab, V.E. A Conjuring of Light. Tor. (Shades of Magic, Bk. 3). Feb. 2017. 624p. ISBN 9780765387462. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9780765387486.
FANTASY
Fans of the series that began with A Darker Shade of Magic and continued with A Gathering of Shadows will be eager to read this concluding
volume. Still unknown are details on how this excellent story of four magical Londons will wrap up, but count this columnist in!--MM
Wallace, Matt. Idle Ingredients. Tor.com. (Sin du Jour, Bk. 4). Feb. 2017. 192p. ISBN 9780765390035. pap. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9780765390028.
FANTASY
The team at Sin du Jour, a catering service that works with the supernatural community, is back after Pride's Spell. This time out, the men are
taken down by a threat from within.--MM
Wendig, Chuck, Empire's End. Del Rey: Ballantine. (Star Wars: Aftermath, Bk. 3). Feb. 2017. 432p. ISBN 9781101966969. $28.99; ebk. ISBN
9781101966976. SF
Wendig kicked off a new era in Star Wars novels with Aftermath, followed by Aftermath: Life Debt. Now he concludes this trilogy, set after the
events of the film Revenge of the Jedi.--MM
Megan M. McArdle is a Collection Specialist at the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
Kristi Chadwick is Advisor for the Massachusetts Library System. In addition to being a 2013 LJ Reviewer of the Year and 2014 Mover &
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Shaker, she was also a finalist judge for the 2015 LJ SELF-e Award in Fantasy
Caption: Sequel stars: stories of ghosts, robot invasions
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
McArdle, Megan M., and Kristi Chadwick. "Science fiction/fantasy." Library Journal, 15 Feb. 2017, p. 66+. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA481649051&it=r&asid=eacdcd0329c54c211516d4ef5d0c9dca. Accessed 9 July
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A481649051
---
QUOTED: "Wolf's opulent visual imagination and sly humor thoroughly overcome a slow start."
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The Dragon's Legacy
Publishers Weekly.
263.44 (Oct. 31, 2016): p57.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Dragon's Legacy
Deborah A. Wolf. Titan, $24.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-78565-107-6
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Wolf's epic fantasy debut, the first of a trilogy, is a well-crafted, intricate blend of the politics and magic of multiple cultures. Hafsa Azeina,
dreamshifter of the Zeerani desert tribes, can kill her foes as they sleep. She has spent years protecting her daughter, Sulema, from the assassins
hunting them, and Sulema has had the chance to come of age as a Zeerani warrior. But Sulema's father, who may have sent the assassins, has
found them. He is the dragon king of the nearby country of. Atualon, and his magic prevents the dragon that sleeps under the world from waking
and cracking the planet like an egg. Sulema and Hafsa must navigate shifting alliances, ongoing assassination attempts, and manipulation by both
friend and foe to try to settle the balance of power and Succession--even when it looks as though the dragon may wake. Wolf's opulent visual
imagination and sly humor thoroughly overcome a slow start and some other pacing issues. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Dragon's Legacy." Publishers Weekly, 31 Oct. 2016, p. 57. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA470462523&it=r&asid=53e5b4767fb0318b6348034e5a055a1d. Accessed 9 July
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A470462523
QUOTED: "The huge cast of characters can be a little tricky to keep up with, but true fans of epic will be used to the impressive scale."
"Like any good epic you find yourself wanting more of your favourite character. There can be no doubt that re-reading it will reveal more, something fans of epic are beginning to expect."
The Dragon’s Legacy by Deborah A. Wolf
Shellie Horst May 24, 2017 0 Comment
If the size and weight of The Dragon’s Legacy isn’t enough of a hint, this book should come with a warning: The Dragon’s Legacy is Epic Fantasy. Its author knows exactly what that means. Epic world building, epic scale, epic plots and in some cases epically written sentences. You really need to take time to smell the flowers to get the most out of this book – it’s not a ‘relentlessly-paced action in a non-descript world’ sort of book. Likewise, if you’re tired of stereotypical female roles within fantasy, you will want to pick this up for something a little different. I was engrossed enough to forgive the obvious red haired heroine trope, and the comparative inspirations from our own world. It takes talent to make the sand drift from between the pages as Deborah does.
Published by Titan Books, The Dragon’s Legacy is just that; the first in a promising epic fantasy series. It’s a layered world of complexities where the religions and magics all collide. The author sets the stage for a final battle we won’t see for a while, but based on her style I am certain it will be an impressive one. The reader is introduced to the global factions who, each within their own cultural understandings, walk on eggshells in ever-present fear of waking the dragon. While the Earth Dragon remains unseen, its sleepy presence is constantly felt throughout the book, the myth and lore built up around it clearly feed into each race and society’s beliefs.
From the publisher:
In the heart of the singing desert, the people are fading from the world. Mothers bear few live children, the warriors and wardens are hard-pressed to protect those who remain, and the vash’ai—the great cats who have called the people kithren for as long as there have been stories— bond with fewer humans each year.
High above, the Sun Dragon sings a song of life and love, while far below, the Earth Dragon slumbers as she has since the beginning of time. Her sleep is fitful, and from the darkness of her dreams come whispers of war… and death.
Sulema is a newly minted warrior of the people and a true Ja’Akari—a daughter of the unforgiving desert. When a mysterious young man appears in her home of Aish Kalumm, she learns that the Dragon King is dying in distant Atualon. As the king fades, so does the magic that sings the Earth Dragon to sleep.
There are those who wish to keep the dragon trapped in endless slumber. Others would tap her power to claim it for their own. And there are those who would have her wake, so they might laugh as the world burns.
The main (but not only) perspectives are those of the female warriors of the Zeera and Hafsa Azeina, their powerful Dreamshifter. Her grasp of the needs of her people and her daughter Sulema are powerful drives for this character, though she may not be the popular character in the book. Sulema too plays an important role, and much of the world’s fate rests upon her shoulders. We’re allowed to grow with the characters, and while it’s not to everybody’s taste, it was a freedom I enjoyed.
The male perspectives aren’t any less genteel. Bare breasted warrior women can be a distraction after all, but so can life and personal ambition. The almost maniacal ambition of Sindanese Emperor leaves the reader no doubt where the trouble will come from for The Dragon King and those in Atualon. Ismai and Mattu both stand out as future thorns.
Threats lurk far closer than that of the dragon, fading magic, or even the Sindanese. Shadows have a vicious appetite, while the vash’ai (bonded saber tooths) aren’t all they appear either. The machinations of magic, politics and personal ambitions makes for a complex, deep read. As is to be expected of epic, not all the questions posed at the beginning of the adventure are answered in the first book. It suggests a promising and well thought out series.
The huge cast of characters can be a little tricky to keep up with, but true fans of epic will be used to the impressive scale. The Dragon’s Legacy only touches the edges of what the author has in mind for Sulema and the others. This isn’t a book for those who like loose ends tied at the close of the cover, but for me it lived up to expectations; like any good epic you find yourself wanting more of your favourite character. There can be no doubt that re-reading it will reveal more, something fans of epic are beginning to expect.
I’ve seen The Dragon’s Legacy compared to Dune and G R R Martin – and perhaps on both scope and a political level there are similarities. For me I feel it does Deborah A Wolf and her debut an injustice. There are comparisons to be made with the sweeping deserts of Melanie Rawn’s Dragon Prince series, (right down to the red haired princess), but what she presents is a far more intricate and mindful story. I’m seriously looking forward to seeing more from Deborah.
ISBN: 9781785651076
Hardback: 512pp
Publication date: 21 April 2017
Review copy courtesy of the publisher, Titan Books
Deborah A Wolf’s Website.
QUOTED: "a must-buy for anyone seeking a deep relationship with a group of interesting characters and a compelling world. It’s a fantastic, complex debut work of the sort that leaves one thinking about its many layers even after having finished reading."
Review: The Dragon’s Legacy by Deborah A. Wolf
The Dragon's Legacy by Deborah A. Wolf
Matthew Cropley April 6, 2017
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em>The Dragon’s Legacy will be released in April this year and is a must-buy for anyone seeking a deep relationship with a group of interesting characters and a compelling world. It’s a fantastic, complex debut work of the sort that leaves one thinking about its many layers even after having finished reading.
The Dragon's Legacy by Deborah A. WolfIn The Dragon’s Legacy, a large cast of different characters give us insight into different aspects of the rich world Wolf has created, and she spends a lot of time exploring who these characters are as well as hinting how they will affect the epic plot to come. This first book is more about settling into the characters and world and there’s a certain beauty in the relatively slow pace. This feels like the origin story of many of the characters, which makes it all the more meaningful when the various factions they belong to clash. Much of the novel focuses on Sulema, a youn J’Akari, or warrior woman, of the Zeeranim, a warlike desert-dwelling people who spend their days fighting, revelling and hunting with their telepathically bonded giant cats, or vash’ai. Sulema struggles to find her place within the Zeeranim, especially since her distant mother, Hafsa Azeina, has a mysterious past originating in a faraway kingdom. Hafza Azeina herself is a dreamshifter, a magical individual who stalks her enemies in their dreams, and makes musical instruments from their gutstrings. Despite her monstrous nature, she endeavours to shield her daughter from the shadows of her aforementioned mysterious past. Hafza Azeina’s fragile nine-year-old apprentice, Daru, struggles to assist his mistress with her magical plots while avoiding the jaws of hungry vash’ai, who curse him as a weakling. Ismai, a wistful young man of the Zeeranim, struggles to find his own place while overshadowed by his older brother and becomes entangled with powers greater than himself in the process. Watching over all of these characters, attempting to ensure they don’t get into too much trouble, is the pragmatic Istaza Ani, the youthmistress of the Zeeranim. Leviathus, a gallant prince of the kingdom of Atualon, enters the mix, bringing unwanted reminders of Hafsa Azeina’s past. Far away in the empire of Sindan, Jian, a young man of magical descent is forced into becoming a pawn in the war to come, a war that will bring turmoil to the lives of all the other characters.
The characterisation is the high-point of the novel, and each viewpoint character has a lot of depth that only increases as the novel progresses. Hafsa Azeina, in particular, is like a mother lion, murderously protective, a “fell-eyed sorceress with the blood of enemies upon her lips”. She’s a grimdark character through-and-through, filled with layers of moral ambiguity and darkness, yet not without love for her daughter. Daru is another character who stood out for me, a young boy cursed with ill health, constantly plagued by shadows that lurk at the edges of his vision “thick as poisoned syrup”. He’s utterly alone and constantly at risk, yet possessed of a bright curiosity and a fierce intelligence. These two characters are my favourites, despite the fact that Sulema is the focal point of the novel. Sulema is a good protagonist, fierce, determined and honourable, but I feel that in this book, she’s still so young and eager without having experienced enough to make her an interesting puzzle to piece together. However, she certainly endures hardships across the course of The Dragon’s Legacy and is a very different person at the end. Her development, along with Ismai’s and Jian’s – as the three very different characters go through gruelling training to become powerful, magically inclined individuals – is interesting and it’s clear that by the time the series ramps up, these characters will have great depth to them. Ismai is fun to read about, since despite the undertone of seriousness to the world around him, he gallivants around the desert with his vash’ai, experiencing the wonders and horrors of the world. Jian’s perspective in the far away empire of Sindan is always refreshingly different, and as a Daechen (demon-born), his love of diving for pearls off the coast of his home town is offset against the horrific training regimen he’s put through to become a warrior. The characters are inextricably linked to the cultures they come from, and Wolf has done a great job showing how living in a dying desert, a prosperous kingdom, or a slave empire might affect one’s personality. Despite being partially defined by their circumstances, almost all of the characters possess strong wills and refuse to let themselves just be swept along by fate.
The world of The Dragon’s Legacy is another highlight of the novel and it’s unmistakeably grimdark. Thousands of years ago the world was broken by “the Sundering”, and the people now live in a shadow of their former glory in the land “seared by a dragon’s song”, with fewer babies born every year. Lionsnakes, wyverns and undead monstrosities stalk the desert sands and the oceans are filled with untold horrors that would draw any ship into their hungry maws. The world is doomed, as Sajani, the earth-dragon, will soon awake from her slumber beneath the earth and “the world would be cracked open like an egg in her struggles to break free”. Despite all this grimness, there is a haunting beauty to desert sands that stretch to the horizon and Wolf’s familiarity with the beauty of nature from a childhood spent on wildlife refuges shines through. The Zeeranim, the warlike “barbarian” desert culture the novel focuses on, is also clearly influenced by real-life experiences, since Wolf spent time in the military and as an Arabic linguist, so the interactions between warriors, and the smattering of unique made-up words add a lot of authenticity. One particularly interesting thing about the Zeeranim is that the traditional gender roles are inverted. Their society is matriarchal. Female warriors display their breasts as a sign of dominance and aggressively pursue men as sexual conquests. Grimdark is all about the subversion of the norm in fiction, and this is a refreshing and interesting change that lends the society another layer of uniqueness. In fact, early in the novel Ismai wishes that he could be a warrior, rather than be delegated to the role of staying at home with children as most men do. It’s nice to see a novel where the main players are almost all women, in action-hero style roles as well as roles more traditionally feminine. The male characters are also fantastically well-written and the clash between the Zeeranim and the patriarchal kingdom of Atualon is interesting and well-handled.
So, the world and characters are both deliciously grimdark, and the book abounds with the things that make grimdark such a pleasure to read. My expectations were subverted many times, and it was sometimes impossible to tell where the plot was going. It’s difficult to tell who the true friends and enemies of the main characters are, especially since several belong to opposing factions. There are a couple of frightening potential villains, one in particular, mentioned early in the story, with the assumption that these will become ominous figures of antagonism throughout the series. However, this is totally subverted in an unexpected way that reminds me of why I grew to love grimdark in the first place. As in real life, evil is (partly) a matter of perspective. On that note, Deborah A. Wolf has a cracking short story in the upcoming Evil is a Matter of Perspective anthology, and is well and truly breaking into the grimdark scene as a figure to watch.
Look out for her book when April rolls around and, in the meantime, if you’re keen to learn more about Deborah herself and the story behind her work, then check out the interview we have with her in Issue 10 or her short story set in the same world in Issue 11.