Series: The Burning #1
Published by Orbit on February 12, 2019
Genres: Epic Fantasy, BIPOC
Pages: 578
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Content Warnings: Colonization, Genocide, Death, War, Blood, Gore, Sexual Assault, Misogyny, Classism, Racism,
Rating:
The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable fight for almost two hundred years. Their society has been built around war and only war. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons. One in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine. Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He's going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn't get the chance. Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path. He'll become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him.
BookTok did not let me down when suggesting I read The Rage of Dragons. I haven't been this excited to see the culmination of a story since I read The Faithful & The Fallen series by John Gwynne, although it's not quite a 5-star series for me like The Faithful & The Fallen. This might be because there haven't been any banger one-liners or moments where I was full-on rooting for the "heroes." In fact, I am not really on the main character's side, or on the side of his people. Let me explain.
The Rage of Dragons is the first in what is expected to be a 4 book series which follows the Omehi people's struggle for survival in a new world after their escape from bloodthirsty, silver-skinned immortals called the Cull. The problem is, the Omehi people do not belong to the new world they have "discovered" on the other side of the Roar (ocean). There are already well-established peoples in this "new" world and in order to take it by force, they have to use their magical abilities and dragons to scorch the new world into submission.
On top of this, there is an extremely oppressive caste system that leaves people broken and destitute based on their blood and whether or not they can serve in the endless war the Omehi rage on the "savages" of their new home. While our main character, Tau, is fighting against this oppressive system, he isn't interested in dismantling it or preventing the war with those indigenous to the land. This is the most frustrating part of the entire series thus far. I want Tau to burn everything to the ground, instead of using the system as it is intended to seek revenge for his father's death. Yes...his father dies, but don't worry, that isn't some great revelation or spoiler. Maybe later books will provide more commentary on dismantling systems of oppression, but as it stands, I am not on the side of the Omehi. For the most part, I have been rooting for them to fail in their conquest.
Despite my frustrations, I thoroughly enjoy the story. The magic system is unique, with the Gifted's abilities arising from the Otherworld, a prison that contains unkillable demons. Slipping into the Otherworld and drawing on its power makes you corporeal in that realm and therefore vulnerable to demon attack. All Gifted are able to shroud while there, thus protecting them from the demons for a time. Over time, however, they tire and their shroud falls. If they are unable to leave fast enough, they fall victim to "demon death," which is beyond horrifying. Omehi Gifted are able to perform a variety of magics, from knocking people's souls into the Otherworld to incapacitate them to enraging their prized Noble fighters, to controlling animals, people, demons, and even dragons. I haven't seen a magical system like this one, and love that only women are able to be Gifted.
In fact, women are the leaders of Omehi society, with husbands and children taking their wife or mother's last name. Women are the rulers and hold almost all of the power, no matter what caste they belong to. Despite their power, there are still signs of misogyny which is frustrating. Queen Tisora, in particular, is often treated as incompetent, fragile, and inexperienced, not just because she is young, but because she is a young woman. Despite this, she rises to the occasion and works tirelessly to do what is best for her people, despite opposition. My greatest complaint about all the women characters in this book is that they are written for the male gaze, but what can you expect from a male author telling a story mostly from the point of view of a man?
The Rage of Dragons is fast-paced, making 578 pages feel like 250, but it's the world-building that really made this story come alive. I could see the entire cast and plot play out in my mind like a movie, every detail of the world springing to life in vibrant technicolor. I pride myself on my vibrant imagination, but Winter's descriptions were so detailed that I could feel the wind whipping against my face. While I may be frustrated with some of the aspects of the story, I was fully engaged the entire time and cannot wait to see what happens to Tau and Queen Tisora in the upcoming books.
I highly recommend picking up The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter if you are interested in fast-paced high fantasy, but not if you want to read about dragons. The dragons play a small part in this story, but their involvement is crucial all the same.
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