Natalie Wright
Menaris Books
1 March 2025
464
eBook - PDF
Fantasy
ARC via NetGalley
Aldewin's youth was a tapestry of vows and promises, but he yearns for a life free of schemes. Questing to restore what he lost, Aldewin is once again ensnared in webs of intrigue.
With Nivi and Jagaru friends at his side, Aldewin embarks on a perilous journey. To restore his lost love, Aldewin will cross oceans, climb mountains, and battle mages with powerful new magic. But is he willing to pay the price the gods demand of him?
Meanwhile, the Winter Dragon and her dragonkin celebrate a new Dragos Teplo—Age of Dragons. But Ishna’s family isn’t complete without her Primal siblings. Vahgrin, the dragon of Primal Fire, remains imprisoned by dragomancers, and the two other Primals are silent. To find her ancient friends, Ishna and her kin must confront humans who grew stronger while dragons slumbered. Yet Ishna's greatest battle lies within as the phantom soul she carries fights to live again.
Both Aldewin and the Winter Dragon have noble reasons to seek the legendary Heart of Menaris. But a powerful foe rises from the ashes of a fallen city and raises the stakes for them all. If a shadow-touched soul controls the Heart of Menaris, the world will fall into darkness, and both dragons and humans will lose their hope of restoring what they've lost.
I struggled a bit with The Spring Dragon (second book in the Dragos Primeri series). I found book one enjoyable, but the narrative shift in book two (from Quen to Aldewin/Ishna) didn't quite work for me. I didn't mind Aldewin's sections, but I never got into Ishna's POV. I confess I read only a little epic fantasy, so perhaps it was just getting behind a dragon narrator that put me off; I didn't find those scenes compelling and missed Quen's wittier narration. I am giving this book three stars, as it was still an action-packed story. However, I think I will probably end my reading of the series here. That's not a reflection on the quality of this book but rather based on my personal preferences. I see from reviews on Goodreads that many other readers liked this second volume as much as, if not more than, the first, so my rating is really because it didn't suit my tastes. If you are keen on dragon narrators and the higher end of epic fantasy, I am sure you will find something to like with this series.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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