I was drawn by this book for rather superficial reasons: the beautiful cover, the poetic title, the promise of dragons.
But I was not sure: classical high fantasy, after reading quite a lot of it, is not really my cup of tea anymore. I like the idea of it, but frequently find it too old fashioned and uninspired / too violent and lacking of human warmth / too confusing with all the words and kingdoms / too political / lacking in credible and likeable characters.

I was then very pleased to be able to read the extract for Netgalley, to make my own opinion. Pleased and very much surprised! Since the very beginning of the book I was hooked! It's difficult to explain exactly why, because there are, predictably, plenty of different characters and names, numerous kingdoms, a complex History, three different points of view - all the points that usually discourage me to read on.
The explanation must be, quite simply, talent.
The characters feel immediately real, easy to distinguish, by names, personalities and physionomies. They're engaging, one want to know more about them and their lives. The different stories told by the different points of view are clearly connected and already weaving the beginning of a fascinating story. The promised dragons make a precociously appearance... In a nutshell the story sticks in your head and makes you want to read on!

So, I haven't finish the book yet, but by the first chapters I may guess that this book should be a hit for any fantasy lovers, even those whom, like me, are a bit fed up with indigestible longish stories lacking in personality and brilliance.

This is a review of the entire book, rather than just the extract.
Wow. The characters, the world-building, everything about this book is simply amazing. I was hooked from start to finish.
If you like dragons, believable characters and a plot that never lets up, this one’s for you.

*I was provided with an Extract of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This first part of the book is perfection. I really appreciated all the diversity and the written style of the book. There is no doubt that Samantha Shannon is an amazing writer. Also, Dragons! Need I say more?

There has been a lot of fuzz surrounding this book and now I understand why! I can't wait to get the book.

This one is not not to miss. A must read, love this extract. Need to read more of this truly amazing book. Can’t wait for the book come I ordered. Would recommend this book!

Yes Yes Yes! Can I just say girl power ROCKS! This book will pull you right in the minute you open it. You will fall in love with the characters Tane, Ead, Loth and even Niclays right away. The extract I was given was not enough for me that I ended up buying the whole book. I am half way done and could not wait to know the history of Dragons extinction and their evolvement.

The book has more than 800 pages long. Trust me it would not get tedious on reading it as Samantha Shannon created wonderful cast of characters and many of them were well written. Samantha Shannon also created a vivid and exciting world for us readers especially Cleolind and the Orange Tree, and different religions in North, South, West, and East.

A huge recommendation if you love epic fantasy.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free sample for an exchange of an honest review.

This book is AMAZING.

Honestly, I’m not exaggerating or being blinded by my SaySha love when I say that this is the best book I have ever read. Perhaps it isn’t a perfect specimen of epic fantasy for you, but for me, this book had every single thing I could possibly have asked for. Samantha Shannon is a master wordsmith, world-weaver and storyteller. You will not regret pre-ordering or buying this book, and the best part is that it can be repurposed as both a weapon and a shield as it is nearly 900 pages and heavy as a brick. True story.

Fiercely feminist, while still having universal appeal for all genders of readers – This is the ultimate feminist reclaiming of the high fantasy genre. In an industry ruled by Tolkien and Sanderson and GRRM, Samantha Shannon is decimating the patriarchy one powerful chapter at a time. I applaud her. From the small tokens of having one of the central empires being referred to as a “Queendom” to empowering quote after quote reminding us that we are enough, and we deserve better.

At the same time, I don’t feel like this is so female-driven that it wouldn’t hold appeal for other genders. It has a healthy balance of genders and sexualities across the wide cast of characters, meaning that every part will hold appeal for someone. Naturally, I had favourites, but unlike A Song of Ice and Fire, I didn’t find myself skipping certain chapters because I wanted to read and know and experience the whole universe Shannon created.

Complex, fully-formed characterisation across a varied ensemble – So in terms of characters, I’m going to say that Samantha creates an ensemble which is a cross between Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows and GRRM’s A Song of Ice and Fire. She tells the story from a close third-person perspective of four narrators (all of whom I will talk about in more detail in a moment), reminiscent of Bardugo’s style of storytelling, while the narrators spend most of the book apart, much like GRRM’s narrators. Not only that, but the entire cast, both narrators and otherwise, are incredibly diverse in terms of both race and sexuality.

NARRATORS
Ead Duryan / Eadaz du Zāla uq-Nāra (West) – the central narrator and easily my favourite character. Ead is a lady-in-waiting to Queen Sabran Berethnet, ward of the Ambassador uq-Ispad of Lasia. However, her real name is Eadaz, a spy and bodyguard sent by The Priory of the Orange Tree to protect the Queen. Basically, a magical assassin / dragonslayer / bodyguard.
Tané of the South House (East) – an orphan, now warrior raised to one day join the ranks of the Miduchi, famous dragon rider’s of Seiiki. Early on in the book she achieves this dream and is paired with her dragon aka the best character ever. More on her later.
Lord Arteloth ‘Loth’ Beck (West) – A Lord of Inys, banished from his homeland for being too close to Queen Sabran, his childhood best friend, undertaking his own adventure in neighbouring Yscalin to save his country. During her time in Inys, Ead had also become good friends with him.
Niclays Roos (East) – A scholar from Mentadon, exiled from Inys and banished from all the family he has left in the world. Now residing in Seiiki, he is bitter and resentful of the Queen, craving the lover he lost many years before. Also uses banging insults, such as, ‘witless cabbage’.
CHARACTERS TO WATCH
Queen Sabran IX of the House Berethnet – Queen of Inys and Queen of my heart. Sab is arguably the most powerful character in this book – she made me laugh, cry, love, grieve and so much more. The House of Berethnet has been the ruling house of Inys, a Queendom ruled only by Queens since the Saint defeated the Nameless One. The legacy of her rule, saying that the most evil dragon of all time, the Nameless One, cannot rise while a Berethnet sits on the throne of Inys, bears down on her. Sab is everything.
Nayimathun – an Eastern dragon, viewed as a God by the Seiikinese, and the dragon who chose Tané to be her rider. Nayimathun is wise and her words are so powerful they are already tattooed on my body. Yes, she talks. The dragons talk. More about dragons later.
Lord Kitson Glade – Best friend of Loth who journeys with him to Yscalin, comedic relief to this heavy story and all round nice guy.
Aralaq – OKAY BUT THE CREATURES OWN THIS BOOK. Aralaq is Ead’s good friend from childhood growing up in the Priory, he is an ichneumon and he is great. Again, a talking creature and he gives me life.

In depth world-building of multiple cultured inspired by both Eastern and Western history – It’s no secret the level of detail Samantha put in to researching this novel. If you search her twitter, you will find multiple threads on history, etymology and in-depth details of everything she has created here. Let’s talk about the world, each country is based on a different region in a particular period of history. For example, Inys is based on Elizabethan England and the myth of George and the Dragon, while Seiiki is based in Japanese lore. Yscalin has a very classical Italian feel about it while reading, though that is something I am projecting. Each country is incredibly well thought out and diverse, with it’s own history and laws. This book is honestly a feat of majesty.

D R A G O N S – I’m sure by now you’re aware that this book is about dragons, specifically a war between Virtudom (Inys, Yscalin, Mentendon and Hróth) and the Nameless One, a Western dragon defeated by the Saint and buried beneath the Esyr. The premise of the novel is that the Nameless One is returning and everyone is trying to stop this happening. Therefore we have the evil draconic beings, these include wyverns, cockatrices, amphiptere, ophitaurs, jaculi and basilisks, and they generally reside in the West. Then there’s the Eastern dragons, the ‘good’ dragons who are revered as Gods in Seiiki and ridden by the chosen of Clan Miduchi. The level of detail Samantha puts into these beings, and all the mythical beings throughout the novel, is exceptional and intriguing. They add so much to the world and let’s not forget… the dragons talk.

Central sapphic relationship – I realise this was kept quiet for a long time and a lot of people were surprised to hear this but I have been trying to shout about it for months. THIS BOOK FEATURES AN F/F RELATIONSHIP AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM IS BISEXUAL. Yes, you heard me, queer ladies. Can I get a ‘FUCK YES’? I don’t want to talk too much about this because I want you to discover the beauty of this relationship for yourself, but let me tell you, this is possibly one of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching slow-burn romances I’ve ever read and 100% my favourite F/F. I cannot tell you how in love with them I am.

TL;DR – This is the best book I’ve ever read. A feminist fantasy masterpiece, plus DRAGONS. For fans of GRRM, Tolkien, Sanderson, Robin Hobb and Tamora Pierce.

This was too complicated for me. I just could not get into it. I really wish i could have!!! It sounded so good. The length did not bother me it was just over complicated. I need to reread when I can focus on it more.

Absolutely loved this extract! Hooked from the very beginning! Perfect for people who love fantasy but are looking for a more female centric story

One can tell from the extract I was provided that this is going to be a wonderfully populated, totally immersive fantasy. With dragons! What more could one ask? There are lots of characters to keep straight, and a new world to visualize, and Shannon's writing makes it easy to do so. Looking forward to the full version.

Hard to give a star rating on an extract. I'm thinking 3.75, so have rounded up to 4.

I've heard a lot about The Priory of the Orange Tree and after reading this excerpt I can say I am hyped. I was really getting into it when it finished. The excerpt is only around 100 pages out of a book that I've heard is nearly a thousand, so I know there's a lot more to come. The worldbuilding seems really unique and different, with a matrilineal society and, coolest of all, dragons. Lots of dragons. I will definitely be getting my hands on this book as soon as I can.

Yes a hundred times to this book. I'm glad mine is on its way to me. This extract has just made me more excited for the book. The writing is just beautiful it sucks you right in.

I recommend people to get this book so that they can enjoy it i mean common it has dragons

This excerpt has left me dying to read more. I knew I was going to want to check this out after hearing it discussed in Book Riot's ALL THE BOOKS! podcast. I'm not a sci fi or fantasy reader, nor do I read YA/New Adult, but I think the story and the writing (the prose! the prose!) have sealed the deal for me. Will be picking this up on my Kindle ASAP.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author, Samantha Shannon, for the opportunity to read a digital preview copy of The Priory Of The Orange Tree in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
What a preview. I loved it so much, I raced out and brought the paperback edition so I could keep reading.
This is going to be an amazing ride.

After this sample I'm so excited to get my hands on this book! One of my most anticipated reads of the year.

Extract looks amazing, it's going to be THE bestseller. Well written and full of all the right fantasy feels.

I loved the sampler. I was so hooked into the story by the end of the sampler that I wanted to buy the book right away.

I can’t wait to read more

I've been looking forward to this novel since I first heard of its upcoming existence! I love Shannon, so everything she writes goes on my radar. This extract does not disappoint and has only made me want it that much more! It's just enough of a preview to get an insight into whether you'll love the rest, and I can already tell I will devour it once it's in my hands.

What a brilliant idea this taster/extract is. Its not just a few pages, we get a good 100 pages of the book to get our teeth stuck into.

What unfolds is the beginnings of an epic story of war, politics, love and dragons. I cant wait to get my hands on the full 800 page book as soon as possible.

I'm extremely grateful to have read the first 7 chapters before it was published. From the beginning you can clearly understand this book is going to be epic! It is fundamental, from the beginning, to understand how this new world created by S. Shannon is divided, to better understand the situation lived by the different characters. There are so many protagonists that I almost thought to start getting notes, but what I was sure from the beginning is that my favorite was going to be Ead. She is my hero, I loved her from the beginning and cannot wait to read the rest of the story!

I've seen so much about TPOT I decided just to give the extract a go. Unfortunately, I could tell pretty quickly that this book just isn't for me. I lost track of all the different people and places. It's not a genre I would usually go for but I am trying to push myself out of my comfort zone. Apparently this was just a smidge too far!