I really enjoyed this read! Thank you NetGalley for sending me the arc! There are multiple POVs with characters that you grow to like and love! It has some LGBTQ representation throughout it. I have to say I loved the sassiness of the dragon and wanted her to feature more, which I think she will do in book 2! The magic system is interesting and I can’t wait to dive into that more as well, I’m looking forward to the next book 🥰

3.5 upped to 4
I liked it but not loved it as I wasn't in love with the storytelling that and the three POVs
I appreciated the world building and dragons.
Would like to read the next one as I'm curious about the next one
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was such a good book! I'm right in my adult fantasy genre at the moment so being able to fly through this was great! I read it all in one day and the only thing I can say is if I took my time with it I may have even given it a 5 star but I just couldn't put it down
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This felt just like Final Strife, that same level of almost new adult fantasy. Really accessible with just enough magic and dragons to keep anyone entertained without being confused! I loved seeing the overlap between the characters throughout the story, and I need the sequel!

Between Dragons and Their Wrath is a really ambitious book. The world building itself seems very intricate and complex, and I can really see the authors intention behind it. However, for me, the execution is what really lets this book down. Firstly, there is the world building, which, although is really extensive and interesting, and pretty unique sounding. I very much felt like I was getting thrown into the deep end with it and not really having a lot of time to be slowly introduced to the world and as a result, it kind of meant that I never really, truly understood the world and what was happening.

The three main protagonists of this book are all very different characters, but they all really have interesting personalities and distinctive voices that really add to the story. Even though I struggled to really understand what was happening around them in terms of where they were in their lives, both in actuality and emotionally, I really got invested in the characters themselves. However, what I will say is that they often made decisions that were questionable at best and poorly written at worst, where sometimes it felt like this decision was just made to further along the plot or to further along their relationship with another person.

The writing itself with all of the stories being told in first person perspective are for me quite challenging, and I just kept thinking that if the story had been told from 3rd perspective instead, and once again focusing on each of the characters, it would have been much easier to understand. Although I do see how maybe this was choice was done to help understand the emotional weight of the each of the character’s stories.

My opinions on the ending are very similar to what I have seen around which is the ending itself, is so very fast paced and the climax kind of just happens very quickly where you get this real sense of whiplash. Sometimes this works, like The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli by but the build up was there as well and you could see how it all been in place, which I didn’t really feel was told in this story as well. I feel like I got more whiplash from this and more confusion and even though it was a pretty impactful ending, I’m not sure if I would actually continue the rest of the series.

→ 3.5 stars

This was an incredibly gripping high fantasy full of political schemes, romance and dragons that I thoroughly enjoyed. The world-building was fantastic in this one and I really grew to love this world and it's characters.

While our three main protagonists don't cross paths I this one it was so interesting to see how they were connected and I think really helped with the world-building. We really get to know our characters in depth and learn their strengths and flaws. I really liked getting to know each of our characters and watching them grow and navigate the situations they find themselves in.

This book also deals with a lot of themes such as racism and colonialism which add a lot to this story and I found to be an interest element. Full of twists and intrigue, I'm excited to see how this story progresses in the next book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Between Dragons and Their Wrath is a captivating epic fantasy that weaves together dragons, magic, political intrigue, and forbidden romance. Set in a shattered empire, the story follows three characters whose destinies become entangled amidst revolution and turmoil. I found the start a little slow and the different characters a bit complicated but as the novel progressed I rapidly became hooked.

Madson’s world-building is imaginative, and her characters are both believable and morally complex. The novel’s pacing builds to a heart-pounding finale,

Dense and complicated opener to a fantasy trilogy

A new trilogy from the experienced hand of Madson, this opener reads as three novels rolled into one, with three separate protagonists in three different places as mysterious dragon-adjacent plots happen across a nation riven by class and ethnic divides. We follow glassmaker Tesha as she gets embroiled in the plots of princes and poisoners; dragon-rider Ashadi and his loyal aide Mana as their barracks come under increasing attack by mysterious monsters; and humble laundress Naili as she tries to get the bottom of a life-changing mystery.

One usually cardinal rule of a novel is to corral your action to a specific place, and in that, this novel fails, keeping all three protagonists in their respective locations throughout, far from each other, and never actually interacting. This weakens the novel by proliferating characters and plot, making one dusty ancient city like the next, reducing the tension by rehashing threatening conversations, backroom plotting, inevitable backstabbing and betrayal, and sex. There's an also a lack of specificity, in the dragons, in the places and people, and the names are, like so many fantasy novels, a mishmash of too many vowels. too much similarity.

Clearly this is the start of a trilogy, where the ending is an abrupt halt in all three stories, more like part 1 of a complicated 400,000 word novel.

A surfeit of ideas: three stars.

Set in a stunningly epic queer-normative world of wild sand seas, glass-scaled dragons, dangerous alchemy, and infectious plant magic, Between Dragons and Their Wrath is an intricately woven fantasy tale that offers spine-tingling levels of political, romantic and sexual tension in spades.

Through the eyes of three refreshingly diverse and distinctly unique protagonists, we are thrown headfirst into this complex world with all its dangerous schemes and deadly secrets. Tesha is a sharp-witted apprentice glass smith turned insult bride who becomes embroiled in high society politics, Ashadi is a noble turned dragonrider who can mentally bond with his snarky dragon by using psychedelics, and Naili is a laundress turned gang member whose inexplicable new magic starts growing plants out of her body; they might not know it yet, but their fates are intricately intertwined, and they will have to fight monsters both within and without to reach their destiny.

As you might expect, Between Dragons and Their Wrath is quite the ambitious story with a lot of moving pieces to keep track of, yet somehow Madson manages the madness masterfully. While I can see how the multi-POV first person narration might scare some people off, I personally found that intimately character-driven storytelling to be a perfect grounding force throughout this increasingly wild trainwreck of a story (and I say that in the most loving way possible).

Each character pops off the page with personality and has a very distinct voice, so even though I initially struggled a bit to get a firm grip on their place (both socially and geographically) in this world, I quickly felt deeply invested in the hot mess that they call their daily lives. Their virtues and vices are on full display, and they can be terribly unlikable and irrational at times, but that only made them more frustratingly relatable and loveable to me. And I think this might be an unpopular opinion, but Naili was my favourite from the start, even with her occasionally inappropriate lusty and horny thoughts; the mystery and intrigue in her storyline just instantly grabbed me by the throat, and I ultimately loved her journey of growth (literally, I guess?) throughout this novel.

That is not to say that the other characters pale in comparison to her, and I truly never found myself wishing to get back to a different perspective. Tesha’s perspective gave such an intriguing (outsider’s) look into the cutthroat Emoran high society, while Ashadi’s POV blew open the world in terms of history and lore, both of which I was deeply fascinated by. The way that Madson balances and interweaves these characters’ internal conflicts with the larger external conflicts was so masterfully done, and I really appreciated the subtly powerful exploration of themes of imperialism, colonisation, classism, generational trauma and cultural identity through their personal (back)stories.

Not to mention, as someone who isn’t opposed to some good (queer) romance mixed into their fantasy, I was absolutely eating up the forbidden romances, mutual yearning, electrifying tension, and surprisingly explicit spicy scenes that pop up in each of the three perspectives. Between Dragons and Their Wrath is not a fantasy romance in the traditional sense, but it sure offers more than just a pulse-pounding battle climax, if you know what I mean.

Though speaking of the climax, I do have to admit that the unsatisfyingly abrupt ending gave me a bit of a whiplash, ultimately leaving me with more questions than answers. For a large part of the story I didn’t mind that I felt like I was stumbling around in the dark a bit, because so were the characters themselves, but I can’t deny that I was hoping for more convergence and resolution by the end of this first instalment.

Nevertheless, I had an absolute blast with this story, and I have to admit that the cliffhanger would absolutely have made me dive straight into book 2 if that had been available. See, this might not be a terribly action-packed or fast-paced narrative, but it’s just got a dangerously addictive level of simmering tension that makes the pages simply fly by. Madson’s wild imagination combined with her emotionally engaging storytelling and effortlessly witty prose kept me engrossed the entire way through, and you better bet I will be adding her to my ‘must-read’ authors list from now on.

In a weird way, this book felt like an exciting mix of all the best elements of M.A. Carrick’s Rook and Rose series, Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing, and Saara El-Arifi’s Ending Fire trilogy, while also being completely its own thing. If you are looking for a romantic political fantasy set in an undeniably cool and breathtakingly inventive world that continues to excite, delight, and freak you the fuck out with each new turn of the page, then I can’t recommend Between Dragons and Their Wrath highly enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Between Dragons and Their Wrath is scheduled for release on August 27th, 2024.

the most memorable thing about this is them using <i>demure</i>. the book itself wasn't very demure though. it had too little dragons but too much insta-love. nothing really happened in the book. it constantly felt like a bucket full of water, just waiting to overflow, but the final drop never came.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Oh this hit so hard. I’m not going to lie, it maybe took me a little long to get into: Between Dragons and their Wrath follows 3 separate POVs, characters who do not meet at all throughout the book, all three view points weaving together a fantastic, if slightly slow moving tale.

I say slow moving in a very positive way; this story takes it’s time to establish characters, to weave in lore and build a world so vivid that it’ll be a while before I forget about it.

I think I’m in love with Manna, one of the main character’s love interests. That’s not the point, but it feels important to me. There are quite a lot of characters; I liked how the story slowly revealed how these three main characters were connected to each other.

This book is quite clearly set-up, and it does leave off at a point where I’m quite desperate for more. The unique world, including the Dragons, have left me absolutely sold on this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for this eCopy to review

Between Dragons and Their Wrath is a captivating epic fantasy that weaves together dragons, magic, political intrigue, and forbidden romance. Set in a shattered empire, the story follows three characters whose destinies become entangled amidst revolution and turmoil. I found the start a little slow and the different characters a bit complicated but as the novel progressed I rapidly became hooked.

Tesha, a glassblower’s apprentice, becomes an insult bride after her city is conquered by the south. Positioned in the enemy’s court, she has the opportunity to sabotage them, but her heart leads her elsewhere.

Naili, a laundress working for an eccentric alchemist, discovers strange new powers awakening within her. Forced to work with a rebel group Naili faces a choice: keep her magic hidden or use it to change the world.

Ash, a dragon rider in the desolate Shield Mountains, protects cities from monsters in the Iipao sands. However, he learns information he is not meant to when his dragon is injured

Madson’s world-building is imaginative, and her characters are both believable and morally complex. The novel’s pacing builds to a heart-pounding finale,

Devin Madson's “Between Dragons and Their Wrath” is an enthralling dive into a richly constructed world of alchemical magic, political intrigue, and complex characters. Set against the backdrop of a fractured empire on the brink of revolution, the novel masterfully weaves together the stories of three protagonists, each navigating their own dangerous paths.

Tesha, a glassblower's apprentice turned tribute bride, finds herself thrust into the heart of political machinations. Her transformation from a pawn in a dangerous game to a key player is both compelling and emotionally resonant. Madson deftly explores Tesha’s internal conflict as she balances the demands of duty with the desires of her heart, creating a character that is as relatable as she is formidable.

Naili, the laundress with mysterious powers, offers a contrasting narrative, one grounded in survival and the desperate quest for power. The slow but inexorable development of her abilities is fascinating, and the creeping dread of what these abilities might cost her adds a layer of tension to her storyline. Her interactions with the city’s underground rulers highlight the novel's darker tones and add depth to the world-building.

Ashadi, the dragon rider, brings an element of high fantasy to the narrative, with his story set in the treacherous Shield Mountains. His struggle after his dragon’s glass scales are pierced is a heart-pounding tale of survival, as he becomes the hunted in a world where dragons are both revered and feared. Ashadi’s journey is not just a physical one, but also a deeply emotional exploration of loyalty, loss, and what it means to protect those you love.

Madson’s world-building is nothing short of spectacular. The Celes Basin is a living, breathing entity within the novel, with its diverse landscapes, cultures, and political factions intricately detailed. The integration of alchemical magic into the fabric of this world feels organic and adds a unique flavor to the story, setting it apart from other fantasy epics.

The pacing of *Between Dragons and Their Wrath* is well-executed, building from the personal struggles of the characters to the larger, more explosive conflicts that threaten to engulf the entire empire. Madson’s writing is vivid and evocative, drawing the reader into the heart of the action while maintaining a strong emotional core.

What truly sets this novel apart is its characters. Each of the three protagonists is fully realized, with distinct voices and motivations that drive the narrative forward. Their stories, while separate, are expertly interwoven, creating a tapestry of intrigue, danger, and unexpected alliances.

“Between Dragons and Their Wrath” is a triumph of epic fantasy, delivering on all fronts: complex characters, a richly detailed world, and a plot that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Devin Madson has crafted a novel that is not only a thrilling read but also an exploration of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. Fans of political fantasy, intricate world-building, and character-driven narratives will find much to love in this sweeping tale.

An epic fantasy with dragons, magic and the intertwining of individuals lives across an empire, Between Dragons and their Wrath has it all. From political intrigue amongst a looming rebellion to forbidden romance.

The world is epic filled with dragons and their riders, sharpshooters and magical materials, complete with high society that places a high value on appearance, money and class.

With revolution looming “Between Dragons and their Wrath” explores themes of anti-colonialism and what happens when a cultures history is eroded. How the control of text and what is taught to people can colour their beliefs and create a people who belief in a governments stance.

Put the word "dragon" in a book title and I'm automatically interested, I really am that easy. So of course, with a title as cool as 'Between Dragons and their Wrath', I was intrigued by Devin madson's new release. Sadly, the intrigue vanished rather quickly when I started reading.

I do think though that it's a perfect case of it's me, not the book.
The story is an interesting one, and the mystery that iit slowly builds up to is exciting. It's what made me not dnf, because I really did want to find out what was going on. But other than that there is just nothing happening. The plot is meandering and at times nonexistent, the world building choppy and all over the place and the characters are mostly vexing or painfully mediocre.
Most of all I simply didn't vibe with the author's writing style, and the choice to have multiple pov and write them all in first person can work I'm sure, but it simply didn't for me. I don't think the book is necessarily badly written, I simply just don't like the style.

The characters are okay but honestly barely interesting, and there is a surprising focus on romance that I wasn't expecting based on the book description. This, at times, reads more like romantasy and the world building and character writing suffered from it. All of the three main characters think way too much about sex and romance than they should in the situation they're in, and Nailii especially was absolutely unbearable to read. There is a sex scene in her chapters that is so gratuitous and nonsensical that it's borderline offensive, I felt as if the author was pulling my leg. The romances themselves also didn't really make me feel anything at all. The only couple that had any kind of chemistry were Ashadi and Mana, but that's mostly because there was an attempt at exploring a master-servant-relationship with all its dark and toxic sides (though honestly that didn't last long and turned into simple miscommunication after a while). There was absolutely no chemistry whatsoever between Tesha and Uvao, and Naili lost me in her first chapter with that weird oversexualizing of every woman that exists within like two miles of her.
The world also feels incredibly small due to decisions to connect basically all the important characters to each other in often unnecessary ways, and every time such a connection is revealed it feels like it was supposed to be some clever plot twist. It's not, it just made me feel like there are about ten people at most living in this world.

Basically, this series starter has some very cool ideas, it gets bonus points for its queer protagonists, but the rest of it just wasn't for me at all. Also there are barely any dragons in it, though admittedly the mystery surrounding them and the monsters inhabiting the harsh deserts of this world is the one thing that really shines. Ashadi's dragon is also the best character of the book and she's only in like, three chapters or so.
I do hope others will enjoy this book more, but I personally won't be continuing this series.

4.5 stars!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book. My opinions are my own.

A few years back I read 'We Ride The Storm', the first book in the Reborn Empire series. I loved it, but somehow waited until this year to read the other three books. I'm so glad I did get to reading them, though, because Devin Madson has quickly become one of my favourite authors. To be able to read Between Dragons and Their Wrath in advance truly was a surprise! I'm always grateful to publishers when they approve my request to read an advanced reader copy, but when it's one of your most anticipated books of the year, that literally makes my day!

I quickly found myself enjoying Devin Madson's familiar writing style, meeting new characters in a whole new setting. There are three main characters, each with their own POV chapters. I loved the way those chapters all gave a little insight in different parts of the world, while you as a reader only slowly find out how all of it is connected.

This story just sucked me right in from the start. The characters are interesting, there's some nice intrigue to enjoy, secrets to be revealed... Not as many dragons as you might expect from the title, but I have a feeling they'll make a bigger appearance in the next book!

I'm very excited for this series, it just might become one of my all time favourites!

This book was just epic. I'm loving anything with dragons right now (thanks to house of the dragon).
I was really impressed with this one. I loved the writing style, and this book felt very unique to me.

I really enjoyed this book!

This is an Epic Fantasy with a complex plot and wide reaching Political intrigue. It is a first book in a series and as such the pacing does start off a little slow, but it does gradually pick up until you are fully invested in the story and its characters.

The characters, I feel, are what made this book so wonderful. There are Multiple POV,s which were easy to follow and interesting in their own right. The Characters are all likable, flawed and felt like well fleshed out people with their own complex issues. Tesha is the glass blower's apprentice, Naili is a laundress to and alchemist and Ashadi is a dragon Rider. There is also an abundance of LGBTQI rep here as well.

The writing is exquisite. Grand as one would expect with a novel like this, without being too flowery or pretentious. Now, being a first book of a series it is important to note that though there will be plot points that may seem like plot holes, this is likely not the case as they will in all likelihood be resolved in later books. This is the nature of Epic Series and I would hate for anyone to not enjoy it at the end because of a misunderstanding.

Overall i loved this book and I suspect I will enjoy the following books even more as the story continues on.
Though the Dragons are few and far between, they are Glorious. This story is suitably impressive for a first book with its wide reaching Political intrigue and its Fantasy setting. I felt the romance subplot was well written and added to the story, rather than detract from everything that was taking place.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Fantasy, Politics and well crafters Characters. I can't wait for the next book.

Thank you to little brown books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am posting them voluntarily.

3.5 ⭐️

A book with dragons in the title sign me up.

Firstly I want to say that this book has epic world building, complex characters with different POVs and a forbidden romance which is a trope I know and love. At face value it’s got dragons, a unique magic system and steamy romance. I also love the writing style but for me the reason I was so interested in the book was from the mention of dragons in the title so I thought they’d be more prevalent throughout the book which is why, sadly, I didn’t feel like this was a 4 star read for me.

La verdad es que el nuevo libro de Devin Madson, Between Dragons and Their Breath me ha parecido entretenidísimo, divertido y con un punto picante que le viene bastante bien, pero adolece de un caso grave de comienzo de saga, por que los tres cliffhangers con los que termina la entrega son más escarpados que los acantilados de Dover.


En primer lugar me gustaría alabar la labor de los tres narradores del audiolibro, uno por cada punto de vista,a ya que se nota que Soneela Nankani, Lauren Fortgang y Ron Butler se han metido en el papel a fondo, en su representación de Tesha, Naili y Ash. La elección de la dirección del audiolibro ha estado muy acertada repartiendo los papeles, además me complace especialmente que haya variedad de voces para representar cada papel, creo que el hecho de que haya más de un narrador implicado lucha contra la monotonía del audio. También este conjunto de narradores ayuda con la extraña idea de la autora de utilizar múltiples puntos de vista, pero todos escritos en primera persona.

Como decía en el párrafo anterior, los protagonistas son tres, Tesha, Naili y Ash. Tesha es una sopladora de vidrio con inquietudes políticas que se acaba ofreciendo voluntaria para espiar al autoproclamado poder supremo de la cuenca en la que viven. Naili es una lavandera en la casa del Alquimista, donde se ve que hace ya tiempo que no pasa un inspector de riesgos laborales, ya que el tratamiento de las distintas sustancias del día a día la dota de “poderes” que serán de gran ayuda en el futuro desarrollo de la serie. Y Ash cabalga dragones defendiendo la cuenca del ataque constante de los monstruos del exterior.

Aunque en principio parecen historias muy separadas, lógicamente van confluyendo como afluentes de un río más caudaloso, la trilogía del Shattered Kingdom. Sin entrar mucho en la propia historia, Madson deja entrever una construcción de mundo bastante interesante, pero plagada de misterios que no verán su resolución en las 17 horas del audiolibro. Ése es mi principal problema con el libro, que no lo veo como una unidad completa e independiente en sí misma, si no como un prólogo alargado de lo que vendrá después.

Los personajes, tanto principales como secundarios, son muy atractivos y está muy bien llevado ese tono salaz de algunos capítulos. Es un placer ir descubriendo todo el trabajo de creación que ha habido detrás de la historia y me encanta el recurso de ir contando las noticias de cada día con los titulares más destacados de los periódicos, que no se imprimen habitualmente si no que se vocean por la calle para que la gran mayoría de la población, analfabeta, pueda tener acceso al contenido.

También me gusta el tono algo reivindicativo, de lucha obrera de clases, que se deja entrever en algunos capítulos. El colonialismo de aprovechar los recursos de los demás, el imperialismo de creerse superior solo por haber nacido en un sitio determinado… la corriente política subyacente a la trama es bastante importante y estoy segura de que estas intrigas seguirán a la orden del día en las siguientes entregas, que espero impaciente.

I have to admit that I've got mixed feelings about this book. The premise was great, nice segments of world building, even if you struggle to get your head around politics, and the three main characters are different enough that they're each endearing in their own ways.

Tesh has a nice plot-line that deals with a lot of the politics and class struggles present in this world, with a little morality struggle thrown in. Naili gets thrown from frying pan to fryer faster than you or she can keep up with, and Ash ends up with a massive mystery (crash)landing in his lap. The only downside is the leaping from one viewpoint to another just as things get interesting for one person, you're thrown into following someone else.

It has a lot of promise, and while i'm aware its the first book of a series, I just feel like a little more could have been addressed before the rather abrupt ending.