Dragon’s Reach by JA Andrews
The truth is neither plain, nor simple.
Sable, a reluctant thief from the slums, can feel truth when people speak. For years she’s been using that skill to try to break free from the vicious gang boss she’s indebted to.
Escape comes in the form of an odd set of companions:
-a dwarf running from the past,
-an actor with a magical, glowing tree
-a too-helpful kobold,
-a playwright with a knack for getting stories out of people, and
-a man and woman with suspicious, magical powers.But Sable’s freedom is short lived.
On the edges of civilization, they discover hidden, terrifying lies in the offers of peace from the brutal Kalesh Empire.
Now, she must return to the city she fled, and along with her companions, attempt an impossible task—convince everyone, including the powerful Dragon Prioress, of the truth.
Except the Kalesh web of lies has ensnared everyone.
With her land, her people, and everything she loves hanging in the balance, Sable is the only one standing between freedom, and certain death.Pick up the first book of the Keeper Origins Trilogy today, and begin the tale of how an orphaned thief escaped the slums, united a nation, and brought a mighty Empire to its knees.
The Keeper Origins Trilogy, and the Keeper Chronicles Trilogy can be read in any order. They take place in the same world, but are standalone series.
Dragon’s Reach is the first in the epic fantasy Keeper Origins Trilogy.
The story follows Sable, a character who desperately wants a better life for herself and her sister, trapped under the thumb of a crime boss. That is Sable’s driving force throughout this story: protecting the people she cares about. Even when she must sacrifice or risk herself, she does it with barely a thought. She’s not perfect—she’s made mistakes even in her attempts to take care of her sisters through the years since their parents died. But her driving force is constant. She’s a nuanced, fascinating character, especially when you add in her ability to tell when people are lying or telling the truth.
All the characters are given the same treatment: each one is a distinct personality; each one feels flawed and talented in their own right. They interact like real people—not everyone gets along all the time, and they all have their own motives. I can’t wait to see more of each and every one of them in the next books.
There is a romance subplot, but it’s very slow burn. Personally, that’s my favorite kind, as it feels more natural; we see the two grow in friendship before anything else.
The world is rich—for those who came from The Keeper Chronicles, Andrews’ first (delightful) series, some parts of the world will be vaguely familiar. But the passage of time(or rather, the lack thereof) very clearly sets apart two vastly different worlds. This pre-Queensland world is deep and brand new. I can’t help but compare it all to what I know is to come, looking for hints of groundwork for the future cultures we meet later. (It was especially fun to pour over the different maps from the two series) It makes for an even more interesting experience, though it’s safe to say these two series stand apart. You could read this before Keeper Chronicles and nothing would be confusing—Andrews explains the magic and world without drowning us in details or withholding to the point of confusion.
The most unique aspect of this story(besides Sable’s cool ability) would have to be the theater troupe. My personal experience with theater is mostly as an audience member, but I have enough history with behind-the-scenes to say it felt realistic. Theater is full of—cheap tricks doesn’t do it justice—clever tricks, thinking outside of the box, using the mundane available to create magic, and actors pouring themselves into a role until, for a little while, they become the character they portray. Everything comes together to bring a story to life on stage for the audience, and this is captured perfectly as Sable struggles and learns to act to earn her place on stage.
Laced throughout the story are themes of selflessness, family, sacrifice, and redemption. The ending left me breathless, and I will be the first to read the next book when it releases. Sable and co. are worth every moment of my time. And I really really REALLY need to know what’s gonna happen next.
Rating: PG. It’s adult fantasy. Sable is 25, and the story addresses/contains serious issues(betrayal, thievery, fighting), but there wouldn’t be anything objectionable for a younger audience as far as content—nothing gets graphic. There is no language. The romance is quite tame.
Author Bio: Constance Lopez knows magic is real. Dragons, faeries… and don’t even get her started on unicorns. She grew up having epic duels in the woods with her siblings, and nature is still one of her favorite places to be. If she isn’t out there working on her stories, she’s dragging her children and husband on adventures (they always enjoy it once they’re outside). Except in summer. For those months she hides inside, because Texas heat is real and it hates her.
Books have always been her haven and inspiration, and now she writes her own noblebright stories, hoping to pass those feelings along to others. Fantasy, of course. Because everything is better with magic. Her debut YA fantasy will release in Spring 2021.
