Dragonfall

Lam (Pantomime) launches the Dragon Scales trilogy with this sumptuous epic fantasy. Young Arcady Dalca steals the magical seal off the corpse of their disgraced grandfather, who was unjustly blamed for unleashing a magical plague, hoping to use it to get vengeance against their grandfather’s murderers. The theft causes a mystical storm that opens a hole in the Veil between worlds that allows the dragon Everen Emberclaw to pass through. Long ago, humans stole dragons’ magic and banished them to a dying dimension. Ironically, humans now worship dragons as ancient gods, oblivious to the truth of the past. Everen, the prophesied last male dragon, sets out to find Arcady, steal their magic, open the Veil, and let his vengeful race reenter this world to fight for their freedom. Disguised as a human, Everen realizes to his horror that the seal has bound him to Arcady in virtual servitude. To gain Arcady’s trust, Everen takes his sister Cassia’s advice: “Make your little human love you. Do what you must. And then kill it.” Lam crafts a dynamic world of mystery and magic populated by diverse characters with well-shaded backstories and conflicting motivations that add a layer of depth to this sophisticated fantasy. Readers will be eager for more. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Mushens Entertainment. (May)