Here be dragons! And oh, how wonderfully and vibrantly alive the dragons are that live in the Holt. With the inclusion of dreadful plots, brave inquisitors, clandestine groups, a secretive thief, and sleeping gods, this is an epic introduction to a new fantasy world. Author Bradley P. Beaulieu has created a fascinating land in which the story dwells, and as I fell into the The Book of the Holt: Part One, I became a part of my surroundings. The rapidly changing focus, the large numbers of characters, and the different settings, all ensure that this creation feels well-established and allows the fantasy to gradually form around you. The short chapters spin between characters, creating an energy that builds alongside an understanding of each person. Narrative themes of social and political issues, and identity and belonging play throughout the tale. The Dragons of Deepwood Fen sits as a wonderful opening into this new fantasy realm.
Lorelei Aurelius is the smartest inquisitor in the mountain city of Ancris. When a mysterious tip leads her to a clandestine meeting between the Church and the hated Red Knives, she uncovers a plot that threatens not only her home but the empire itself.
The trail leads to Rylan Holbrooke, a notorious thief posing as a dragon singer. Lorelei soon discovers there's more to Rylan than meets the eye. He came to Ancris to solve the very same mystery she stumbled onto. Knowing his incarceration could lead to the Red Knives' achieving their goals, Lorelei makes a fateful decision: she frees him.
Now branded as traitors, the two flee the city on dragonback. In the massive forest known as the Holt, they follow the trail of clues and discover something terrible. The Red Knives are planning to awaken a powerful demi-god in the holiest shrine in Ancris, and for some reason the Church is willing to allow it. It forces their return to Ancris, where the unlikely allies must rally the very people who've vowed to capture them before it's too late.
