From the publisher:  In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be dark—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death bringer.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

Asha has been told by her father, the king, that she is the Iskari and must atone for her past actions by killing all dragons. She is fierce and highly skilled at killing but she allows cruel Jarek, the commandant, to threaten her and her cousin, Safire.  Why didn’t she kill him in self-defense?  This is a weakness in her character that makes her relatable and not the perfect, all-knowing heroine.  The reader discovers many truths alongside Asha.  Torwin appears incredibly knowledgeable for a slave.  He knows more about dragons and dragon riding than Asha.  Perhaps the sequel will include his back story.  The writing is polished and infused with past folklore.  The plot moves quickly with plenty of action but not too overlong  and clearly drawn characters, each with a back story begging to be told.  I look forward to reading more from this debut author.  Highly recommend!

eGalley review                                              Publication date 10.3.17