Through Fire and Shadow by R.M. Schultz

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Kings and Queens have been murdered, and both kingdoms blame the other. At the same time, a third party takes advantage of the chaos to finally exact revenge on humans and dragons alike After the battle of Nevergrace, where the newly knighted Cyran Orendain survived an epic battle with the famed Dragon Queen, monsters from the Evenmeres target villages on the edges of the forest. Cyran and his archers travel on Eidelmere, an ancient forest dragon, and are sent to investigate the truth about the village attacks. When they travel into Murgare, they are captured and taken to Northsheeren, where the Dragon Queen offers Cyran an opportunity to study under her and learn about dragons and the Neblír. Rescue comes from a most surprising ally, and Cyran flees back to Belvenguard. At King Igare’s stronghold, Galvenstone, he finds his sister together with the Lady of the Never, where Jaslin is sleuthing around to find the traitor responsible for the death of her queen.

Meanwhile, Pavol and Aneen, dragon thieves, travel with an unpredictable assassin, ensuring that those seeking peace do not succeed. When the day when the sea sky rains blood arrives, a world stands on the edge of destruction. Will there be a true winner, or will an old enemy sworn to vengeance finally have the kingdoms of Cimeren where he wants them? Broken and hurting. Through Fire and Shadow by R.M. Schultz is a book of epic proportions, and attempting to give a full review of the plot is a huge undertaking. So many subplots and incidents bring this epic fantasy to life and reveal the intricacies that make this riveting fantasy one of the best I have read in a while.

R.M. Shultz is a fantastic fantasy writer, and this second book in the The Forged and the Fallen series does not disappoint. The story develops quickly with heart-stopping fight sequences between dragons and their human riders. Non-stop action drives the plot and creates the urgency and anxiety surrounding the countries preparing for war. Shultz has dealt with some current topics in his dragon-filled epic. The apparent theme is war and its effect on citizens and the extent to which those in power will go in order to stay in control. Another theme is trust. Cyran’s struggle to understand and give trust to his dragon is a prominent aspect of his that develops throughout the book. It culminates in him finally trusting his thorn dragon and realizing the deadly team they are. What stood out for me the most, though, was the story of the Dragon Queen, who has lived for centuries and lived through the Great Dragon War. She has seen the history of Cimeren develop and repeat itself and has seen in Cyran someone who will be important in the future. Dragons are the characters that dominate the book. Although this is the story of Cimeren, the dragon characters bring wisdom and gravitas that sets this series apart from other fantasy novels.

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