The Name of All Things

July 8, 2019
In this tepid sequel to The Ruin of Kings, Lyons once again experiments with narrative as demon-cursed Janel Theranon tells her tale to the demigod Kihrin D’mon in a storm shelter, recounting battles with demons, encounters with ancient gods, and a rebellion. There are a handful of familiar characters and a few events that intersect with the first novel, but this is an otherwise parallel adventure that explores a smaller part of the Empire of Quur. Janel and her close friend Brother Qown provide alternating perspectives of their attempt to slay a dragon that was under the control of the wizard Relos Var, and how they led a revolution in the province of Jorat. While previous protagonist Kihrin plays a small part, the focus is on Janel and her close encounters with gods and dragons. Though the complexity of plot and worldbuilding are still present, this second installment tackles smaller problems with far lower stakes, and the climax is less gratifying and coherent. Readers who enjoyed the sweeping epic feel of the first book will find this one disappointing. Agent: Sam Morgan, Foundry Literary + Media.

August 15, 2019
The second installment in Lyons' Chorus of Dragons saga (The Ruin of Kings, 2019) continues the grand-scale fantasy adventure with a parallel story revolving largely around the demon-tainted noblewoman Janel Theranon, whose heroic exploits helped trigger a revolution. Trapped together in a storm house as a blizzard rages outside, Theranon and her acolyte guide Qown take turns recounting their epic adventure to Kihrin D'Mon, a reincarnated god and protagonist of the first volume. The story involves their attempt to save a massive city--the magical city of Atrine--from destruction by killing the largest dragon the world has ever known. After witnessing the devastation of a smaller city by blue "witch-smoke," Theranon realizes all the supernatural chaos and prophecies surrounding the awakening of the dragon are part of a much larger conspiracy that has been meticulously plotted out by a mysterious mastermind. Magic and manipulation abound as Theranon and company desperately race to save the day while wizards, demons, gods, and humans do battle. While the pacing of this second installment struggles in spots--due in part to the repetitive nature of the points of view--there are numerous elements worthy of mention. The intricacy of the storyline, the bombshell plot twists toward the end, and the humorous, snark-filled footnotes are high points, as is the author's talent for descriptive prose. So many images are made memorable by excellent description, including the city of Atrine, the subterranean cave systems of Yor, and the metal dragon Morios. "Steel and iron...every metal, a thousand metals, all twisted together in sharp swordlike tangles to form the dragon's body. It resembled a porcupine warped into nightmare, formed by an insane and malevolent god." Also intriguing is the genderfluid culture of Jorat. Theranon, in particular, is a wonderfully complex and endearing character whose gender mutability enriches the narrative tapestry: "I am in fact a female man." Simply put: This is top-notch adventure fantasy written for a 21st-century audience--highly recommended.

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September 1, 2019

Janel Theranon is a young woman who stands as the powerful Count of Tolamer in the Jorat Dominion, a land where gender is fluid and not determined by sex. Some of her power, however, comes from the demon Xaltorath, who spared and cursed her as a child: Janel battles demons every night. As cities in her land face Hellmarches by demons, with death and destruction in their wake, Janel searches for the truth of her own power in order to save the magical city of Atrine, aided by the help of her friends: a priest healer; a bandit; and some new allies, specifically Kihrin D'Mon. The continued past and present narratives by Janel, Brother Qown, and Kihrin, along with liberal footnotes from witch Serena, keep this prophetic fantasy grounded in the feelings and experiences of the characters. Lyons continues her expansive and diverse worldbuilding in a tale readers will stay up all night to finish. VERDICT The second of Lyons's "Chorus of Dragons" series (after The Ruin of Kings) carries on the epic settings, memorable characters, and broad mythological foundations. Lyons is creating a complex and wonderful series that will immerse and delight.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2019
This follow up to Lyon's brilliant debut takes a similar, assured (and sassy) narrative approach to The Ruin of Kings (2019) to recount how Janel Theranon came to possess Khoreval, a spear capable of killing a dragon. It begins in a tavern that is buried in snow and under assault from an ice dragon, though not the one Janel intends to dispatch. Kihrin, the hero of Ruin, listens as Janel tries to convince him to help her save Jorat, her home province, in accordance with a prophecy. But prophecies in the Chord of Dragons series are as hard to work out as the genealogies among the Eight Immortals, god-kings, demons, and dragons that inhabit the Empire of Quur. In the matter of Joratese culture, even gender roles become trickier to define. Janel's plight is even more compelling than Kihrin's: when she sleeps, she fights demons in the Afterlife, where people who die wait to be resurrected. Lyons proves she is worthy of comparison to other masters of epic fantasy, such as Patrick Rothfuss, Stephen R. Donaldson (particularly in Grand Guignol action), and Melanie Rawn.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)