Published by JABberwocky Literary Agency on July 7th 2020
Also by this author: In the Vanishers’ Palace, The Tea Master and the Detective (The Universe of Xuya), The Citadel of Weeping Pearls, Fireheart Tiger, Seven of Infinities, Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances, The Red Scholar's Wake
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 80
Format: ebook
Goodreads
From the author of the critically acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen trilogy comes a tale of dragons, and Fallen angels—and also kissing, sarcasm and stabbing.
Lunar New Year should be a time for familial reunions, ancestor worship, and consumption of an unhealthy amount of candied fruit.
But when dragon prince Thuan brings home his brooding and ruthless husband Asmodeus for the New Year, they find not interminable family gatherings, but a corpse outside their quarters. Asmodeus is thrilled by the murder investigation; Thuan, who gets dragged into the political plotting he’d sworn off when he left, is less enthusiastic.
It’ll take all of Asmodeus’s skill with knives, and all of Thuan’s diplomacy, to navigate this one—as well as the troubled waters of their own relationship….
A sparkling standalone book set in a world of dark intrigue.
A Note on Chronology
Spinning off from the Dominion of the Fallen series, which features political intrigue in Gothic devastated Paris, this book stands alone, but chronologically follows The House of Sundering Flames. It’s High Gothic meets C-drama in a Vietnamese inspired world—perfect for fans of The Untamed, KJ Charles, and Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves
Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders is a standalone novella in the Dominion of the Fallen series. You don’t have to have read the other books to enjoy this one. I’ve only read part of the series and could follow it easily. No previous knowledge required. The author was kind enough to send me an ARC to read before the actual release date in exchange for an honest review.
The story features Thuan and Asmodeus who are big characters in the Dominion of the Fallen series, and I saw a few other familiar faces. Still, seeing them going on another adventure is nice. The murder mystery, the court intrigue, and the wonderful underwater palace is captivating. I loved the banter between the husbands as they try to do what they consider the right thing. The conflict is real and changes throughout the story as new information is revealed. That only shows Aliette’s true storyweaving power. Even in a story as short as eighty pages, she manages to do everything you’d want in a full novel.
I rate Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders 4,5 stars. I highly recommend it to fantasy and mystery lovers who want to read something in between longer series. It’s a good break and is most likely very different from what you’ve been reading. Or, if you’re a fan of Aliette like me, you’ll enjoy it anyway. It’s also a good introduction to her style for those who’ve never read anything by her.
Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders is out now!
About Aliette de Bodard
Aliette de Bodard lives and works in Paris. She is the author of the critically acclaimed Obsidian and Blood trilogy of Aztec noir fantasies, as well as numerous short stories which have garnered her two Nebula Awards, a Locus Award and two British Science Fiction Association Awards. Her space opera books include The Tea Master and the Detective, a murder mystery set on a space station in a Vietnamese Galactic empire, inspired by the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Recent works include the Dominion of the Fallen series, set in a turn-of-the-century Paris devastated by a magical war, which comprises The House of Shattered Wings (Roc/Gollancz, 2015 British Science Fiction Association Award, Locus Award finalist), and its standalone sequel The House of Binding Thorns (Ace/Gollancz, 2017 European Science Fiction Society Achievement Award, Locus award finalist). (Photo taken by Lou Abercrombie)
