A Black Dragon on Red, book 6 of the Drowned Kingdom Saga, was a departure from previous books in the series. It begins long before the unlikeable main protagonist of the series, Othrun, came to power, or Atalantyx was drowned. Indeed, the boorish and now alcoholic Othrun does not appear as a PoV until the final quarter of the book, after many centuries have passed.
Instead, we are thrown into a prologue set in a somewhat recognizable world, with completely new characters. This was a little jarring, but I soon found myself gripped. The characters were wonderfully described, and it becomes clear as the story progresses how this all fits into the history of the world which Othrun now inhabits. In the prologue alone, we have regicide, fratricide, political machinations to rival the Machiavellians, and all with these new characters whom we do not yet care about. I was confused by the prologue and impatient to know the purpose of these new characters in the series, but before long, it all became clear. There are layers upon compelling layers in this book.
The unspeakable tyrant, whose horrific deeds we witness in the prologue, is necessary for our main female character, Ethlun, to become the strong, fearless woman that she proves herself to be throughout the book. Her character develops in fascinating ways, and her story arc is fabulous. But how can a story that describes the life of a lowly goatherd girl with untutored mage powers figure in the making of a fearsome leader whose reputation is known throughout the world in Othrun’s time, centuries later? For that, you will need to read the book.
I highly enjoyed Ethlun’s romance arc and the inclusion of a well-recognized creature from fantasy, which might be a big surprise to readers who have not yet read P L Stuart’s short story: Forest Dark (found in the anthology, Shapers of Worlds Vol. 5).
I really love P L’s writing style. He draws you in with richly layered characters and intricately described intrigue. You know that every little detail he mentions is going to be important somehow later on. Nothing is there without a reason. He also deals with sensitive subjects carefully. In this book, he is building fearsome reputations of characters who commit unspeakable crimes. (How else could they have earned their fearsome reputations?) Sexual violence is often threatened or reported – but, thankfully, never described. Wartime violence is described in gruesome detail, so anyone squeamish should beware the battle segments. There are many emotional moments in the deaths of various characters’ loved ones, and PL leads the reader through all of this expertly, with perfect pacing and just enough handholding.
The novel as a whole was surprising and intriguing, and the final battle was absolutely gripping. I can’t wait to see what the consequences will be in the next book!
I was given an unedited review copy by the author. Thank you, P L Stuart!
