Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame by Neon Yang
Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame by Neon Yang is a classic tale of good vs evil following a gallant, mysterious Guildknight — celebrated as one of the most powerful dragon slayers in the kingdom — who is sent to a neighboring land as a likely precursor to war. There she will uncover secrets the kingdom is trying to hide from the outside world, fall in love and go on a journey of true self-discovery.
A Masked Legend, A Hidden Past
Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame centers on Yeva, who, at a young age, comes face-to-face with a dragon. Trying to protect her younger sister, she attempts to fend off the dragon alone and, in doing so, unlocks a power passed down to her through familial heritage, thus slaying the dragon.
When her father returns home to find Yeva has slain the dragon using this powerful, ancestral magic, he sends her away to train with his brother as a part of the guild of dragon slayers.
Where Dragons Are Worshipped, Not Slain
As an adult, Yeva is no more. In her place stands the legendary masked guildknight of Mithrandon, a storied and celebrated dragon slayer who never removes her armor in public. When she is sent on a mission to the neighboring kingdom of Quanbao, a reclusive kingdom where dragons are not feared, but rather, worshipped, she finds herself longing for more than just the glory that the guild offers.
There she encounters the young girlking, Lady Sookhee, and begins to find something she has been longing for … a home. What follows is a short, fast-paced story of honor, loyalty, love and destiny as Yeva seeks to see what awaits her as she, literally and figuratively, sheds her armor.
A Fairytale Forged in Flame
I was immediately pulled in by Yang’s wonderful writing. I was reminded of books like Nghi Vo’s The City in Glass and the Singing Hills series — with a splash of The Mandalorian thrown in.
Despite its small size, the story feels epic with fairytale-esque elements inspired by Asian mythology and folklore. It reads like a storyboard as the story progresses quickly from scene to scene, chapter to chapter. I only wish I had more time to connect with the characters and experience the world-building, magic and culture.
Due to its short length, it is hard to elaborate more on the story without giving crucial elements away, but know that you are getting a beautifully crafted work of fantasy from an emerging author in the genre.
With a rich tapestry of culture interwoven into a narrative of action and light romance, Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame is sure to be a hit with fantasy readers looking for their next great stand-alone read. My hope is that Yang will build upon this world and perhaps gift readers with a full-length novel in this world, as I think there is much more to explore. I am hungry for more.
