Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The Sunset Sovereign is available now.

The Sunset Sovereign starts with an ending of sorts. Sisal, a would-be dragon killer has fought the mighty dragon Vakandi, and he has extended a surprising offer: listen to his story until sunset. This small and seemingly innocuous beginning leads to a tale within a tale, one with depth and honesty.

I love book that flip the expected on its head. Vakandi is a wonderful character for so many reasons! First, he is a character, so much more than just a foil for Sisal. There is so much to him, and the reader gets to see all sides: both good and bad. There is cunning, a temper, and lots of fire, of course. He is a dragon after all. But there are also good intentions, thoughtfulness, and a protective spirit. Like all of us, he is conglomeration and so much more than just one thing.

And, like real life, there is more than one side to the story. Sisal the dragonslayer slowly realizes that as well and is faced with choices that she didn’t expect going in. It was fascinating seeing her perspective shift and her understanding both of history and of the nature of living things become more complete. In some ways, I was sad for her: it is always simpler to have an “us vs. them” mentality, but really, it is a victory. It shaped her character and gave her growth, despite the cast of characters being small.

I loved that this book was a bunch of stories wrapped in the larger narrative. It is a charming way to tell a tale. I also found myself chuckling at the idea of an intimidating dragon offering his would-be killer a warm bowl of soup. His hospitality was at distinct odds with the picture Sisal had formed of him in her mind, and it was a lovely detail.

This is a heartwarming book, not cozy, but full of hope. Vikandi has been added to my list of favorite dragons. The Sunset Sovereign is a great book for fans of subverted tropes and complex characters.