Speaking has consequences. It can bring you pain. It can cause death. Sometimes, it’s better to remain silent.
In her debut novel and first instalment of the Sky Riders series, Erin Swan takes you into a world in which dragons exists and the bond between a dragon and its rider is sacred. For decades the Riders kept the peace in Paerolia and once a year, dragons and men are chosen to become partners. The mental match between the two is destined. Once bonded together, they are one.
Andra is not allowed to witness this ceremony and when she is caught, she is sent away to become a servant in the Chief Judge’s manor. After a traumatic event, she does not speak anymore and sees no hope to break out of her misery. That is, until one day, a group of assassins breaks into the manor and the leader, Kael, decides to take her with them. Andra discovers that their main goal is to overthrow the current system and replace the corrupt Government to make sure that that everyone can live equally.
This book is so extremely good. Well written, catchy, plot-twists, and just pure awesome. It is Hunger Games meets Eragon and Xena in a world that is Game of Thrones like. Plus, I love books which have a deeper message and this one has many of them!
After disturbing the pairing, Andra was sent away to be a servant at one of the Chief Judge’s manor and soon after she arrives, she dared to call out the Judge’s son as being a pig after he implied that she would soon end up in his bed. Andra, then not only has to witness how her mother gets murdered in front of her, but is sexually abused for months too.
Swan takes this delicate topic and does something I wish more authors would do. She does not go all the way into these horrible moments, but she gives the reader enough information that it cannot be misunderstood.
As the story continues, there are some romantic scenes and beautiful words, but there is no sex scene in the whole book. It is refreshing for me that an author left that out completely. I sometimes think, that there is an unknown rule that every book nowadays, even if it’s YA, has to have something more. This is proof that you can write a perfect scene without writing about every little detail of a romantic encounter.
“You told me once that my old life was behind me, that I have a new life, one where I can fight back. And you were right. But I’ve also been fighting to hold on to something, fighting to keep a part of that old life with me. That part of my life felt safer, more certain than this one, so I clung to it. But . . . I don’t want to hold on to it anymore. I want my old life behind me— every part of it. Because I want every part of this new life, no matter how uncertain it may be.”
Then you have dragons but only men are allowed to become a Rider. This is turned upside down when the young dragon Tiri finds Andra and tells her, that she was not able to pair with one of the candidates, because her mind connected with Andra’s. The bond between a Rider and his dragon reminds me of the connection between a human and their daemon from His Dark Materials, which is a beautiful bond.
Not soon after, she discovers the magic which lies within her and she starts to train. She learns how to become a Rider, how to use her magic, and also how to fight.
This may sound like another Cinderella story, but it is so much more grown up. We follow Andra in different situations and this girl does not have it easy. After everything she went through, it is not easy for her to trust people nor herself. Everything she knew about herself and the world turns out to be different and it overwhelms her. I do not think that she is the fearless leader the rebellion thinks she is at the end of the book. She still has a lot to learn and conquer, but this makes her so relatable and easy to identify with.
Last but not least, there is a rebellion against corrupted leaders. The world building reminds me of our current political situation around the world. The wish to get rid of politicians who leave you paralysed with their decisions and opinions. We are the strongest together to change things.
Bright Star was a surprising read and now a favourite read of mine. It has different and important aspects and you cannot help but fall in love with the idea of having beautiful dragons around which can talk. The book moves on too fast at the beginning, and jumps from one scene to the next, but after you find your way into the story, you get rewarded with a strong female protagonist. Plus you’ll also find your next favourite book crush, Kael, who is the leader of the rebellion and a Rider himself with his dragon Eithne by his side. He’s also different to many male love interests as he is kind, patient, and genuine.
Bright Star is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of August 13th 2019. You can find Erin Swan on Twitter, Facebook, and her website.
Will you be picking up Bright Star? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Erin Swan’s YA fantasy debut, Bright Star, is an action-packed adventure tale of rebellion, romance, and finding one’s voice in the heart of a storm.
Paerolia has been at peace for two centuries, and all is well in the land—or so it seems. Beneath the surface, a tyrant is rising to power.
A traumatic experience in Andra’s childhood has left her mute and subdued, a servant in the Chief Judge’s manor. But when an assassination team, led by the secretive and alluring Kael, infiltrates the manor and makes a quick escape, she takes her chance and flees with them.
Andra is thrust into the ranks of a secret rebellion—a group of outcasts and believers seeking to overthrow the Chief Judge and replace the corrupt government with new members, ones who will restore and preserve the land they love. Now, the girl who was once an outcast must somehow become the leader Paerolia needs. But she is stronger than she believes—and with the help of a fiercely loyal dragon, she may just be the one to lead them all to victory.
