Unlikely allies discover a dangerous plot in The Dragons of Deepwood Fen, the enjoyable first entry in the Book of the Holt series by Bradley P. Beaulieu (A Desert Torn Asunder).
Brilliant inquisitor Lorelei Aurelius stumbles into a mysterious connection between the rebel group the Red Knives and the Church. Rylan Holbrooke, thief and clandestine dragon singer, is unwillingly drawn into a Red Knives plot. In order to stop a chain of events that could topple the empire, Lorelei must free Rylan and they must flee the city together as traitors.
Beaulieu presents a world that will please fans of traditional epic fantasy, one full of empires, intrigue, and dragons, but showcased through more points of view than may have been strictly necessary. Although some characters appear and disappear more quickly than expected, because of the attention given to their perspectives, they will all endear themselves to readers, particularly the two leads. Rylan is a classic fantasy archetype--the illegitimate son of nobility, a permanent outsider who nonetheless may hold the fate of empires in his hands. Lorelei offers a welcome streak of neurodiversity: although it doesn't seem this fantasy world has a word for whatever her specific neurodivergence is, Beaulieu respectfully portrays her challenges, such as discomfort with crowds and suggestions of more intense difficulties in her childhood, as part of her character. More than anything, these two make this novel stand out in the world of fantasy adventure.
Fans of Brandon Sanderson will be eager to explore this series. --Kristen Allen-Vogel, information services librarian at Dayton Metro Library