December 5, 2016
Debut fantasy novelist White pays homage to the prickly lovers from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in this lively adventure full of action, wit, and romance. When rapacious griffins threaten Merybourne Manor, the smallest holding in the island kingdom of Arle, Lord Merybourne hires a band of skilled Riders—warriors with magical animal mounts—to hunt them down. Moira Bentaine, wife of Merybourne’s clerk, hopes to gain a Rider husband for one of her four daughters, which will elevate their status. Pragmatic second daughter Aliza finds little to like in Rider Alastair Daired, even though he’s very handsome and his dragon is quite friendly. Aliza’s sister Angelina, on the other hand, is thoroughly charmed by Cedric Brysney, Daired’s friend and fellow Rider. But hunting deadly griffins leaves little time for romance, especially after the arrival of Daired’s old enemy, along with a mysterious stranger who delivers a grim warning. Referencing Austen just enough to ground her characters, White fills her unusual fantasy world with plenty of interesting conflicts to fuel this tale of romance and heroism. Austen purists may find things to quibble with, but there’s more than enough originality here to please any fantasy reader.
Starred review from November 15, 2016
Aliza Bentaine is a witty young woman from a modest family, who holds the unfortunate position of second eldest in a house of four daughters. Her mother is on a mission to marry off Aliza and her older sister Anjey to well-connected Riders--warriors who are bonded with dragons. As fate would have it, an elite band of Riders are dispatched to Merybourne Manor to cull an extremely murderous band of gryphons; leading the charge are the callous and wealthy Alastair Daired and his dragon Akarra. True to his word, the haughty Alastair tames the monsters while a separate and unexpected battle rages in his heart when he trades barbs with Aliza. Unfortunately for both of them, an ancient evil still lurks in the shadows, waiting to wage what could be a final war for humankind. VERDICT White's engaging first novel is part fantasy and part Jane Austen Regency; recast from Pride and Prejudice, her plot and characters ring true to Austen's original. Janeites will enjoy this fantastical reimagining of a literary masterpiece that should also appeal to fans of Naomi Novik's "Temeraire" series.--Jennifer Funk, McKendree Univ. Lib., Lebanon, IL
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
December 1, 2016
Pride and prejudice and dragons, oh my! The residents of Merybourne Manor, undergoing constant attacks from ferocious gryphons, hire Riders to rid them of the monstrous creatures. Aliza Bentaine, suffering from the loss of a sister, is glad that her family, friends, and neighbors will be safe once the elite warriors arrive. When she meets dragon-rider Alastair Daired, she is not so surealthough quite handsome and obviously brave, he is insufferable and disdainful of lowly nakla such as herself. Alastair, having only come along to accompany his friends Cedric and Charis Brysney, finds himself reluctantly attracted to this spirited young woman. He is further surprised to learn his dragon companion-in-arms Akarra is quite taken with the girl, regardless of her status as a nonrider. White's fast-paced debut transports the social differences and romantic misunderstandings of Austen's classics to an imaginative new setting where danger is ever-present and hidden tensions build toward an even bigger threat that could destroy any hope for Aliza and Alastair. Offer this to fantasy-romance fans who enjoy an Austen twist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)