The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter is a Bronze Age masterpiece inspired by African culture, plus it has dragons. It is such a refreshing fantasy setting whereas we have two groups of warring people using bronze and stone age weapons. There’s tribalism on one side and a strict caste system on the other. One side has numbers, but the other has dragons and a better understanding of how to wield magic. It’s a fascinating setup of world building that works extremely well.
In this book we get to follow the life of Tau, a lesser of the Omehi people that use a strict caste system. This society has a Queen at its head and your station in life is largely based on your birth mother. Though the men do the physical fighting while specially gifted women wield the magic. Women are also the only ones who can call upon dragons for aid as well. Their society is heavily based around war and the belief they are chosen by the Goddess. The lore in this is quite interesting and incomplete, for future reveals it seems. The Omehi have also fled from their homeland in the past and are essentially the invaders of these lands. At this point though they have settled here for quite some time.
Tau at first doesn’t care about war or being good with the bronze sword, their main weapon of choice. He gets his first taste of war before he’s been fully trained and wants no part of it. He simply wants to be with the girl he loves and live a nice life with her. Series of events make this impossible, of course, or else there would be no story. Tau’s journey is brutal, tough, and violent. We get a heavy look at the society he is a part of and how people treat those of a lower caste. The book definitely hits emotions of a varying range. Tau is in for a ride as is this society as a whole.
The magic system is quite unique and kind of scary. Those that wield magic literally have to send their soul into the realm of demons to use it. Those they attack they can also send souls to the demon realm as well. Demons are attracted to human souls and will attack them viciously. The magic users have to hide themselves to use the power there but cannot do it permanently. If they stay too long, they will die. Those they send there with blasts of magic are rendered physically unable to move in the physical world and suffer attacks by demons on their soul. It is a dark, horrifying, and sometimes final experience for people in this world. This is trauma on a whole other level.
The rival of the Omehi are a series of indigenous tribes called the Xiddeen. The Omehi consider them savages and the Xiddeen consider them foreign invaders on their land. Its an interesting take on a smaller more advanced group looking down on less advanced groups. Even with their vastly higher numbers of people the Xiddeen have been held back by the Omehi superior Bronze weapons and dragon for air support. Though to use these dragons do have a cost. They are only called in if the Xideen have too much of an upper hand. This is essentially a story where you see most of things from the side of the imperialists who have a very unbalanced economic system. As I read, I only ever wanted Tau to succeed in his goals and to root for him to grow as a character.
I mean this book has everything fantasy lover could want. It is a bit dark and emotionally draining, but I always felt a sense of confidence thanks to Tau and those close to him. Even when tragedy strikes at times, it felt earned. There isn’t senseless death and destruction for the sake of it. Winter weaves the story so well and doesn’t do things to shock like some darker side of fantasy does at times. This is a story he wants to tell, and Tau is our leader in it. This world and the people in it feel real. I care about what is happening with our main group of characters and am looking forward to the next book.