Scales & Scoundrels Definitive Edition: WHERE DRAGONS WANDER, & THE FESTIVAL OF LIFE

WHERE DRAGONS WANDER (Book 1)
SEBASTIAN GIRNER (Illus. Galaad; Letterer Jeff Powell)
TKO Studios
$12.99 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: This gorgeous, multicultural fantasy adventure follows treasure hunter, Luvander, as she searches for gold and glory. As she dives into an epic journey along with a young prince, his stern bodyguard, and a plucky young dwarf, our heroes will discover a secret that will bring light to a world encroached upon by an ancient darkness.

This is the story of a girl who liked to wander...

It's hard to make an honest living in a land brimming with magic and mystery, and treasure hunter Luvander is tired of being a penniless adventurer. Ever in search of gold and glory, she sets off for a fabled dungeon "the Dragon's Maw", an ancient labyrinth, at the bottom of which slumber endless wealth...or certain doom!

A loner by trade, Luvander is forced to team up with a team of scraggly adventurers, each hoping to find a treasure of their own in the forbidden tomb. There is Prince Aki, of the Scarlet Sands Empire, anxious for first taste of adventure yet blind to the consequences. His royal Shadow and bodyguard, Koro, whose very honor hangs in the balance of her prince's success. And Dorma Iron, a stocky young dwarf whose journey will take her deeper into the darkness than she ever wished to tread.

For these scruffy heroes, what starts out as a road to riches becomes the first step on an epic journey to destiny, for Luvander holds a secret in her heart that will shatter the chains of fate, and bring light to a world encroached upon by an ancient darkness.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Classic, high-fantasy story gender-flipped. It's still heteronormative, but a female who rescues a prince, and has a deep, dark Secret Identity...that's a mild breeze of fresh air in a genre I'm not wild about.

It has all the necessary Dungeons & Dragons elements for your gamer giftee, it's got artwork I sat and looked at even after I was done reading the simple story, and it sends a message I think we need a lot more of: males can be weak, and can need help and protection, without being worthless; females can be powerful protectors with hidden depths and leadership qualities. All of this wrapped in a pretty decently nuanced plot, with actual above-average character building that unfolds as the story progresses, made this a four-star read. It is, you'll note, the first of two books. Start here, and if gifting, definitely give both at the same time.

the dramatis personae

the action begins

drama!

specialness revealed

tension mounts

what's next?

I think this is a fair sampling of the illustration style. It takes you through the register changes in its use of overarching color pallette. It's got enough detail in the character design to make the faces legible to younger (11 and older, not my idea of suitable for the early chapter-book set) readers. It does not stint on action, nor ignore dialogue.

It's a solid series that I'm glad found a new home for ongoing adventures.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


THE FESTIVAL OF LIFE (Book 2)
SEBASTIAN GIRNER (Illus. Galaad; Letterer Jeff Powell)
TKO Studios
$12.99 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Treasure hunter turned cursed Dragon princess, Luvander, has sworn to uncover a way to break the chains that bind her true form, even as she is hunted by the relentless Houndmaster. As the search for her true self takes ever more dangerous twists and turns, Luvander must reckon that no one, not even eternal dragons, can remain untouched by the ravages of power.

This is the story of a girl who liked to wander...

Following a tense standoff with her elders, Luvander sets off to find a way to break the chains of her cursed fate.

Undeterred by danger, she travels to the frozen northern wastes of the Spine of Winter, to a reclusive monastery whose monks guard a secret entrance to the Dragon Dream, the shared plane of consciousness of all Urden, living or long passed. What she finds there will set her on a journey beyond where any mortals, and few dragons have tread, to uncover an ancient secret from the darkest corners of history. Continuing the epic journey of the cursed dragon princess and her fellow scoundrels in a world bent on undoing itself.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A change of publishers from the original was made so the same team could round off the main action of the story. It does exactly that.

It's a notable feature of the continuation that several side characters get deepened backstory. This really reads like a very well-run D&D campaign; the action genuinely makes a difference to story.

Any of your young woman giftees would probably resonate to this.