Review: UF with a definite fantasy bend
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 1, 2012
Some days it doesn't pay to have a rep as the baddest demon slayer around, as Ashera Del Cid finds out when she's hired to help out with some human-dragon negotiations and ends up toasting one of the dragons' pet wyrms. Under attack, she reluctantly accepts help from a mysterious demi-god named Ramiel, who tells her that she's been watched by the dragons for a long time - she has a destiny to fulfill and he's the only one who can protect her and guide her through it.This was a story that really grabbed me from the beginning and kept me reading because of all the crazy twists and turns. It begins so normally with a simple job for Ashera and sort of explodes out from there. She begins as a character that is almost never seen in an urban fantasy or anywhere else - a relatively unattractive heroine. She has a great, normal relationship with her foster sister that I hope gets continued - she really humanizes Ashera and I like that about her. I liked that despite her physically strong and fearless exterior, Ashera still worried about home, about whether she was good enough. I connected with her and could understand some things about her despite the fantasy setting so even when things got weird, I just couldn't stop reading.Once Ramiel gets hold of Ashera, the true fantasy part of the story takes over and things get a little crazy. There are a ton of things to take in, a whole new world for Ashera to deal with and a lot of mythology to learn. For the most part, I like where Lee is going with all of this. I'm hoping in the next book things will become clearer in a few areas. There are some notable supporting characters introduced, especially Ramiel's tiny butler-ish dragon Toshi who provides a lot of comic relief.Ramiel is a slippery character that I never quite knew whether I liked or didn't. He seemed like he was on Ashera's side and he did many things that were dangerous in support of her but he also was sort of sneaky. I thought the constant trust issues between Ashera and Ramiel took up a lot of space. She's a smart woman so the back and forth between them about his agendas and their relationship didn't seem in character sometimes. I did love the murkiness of everyone's motives, but I think Ashera would be more on guard given her past.The villains are wonderfully nasty and there are all sorts of skirmishes sprinkled throughout the story with an epic showdown at the end that of course leaves big questions for the next book. This can be read as a standalone - there are hints given at the end that may answer some questions but you'll be left with more that will want you to keep reading if for no other reason than to follow Ashera as she searches for the way to fulfill her destiny.Lee has created a complex and compelling world of demi-god dragons, slayers and demons with a great heroine at the center. In this first book she's already set up a second quest for Ashera, more secrets revealed about a deep family secret and the continuation of a hot romance with a little dangerous subterfuge involved. If you're looking for a genre-blender of fantasy, paranormal and urban fantasy, then I totally recommend this for you.