Chasing Embers (Ben Garston Novel) (The Ben Garston Novels)

by James Bennett

[layawaydragon]

Before I get into the meat of the story, let me address the gristle writing style. It will either be hated or tolerated. The low star/DNF reviews I've seen are due to this issue. For me, it made the book slow, especially to start.

Then it either fades into the background like static or I start sliding over the abundance of wordy descriptions. Especially when it starts repeating phenomena...Although it can be beautiful when talking about dragons, IMHO.

So, first recommendation: preview it online or in the store before buying to test out the writing. For some egregious examples, you can and should check out other reviews but seeing it in context is always best.

Secondly, Ben is not a hero. Hell, he's not even pleasant most of the time. Part of it is the typical alpha dude and the other is the older than dirt aspect. He's also pathetic in the beginning, moping about, dragging his wings around.

Ben also likes to think he looks like a movie star, is a possessive sexist pig, and has psychological scars deeper than the Mariana Trench. What makes all that work is unraveling the mystery behind his past mistakes he's lamenting while trying to unfuck his present relationship as the magical world starts revolting against humans.

He's got quite a human fetish, which makes a lot more sense when you find out his origins. Despite all these problems, I kept reading because holy shit is there a lot of players and unique worldbuilding and plotting.

He's not my favorite dragon ever, but he's well-done, flawed, and gets better.

I love all the mythology from around the world included, especially the non-Eurocentric. I adore the Land of Punt mythology and how current events were evoked. It takes “the past was literally magical” head on instead of ignoring big problems often overlooked.

Instead of just ignoring it or "no one knows at all" kind of BS, we learn from Ben eventually how the world was before humans, who made it that way, what happened to make it change, how they survived and why it's changing again now.

It of course takes a long damn time to get there and Ben can be obtuse. However, with the different parties, action, and pacing of bread crumbs, I was hooked. I will be continuing the series and am hoping the next one won't feel so slow since the foundation has been laid, the ramp to follow for some sick turns is ready to go.

FYI: I've never read any of the authors mentioned in the blurb or back of the book, though several I plan on reading so no comment on that score.