The wild has gathered its forces and the mastermind behind the game has been revealed (if only in name). The two sides are on a collision course for battle but first the Red Knight must do what any noble warrior would do, take part in a tournament. The Dread Wyrm is one of those books where your jaw will drop on several different occasions and will sink its teeth in you for years to come. This will be a spoiler free review but I will be touching upon events in the previous two books.
The Red Knight, Gabriel, has enlisted the help of an ancient Wyrm and has decided to take place in a tournament for royal favor and acclaim. Free of the influence of Harmodius, Gabriel needs to be on his guard as there is more at stake in this tournament than fame. The court of Alba has been infiltrated by a dangerous faction of knights led by Jean de Vrailly and his prize is the throne. Jean is still hearing the voice of an angel in his head and one must wonder if his actions are entirely his own. Thorn has found his champion in the exiled Kevin Ornley and his forces are being mustered to march on Alba. Thorn has also discovered that he has been influenced by a more powerful being known as Ash this whole time. The macro plot will be revealed throughout this third installment as well as its implications for the world at large.
Miles Cameron is at the top of his game in the Dread Wyrm and this is by far my favorite book in this series. The military battle scenes are a sight to behold especially the one towards the end. Epic doesn’t begin to describe the impact this will have on the rest of the series. The quite and more character driven moments are also where this book shines. We get a deeper dive into many of the characters as well has how they are influenced by outside forces. This includes: Gabriel, Harmodius, Jean de Vrailly, the faery knight, Kevin Ornley, Thorn, Amica and even the introduction of new characters to put icing on the cake. No spoilers, but we are introduced in the Dread Wyrm to one of my favorite animal companions in all of fantasy. You will have to read to find out!
Whether you are new to the fantasy genre or a long time veteran, The Traitor Son Cycle is a series that can be enjoyed by all. I would say that although this is a character driven story, you need to be able to enjoy big scale battles as well. The investments made in the previous two books are cashed in with The Dread Wyrm and the gigantic scope of the world will be ramped up to the tenth degree. There are somewhat mixed emotions regarding the rest of the series, but I can say the juice is worth the squeeze so get your order in now!
Cheers!
Under The Radar SFF Books 