Between Dragons and Their Wrath - (Shattered Kingdom) by Devin Madson (Paperback)

About the Book

"The old kingdom of Paicha has been split into city states, but there are those who seek to reunite the shattered realm-by force if necessary. Amidst the turmoil there are three who will find their destinies inextricably tangled. Tesha is a glassblower's apprentice who becomes a tribute bride when her city is conquered by the south. In the enemy's court, she's perfectly placed to sabotage them, but her heart has other plans. Naili is a laundress in the house of an eccentric alchemist who is awakening to strange new powers. When radicals approach her, she faces a choice between keeping her magic to herself and using it to change the world. And in the desolate Shield Mountains, dragon rider Ash protects the cities from the monsters in the Iipao sands beyond. But, soon he'll have to learn how to protect his dragon when hunters unlock the secret to killing them. As war sweeps across the land, Tesha, Naili, and Ash must fight for survival against political enemies, dragon hunters, and monsters both within and without"--

Book Synopsis

From Aurealis Award-nominated author Devin Madson comes a new sweeping epic fantasy full of dragons, alchemical magic, and forbidden romance that unfolds as three people in a shattered empire become entangled in a looming revolution.

When dragons rage, chaos reigns.

Conquest built the Celes Basin, now enemies once more threaten its borders. But when the Lord Reacher declares himself supreme ruler to enforce unity, old angers erupt, threatening to tear the basin apart from within.

Tesha, a glassblower's apprentice with a talent for poisonwork, becomes a false tribute bride as part of a desperate political plot. In the Reacher's court, she's perfectly placed to sabotage him, but her heart has other plans.

Naili is laundress to an eccentric alchemist, a job that has left her with strange new abilities that are slowly consuming her--and attracting the notice of the city's underground rulers. With time running out, she'll have to gain power by any means just to survive, let alone change the world.

And in the desolate Shield Mountains, sharp-shooting dragon rider Ashadi protects the basin from the monsters of The Sands beyond, but when an impossible shot pierces his dragon's glass scales, he becomes the hunted one.

As chaos sweeps across the land, Tesha, Naili, and Ashadi must fight to survive political enemies, long-buried secrets, and monsters both within and without.

For more from Devin Madson, check out:

The Reborn Empire:
We Ride the Storm
We Lie With Death
We Cry for Blood
We Dream of Gods

Review Quotes

"Madson's skillful prose weaves a story of political intrigue, personal connections, and dragons. Readers will want to know where the protagonists' destinies lead them after this first in a projected trilogy."

--Library Journal

"Replete with backstabbing, secrets, and political intrigue, this is a promising start."

--Publishers Weekly

"Madson hooked me into this layered, fascinating world of sand and glass, poisons and plant magic, politics and secrets, and didn't let go. Brilliantly clever and inventive!"--Sam Hawke, Aurealis Award-winning author of City of Lies

"Between Dragons and Their Wrath offers drama and delight at every turn. Through the eyes of clever manoeuverers, Madson takes you on a ride through the tensions of a fascinating world. Wit and ambition flow in equal measure in this sparkling fantasy where everyone must guard their back. You'll be dying for more!" --Elyse John, author of Orphia and Eurydicius

"Between Dragons and Their Wrath is wildly inventive, a world of glass and magic, filled with characters who each hold their own breathtaking secrets. Shifting alliances, revelations, and relationships full of love and lust make this a compelling read."--Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

Praise for the Reborn Empire series:

"A complex tale of war, politics and lust for power." --The Guardian on We Ride the Storm

"An exciting new author in fantasy." --Mark Lawrence, author of Red Sister on We Ride the Storm

"Imaginative worldbuilding, a pace that builds perfectly to a heart-pounding finale and captivating characters. Highly recommended." --John Gwynne, author of The Shadow of the Gods on We Ride the Storm

"Intricate, compelling, and vividly imagined." --Anna Stephens, author of Godblind on We Ride the Storm

About the Author

Devin Madson is an Aurealis Award-winning fantasy author from Australia. After some sucky teenage years, she gave up reality and is now a dual-wielding rogue who works through every tiny side-quest and always ends up too over-powered for the final boss. Anything but zen, Devin subsists on tea and chocolate and so much fried zucchini she ought to have turned into one by now. Her fantasy novels come in all shades of grey and are populated with characters of questionable morals and a liking for witty banter.