see http://www.sfsite.com/12a/fo285.htm ( )

I enjoyed Bitterwood, so it was a no-brainer to go ahead and read the sequel as soon as I got my hands on it. Also, PRETTY COVER.

The premise: there are those who want the age of the dragons to end and become a time of peace and equality between dragons and humans. However, there's those who want the age of the dragons to keep on as it has been, while there's others who believe it's time for humans to overthrow dragon oppression and take their rightful place as masters of the Earth.

Amongst all these goals, Maxey continues the adventures of Bitterwood, Jandra, Pet and Zeeky. He deepens their stories while weaving new ones in the mix, and the new characters add even more depth and interest to the world. Characters change: Bitterwood has to make a decision whether to continue to let hate guide his hand or to let compassion for others do so instead. Jandra is becoming her own woman, still torn between what it means to be a human raised as the daughter of dragons. Pet finally grows a pair, and Zeeky's seemingly magical ability to talk to and understand animals turns out not to be so magical after all.

One thing I admire is Maxey's determination to keep things as plausible as possible. Yes, this is science fantasy at its purest, but for every magical detail, Maxey as a "scientific" explanation guiding the events of the story and the characters. Sometimes I found my believability to be stretched a wee bit thin, but given the constraints and revelations that Maxey already established in Bitterwood, I was able to take that leap of faith.

I think too that Maxey handles his world-building much better in this novel. Now that the reader knows the truth of the world, humans, and dragons, there's very little for the author to hide, though he does have a few surprises up his sleeve in this book, though I will say, nothing I hadn't already guessed by time we got there.

I loved the adorable love story between the sky dragons. The valkyries were also a really, really cool touch. Hex has become one of my favorite characters, and Burke's background and history really make my ears perk up. Despite some occasional cheese in the writing, the book was fun, a fast read, with an obvious set-up for a sequel. I don't know how many books Maxey plans on writing in this series, but so far, I'm entertained.

My Rating

Worth the Cash: those who enjoy the writing style of Joe Abercrombie will also probably enjoy Maxey's style as well. Granted, the stories and plots are completely different, but if you enjoy that particular voice, Maxey is right up your alley. I would strongly recommend reading Bitterwood before tackling Dragonforge, but it's hard to say for sure if that's truly necessary. I read the books too closely together to be allowed to forget important details from the first, but since I always like to read things in order, I don't mind giving out that advice. ( )