Dragon Hunters: Book Two in the Chronicles of the Exile

Book Review: Dragon Hunters, Book Two in the Chronicles of the Exile

By Marc Turner

Tor Publishing

The excitement that began with When the Heavens Fall continues with the second book in the Chronicles of the Exile, Dragon Hunters.

Emira Imerle Polivar doesn’t want her time as the leader of the Storm Lords to end.  As Dragon Day approaches, she knows she can use the annual event in her personal quest to permanently usurp control of the entire realm.  She enlists the help of Senar Sol, a Guardian from Erin Elalese, who finds himself in the Storm Isles at the center of the intrigue.  However, the Emira isn’t the only one who has an agenda; along the way we meet Chameleons, Gilgamarians, gods and goddesses who bring new meaning to the term “divine intervention”, and a bevy of other characters who join in the adventure with plans of their own.

When I read the advance copy of Marc Turner’s debut novel, When the Heavens Fall, I immediately appreciated his world-building skills.  Turner’s Lands of the Exile rival George R.R. Martin’s Westeros in their depth and complexity.  Fans of fantasy will love Dragon Hunters.  In fact, it might be the perfect way to whet the appetites of fans waiting for the upcoming Warcraft movie.   Turner has truly set the stage for an epic fantasy series that, in only its second volume, is getting hotter and hotter.  In keeping with his trademark multiple viewpoint storytelling, Turner’s sophomore novel gives us a deeper mythology centering on the fabled Dragon Day.  Though its near-500 pages look daunting, the plot moves at a steady pace.  I appreciate that Turner took the time to develop the story rather than rushing it; too often you have authors splitting stories into multiple volumes or condensing the plot until it loses its essence.

Whether you’re an avid fantasy fan of the epic quest narrative, or you’re a fantasy newbie looking for an escape into a magical world, Dragon Hunters will not disappoint.   Now is the time to explore the Lands of the Exile.  Now is the time to become a fan of the Chronicles of the Exile.