Blurb:

Light has triumphed, the great war is won.

Yet shadows linger in the darkness, and in the hidden corners of men’s hearts.

Granted the ability to wield Zur’s Light, Gallion’s Eagles are a symbol of justice. People can look to the skies and know they are protected. But without a common enemy, resentment has begun to fester.

With civil war looming, Ward finds himself caught between warring factions. Unwilling to choose between love and duty, will Ward be able to stop things before they go too far? Or will his world come crashing down in a clash of tooth and talon?

Serving as a prequel to L. R. Schulz’s Bonds of Kin series, Eagles Fall serves as an introduction to Zapour. This standalone story portrays the events that lead to the structure of the world in A King’s Radiance, and can be read either before or after the main series, with some nice little easter eggs for returning readers.

Review:

The sign of a good book and a good author is the ability to take well-worn tropes and make them feel fresh. With his new novella, Eagles Fall, L.R. Schulz has shown he very much belongs in that conversation. In taking the classic trope of star-crossed lovers and placing it against the backdrop of civil war, betrayal, and epic dragon battles, Schulz has created a pulse-pounding read that flies off the page and leaves you eager for more.

Serving as a prequel to the Bonds of Kin series and set before the first novel A King’s Radiance, Eagles Fall follows Ward, a member of Gallion’s Eagles, the dragon-riding protectors of the land and a wielder of the power of Zur’s Shine. Though he is proud of his duties, part of him wishes to remain with his lover, a woman named Breone, a member of the Mystics who possess the ability to control the minds of others. As members of opposite factions, they must keep their liaising secret, but when civil war threatens to break out between the Eagles and the Mystics, Ward must choose where he will maintain his loyalties.

Though I’ve not read any of the prior books in the series, Eagles Fall feels like a perfect entry point for newcomers. Schulz does not overwhelm you with any inside baseball terms or events, allowing readers to ease their way into this war-torn world while also opening curious eyes with intriguing epigraphs, which I can assume will make for great finds for returning readers as well. 

Ward’s story is a tragic one, but a very compelling one. Navigating the calls of both love and duty makes for some tense plot threads, with everything from unrest to betrayal to trickery and abandonment. His character arc is definitely the highlight of Eagles Fall, and even when the pace of the plot grew a little uneven, Ward’s character was what kept me pulled in and eager to learn what was next to come. There were some shocking moments throughout the book, and Schulz shows that he has a talent for giving you just enough to floor you when he pulls the rug out from underneath.

As a novella, Eagles Fall is a very quick read, but it never left me wanting more. It never feels rushed and it never feels like anything is left out. Even in the short time we get to know them, Ward and Breone have wonderfully fleshed-out arcs, and the surrounding characters get just as much time to shine as well. It speaks well to the author’s character work that we can have such a strong emotional connection to these characters—whether positive or negative—in such a short time.

If you’re looking for a good entry point to the Bonds of Kin series, Eagles Fall is a perfect place to begin. It’s got a little something for everyone: political scheming, impending war, epic action, well-realized characters, and some romance, and it makes me all the more intrigued to check out the rest of the series.