Review: The Ice by Ryan Cahill
Blurb:
In Epheria, you are the predators. Here, you are the prey.
Almost four hundred years have passed since the fall of The Order. Four hundred years since the empire rose. Four hundred years since the last dragon egg hatched.
In the icy wasteland of Valacia, Aeson Virandr searches for the one thing that could turn the tide of war: hope.
But there is a reason no soul has ever returned from Valacia.
Hope comes at a cost, one that can only be paid in blood.
Review:
“Our legacies are in the lives we change, the words we keep, the legends we create, and the people we create them with.”
Ryan Cahill does it again with another rip-roaring novella to fill out the bones of the sprawling epic fantasy series, The Bound and the Broken. Having been raised on Stephen King short stories and novellas, I’ve always been a huge fan of the medium. However, The Bound and the Broken is a masterclass in utilizing novellas and short stories to perform deep-dive character studies that significantly expand the world.
The Ice transports us into the icy tundra of Valacia as Aeson, Erik, and Dahlen search for a dragon egg to bring hope back to the land of Epheria. No dragon egg has hatched on Epheria since the devastation of The Fall. After a failed expedition to Valacia, a horror-crazed survivor tells tales of dragons soaring through the snowy skies: some nearing Helios’ size and some just larger than the size of a horse. Aeson is convinced that dragons are still being born in Valacia and starts out on a journey to obtain a dragon egg to fuel the rebellion with newfound hope.
“The day we stop fighting is the day we die.”
The Ice is a bloody, intense journey filled with worldbuilding and lore that further demonstrates Aeson’s borderline detrimental dedication to his fight against the Empire. Throughout the series, Aeson has shown that he is willing to sacrifice almost anybody to further his goal of delivering justice and retribution to the Empire that has ripped his soul apart twice. Cahill shines in juxtaposing this stern, icy mentality with his deep passion and protective, fatherly attitude towards Erik and Dahlen. There are a handful of touching, heartfelt moments surrounding Aeson and his sons that emphasizes his paternal instincts and love for those who he is fighting for. Aeson is a conflicted, splintered character who, on one hand, is fighting to improve the world for his sons and the generations to come and on the other hand, is willing to allow everyone around him to bleed if it furthers his goals.
*Moderate Spoiler Warning* The scene when Aeson stands face to face with the Valacian dragon and puts his hand out, touching the dragon and has an immediate intense connection, reminding him of his connection with his former dragon, Lyara, was beautifully done. I could vividly feel the heartache and pain that must have coursed through Aeson while at the same time, the hope that must have pricked at his heart for the future of Draleids.
“The blood of the lost lives on through us.”
The Ice is a savage adventure brimming with frozen monsters, vengeful demons, bloody sacrifice, and snowy dragons clutching Epheria's hope in their fiery jaws that is essential reading for fans of The Bound and the Broken series. The backstory and emotion The Ice layers onto the already complex character of Aeson Virandr makes the journey well worth the read. The Ice is just another example of why The Bound and the Broken is one of my favorite ongoing fantasy series.
“Draleid N’aldryr.”
