ARC Review: "Fury of the Dragon's Maiden" by D.F. Jones ★★★★★

ARC Review: Fury of the Dragon's Maiden by D.F. Jones

A knight cursed to be a dragon, a blacksmith’s daughter with knowledge of magic, a kingdom ensnared in treacherous plots. D.F. Jones crafts a captivating fantasy romance with political intrigue, potent magic and action. A delightful balance of palpable chemistry and intricate plot that is a must-read.

“And from the moment I first saw you at the tournament, Tyrian, my heart recognized you as my destiny, as if crafted by Chaucer himself in verses of old. With your valor and grace, you are the knight of my heart’s tale—a tale where the stars themselves have conspired to entwine our lives. You are mine, Tyrian, aren’t you? With every beat of my heart and every breath I take, I feel the undeniable pull of our fated love, as enduring and true as the timeless stories of yore.” I cupped her face, my thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. “Completely. Utterly. Always. Yours. You are mine.”

[Contains some spoilers]

PLOT SUMMARY
In the kingdom of Cyradell, Sir Tyrian the Brave is the most renowned knight. He has won tournaments, waged wars, and is fiercely loyal to King William. The only problem is he loves his daughter, Princess Anne-Claire and they have been meeting in secret for some time. They are eventually found out and the King’s sorcerer, Mordain, punishes Tyrian with a nightly curse that makes him become a dragon.

Hidden and afraid, Tyrian encounters Kristine, the blacksmith’s daughter, who he has not encountered in years. Upon discovering that Mordain wants to take over Cyradell, Kristine vows to help Tyrian. Her family’s magic-wielding abilities, she believes she can break the curse not only on Tyrian but the source of Mordain’s magic.

From dragon flights to masquerade balls to fierce battles, as Tyrian and Kristine start to unlock answers they begin to harbor feelings too. But Kristine knows Tyrian still likes Anne-Claire. And her family has a secret that links them to Mordain. And what if the beast within Tyrian prevails?

This is told from the first-person past-tense POV of Tyrian and Kristine, with a few sections told from the perspective of Princess Anne-Claire, Kristine’s parents Rosaleen and Thorvald, and the sorcerer Mordain.

OVERALL OPINIONS
When Jones first told me about the idea of this book, I was over the moon and already knew I would like this! I love fantasy, I love dragons, I love this. I love ‘Game of Thrones’ and could tell instantly the name of the main character Tyrian is based on the name Tyrion from there.

This story combines all the favourite princesses, knights and dragons but provides a refreshing twist on the stereotypical tales. For example, the dragon and knight are one character, a brief love triangle ensues, the knight instead of rescuing needs rescued, the Princess needs to be saved but not from a physical monster but the sorcerer Mordain. And any book that contains a masquerade is infinitely better than one without!

D.F. Jones’ writing truly stands out and is particularly noteworthy. Every page is filled with such passion and poetic prose, where each moment, each element is essential to the narrative. It is something I really enjoyed from both a reading and critiquing perspective. As with her other books, the descriptions are clever, immersive and enjoyable, leaving you wanting more. I really want to quote so many things but I fear I will end up quoting the whole book if I do haha! I will give one example though: take the descriptions of the throne room:

The throne’s back rose high, with silver inlays curling around the edges like creeping vines, while the armrests ended in sharp, claw-like shapes, hinting at the king’s grip over the land and its people… Above the throne, narrow windows high in the wall let in slender rays of daylight, the only natural light that touched this chamber, casting beams that barely reached the throne’s base as though daylight was reluctant to enter.

This is absolute perfection: it gives the essence of how dark and ruthless King William is, which therefore adds to the severity of the situation Tyrian has found himself in, facing him and his wrath.

One of my favourite scenes is Tyrian and Kristine’s chance meeting in the woods. It is just so sweet! I was smiling at the witty banter between them, and knew there and then I would fall in love with this tale! Indeed, their chemistry was already so good, and there was the perfect amount of tension due to Anne-Claire. Through the hardship, they remain strong together and devoted to each other. The tropes of slowburn, forced proximity and blind love were included effectively.

Side characters like Kristine’s parents and Aldric play significant roles and contribute meaningfully to the story. More is learned about the villain Mordain’s backstory as the story goes on and interestingly, we get a glimpse of his own mind in a chapter.

The magic concept was captivating, with the use of Latin for incantations adding depth to the world-building. It was interesting that the masquerade ball is used as a means for them to infiltrate and discover information.

A lot of thought and effort has gone into every corner of this book, and should not be ignored.

I feel privileged to have played a role in enhancing this story, building upon the greatness that was already there. Witnessing the refinements come to life and knowing my inputs were valued has been immensely satisfying.

<< Positives >>
🠚 A map is provided to help you see where everything is
🠚 Vivid and beautiful descriptions that made me admire every page turn
🠚 Tyrian and Kristine’s relationship is so cute!
🠚 Strong female characters
🠚 Every character served a purpose
🠚 Political intrigue

<< Negatives >>
🠚 Some parts of the plot could switch abruptly at times.
🠚 The ending has quite a few endings, if you will. The defeat, the building a house together, the wedding, the evening. They are all good scenes to include though.

FAV QUOTES
• The vulnerability in her touch, so different from the armored façade I’m accustomed to, began to thaw something within me. Here, in the quiet of the forest, with a woman who knew nothing of duty to a crown and everything about duty to heart, I felt seen and understood.
• It was as if she had seen through the curse, seen beyond the scales and claws to the man who suffered beneath. Something within me stirred—a spark of hope I had not felt since the curse first bound me to this fate.
•His forehead came to rest against mine, the warmth of his skin grounding me even as my head spun with a dizzying blend of emotion and desire. His green eyes turned dark and stormy. There was something raw and unguarded in his gaze—a longing barely restrained, a vulnerability he rarely allowed anyone to see. For a moment, there was only him, only us, caught in the fragile, electric space between what had just happened and what might come next.
• Anne-Claire was all soft lines and gentle whispers, a flower in a world of thorns. But Kristine was the thorn itself, made of steel and fire, her hands marked not by the quill but by the hammer and blade. Her hair, dark and unruly, framed a face that was constantly in motion, calculating, observing. She didn’t wilt; she thrived.
• I’ll take her hand, look into those beautiful dark eyes, and ask her to be mine forever. I would kneel before her, not as a knight seeking honor but as a man offering his heart.
• “I love you,” she exclaimed, a plea and an unwavering truth. | I cupped her face, wiping away a stray glistening tear. “And I will love you,” I vowed, “until the stars fall from the sky and the mountains crumble into the sea.”

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I was an alpha and beta reader for this book and received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I’d like to thank D.F. Jones for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

“Fury of the Dragon’s Maiden” is out April 8th!