Friday Fiction Fix: "Masters and Slayers"

The Short:

Masters and Slayers

(Tales of Starlight Book 1)

By: Bryan Davis

5/5 Stars

What: A fiery sword maiden and chivalrous young man set out to free humans on another world from their dragon captors.

Recommended to those who like: loosely-Christian, fantasy/sci-fi blend, sword fights, dragons, good world building.

Not recommended for those who dislike: More mature subject matter (nothing inappropriate, but definitely more suited to young adults and up)

The Long:

If you like dragon books, Mr. Davis is the author for you. Masters and Slayers is book 1 of the Tales of Starlight series for young adults. The series will be a companion to the Dragons of Starlight series, which is intended for more of a teen audience.

                

This is one of the first “adult” fantasy books I’ve seen come from a major Christian publishing house, and it’s well done. While the story is linked in to a previous series for a younger audience, it stands well on its own. If the series succeeds, I think we can look forward to more books that discuss serious subject matter in a Christian speculative fiction context.

                

Seeing as this is a book for mature audiences, it does discuss some more mature subject matter. It isn’t anything inappropriate, but this is a book more suited to older teens, young adults, and adults due to discussion of adult topics such as sexual sin. This, in my opinion, makes the book more believable and adds some new dynamics to the characters that give them depth and realism. Topics are handled from a Christian worldview.

                

The setting is interesting; while some technology is advanced (video tubes activated by genetic material), others lag behind (much of the fighting is done with swords).

Throughout the story, we follow Adrian Masters, a young peasant from the planet Major Four who seems stuck in the old ways of chivalry. His friend Marcelle is a fiery shield maiden who often lets her emotions get the better of her.

               

Together, the two of them secretly are part of a society that wants to travel to Dracon, a planet in their solar system that is supposedly inhabited by dragons. Though few believe the rumors anymore, the legends say that dragons there once took humans from Major Four captive as slaves. They seek to free these slaves and rescue Adrian’s older brother Frederick, who they believe is lost on the other planet.

              

While the story takes some time to build up in action, it becomes a fast read as you progress. You can also tell that the book is supposed to be linked to another book, as the occasional odd reference to minor characters is made. This doesn’t detract very much from the story. The tale has Christian principles and values and many of the characters speak of the “Creator” and the “Code”, but this certainly doesn’t overwhelm the plot.

If you’ve read the book, feel free to share your thoughts below. Please remember to be respectful of Mr. Davis and his work, as well as other commentators. I also welcome comments on what you would like to see included in the reviews. I reserve the right to remove vulgar, hateful, or rude remarks from the comments. Thanks for sharing!