With an armored, oath-bound hero reminiscent ofThe Mandalorianand the Asian-inspired epic fantasy ofShe Who Became the Sun,Neon YangsBrighter than Scale, Swifter than Flameis a stunning queer novella about a dragon hunter finding home with a dragonqueen.
Few know the true identity of the masked guildknight of Mithrandon.
She barely remembers herself.
The masked guildknightYevawas thirteen when she killed her first dragon. With her gift revealed, she was shipped away to the imperial capital to train in the rare art of dragon-slaying. Now a legendary dragon hunter, she has never truly felt at homenor removed her armor in publicsince that fateful day all those years ago.
Yeva must now go to Quanbao, a fiercely independent and reclusive kingdom. It is rumored that there, dragons are not feared as is right and proper, but instead loved and worshipped. It is rumored that there, they harbor a dragon behind their borders.
While Yeva searches for the dreaded beast, she is welcomed into the palace by Quanbaos monarch, Lady Sookhee. Though wary of each other, Yeva is shocked to find herself slowly opening up to the beautiful, mysterious queen.
As they grow closer, Yeva longs to let Lady Sookhee see the person behind the armor, but she knows she must fulfill her purpose and slay the dragon. Ultimately, she must decide whoor whatshe is willing to betray: her own heart, or the sacred duty that she has called home for so long.
Neon Yang (they/them) is the author of four other novellas (
The Red Threads of Fortune,
The Black Tides of Heaven,
The Descent of Monsters, and
The Ascent to Godhood) and one novel (
The Genesis of Misery). Born and raised in Singapore, they currently live in the UK where they spend their days avoiding productivity by playing video games. Find them on social media @itsneonyang.
Taut [and] vividlS„
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