I would like to thank the author for an advance copy of this novella in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher – Jabberwocky Literary Agency

Published – 7/7 (Kindle ebook))

Price - £2.99

Lunar New Year should be a time for familial reunions, ancestor worship, and consumption of an unhealthy amount of candied fruit.

But when dragon prince Thuan brings home his brooding and ruthless husband Asmodeus for the New Year, they find not interminable family gatherings, but a corpse outside their quarters. Asmodeus is thrilled by the murder investigation; Thuan, who gets dragged into the political plotting he’d sworn off when he left, is less enthusiastic.

It’ll take all of Asmodeus’s skill with knives, and all of Thuan’s diplomacy, to navigate this one—as well as the troubled waters of their own relationship…

The say that in love opposites attract. I think that applies to stories too. Drama always needs if not conflict differing perspectives debating each other with words or sometimes sharp objects. A theme of conflicting worlds that can be personal, metaphorical or physical. In Aliette de Bodard’s latest novella we see this reflected further in an everyday tale of a dragon prince; his fallen angel husband and of course MURDER!!

We are in an alternate earth when in Paris fallen angels arrived and created houses to rule the city. One of the most dangerous House Hawthorne is ruled by Asmodeus know for a high degree of ruthlessness and a love of stabbing things (and now we are back to sharp objects). He is now married to the bookish Thuan who comes from a Viet-based empire ruled by the dragons. Thuan is visiting his family in the Imperial Court for annual festivities (Asmodeus is not amused). In no time at all Asmodeus though is found in front of a corpse with guards around him. Thuan’s privilege buys him some time but he finds himself quickly hired/blackmailed by a close relative to find out what is going on. Revelations, dangers and flirting then ensues (sometimes all at once).

Oh my so much to enjoy in this story. For newbies to this universe de Bodard very easily sets up the rules of this world in the first few scenes. You don’t need to have read previous books; but I suspect this is going to make a lot of people look up the Dominion of the Fallen. The prize attraction is the pairing of Thuan and Asmodeus. An absolutely fascinating couple. Their differing natures are in conflict – in reality Asmodeus is probably better geared for a dangerous imperial court but Thuan finds despite his reservations he has a soft spot for the empire he grew up in. Although Asmodeus and Thuan are at loggerheads on approaches there is actually a lot of implicit tenderness and also attraction between the two. Their bond and love though is very much real and sensual making all their scenes together compelling.

The court too has duality. Full of imperial trappings, grandeur and tradition yet Thuan discovers underneath something quite rotten and violent. That duality arrives again in what Thuan sees as a clash between the culture of the powerful getting powerful and those who are felt to be threats. It’s a volatile situation and Thuan’s idealism gets a sharp dose of reality that weirdly Asmodeus gets to point out first. Curiosity despite how fallen angels are well fallen Asmodeus respects and treats all who fall under the House Hawthorne boundaries and that is not a concept all rulers apply…

The final joy of the novella is de Bodard’s writing. Already a huge fan there is a delicious flowing story here painting a huge world, culture and history in novella length tale is no small feat and yet here we are with action, magic, violence and even love and political intrigue thrown into the tale. It’s beautifully paced and doesn’t reveal the antagonist until the final set-piece. Even without the magical elements the mystery holds up.

This was a wonderful read entering a world with characters I think you’ll want to get to know better It stands on it’s own two feet perfectly well for newcomers to the wider universe and indeed after this I think you’ll want to get to the Dominion of the Fallen trilogy even more. Fun and yet thoughtful it’s an excellent bit of storytelling.