Having previously been introduced to Janeen Ippolito’s writing in her short story, “Superhero Publicist”, in the “Hall of Heroes” anthology, I jumped at the opportunity to request and receive a free copy of “Lawless: the Ironfire Legacy” for the purposes of a review.
The characters really brought this book to life for me. The tangled weave of Kesia’s past and the challenges she faced drew me into the world of Sekastra. I loved the bond between Kesia and Zephryn, but, in the beginning, I also secretly rooted for the tide to turn in favor of Captain Windkeeper. I was torn between which of the two suitors I favored more for her.
While the romantic triangle makes for some interesting situations and dialogue, romance is not the focus of this story. The real source of conflict is a long-time war between two cultures that had once worked together. Twists and turns paired with excellent world building, Lawless is an engaging story filled with tension and intrigue.
I look forward to reading more of Janeen Ippolito’s skillfully woven and wonderfully inventive tales in the future.
The Story
The salvation of humans and dragons lies within a convicted murderer.
Dragonshifter Kesia Ironfire has one goal—to redeem her past by serving the cruel dragon Pinnacle as a soldier in the dragon-human war.
Then a rogue mission to spy on a new airship explodes into sickening green smoke. The same mysterious green smoke that was present the night of Kesia’s crime. When her dragon overlords deny any involvement, she and her tactical partner Zephryn Nightstalker try to investigate–and are sentenced to death.
Still searching for answers, Kesia and Zephryn flee to the human military capital, where Captain Shance Windkeeper has been furloughed after the destruction of his airship. Eager to discover what–and who–blew up his vessel, he agrees to help Kesia and Zephryn infiltrate High Command. In exchange, Kesia must pretend to be his betrothed so Shance can escape an arranged marriage. If only she knew what ‘betrothed’ and ‘arranged marriage’ meant.
But human social customs are the least of her worries. Dark secrets surface as Kesia delves deeper–secrets that challenge the facts of her crime and undermine the war itself. Less
Author Bio
Janeen Ippolito is two authors for the price of one! She writes quirky writing resources and speculative fiction with monsters, misfits, and mushy stuff. She’s also an experienced teacher, editor, and author coach, and the Fearless Leader (president) of Uncommon Universes Press. In her spare time, she enjoys sword-fighting, reading, food, and making brownie batter. A lifelong misfit, she believes different is beautiful and that everyone has the ability to tell their story. Two of her goals are eating fried tarantulas and traveling to Antarctica. This extroverted writer loves getting connected, so find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and at her two websites: janeenippolito.com and writeinsideout.com
K.A. Cummins 