A story worth its weight in dragon scales.
How does one recognize the instant when the spontaneity of youth is replaced with the weight of adulthood? For 12-year-old Azoria Dash, a single moment changes everything, igniting an inextinguishable flame in her elven heart. A merciless orc attack on her village cuts short any remaining ember of innocence, replacing her childlike naivety with bitter hatred. Azoria’s life is spared in the attack, but the emotional scars threaten to consume her. With nothing left to lose, she vows to avenge her family, even if it means exterminating the entire race of orcs that ruined her life. Rash by every measure, Azoria sets off with no map, no plan, and nobody to help her survive. Instead, she relies on her bravado, her bluster, and an unusual family sword, all of which fail to provide much comfort or satisfaction. Then, just when she hits her lowest point, a soulful stranger comes into her life. The hardy man, Jandar, agrees to help Azoria, but this defiant girl’s trust will be hard to earn. Fortunately for Jandar, he has truth on his side, provenance to back him up, and a talking cat to help smooth things over while Azoria learns about her role in a destiny forged by demon slayers, dragons, and magic.
Spend the day with Azoria in Rogues of the Crosslands and you’ll remember exactly why you love reading so much! A master of measured storytelling, John Daze establishes enough about Azoria’s fantastical world to captivate, but not so much as to overwhelm younger readers. The revealed folklore hints that there is a lot more to these lands and people than a single volume can contain, and future installments of Azoria’s adventures will be eagerly anticipated! Besides innovative worldbuilding, richly drawn characters are a huge plus in this animated novel. Azoria is a wonderfully flawed and entirely relatable character. She is impetuous but loyal, wild but curious, and stubborn but open to new experiences. And even though the story arc circles around darkness and revenge, there is always light to move things forward. Her father once told Azoria, “If even the tiniest glimmer of light exists, then so does hope.” This serves as a guiding principle for Azoria as she learns about her blade and her abilities. An irresistible tale of friendship, family, and fighting monsters, Rogues of the Crosslands: Azoria’s Blade is a story worth its weight in dragon scales.
