An ancient prophecy assembles a small team to save people from merciless invaders in Adler’s fantasy novel.

The isles of the Cynnahu archipelago are under the threat of the snake-like, “mireborn” Naga. These villains are after the Dragon Shrines, relics of the Dragonkin—the long-gone magical dragons who once ruled Cynnahu. The assaults by the Naga may be a sign of the Last War alluded to in a seer’s prophecy that also foretells of a “Team of Five” that will stand up to the Naga. One of these eventual Five is the recently orphaned 11-year-old Sakura, whose late father was a Shrine-defending Dragon Guardian. The others include seafarer and mage Myrriden the Traveler, who takes in Sakura as his ward; Myrriden’s magic-school student son Emrys; the Archmage Hoth; and the enigmatic Fire Mage Volcan. Crucial to their defense of Cynnahu is the unearthing of an enchantment called the Elder Song, though no one is quite certain what that spell does. Adler’s epic-length tale comprises two seamlessly connected novels. The worldbuilding is superb, starting with the Dragonkin and their former continent Cynnahu. The many isles, though they look the same, prove distinct in other ways; one contains Emrys’ school, with an exterior that’s magically different for each individual (to one it appears as a “mist-cloaked temple”), while another isle houses the formidable, gleaming Blue Fortress. The characters are just as memorable, especially the courageous, same-aged Sakura and Emrys, who put everything into their training and fighting. The standout among the supporting cast is Myrriden’s brother Aneirin, a historian-like Loremaster who helps track down the Elder Song. A handful of lengthy conflicts on land and sea reach a worthy climax and a gratifying payoff and epilogue. The author rounds out this story with a traitor or two, a series of magic spells, and at least one death that will hit readers hard.

An enthralling epic teeming with valor, camaraderie, and searing battles.