“Mama said guarding the souls of animals wasn’t an excuse to act like one.”
-Lecarian’s Fang, Anna McEwan
It is a joy and a privilege to watch a work come to life—and despite all the truth behind the observations of how writing in a primarily solitary endeavor, the communities which exist online and help foster connections and support have proved an invaluable resource for creative writers the world over. It is through this network that I first had the pleasure of meeting Anna McEwan and assisted in the editing and development of her debut novel, Lecarian’s Fang. Though this is a work created by someone I know, and which I had an admittedly small part in crafting, I have done my best to make the opinions expressed below as unbiased as possible.
Lecarian’s Fang is a novel of dragons, shapeshifters, spirits, magic, and the undead. What begins as a story of outsiders—a core which it never loses—quickly develops into a tale of love and loss, of fates greater than its characters can imagine, and of an exciting world offering promise, threat, and intrigue at every level. McEwan quickly enmeshes you with her heroines: the driven, ill-tempered Aven and the mild, caring Mist, as they traverse rival clans, familial tension, and their own destinies. Supported by a host of engaging side characters (the snarky, cavalier warrior Emriel is perhaps my favorite), they seek to prevent an end to their world which comes in a most unsettling form.
The world of Lecarian’s Fang is the first thing that seized me. McEwan has crafted a universe soaked with gravitas, lore, history alive and undead, and magic, and filled it with equally enthralling, endearing characters. There is a sense if depth and life to Yunaii, and a real weight to the conflicts and desires of its many peoples. McEwan does well in letting these elements breathe and reveal themselves naturally, guiding the reader through the nuances of griffons, dragons, and elves alike. As the pieces of the world fall together, so do the pieces of the story, and their joining creates an entertaining ride the way through.
The threat McEwan creates in the undead is as unsettling as it can be—and the layers and ways in which that threat builds through the plot of Lecarian’s Fang speaks to a natural skill in storytelling. The world and the story open together for the reader as they learn of the plight of the dragons, the beautiful weight of carrying another’s soul within, the horror of the Soulless, and the destiny charged to the faithful of her world. There is a needed sense of urgency through most of the story, and weight to the plot at hand that hangs over even the beautiful, cute, and caring moments in a way which compels further reading.
Those moments should not be overlooked either. Perhaps McEwan’s greatest skill lies in her ability to craft meaningful character connections—whether it is in growing heartfelt romances (straight and otherwise), genuine friendships, or thoroughly entertaining rivalries. There is a vibrancy to her prose and to her descriptions of feelings and reactions that keeps one engaged with the plights (and there are many) of her characters while adding unique and frequently humorous observations on their thoughts and personalities. It makes for a diverse cast that never feels stale, and I think everyone will have characters they can attach to.
If there is an area I can critique, it is the tone of some elements of the story—at times reminding one of a Marvel movie for the ways humor and quips are injected into otherwise straightly-serious moments. While it is to the benefit of the overall entertainment value of the story, at times it can feel as though it is robbing important scenes of their gravitas. Most of the time, though, McEwan’s voice sells the reader a sense of adventure that carries through in the obvious joy and passion with which she writes. If one is unbothered by such things, I think it will only serve to strengthen the immersion a magical world like the one within Lecarian’s Fang.
Overall, I feel as though the novel serves as a fine introduction to what is sure to be an expansive and ever-evolving universe. The story within speaks well to the struggles of a perpetual outsider, and I found myself sympathizing with Aven’s drive to prove herself worthy as much as I cackled at Emriel’s increasingly outlandish snark and antics (not to mention her ferocity in a fight). There is love under it all, a love not only between the characters but from a writer to a work they are passionate about. Should one enjoy the swirl of action and comedy, heart and fun, and imaginative, deeply-thought out magic, they will find it in spades within the chapters of Lecarian’s Fang.