Review: The Iron Crown by L. L. MacRae

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Iron Crown by L. L. Macrae
Published by Self Published on 28 May 2021
Genres: Fantasy, epic fantasy, Dragons & Mythical Creatures
Pages: 568
Format: eBook
Source: Author
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Fenn’s first and only memory is finding himself in the middle of a forest, face to face with a dragon spirit mocking him, all knowledge gone apart from his own name.

Lost and confused, his only hope for answers is Calidra—a woman living on the edge of the world with her partner. Forced to return home when her father dies, Calidra has put off facing her estranged mother for seven years, and she begrudgingly helps Fenn, forging papers for him so he can avoid the Queen’s Inquisitors.

But her mother is the least of her worries when they discover an ancient enemy is rising again. It should be impossible with the Iron Crown in power—and Fenn is terrified he might unwittingly be playing a part in the war’s resurgence.

Surrounded by vengeful spirits and powerful magic, Fenn’s desperate attempt to find his way home might well alter the fate of Tassar, and every power in it.

A new high fantasy series bursts into life with the DRAGON SPIRITS who reign supreme in the magic-drenched world of Tassar.

The Iron crown is an ethereal vision of adventure and female badassery. Fenn has been cursed by the Myr. He can’t remember anything; He has no memories of where he’s come from, no memories of friends or family and he doesn’t know if he’s been put on this earth to do good or bad. The story takes off at such a pace I was quickly lacing up my Nikes and racing for the finish line.

“The Dragons are the guardians of tessar, spirits of life of guidance and protection. Without them we are nothing.”

The formula that the author concocted in order to produce this was both unique and special. MacRae knew the compounds that went into writing a spectacular fantasy, however she decided to rip up that rule book and write something that was altogether different, mystifying and getting involved in that story left the reader open mouthed and scatter brained. The author drew me in with her hypnotising narrative and the familiar landscape was suddenly turned into a snake infested pit.

The Iron Crown is primarily a story about family, political dalliances and trust. It is the first book in an epic new fantasy series that surrounds the world of Tassar and the mythical dragon spirits that inhabit there. I love this ingenious idea where some were mischievous, some were highly intelligent and some didn’t have good intentions at all. They have the ability to bless or curse. Can a dragon spirit bless Fenn and allow him to remember where he came from?

Story contains 3 POV’s, primarily from Fenn, Calidra and Apollo. The lesbian relationship between Calidra and Jisyel was  portrayed with tact and compassion. Calidra is the sensible one. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and longs for a relationship with her family. She is a sceptic borne from the hurt that she has experienced. Jisyel Is the easy going, live your life for the moment kind of girl. She is Calidra’s anchor.

Apollo is my favourite character. Call it charisma or maybe it’s just the mother in me wanting to keep him safe from all harm. An ex-thief with a roguish charm.

The Iron Crown and its characters are threatened by the uprising of the Myr. Thought to have been defeated five years ago and a peace treaty instilled by the queen, how is it possible that they could have regained their power so quickly?

The author held me captive, she threw me into the boot of her car and wouldn’t let me go until the end. Pure unadulterated magnetism. If you want a fresh take on fantasy then put this to the top of your TBR now. Go in with no inhibitions, no preconceived ideas and forget the rules. It will bend societal themes and it will leave you feeling empowered and wrought with emotion.

 The Iron Crown is a beguiling and dark tale with a mind-blowing narrative that makes you forget your own name.  It explores the darkest of emotions and translates into a magical joyride.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello! Lovely to meet you.

My name is Lauren, and I’m a fantasy author of character-driven stories and epic adventure. My books usually contain dragons, rarely feature romance, and are typically fun and hopeful.

 I live in a tiny village in the UK, have a degree in Psychology, and was a professional copywriter before going full-time as an author—swapping corporate copy for magic and dragons!

I’ve previously published under the name L.L. McNeil.

Best wishes and happy reading,

Lauren

Website