Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame follows Yeva, a dragon hunter, and Sookhee, the girl-king. Yeva comes to Quanbao looking to slay a dragon rumored to be hiding among Sookhee’s people. I enjoyed this story, but I felt it leaned more on "telling" than "showing," which kept me a bit distanced from the emotional depth of the characters and events. The relationship between the characters was promising, but lacked the development I was hoping for—there were tender moments, but the connection felt underexplored. The ending was predictable, but still very satisfying. The novella is short enough to finish in one sitting, and has an interesting storyline.

Between the lesbians, dragons, absolutely gorgeous cover art, and storytelling prose, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a short sapphic fantasy read!

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the review copy, this review is my honest opinion :)

This was a very fast and short read about how a bite from a baby dragon can lead to the discovery of powers and how those powers dictate how Yevas life will turn out. Duty and love clash in here and the main conflict wrapped up kind of quick but how it ended up I was satisfied with. If you like dragons and lesbians this one is for you.

Sapphic romance and dragons, SIGN ME UP PLEASE!!! This novella follows Yeva, a renowned dragon slayer, as she faces the unfamiliar court life of Quanbao and their queen, the Lady Sookhee. One of my favorite aspects of this story was Yeva's struggle with her identity, particularly her struggle with her armor. It was such a powerful line of tension. As for the pacing, the plot moves fairly quickly, and I often found myself wanting to slow down, to really settle into the politics and the romance. That said, I absolutely adored reading this. It has a unique lens of viewing, reading, at times, like a true legend. And though the reveal isn't difficult to guess, it also doesn't take away from the story. All in all, I think I would have enjoyed this even more if it had been novel-length. The story was beautifully assembled, and I simply wanted more. What a wonderful novella. Thank you to the NetGalley team at Tor/Forge for this ARC!! 4.0 / 5.0 ⭐️

Neon Yang’s *Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame* is a captivating short fantasy that deftly explores identity, belonging, and transformation. In just a few pages, Yang crafts a rich, immersive world where dragons and magic become powerful metaphors for self-discovery.

At its heart, the story is a tender exploration of queer identity, seamlessly integrated into the narrative. Yang celebrates queerness as a natural and empowering part of the protagonist’s journey, making the themes of self-acceptance and growth resonate deeply.

I’ve read other novellas from Neon Yang, but Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame was the most captivating by far! Yang did such a fantastic job weaving complex stories (with developed characters and backgrounds) in such a short time! Love love loved this book!

I love a sapphic fantasy. I found the author to be very talented and the worldbuilding was gripping. Unfortunately however wasn’t super wowed by this. The twist was very predictable and something about the prose seemed off. The main character I also found very unlikable.

What more could I ask for than a sapphic fantasy with dragons and warring kingdoms? This was everything I could have asked for and more.

Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame is centered around Yeva, an armored knight who has been hunting dragons ever since she was thirteen. When Yeva is sent to a neighboring kingdom to hunt further, she instead discovers the land of her mother, where dragons are revered rather than feared. It is there that Yeva removes her armor for the first time, and meets the king, Lady Sookhee.

I loved the way we were introduced to Yeva, and later Sookhee, and the way that their pasts were slowly revealed. Yeva’s in particular was really interesting to read, and I thought her struggle with her identity was portrayed incredibly. I also loved the concept of dragons and how differently they are viewed by different empires. The way their history slowly bleeds through the pages was absolutely magical!

Much thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this fantasy filled novel. My god have you seen the over for this book , my jaw dropped the color and the artistry in itself draws you in, I’m a sucker for an amazing book cover.

Once the cover gets you in, the synopsis draws you in even more ! What is more kick butt than having a dragon slayer. Yeva has some inter struggles on being the emperor defender or going out to do what she was mean to be!

Yeva the dragon slayer travels to Quanbao, the land of the girl-King (Soohkee),to appease her Sun Emperor and look for a dragon. Along the way she must choose whether to shed her literal and figurative armor in order to foster friendship, community, love, and acceptance.

Yeva wields a sacred weapon named Varuhelt, which burns blue and harnesses her power to kill dragons. Will she use it in Quanbao?

Yeva also brings with her a wyrmhound with wings and a nose for hunting dragons. She rides mighty gryphons and travels with two in tow, Carys and Meteor. Yeva is a badass - let’s be honest. She is also just a human, seeking understanding and connection! This story touched me.

When I found myself disjointed by the POV of the story I tried to remind myself that it is written so that a grandmother could be telling the tale to a granddaughter. A legend. It is not first-person perspective because it is written the way myths are, person to person by word of mouth. This did help to bring me back to the story and find connection.

Because the “twist” is not so much a twist, it is easy to spot, it wasn’t the kind of read that gripped me with excitement. It was a pleasure all the same!

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fast-paced read that kept me engaged throughout. I thought that the story was interesting and I was not expecting that twist in the end. But as with most novellas and shorter books I was left wanting for a little bit more. I wish we got to see the relationship between Yeva and Lady Sookhee with a bit more detail. I wanted a little bit more of the romance between them than just the bedding. I still think that this was a good story with an interesting plot.

Yeva’s story was short, and emotional but satisfying. Yeva is a faceless knight(a dragon slayer?), sent to investigate dragons in a foreign country covertly. Once in that country doing the investigations, she begins to struggle with the choice between loyalty to her emperor as its weapon or her allegiance to the culture she grew up with—Including the Queen in it. I do think there was more of the telling vs showing here, but again, edits can be done. Characters, world & most of the writing were great. It was still a good short read for me and I still need more.

Thank you Tor Publishing & NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC for an honest review.

This is a quick read. The plot is good but I didn’t love the book’s flow. It seemed stinted and more like the author was stating facts instead of describing a thought. At times I enjoyed the directness of the writing but mostly it just felt a bit flat. The dragons vs. knights concept with the MC’s struggles will carry you through to the end.

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was good! I found myself wanting more in certain areas, especially when it came to the characters finally getting together, I wanted more buildup to that choice.