I've been wanting to read a book by this author for a while now, so I was so excited to receive an ARC of their newest release!

In this novella, Yeva (a renowned dragon slayer who never removes her armor), is sent to a foreign country where dragons are revered, rather than reviled. We follow along as she reconnects with her roots, finds belonging, and grows closer to the kingdom's sickly girl-king.

I had a really good time with this novella. The author could have easily lengthened this considerably, but I'm actually really happy that they chose to make it a novella instead. It kept my attention all the way throughout, and I really liked the main character's arc. The romantic element of this book was important, but I would say that Yeva's journey of self-discovery was the driving force.

I'd definitely read more from this author, and I honestly think that there is potential for more books to be set in this world.

A novella with a strong female lead questioning the direction she’s supposed to choose after hiding behind a mask for the longest time. A queer romantic subplot and well rounded side characters for a novella. The world building was very good, and I really enjoyed the reveal even though it was predictable. I feel like that was the point, the knowing without being 100% sure, like Yeva.

I was not crazy about this audiobook. The story felt a bit bland and it was written in 3rd person, which is not for me.

I listened to the audiobook of Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang, beautifully narrated by Nancy Wu, and it was an enchanting experience from start to finish. NetGalley kindly provided me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review—thank you!

This novella follows Yeva, a disabled dragon hunter sent to the land of Quanbao, where dragons are rumored to be worshipped instead of slain. Her mission is to uncover whether the girl-king, Lady Sookhee, is secretly hiding dragons.

The worldbuilding was one of my favorite aspects! The way dragons and myth interwove with history felt unique and compelling. Neon Yang’s writing style is hard to pin down, only that it’s gorgeously vivid and immersive, perfectly suited to this kind of story. Even though the novella is short, it manages to pack in a rich sense of place, cultural depth, and emotional nuance without ever feeling rushed.

The pacing starts strong and slows a bit in the middle, which actually worked well for me. It gave space to explore Quanbao alongside Yeva and to see her reconnect with her mother’s homeland. There’s a moment of discovery in every scene, and while I can’t say too much without spoilers, the ending—though quick and a little predictable—lands with power. I only wish we’d gotten a small glimpse into the future, especially after that last chapter.

The story is experienced through Yeva’s perspective, and her voice is so strong and thoughtful. Watching her navigate a new land while also confronting her own complicated sense of self was deeply affecting. Lady Sookhee was fascinating as well, though she felt slightly more distant. I would’ve loved to learn even more about her. The romance, while sweet, felt like it happened mostly off-page. I wanted a little more buildup between the two.

Nancy Wu’s narration was excellent! Her voice felt like a perfect match for the tone of the book and especially for Yeva’s perspective. I could clearly distinguish every character, and the pacing, emotion, and atmosphere she brought to the reading made it easy to sink into the story. Her delivery was clear, slow, and immersive. I would absolutely recommend this as an audiobook; it enhances the atmosphere and characters in a really special way!

This is a story about identity—biracial heritage, disability, the pull of ancestral ties—and the quiet strength it takes to reclaim your own narrative in a world that’s tried to define you. It’s rich, lyrical, and quietly powerful. I loved my time in this world and would gladly return if given the chance!

An absolutely wonderful novella I really enjoyed listening to! This queer, Asian-inspired fantasy was so much fun and had such a great atmosphere. Even though I don't think it quite fits as cosy fantasy, it's definitely adjacent to it, and just works really nicely as a feel-good queer legend about sapphic knights and dragons.

While it's mainly marketed as fantasy (and definitely is in that genre) I think the things that stood out to me about this novella were the romance and story of self discovery. The romance element was absolutely adorable and I loved the queernormative world that allowed Yeva and Sookhee to build trust and love naturally. Yeva's journey throughout this book was such a joy to read, seeing her learn to have her own desires and thoughts, and reclaiming her culture and identity. She was a really wonderful character with an emotional and satisfying arc.

Even though this is a novella, there was still room for some commentary on conflicting cultures, imperialism, duty, and family, which created created some great internal conflict and a backdrop for the romantic relationship at the heart of this book.

Overall, while not groundbreaking, this is a book I really loved and would recommend to anyone looking for a short sapphic story about dragons, duty, and self-acceptance.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with this audio ARC in return for my honest review.

(Disclaimer: I received the audiobook from the publisher, but this has in no way influenced my review. My thoughts are entirely unbiased and honest.)

4.75 Stars!

Definitely judge this book by its cover because Neon Yang's prose is so vivid I could smell what transpired (I promise it's a good thing).

I'll be honest and say this was my most anticipated release of 2025, and thankfully, it met my expectations.

No surprise that Nancy Wu's performance is still wonderful. I've been listening to their voice since I started audiobooks.

Besides the production, the book really shines in its prose. It's not an easy feat to tackle queerness, colonization, and diaspora angst in just a few chapters. That's impressive writing right there, baby!

The backdrop of fantasy, political tension, and the struggles of our main protagonist are all really well done, so this will definitely be one of my book recommendations moving forward.

This is not romantasy, and it's a nice break for once.

The romance is barely there, and the few moments we get...I gobbled them up.

My only complaint is that I think a few extra chapters would’ve made the build-up more satisfying. Just a preference though, and it's honestly well-edited.

Kudos to everyone! Highly recommended!

Yeva, a hardened dragon slayer, is sent near her childhood home to investigate a foreign kingdom rumored to be harboring a dragon. Torn between her loyalty to the emperor and the allure of the young Queen, who's secrets run deep, Yeva must decide where her true purpose lies.

Readers get dropped right into the world, but the author expertly uses engaging and interesting prose to orient us, and it takes no time at all to become entranced by the vivid folkloric telling of the story. Right from the start, I found myself wishing this novella were longer so I could spend more time exploring the world and its characters. Still, there's a lot to like about this novella, particularly its diverse representation, and it reminded me of The Fireborne Blade duology by Charlotte Bond and the Singing Hills Cycle by Nghi Vo. The main character was likeable: I wanted her to succeed, and the ending, though predicatable, was satisfying. I also thought the audiobook narrator did an excellent job of capturing the exact tone to match both the author's writing style and intrigue of the plot.

Overall I thought this was well written and engrossing for the short time I read it, and I would certainly read more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novella has confirmed my belief that Neon Yang is an absolute master of silkpunk queer fantasy in short form. Their Tensorate series was a game changer in the genre for me, but their full length novel was kind of a drag. This one harkens back to the vibes of the Tensorate series, but also like Nghi Vo's Singing Hills series. The worldbuilding is relatively less intricate than Tensorate, the plot much more simplistic and kind of predictable, but still a pretty solid story about cultural erasure, and homecoming. Nancy Wu's narration always elevates the folkloric narrative style of a story like this, and this one was no exception. I just wish there was a little bit more development of the side characters and that the end wasn't so conveniently neat. Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the audiobook ARC.

This was a really fun read, it had the feel of an epic high fantasy packed into a bite sized novella. I listened to this in a single sitting, the themes of identity, disability, and belonging draw you in and make this sapphic political fantasy even more compelling.

The narrator did an excellent job of bringing this story to life. This is a great audiobook to listen to on a longer drive or while do things around the house if you don’t want to get into a longer fantasy book/series.

There is a double-edged sword in shorter-format fantasy tales like novellas: on the one side, world-building and character development can be light, on the other side, you can quickly get to the plot without committing to days or even weeks of reading and perhaps even years of waiting for sequels to be published. Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame tells a complete tale in under 200 pages/ less than 5 hrs audio at 1x speed. For this length, the story establishes its protagonist rather well, a fairly stoic, loner dragon-slayer. The plot revolves around her being sent as emissary to a nearby kingdom with a covert mission to investigate its dragon of legend. Instead of uncovering a dragon, she finds love. Things get more complicated when her king actually wants a slayed dragon. I was not surprised by the reveal or much of the ending but still enjoyed the story and appreciate how the resolution worked out.
I listened to this book's audiobook and the narration and narrator really suited the story and main character. Additionally, this format is great for this length of book because it can accompany you on a long drive or commute, or keep you entertained in the kitchen while cooking.
I received the ALC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, RBmedia) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This was a great fantasy novella. A renowned disabled queer female dragon slayer who never takes her gear off gets sent to a neighboring kingdom to investigate the presence of dragons and ends up slowly finding her humanity instead. Well written and enjoyable I just wish I felt more connected to the characters.

4/5 Stars – A Lyrical Tale of Identity and Transformation
Beautifully crafted novella that intertwines duty, identity, and self-discovery. Yeva, is a masked dragon slayer who is sent into her mission to the land of Quanbao, where dragons are revered rather than hunted. Themes of transformation resonate profoundly with as much world building and folklore as you can punch into a novella. If You want fantasy with sapphic undertones, this short read will do the trick.

5/5 for Narration - This was beautifully narrated, I found it was engaging and flowed nicely. Easy to hear and follow along even at 1.75x speed.

Thank you so much for this ARC! I listened to it through in one go, and really enjoyed the story. I will be honest, I had no idea where the story was going until she found herself before the Queen, then it all came together for me. I did guess the queens secret pretty quickly, but that didn’t deter me from enjoying the story.

I did appreciate that the unpleasant years spent in training flew by quickly trusting that the audience would understand what was happening.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

BtS,StF is a queer novella that reads like a legend being retold after the true details were forgotten, with only word of mouth to keep it circulating. The story of a heroic and famous dragon slayer, a faceless knight with a hidden disability and a past she has forced herself to forget. To faithfully serve the Sun Emperor, she will use the blue flame in her blood to kill dragons, just like she did as a young child to save her sister. But serving her country forces her leave behind her culture, her blood ties, forgoing an identity beyond the metal of her helm, the sword in her hand. Yeva is not prepared to be sent as the envoy to Quanboa to treat with the girl-king, Lady Sookhee, who seems to have a chronic condition which leaves her sick and unable to hold court. With rumours of dragons residing in Quanboa and a culture that worships the creatures as mystical beings, Yeva must begin to unravel the secrets of her assignment, her identity, and her mother's past, and above all, the mystery of the dragon queen.

Neon Yang and Tran Nguyen cooked with this one, I fear. When you say the words "sapphic mandalorian x dragon queen" to me I just get really, really excited. And the vibes are *truly* on point. Oblivious lesbian is oblivious. Is the queen really sick or is something more going on? Well, obviously, something more is going on. But Yeva is a little bit busy trying to overcome the trauma of the gentle ethnic cleansing she received when she went into the service of the Sun Emperor. She's literally almost entirely forgotten how to speak her native language. So not only is she a fish out of water in Quanboa, she's also lost when it comes to her own roots. She's also disabled--- the armour she wears and never takes off in the presence of others is her shield against more than just dragon flame. As a child she was grievously injured in a dragon attack and is left with a claw-like hand with limited mobility and a great deal of scarring. Despite this, she is the most capable and successful knight in her guild, allowing herself to be stripped of all of the culture and personality that made her a human being and becoming nothing more than a conduit for the weapons she holds.

When Sookhee is finally able to provide Yeva a way to discard the armour while still feeling comfortable, my heart cracked in two. Wow, just wow. The yearning that Yeva feels for Sookhee's presence after they become more than associates got me good--- this gay disaster knight PINES for the girl-king whenever she locks herself away to deal with her mysterious illness.

I will admit, I got a liiiittle concerned about 80% through when the reveal I was sure about still hadn't happened, but then it DID, and I was so happy. The blurb did not lie, and it was glorious.

Nancy Wu does a fantastic job with her somewhat raspy voice, giving unique energy to both of our main characters and the supporting cast. She has the perfect tone for this type of framing where the story is being told as a legend or storybook. Absolutely 10/10.

I can't wait for people to get their hands on Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame and dive into this legendary story.

Yeva, a legendary dragonslayer, gets sent on a covert mission to a foreign kingdom, tasked with uncovering whether dragons still exist. What she finds, though, is a lot messier than just scales and fire — loyalty, identity, and a Queen who stirs memories of the culture she left behind. Forced to walk the line between the empire that forged her and the blood that calls her back, Yeva’s battle turns inward just as much as outward.

On the vibes front? Complete win: armored women with swords, slow-burn political drama, delicate tea rituals, and a forbidden romance flickering under the surface. It's sharp, it's tender, and it manages to leave a surprisingly deep mark for such a short read.

Not everything clicked, though. The folkloric style Yang uses to frame parts of the story feels a little at odds with Yeva’s more grounded narration — it jolts you out of the flow sometimes. Plus, there’s a little more exposition than I’d personally like, but that could easily shift in later drafts since this was an early copy.

A gorgeously crafted, bite-sized tale with dragons, lady knights, betrayal, and longing — everything I could ask for in a novella appetizer. I'd happily go back for a second course.


The audiobok was great.
I loved the narrator.

This was a super quick and easy novella to listen to!
I really enjoyed the story and it was a great introduction to Neon's work.

The narrator did a wonderful job as well!

I adored the storyline and the characters development was wonderful.
I found the narrator was really lovely the pacing was very even and easy to follow, and everything was spoken very clearly.
I look forward to more books from this Author and to hearing more from this Narrator

Thank you RBMedia and NetGalley for the ARC!

4-stars

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame was a very enjoyable fantasy novella. I love a character arc where someone's world view is challenged and they are obligated to question everything they thought they knew. And what's not to like about a female-knight, dragons, and a sweet sapphic love story?

Nancy Wu was a great audiobook narrator who was easy to listen to and not distracting. Her voice helped to propel the story along and kept my attention the entire time. Would definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley glue the audiobook arc. I worms have enjoyed the book more has it been a different narrator. This one seems like they were whispering while yelling and it was hard to follow along, and found that I would keep drifting my attention away from the book. I ended up DNF’ing at 43% and clubs not tell you a single thing that happened.

Overall this was a solid little novella. I'm a sucker for a lady knight protagonist; I just love some good old fashioned lesbian chivalry. I think that I would have liked this story more if it was a novel so that we could further expand the romance and the idea of reconnecting to a culture you were separated from as a child. The story is by no means bad, but more pages would have let things be fleshed out more. I wasn't a fan of Yang's sci-fi release from a couple years ago, but after picking this book up I'm planning to check out their future releases and I might even give the book I DNF'd a second try.

As far as the audiobook goes, this was a good narrator. Their work didn't exponentially add to the story like other narrators who I love, but they delivered exactly what I needed.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free audio-ARC in exchange for my honest review.