The Sky on Fire

By Jenn Lyons

Tor Books 2024

The Sky on Fire is a new standalone fantasy novel from Jenn Lyons, author of the criminally underread Chorus of Dragons series. Set in a world of extremes, The Sky on Fire introduces readers to Anahrod Amnead. Living in the Deep ever since she was dramatically thrown out of the Skylands, Anahrod has kept her head down and focused on survival in a landscape where, “The suffocating, sticky air and the boiling heat were a mild irritation compared to the Deep’s genuine threats: explosive oceans, howling storms, and giant, carnivorous animals.” That is until a group of adventurers conveniently save her from a rival group of Scarsea warriors out to collect a bounty for her capture. These adventurers were looking for her because Anahrod has a particular set of skills. They need her help to break into a dragon horde.

The Sky on Fire is an action-packed dragon fantasy novel. It’s a fast-paced heist narrative full of twists and turns and all the story elements readers expect in a heist. There is the classic assembling of the crack team to execute the heist, each character bringing their own specific skill to the table. There are planning sessions and complications. There are setbacks and surprises. But most of all, there are dragons.

The dragons in this world are not mere set dressing. They aren’t mythical creatures of legend that no one has seen in generations, they’re mythical creatures of legend that people interact with on a semi-regular basis, often unfortunately for the humans involved. Dragons rule this world, and they are in turn ruled by their queen, Neveranimas. At their sides are the dragonriders. Humans lucky, or unlucky, enough to be chosen by a dragon to bond with them and be their voice. These relationships are as complicated and nuanced as any others, with some riders having positive experiences and some suffering greatly for the honor of living at a dragon’s side.

Many of the themes explored in this book will be familiar to readers of Jenn Lyons’ previous series. Themes of identity, storytelling, and fact vs. fiction create a discussion of how much identity matters when your own story has been taken from you and twisted to fit a larger narrative. Anahrod is herself a woman of legend among the Skylanders. As far as they are concerned, she’s not Anahrod Amnead, she’s a traitor. She’s Anahrod the Wicked. “They’d written stage plays about Anahrod the Wicked. Stage plays and novels and who knew what else, all to tell an utterly false but no doubt engaging tale about a spoiled rich girl’s descent into evil.” The stories told about her do not reflect the truth, but over the last seventeen years these stories have become the truth and people are generally not interested in Anahrod’s side of the story.

Who wants to know the truth, when the fiction is much more palatable. After all, “It’s much easier to avoid taking responsibility for your mistakes when you have someone else to blame.” The question posed by the narrative is: How much of Anahrod’s identity still belongs to her, and how much belongs to those who named her Anahrod the Wicked? Does it even matter? Throughout the narrative readers see Anahrod grappling with the legend that has been built up around her in the years since she left the Skylands and struggling to feel secure in her identity.

Anahrod is in her thirties, so she’s slightly older than your average female fantasy protagonist, which is a nice change. This is particularly noticeable in the romance plot which is less of the will-they-won’t-they romance and more about mature adults working out the timing. Because while the people involved in this romance want to be together, they also aren’t going to compromise their mission for the sake of true love. Readers who dislike the melodrama inherent in many a romance plotline may find this one more to their taste.

The Sky on Fire is a rollicking adventure, fast-paced and plot-driven. The heart of the narrative is the dragon horde heist, but there’s so much more happening than just that. There’s romance, political intrigue, and family drama. A lot goes on in this book and it barely pauses to take a breath. Considering that the fantasy genre is notorious for lengthy series—sometimes reaching far beyond the limits of sanity—this standalone fantasy from a talented, engaging author is worth your time.

Amberlee Venters is a freelance editor and writer living in Northern California.