This is the fourth and concluding book in the Dragon Jouster's series that began with Joust and continues in Alta and Sanctuary, and you should definitely read those first.
The series has appealing characters in an unusual setting, a milieu reminiscent of Ancient Egypt rather than Medieval Europe as in much of fantasy. The central character, Kiron, has a strong arc in what is essentially a coming of age tale, from serf in the first book to someone here who is a leader among his people. I also liked the themes of the two lands of these tales, Tia and Alta, merging into one.
And there be dragons! Lackey herself has been involved in raptor rehabilitation, which I think helped both in the plausible way she writes of dragon raising and training as well as the verve with which she writes these novels. These aren't telepathic or talking dragons like McCaffrey's or Novik's, but they're engaging creatures--more than just pets.
I'm a fan of Lackey and particularly her Valdemar tales, but right around the time Joust came out, I thought she was showing signs of rather tired blood in books like Exile's Honor--but this series shows she still has it in her to write a gripping tale with characters that come alive and the concluding novel is every bit as enjoyable as the earlier books in this series.
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