Title: A Chorus of Dragons
Author: Jenn Lyons
Publication Date: 2019-2022
Genres: Fantasy
Protagonist Gender: Various
I published individual reviews of each of these books as they were released, but for this year's #TransRightsReadathon I wanted to explore the diversity within them that's worthy of celebration
A Chorus of Dragons is a story where hardly anybody is who or what they seem - even without considering the mimic who could be anyone - where the affairs of gods and mortals are inexorably intertwined, and where you need a scorecard to keep track of names, roles, and relationships. It forces you to reconsider everything you thought you knew or understood, but there are fantastic revelations to be found as each puzzle piece falls into place.
There are so many familiar tropes to be found in the series - lost heirs, assassins, secret sorcerers, dragons, gods, sea monsters, fathers and father figures - but none quite where or how you might expect. I was . . . well, delighted is the best word I can think of . . . by how Jenn Lyons spun her tale. It's an exceptionally dark story in places, with rape, murder, and torture at the heart of so much than happens, and yet there is wonder, amazement, and humor to be found along the way. It's a complex saga, full of complicated characters and convoluted relationships, and one that demands a lot more attention than your average epic fantasy, but it's well worth it.
There are multiple themes explored across the 5 books, and you could argue they are as much about power, corruption, immortality, belief, or humanity as it is about anything, but what the saga is ultimately about is love - love for family born, family created, and family found. From the worst case of sibling rivalry you can imagine to the most wonderful case of shared love and romance you can dream, this is a story about love. Not always with a happily ever after, mind you - despite the characters having narrative threads, pulling from a myriad of lives, there are real stakes that see some remain dead after the final page is turned.
One of the aspects I loved most about this series was the Joratese culture and its exciting exploration of gender. This is a culture driven by horse-based gender roles of stallion, mare, gelding, and foal that have nothing to do with biology. It’s may be confusing to the reader at first, and it perplexes people from other cultures, but I found it fascinating. On top of that, there’s simple reincarnation into different genders; races such as the voramer and morgage, who are born male but become female later in life; the magically gifted vane, who can alter their gender and appearance over time; and the treacherous mimics who can become anyone at will. There’s a whole question of romance, inheritance, and bloodlines that hinges upon gender, not because same-sex marriage is an issue, but because childbearing is far more problematic.
As for the characters and their relationships, how Lyons not only validates the emotional triangle between Kihrin, Janel, and Teraeth, but explores the complex romance dynamic of a bisexual polyamorous triad – one with reincarnation issues and a question of gender fluidity – is perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the novel. There is also the homoerotic tension/flirting between Galen and Qown; the sapphic love between Talea and Xivan with a story worthy of their history together; Sheloran being free to talk about her love for other women without being slut-shamed for it; Senera and Thurvishar being given space to explore their asexual dynamic as friends and colleagues with feelings; and so many other casual references to changing gender, stepping outside gender roles, and loving across gender lines that it's honestly hard to keep track.
None of that, of course, is to say that A Chorus of Dragons is a story about sex and gender, but it is one in which their inherent diversities are acknowledged, understood, and accepted. I loved it!
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀
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