Review - The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
204 pages

Published December 31st 2011 by Mundania Press LLC

Source - Author for review

Synopsis:
'Astrid is reluctant to travel the winter route beyond the Northlands, even though it's her duty. She'd rather stay home in her village, surrounded by friends and neighbors. Ignoring the bonds of tradition, she decides to spend the cold winter months in the warmth of her blacksmithing shop. Why should she leave the comfort of her cottage to serve and protect foreigners who might raid and harm her native Northlands?

Everything changes when a traveling merchant steals Starlight, the first dragonslayer's sword Astrid forged and her last link to her sweetheart DiStephan. Having no time to alert her friends, Astrid races in pursuit of the merchant, determined to reclaim Starlight as her own and return home in time for dinner. Instead, her quest leads her to new lands, unexpected friendships with foreigners, and a harrowing encounter with the damage done by the followers of a new god that considers women as nothing more than servants to men. All the while, she must be ready to face any dragon traveling the winter route.

In Book 2 of the Dragonslayer series, Astrid must learn that deciding who she is isn't a decision she can make just once. Instead, it's a decision she must make every day.'

My Thoughts:
In this book Astrid makes a choice to stay in her home village of Guell rather than perform the dragonslayer duty of following what they call 'the winter route' keeping the lizards under control for other villages as the lizards migrate during the colder months.

Unfortunately, this decision is changed for her when her beloved sword 'Starlight' is stolen and Astrid has to leave Guell to follow the thief and try to get it back.

It is this adventure that brings Astrid into new lands where the laws and customs are not like they are in her home village so Astrid has to learn tolerance and to accept the ways of others even if they are not what she is used to.

I thought this book was much easier to follow as far as the flow of the plot than the first book and again I was very easily swept up in the story and world of Astrid and the dragons. The refreshing differences in these books to other fantasy stories make it an interesting read and the short chapters make it an easy book to devour in a couple of hours or so.

In the first book you learn that Astrid is a very head strong and stubborn female character and these traits are also very apparent in The Iron Maiden. Sometimes this stubborness gets Astrid in trouble but throughout the story she seems to grow and learn that her ways are not the only ways in the world. This character development is great and it's nice to see it happening as by the end Astrid is a much more mature person and also more accepting of her role as the Dragonslayer and what such a title means.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book and found myself starting to feel as if I was part of the world within it. I am definitely looking forward to reading the third instalment in the Dragonslayer series, The Stone of Darkness, just to see what adventures await Astrid next.

Links:
The Dragonslayers Sword (Book 1) Review
Amazon
The Book Depository
Resa Nelson's Website